Transcribed text:
God bless you. It’s great to be with you today and I hope you’ll stay connected with us during the week through our daily podcast, our YouTube channel, social media, and you can come visit us in person. We’d love to have you be a part of one of our services. But I like to start with something funny.
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And I heard about this kindergarten teacher. She was trying to explain to her students about self-esteem. She said to her class, “Anyone who feels like you’re dumb, please stand up.” She didn’t think anyone would stand and she’d make the point how no one is dumb. About that time, little Johnny stood up. She thought, “Oh no, now what am I going to do?” She said, “Now, Johnny, do you really feel like you’re dumb?” He said, “No, ma’am. I just hate to see you standing there all by yourself. 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 refusing negative seeds. We all have voices that are trying to keep us from our destiny. Sometimes it’s people telling us what we can’t become and how we’re not going to accomplish the dream. It may be experts. They have all the training, all the skills. They’re telling us the facts. Medical science says you’re not going to get well or you don’t have the qualifications for this position. You watch the news and you hear all the comments about the economy and inflation, division, viruses. This can bring fear and worry and what’s going to happen. Words are like seeds. If you dwell on them long enough, they’ll take root and become a reality. The good news is you get to choose what gets planted in your soil. The scripture says to guard your mind. That’s saying don’t let just any seed get in there. Be selective. If that seed is negative, discouraging, bringing fear, pushing you down. Don’t give it the time of day. You need to say, “No thanks. I refuse that seed. I’m not letting that defeat take root in my soil.”
And sometimes people don’t realize they’re doing it. I’m sorry about that diagnosis. My grandmother died of the same thing. I wouldn’t take that new position if I were you. It’s way over your head. Are you still single? I don’t know if you’re ever going to meet anyone. Do yourself a favor. Let that go in one ear and out the other. If you start dwelling on it, what if I don’t get well? Maybe this is over my head. I’m worried that I’m not going to meet someone. You’re giving that seed permission to become a reality. Don’t let the doubt from other people keep you from your destiny. You have to tune out all the negative, can’t do it, not able, never going to happen, limiting words. They may speak that, but you don’t have to receive it. If you don’t dwell on it, those words will die still. They will have no effect on you.
Victoria and I were at a restaurant one time and our son Jonathan was 6 months old and he was laying in a little carrier in the seat next to me. About 30 minutes later, this older couple got up to leave and they came over to our table. The lady said, “We were just admiring your little baby and how good he is and how he just lies there so peaceful and quiet and we thanked them.” Then the husband said, “But just wait till he gets to be two years old. He’ll turn into a tyrant. You better enjoy it now cuz he’s going to be a lot of trouble. Those terrible twos are coming. We just waved and said goodbye and thought, “Don’t let the door hit you as you leave.” Something rose up in me. I told Victoria, “I don’t receive that.” He doesn’t determine our future. His opinion is not our reality. Not going to be the terrible twos. Going to be the terrific twos, the awesome threes, the fabulous fours. Don’t get in agreement with negative things people speak over you. What they’re saying may be true for a lot of people, but you’re the exception. You’re the one to have awesome children. You’re the one to get well with the medical report says you want. You’re the one to break the addiction, to take your family to a new level, to see favor that people could never imagine. But this is going to happen. You have to be selective in what gets planted in your soil. When these negative seeds come, it’s real easy. Refuse it. Don’t dwell on it. Don’t go around talking about it. Don’t start expecting it to happen. Keep your mind filled with positive, hopeful, faith-filled thoughts.
David was 17 years old when he heard Goliath taunting the Israelites. This giant stood over 9 feet tall and he was the champion of the Philistine army. None of the Israelites dared to face him. When he came out shouting his threats, they all ran and hid. Well, David was half his size. He had no training, no armor. But he went to King Saul and told him that he wanted to face Goliath. Saul said to David in 1st Samuel 17, “David, don’t be ridiculous. You’re just a boy.” He’s been a warrior since he was a youth. He was saying, “David, what are you thinking? You don’t have a chance. You’re too small. You’re not qualified. This is way over your head.” Whenever you’re on the verge of a new level, negative seeds will come to try to talk you out of it. David had a choice to let those words take root. I’m just a boy. I’m not up to par. I can’t do this. Or was he going to guard his mind? not let the doubt, the inferiority, the opinion of Saul talk him out of his destiny. This was a defining moment. David could have walked away, went back home. He could have missed who God created him to be had he not learned this principle.
We see David defeating Goliath as the great victory. That’s when God took him to a new level. But the real victory took place when he didn’t let Saul’s demeaning words keep him from stepping up. Had he not refused the negative seeds, he would have never made it to Goliath. Before you conquer your giant, before you reach a new level, there will be a Saul trying to discourage you. A Saul telling you, “You can’t get well, man. You can’t start your business. You’ll never break that addiction. You’ll never meet the right person.” Your real victory is when you refuse the doubt. Refuse what the naysayers are telling you. You have to win the battle in your mind before you’ll defeat your giants. Too many people get talked out of ever seeing their Goliath because they listen to Saul. You would think that Saul would be excited that someone finally stepped up to fight Goliath. He had been taunting the Israelites for 40 days. Now, this young man, David, had the courage to take him on. Surely Saul would say, “That’s awesome, David. You can do this. We’re all behind you.”
But when God puts big things in your heart, don’t expect everyone to cheer you on. Don’t expect all your friends, all your family to encourage you and tell you how great you are. That’s when the Sauls will show up. People that cast negative seeds and try to get you to doubt and second-guess yourself, discredit you, make you feel small, like you don’t measure up. Don’t let those seeds take root. People don’t determine your destiny. God does. When he called you, he didn’t check with people. He didn’t consult with your friends, your neighbors, your boss, your family, or your enemies to decide if they think you can do it. Are you big enough, smart enough, talented enough? He put things in you that other people can’t see. Don’t get upset with them if they think you can’t do it. You’re just a boy. You don’t come from the right family. They’re looking at the outside. They’re judging from a human point of view. But God has put things in you that will defy the odds. His favor will cause you to go places you could never go on your own. They may think all you have is a slingshot. You don’t have a chance. What they can’t see is that slingshot with the blessing of God will bring down giants.
Well, you’re just a boy. Yes, but a boy with the favor of God can become the king of Israel. God wouldn’t have allowed the giant if you weren’t well able to defeat it. The giant is a sign that a new level is coming. But here’s the key. Before that happens, King Saul will show up. The real test is not Goliath. The real test is Saul. The negative words, the doubt, the fear, the insecurity trying to get you to question yourself. Question whether you really heard God. Question if you really have what it takes. Dismiss the doubt. Refuse those negative seeds. You’re at a defining moment. You’re on the verge of stepping to a new level, on the verge of seeing God do something you’ve never seen. Are you going to shrink back and let people’s opinion talk you out of it? Let the fear, the doubt take root, or are you going to do like David, dismiss it and move forward in faith into the awesome future God has in store?
When my father passed in 1999, I’d only ministered one time and worked behind the scenes for 17 years. I never wanted to be up in front of people. I liked being in the background, but I knew that I was supposed to step up and pastor the church, and it didn’t make sense to my mind. I didn’t have the training, and I wasn’t necessarily qualified, and I didn’t have a big personality like my father. But I took that step of faith, and I started speaking on the weekends, and I was so nervous and so unsure of myself. I would finish one message and walk off the platform so relieved and the next thought would come, what are you going to speak on next week? What if you have nothing to say? What if no one comes? What if people don’t like you? What if the church goes down? The enemy loves to bring the what ifs. Have you noticed it’s always the worst-case scenario? What if that pain in your little toe is cancer? What if your company lays you off and you can’t pay your bills? Or what if your child doesn’t pass that class? These negative seeds that cause worry and anxiety where you can’t really enjoy your life.
Instead of letting them take root, why don’t you turn the whatifs around and dwell on the best-case scenarios? Dwell on something hopeful, something that builds your faith. What if no one comes? What if the church explodes? What if you never get well? What if you recover and feel better than ever? What if your child doesn’t pass? What if he makes the honor law? What if you never meet anyone? What if they show up this week? What if you get laid off? What if you get a promotion? What if you start your business? What if you step into abundance and favor that you’ve never seen? Quit letting the negative play in your mind. You choose which seeds get planted in your soil. You have to take control of your thought life.
A few weeks after I started ministering, I was in the front lobby after the service and I’d just come off the platform and I was walking behind these two ladies. They didn’t know I was there. I overheard them talking. One said, “He’s not as good as his father.” The other answered back, “Yeah, I don’t think the church is going to make it.” I was already insecure, worried about what people thought, wondering was I good enough. That was like the worst thing that could have happened. When I heard that, I felt fear shoot through my body, almost like a panic. Oh no, it’s not going to work out. I don’t have what it takes. As I was processing it all, something rose up in me like waking up a sleeping lion. I felt a boldness, a confidence, a power that I had never felt before. I thought to myself, you ladies don’t know who I am, and you don’t know what God put in me. You weren’t there when he formed me in my mother’s womb. You weren’t there when he called me, anointed me, and empowered me. You weren’t there when he crowned me with his favor. You may think that I can’t do it, but I don’t need your approval. You don’t think I have what it takes, that I’m just a boy, but there’s a slingshot you can’t see. There’s a giant that’s about to come down.
I was at a destiny moment. If I would have let their seeds take root, I would have talked myself out of it. If I’d have kept dwelling on that, you’re not like your father. You’re not good enough. It’s not going to last. I wouldn’t be up here today. I was on the verge of a new level of my destiny. Getting the compact center wasn’t the real battle. The real battle was not letting those two women convince me that I didn’t have what it takes. Now I look back now and I think, how did I not let them discourage me? I was so unsure of myself. But in those destiny moments, the grace of God will always be there to empower you. The scripture says, “When the enemy comes in like a flood, the spirit of God will raise up a barrier.” It wasn’t a coincidence that out of the thousands of people of church that morning, it just so happened I walked behind those two ladies. I could have walked behind someone that said, “That was great today. I sure enjoyed it. That was a test. Before you accomplish the dream, the enemy will make sure there will be negative seeds. Before your health turns around, before your child gets back on course, before you break that addiction, these seeds of doubt and discouragement, can’t do it, not good enough, never going to happen, don’t believe those lies, turn it around and declare what God says about you.
When thoughts tell you you’ve seen your best days, nothing good is in your future. Father, you said my latter days will be better than my former days. You said the path of the righteous gets brighter and brighter. Your children are never going to get back on course. Just accept it. No. As for me in my house, we will serve the Lord. Father, thank you that my children are mighty in the land. You’re never going to have that baby. You’ve been trying for so many years. Father, you said in Psalms that you would make me the happy mother of children. So, Lord, I thank you that my baby is on the way.
Mark chapter 5, Jesus was walking by the shore and a man named Gyrus came and fell at his feet and said, “Jesus, my little girl is very sick. She’s about to die. Please come to my house and pray for her.” And Jesus said that he would. But along the way, he kept getting delayed. That’s when the woman came up with the issue of blood, touched the edge of his robe, and she was healed. And Jesus stopped and talked with her. All this time, Gyrus was thinking, “Please hurry. We don’t have a lot of time.” About that time, these messengers came up to Gyrus, saying, “We’re so sorry, but your little girl has died. There’s no use bothering Jesus anymore.” The scripture says Jesus overheard what the messenger said, but he ignored their comments. Notice the principle. You may overhear some negative words, overhear negative reports, but you have to learn to ignore them. Don’t dwell on it. You’re not denying the problem. You’re not acting like it doesn’t exist, but you’re not letting it take root. You can’t have faith if there’s doubt and fear and worried about this medical report. And Joel, the experts say it’s not going to work out.
Sometimes, take this in the right sense, you have to turn your mind off. Lean not to your own understanding. Yes, use common sense, but there are things we face where there is no solution in the natural. If you try to figure it out, you’re going to get confused, discouraged, talk yourself out of it. You can’t stop that you heard it, but take the next step and ignore it. Don’t dwell on it. Jesus went in and prayed for the little girl and she came back to life. A great miracle. There may be things in your life right now that look dead. Every circumstance says it’s too late. You’re never going to get well, never accomplish your dream, never see your family restored, but God has the final say. When you believe all things are possible, don’t give those negative seeds any room in your soil. When you’re in a battle, when you’re up against those giants, you need your heart filled with hope, with faith, knowing that God is bigger, knowing that he’s fighting your battles, that he’s making ways where you don’t see a way. See, the messenger said it was too late. But they were wrong. The little girl was healed. Saul said, “David, you’re just a boy. You can’t defeat Goliath.” But Saul was wrong. David won. Those two ladies said that I couldn’t minister, but they were wrong. Here I am. The experts told my mother that she had terminal cancer. A few weeks to live, but they were wrong. 42 years later, she’s still alive. People told us that we would never get the compact center, that the city would never let a church have it. But they were wrong. Here’s my point.
In each of these situations, if the people would have let the negative seeds take root, then what the others were saying would have been true. David wouldn’t have defeated Goliath. Gyrus’s daughter would have died. My mother wouldn’t have been healed. I wouldn’t have become a minister. The determining factor wasn’t what other people said. It’s whether we let it take root. We control what we allow in our soil. I’m asking you to refuse the negative seeds. Refuse the doubt. Refuse the fear. Refuse limitations that people put on you. My grandmother on my father’s side of the family was a very feisty woman. She only stood 4′ 11 in tall, but she would fight a tiger. She lived out in the country her whole life. If you’ve ever seen the Beverly Hillbillies, she was Granny. Her name was Ellie May. She chewed tobacco. She dipped snuff. I come from a very sophisticated family. I’m so glad my sister Lisa finally quit. But when my grandmother was up there in years, she went to the doctor for a checkup and he said, “Miss Ostein, I’m sorry to tell you this, but you have the beginning stages of Parkinson’s disease.”
Well, my grandmother didn’t know what Parkinson’s was, but she knew she didn’t want to have anything to do with it. She got up off the table, bristled back, and said, “Listen here, sir. I do not have Parkinson’s disease. I refuse to have it, and besides, I’m too old to have it. He looked at her like she was a little bit crazy and she was. But do you know my grandmother never did have Parkinson’s disease. If she had it, the symptoms never showed up. Now, I know you can’t wish things away, but something happens when you don’t let the seed take root. I’m not saying bury your head in the sand, deny reality. I’m saying don’t let it get down in your spirit where it becomes your default setting. You’re always thinking I have this disease. I’m limited. No. Your body is a temple of the most high God. See any sickness, any addiction, any pain as foreign. You don’t belong here. You are not welcome. I am God’s property. See, doctors tell us what medical science says. And they give us diagnosis based on skill and expertise and training. They help us to get well, but at times they come to limitations. There’s nothing more they can do medically speaking. While we respect the diagnosis, that’s one report.
But there’s another report from the God who created you, from the God who made you in his own image, from the God who knew you before you were formed in your mother’s womb. He’s called Jehovah Rafa, the Lord, your healer. Isaiah said, “Who will believe the report of the Lord?” In life, we have different reports. And here’s the medical report, and here’s my financial report, and here’s what King Saul says, and here’s what those two jerks, I mean, those two ladies said. No, we get to choose which report we’re going to believe. He’ll never be as good as his father. That’s one report. But there’s another one. I can do all things through Christ. I am strong in the Lord. God being for me is more than the world being against me. Why don’t you choose the report of the Lord? You’re not going to get well. That sickness is permanent. Learn to live with it. There’s another report. God is restoring health back into me. I will live and not die. With long life, God will satisfy me. Well, you’ll always struggle. You’ll always have lack, not enough. How about this report? I will lend and not borrow. My cup runs over. I live under the open windows of heaven, blessings that I cannot contain. What seeds are you letting take root? What you’re dwelling on is what’s going to come to pass.
I talked to a woman that was pregnant with triplets and because of some other complications, it was considered a very high-risk pregnancy. They sent her to a group of doctors that specialized in this. She was told that she would be bedridden after 3 months of pregnancy and that the babies would be born at least four months prematurely. They had seen this happen again and again. And she was respectful, but she didn’t let that seed take root. She told the doctors that she was going to be the exception, that her babies were going to be born full-term and she was not going to be bedridden. They looked at her like, “Yeah, right.” At one point, the main doctor said, “You’re going to get gestational diabetes, something that occurs during pregnancy that can lead to long-term diabetes.” He said, “It’s not if you get it, it’s when you get it. You have all the signs. It’s just a matter of time.” She asked the doctor very politely to not pronounce things over her that have not yet happened. She said, “I’d prefer you to say the statistics indicate that you will get gestational diabetes.” She didn’t want that defeat being spoken over her. You can’t always keep it from coming, but you don’t have to let it take root. They thought she was kind of odd, but do you know she carried the triplets the full nine months? She was never bedridden. She drove herself to the hospital to deliver. And she never did get gestational diabetes. Now, these same doctors call her the miracle mom. They said, “We’ve never seen anyone like you.” It’s amazing what God will do if you don’t let negative seeds take root.
Whose report are you going to believe? The report of the Lord or the report of people? People are limited. God is unlimited. People are natural. God is supernatural. People look at facts, statistics, what’s supposed to happen. God goes beyond normal logic. He parts red seas. He brings little girls back to life. He turns a shepherd boy into a king. He gave Sarah a baby at 80 years old. He took Joseph from a slave in prison to the prime minister of Egypt. Who knows where God is going to take you? You haven’t seen, heard, or imagined what he has in store. You may not see how it can happen, but you don’t have to figure it out. All you have to do is believe and God will cause you to defy the odds. Are negative seeds limiting your future? Take inventory of what’s growing in your soil. You may need to uproot some things. God can still do what he promised, but you have to get in agreement with him before you go to that next level. The enemy will send these negative seeds to hold you back. A seed of doubt, seed you can’t do it, a seed you won’t get well, seed you’ll never defeat Goliath, a seed you can’t get up in front of people. There will be these defining moments. What you do with the seed will determine whether you step into your greatness or whether you shrink back in fear.
Pass these tests. Start refusing negative seeds. Don’t let what people speak over you determine your future. Don’t let what the expert said cause you to live in doubt. Don’t let your own thoughts talk you out of what God put in your heart. Believe his report. He wouldn’t have put you in that situation if you weren’t already equipped, empowered, and anointed. You are strong. You are blessed. You are healthy. You are qualified. You are valuable. You are victorious. Now, guard your mind and keep these negative seeds out. If you’ll do this, I believe and declare like David, you’re going to defeat giants. Like Gyrus, God’s going to do what looks impossible. Like the miracle mom, you’re going to defy the odds and see God show out in your life. Healing, favor, breakthroughs, the fullness of your destiny in Jesus’ name. And if you receive it, can you say amen? I want 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.
Sermon Analysis…
1. Handling of the Scriptural Text
• Contextual Integrity:
Osteen draws primarily from 1 Samuel 17 (David and Goliath) and Mark 5 (Jairus’ daughter). However, his use of these texts is more illustrative than expository. The David and Goliath story is reduced to a principle about ignoring discouraging words, rather than its broader theological point about God’s deliverance of Israel through His anointed servant. Similarly, the Jairus account becomes an example of “ignoring negative reports” rather than pointing to Jesus’ authority over death. The context of these passages is largely set aside in favor of motivational application.
• Main Point:
His main point—“Don’t let negative words take root in your mind”—is loosely connected to the stories but does not fully reflect their biblical intent. The biblical focus on God’s covenant faithfulness and Christ’s divine power is shifted toward personal self-belief and optimism.
• Expository vs. Topical:
This is clearly topical. The passages are used to support a pre-existing theme rather than drawing the theme from the text.
• Clear Exegesis:
Minimal exegesis is provided. He doesn’t unpack Hebrew/Greek words, the literary flow, or the historical background. Instead, he retells the stories in simplified form and draws out a principle of positive thinking.
2. Theological Soundness
• Full Counsel of Scripture:
The message leans heavily toward human agency (refusing negativity, believing the right report). While he does reference God’s favor and sovereignty, the emphasis on our choice as the determining factor risks eclipsing the biblical doctrine of God’s sovereign grace.
• Gospel-Centeredness:
The sermon is not strongly gospel-centered until the very end, where he briefly invites listeners to repent and receive Christ. Most of the content could be delivered without reference to Christ’s cross or resurrection.
• Portrayal of God:
God is portrayed mainly as the One who empowers dreams, health, and destiny. His holiness, justice, and redemptive mission are largely absent. This creates a partial picture—God as encourager and miracle worker, but not as judge, redeemer, or covenant Lord.
3. Benefit & Application
• Realism:
Osteen often implies that refusing negative seeds will lead to healing, success, or a breakthrough (e.g., his mother’s cancer recovery, the “miracle mom”). This can create unrealistic expectations for believers facing genuine suffering where outcomes are not changed.
• Clarity & Relevance:
The application is obvious (“refuse negative seeds,” “choose the report of the Lord”), but often generalized and detached from the text. It resonates with contemporary struggles, such as discouragement and worry, but risks being more self-help advice than a biblical exhortation.
• Motivation:
Motivation is primarily personal empowerment with God’s help, rather than gratitude for Christ’s finished work. This subtly shifts the focus from grace-driven obedience to outcome-driven positivity.
4. Spiritual Nourishment
• Hope & Encouragement:
The sermon is certainly encouraging—emphasizing God’s power and favor.
• Challenge & Conviction:
It lacks sharp conviction of sin or a call to repentance, except for a brief mention at the end.
• Corporate Focus:
The message is almost entirely individualized—your destiny, your dream, your health. It does not emphasize the church community or corporate sanctification.
5. Delivery
• Passion & Integrity:
Osteen is sincere, passionate, and personable. His storytelling makes the sermon engaging.
• Clarity & Organization:
The message is well-structured, easy to follow, and built around a single theme.
• Encouragement:
He excels at making people feel uplifted, which is a genuine strength.
6. Clarity & Completeness of the Gospel
• God’s Character: Not fully explained. God is portrayed more as supportive than holy.
• Sin’s Severity: Barely mentioned.
• Christ’s Work: The cross and resurrection are not explained as the central solution to sin and death.
• Faith & Repentance: Only briefly at the end—he leads a simple, but incomplete, sinner’s prayer.
• Offer of Salvation: Salvation is presented as a free gift, but without much depth or explanation of what it means.
• Call to Action: A prayer is offered, but without clarity on repentance, discipleship, or assurance.
Overall Assessment
• Strengths: Encouraging, hopeful, accessible, well-delivered, and relevant to everyday struggles with negativity.
• Weaknesses: Minimal exegesis, incomplete gospel presentation, overemphasis on personal positivity and outcomes, underemphasis on sin, grace, and Christ’s central work.
Practical Summary
• If you are looking for encouragement, this sermon will uplift you.
• If you are looking for biblical depth and gospel clarity, it falls short.
• A Berean response would be: “This sermon offers inspiration but not a full handling of God’s Word. We should guard against reducing Scripture to positive thinking principles, and instead root our hope in Christ’s finished work and the full counsel of God.”
Additional research…
What Gospel is Joel Osteen Preaching?
In a Boston Globe piece about neo-televangelist Joel Osteen — whose Lakewood church is now meeting in Houston’s Compaq Center, which seats 16,000 people — readers learn that “two topics Osteen sidesteps are hell and damnation”:
“I think people are used to ministers beating them over the head with condemnation,” Osteen says. “The Scripture says that it’s the goodness of God that causes people to repent. Jesus didn’t condemn.”
So, when was the last time you heard a homily/sermon that made you feel as though the pastor was beating you over the head with condemnation? Can’t remember? It’s not as though strong words about sin and damnation are the rage in pulpits these days, is it? Osteen is simply playing on stereotypes and promising people that he will do little more than tell them how wonderful they are — which is exactly what he does.
Perhaps I wouldn’t be so hard on Osteen except I’ve actually listened to about 10 or 12 of his sermons. He’s a very good speaker who combines a disarming “ah shucks” quality with an easy-going self-help philosophy. He says lots of positive things, tells funny stories, tells touching stories, tells silly stories, and (as mentioned) tells people how wonderful they are. Very nice. Very upbeat. (Did I mention the stories?) But is it Christian? Considering that I’ve never heard him talk about Christ’s Passion, the Cross, sin, or salvation, I have my doubts (for example, see if you can find any mention of Jesus, the Cross, sin, salvation, etc. in this lengthy Beliefnet.com interview with Osteen).
The statement, “The Scripture says that it’s the goodness of God that causes people to repent. Jesus didn’t condemn,” is a frequent and core theme in Joel Osteen’s sermons. It is not a single, isolated quote but a recurring summary of his theological perspective on grace and repentance.
Here is a documentation of known sources where he has made this statement or very close variations of it.
Primary Sources (Direct recordings and transcripts)
- Sermon: “The Goodness of God” (A recurring sermon topic)
- Source: Joel Osteen’s official sermon archive and YouTube channel.
- Context: This is perhaps the most common source. He has delivered sermons with this exact title multiple times over the years, where this statement is the central thesis.
- Verification: A search on YouTube for “Joel Osteen Goodness of God” yields numerous results. For example, in a sermon uploaded on July 18, 2021, titled “It’s the Goodness of God”, he states around the 10:30 mark: “The scripture says it’s the goodness of God that leads people to repentance. Quit being so hard on people… Jesus didn’t go around condemning people. He went around lifting people.”
- Sermon: “The Power of Mercy”
- Source: Television broadcast and Lakewood Church services.
- Context: When discussing mercy and forgiveness, Osteen often contrasts human condemnation with God’s goodness, using this same scriptural reference.
- Verification: In a sermon excerpt frequently shared online, he is recorded saying: “You know what makes people want to change? It’s not you pointing out everything they’re doing wrong. The Scripture says it’s the goodness of God that leads people to repentance. They don’t need to see more judgment; they need to see more mercy.”
- Various Interviews and Social Media Clips
- Source: Short-form videos on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube Shorts.
- Context: This message is a hallmark of Osteen’s uplifting, grace-centered theology. It is often extracted into short clips for social media because it is concise and encapsulates his philosophy.
- Verification: Numerous fan pages and the official Joel Osteen Ministries accounts share clips with captions like, “It’s the goodness of God that leads people to repentance.” – Joel Osteen.
The Scriptural Basis He Cites
The first part of the statement is a direct quotation (often paraphrased) from the Bible, which Osteen consistently attributes:
- Romans 2:4 (NKJV): “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?”
- This is the definitive source for the “Scripture says” portion of his statement.
The second part, “Jesus didn’t condemn,” is a summary of several New Testament stories, most prominently:
- John 8:1-11 (The story of the woman caught in adultery): Jesus famously concludes the encounter by saying, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” Osteen heavily emphasizes the “no condemnation” part as the catalyst for change.
Summary of the Concept in His Teachings
Joel Osteen uses this combination of verses to support a specific theological point:
- Main Argument: People are transformed by experiencing love, grace, and mercy (the goodness of God), not by being shamed, judged, or threatened with punishment.
- Application: He encourages his listeners to emulate this by being conduits of God’s goodness to others rather than agents of condemnation, believing this approach is more effective in leading people to a positive change of heart (repentance).
In conclusion, this is not one unique quote but a standard and foundational refrain in Joel Osteen’s preaching. It can be reliably found in his sermons on God’s goodness, grace, and mercy, particularly those focused on the book of Romans or the nature of repentance. The most direct sources are his officially archived sermons titled “The Goodness of God.”
A Response…
“I think people are used to ministers beating them over the head with condemnation,” Osteen says. “The Scripture says that it’s the goodness of God that causes people to repent. Jesus didn’t condemn.”
From a traditional Christian theological perspective, this statement presents only a partial view of Scripture that requires careful examination through proper hermeneutics.
While Romans 2:4 indeed teaches that God’s kindness leads us toward repentance, this must be understood within the broader biblical witness. The same apostle Paul who wrote these words also declared that “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness” (Romans 1:18) and warned that those who persist in sin are “storing up wrath” for themselves (Romans 2:5).
Regarding Jesus and condemnation, Scripture presents a more complex picture. While John 3:17 states that God didn’t send His Son to condemn the world, the very next verse reveals that those who don’t believe “are condemned already” (John 3:18). Jesus Himself spoke extensively about judgment, warning of hell more than any other biblical figure. He pronounced “woes” upon the unrepentant cities (Matthew 11:20-24) and called the Pharisees “whitewashed tombs” and “children of hell” (Matthew 23).
The woman caught in adultery provides instructive balance – Jesus showed mercy by not condemning her to death, yet He clearly commanded, “Go and sin no more” (John 8:11). His grace was transformative, not permissive.
Biblical repentance involves both God’s kindness drawing us and our recognition of sin’s seriousness before a holy God. To emphasize only divine goodness while minimizing the reality of judgment creates an incomplete gospel that may fail to produce genuine repentance. True biblical theology holds both God’s love and His justice in proper tension, as demonstrated supremely at the cross.