Podcast Summary: Joel Osteen Podcast

Episode: Living In The Rain

Host: Joel Osteen
Date: February 20, 2026

Overview

In "Living In The Rain," Joel Osteen uses the biblical metaphor of rain as a symbol of blessings, favor, and increase from God. He encourages listeners to break out of dry spells—periods characterized by discouragement, stagnation, or lack—and instead purposefully cultivate a life where God’s favor "rains down" through the power of constant praise, gratitude, and positive confession. The message centers around the idea that, just as rain clouds form and eventually pour out due to rising vapor, our persistent praise to God rises to heaven and inevitably results in a downpour of divine blessings. Joel reinforces this theme with scriptural stories, personal anecdotes, and actionable faith guidance.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Rain as a Metaphor for Blessings (03:00)

• Rain in scripture symbolizes blessings, favor, and being "in blossom"—the flourishing state God desires for everyone.
• Many experience "dry spells" in various life areas, feeling stagnant or in a "famine" and not realizing God's fullness.

2. How to End the Famine: The Cloud of Praise (04:25)

• Joel draws analogy to how natural clouds form: vapor rises, condenses, and produces rain.
• Praise and thanksgiving act like spiritual vapor.
• “When the praises go up, the blessings come down.” (05:00)
  • Regular praise and gratitude accumulate ("form clouds") until blessings overflow back down.

3. Endurance and Faith During Dry Spells (06:00)

• Referencing the story of Elijah enduring years of drought (I Kings 18), Joel emphasizes not giving up even when there is "not a cloud in your sky."
• “Elijah didn’t get negative....He just kept giving God praise...On the seventh time...the heavens opened up.” (07:25)

4. Everyday Praise Practices (08:10)

• Encourages shifting from complaining to thanking God for even mundane things.
• Implement gratitude in daily routines—at work, in traffic, family situations.
• “When you do that, you might as well get your umbrella out...It’s just a matter of time before that cloud opens up and unloads God’s blessings and favor right back on you.” (09:10)

5. The Principle of Spiritual Reciprocity (10:00)

• What you send up—praise or complaint—forms your "cloud."
• “If you're not sending anything up, nothing's going to come back down....Some of you are waiting for your ship to come in. Problem is, you haven’t sent a ship out.” (10:40)
  • The idea: Participate actively through words and attitude to prepare for blessing.

6. Praising Through Problems (12:40)

• Don’t withdraw praise when circumstances are slow to improve.
• The Psalms: “I will keep on hoping for you to help me. I will praise you more and more.”
• “The longer it takes, the more we’re supposed to give God praise.” (13:00)

7. Scriptural Examples of Breakthrough Praise (15:00)

• Paul & Silas, Daniel, and Shadrach/Meshach/Abednego: Breakthrough came at the darkest times through praise.

8. Keeping Your Cloud Full (17:15)

• Don’t settle for minor blessings (“a light mist”); fill your “cloud” with praise so the “downpour” comes.
• Even when slighted or frustrated, default to gratitude rather than complaint.
• “Instead of complaining, we’ll say, ‘Thank you, Jesus.’” (18:30)

9. Bragging on God, Not Your Problems (19:40)

• Cites Nehemiah’s rebuilding against all odds: he responded to others, “The gracious hand of God is upon me.”
• The focus: God’s ability over personal limitations.

10. Embracing a Childlike Faith (22:00)

• Anecdote about Joel’s nephew, Christopher, confidently bragging about his own father’s strength.
• “That’s the way we need to be concerning our Heavenly Father....Tell that problem, my dad can squash your dad.”

11. Open Your Mouth Wide (23:00)

• Quoting Psalm 81:10—God promises to fill open mouths with blessings:
  • “This is one time it’s good to have a big mouth....Go around talking about what God’s done, bragging on what He’s going to do.”

12. What You Send Up Comes Back Down (25:30)

• Continual negativity and complaint send up the wrong “vapors,” resulting in more defeat.
• “If you could just switch out of that defeat mode...that dark cloud...will turn into a blessing cloud that will rain down favor.”

13. God Responds to Praise More than Tears (26:45)

• “God is touched by our tears, but he’s not moved by our tears....What causes God to get up off the throne...is when we start giving him praise.”

14. Praise Anywhere, Not Just in Church (27:45)

• Praise works in the car, shower, hospital, or even a prison cell.

15. Expectation of Overflow (28:45)

• Joel shares personal testimony: Lakewood Church’s acquisition of the Compaq Center was the result of persistent praise.
• “We’ve been running over with God’s blessings...If we can just stay under that cloud then that increase would just continue to rain back down.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On cultivating expectation:
  • “If you just open your mouth wider, you’d be amazed at what God would do.” (24:45)
• On negativity and its effect:
  • “I’ve had people tell me, Joel, I feel like I’m living under a dark cloud. I’m not making light of that....But as long as you keep sending that up, it’s going to keep coming back down.” (25:40)
• On the power of praise:
  • “God inhabits the praises of His people....When they give me praise, I will show up and do great things.” (26:30)
• On God’s strength and support:
  • “The gracious hand of God is upon me....all the forces of heaven are backing you up.” (21:10, 23:45)
• On blessing and overflow:
  • “That’s what God wants to do in every one of your lives—pour out blessings that you cannot contain.” (29:10)

Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment/Event | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------| | 03:00 | Introduction of rain as metaphor for blessings | | 04:25 | The process of “forming spiritual clouds” through praise | | 06:00 | Story of Elijah enduring drought, waiting for rain | | 08:10 | Practical everyday applications of praise | | 10:00 | Principle: What goes up must come down (spiritually) | | 12:40 | Encouragement to praise through protracted difficulties | | 15:00 | Biblical examples of praise bringing breakthrough | | 19:40 | Nehemiah’s story: Bragging on God’s capability | | 22:00 | Christopher anecdote: Childlike confidence in God | | 23:00 | “Open your mouth wide”—declaring God’s promises boldly | | 25:30 | Warning about complaining: affects outcomes | | 26:45 | God is moved by praise, not just by our hardships | | 28:45 | Lakewood Church story—a real-life “raining favor” example | | 29:10 | Expecting overflow: “downpour” of blessings |

Final Encouragements

• Joel reaffirms that “what you send up is going to come back down”—make praise, thanks, and positive declaration your lifestyle.
• A call to faith:
  • “Some of you, you are so close, you don’t realize it....Just a few more times of giving God praise...is going to be the one that causes the cloud to burst open.” (30:25)
• “If you’ll stay in this attitude of praise, then you’ll live in the rain. God says you will always be in blossom.” (31:00)

For listeners, the takeaway is both motivational and practical: cultivate persistent, daily gratitude and praise, speak God’s promises boldly, and expect that a “rain” of blessing will follow—no matter how dry the present season seems.