Blog Archives
Need Some Help?
by Joyce Meyer – posted July 23, 2012
Behold, God is my helper and ally; the Lord is my upholder and is with them who uphold my life. —Psalm 54:4
There are many people who have received Jesus as their Savior and Lord who will live their Christian lives and go to heaven without ever drawing on the power of the Holy Spirit available to them, never experiencing the true success God intends for them. People can be on their way to heaven, yet not enjoying the trip.
We often look at people who have wealth, position, power, fame and consider them to be totally successful. But many people who are viewed as successful still lack good relationships, peace, joy, contentment, and other true blessings that are available only in the context of a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
Self-sufficient people often think it is a sign of weakness to depend on God. But by drawing on the ability of the Holy Spirit, they could accomplish more in their lives than they could by working in their own strength.
There are countless things we struggle with when we could be receiving help from the Holy Spirit. Many people never find the right answers to their problems because they seek out the wrong sources for advice and counsel instead of asking the Divine Counselor who lives within them for guidance.
I encourage you to lean on God for everything, and that means little things as well as big things.
Love God Today: The only way to experience the success God intends for you is to become totally dependent on the Holy Spirit.
From the book Love Out Loud by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2011 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.
Too Hard
by Joyce Meyer – posted July 19, 2012
And the Lord your God will make you abundantly prosperous in every work of your hand. …If you obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this Book of the Law, and if you turn to the Lord your God with all your [mind and] heart and with all your being. For this commandment which I command you this day is not too difficult for you, nor is it far off….But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your mind and in your heart, so that you can do it. — Deuteronomy 30:9–11, 14
Please make everything easy and simple for me, dear God. I don’t like to struggle, and I want constant victory without exerting any effort. Let me go on my way as I let You do everything to keep me secure.
I’ve never heard anyone pray those words, but I have heard people pray in such a way that they were asking for an easy time in life. Too many people want victory without battle, triumph without effort, and ease without labor. God’s world simply doesn’t function that way.
“It’s just too hard.” I wonder how many times I’ve heard people talk that way. I wonder how many times Joyce Meyer has talked that way. And I did. There was a time when I’d make a firm stand for following the Lord, but in my heart (and often in my mouth) were the words that “it was just so hard.”
God convicted me of negative thinking. He taught me that if I would stop looking at the hardships and obey Him, He would make a way for me. The previous verses tell us that God wants to bless us and prosper the work of our hands, but we must obey His commandments. And in verse 11, He assures us that we can do it: “For this commandment which I command you this day is not too difficult for you, nor is it far off.”
Because we spend so much time listening to the negatives and figuring out what can go wrong, too often we forget the promise that His will is not too difficult for us. Instead, it may help if you think of the obvious difficulties as blessings from God.
For instance, take encouragement from Joseph. After he spent years in Egypt and saved the lives of his family in Canaan, his brothers were afraid of him. They had hated him, plotted to kill him, and sold him into slavery. After their father, Jacob, died, they expected Joseph to punish them. He could have done that and groaned about his hard life—and his life had not been easy. Not only was he sold as a slave by his brothers, but he had been wrongly imprisoned and could have been put to death if God hadn’t been with him.
Instead of saying, “Life is so hard,” Joseph said, “As for you, you thought evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring about that many people should be kept alive, as they are this day” (Genesis 50:20). He understood how God works in human lives. Joseph didn’t look at the hardships; he looked at the opportunities. Joseph didn’t listen to the whispering campaign of his enemy; he turned his ears to the encouraging words of his God. In no place do we read of him complaining. He saw everything that happened to him as God’s loving hand upon him.
I wrote the words loving hand even though it may not always seem that way. And that’s where the devil sometimes creeps in to say, “If God loves you so much, why are you in this mess?”
The best answer I can give is to repeat the words of Paul the great apostle: “Let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance. 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. Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us” (Romans 5:3–5).
God never promises an easy life, but He does promise a blessed life.
God of love and compassion, please forgive me for complaining about life being too hard. Forgive me for wanting things to be easy. Lead me wherever You want me to go and, in the name of Jesus, I plead that You will help me rejoice all the way—even in the midst of the problems, because You will be there to help me solve them. Amen.
From the book Battlefield of the Mind Devotional by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2006 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.
Accept and Share the Love of God
by Joyce Meyer – posted July 18, 2012
We love Him, because He first loved us. —1 John 4:19
More than anything, you need a revelation of God’s love for you personally. God’s love for you is the foundation for your faith, your freedom from sin, and your ability to step out in ministry to others without fear in the form of insecurity.
God made you with a longing in your heart to be loved. And the Word assures you that God loves you. Yet many people mistakenly believe they have worn God out with their failures. You can’t cause God not to love you. Love isn’t something God does—it is who He is (see 1 John 4:8).
As you meditate on God’s love at the end of the day, accept it and express your great love for Him. Then as you go about your day tomorrow—and all your tomorrows—share that love with others.
From the book Ending Your Day Right by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2004 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.
Get A Little Closer
by Joyce Meyer
Do you ever just spend time with God because of who He is, not for what He can do for you? Have you spent time with Him to tell Him how much you appreciate Him and to thank Him for all that He’s done for you—not just to give Him a whole list of everything you need to be happy?
It’s easy to be busy all the time with an endless to-do list instead of stopping to spend time alone with God.
Whatever you’re doing—or not doing—the truth is, at this moment, each one of us is as close to God as we choose to be.
The Choice of Busyness
In Luke 10:38, there was a woman named Martha who made a choice. She kept herself so busy while Jesus was visiting her and her sister. Jesus took notice.
“…Jesus entered a certain village, and a woman named Martha received and welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister named Mary, who seated herself at the Lord’s feet and was listening to His teaching. But Martha [overly occupied and too busy] was distracted with much serving; and she came up to Him and said, Lord, is it nothing to You that my sister has left me to serve alone?”
Martha was distracted and kept herself busy. She was distracted from Jesus by work! Do you ever find yourself saying, “I do all the work around here. Everybody else is always having a good time while I just work, work, work, work!”
Martha may have thought the same thing, because she pleaded with Jesus for Mary to help her. “But the Lord replied to her by saying, Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; There is need of only ONE thing and Mary has chosen the good part…” (verses 41 & 42).
What’s Really Important
Work is definitely important, but it wasn’t the most important thing for Martha to be doing at that particular time. You know, learning what to do and when to do it is a very key issue because when we do the right thing at the wrong time it becomes the wrong thing to do.
This was not the time for Martha to be working because Jesus was passing by. There was an opportunity for her to spend time with Him that she might not ever get again. What Martha needed was to make a better choice. She needed to make a wiser choice, and that choice was to spend time with Jesus.
Paul prayed that the Phillipian church would be able to make wise choices so that they would “surely learn to sense what is vital, and approve and prize what is excellent and of real value [recognizing the highest and the best, and distinguishing the moral differences].” (Philippians 1:10)
We need to begin to discern the better choices in our lives, and we need to make those choices. And time is the number one thing we need to choose to invest for intimacy in any relationship, not just a relationship with God.
What Kind of Relationship Do You Want?
God loves you so much and He wants to have a personal, intimate relationship with you. If you want to have a closer walk with Him, you’ll need to make some changes and some of them will be challenging.
To make more time with God a priority, you may have to say “no” to some people that don’t want to hear “no,” and you may have to cut off some things that really aren’t bearing fruit in your life anymore. But the reward of growing closer to God will always be greater than the difficulties you experience to get there.
Make a determined decision today to get as close to God as you can be.
This article is taken from Joyce’s audio series, Be Still and Know That I Am God.
Don’t Compromise
by Joyce Meyer – posted July 16, 2012
Oh, how great is Your goodness, which you have laid up for those who fear, revere, and worship You, goodness which You have wrought for those who trust and take refuge in You before the sons of men. —Psalm 31:19
God is good to everyone, but I do believe He reserves special rewards for those who are bold and never compromise their faith when they are with unbelievers. Our verse for today says that He has goodness wrought for those who take refuge in Him before the sons of men. We must be sure that we don’t live one way in front of our Christian family and friends and then another way in front of our unbelieving associates.
Our calling as believers is to be lights in dark places. We must maintain our integrity at all times and never compromise our moral standards. However, if we desire the approval of men we often do whatever it takes to feel accepted by them, even at the cost of displeasing God and going against our own conscience.
It is much better to please God than to please men. The apostle Paul stated that if he had wanted to be popular with people he would never have become an apostle (Gal.1:10). He would have missed the privilege of serving God as he did. It is tragic how often people say “no” to God in order to say “yes” to men. We must obey God rather than man (Acts 5:29).
When we follow God we have peace, and we experience the rewards of God in our life. I encourage you to take a stand for what is right in your life. Don’t let the fear of rejection pressure you to sin against your own conscience.
Love God Today: Do you want God’s goodness stored up for you? Live your Christian faith openly in front of the people around you.
From the book Love Out Loud by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2011 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.
It Costs Nothing to Believe
by Joyce Meyer – posted July 13, 2012
Where there is no vision [no redemptive revelation of God], the people perish; but he who keeps the law [of God, which includes that of man]—blessed (happy, fortunate, and enviable) is he. —Proverbs 29:18
Those with a sad past need to be able to believe in a bright future. The writer of Proverbs says that where there is no vision, people perish. A vision is something we see in our mind, “a mental sight” as one definition puts it. It may be something God plants in us supernaturally or something we see on purpose. It involves the way we think about ourselves, our past, and our future. It does not cost anything to believe.
Some people are afraid to believe. They think they may be setting themselves up for disappointment. They have not realized they will be perpetually disappointed if they don’t believe. I feel that if I believe for a lot and even get half of it, I am better off than I would be to believe for nothing and get all of it. I am challenging you to start believing good things. Believe you can do whatever you need to do in life through Christ.
Don’t have a “give up easy” attitude. Let your faith soar. Be creative with your thoughts. Take an inventory. What have you been believing lately? An honest answer may help you understand why you have not been receiving what you have wanted to receive.
From the book New Day, New You by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2006 by Joyce Meyer. Published by InProv. All rights reserved.
Anointed To Bring Deliverance
by Joyce Meyer – posted July 12, 2012
The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon Me, because He has anointed Me [the Anointed one, the Messiah] to preach the good news (the Gospel) to the poor; He has sent Me to announce release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed [who are downtrodden, bruised, crushed, and broken down by calamity], to proclaim the accepted and acceptable year of the Lord [the day when salvation and the free favors of God profusely abound]. —Luke 4:18–19
Almost every time I finish speaking at a meeting, people come to me with sad stories of abuse and pain. I understand and often I hurt with them. I understand because I’ve been there. In my bookBattlefield of the Mind, I referred to some of that dysfunctional background.
I point that out because in the past, I have used my background as an excuse for not growing, for living in defeat, and for allowing Satan to control my mind.
“What else can you expect? Look where I came from.” I’ve heard people talk that way. Perhaps it comforts them to think that whatever their past held will determine their present and their future. They have that choice if they want to believe that lie of Satan.
“Don’t you know that God loves you, and that Jesus wants to deliver you from your past?” I ask. “Don’t you realize that where you were is only the starting place? You can determine where you want to go and how you live your life.”
I can say those words because of my background, the truth I’ve found in God’s Word, and the Lord’s deliverance that I have experienced.
From the first public appearance of Jesus recorded in Luke’s gospel, I learned something powerful and significant. Jesus went to the synagogue in His hometown of Nazareth, the leader handed Him the scroll of Isaiah, and Jesus read the words printed above. What the people there didn’t understand was that what He was reading to them was describing Himself: “The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon Me . . . to announce release to the captives” (v. 18).
Isn’t that what Jesus did then? Isn’t that what Jesus does now? He said God had anointed Him for just that task. If that’s true—and I don’t doubt it for a second—do I really honor Jesus by remaining a captive? If Jesus received the anointing to deliver me, there can be only one of two possible results: He sets me free or He doesn’t.
This is the battlefield of the mind, as I’ve been pointing out again and again. Jesus says, “He has anointed Me!” The devil asks, “Did God really anoint Jesus?”
Your deliverance (and mine) depends on which voice we listen to. If we listen to Jesus and believe Him, He says that deliverance is not only possible but it is a reality. If God anointed Jesus for that purpose, it means God empowered Him. Jesus came to open prison doors and set the captives free. You and I can’t be set free until we start to believe it’s possible. If you believe that God loves you, wants only the best for you, and has a perfect plan for your life, how can you doubt?
You may have had a terrible, sad, and abusive past, as I did. Thousands of others have worse childhoods than you had, but they received healing. The fourth chapter of Luke tells of another synagogue where Jesus went and “. . . there was a man who was possessed by the foul spirit of a demon” (4:33). Jesus set him free. Jesus did that because that’s what the Lord does—He sets the prisoners free, and He’ll also set you free.
Lord Jesus, You have been anointed to set me free. Forgive me for listening to Satan’s voice that makes me feel I’m beyond help. You are the Deliverer. In Your holy name, I ask You to deliver me from everything that holds me back from fully and totally serving You. Amen.
From the book Battlefield of the Mind Devotional by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2006 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.
You Can Pass The Test
by Joyce Meyer – posted July 11, 2012
Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well developed, not deficient in any way. — James 1:2-4
The Message
When life is filled with tests and trials, you sometimes feel like throwing in the towel. You are tempted to think God doesn’t know where you are and what you’re going through . . . or that He doesn’t care. But God permits tests in your life so He can bless you. And if you are faithful, you will see good results.
If you want to enjoy your Christian life and be used by God to help others, you must maintain a godly attitude during the time of testing. So cooperate with God and display an attitude of faith, and you will pass the test with flying colors!
From the book Ending Your Day Right by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2004 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.
No Matter What
by Joyce Meyer – posted July 10, 2012
For you shall go out [from the spiritual exile caused by sin and evil into the homeland] with joy and be led forth [by your Leader, the Lord Himself, and His word] with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. —Isaiah 55:12
Peace is not dependent on circumstances. Our peace and joy are found in the Holy Ghost. Jesus said: He who believes in Me [who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] as the Scripture has said, From his innermost being shall flow [continuously] springs and rivers of living water. But He was speaking here of the Spirit, Whom those who believed (trusted, had faith) in Him were afterward to receive (John 7:38–39).
No matter what is going on today, you can drink from your own well of joy through the indwelling presence of God’s Spirit.
From the book Starting Your Day Right by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2003 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.
Your Most Important Commitment
Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity] and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. —Jeremiah 29:13
One Saturday years ago, Dave and I called my aunt and uncle and invited them out for a nice dinner. They couldn’t go, my aunt said, because my uncle had to recharge the battery on the pacemaker unit on his heart. I wondered why he couldn’t wait until later to charge his pacemaker; I didn’t realize that waiting would be the difference between life and death. His pacemaker was a “vital necessity.” It literally kept him alive.
According to today’s scripture, a believer’s “vital necessity” is time with God. I wonder, what is the most serious time commitment on your calendar today? Your most important time commitment is the same as mine and as every other believer’s: spending time seeking God, in His presence.
Perhaps because God is always available, we think we can spend time with Him “later,” so we choose to respond to what seems urgent, instead of giving God a place of priority in our schedules. But if we spent more priority time with God, maybe we wouldn’t have so many emergencies that rob us of valuable hours and minutes in our lives. When you sit in God’s presence, even if you don’t feel you are learning anything new, you are still sowing good seed into your life, seed that will produce a good harvest.
With persistence, you will get to the point where you understand more of the Word, where you are having great intimate fellowship and conversation with God. You will sense His presence and begin to see changes in your life that will amaze you. If we seek God first, he will add everything else we need in life (Matt. 6:33).
Love God Today: At what point in your day today will you take time to focus exclusively on God and be in His presence?
by Joyce Meyer – posted July 09, 2012 – From the book Love Out Loud by Joyce Meyer.Copyright © 2011 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.
I Am Lady Fab 