Adapted from the resource The Confident Woman Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” —Matthew 14:30

The boat of my past that I needed to step out of was the childhood sexual abuse I suffered. I felt as though my dad stole my childhood, and I was so mistreated. I was bitter about the people who should have helped me and didn’t, and then there were the “could haves” and “would haves” and “wish I had.”

In my 30s, I was still taking it out on everybody who had anything to do with it. I didn’t trust men and had a chip on my shoulder. I was miserable, but I sat in the boat.

I remember how afraid I was when God told me that I was going to have to confront my dad about the sexual abuse of my childhood, because I was petrified of my father. The fear was rooted so deeply in me, even after I had been away from it for years. Whenever I would be around him or anyone who had a personality like his, I would feel the knot of fear come up in my gut.

Finally, God got in my face and said, “Look, you can be pitiful or you can be powerful.” Jesus was walking by my boat, and it was time to walk on water.

Prayer Starter: Lord, thank You that You won’t let me sink when I step out in obedience and deal with issues in my life. Help me to keep my eyes fixed on You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Adapted from the resource The Confident Woman Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
—Galatians 1:10

There is an epidemic of insecurity in our society today. Many people are insecure and feel bad about themselves, which steals their joy and causes major problems in all their relationships.

I know the effect insecurity can have on lives because I experienced it myself. Those who have been hurt badly through abuse or severe rejection, as I have, often seek the approval of others to try to overcome their feelings of rejection and low self-esteem.

They suffer from those feelings and use the addiction of approval to try to remove the pain. They are miserable if anyone seems to not approve of them in any way or for any reason, and they are anxious about the disapproval until they feel they are once again accepted. They may do almost anything to gain the approval they feel they have lost—even things their conscience tells them are wrong.

For example, if a person is met with disapproval when she declines an invitation, she might change her plans and accept the invitation just to gain approval. She compromises herself for the sake of feeling approved.

Prayer Starter: Lord, it’s true that You are the only one whom I need to please. Today, help me to not compromise myself or be a slave to pleasing others, no matter what I feel. I seek Your favor alone. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. — Romans 14:19

Adapted from the resource Trusting God Day by Day Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

Mother Teresa said, “Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat.”

I have discovered that most people we meet or come into contact with in our everyday lives do not have a sense of their infinite value as children of God. I think Satan works very hard to make people feel devalued and worthless, but we can neutralize the effect of his lies and insinuations by building people up, encouraging, and edifying them. One way to do this is with a sincere compliment, which is one of the most valuable gifts in this world.

Most people are quick to compare themselves with others, and in doing so, they often fail to see their own abilities and worth. Making another person feel valuable isn’t expensive and doesn’t have to be time consuming. All we need to do is get ourselves off of our minds long enough to think about someone else, and then find something encouraging to say.

Making people feel valuable won’t cost any money, but it gives them something worth more than anything money can buy. Offering a sincere compliment may seem like a small thing, but it gives someone tremendous strength.

I believe in having goals. As I was working with God to develop good habits in the area of encouraging others, I challenged myself to compliment at least three people each day. I recommend that you do something similar to help you become a frequent encourager.

Prayer Starter: Father, please use me to help others understand their true value. Open my eyes to those around me. Help me to make a habit of building people up with sincere love and encouragement. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

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And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. — 1 John 5:14

Adapted from the resource The Power of Being Thankful Devotional

We often hear about a prayer need or think about a situation and say to ourselves, I need to pray about that later when I pray.

That thought is a stall tactic of the enemy. Why not pray right that minute? Procrastination is one of the major things that Satan uses to keep us from ever doing the right thing. Never put off until later what you can do right now!

Prayer would be easy if we just followed our hearts, but Satan wants us to procrastinate because he is hoping that we will forget the matter entirely.

A grateful heart is already focused on the Lord and ready to pray at any moment. Praying as we sense the desire or need to pray is easy to do, and it is the way we can pray continually and stay connected to God in every situation throughout the day.

Prayer Starter: Father, I thank You for the power of prayer. When there is a prayer need that comes to my attention, I’m going to talk to You about it immediately. Thank You that You are always ready to hear my prayer. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. — Philippians 4:7 (NKJV)

Adapted from the resource My Time with God Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

Did you know that when you have lost your peace of mind, you have the power to regain it? Anytime you find that you are worrying, fretful, or anxious about anything, release the problem to God through a simple heartfelt prayer and purposely think about something in your life that is good!

Worrying is completely useless. It wears you out mentally, emotionally, and physically, and it doesn’t make your problem any better at all.

Peace of mind is valuable, and it is quite impossible to enjoy life without it. Seek and pursue the peace that is yours through Jesus Christ. Don’t be deceived into believing that you can’t help what you think, because you absolutely can.

You can change your mind about anything! Practice “on purpose” thinking instead of being passive and merely waiting to see what thoughts fall into your mind.

I can share with you that I experience the same mental battles that many people do, and I have to practice having peace on purpose. You are a child of God, and His peace is in you. I recommend that you start recognizing the things that are stealing your peace and deal with them so they can no longer torment you.

Prayer Starter: Father, I love You very much, and I want to enjoy peace of mind. I know that worry is useless, but I often do it and I am sorry. Work with me and teach me how to trust You enough to enjoy Your peace at all times. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

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No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God. — Romans 4:20

Adapted from the resource Love Out Loud Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

You may know the story of Abraham (see Genesis 12:1–7, 21:7). Basically, God promised Abraham a son, but at the time he was 100 years old, and his wife was 90, so their childbearing years were long gone!

But Abraham knew God had spoken and was determined not to focus on the natural impossibility that he and Sarah could have a child. Instead, he planted his faith in God’s promise and held on to that promise by praising God. His story is so remarkable that Paul made reference to it in Romans 4:18–21.

Abraham had absolutely no reason to hope. In fact, if any situation has ever been beyond hope, it would be the possibility of two people past 90 being able to have a biological child.

Nevertheless, Abraham kept hoping; he kept believing God’s promise. He did not waver in his faith or question God’s promise. Instead, “he grew strong and empowered by faith” as he praised God.

The same thing will happen when you praise God. You gain more and more strength, your faith increases, and the things that are coming against you to defeat you are dissipated as you praise Him.

That’s why it’s important to be diligent to listen to praise and worship music. I encourage you to play it in your home and in your car; learn songs and sing them; thank God and praise Him!

Love God today: God never responds to complaining, but He does respond to praise and an attitude of gratitude.

Prayer Starter: Father, I choose to praise You today! I believe You are able to do the impossible in my life. Help me to see my circumstances with the “eye of faith.” In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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…Blessed is the man who fears the Lord…He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord. — Psalm 112:1, 7

Adapted from the resource Hearing from God Each Morning Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

God sometimes speaks by giving us peace deep inside our hearts. You may face situations in which everyone around you is telling you to trust God and be at peace, but the “how to” evades you.

Fears are screaming at you, unnerving you, and threatening you. Friends are saying, “Everything will be all right,” but you find that hard to believe until God Himself speaks deep in your heart and says, “You can trust Me; I will take care of this. Everything really is going to be all right.”

In 1989, I went to the doctor for a regular checkup. He discovered a fast-growing type of cancer, and recommended surgery immediately.

As a result of this news, I struggled with tremendous fear. I had trouble sleeping, and there were times when fear hit me so hard I felt I was going to fall down. No matter how many of my family members or friends reassured me, I still battled great fear until very early one morning, about 3:00 a.m., God spoke deep inside my heart and said, “Joyce, you can trust Me.”

After that, I did not experience any sickening fear again. I was apprehensive as I waited for results on tests, but I was not terrified. I knew I was in God’s hands and whatever happened, He would take care of me.

As it turned out, I did not need further treatment. I ended up thankful instead of fearful—and that’s what can happen in any situation when we learn to hear God’s voice.

Prayer Starter: Father, you see everything i’m going through today. Help me to sense your peace deep inside my heart. Help me to trust that you will always take care of me and never let me down. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

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But prove yourselves doers of the word [actively and continually obeying God’s precepts], and not merely listeners [who hear the word but fail to internalize its meaning], deluding yourselves [by unsound reasoning contrary to the truth]. — James 1:22 (AMP)

Adapted from the resource Battlefield of the Mind Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

As a Christian, for a long time I didn’t understand that believers could know what God wanted them to do and then deliberately say no. I’m not talking about those who turn their backs on Jesus and want nothing to do with His salvation. I’m talking about those who disobey in the seemingly little things and don’t seem to be troubled by doing so.

In verses 23 and 24, James went on to say that if we only listen to the Word, but don’t obey it, it’s like looking at our reflection in a mirror and then going away and forgetting what we saw. But a doer of the Word, he says, is like one who looks carefully into the faultless law, the [law] of liberty, and is faithful to it and perseveres in looking into it, being not a heedless listener who forgets but an active doer [who obeys], he shall be blessed in his doing (his life of obedience) (v. 25 AMPC).

Whenever Christians are faced with God’s Word, and it calls them to action but they refuse to obey, their own human reasoning is often the cause. They have deceived themselves into believing something other than the truth. It’s as if they think they are smarter than God.

I’ve met people who seem to think that God always wants them to feel good, and if something happens to make them feel bad, they don’t believe it is God’s will for them. Or they dismiss what they read in the Bible by saying, “That doesn’t make sense.” One woman, referring to Paul’s instruction to “be unceasing in prayer” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), said that verse kept coming to her every time she prayed. “What do you think that means?” I asked her.

“Oh, I think it means that day in and day out, we are to pray when we feel a need or when we want something.”

Her words shocked me. “What about fellowship with the Lord?” I asked. “Isn’t that a good reason? Or maybe God just wants you to spend time reading His Word and praying about what you read.”

“I have too many things to do,” she said. “That’s fine for people who like to sit and read and pray for hours every day, but that’s not the way for me.”

Continue reading Joyce Meyer – Doing the Word →

…God’s love has been abundantly poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. — Romans 5:5 (AMP)

Adapted from the resource Wake Up to the Word Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

The word freely means “spontaneously; without constraint or persuasion.”

When the Lord, in the person of the Holy Spirit, comes to dwell in our heart, He brings love with Him, because God is love (see 1 John 4:8).

It’s important to ask what we are doing with the love of God that has been freely given to us. Are we rejecting it because we don’t think we are valuable enough to be loved? Do we believe God is like other people who have rejected and hurt us? Or are we receiving His love by faith, believing that He is greater than our failures and weaknesses?

With God’s help, we can love ourselves—not in a selfish way, but in a balanced, godly way; a way that simply affirms God’s creation as essentially good and right. God’s plan is this: for us to receive His love freely, love ourselves in a godly way, generously love Him in return, and finally love all the people who come into our lives.

Prayer Starter: Father, thank You for Your abundant love. Help me to freely receive Your love, love myself, then pour out Your love to those around me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. — Proverbs 4:25 (NIV)

Adapted from the resource Trusting God Day by Day Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

Are you enjoying the life and blessings of God in your everyday life? Or have you made a series of choices resulting in disappointment, pain, or feeling that everything you do requires great effort and produces little reward? Don’t spend your time and energy mourning all the bad decisions you have made; just start making good ones. There is hope for you!

The way to overcome the results of a series of bad choices is through a series of right choices. The only way to walk out of trouble is to do the opposite of whatever you did to get into trouble—one choice at a time.

Maybe the circumstances of your life right now are the direct result of a series of bad choices you have made. You may be in debt because you have made a lot of bad choices with money. You may be lonely because of a series of bad choices in relationships or in the way you treat people. You may be sick because of a series of unhealthy choices: eating junk food, not getting enough rest, or abusing your body through working too much and not having enough balance in your life.

You cannot make a series of bad choices that result in significant problems and then make one good choice and expect all the results of all those bad choices to go away. You did not get into deep trouble through one bad choice; you got into trouble through a series of bad choices. If you really want your life to change for the better, you will need to make one good choice after another, over a period of time, just as consistently as you made the negative choices that produced negative results.

No matter what kind of trouble or difficulty you and yourself in, you can still have a blessed life. You cannot do anything about what is behind you, but you can do a great deal about what lies ahead of you. God is a redeemer, and He will always give you another chance.

Trust in Him If you have a situation that is too big for you to solve, then you are material for a miracle. Invite God to get involved, trust in and follow His directions, make one good choice after another, and you will see amazing results.

Prayer Starter: Father, thank You for Your wisdom and guidance to make good choices for my life. Please help me to leave past disappointments behind and begin, one by one, to make decisions that will bring a harvest of good things into my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

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Do all things without grumbling and faultfinding and complaining [against God] and questioning and doubting [among yourselves]. — Philippians 2:14 (AMPC)

Adapted from the resource The Power of Being Thankful Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

You and I have many opportunities to complain on a regular basis. But complaining doesn’t do any good; all complaining does is open the door for the enemy. It doesn’t solve problems; it just creates a breeding ground for greater problems.

Instead of complaining, let’s choose to respond to the Lord each day by developing an attitude of gratitude. This is not just an occasional expression of thanks, but a continual lifestyle of thanksgiving. The person who has developed an “attitude of gratitude” is one who is thankful and grateful for every single thing that God is doing in his or her life day by day.

Prayer Starter: Father, thank You for the way You provide for every area of my life. Instead of complaining about what I want or about what I don’t have, I choose to be grateful for everything I do have. You have been good to me—thank You for Your goodness. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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He continued to seek God…and as long as he sought (inquired of, longing for) the Lord, God caused him to prosper.  — 2 Chronicles 26:5 (AMP)

Adapted from the resource Starting Your Day Right Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

Jesus got up early in the morning, long before daylight, and went out to a deserted place, and prayed—He got alone (see Mark 1:35). There were so many people who followed Jesus everywhere He went that He probably wouldn’t have had any time alone if He hadn’t gotten up really early.

If you aren’t a morning person, the thought of getting up early may make you nervous. But you can decipher for yourself what “early” means for you. Nine o’clock is early if you are used to staying in bed until noon. Even if you only get up 15 minutes earlier than usual to have some time alone with God, you will still honor Him, and that time with Him will make your whole day brighter.

Prayer Starter: Father, I need Your strength to have success today. Help me to make a habit of spending time with You and keeping You first in my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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But certain individuals have missed the mark on this very matter [and] have wandered away into vain arguments and discussions and purposeless talk.

— 1 Timothy 1:6 (AMPC)

Adapted from the resource Power Thoughts Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

The Bible teaches us that our words have power and we get exactly what we speak. Along with that, our thoughts affect our moods and attitudes. In other words, your attitude in life affects your altitude in life, meaning your attitude determines how far you can go in life—how far you can go in pursuing your dreams, relationships, business, etc.

Your thoughts and my thoughts will determine the kind of lives we will have in the future. And you don’t have to think about and focus on whatever falls into your head. You can think things on purpose. Sometimes, it is good to just sit down and have a think session. And then it’s good to have a confession session. After almost 40 years of knowing these things, I still have to practice them daily. Be determined to maintain good thoughts.

Prayer Starter: Lord, I want to be more purposeful with my thoughts and words. Holy Spirit, please help me today and every day to be more conscious about what I choose to think and say. Help me to line up my thoughts with Your Word. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Be devoted to one another with [authentic] brotherly affection [as members of one family], give preference to one another in honor. — Romans 12:10 (AMP)

Adapted from the resource New Day, New You Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

Giving preference to others requires a willingness to adapt and adjust. It means to allow another to go first or to have the best of something. We show preference when we give someone else the best cut of meat on the platter instead of keeping it back for ourselves. We show preference when we allow someone with fewer groceries in his cart than we have in ours to go in front of us at the supermarket checkout counter, or when we are waiting in line to use a public restroom and someone behind us in line is pregnant or elderly and we choose to let that individual go ahead of us.

Each time we show preference, we have to make a mental adjustment. We were planning to be first, but we decide to be second. We are in a hurry, but we decide to wait on someone else who seems to have a greater need. A person is not yet rooted and grounded in love until they have learned to show preference to others (see Ephesians 3:17). Don’t just learn to adjust, but learn to do it with a good attitude. Learning to do these things is learning to walk in love.

Prayer Starter: Father, help me to truly prefer other people today with a good attitude. Help me to humble myself and love others the way You do. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold…. — 1 Peter 1:7 (NLT)

Adapted from the resource My Time with God Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

Faith is the evidence of the things that we do not see and the proof of their reality (see Hebrews 11:1). Faith is what we have while we are waiting for God to answer our prayer and provide what we need. But what if God takes a long, long time to answer? That is when waiting can become difficult, and that is also when our faith is tested.

I am currently waiting on at least seven things I have prayed about, and they are all things I have been waiting on for a long time, some of them for years. As I was feeling a little disappointed yesterday about having no answers yet, I was reminded that faith has no expiration date, and if it does, then it is not faith that can endure testing.

Faith means that we not only ask God for something, but also that we must trust Him to be the head of the “ways and means committee”! He chooses the way to answer us and the timing to do so. In the meantime, we get to be patient, or we can at least learn to be patient! I am still learning, and perhaps you are also.

Let me encourage you today to know that although God probably won’t show up in your timing, He promises not to be late. Don’t just trust God for something, but trust Him all the way through the process it takes to get it. Don’t let your faith expire!

Prayer Starter: Father, thank You that I have faith while I am waiting for a breakthrough in my situation. Help me remain faithful, even as You are faithful! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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“Do not remember the former things, or ponder the things of the past. Listen carefully, I am about to do a new thing….” — Isaiah 43:18-19 (AMP)

Adapted from the resource Love Out Loud Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

In today’s Scripture, God says He is doing a new thing. As you move into the future He has for you, you will encounter all kinds of new opportunities, and challenges. The days ahead will be full of new expe­riences, things you have never done before. You may not know how to do them, but you will learn. Everything you are doing today was new to you at one time—and look, now you can do it.

Continuing to face new challenges and develop new abilities is extremely important to your growth and maturity. As you walk with God into your future, you will hear Him say, “You have not done this before, but don’t be afraid. I’m taking you to a place you have never been before. I’m going to ask you to do something you don’t know how to do!” God has already been where He is leading you, and He has prepared the way. Step out in faith, and you will experience the faith­fulness of God.

We think and say, “It’s time for a change! I need something new,” and then we hesitate to embrace that new thing when it comes. If you are ready for something new and fresh, don’t be afraid to embrace it when it comes.

Don’t stay trapped in the past. Let go of what lies behind and press into the great future God has planned for you. I can promise you: God is with you. He will lead you. He will strengthen you. He will help you.

Prayer Starter: Father, thank You for constantly bringing about change and new beginnings. Help me to embrace every new thing You bring into my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), to be with you forever. — John 14:16 (AMP)

Adapted from the resource Hearing from God Each Morning Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

Many people have received Jesus as Savior and Lord. They will go to heaven, but never draw on the full capacity of the Holy Spirit that is available to them or experience the true success God wants them to enjoy on Earth. Simply put, many will be on their way to heaven, but they won’t enjoy the trip.

We often look at those who have wealth, position, power and we consider them “successful.” But many people who are considered successful still lack peace, joy, contentment, and other true blessings. Such people have never learned to depend completely on the power of the Holy Spirit.

People who are self-sufficient often think depending on God is a sign of weakness. But the truth is that by drawing on the ability of the Holy Spirit, they can accomplish more in their lives than they ever could by working in their own strength.

God created us in such a way that although we do have strengths, we also have weaknesses and we need His help. We know He wants to help us because He sent a Divine Helper, the Holy Spirit, to live inside us.

We often struggle needlessly because we do not receive the help available to us. I encourage you to depend on Him, not on your own strength. Whatever you are facing, you don’t have to go through it alone.

Prayer Starter: Holy Spirit, I invite You into my day. Please strengthen me and help me to accomplish more than I ever could in my own strength. I can’t do it without You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

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In the night my soul longs for You [O Lord], indeed my spirit within me seeks You diligently… — Isaiah 26:9 (AMP)

Adapted from the resource Ending Your Day Right Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

Nothing can satisfy your longing for God except communion and fellowship with Him. The apostle John wrote, And the world passes away and disappears, and with it the forbidden cravings (the passionate desires, the lust) of it; but he who does the will of God and carries out His purposes in his life abides (remains) forever (1 John 2:17 AMPC).

The world makes it easy for you to fill your ears with all kinds of things that drown out the voice of God and push Him far into the background of your life. However, the day comes for every person when only God remains. Everything else in life eventually passes away; when it does, God will still be there. Seek God earnestly today, and He will abide in you.

Prayer Starter: Father, I desire a deeper, closer relationship with You. Help me to make You a priority today and every day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true [they are accurate, incorruptible, and trustworthy].” — Revelation 21:5 (AMP)

Adapted from the resource Closer to God Each Day Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

So many people live miserable lives because they are conflicted and feel burdened about the mistakes of their past. If you have been unhappy or discouraged because of the things that have happened in your past, I encourage you to change your thinking and set your focus in a whole new direction. Determine to be what God wants you to be, to have what God wants you to have, and to receive what Jesus died to give you.

Your new life in Christ means that you have been completely forgiven of all your sins. God has wiped your slate clean and taken up residence in your heart. You can let the past go and begin to get excited about your future.

When you feel discouraged, say, “I am not going to live in bondage anymore. I cannot do anything about what I have done in the past, but I can do something about my future. I am going to enjoy my life and have what Jesus died for me to have. I am going to let go of the past and go on pursuing God from this day forth!”

Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift from God.

Prayer Starter: Father, thank You for new beginnings and for making all things new. Please help me to let go of the past and embrace the good plan You have for my future. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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“For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,” says the LORD, “plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” — Jeremiah 29:11 (AMP)

Adapted from the resource Battlefield of the Mind Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

God’s plan for the people of the nation of Israel was only for their good. Yet they wandered around in the wilderness for 40 years on what was actually an 11-day journey. Why? Was it their enemies, their circumstances, the trials along the way, or something entirely different that prevented them from arriving at their destination in a timely manner?

God called the children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt to go to the land He had promised to give them as a perpetual inheritance—a land that flowed with milk and honey and every good thing they could imagine—a land in which there would be no shortage of anything they needed—a land of prosperity in every realm of their existence.

But the Israelites had no positive vision for their lives—no dreams. They knew where they came from, but they did not know where they were going. Everything was based on what they had seen in the past or what they could presently see. They did not know how to see with “the eye of faith.”

We really shouldn’t view the Israelites with astonishment because most of us do the same thing they did. We keep dealing with the same problems over and over again. The disappointing result is that it takes us years to experience victory over something that could have and should have been dealt with quickly.

I come from a background of abuse. My childhood was filled with fear and torment, and my personality was a mess! I built up walls of protection to keep people from hurting me, not realizing that while I was locking others out, I was also locking myself in. I was filled with fear and believed that the only way I could face life was to be in control so no one could hurt me.

As a young adult trying to live for Christ and follow the Christian lifestyle, I knew where I had come from, but I did not know where I was going. I felt that my future would always be marred by my past. I thought, How could anyone with a past like mine ever be all right? It’s impossible!  

But Jesus had a different plan. He said, The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon Me . . . 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] (Luke 4:18 AMPC).

Jesus came to open the prison doors and set the captives free—and that included me. However, I did not make any progress until I started to believe that I really could be set free. I had to get rid of my negative thinking and replace it with a positive vision for my life. I had to believe that neither my past nor my present could determine my future. Only then could Jesus free me from the bondage of my past—and free me, He did. What a marvelous miracle!

You may have had a miserable past; you may even be in current circumstances that are very negative and depressing. You may be facing situations that are so bad it seems you have no real reason to hope. But I say to you boldly: Your future is not determined by your past or your present!

Most of the generation the Lord called out of Egypt never entered into the Promised Land. Instead, they died in the wilderness. To me, this is one of the saddest things that can happen to a child of God—to have so much available and yet never be able to enjoy any of it.

Start believing that God’s Word is true. Mark 9:23 assures you that with God all things are possible. Because you serve a God who created everything you see out of the unseen realm (see Hebrews 11:3), you can give Him your nothingness and watch Him go to work on your behalf. All you have to do is have faith in Him and believe His Word—He will do the rest!

Prayer Starter: Dear Father, I thank You for loving me and having a vision—a good plan—for my life. I pray that You will help me overcome any negative thoughts of problems, past or present, that come against my mind, and make my life what You want it to be. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

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