Overview of Greater Is Coming | Joel Osteen
Joel Osteen delivers an encouraging sermon-style episode recorded while Lakewood Church was closed to the public due to the coronavirus. The central message: setbacks, suffering and injustices are temporary and are often setups for God to restore and elevate you—“greater is coming.” Drawing on Scripture (David’s story, Jacob/Rachel/Leah, Paul and Peter), personal family testimony, and practical exhortation, Osteen urges listeners to keep faith, praise in the storm, and expect full restoration and reward.
Key takeaways
- Central promise: Difficulties are temporary and are often setups for a greater comeback—greater health, favor, joy, relationships, influence, and restoration.
- Attitude matters: Suffering with faith, gratitude and praise positions you to receive the greater things God has planned. Encourage yourself in the Lord instead of sinking into self-pity.
- Go through the trial, don’t settle there: Some levels of blessing require passing tests—don’t get stuck or become bitter.
- God restores fully: Biblical and personal examples are used to show that God can recover “everything” that was lost—“nothing is going to be missing.”
- Divine timing and help: Restoration may not be immediate, but God provides unexpected help and divine connections when you move forward in faith.
Scriptural and illustrative examples
David (1 Samuel 30; Psalm 71)
- David returns to find his city burned, families taken; he encourages himself in the Lord and pursues the enemy, recovering everything—nothing missing.
- Psalm 71 referenced: suffering allowed but restoration to greater honor promised.
New Testament perspective
- Paul: afflictions are light and temporary, working toward an eternal weight of glory.
- 1 Peter: after suffering a little while, God of all grace will restore, strengthen, and establish you.
Jacob, Rachel and Leah (Genesis 29)
- Leah, overlooked and in a loveless marriage, ends up being the ancestral line through which Jesus comes (tribe of Judah). Example: being discounted now doesn’t determine your destiny—God honors those who suffer faithfully.
Personal / family testimony
- Osteen family: father faced rejection after embracing healing ministry, started Lakewood Church from humble beginnings; sister Lisa healed from a birth injury; mother miraculously healed from cancer. These stories illustrate restoration and unexpected turnaround.
Notable quotes & lines to remember
- “The suffering is a setup.”
- “Greater is coming.”
- “When you encourage yourself in the Lord…start thanking God that the number of my days you will fulfill.”
- “Surely you will recover everything that was taken from you.” (assurance of full recovery)
Practical action items & spiritual responses
- Replace focus on the problem with declarations of God’s promises (e.g., say “greater is coming”).
- Encourage yourself in the Lord—praise, pray, and speak victory even in the middle of trials.
- Keep moving forward in faith; God will provide people and opportunities to help you recover.
- If you want to make a faith commitment, Osteen offers a simple salvation prayer: “Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make you my Lord and Savior.”
- Join a Bible-based church and keep God first in your life.
Resources and offers mentioned
- Devotional: God Still Loves to Heal — 70 Days to Receive, Reflect, and Rest in the Finished Work of God. Available at joelostein.com or by calling 888-567-JOEL.
- Healing and Wholeness Collection: includes guided journals and related resources to strengthen faith and hope.
- Contact/donation: joelostein.com; phone 888-567-JOEL. Osteen thanks supporters and Champion of Hope partners.
Episode format & brief notes
- Recorded with a small group/family in the building (public access closed due to COVID-19).
- Episode contains sponsor messages (TurboTax, Angi) and a promotional outro for another podcast (Scam Goddess).
- Tone: pastoral, motivational, testimonial—designed to uplift listeners facing loss, illness, disappointment, or rejection.
Quick summary for listeners who want the bottom line
If you’re going through loss, injustice or a long season of hardship, don’t accept that as your final story. Keep praising, encourage yourself in God, move forward in faith, and expect full restoration—“greater is coming.”