Joel Osteen’s 1,000 Message Recap

On Sunday, May 19, 2024, Joel Osteen delivered his 1,000th message. It was a milestone moment. Walk with us through the years and hear Joel share thoughts on this remarkable journey.

No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.

–1 Corinthians 2:9, NLT

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Hope is our story.
We believe that no matter where we start, god determines our destiny, In 1999, Joel Osteen was faithfully serving behind the scenes at Lakewood as he had for nearly 2 decades.
For a year, Joel’s father had asked him to preach at the church.
And then one day, Joel said yes.
I feel like the day of miracles not over since they got me up here.
But Little did I know that would be the last Sunday of my father’s line.
I didn’t think this was in me, but when my dad passed, it’s got god put that desire in me.
All of a sudden, I wanted to pastor the church.
I wanted to step And then 6 months later in October or so, I was officially made the pastor of Lakewood.
New pastor of Lakewood Church, our son, Joel Osteyn, and is what? Vicari.
Looking back now, 25 years later, I think how did I do that?
Getting up in front of the people, learning to minister, putting a sermon together, But I believe our best days are his.
We’re gonna miss daddy, but the vision continues. Right?
You know, it was hard, but he knew, and there’s no doubt he you know, those guys are ready.
They’re ready to fulfill the vision. I tried to be like my dad.
Well, I was reading the scripture about 6 months later, it was in the book of acts, and it says that David fulfilled his purpose for his generation.
And I felt like god said to me, Joy, your dad fulfilled purpose, quit trying to be like him and just be who I’ve called you to be and fulfill your purpose.
Let me challenge you again. Don’t settle for mediocrity.
Fight life through, and you too will be able to say the dream is true. Amen?
Friends god has a great life of free in store for every one of you.
No matter what you’ve done, no matter what you’ve been through, let today be a time of new beginnings in your life.
Our commitment to you is that every time you walk in these doors, every time you flip us on television, we will build you up and not tear you down.
We will focus on the love and the mercy and the goodness of god, not on judgment and condemnation.
Golf’s message resonated with me because I tried to listen to other people, and some of them were like Hellfire and brimstone, but I had already lived in Hellfire And Bridgestone.
I didn’t wanna hear about it. I wanted to hear how to get out of it.
I wanna challenge you. Don’t water down your dreams. Don’t accept less than what god’s put in your heart.
Dream big dreams. There to believe that you can do great things in line.
We had a wonderful time.
It’s a new beginning for the 3 West.
My prayer for each one of you is that before you leave this earth, all of your potential will be released.
Not one dream, not one gift not one promise, not one god given desire will go left unfulfilled.
I stood up at my house. I was watching him on you know, in the service.
And I stood up in my house, and I just say I’m gonna give my life to god, and that was it.
You’re gonna come through breakthroughs in your health.
To where you’re gonna recover and get well a lot quicker than the medical experts say.
You’re gonna see that family member get back on track a lot sooner than you thought.
It’s your year of Jubilee. God is releasing what has your name on it.
As I’m going into the machine, Joel starts playing, and it’s the sermon on praying bold prayers and not limiting god.
And as I was laying in the machine, I wondered if praying for surgery was not bold enough and that I should be praying for complete healing.
And I claimed complete healing in that machine.
Jesus Rosa, and said I am he that lives. I was dead, but I’m alive forevermore.
Because he lives, we can live.
As we celebrate 60 years here at Lakewood, I can sum up how I feel with one phrase to be the glory.
Let him increase and let us decrease. God, may we make your payments.
I was going through some things, um, in my life where I wasn’t where I needed to be, and I needed my mind to be transformed.
And I just knew that to Joe’s message, uh, of hope and encouragement was gonna be right from
me. God never does his greatest work in your yesterday’s. They’re always in your tomorrow’s.
Your greatest victories, your most rewarding moments, the biggest achievements in your life are not in your past.
They are still in front of you.
People in India are listening to Reverend Pastor Doylestein. They listen to his preaching.
They’re listening every Sunday, making Jesus as the personal savior.
Every message carries the power to up left, trans form and ignite the flame of hope.
I think everyone that knows him knows he’s a great speaker, but personally what I’ve experienced is that he’s a great listener.
And some of the biggest impacts he’s had on me is not so much the things he said, but the times he’s taken to listen and care and understand and
for myself. The most impactful thing I’ve seen has been the way he lives his life, the way he honors God and everything he does, the way he puts god first and lets everything else fall into place has been the biggest, most impactful thing that I’ve seen.
I would describe Joel as the kindest person I’ve ever met.
He’s got this amazing way of seeing the best in situations. Even when it’s hard to find the best.
He can I can count on him to always turn it around and find the good in it?
Find the good in that person.
All through my childhood when I was at home, I would wanna go see my dad in his office, and he was doing something very important.
But as a five year old, you don’t realize that. So I would just go in there.
I would hang out. I would color, and he would never tell me to leave.
I would be doing gymnastics, 5 feet away from him, and he’s just writing his message.
He loves to see people overcome, to see people reach their dreams to see them, uh, make it through a hard time and can see how much it matters to him and see how deeply that impact action.
I hear all the time. I got saved under your your brother’s ministry. This is another one.
I quit going to church. But when I heard your brother, I started back again.
When I think of a 1000 sermons, first off, I can’t believe it. That’s a lot of sermons.
That’s a lot of hours. That’s a lot of work. But I believe that it’s part of his legacy.
And what it’s gonna be is that he’s teaching god’s people how to live out there salvation.
I still stand in awe. That’s why I weep so much.
Just the goodness of god, just overwhelm being here in the former Compact center, who would have ever thought.
So it just reminds me of the faithfulness of god.
Let’s me know the next 1000 are even gonna be better. Alright, y’all. I’ll believe that.
Thank you. Oh, thank y’all now. Thank you. Alright, y’all. Mhmm.
Thank you. Yeah. Thank you so much.
Man, we’re here to brag on the goodness of god. Amen. Amen. Well, thank y’all.
Please be seated if you would.
But, man, I kinda, like I said, on the video, whoever thought we’d be here, but you know what?
We serve a a great job. But, Nick, what are we gonna do?
Well, uh, isn’t this phenomenal church that we get the
opportunity to celebrate our pastor?
Um, we can take a seat.
Let me say this. Let me say this. I wouldn’t be half of who I am without Victoria.
She is fucking so mocking to me. Giving me so much. We did it together.
She told me what to say.
Well, I think that was in sermons.
Um, what a milestone moment um, historic and on many fronts.
And the amount of preparation, I think, you know, the mass public won’t fully appreciate.
I think all the sacrifice and the discipline and the consistency that it takes to prepare week in and week out to deliver a message on this platform to the world.
I know Pastor Victoria, you’ve probably had the the best seat in the house to watch him deliver and prepare.
Um, these messages, anything from your perspective that you would say, man, this is what I’ve seen.
This is what, you know, 1000. What does it mean to you from your perspective?
1000 is a lot of messages, but it’s like what my children said, and we’ve said earlier, it’s it’s the it’s the dedication.
You know, the thing I can say about Joel, he is the same now as he was then.
But he’s just more disciplined. He’s more focused. He’s more determined.
I can say this, you know, going from behind the scenes, to now having the responsibility to speak to the hearts of the people that god’s given him.
He’s taken it so serious, and I’m seeing how he has consecrated himself in in greater ways.
He doesn’t just put his life on autopilot, but he’s always trying to better his life.
And I can tell you, I am so proud of him.
I’ve learned so much from him And, you know, just the time, like you were saying, uh, the time that he has, uh, given to these messages, you know, it’s one thing to preach a a 1000 messages, but when you spend 3 days preparing the message, getting the re you know, getting your information in and really putting your heart and soul and trying to hear from the spirit.
That’s a lot of work and a lot of messages.
And, you know, the thing is, is that you would think I’ve heard people say, well, are, you know, are you getting ready to retire?
Are you getting tired of this? But I can tell you, Joel’s just looking for another mountain to climb.
He said, I’m not done. You know, god’s got as long as god’s given me the ability to do this, I’m gonna keep doing it.
I’m gonna keep being my best. And you know what I love more than anything?
Is that he is cuter today than he was when he started
Oh, good. I received that.
1000. So out of all the messages, is there any that stand out to you?
Most memorable ones. Yeah.
Yeah. We we this one one that stands out to me is I was it’s around 2007 or 8, Nick.
I I got a call from the New York Yankees somebody that worked there, and they said, uh, we wanna come we wanna see if you would come and do an event in the new Yankee stadium, the 1st non baseball event in the new stadium, because I thought that was my friend’s doing a prank because, you know, they like to cut up, but I but come to find out it was the truth.
And I thought you know, will they receive a minister from New York up in the in the Bronx?
And at first, I didn’t tell Victoria, I said, I if I wanna do it.
I don’t know if that’s over my head, and I don’t know if we have the funds to do it because, you know, as many of the dollars do that kind of stuff, but, uh, I I flew up there to meet with them and they took it was before they tore down the old stadium.
The new one was almost finished, but they gave me a tour of the old stadium.
You know, I’m grew up playing baseball. So I’m sitting in the dugout where all those great plays.
I stood at home plate where Babe Ruth stood and went all back in you know, it just hit me that day that, you know, with this is a historic moment.
And it’s like god said to me, Joel, they’re not asking everybody to do this.
They’re asking you to do this. And so I took that step of faith.
And, you know, the place was filled up.
In 2009, we did the first non baseball event, and I spoke to him about stepping into your divine destiny and You know, I could feel god’s presence there.
Even even at the at the end of the event, you know, I just in there, I just, you know, kinda like even now, you how how did we get here?
But the end of the event, you know, I spoke the blessing over him 3 hours later.
I said, god bless you. Good night. Nobody left. They they all stayed.
I don’t
know.
I I still get overwhelmed.
You know, it’s just the the greatness of our god. You know, I just keep using that phrase.
Who would have ever thought? That this would happen, but, you know, the people didn’t wanna leave that night.
Just on the subways, as they finally left, they were seeing I am a friend of god.
And I just, you know, it’s so much of this is the sovereignty of god.
You know, Am I the greatest minister in the world? I like to think so.
I know I’m the best looking, but I’m not the greatest minister, but you know what?
Some of it is just the sovereignty of god.
You just you step in to blessings that god’s preordained for you and destiny.
And even when I drive up here to Compact Center, still I still oh, man.
I’m a quick Kanye. I still remember you know, I had my season tickets were right over there in section 104, watching the Rockets play basketball and had my first date with Victoria in this building and still when I still when I drive in, man, the scripture says, well, it may not it says it in one sense.
Don’t ever lose the awe of what god has done in your life.
And Sometimes, you know, don’t don’t let a miracle become just ordinary.
You know, where where we are today and what god’s done in my life.
And again, I’m not here to brag on on me me. I’m just bragging on the goodness of god.
So I think Nick that’s standing there in Yankee Stadium, you know, never never dreaming that, you know, these would open, but they did.
And they continue to open. Yeah.
You you’ve you told me about I wasn’t there either.
You told me about, some obstacles in a way that you’ve you’ve battled through to deliver messages.
Tell about that one that you experience
Yeah. I was in in Atlanta.
We we’ve done about 250 nights of hope and cities all across the world, and I was in Atlanta.
Don’t remember what year, but as Atlanta, there’s, like, 20, 30000 people there, and I’m up the nights, I hope for, like, 2 a half hours long.
And I’d done, like, the first hour of, you know, on and off the different segments, Victoria.
But I was standing on the platform, and I just I’m I felt immediately so sick something came home.
I thought, I am nauseous. I said, I’m about to throw up.
And I was I was sitting next to to Daedra, and I don’t know why, but I looked at her chair and and they said, Daedra, I’m sick.
I guess I wanted somebody else to know because because I thought I’m not gonna make it.
You know, I I’ve just it’s just a nausea. I just felt it so bad. I whispered to Victoria.
I said, go do something. I’m sick.
So I walked off the stage, and it was a real high platform in that building.
And I walked off the stage, and Fortunately, I made it right behind the pole, but but behind the back of the stage and I went underneath and it just it just came.
I just it just came and came and came.
Well, you know, it’s funny because it’s not funny, but, you know, after you after you after you vomit, you feel good for a minute.
And so, I’ve I threw up for, like, an eternity and then she got finished and that I heard the offering was finished or the segment that we did in the next segment, I walked up there, and I did my whole message.
And I finished it. I did the alter call, and I walked out and was sick for 3 days.
Not out of get out of bed, but I guess don’t know why that’s memorable except it. You know what?
God gives you god gives you grace for every season.
I would have never dreamed hitting on that platform, but you know what? Never missed an eye to hope.
And as far as I know, I’ve never missed a a service here.
I don’t know know that I have, but anyway.
The you arenas, this platform, I mean, you’ve you’ve preached messages and delivered messages in many different spaces.
Um, there are other significant places that you’ve preached and delivered. Talk to him
There was a funny one. Victoria, jump in here if you want. I’m I don’t mean but okay. Good.
I told him I said, guys, they don’t wanna hear me reminisce, but, okay, this is the last It was just weird.
Yeah. So about a about a few day. Okay. Thank y’all. Thank you.
Few weeks well, my my there was a minister friend in town for many years, friends were more with my dad than myself, but doctor Bill Henson He was the pastor of the 1st Methodist Church, a wonderful man, and a great church downtown, very prestigious.
Well, he was close with my dad, and he was in the hospital room when my dad was passing and, you know, just a a great, great friend.
Well, uh, 2 2 or 3 weeks after my dad passed, doctor Henson called me and He said, Joel, will you come speak for me at First Methodist Church downtown?
And I thought, Doctor Henson, I didn’t say it, but I don’t even know what I’m doing.
And, I mean, he’s one of the most premier preachers in the world.
They just come preaching on a Sunday night and I I had this problem.
I don’t know how to tell tell people no. And so I said I would do it.
And I thought, I don’t know what in the world.
I’m gonna say the first Methodist, and I’m trying to figure out what I’m doing, but so they they called is about 3 weeks way, they called and they said, we’re pre print printing this bulletin, and we know we need to know the message title.
Well, I don’t even know the message 2 days before I’m gonna speak. Not a month in advance.
So I didn’t say anything. And about 2 days later, they called back and somehow they got ahold of Victoria.
And said, he and Victoria said, well, I’m not exactly sure, but just know this, it’s gonna be good.
And so I get there that night at the first Methodist church and it’s packed out.
Somebody hands me the bulletin. I look at it. It says today’s message is called. It’s gonna be good.
I said, Victoria, I’ll receive it. You know? Anyway, I did it.
I did my best y’all.
It’s gonna be good.
You’ve you’ve, um, you’ve delivered messages also in places where people may not that weren’t real public.
And, you know, it’s I I think it’s important for you, Sherry, because I know you’re not gonna tell people, but I think it is important.
We were invited to come to Lebanonworth to the you know, the prison there, the, you know, high high maximum security prison there to to do a a night of hope for Leavenworth.
And we went there and did that with them. Just a couple hundred people there and just feel blessed.
Um, you know, the doors god has opened. Never dreamed they would. You know, what where god would take us.
And, you know, you know, if I can wrap this up, Nick, just I think part of it, you know, what is god looking for?
He’s looking for people who hearts are turned toward him. Yes. Again, I don’t know.
You have to be the greatest this or greatest that, but when you stay faithful toward god and you keep your eyes on him, and I still get up every morning.
And, you know, I search my heart every morning. God, am I doing this for the right reason?
Is this my ego? Is this you know, I I try to get my keep my heart, my motives pure toward god.
I’ve learned when you can do that, then you can live your life, One god can trust you to release his favor in greater ways.
And then you don’t have to worry about all the negative chatter because we, you know, we all get it.
And but you know what? If it never bothers me, but I guess my my my challenge to, you know, I’ll speak my message here in a minute.
Say a little of this, but, man, walk humbly before god, Keep in 1st place in your life.
You never go wrong by taking the high road. Yes. I learned that from my father.
And so, you know, when you’re faithful with small, god can trust you with much.
And I’m gonna tell you my message in a minute, but god has greater things in store for each one of you.
Sees you’ve taken the time being here today, watching, and listening, Listen, god’s gonna do some unusual things in 2024.
And, man, I I’m young. I can do another 25 years.
I got another 1000 of these in me and you know, so I don’t know.
I feel like god’s raised us up for this time.
1st 10 years, I was so in secure or not insecure, but just intimidated. But you know what?
I know I’ve stepped into a new season. Yeah.
I believe a 1000 is a new dimension and just praying, you know, there are new doors opening.
And so, you know, what? It’s gonna take us all together, doing it together.
You know, I think one last thing, Nick, and I’ll and I’ll but, you know, it’s uh, Joel did a 1000, but you know what?
A lot of lives have been touched, but you know who’s gonna get credit, all of you guys, because you come, you support, you volunteer, you know, I just happened to be in this position, but some of you are the or all of you are are in positions where you you’re making Lakewood happen.
You know? 65 years, Lakewood doesn’t happen because it’s just a great preacher. It happens because of faithful people.
So let me tell you, the reward is not coming just here.
The rewards going to all the faithful, keep all of you guys.
We’re excited to hear his 1000th message today.
Church, can we celebrate Pastor Joel? One more time.
Thank you.