Joel Osteen

I like to think my dad was easygoing and kind, and I think some of those things have been passed down. I am like him in a sense of being positive and hopeful. He was compassionate, and I've got a lot of that in me as well.

When the negative thoughts come - and they will they come to all of us - it's not enough to just not dwell on it... You've got to replace it with a positive thought.

You're going to go through tough times - that's life. But I say, 'Nothing happens to you, it happens for you.' See the positive in negative events.

I purposely don't talk about money, because people are already skeptical about TV preachers. But I do say that I want you to be blessed. To me, prosperity is having health, having great children, having peace, good relationships. It's not about the money.

I'm healthy as can be - not an ache or a pain. A lot of my prayer is thanking the Lord that I am healthy. I pray for long life and good health.

You have to come to your closed doors before you get to your open doors... What if you knew you had to go through 32 closed doors before you got to your open door? Well, then you'd come to closed door number eight and you'd think, 'Great, I got another one out of the way'... Keep moving forward.

A lot of psychological principles and even medical principles, you see them coming around to what the Bible said hundreds of years ago: a merry heart is good like a medicine.

I've never preached one sermon on money, on just finances. I want to stay away from it.

Faith activates God - Fear activates the Enemy.

I really believed that fear is contagious.

Let go of offence. Let go of fear. Let go of revenge. Don't live angry, let go now!

My message is that God is a good God.

It doesn't matter who likes you or doesn't like you, all that matters is that God likes you. He accepts you, he approves of you.

God wants us to prosper financially, to have plenty of money, to fulfill the destiny He has laid out for us.

The main rule to me is to honor God with your life. To life a life of integrity. Not be selfish. You know, help others. But that's really the essence of the Christian faith.

I want to challenge you today to get out of your comfort zone. You have so much incredible potential on the inside. God has put gifts and talents in you that you probably don't know anything about.

Faith is about trusting God when you have unanswered questions.

Bottom line: God will not allow any person to keep you from your destiny. They may be bigger, stronger, or more powerful, but God knows how to shift things around and get you to where you're supposed to be.