Joel Osteen Podcast

Episode Title: Remember Your Dream | Joel Osteen
Date: August 27, 2025
Host: Joel Osteen, with Victoria Osteen

Overview

In this spiritually uplifting episode, Joel Osteen urges listeners to “Remember Your Dream.” Using biblical stories, real-life testimonies, and his trademark mix of encouragement and conviction, Joel guides his audience through the process of rekindling dreams that may have been buried by discouragement, delays, setbacks, or self-doubt. He reminds listeners that God’s promises are still alive, no matter how much time has passed, and that everyone has seeds of greatness within them. The episode ends with a call to faith, stirring hope that the dreams in listeners’ hearts can still come to pass—no matter the past or present circumstances.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Nature of Dreams and Setbacks

[03:33]

• Joel immediately introduces the main theme: Sometimes life’s disappointments and delays bury our dreams beneath layers of discouragement, self-doubt, or past failures.

• The core message: “Just because you gave up doesn’t mean God gave up. Your dream may be buried. The good news is it’s still alive.”

  • Joel Osteen [04:28]:

    "But just because you gave up doesn't mean God gave up. Your dream may be buried. The good news is it's still alive. It's not too late to see it come to pass."

• He warns against settling for mediocrity, even when our potential remains latent inside.

2. Remembering Rather Than Mourning

[06:20]

• Joel encourages listeners not to fixate on failures, pain, or missed opportunities, but to “remember your dream” — the unique aspirations and promises God placed on every heart.
  • Joel Osteen [06:45]:

    “Instead of remembering the hurt, the pain, what didn’t work out, the key to reaching your destiny is you have to remember your dream.”

• He invokes the "secret petitions of our heart," referring to unspoken hopes that persist even when circumstances seem impossible.

3. The Importance of Stirring Up Faith

[09:26]

• Joel stresses the power of positive confession and faith-filled self-talk to resurrect buried dreams.
  • Joel Osteen [10:12]:

    “Every time you remember your dream, every time you say, ‘Lord, thank you for bringing it to pass,’ you’re removing some dirt. You’re digging it back out.”

• He draws practical steps: Thank God for restoration, speak life over your ambitions, and resist negative thinking that heaps more “dirt” on buried dreams.

4. Faithful Perseverance Illustrated: Caleb’s Story

[13:37]

• Joel narrates the story of Caleb and his delayed entry into the Promised Land as an example of persevering for one’s dream, even after disappointment and the passage of many years.
  • At 85, Caleb claims the same mountain he’d been promised decades earlier.
  • Joel Osteen [15:25]:

    “That’s the dream that’s been stirring in my spirit all these years. At 85, he went out and conquered the mountain. Saw the dream come to pass.”

• The lesson: It’s never too late to pursue what God planted in your heart.

5. Modern Testimony: The Writer’s Journey

[17:10]

• Joel shares a true story of a man who overcame addiction and lack of education to fulfill his lifelong dream of writing.
  • After 35 years lost to alcohol and the streets, at 51, the man becomes sober, learns to read and write, and wins a national poetry prize at 75.
  • Joel Osteen [18:55]:

    “That dream had been buried under dysfunction, addictions, but it was still alive.”

6. God Restores Lost Years

[20:20]

• Joel reassures: Even missed opportunities or years lost to poor choices are reversible in God’s economy.
  • He references Joel 2:25: “I will restore the years that have been stolen.”
  • Joel Osteen [20:40]:

    “God knows how to make up for lost time. He’s still going to get you to where you’re supposed to be.”

7. The Story of Joseph: Betrayal, Resilience, and Fulfillment

[21:30]

• Joel recounts Joseph’s journey from a dreamer despised by his brothers, thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, falsely imprisoned, and yet elevated to ruler of Egypt.

  • The emotional climax: Joseph sees his brothers bow, fulfilling the original dream.
  • Joel Osteen [24:02]:

    “When Joseph saw his brothers, he remembered his dream. He didn’t remember the hurt. He remembered the promise.”

• Key lesson: No betrayal or setback is final; everything can be turned for good as part of God’s bigger process.

8. Passing Through Temporary Setbacks

[27:00]

• Joel uses a vivid illustration: brown, dormant grass in his yard. He worried until his landscaper reminded him it was just out of season, not dead.
  • Joel Osteen [28:06]:

    "Can I tell you your dream is not dead. It's just not in season. Your time is coming."

• Message: Don’t let seasonal discouragement convince you a dream is dead; God’s timing is at work.

9. The Call to Action

[29:01]

• Joel invites listeners to “get your shovel out” and start thanking God for what’s still to come, no matter how deep the dream may be buried.
• He assures: “Dreams that you buried are about to come back to life. Promises you've given up on are being resurrected.”
  • Joel Osteen [30:05]:

    “Like Joseph, God is going to turn every stumbling block into a stepping stone.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Your dream may be buried. The good news is it's still alive.” (Joel Osteen, 04:28)
• “God, don't let me die with any dreams still buried on the inside.” (Joel Osteen, 12:20)
• “If you will remember your dream like that, God will help you to accomplish what you didn't accomplish.” (Joel Osteen, 16:45)
• “You wouldn't be having that opposition if you didn't have something great in you.” (Joel Osteen, 22:55)
• “Can I tell you your dream is not dead. It's just not in season. Your time is coming.” (Joel Osteen, 28:06)
• “Dreams that you buried are about to come back to life.” (Joel Osteen, 30:02)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 03:33 — Introduction of the dream theme; setbacks and buried hopes
• 06:20 — Remembering your dream vs. rehearsing hurt
• 09:26 — The power of speaking faith over buried dreams
• 13:37 — Caleb’s story: persevering for 45 years
• 17:10 — Testimony: from alcoholic to award-winning writer
• 20:20 — God restores lost years; encouragement for second chances
• 21:30 — Joseph’s story: from pit to palace
• 24:02 — Joseph remembers the dream, not the pain
• 27:00 — The dormant grass analogy: seasons of dreams
• 29:01 — Call to action and declaration of resurrection
• 30:05 — Final blessing and prayer

Tone and Style Highlights

• Joel’s warm, gentle, and humorous delivery makes the message deeply accessible and practical.
• Frequent repetition ("Remember your dream... your dream is still alive... resurrection...") creates a rhythmic, faith-building atmosphere.
• He moves gracefully between biblical narrative, contemporary testimony, and personal anecdote—all tied together by encouragement and calls to persistent faith.

Final Encouragement

Joel’s closing benediction and Victoria’s brief book promotion further underscore that it is never too late, you are “graced to go,” and with faith, dreams can still become reality.

For Listeners

If you’ve ever felt your dreams were sidelined, this episode will reignite hope. Through stories, scripture, and practical steps, Joel Osteen reminds you: setbacks are not finales, and with God, it's never too late. Dig up your faith—your dream is still alive.