Podcast Summary: Stir It Up | Joel Osteen Podcast

Host: Joel Osteen (with mentions of Victoria Osteen)
Date: December 30, 2025

Overview

In the episode “Stir It Up,” Joel Osteen encourages listeners to reignite their passions, dreams, and faith. Using the metaphor of stirring embers under ashes to rekindle a fire, Joel delivers a hopeful, energizing message about not settling for disappointment or apathy. He emphasizes that everyone has seeds of greatness inside that can be fan into flame, regardless of past struggles or setbacks.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Fireplace Metaphor: Rekindling Dreams

[02:00] Joel opens with a story from his childhood about reviving a dying fire by stirring up hidden embers under the ashes.
Insight: Dreams, gifts, and passions may be buried by setbacks, disappointments, or mistakes, but they’re never truly extinguished.
Key Quote:

“Underneath those ashes, there are embers that are still alive. You may not be able to see them. They're buried under disappointments, under delays, people that did you wrong, mistakes that you’ve made. But somewhere underneath all those ashes, a flame is still burning. All you have to do is stir it up, stir up your dreams, stir up your creativity, stir up your gifts.” — Joel Osteen [03:35]

2. God’s Plan and Unstoppable Purpose

[05:15] Joel reassures listeners that nothing—not depression, loss, loneliness, or people—can put out the fire or stop God’s purpose for their lives.
Key Insight:
- The enemy’s goal is not to extinguish your fire, but to convince you to live without passion.
- Scriptural Reference: Jeremiah: “Your word, O Lord, is like fire shut up in my bones.”

3. The Importance of Staying Stirred Up

[06:45] Joel warns against passivity and routine, urging listeners to actively fuel their dreams with daily enthusiasm and expectation.
Key Quote:

“This is not going to happen automatically… You can either believe those lies and drag through the day, or you can make a decision like David: ‘This is another day that the Lord has made. I’m going to rejoice, I’m going to be glad.’” — Joel Osteen [07:42]

4. Biblical Examples — David and Sarah

[08:20]
- David: Despite adversity, he stirred up his own faith and joy, which enabled him to overcome.
  - “You know who sees dreams come to pass? Stirred up people.” — Joel Osteen [08:46]
  - David ran toward Goliath with passion, not fear.
    
    "When you live stirred up, you don't run from your enemies. You run to your enemies." — Joel Osteen [10:00]
- Sarah: Even in old age and barrenness, God saw greatness in her and fulfilled promises she thought were out of reach.
  - “There are kings in you. There are things that you don't see coming… It's not too late. You didn’t miss your chance.” — Joel Osteen [23:15]

5. Personal Stories: Joel’s Journey and Listener Testimony

[11:25] Joel shares about taking over Lakewood Church after his father’s passing. Initially intimidated, he chose to stir up courage and confidence, which led him further than he imagined.
[20:05] Joel recounts a listener’s journey from homelessness and illness to becoming a university vice president, emphasizing that “nobody would have believed that those gifts were in her.”
- Key Quote:
  
  “Don’t judge your future based on where you are right now… You wouldn’t be alive unless God had something amazing up in front of you.” — Joel Osteen [22:05]

6. Practical Application: How to Stir It Up

Speak Life: Declare God's promises over yourself, even if discouraged.
Pray Boldly:

“When you pray a stirred up prayer, a passionate prayer, a bold prayer, that makes tremendous power available.” — [27:15]
Choose Enthusiasm: Decide daily to be passionate, regardless of feelings or circumstances.
Grow Your Circle: Surround yourself with people who are positive and help stir up your faith.
- “Your time is too valuable to spend it with negative people. People that have no vision, no passion. You need to be around people that help you stay stirred up.” — Joel Osteen [25:50]

7. Scripture-Backed Encouragements

Romans: “Never lag in zeal. Be aglow, constantly burning with the spirit.” [15:55]
James: “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous person makes tremendous power available.” [28:00]
Message to Listeners: The choice to stir it up leads to breakthroughs, new opportunities, and the fullness of destiny.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“What God put in you didn’t go out.” — Joel Osteen [03:40]
“The enemy can’t put your fire out. Depression can’t put your fire out. Loss, loneliness, bad breaks, can’t put it out.” — Joel Osteen [04:45]
“You and God are a majority. He’s breathing in your direction right now.” — Joel Osteen [25:30]
“If you will start stirring it up, living with passion, you are going to see God show out in your life.” — Joel Osteen [24:00]
“I'm asking you to stir it up. Stir up what you’re praying about. Stir up your dreams. Stir up your gifts.” — Joel Osteen [28:40]

Important Timestamps

[02:00] — Introduction of the stirring metaphor
[06:45] — Encouragement against passivity
[08:20] — David's example and bold facing of Goliath
[11:25] — Joel’s personal story of taking leadership
[20:05] — Listener testimony of transformation
[23:15] — Sarah’s story — promises fulfilled against all odds
[25:50] — Importance of positive associations
[28:00] — Power of fervent, energetic prayer
[28:40] — Closing declarations and challenge to listeners

Conclusion & Call to Action

Joel passionately closes by challenging listeners:
- Stir up dormant dreams and gifts.
- Offer fervent, faith-filled prayers.
- Refuse to settle or believe the discouragement of circumstances or others.
- Trust that new opportunities, healing, and abundance are in store, regardless of the past.
Final Blessing:

“Like Sarah, greatness is going to come out of you. New doors are about to open. Negative situations are turning around. Healing, breakthroughs, favor, the fullness of your destiny in Jesus name and if you receive it, can you say Amen?” — Joel Osteen [29:00]

This episode provides uplifting, practical encouragement for anyone feeling discouraged or stuck, with a heartfelt reminder that there is greatness to be stirred up within us all.

Transcript

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June Diane Raphael (0:31)

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Joel Osteen (1:30)

Hi, this is Joel in Victoria. Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you enjoyed today's message, why don't.

June Diane Raphael (1:38)

You be a blessing and share it with a friend?

Joel Osteen (1:40)

We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in your life. Well, God bless you. It's a joy to come into your homes and if you're ever in our area, please stop by be a part of one of our services. I promise you we will make you feel right at home. I like to start with something funny and I heard about this young man. He was a huge football fan. He bought two tickets to the super bowl months ahead of time, not realizing it was going to be on the same day as his wedding. He paid a couple Thousand dollars each for the tickets. So he put an ad on Facebook seeing if anyone wanted to go in his place. He said it will be at 3:00 clock at First Baptist Church. And her name is Tiffany. He better get in counseling right now. But here we go. 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 Stir It Up. When I was growing up, we had a fireplace at home. And I would go get the logs to make the fire. My father showed me how. If I'd put those logs just right, a little bit vertical, the fire would burn so strong and last a long time. Overnight, we would close the metal grate and the fire would wind down. When I would get up the next morning, all that was left were some ashes and a few remnants of the logs. I would go get more wood, But I discovered something. I didn't have to get a new match to relight the fire. Underneath those ashes, there were embers that were still burning. All I had to do was get the poker out and stir it up and the fire would come back to life. In a few minutes, it would be burning as strong as can be. Now, it may look like some things have gone out in your life. Dreams that didn't work out, promises that you were believing for that didn't come to pass. You think it's never going to happen. It's been too long. You've accepted it wasn't meant to be. But can I encourage you? Underneath those ashes, there are embers that are still alive. You may not be able to see them. They're buried under disappointments, under delays, People that did you wrong, mistakes that you've made. But somewhere underneath all those ashes, a flame is still burning. All you have to do is stir it up, Stir up your dreams, stir up your creativity, stir up your gifts. What God put in you didn't go out. Jeremiah said, you, word, O Lord, is like fire. Shut up in my bones. That fire may be a little flicker right now, but it's still in you. The good news is the enemy can't put your fire out. Depression, can't put your fire out. Loss, loneliness, bad breaks, can't put it out. You may have gone through things that were unfair, Kind of knocked the wind out of you. And you need to know that did not stop God's plan for your life. What he started, he's going to finish. Now you have to do your part and stir it up. You can't live with no passion, no enthusiasm, just getting up, going to work, coming home, doing it all again. That fire is not going to grow without you stirring it. Start dreaming again. Start looking for new opportunities. Start praying bold prayers. Start expecting God's favor. There is greatness shut up in you. There are dreams shut up in you. There are new levels. All they need is to be stirred up. The scripture says, you will find me when you search for me with all your heart, not with half your heart. God was talking about passionate people. People that are full of praise, people that are talking like it's going to happen. People that are expecting his favor. But if you're passive, indifferent, lethargic, you won't reach your potential. You have to have some fire in you. Don't let what hasn't worked out, the disappointments, the bad breaks, cause you to become half hearted. Half hearted in your praise, half hearted in your marriage, half hearted at work. What you're believing for may be taking longer than you thought. That's why every day you need to stir yourself up. This is not going to happen automatically. You won't wake up every morning excited about life, enthusiastic about your dreams. Some mornings when we wake up, we feel the blahs. Thoughts will tell you nothing good is in your future. Nothing ever works out for you. You can either believe those lies drag through the day. One day will turn into a month, a month will turn into a year. Or you can make a decision like David when you get out of bed. This is another day that the Lord has made. I'm going to rejoice, I'm going to be glad. I'm going to enjoy this day. You know what David was doing? Stirring himself up. He was fanning that flame, making sure the fire kept burning. No wonder he was able to outlast all kinds of opposition. No wonder he overcame the rejection from his family, the betrayal from King Saul, and became one of the heroes of faith. You know who sees dreams come to pass, stirred up people. You know who goes further than they can imagine. People that are passionate, people that make this decision, like David, to stay full of zeal. What's interesting is when David wrote that passage, he wasn't in a great place. He had armies coming against him. People were slandering him, trying to ruin his reputation. He could have got up complaining, God, it's not fair. I'm doing the right Thing. Why are these people treating me so badly? I thought you said I would be the king. No, David understood this principle that people can't put your fire out. Bad breaks, disappointments, cannot stop what God has ordained for you. The more things that come against you, the more you need to stir yourself up. The more opposition, the more you need to give God praise. The longer it's taking, the more you need to talk like it's on the way. The worse the medical report, the more you need to keep that spring in your step, that passion in your spirit. Declaring God's favor is on your life. There are embers in you right now just waiting to catch fire like never before. Embers of healing. That sickness looks permanent. Start stirring up the healing. Father, thank you that you're restoring health back unto me. Thank you that the number of my days you will fulfill. Maybe you're struggling in your finances. Business is slow. It's easy to get discouraged. Think that's your lot in life. There are embers of increase, embers of abundance, embers of opportunity just waiting to be stirred up. How do you do it? Father, thank you that whatever I touch prospers and succeeds. Thank you that I will lend and not borrow, that I'm coming into overflow, into more than enough. When David went out to face Goliath, the scripture says he ran quickly toward Goliath. That's a passionate person. That's somebody that stirred up. You would think he would be very careful, go out there kind of slowly, maybe a little intimidated, afraid, thinking, okay, God, I'll do this, but it'll probably be the end of me.