Detoxing Your Mind | Joel Osteen

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“I want to talk to you today about detoxing your mind.”

We hear a lot about detoxing our physical bodies. How there can be chemicals in the food that are harmful. Bacteria can be able to even pesticides in the air. Many people don't realize it. But their bodies are full of these harmful toxins.

That's what's causing them to feel bad. Most experts will recommend that you go through a deep cleansing. Where you put yourself on a fast. You eat a certain diet. Stay in a way from everything harmful.

And over time, you can rid yourself of those toxins and begin to feel much better. In the same way, there are all kinds of toxins that can build up in our mind. When we go around dwelling on the wrong thoughts. Think about what we can't do and how somebody heard us.

How we'll never get ahead.

Those thoughts are toxic thoughts. And toxic thoughts left alone become like toxic waste. It will eventually contaminate our whole life. It affects our self-image. It affects our attitude, our level of confidence.

It becomes a part of who we are. That's why it says in Proverbs 423, "Above all else, guard your heart for it affects everything you do." The writer is saying, "Make guarding your mind a priority." Put this at the top of your to-do list.

“Because if your mind gets polluted, your whole life is going to be polluted.”

You probably know people right now that are bitter, cynical. They always expect the worst. They have a sour attitude. Why is that? They've allowed these toxic thoughts to take root.

Now they become strongholds that are poisoning their future. What's the solution? They need to go through a detoxification. Not a physical cleansing, but a mental cleansing. The only way they're going to get free.

The only way they're going to get back to who God made them to be is to detox their mind. Some of you today, you need to detox the bitterness. Detox, low self-esteem. Detox the negative words spoken over you.

Detox condemnation from past mistakes. How do we detox? You make a decision. You're not going to dwell on it anymore. You have to starve those toxins.

Every time you dwell on a negative thought. That condemnation, that bitterness, that low self-esteem. You are feeding it. You're giving it new life. Making it stronger.

When those thoughts come saying, "You're never going to get well." You heard what the doctor said. "You're never going to be happy. You've been through too much." "You're never going to accomplish your dreams." Instead of dwelling on it, just turn it around and say, "No, I'm not going there.

I'm not dwelling on who hurt me. I'm not dwelling on my past mistakes. I'm not dwelling on what I don't have. I'm going to dwell on what God says about me." And God says, "I'm forgiven."

God says, "He'll pay me back double for every unfair thing that's happened." God says, "My best days are still out in front of me." If you'll ignore the toxic thoughts, and keep your mind filled with thoughts of faith, thoughts of victory, those toxic thoughts will get weaker and weaker.

And before long, they won't have any effect on you. I have a friend that's trying to get healthier. Right now, he won't eat any kind of meat. He only drinks water. And he won't eat after a certain time at night.

The other day, I offered him a soft drink.

He said, "No, that's not on my eating program."

He's on a strict diet. That's the way we need to be when these toxic thoughts come to our mind. Thoughts of worry, low self-esteem, can't do it thoughts. When they arise, just say thanks, but no thanks, that's not a part of my diet.

I don't dwell on thoughts of fear. I don't dwell on thoughts of inferiority. I don't dwell on thoughts of defeat. That's not a part of my eating program.

“In some of you today, you don't have the joy you should.”

You don't have the victory, the confidence. It's because you are not eating a healthy diet. I'm not talking about physically, I'm talking about mentally. You're eating too much junk food. Junk food is the toxic thoughts that we allow to pollute our mind.

Things like Joel, I'm just average. I've already reached my limits. Or I miss so many good opportunities.

No, you need to get back on your diet.

Those toxic thoughts are not a part of your eating program. I'm asking you today to go on a fast with me. Not a fast from food, although that probably wouldn't hurt us. But how about a fast from negative thinking? A fast from condemnation.

A fast from bitterness. A fast from little dreams. A fast from can't do it thoughts. Let's starve those toxins. Let's not give them any power to affect us.

Every morning when we get up, we should go through this cleansing. In our mind, we should release any bitterness. Forgive the people that have hurt us. Let go of every disappointment. Start your day off in faith.

Start your day off believing. Don't allow those toxins to build up. Just lay in there in your bed. You can say it under your breath. This is going to be a great day.

I have God's favor. I know I'm empowered to overcome every obstacle. I have the strength to overlook every offense. I have the grace to rise above every disappointment. Even if things don't go my way today, I know God is still in control.

And I'm making a decision right now that I'm going to be happy and enjoy this day. You know what you're doing? You're cleansing your mind. You're clearing out all the toxins, all the defeat, all the negativity. And then even during the day, when opportunities arise to be frustrated,

discouraged, condemned, don't just swallow those thoughts. Make sure they're on your diet. Somebody's rude to you. Somebody does you wrong. That thought will come up.

Who do they think they are? See if I give them the time of day. I would just learn to say thanks, but no thanks. I'm not getting upset. I know this day is a gift that God's given me.

And I've made up my mind to stay in peace. You know what you just did? You stayed on your diet. You fasted a toxic thought. It wasn't able to take root.

“Some of you today, you need to detox your mind from what other people have said about you.”

People have spoken negative things over you. Telling you what you can't do, what you're not going to become. And if you were just as smart as your brother, I don't know why you can't do anything right. No, don't allow those thoughts to take root.

You are not who people say you are. You are who God says you are. God says you are talented. You are creative. You are strong.

You are confident. You are disciplined. You are well able.

I remember when I first started ministering.

A little over nine years ago. I was so nervous. Trying to please everybody. Hoping they would like me and hope and I could keep it going. One Sunday, right after I got through speaking,

I overheard these ladies talking. They were saying he's so young. I don't know if he's as good as his father.

“Do you really think he'll be able to keep it going?”

I thought, dear Lord, somebody else. It's thinking just what I'm thinking. That was the last thing that I needed to hear. Those toxic thoughts were trying to take root and keep me from my destiny. I had to dig my heels in and start talking to myself.

I looked in the mirror and said, "Yo, you are annoying. You are strong in the Lord. You can do all things through Christ. If God before you, who dare be against you?" I began to realize it didn't matter what they were saying about me.

It didn't matter what they thought. All that really mattered was what God says about me. I found out what they were saying was not all my diet. They were not a part of my healthy program. I started feeding my mind faith.

Dwelling on things like, "I'm equipped. I'm empowered. I'm well able to fulfill my destiny." What was I doing? I was starving those toxic thoughts.

I let the seed of God's Word take root in my heart. God's Word is alive and full of power. If you'll get your thinking lined up with God's thinking, there's nothing you won't be able to do. You may feel nervous, but God will give you confidence.

You may feel weak, but God will give you strength.

When you need a break, God will give you a favor.

“When people are talking about you, God will be your vindicator.”

When you fall down, God will pick you up. When it looks like it's over, God will give you another chance. Learn to feed your mind these thoughts of faith, thoughts of victory. If I had made the mistake of dwelling on those toxic thoughts, I don't believe I'd be standing here today.

In some of you right now, you have a recording playing over and over in your mind of all the negative things people have said about you.

You're in a very critical place.

If you continue to dwell on those lies that can keep you from your destiny, the choice is not up to God, it's up to you. Who are you going to get an agreement with? What God says about you or what people say? People will tell you what you can't do, what you're not going to become.

You may even feel like somebody has kind of cursed your future. But here's the good news.

“Before anyone could put a curse on you, God put a blessing on you.”

Before you are even formed in your mother's womb. Before you were born, before one negative thing was spoken over you. God looked at you and said, "You are my child and you are blessed." And understand what God blesses cannot be cursed. If you'll get an agreement with God, you'll see his blessings begin to chase you down.

I had a lady tell me the other day how she came from a very negative environment. The people that raised her will constantly putting her down. She didn't feel like she measured up to her sister. She couldn't seem to keep a good relationship.

Never got any good breaks.

She finally said, "Your life has been one disappointment after another." I think these people have literally cursed my future. I told her what I'm telling you. Before anyone could curse you, God put a blessing on you. It doesn't matter what they said about you, doesn't matter how they tried to make you feel,

the blessing always overrides the curse.

“You need to get an agreement with God and start shaking that off.”

Just say thanks, but no thanks, that's not all my diet. I know who I am. I'm a child of the most high God. I am blessed and I cannot be cursed. I'm wearing my crown of favor.

I've been equipped with everything I need to succeed. When you start thinking like that, those toxic thoughts cannot take root.

Always remember you are not who people say you are.

You are who God says you are. People may say you're never going to be successful. God says everything you touch will prosper in succeed. People may tell you you're never going to get well. God says I'm restoring health back into you.

Somebody may say it looks like your family is never going to get on the right track. God says as for me in my house, we will serve the Lord. Now believe today, a cleansing is taken place. I can see it through my eyes of faith right now. These toxic thoughts are beginning to dissipate.

I can see strong holes that have held you back for years. Right now are being broken. I see you stepping into a new freedom, rising to a new level. I see you shaking off condemnation and stepping into confidence. I see a poverty defeat mindset given way to an abundant life mentality.

As you shake off these toxic thoughts, God's going to take you places you've never even dreamed of. I heard about a little boy. He was being raised by a single parent mom in the hills of Tennessee. This was many years ago. Back then, especially in this small community, children that were born to unwed mothers were really looked down on and seen his second class.

In fact, when he was just three years old, the other neighbors would not allow him to play with their children. They were always saying things like, "What do they do in our community?" And who is his father anyway? They treated him like he had some kind of plague. On Saturdays, the mom and little boy would go up to the local stores and invariably,

people would make cutting remarks. They would say it loudly so they could overhear it. Things like, "Well, there they are again. Did you ever figure out who his father is?" This little boy grew up very insecure, being ridiculed, feeling like there was something wrong with him.

At the age of 12, a new minister moved into the little community. He was a young man, very passionate, very dynamic. He was creating quite a stir. This 12-year-old boy had never been to church a day in his life. One Sunday, he decided to go see what all the excitement was about.

He got there late, snuck in, sat at the back. That day, he felt a love and an acceptance that he had never felt before. He was planning on leaving early, so nobody would notice him, but it was over before he knew it.

The minister was standing at the back door.

“When he saw the young man, he obviously didn't know him, never had met him,”

but he noticed that he was all alone. He wasn't with anybody. Just kind of being friendly, really impassing. He said, "Young man, who's child are you?" The room grew completely silent.

It was like time stood still. That was the question everybody had been wanting to ask. The young man didn't know what to say. He had heard all the talk about how he was the outcast and he was the boy with no father. He just put his head down.

The minister realized something was awkward. Something he obviously didn't know anything about. God gave him wisdom. He smiled and kind of pat him in and on the back.

And he said, "Oh, I know who you are.

I can see the resemblance so strongly you are a child of Almighty God." That day, that day was a turning point in that young boy's life. That day, the stronghold of insecurity in inferiority was being broken.

“He stopped seeing himself as who people said he was and started seeing himself as who God said he was.”

Over 30 years later, that young man was elected governor of Tennessee. Four years after that, he was reelected. And if you ask him, "Governor Ben Hooper will tell you, the day he really got elected was the day that young minister told him who his father was." And I realized, I realized today, many people don't grow up with fathers.

I wish that we're not so. But if that happened to be you, let me tell you what that minister told Governor Ben Hooper. Your heavenly father is Almighty God. You have been chosen and set apart before the foundation of time. You didn't just get here by accident.

You didn't just show up. God breeds his life into you. He puts seeds of greatness on the inside. You have an assignment, a destiny to fulfill. Something that no one else can accomplish.

Don't ever let somebody set about you or what they didn't say about you. Calls you to feel less than. Your earthly father may not have been around that much. Perhaps you didn't even know him. But your heavenly father is saying, he's proud of you.

You've got a bright future. You're going to do great things. I remember a couple years ago, I was in the lobby talking with visitors. This young lady came up with two small children. They were so loving.

The little boy must have been about five years old. He just hugged me and hung on and on. And we played and laughed and finally gave a high five and he went on his way. A few minutes he came back and motioned like he wanted to whisper something in my ear.

I'll never forget what he said.

He whispered, Joel, I wish you were my dad. All right. That told him what I'm telling you.

“Every morning when you get up, you need to look up towards the heavens.”

And just imagine your heavenly father is smiling down on you. You are his most prized possession. He has you in the palm of his hand. This scripture says, "God will be a father to the fatherless." The reason many people aren't reaching their full potential today

is because of this lack of identity. These thoughts that keep playing. You come from the wrong family. Or man, you didn't even know your father. No wonder you can't succeed.

No don't believe those lies. They're not on your eating plan. Stick with your diet. It's right here. It says, "I'm a child of the most high God."

I may not have had a earthly father, but I know I have a heavenly father. Other people may have said negative things about me. But I know before anyone put a curse on me. God put a blessing on me. That's what I'm going to dwell on.

For some of you today, you're allowing these negative thoughts and negative things people have spoken to poison your future. You need to go back to the root of it. And just ask yourself, "Who told me I can't be successful?" "Who told me I'm not smart enough to go to college?"

"Who told me I can't break this addiction?" "Who told me my best days are behind me?" I can promise you that didn't come from God. You need to detox all that garbage. Detox what your ex has been said about you.

Detox what that teacher said you can't do. Detox what that supervisor said you're not going to become. Detox what the critics are saying about your ability. I'm putting you on a new diet today. This diet is going to get rid of all the toxins.

It's going to free you from all the negativity. All the can't do it, not good enough thoughts. This diet is faith food. When you eat this, it's like papa eating a bowl of spinach.

For you young people, it's like Miley Cyrus turning into Hannah Montana.

What am I saying?

“A transformation takes place when we get rid of the toxic thoughts.”

And we feed our mind what God says about us. We have a couple of rabbits at home. A while back, I noticed one of them wasn't feeling well. Kept rubbing the side of his face like something was bothering him. I checked him out and he looked fine.

I didn't see anything wrong. But a few days later, it had really swollen up. It looked like a big growth. So we took him to the veterinarian and they gave us some antibiotics and said he should get better. We tried that for a week or so, but he continued to get worse.

And so we took him back and they re-examined him. And this time they discovered the real problem was a fly had laid an egg. And it somehow got up in the rabbit's nasal passage. And now that larvae was growing and about to hatch. That's why it's so infected.

It didn't matter how much antibiotics we gave him. He wasn't going to get any better. We had to get to the root of the problem.

“Once we got to the source and they removed that, the rabbit was just fine.”

And this is the way the enemy works. He tries to plant these lies in our mind to infect our thinking. So often we deal with the surface. We're trying to have a good attitude, trying to have a good self image. But it's like we're constantly struggling.

Like it's always going uphill.

Could it be like that rabbit? We're treating the symptoms. But not dealing with the real issues. Could it be we're putting a few antibiotics on it. Hoping it'll get better.

But the root cause is our thinking is infected in some area. We want to break the addiction. But that thought keeps telling us you'll be an alcoholic just like your father. We want to make the marriage work. But we hear a thought saying you'll probably get a divorce just like your parents.

Or we want to step out in faith and start a new business. We want to take that promotion. But something says you're not able to.

“You remember what the high school counselor told you.”

Those are lies that have infected are thinking.

The way to get rid of them is to meditate on what God says about you. One scripture says to do it day and night. In other words, continually all day long we should have the thoughts playing. I am blessed. I am prosperous.

I am forgiven. I am talented. I have the favor of God. When you dwell on thoughts like that, those toxins cannot take root. Your mind is being renewed.

Imagine with me that I'm holding a glass of dirty water in my hand. It's full of all kinds of particle sand and dirt. But if I continue to pour good clean water into this glass and just let it overflow and overflow. Eventually all the dirty water would be gone and the water would all be perfectly clear. I didn't really have to try to get rid of the dirty water.

I just had to keep putting in the right thing and eventually the wrong thing would be gone. It's the same principle in our thinking. If you get in a habit of putting in the right thoughts, thoughts of faith, thoughts of victory. Encouraging thoughts, well-able thoughts before long your mind is going to be transformed. You're going to find yourself positive, hopeful, strong and courageous.

You won't be like Gideon when an opportunity arises. You'll be bold. God call Gideon a mighty man of fearless courage. Gideon looked around thought, "Who's he talking to?" That's not me.

God had an assignment for Gideon. Something for him to accomplish. But Gideon had not renewed his mind. He had all these toxic thoughts. God wanted him to lead the people of Israel.

To defeat an opposing army. But Gideon said, "God, I can't do that. I'm the least one in my father's house. I don't have the talent, the education, the courage, the ability. Notice how he saw himself versus how God saw him.

God called him a mighty man of fearless courage. If God were to call your name today, he wouldn't say, "Hello, you weak worm of the dust." "Hello, you poor old sinner." "How's my loser doing today?" God would say the same thing to you as he said to Gideon.

"Hello, Mary, you mighty woman of fearless courage." "Hello, Bob, you mighty man of fearless courage." "Hello, Lakewood, you mighty people of fearless courage." "But I wonder how many of us would do just like Gideon?" And say, "God, who are you talking about?

Don't you know what family I come from? God, haven't you seen the mistakes I've made? Here, let me remind you of some of them." God, do you know I'm not a mighty man? I'm not that talented.

The problem is our thinking is infected.

But thank God today is a new day. We're getting on a new day. We're going to go on a fast from every negative. Can't do it, not good enough for it. And when they arise, instead of being like Gideon and saying,

"Notable, who am I just turned it around?" And say, "I know who I am. I am where label. I am who God says I am." And I believe in the coming days,

God is going to present you with new opportunities. New doors are going to begin to open. New people are going to come into your life. Maybe even a new opportunity in your career. But if you're going to go to a higher level,

you have to have a new way of thinking.

“You have to clear out the old so you'll have room for the new.”

I'm asking you today to detox all the garbage that's telling you what you can't do and what you're not going to become remove all those strong holes. Detox the low self-esteem. Detox the negative words. Detox little dreams.

Stay on your diet. Get up every morning and go through that cleansing. Start your day off in faith. If you will guard your mind and not let these toxic thoughts take root, but instead you keep it full of faith-filled thoughts.

I know you're going to rise higher and higher. God's going to pour out his blessings in favor. And you're going to live that life of victory that he has in store. Amen. Do you receive it today?

We never like to close our broadcast without giving you an opportunity

to make Jesus the Lord of your life. Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord Jesus, I'll repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I'll make you my Lord and Savior.

“Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer,”

we believe you got born again. Get in a good church. Keep God first place. He'll take you places that you've never dreamed of. Life throws so much at us.

Disappointments, failures, challenges. We can feel so out of touch that we no longer recognize ourselves. Life has a way of changing us. At one time we were outgoing and excited about our dreams. But when we go through disappointments and people do us wrong,

it's easy to lose that positive, passionate person that we used to be.

In my new book, rediscovering the forgotten you, I'll help you get back to who you really are. The joy for you, the confident you, the talented you. It's not too late. You haven't been through too much.

You may have lost part of yourself, but you can find yourself. God is in the business of restoring what was lost, healing what was broken. You haven't seen the best version of you yet. It's still in front of you.

“As our way of saying thank you for your gift of any amount,”

we would like to send you a copy of Joel's brand new book, rediscovering the forgotten you. Take back your passion, reignite your dreams, and embrace the life you were created to live. This book shares uplifting scripture and personal stories

that will help you release bitterness, silence, self-defeating thoughts, and embrace, by faith, the vision of the life God designed for you. Life's challenges might have distorted the true you, but now you can reclaim, revitalize, and restore the version of yourself that you once knew,

or the version that you know God has made you to be, filled with hopes and dreams, optimism and confidence. Request your copy today and discover the best version of you yet. God is about to breathe new life, new passion, new dreams into your heart.

What he started, he's going to finish. Thanks so much for being with us today. Victoria and I are praying for you and your family for God's very best. Thank you so much for your prayer and support.

Your generosity helps people all over the world. And especially thank you to our champion of hope partners for all you do to make the ministry possible. If you're not a partner, I hope you'll consider becoming one. Until we meet again, made the Lord bless you and keep you.

Be sure to request your copy of Rediscovering the Forgotten You, available this month by simply visiting us at jolosting.com or call 888-567-Jol. You can also receive the God's Got You, Rediscover You Do Well. You'll receive, rediscovering the Forgotten You,

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thin-line study Bible. In camel swades off leather touch, an elegant Bible that offers a rich, immersive study experience and brings God's word beautifully into your everyday life. This collection is more than encouragement.

It is a foundation for lasting renewal. Rooted in God's word, strengthened by faith, and anchored in His promises.

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