And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free. —John 8:32

If you lose your temper easily, you will never enjoy your day as God meant for it to be. Seek God with your whole heart and find out what is wrong. The way to get free from things that upset you is to find truth—the truth will always set you free.

We don’t always want to face truth because sometimes it is painful. Sometimes it shows us that we need to change. If we are behaving badly, we make excuses for our wrong behavior. But excuses will never make us free.

Let God get involved with your day; when you feel your temper flare, ask Him to reveal the truth of that situation. The truth will always set you free to enjoy the rest of your day.

From the book Starting Your Day Right by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2003 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.

Where could I go from Your Spirit? Or where could I flee from Your presence? If I ascend up into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol (the place of the dead), behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning or dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall Your hand lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.  —Psalm 139:7-10

Sometimes we try so hard to get into the presence of God, but the truth is that it is impossible to get away from Him. He is in constant pursuit of us. You may sometimes feel that the Lord is not near, but that is why knowing the Word is so important.

The prophet Isaiah brought a complaint before the Lord, reporting that His people were saying: The Lord has forsaken me, and my Lord has forgotten me. [And the Lord answered] “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, they may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have indelibly imprinted (tattooed a picture of) you on the palm of each of My hands (Isaiah 49:14-16).

Parents did not originate the idea of keeping pictures of their children handy—God carries a picture of His children everywhere He goes. The next time you question your self-worth, remember that God has your picture tattooed on the palms of His hands.

From the book New Day, New You by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2006 by Joyce Meyer. Published by InProv. All rights reserved.

[For Abraham, human reason for] hope being gone, hoped in faith that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been promised, So [numberless] shall your descendants be. He did not weaken in faith when he considered the [utter] impotence of his own body, which was as good as dead because he was about a hundred years old, or [when he considered] the barrenness of Sarah’s [deadened] womb. No unbelief or distrust made him waver (doubtingly question) concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and was empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God, fully satisfied and assured that God was able and mighty to keep His word and to do what He had promised. —Romans 4:18–21

Doubt, as I’ve said, raises questions. It makes us ask, “Did God really say . . . ?” “Does the Word really mean . . . ?” Doubt is often the devil’s entry point into our minds. Just such simple, easy questions are enough to give Satan a place to attack.

Unbelief is far worse than doubt. Doubt brings in the question, but unbelief is the result. I’ve watched Satan launch his attacks on Christians by first posing a question and then causing that question to bring doubt. The triumph of sin in the Garden of Eden began just that way. Satan said to Eve, “Can it really be that God has said, You shall not eat from every tree of the garden?” (Genesis 3:1b). That’s subtle. Satan doesn’t fight with God or argue with the Bible. He just raises a question and allows our minds to do the rest.

When the question comes in such a simple way, the obvious answer must be, “Well, He didn’t really mean . . .” With that reaction, Satan has established a stronghold in your mind, and it takes little for him to move you from there to a total lack of belief. I’ve spoken with people who were led astray in just such a way. They started out as faithful, committed followers of Jesus Christ. But as Satan planted doubt and unbelief in their hearts, they turned their backs on spiritual things. One man said, “I was simple and naïve in those days. I believed anything I heard. I know better now.” Satan robbed him of his faith and, in the process, stole his joy and hope.

I am familiar with this battle. Because of my ministry, some people think I have everything all worked out and never have to battle for my faith. I can tell you that no Christian reaches that place this side of heaven. As soon as we let our guard down, even in the slightest, Satan sneaks up behind us and starts whispering his lies to us.

That may be the reason the story of Abraham is such an encouragement to me. When I have my battles with faith and taking God totally at His Word, I often go back and read Romans 4. The example of that godly man is absolutely amazing to me. In the natural, everything appeared to be against God’s promises to Abraham. I’m sure Abraham’s friends laughed when he said, “God will give me a son.” Satan’s scoffers must have been in place every day, but Abraham stood the test. The Bible says, “He did not weaken in faith . . . but he grew strong and was empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God” (vs. 19-20). I love that statement.

After the Holy Spirit called me into ministry, I was elated—and humbled. I thought, Who am I that God should call me? I could think of hundreds of reasons why anyone but Joyce Meyer should be used by God. But I believed in His call, and I had no doubt—not then.

In the months after the call, however, things moved more slowly than I wanted. More times than I can count, I found myself meditating on Abraham and God’s promises to him. If a human being like Abraham could believe and not stagger with unbelief, why couldn’t Joyce Meyer? I fought the battles, and with God’s grace, I won. That’s how it is each time—a fresh battle and a new and joyous victory.

God and Father of Abraham, I thank You for Abraham’s example. Help me to push aside the devil’s advances by totally trusting You and standing on Your promises for my life—even if no one else stands with me. In Jesus’ name, I ask. Amen.

From the book Battlefield of the Mind Devotional by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2006 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.

My soul yearns for You [O Lord] in the night, yes, my spirit within me seeks You earnestly. —Isaiah 26:9

Have you ever noticed that in the quiet darkness of night there seems to be something special about the presence of God? He is always with you, even during the daytime, and you can talk to Him anytime, even when you’re busy.

But during the day there are many distractions that keep you from focusing on His presence for an extended period of time. And by the end of the day you’ve often experienced problems and frustrations that can cause you to feel lonely and needy. It is then that you can finally give time and attention to the one who is the answer to your needs.

When you yearn for God in the night, seek Him earnestly, and you’ll find He will minister to you in a special way. He will provide answers to any problems you may have, and He will give you peace and rest.

From the book Ending Your Day Right by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2004 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.

I thank my God at all times for you because of the grace (the favor and spiritual blessing) of God which was bestowed on you in Christ Jesus, [so] that in Him in every respect you were enriched, in full power and readiness of speech [to speak of your faith] and complete knowledge and illumination [to give you full insight into its meaning].  —1 Corinthians 1:4–5

The Word of God says, “Depart from evil and do good; seek, inquire for, and crave peace and pursue (go after) it!” (Psalm 34:14). “Do all things without grumbling and faultfinding and complaining [against God] and questioning and doubting [among yourselves]” (Philippians 2:14).

Be positive. Get rid of gossiping and complaining. Start your day by reading the Bible so that you will know how to speak from the authority of God’s Word. Spend time listening to God, and then tell others what you hear Him say. Bring life to whatever situations you face.

From the book Starting Your Day Right by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2003 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.

In the morning You hear my voice, O Lord; in the morning I prepare [a prayer, a sacrifice] for You and watch and wait [for You to speak to my heart]. —Psalm 5:3

While learning to recognize the voice of God, you must find times just to be still in order to hear God’s leading in your life. A busy, hurried, frantic, stressful lifestyle makes it very challenging to hear God.

Find a place to get quiet before God. Get alone with Him and tell Him that you need Him and want Him to teach you how to hear His voice. Ask Him to tell you what He has for your life. Ask Him what He wants you to do. Ask Him to show you what you are doing that He doesn’t want you to do.

Present yourself to God, and listen. Even if you don’t hear from Him, you will honor Him by seeking Him. He promises that if you seek Him, you will find Him—you will get a Word from God. He will lead you by an inner knowing, by common sense, by wisdom, and by peace.

I’ve found that God doesn’t always speak to us right away or necessarily during our prayer time. He may end up speaking to you two days later while you are in the middle of doing something completely unrelated. I honestly don’t know why God sometimes waits to respond; but I do know if we will be diligent to seek God, if we show Him that we want His will, He will speak to us.

And to hear His voice, we must spend time listening to Him. Your ears will hear a word behind you, saying. This is the way; walk in it (Isaiah 30:21). It may not be in our timing, but God will speak to us and let us know the way we should go.

As you wait for answers from God, concentrate on obeying Him in order to keep a clear conscience. You will not have joy if you know God has told you to do something and you haven’t obeyed. But if you follow God’s voice, you will be radically and outrageously blessed.

From the book New Day, New You by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2006 by Joyce Meyer. Published by InProv. All rights reserved.

The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness (my conscious integrity and sincerity with Him); according to the cleanness of my hands has He recompensed me. — Psalm 18:20

Talking about the Word isn’t enough; we need to do what we say we believe. God will bless us if we are people of integrity. As believers, we need to keep our promises and do what we say we will do.

Look for ways to demonstrate integrity today. If you can’t follow through with something you said you would do for someone, at least call or write a letter, saying, “Please forgive me; I was not being led by God, and I just cannot do what I said.” This way you will honor God and keep your steps going in the right direction.

From the book Starting Your Day Right by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2003 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.

For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus [the leaning of your entire human personality on Him in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness] and of the love which you [have and show] for all the saints (God’s consecrated ones)” —Colossians 1:4 (emphasis mine)

According to today’s scripture, when you and I exercise our faith, we place our trust and confidence in three specific attributes of God’s character: His power, His wisdom, and His goodness.

When we approach God in faith, we must first realize that He has the power, the supernatural ability, to meet our needs and solve our problems. He is able to work any kind of miracle we need. God has the power to do anything.

Faith also involves placing absolute trust and confidence in God’s wisdom. When we do not know what to do or how to do it, God does. In His power, He can do anything, but in His wisdom, He may choose not to do everything He is able to do. He always works in our lives with our best interests in mind. When He answers our prayers in ways we do not understand, we need to trust His wisdom.

God is a good God, and we need to have faith in His goodness. He always wants the best for us! He has good plans for our lives and will always do us good, not evil (see Eph. 2:10 and Jer. 29:11).

When you put your faith in God, you have complete confidence in the God who has the power to accomplish anything on your behalf, the wisdom to know exactly what you need, and the goodness to work in your life in ways that bring the greatest possible blessing.

Love God Today: Lord, I place my absolute trust in your power, your wisdom, and your goodness.

From the book Love Out Loud by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2011 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.

For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. — 1 Corinthians 2:2 (KJV)

This is such a glorious Scripture. You and I try to know everything, and here Paul is telling us that he did just the opposite. Unlike us, who worry about all the things we don’t know, Paul was trying to get rid of some of the things he did know. Why? Because he had discovered that, as the Bible teaches, sometimes knowledge can be aggravating (See Ecclesiastes 12:12). He had also discovered that knowledge can create pride, . . . [Yet mere] knowledge causes people to be puffed up (to bear themselves loftily and be proud) —1 Corinthians 8:1).

Sometimes the more knowledge we accumulate, the more problems we create. Often we plot and scheme and finagle to discover things that would be better left alone. Have you ever schemed to find out something that was going on and then when you did discover it, you sincerely wished you had stayed out of it? That is why Paul said that he had determined to know nothing but Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. Sometimes the more I think I know, the harder it is to follow God.

From the book New Day, New You by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2006 by Joyce Meyer. Published by InProv. All rights reserved.

And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation. —Romans 5:4

You will not enjoy your day if anything is out of control. You can keep your temper, moods, emotions, appetite, mouth, and thoughts in line with God’s Word if you give Him control over the areas you want to subdue with faith. God created us with a free will, and we can choose the thing that is best for us.

Be free from old destructive habits by simply forming new ones. Don’t let your emotions get out of control today. If, for instance, you feel your temper begin to rise, pray quickly for God to fill you with the fruit of the Spirit. Use the self-control that He freely makes available to you.

From the book Starting Your Day Right by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2003 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.