← Joel Osteen Podcast
Joel Osteen Podcast
No More Distractions | Joel Osteen
00:31:19
Don't let the fear of people's opinions keep you from pursuing God's dream for your life.
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Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you enjoyed today's message, why don't.
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You be a blessing and share it with a friend?
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We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in your life. Well, God bless you. A joy to come into your homes. If you're ever in our area, please stop by, be a part of one of our services. I promise you we'll make you feel right at home. I like to start with something funny and heard about this mother. She had two young boys that were known for their mischievous behavior. Anytime trouble occurred, they were certain to be apart. She decided to take them to see their pastor one at a time. Pastor said to the first young boy, son, where is God? He sat there silently. He asked again, where is God? Still no reply. Third time he asked, the boy bolted out the door, ran home and said to his brother, God is missing and they think we did it. Say it like you mean it. This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. I have what it says I have. I can do what it says I can do. Today I will be taught the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind is alert. My heart is receptive. I will never be the same in Jesus name. God bless you. I want to talk to you today about no more distractions. The older we get, the more we realize we're not going to be here forever. Life is flying by. Seems like just the other day I was in high school. Now that I'm 35, I think, where has this time gone? I'm kidding, y'.
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All.
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I'm 39. But when you realize how fast time is going, it should bring a sense of urgency, a sense of focus. Your assignment has an expiration date. Your time on this earth is not unlimited. When Jesus was about to be crucified, the the scripture says he set his face toward Jerusalem because his hour had come. No more going to the desert, feeding the 5,000. No more waiting for the woman at the well. No more stopping by Zacchaeus house for dinner. Those things were fine for a season, but now he didn't have time for distractions. His hour had come. God is saying to you, your hour has come. If you're going to reach your highest potential, you have to do like Jesus and set your face. You can't be distracted by things that are keeping you from your purpose. You don't have time to waste worried about what people think about you. Your time is too valuable to respond to. Every critic, every negative comment, try to convince people that you really are okay. Those are distractions. Everyone is not going to like you. Everyone's not going to accept you. Quit trying to convince someone to understand you, that's determined to misunderstand you. Some people don't want to be for you, and that's okay. You don't need them to fulfill your destiny. But the enemy would love for us to spend time and energy trying to win someone over that's never going to be won over. You have to set your face. The people that need to be for you will be for you. God has already lined up the right people, people that will celebrate you, people that will cheer you on, people that stick with you through thick and thin. But too often we're trying to convince people to be our friend and convince them to spend time with us. But if someone doesn't see the gift that you are, if they don't recognize your talents, value your friendship, do yourself a favor and move on. No offense, but they are not a part of your destiny. You don't have to play up to people, let them manipulate you, hope that they call. Maybe they'll include you in their group. No, the people God has for you have to be talked into liking you. You won't be able to Keep them away. They'll light up when you walk in the room. They can't wait to spend time with you. They'll go out of their way to do you favors. Now, don't waste another minute trying to convince someone to like you, to call you, to come see you. If you have to talk them into it, they are not for you. They are a distraction. Well, Joel, these people at work are saying negative things about me. They're trying to make me look bad. It's not your job to straighten them out. Let God fight your battles. Let God be your Vindicator. You're not supposed to engage in every conflict. Don't fight battles that are not between you and your destiny. Most of the things that come against us are simply distractions. You have to keep your faith set. Takes discipline to say, I am not going to respond, not going to waste my valuable time. I have a destiny to fulfill. My hour has come. Proverbs says avoiding a fight is a mark of honor. It's easy to get in conflict, upset, offended, want to pay people back. That doesn't take any discipline. Avoiding a fight, not taking the bait, not being drawn into conflict, that takes your face, being set. The next time something comes against you, ask yourself, is this a battle worth fighting or is it simply a distraction? That person that cut you off in traffic, is it worth getting upset over when you're never going to see them again? That coworker that leaves you out doesn't give you credit. Do you think they can stop your destiny? That somehow they're more powerful than what God has ordained for you? They're distractions. The only way they can hinder you is if you get baited into conflict. Best thing you could do, ignore it. Don't give it the time of day. When David heard Goliath taunting the Israelites and he asked what the reward was for killing the giant, he didn't just run out and fight him because he was saying negative things. Sure, David didn't like that, but he understood this principle. He didn't get involved in battles that weren't between him and his destiny. They told him whoever killed the giant would get the king's daughter as his wife and their family would be exempt from taxes. With that one victory, David's whole family line would change. They would go from a low income family of shepherds to royalty. They would be in the king's family. David thought, this is a battle worth engaging. This is worth spending my time and energy. Now, I'm not saying to be passive and don't Fight any battles. I'm saying to look at what the spoils are. Will it just feed your ego? You paid them back, you made them look bad. Or will it propel you into your destiny? We fight too many battles that don't matter. They're talking about me. I'm going to go straighten them out. After you straighten them out, someone else will start talking. Here's what I've learned. Nobody talks about people that aren't doing anything. Nobody tries to discredit someone that doesn't have any influence. The reason they're talking about you is because you're a difference maker. You're a world changer. They can see the gifts, the influence, the favor on your life. The brighter the light, the more the heat. The higher God takes you, the more people are going to see you. And sometimes instead of celebrating you, people will get jealous, try to pull you down, get you into conflict. Don't take the bait. It's a distraction. Keep your face set. Stay focused on your purpose. Before David faced Goliath, his father asked him to take lunch to his brothers that were in another city. On the battlefield, David arrived and gave the lunch to his oldest brother. He was jealous of David. He said in front of everyone, what are you doing here, David? What did you do with those few sheep? You're supposed to be taken care of. Instead of thanking David for traveling several days, he insulted him, tried to belittle him. Now David had killed a lion and a bear with his own hands. He was young, but he was not a weakling. I have no doubt he could have taken care of his brother. But David thought, what are the spoils? What good is it going to do me if I embarrass my brother in front of his peers like he did me? He realized all that would do was feed his ego. There was no reward. The scripture says David turned and walked away. He ignored it. One reason we're talking about him is he knew which battles to fight. He didn't engage in every conflict. Paul said in Romans, as far as you can live at peace with everyone, it doesn't say that you're always going to have peace with every person. Some people don't want to have peace with you. David's brother didn't want peace. He was jealous. He was small minded. He wanted to stir things up. David had to accept that his brother was not going to be at peace with him. Well, Joel, shouldn't I go the extra mile? Shouldn't I be the bigger person? Yes, but if you do all that and they still don't want peace. You need to move on. You have a destiny to fulfill. Your assignment is waiting on you. You can't worry about people that don't want to have peace with you. And I'm all for being nice, but at some point you have to put your foot down and say, you may have a problem with me. No disrespect, but I don't have time to have a problem with you. I don't have time to play petty games to try to convince you that I'm okay. Life is too short to try to have peace with people that don't want to have peace with you. And some of your relatives, you, you love them, but you have to love them from a distance. Don't frustrate yourself trying to make things happen that they don't want to happen. And that's not being disrespectful, that's being responsible with the gifts God has given you. My nature is to be a peacemaker. I want everybody to be happy. I'll go the extra mile 400 times to make peace. But some people have their own issues and they don't get along with themselves. How are they going to get along with you? They don't like who they are. How are they going to like who you are? No matter what you do, it's not going to be enough. They're going to find fault, be critical, try to make you feel guilty. If you keep trying to appease them, keep bending over backwards, spending all your time and energy. All that's doing is, is letting them control you. Be nice, but don't get distracted trying to have peace with someone that doesn't want peace. We all have people in our life like David's brother. They don't like seeing you happy, rising higher, going places. It's not about you. It's about the favor on your life. It's about the blessing God put on you. Don't take it personally. Keep your face set. You won't fulfill your destiny if you're trying to keep everyone happy. And some people that make the most withdrawals, put in the least deposits, they're high maintenance people. They expect you to always be there to help them, to encourage them to meet their every demand. But when you need something, they're never around. They're too busy. If that friendship is one sided, they're doing all the taking and none of the giving. You need to make a change. I've heard it said, quit swimming across an ocean to be good to someone that won't jump across a Puddle to be good to you. And if they get offended because you don't meet every expectation, they weren't a true friend. They just want you for what you can do for them. Those are distractions. You need to gradually break away from people like that. You were not created to be controlled, to never have any time to pursue what God put in your heart. Well, Joel, what if they get upset? What if I hurt their feelings? I would rather disappoint a few people than to disappoint God. Because when you come to the end of life, you won't give an account to people of what you did with your time, your talents, your resources, you'll give an account to God. Romans 13 says, Owe no person anything except to love them. The only thing you really owe people is to love them. But if you think you have to keep everyone happy and I've got to keep this one cheered up and I got to call this one every day or they'll get upset. I got to play up to my co worker or they won't be my friend. You are carrying a debt that you don't owe. Don't go through life trying to please everyone. If you try to keep every person happy, the one person that won't be happy is you. Come out from under that debt. Be nice, go the extra mile, but don't be a people pleaser. This was hard for me because I want people to like me. I'll go out of my way, do everything I can. But some people, no matter what you do, it's not going to be enough. It's very freeing when you realize you are not responsible to keep other people happy. You're responsible for your own happiness. Now, I don't mean to live selfish and only think about you, but don't take that false sense of responsibility thinking that other people's happiness depends on you. There was this couple I knew years ago. I went out of my way to be good to them. They moved to another city and I helped them move. I gave them money. I would call and check on them if they needed anything. I was always available. But the feeling I got from them is. Is I was never doing enough. They were never satisfied. They always had a complaint. Here I was going overboard to be kind and generous. But they were constantly finding fault, trying to make me feel guilty. I was concerned that they would get upset and they weren't going to be my friend. One day I realized what I'm telling you. They were only making withdrawals, never any deposits. I was nice, but I quit letting Them control me. When I stopped, you would have thought I'd taken their firstborn child. They tried to make me feel so guilty, so ashamed. But my attitude was, I love you, but I don't owe you. If someone is controlling you, it's not their fault, it's yours. You have to put your foot down, make a change. This is your hour. You cannot reach your destiny. Dragging people along, trying to keep everyone happy. Now I know people that spend more time worried about what other people think about them than they do pursuing their own dreams and goals. And it's great to get free from addictions, free from depression. But one of the greatest freedoms is to get free from people. Because everyone has an opinion. These days, with social media, it's easier to express than ever. People will tell you what to wear and how to raise your kids and what you're doing wrong and what to drive. They're quick to tell you how to run your life. Sometimes they can't even run their own life. It's good to take advice. It's good to listen to wise counsel. But nobody can hear what you hear on the inside. Other people may mean well, but they don't know what God put in you. They don't know the gifts, the dreams, the calling. You have to have a boldness to follow what God's put in your heart. You can't worry about what everybody else thinks. Joel. What if they get upset? What if they don't agree? If someone gets offended because you're not taking their advice, that's not your problem. If you live by the opinion of others, you will never become who you were created to be. Because people will try to keep you in their box, in who they want you to be. There was this grandfather. He and his small grandson were taking a trip into town. He started off letting the grandson ride the donkey. He was walking alongside. Someone passed by and and said, look at that selfish little boy making that old man walk. He took the boy off and put him on the ground. He got on the donkey. The boy was walking alongside. Somebody passed by and said, look at that man making that little boy walk while he rides. He picked the boy up and put him on the donkey with him. Few minutes, someone passed and said, how cruel of the two of you to place that heavy load on the donkey. By the time they got to town, the grandfather and grandson were carrying the donkey. Everybody has a right to have their opinion. And you have the right not to take it. No matter what you do, someone is not going to understand. Are you carrying the donkey Are you being pressured into doing what people want you to do? Not want to disappoint anything? It's time to put the donkey down. The donkey look doesn't look good on you. Start running your own race. Start following what God put in your heart. My father went to be with the Lord 21 years ago this week when I stepped up to pastor the church, I had a lot of people giving me advice, telling me how to run the church, how to minister, which direction we should go. One minister that we've known a long time and very prominent, he called me and told me what I should do. He's a good man. I respect him. But nothing he said bore witness on the inside. I felt pressured to be who he wanted me to be and pressured to be who someone else wanted me to be. All these good opinions from good people. But deep down, I knew which direction I was supposed to go. I didn't know if it was going to work out, but I wasn't going to be squeezed into somebody else's mold. And I told that minister that's not what I felt on the inside. And he didn't agree. He thought I was making a mistake. But I knew when I came to the end, he wouldn't be on the throne. I wouldn't have to answer to him. I followed what God put in my heart. And God has taken me further than I've ever dreamed. Don't let people squeeze you into their mold. God is doing a new thing. He is going to take you further than your parents, further than those that have gone before you. Listen to their advice, but be strong to follow that still small voice on the inside. Nobody can hear God's direction for your life like you. God won't give someone else more insight into your destiny than he does you. Sure, some people may see things, but God speaks directly to your spirit. And some people won't understand you. They'll get upset when you break out of the box. Someone told me, joel, I like the old days. You've forgotten where we've come from. I thought, I haven't forgotten. I just didn't want to stay there. God is a progressive God. Don't get stuck in the past. Don't get stuck in tradition. What are they going to think? What if they don't accept me? What if they don't approve me? You don't need their approval. The Most High God has approved you. The Creator of the universe has already accepted you. Now you have to set your face. This is your hour. There is greatness in you. God Is calling you out of the ordinary, out of what you're used to. He has things in your future that are going to break barriers. You're going to go where no one in your family has gone. It's going to be unusual, out of the ordinary. Sure, there will be people that find fault, try to discredit, think that you're missing it. That's okay. Nobody has ever done anything great without opposition, without critics, without people thinking they were missing it. Keep your face set. My father had always said that he would never move Lakewood from the original location. When I became pastor, I wasn't about to move it either. I was new and young and I wasn't going to rock the boat. We needed a bigger place to meet. We looked for land in that area, but nothing worked out. Then the Compact center, this place became available. It's about 20 minutes from the original location. I knew it was supposed to be ours. I felt it so strongly in my spirit. But I didn't know what other people would think. They had heard my father say for many years that he would never move the location. Thoughts whispered Joel, this is not right. They're not going to understand. You better stay in your box. I felt something so strongly in my spirit, but my mind was telling me just the opposite. One day I heard something down in here say, your father said he would never move it. But I never said you wouldn't move it. That's all I needed to hear. I announced that we were going to pursue the compact center. 99.99% of the people were for it. But there will always be that one jerk. I mean that one person. This man came up all been out of shape. Joy. Your dad said he wouldn't move it. This is a mistake. If you move it, I'm not going to come. I wanted to say you promise Some people will not accept the new thing God puts in your heart. They're stuck in what was. While God is telling you what is, it's much bigger, it's new levels, greater influence, its uncommon favor. It's something that you've never seen. Don't let the fear of what people are going to think keep you in your box. This is one reason King Saul lost the throne. God told him to do certain things. He did them partially. When Samuel confronted him, Saul admitted, I disobeyed the Lord's instructions because I was afraid of the people. So I did what they asked. God had greatness in Saul. He was going to take him amazing places. But Saul didn't want to disappoint the people. He didn't want to rock the boat. You can't be a people pleaser and reach your potential because people will try to squeeze you into who they want you to be. You may have to disappoint a few people in order to reach your destiny. Genesis 12. God told Abraham to leave his country, his relatives and his father's house and go to the land of Canaan. Abraham gathered up his belongings, got his flocks and herds, and he left. But he took his nephew Lot with him. God just told him to leave his relatives. I don't know, maybe he thought Lot will get his feelings hurt. He may be offended. He knew the right thing to do, but. But he was afraid someone wouldn't understand. When they arrived, the land wouldn't sustain both he and Lot. All their flocks and herds, their shepherds started arguing. There was strife and division. All because Lot wasn't supposed to be there in the first place. Finally, Lot moved to a different part of the country. The scripture says after Lot left, God said to Abraham, look around all the land you see. I will give it to you. It's interesting that God didn't speak until after Lot left. When Abraham finally did what he knew he was supposed to do. When Lot moved away, that's when Abraham stepped in. To the fullness of the blessing. Do you have some lots in your life? Are you letting the fear of what people think keep you from hearing the new thing God has for you? What if we move the church? What if they get upset? What if people don't understand? Why don't you get rid of the Lots? Quit being afraid of the people. Quit letting them squeeze you into their mold. Don't get stuck in tradition. God has blessings you've never seen increase that you've never imagined. I'm asking you to get rid of any distractions. No more living to please people. No more worried about what others think. No more fighting battles that don't matter. This is your hour. This is your time. Make up your mind. You're going to set your face. You're going to become who God created you to be. If you'll do this, I believe and declare. Like with Abraham, you're about to see unprecedented favor. New doors are about to open. Divine connections, breakthroughs. The fullness of your destiny. In Jesus name. And if you receive it, can you say amen today? I'd like to give you an opportunity to make Jesus the Lord of your life. Would you pray with me? Just say, lord Jesus, I repent of my sins. Come into my heart, I make you my Lord and Savior. If you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get in a good Bible based church. Keep God First Place It's a new year.
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Time to see the impossible become possible. It's a new year. Life setbacks are about to become God's setups for new opportunity. It's a new year. Cherished dreams will become unexpected reality.
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The start of the new year is the perfect time to reset your focus, release disappointments of the past and get ready for the new things God has in store. Every January we create a new 365 day devotional calendar. I'd love to send it to you. Each day is filled with inspiration, scripture and uplifting declarations to fuel your faith. When you begin the day thanking God for what he's done, speaking victory over your future, you're positioning yourself for a blessed favor filled year. Amazing things happen when you keep God First Place.
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As our way of saying thank you for your gift of any amount this first month of the year, we would like to send you a copy of our brand new 365 Day 2026 devotional calendar. Do you want to overcome your most pressing challenges in 2026? Do you want to see your life take off in new directions of influence, favor and provision in the with this daily encouragement, you'll not only smile at your day, you'll be reminded that God is smiling on your entire life. Each day will be a fresh new day. Turn discouragement to encouragement, Frustration to fulfillment, anxiety to overcoming. Start each morning knowing that it's God's desire to turn what seems like an ordinary life into extraordinary favor, strength and opportunities. Using this devotional calendar is as easy as 1 2, 3 1. Wake up with an expectancy in your heart. 2. Reflect on the daily scripture verse and devotional from Joel. 3. Capture the Lord's promises to you on journaling lines for writing and reflection.
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2026 is going to be one of your best years ever. We're going to help you stay in faith so you can see the goodness of God in new ways. Victoria and I pray for you and your family every day. We want to thank you for your prayer and support. Your generosity is impacting lives around the world. A special thank you to our Champion of Hope partners for your monthly gifts. If you're not a partner, I hope you'll consider becoming one. Remember, you can watch the services online live every Sunday morning, download our daily podcast, watch on YouTube or the new Joel Osteen network 24 hours a day. Of course. Listen live on SiriusXM as well. But until we meet again, may the Lord bless you and keep you.
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Be sure to request your copy of the 2026 devotional calendar available this month by simply visiting us@joelostein.com or calling 888-567-JOEL. Also, no matter what season you're in joy, sorrow, waiting, growth God wants to speak into each and every moment. God's Word for Every Season is a guided journal series designed to help you slow down, write out scripture, and reflect on its truth one verse at a time. As you engage with His Word, you'll discover fresh strength, deeper peace, and timely encouragement for every step of your journey. You can request these inspiring resources by calling 888-567-JOEL or logging on to Joel Osteen.com today. Call or click anytime 24 hours a day. Request these resources today. Did you know 39% of teen drivers admit to texting while driving? Even scarier, those who text are more likely to speed and run red lights. Shockingly, 94% know it's dangerous, but do it anyway. As a parent, you can't always be in the car, but you can stay connected to their safety with Greenlight Infinity's driving reports. Monitor their driving habits, see if they're using their phone, speeding and more. These reports provide real data for meaningful conversations about safety. Plus, with weekly updates, you can track their progress over time. Help keep your teens safe. Sign up for Greenlight infinity@Greenlight.com podcast.