Lift Up Your Eyes | Victoria Osteen

Summary

Podcast Summary: Joel Osteen Podcast

Episode: Lift Up Your Eyes | Victoria Osteen
Date: July 4, 2026
Host: Joel Osteen
Key Speaker: Victoria Osteen (primary sermon giver in this episode)
Main Theme: Shifting Perspective from Problems to God’s Promises

---

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the theme “Lift Up Your Eyes,” encouraging listeners to rise above their current circumstances by focusing on God’s promises rather than their problems. Drawing on the biblical story of Abraham and personal anecdotes, Victoria Osteen (with occasional comments from Joel) explores the transformative power of shifting perspective, patience in God’s timing, and recognizing one’s divine purpose.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Power of Perspective

[01:49 - 02:55]

• Victoria explains that faith requires the ability to see beyond immediate circumstances.
• She notes how easy it is to get “stuck” in our problems, focusing on what went wrong or what hasn't worked out.
• Quote:
  • “When we take our eyes off of the circumstances, off of the problems that are trying to weigh us down and hold us back, that’s when we can put our eyes on the promises of God, not the problems.” — Victoria Osteen [01:59]

2. The Story of Abraham and Lot

[02:56 - 06:20]

• Victoria recounts how Abraham let Lot choose the more prosperous land, leaving Abraham with barren, undeveloped land.
• God then tells Abraham, “lift up your eyes,” inviting him to envision a future beyond the immediate lack.
• She highlights the symbolism:
  • Lot’s name means “veil,” and after their separation, Abraham’s vision clears, representing the removal of spiritual hindrances.
  • “Do you know the name Lot means veil? And when he separated from Lot, it was as if God lifted the veil from his eyes and he was able to see God in new ways.” — Victoria Osteen [05:39]

3. Seeing Beyond What’s Present

[06:21 - 08:45]

• Victoria draws parallels to the audience, emphasizing that what looks barren now may hold promise for the future.
• She reflects that God’s promises are “spoken in the unseen realm”—sometimes we’re in a process, not the final product.
• Anecdote: She shares a story about her lemon trees:
  • A friend mistook her green lemons for limes, but Victoria explains, “They don't look right now the way they're going to look … but they're going to turn yellow in just a matter of time.” [08:24]
• Quote:
  • “The fruit on those trees are still in process. They're not finished yet.” – Victoria Osteen [08:31]

4. Faith, Patience, and the Process

[10:56 – 12:57]

• Victoria references Hebrews 11, affirming that inheriting God’s promises requires “faith and patience.”
• She encourages listeners not to despise the journey, but to recognize it as part of God’s development.
• “You're in the process and you are becoming everything God wants you to be. … Don't devalue your journey.” — Victoria Osteen [11:14]
• She reminds listeners not to compare themselves to others (“someone else may look like they have paradise, but don’t forget you have the promise”).

5. Shifting Focus to God’s Promises

[11:50 – 13:01]

• Victoria urges, “It’s time to lift your eyes from the problem and set your eyes on the promises … greater heights, greater victories, greater strength, greater anointing.”
• The episode closes this main section reasserting that perseverance leads to seeing God’s faithfulness:
  • “If you'll continue the process, you will become just like Abraham. And you will see God's faithfulness … You will see and you will become everything that God intended you to be.” — Victoria Osteen [12:38]

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “When Abraham looked the other direction, what he saw was dirt. He saw was dust. No development, just land. … But see, it was at that point that God spoke to Abraham and he said, Abraham, lift up your eyes now.” — Victoria Osteen [03:45]
• “It may have looked like Lot got paradise, but Abraham, he got the promise. And you do, too. You have the promises of God.” — Victoria Osteen [05:28]
• “You may not look like you want to look. You may not be where you want to be. But don't devalue your journey. Don't start thinking that the journey isn’t worth it. The process is what builds your strength.” — Victoria Osteen [11:11]

---

Important Segments & Timestamps

• [01:49] — Introduction to the theme: looking beyond current circumstances
• [02:55] — Story of Abraham, Lot, and lifting one’s eyes
• [06:21] — The veil lifted: seeing God's promises, not problems
• [08:24] — Lemon tree anecdote: in-process blessings
• [10:56] — God's promises are inherited through “faith and patience”
• [11:50] — Call to action: shift your perspective
• [12:57] — Assurance of God’s faithfulness and becoming who God intended

---

Closing Tone

Throughout the episode, Victoria Osteen's message is warm, encouraging, and faith-filled, consistently inviting listeners to trust God and patiently embrace the process of spiritual growth. The tone is uplifting, with a pastoral calm and a focus on inner transformation rather than external circumstances.

---

Key Takeaway

"Lift up your eyes."
Move your focus from your problems to God’s promises. Trust that, like Abraham, even when you can’t see the outcome, God’s faithfulness and purpose are unfolding in your life. Let go of unfavorable labels and trust the process—your “lemon” season will turn to fruition in God’s timing.

---

(Skip promotional and ad content, focusing on the sermon/message.)

Transcript

[Rach]

Hey, it's Rach. And if you're like me, you want treats that are simple and taste amazing. And that's why I love Johnny Pops. They're deliciously made with simple ingredients and no artificial dyes. Whether it's a quick snack for the kids or a sweet moment for yourself, Johnny Pops are the perfect treat. And there's a kind deed on every stick to encourage everyone to share a little kindness. So next time you're in the freezer aisle, grab a box of Johnny Pops and feel great about what you're sharing. Johnny Pops. A better Pop for a better world.

[Tony Ayo]

This is Tony Ayo from the Real Report with Tony Ayo and Uncle Murder. You ever notice how everything keeps going up? Rent, streaming, even extra Sosa at your favorite burrito spot? But with Boost Mobile, you don't have to play the Willis Go up soon game. Boost Mobile offers an unlimited talk, text and data plan at a price that'll never go up. It's the same price you'll pay for Life. Switch now for unlimited wireless at a price that'll never go up. Only at boost mobile. After 30 gigabytes, customers may experience slower speeds. Customers will pay $25 a month as long as they remain active on the Boost Unlimited plan.

[Amy Ehrich]

Hello, beautiful. I'm Amy Ehrich, founder of Madison Reed, a hair color company I named after my daughter. Forget everything you know about hair color. The mess, the smell, the hassle, the damage. We're female founded and female led. We've transformed the hair color experience with ingredients that care for your hair and award winning color on your terms, at home or at our hair color bars. The future of hair color is here. Addison Reap,

[Joel Osteen]

thanks so much for listening to the podcast today. I want you to know that Victoria and I are praying for you and your family this summer and just asking God to bring you more peace and joy and victory than you've ever seen before. Know that God's for you. He's got you in the palm of his hand. And I hope you enjoy the message today.

Your faith is amazing. Go out and tell people about this saving power of Jesus Christ. Amen. And that he can do what no one else can do. You are his light in all the world. You see, we're all on this journey of faith together. And if we're going to experience the fullness of God's promises, we're going to have to develop the ability to see beyond where we are right now. See, it's so easy to get stuck in a problem. It's so easy to See what didn't work out, what didn't happen, the mistakes we've made, maybe what someone else did to us. And then we think, what's our next step? God, how are we going to get out of this? It becomes difficult to see the next step sometimes. But when we take our eyes off of the circumstances, off of the problems that are trying to weigh us down and hold us back, that's when we can put our eyes on the promises of God, not the problems. We can't set our eyes on the problems. We have to set our eyes on the promises. That's how we're going to rise above where we are right now. We have to look beyond where we are and lift our eyes. In the Book of Genesis, Abraham was called by God to go on a journey of faith with him. He spoke to Abraham and said, leave your father's house. Abraham did. The Bible says he believed God, and it was credited unto him as righteousness. He left his father's land. He took his family and his nephew Lot, and they went on this journey. But there was a point in his journey where Lot, his nephew, and himself had acquired so many possessions that they had to part ways. The land could not sustain both of them. So Abraham looked at Lot and said, you pick first. Which way do you want to go? What direction do you want to go, Lot? I'm giving you first choice. Well, Lot looked around and he found a place that he thought would be perfect for he and his family. The Bible calls. It was east. It was towards the Jordan. It was lush in foliage. It was a city that was bustling. It was places of opportunity. So Lot chose that part of the land. When Abraham looked the other direction, what he saw was dirt. He saw was dust. No development, just land. And he thought to himself, wow, what in the world have I gotten myself into? But see, it was at that point that God spoke to Abraham and he said, abraham, lift up your eyes now. Lift up your eyes now. Look out as far as you can see from the north, the south, the east, and the west. He said, what you can see, the land that you can see, I will give it to you. I will give it to you. You see, it was this point that Abraham had to lift his eyes. I love that phrase, lift your eyes. Because this lifted eyes became the theme of Abraham's life. You see, God knew that Abraham could easily get his eyes on the wrong thing. He could have easily said, why didn't I choose first? Why did he get the best? Now I'm just stuck in the dirt. And the dust. And he's over there prospering. Why did I make that mistake? But see, God wanted him to lift his eyes so he could see beyond the dust and the dirt and begin to see his destiny unfold. Begin to see what God wanted to do in his life. Do you know the name Lot means veil? And when he separated from Lot, it was as if God lifted the veil from his eyes and he was able to see God in new ways. You see, God wanted to reveal himself to Abraham in unseen ways. You see, it may have looked like Lot got paradise, but Abraham, he got the promise. And you do, too. You have the promises of God. In fact, the veil has been lifted from your eyes. It has been torn in two by the power of Christ. And God wants to show you along this journey things you haven't seen before. He wants to reveal himself in powerful ways. You see, when God spoke to Abraham and told him that he was going to be a father of many nations, said Abraham, I want to show you this land that I'm taking you. I want you to inhabit it. I want you to possess it. I'm going to make your seed great, and I'm going to bless people all over the earth. His name was Abram. God hadn't changed his name yet to the father of many Nations. He was just Abram, a man that was believing God going on this journey of faith. In fact, he didn't look anything like what God was saying about him. But God's promises are spoken in the unseen realm. God's promises are spoken, but not seen yet. That's why the veil was lifted, so that Abraham could see into the supernatural realm, so Abraham could get a glimpse of what God wanted to do. He wanted to take the veil off of Abraham's eyes so that he could see what God was doing. You see, God's promises are progressive. They unfold in his timing. They may not be seen yet, but it's only a matter of time until God gets you to where you need to be. Until you start looking like God says you're gonna look. Until you start having what God says you're gonna have. It's progressive and it's in God's timing. I have these beautiful lemon trees in my backyard. I have two of them, and they're full of fruit right now. And a friend of mine, we were in my backyard, and we happened to be walking by the lemon trees, and she stopped and she paused for a minute because they're beautiful, full of fruit. And she said, those are the most amazing lime trees I have ever seen. And I started to laugh and I said, those aren't lime trees. Those are lemon trees. She said, those are lime trees. They look like limes to me. And I said, oh, okay. I said, the fruit on those trees are still in process. They're not finished yet. They don't look right now the way they're going to look. They're green now. Yeah, they look like limes, but they're going to turn yellow in just a matter of time.

[Rach]

Hey, it's Rach. And if you're like me, you want treats that are simple and taste amazing. And that's why I love Johnny Pops. They're deliciously made with simple ingredients and no artificial dyes. Whether it's a quick snack for the kids or a sweet moment for yourself, Johnny Pops are the perfect treat. And there's a kind deed on every stick to encourage everyone to share a little kindness. So next time you're in the freezer aisle, grab a box of Johnny Pops and feel great about what you're sharing. Johnny Pops, a better pop for a better world.

[Ashley I]

This is Ashley I from the Almost Famous podcast. Can I be honest for a second? Some mornings I look in the mirror and I think, why do I look this tired? Puffiness around the eyes? Dullness? Because sometimes stress starts showing up on your face before you even realize it. And that's why I've been loving this holistic goddess organic castor oil roll on with frankincense. No crazy chemicals, no expensive treatments. It's just organic castor oil, frankincense, and this rose quartz roller that feels so good on tired, stressed skin. I look for anything that can depuff me. And this really did my under eyes look brighter? My face looked way more refreshed. It's almost like my face just exhaled. So try the holistic goddess Organic castor oil Roll on with frankincense yourself. Use my promo code [e-mail] ashley for 15 off promo code [e-mail] ashley.

[Firestone Narrator]

Your vehicle doesn't just get you from here to there. It's a bridge to the people and places that matter most. It's how you show up for your family, your community and everyone else that depends on you. That's why for 125 years, Firestone has been building tires with one thing in mind. To deliver products that are as reliable as you are. Firestone always dependable since 1900.

[Joel Osteen]

You see, Hebrews 11 says, we inherit the promises of God through faith and patience. You, just like those lemons, are in process, you are becoming everything God wants you to be. You may not look like you want to look. You may not be where you want to be. But don't devalue your journey. Don't start thinking that the journey isn't worth it. The process is what builds your strength. The process is what develops you. The process is what makes you become what God's called you to be. You see, Abraham didn't despise the process. He proved God to be faithful and true. Abraham went from test to test to test of his faith. He went through challenges. He didn't even have his promised Child Till he was 100 years old. But he saw the character of God. You see someone else may look like they have paradise, but don't forget you have the promise. You're in the process and you are becoming everything God wants you to be. If you find yourself consumed with a problem today, you're going through a transition in your life. You're wondering, how is this going to work out? It's time. It's time. It's time to lift your eyes from the problem and set your eyes on the promises. You got to realize beyond this place is greater heights, greater victories, greater strength, greater anointing. It is time to shift your perspective to God's promises. Listen, I believe if you won't get stuck, if you won't settle where you are, if you'll continue the process, you will become just like Abraham. And you will see God's faithfulness. You will see his provision. You will see his promises. You will see and you will become everything that God intended you to be. Amen. He's a faithful God. He's a faithful God.

Some of us have been carrying the same weight for years. Mistakes, regrets, what people said. What if you were never meant to carry any of it?

It's easy in life to wear labels. Mistakes we've made, what people have said, disappointments we've faced. Those labels can diminish our sense of value and cause us to forget who we really are. Have a new book called Made by God. Know it, receive it and live it. It'll help you see yourself the way God sees you. Valuable, talented, worthy. A masterpiece. You've been fearfully and wonderfully made. I'd love to send you my new book. Plus the Made by God T shirt from our good friends at Copperfield. When you know who you are, it's in whose you are. A child of the most high. You can live with confidence and step into who you were created to be.

As our way of saying thank you for your gift of any amount. This month we would like to send you a copy of Joel's brand new book Made by God. Know it, receive it, live it. You were not made by your mistakes. You were not made by what people said. You were not made by your hardest season. You were made by God on purpose, with purpose and nothing can change that. This powerful book will help you silence the labels life has put on you and finally see yourself the way God sees you. Valuable, talented, a masterpiece. And when you request your copy, we also want to send you the exclusive Made by God T shirt from our friends at CopperFit, a daily reminder you can wear as a declaration of who you are and whose you are. Set down what was never yours to carry. Request your copy today.

You are not your past. You are not labels life has put on you. You are made by God on purpose, for a purpose and nothing can change your value. Victoria and I pray for you and your family every day, believing you're going to have a blessed Sunday. And thank you so much for your prayer and support. Your generosity helps us take this message of hope to people around the world. A special thank you to our Champion of Hope partners for all you do to make the ministry possible. Until we meet again. May the Lord bless you and keep you.

Be sure to request your copy of Made by God plus your exclusive Copperfit Made by God tea available this month by visiting [e-mail] or call 888-567 Joel with an additional gift, you can also receive the complete Made by God Designed with Purpose collection featuring the Made by God tee, the Designed with Purpose hat, and the Made by God tote. Each piece is more than something you wear or carry. It is a declaration, a statement of faith, a daily reminder that your life is not random. God has a plan for you. Wherever your day takes you, you will carry a message that speaks life not only over yourself, but to everyone around you. You can request these inspiring resources by calling 888-567 Joel or logging on to jolostein.com today. Call or click anytime 24 hours a day.

[Amy Ehrich]

Foreign.

[Tony Ayo]

This is Tony Ayo from the Real Report with Tony Ayo and Uncle Murder. You ever notice how everything keeps going up? Rent, streaming, even extra Sosa at your favorite burrito spot? But with Boost Mobile, you don't have to play the Willis Go up soon game. Boost Mobile offers an unlimited talk, text and data plan at a price that'll never go up. It's the same price you'll pay for life. Switch now for unlimited wireless at a price that'll never go up, only at boost mobile. After 30 gigabytes, customers may experience slower speeds. Customers will pay $25 a month as long they remain active on the Boost Unlimited plan.

[Rach]

Hey, it's Rach. And if you're like me, you want treats that are simple and taste amazing. And that's why I love Johnny Pops. They're deliciously made with simple ingredients and no artificial dyes. Whether it's a quick snack for the kids or a sweet moment for yourself, Johnny Pops are the perfect treat. And there's a kind deed on every stick to encourage everyone to share a little kindness. So next time you're in the freezer aisle, grab a box of Johnny Pops and feel great about what you're sharing. Johnny Pops A better Pop for a better world.

[Tori Spelling]

Hi, this is Tori Spelling from Misspelling Forget everything you know about hair color. The mess, the smell, the damage. Madison Reed is female, founded Female Led and has completely transformed the hair color experience. Their award winning formulas are crafted in Italy with ingredients that care for your hair delivering rich multi dimensional results and you choose how you color. Get salon gorgeous results at home or let a pro do it for you at Madison Reed Hair Color Bar. The future of hair color is here at Madison Reed. Try it today and get 20% off of your next order or service. Go to madison-reid.com tori and use code TORI20.