Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.…—John 14:27

Nothing harms us emotionally the way stress does. We might say that anxiety is emotions out of control. When someone experiences anxiety, most of the time it’s because their emotions have been stressed to the point that they are no longer functioning healthily. There are many situations that cause anxiety. The death of a spouse or child, divorce, and job loss are major events; however, not all the reasons are that serious. A lot of anxiety is caused simply by taking on more than we can handle.

I used to feel constantly overwhelmed due to stress, but it was because my schedule was unreasonable. And—even worse—I thought I was doing it for God. It is amazing to me now when I look back at how deceived I was. Always remember that if Satan cannot get you to not work for God, then he will try to get you to overwork for God. He really doesn’t care which end of being out of balance we are on, because either one causes trouble.

The simple answer to living a life you can enjoy is to learn God’s ways and follow them. Jesus said, “I am the Way” (see John 14:6), and that means He will show us how to live properly. The answers we need are in God’s Word, and we should make a decision that we will not only read the Bible, but we will obey it. If we refuse to make that decision and follow through, we will keep feeling stressed until we break.

Start asking God what you can eliminate from your life that is not producing good fruit. It may even be some good things that are just not the best things for you. Something can be right for us in one season of our lives and not right at all in another season. Follow your heart, and you will accomplish a lot of fruitful things and still have energy left over to enjoy the fruit of your labor.

Trust in Him: What seemingly good things are crowding your life and keeping you from God’s best? Decide that you will simplify your life and live with peace, not stress. Trust that God wants you to have the time to enjoy your life.

From the book Trusting God Day by Day by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Behold! I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and [physical and mental strength and ability] over all the power that the enemy [possesses]; and nothing shall in any way harm you.—Luke 10:19

One of the best ways to defend ourselves against the devil is to know the Word of God and speak it aloud against the lies he bombards our minds with. When the devil tells you God doesn’t love you and you will never amount to anything, go to war using the Word of God. Get out your two-edged sword and use it!

Talk back to the devil, loud and clear, saying, “I am the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ” (see 2 Corinthians 5:21); “God has a good plan for my life” (see Jeremiah 29:11); and “Nothing can separate me from the love of God” (see Romans 8:35–39). Trust God—know that you are more than a conqueror through Christ as you confidently declare the truth of His Word.

Power Thought: Through Christ I have authority over the devil.

From the book The Power of Being Thankful by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Not that we [have the audacity to] venture to class or [even to] compare ourselves with some who exalt and furnish testimonials for themselves! However, when they measure themselves with themselves and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding and behave unwisely.—2 Corinthians 10:12

Advertising is often geared to make people strive to look the best, be the best, and own the most. If you wear “this” particular brand of clothes, people will admire you! Try “this” new diet and lose those few extra pounds—and then you will be accepted and noticed. The world consistently gives us the impression that we need to be something other than what we are.

A confident person avoids comparisons. Confidence is not possible as long as we compare ourselves with other people. No matter how good we look, how talented or smart we are, or how successful we are, there is always someone who is better, and sooner or later we will run into him or her.

I believe confidence is found in doing the best we can with what we have to work with and not in comparing ourselves with others and competing with them. Our joy should not be found in being better than others, but in being the best we can be. Always struggling to maintain the number-one position is hard work. In fact, it’s impossible.

Lord, I refuse to compare myself with others and compete to be better than them. My only interest is to be the best I can be with the gifts and talents You have given me. Amen.

From the book The Confident Woman Devotional: 365 Daily Devotions by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Finding it difficult to forgive those who’ve hurt you? Understanding God’s grace can help.—Daniel 4:5

In April 2005, many Americans and the world heard the story of the “runaway bride,” Jennifer Wilbanks. The thirty-two-year-old Duluth, Georgia, resident disappeared just days before her six hundred-guest wedding was to take place. Her family and fiancé, certain she had been kidnapped, pleaded for her safe return, and the missing bride became a national story for the major news media. When she turned up alive, the truth was revealed that the bride-to-be ran because of “certain fears” that controlled her life.

Most of us would say, “Well, she should have talked to her fiancé or her pastor instead of running away.” But how many of us easily confront our fears? You may not have ever physically run away as did Wilbanks, but I bet emotionally there are things you’re running from. You’re constantly looking over your shoulder trying to keep whatever you’re afraid of from catching up with you.

Satan loves causing people to dread and avoid confronting unpleasant issues, because he knows that he loses power when his lies are confronted. Even though a lie is not true, it becomes reality for the person who believes it. Don’t believe the lies Satan tries to deceive you with.

Lord, expose the lies that I’ve believed and that give strength to the fears that harass me. Shine Your light of truth on them and break their deceptive power. Amen.

From the book The Confident Woman Devotional: 365 Daily Devotions by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God). —Galatians 5:16

Like a horse that has been trained to keep his ear always tuned to the voice of its master, we must be willing to follow the Lord in all His leadings, not just those we feel good about or happen to agree with. We won’t always like what we hear Him tell us to do.

We must realize that in order to follow God, the flesh must be told no at times, and when that happens, the flesh suffers. There are times when we are galloping full speed ahead in one direction when suddenly the Master tells us to stop and instructs us to go in another direction. It is painful to us when we don’t get our way, but ultimately we understand that God’s ways are always best.

In the verse for today, the apostle Paul writes about the conflict between the Spirit and the flesh. If we follow the leading of the Spirit, we won’t satisfy or fulfill the desires of the flesh that lead us away from God’s best. This verse doesn’t say that the desires of the flesh will disappear; we will always have to wrestle with them. But if we choose to be led by the Spirit, we won’t fulfill fleshly desires—and the devil won’t get his way.

We will sense a war going on in us as we choose to follow God’s leading. Our flesh and God’s Spirit usually disagree and we are tempted to keep the flesh comfortable. But, we all must learn to submit to God’s Spirit and overcome fleshly desires and temptations. Determine today that you will not let your flesh lead you, but that you will be led by the Spirit of God.

God’s Word for You Today: God wants to give you His best.

From the book Hearing from God Each Morning: 365 Daily Devotions by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Rejoice in the Lord always…again I say, Rejoice!…Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in…everything, by prayer and petition…with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. —Philippians 4:4,6

Twice in this passage the apostle Paul tells us to rejoice. He urges us not to fret or have any anxiety about anything but to pray and give thanks to God in everything—not after everything is over.

If you wait until everything is perfect before rejoicing and giving thanks you won’t have much fun. Learning to enjoy life even in the midst of trying circumstances is one way to develop spiritual maturity.

Live in the fullness of the joy of the Lord by finding something to be glad about besides your current circumstances. You must learn to derive your happiness and joy from the Lord who lives inside you.

Decide you will not fret or have anxiety about anything but will give thanks and praise to God, rejoicing in Him always.

From the book Ending Your Day Right by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

For those whom He foreknew [of whom He was aware and loved beforehand], He also destined from the beginning [foreordaining them] to be molded into the image of His Son [and share inwardly His likeness], that He might become the firstborn among many brethren.—Romans 8:29

The best goal a Christian can have is Christlikeness. Jesus is the express image of the Father, and we are called to follow in His footsteps. He came as the Pioneer of our faith to show us by example how we can live. We have the chance to behave with people the way Jesus did. Our goal is not to see how successful we can be in business or how famous we can be. It is not prosperity, popularity, or even building a big ministry, but to be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ.

Spiritual maturity or Christlikeness cannot be obtained without “dying to self.” That simply means saying yes to God and no to ourselves when our will and God’s are in opposition. Jesus told His disciples that if they wanted to follow Him, they would need to take up their cross daily.

To follow Christ and become like Him, we choose to forget about what we want—our plans, having our own way—and instead trust Him to show us what His will is for us. His will always leads to deep joy and satisfaction.

You are God’s Ambassador—represent Him well!

From the book Closer to God Each Day by Joyce Meyer

http://www.joycemeyer.org

[We pray] that you may be invigorated and strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory, [to exercise] every kind of endurance and patience (perseverance and forbearance) with joy. —Colossians 1:11

Everything we undertake in life has a beginning and an end. Typically, we are excited at the beginning of an opportunity, a relationship, or a venture; we’re also happy when we can celebrate our achievement and have the satisfaction of a fulfilled desire. But between the beginning and the end, every situation has a “middle”—and the middle is where we often face our greatest challenges.

Between our beginnings and our endings, we must develop the determination necessary to overcome the difficult circumstances we encounter in the middle. We can be people who finish what we begin. And we can be thankful that we don’t have to do it alone—God will help us if we let Him.

You may be in the middle of something right now. Whatever you find yourself in the middle of, ask God for His strength and wisdom, discipline yourself a little while longer, and determine to see it all the way through to the finish.

Prayer of Thanks: I thank You, Father, that I am not alone in the middle of this situation. You are right here with me, and You are giving me the strength I need. With Your help, I am determined not to quit. I’m going to see this through and give You the glory with a successful finish!

From the book The Power of Being Thankful by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

I will cry to God Most High, Who performs on my behalf and rewards me [Who brings to pass His purposes for me and surely completes them]! —Psalm 57:2

Great worship leaders know to come into the presence of God with their entire being, prepared to give thanks and praise (see Deuteronomy 10:12). They don’t just roll out of bed, throw water on their face, and run a comb through their hair before church. They know that the anointing comes from a sincere pursuit of loving God with their whole heart.

Likewise, as you approach God in the morning, come to Him with a heart full of worship, expressing your awe of Him for His faithfulness toward you. He promises that He will never forsake you, but will be with you all day long (see Joshua 1:5).

From the book Starting Your Day Right by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

…God tested and proved Abraham and said to him, Abraham! And he said, Here I am. [God] said, Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah; and offer him there as a burnt offering upon one of the mountains of which I will tell you. —Genesis 22:1-2

Once the Lord said to me, “Joyce, do you love Me? If so, will you still love Me and serve Me even if I don’t do everything just the way you want or just when you think I should?” At the time of the Lord’s visitation, I had been asking God for a huge ministry. He also said, “Joyce, if I asked you to go down to the riverfront here in St. Louis and minister to fifty people for the rest of your life and never be known by anyone, would you do it?” My response was, “But, Lord, surely you can’t really be asking me to do that!”

We always have such grandiose plans for ourselves. If God asks us to do something that isn’t prominent, we aren’t always sure we are hearing Him correctly or that it is His will for us! When God asked me those questions about my ministry, I felt the way I imagined Abraham must have felt when the Lord asked him to sacrifice his son Isaac through whom He had promised to bless him and all nations of the earth (see Genesis 22).

It seemed God was asking me to give up the very work He had given me through which He blessed many others as well as me. But God wasn’t asking me to give up that ministry. He was just asking me to lay it on the altar, just like Abraham laid Isaac on the altar before the Lord.

We must not let anything—even our work for God—become more important to us than God Himself. To keep that from happening, from time to time God calls upon us to lay it all on the altar as proof of our love and commitment. He tests us by asking us to lay down our most treasured blessing as proof of our love for Him.

From the book New Day, New You by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

…Do not ever let your wrath (your exasperation, your fury or indignation) last until the sun goes down.—Ephesians 4:26

Anger expressed inappropriately is a problem, but so is repressed anger. Anger that is stuffed inside and not dealt with properly will eventually come out one way or another. It may show up in depression, anxiety, or any of a variety of other negative emotions—but it will come out. It can even manifest in sickness and disease. If we don’t deal with our anger quickly, we will eventually either explode or implode.

The right way to express anger is to talk to God. Tell Him all about the way you feel and ask Him to help you manage the feelings properly. Talk to a professional or a mature friend if necessary, but do not pretend you’re not angry when you are. That’s not managing your emotions—that is ignoring them, and it is dangerous.

One thing that helps me deal properly with anger is to realize that sometimes God permits people to irritate me in order to help me grow in patience and unconditional love. None of the fruit of the Spirit develops without something to make us exercise them. Ouch! I wish I could magically have all these wonderful fruits working full force in my life without any effort on my part, but that is just not the way it works.

The offending person’s bad behavior is not right, but God often uses their behavior as sandpaper in our lives, to polish our rough edges. He is more concerned about changing our character than He is about changing our circumstances.

If I get angry when someone does something to me that’s wrong, is my anger any less wrong than the wrong they committed? I think not. Sometimes their wrongdoing merely exposes my weakness and I am able to repent and ask God to help me overcome it. Be determined to get something good out of every trial you face in life, and don’t let the sun go down on your anger.

Trust in Him: Are you angry about anything or at anyone? If your answer is yes, begin controlling that emotion right now, deal with it properly, and trust God to deliver you from your circumstances in His timing.

From the book Trusting God Day by Day by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

And in [exercising] knowledge [develop] self-control, and in [exercising] self-control [develop] steadfastness (patience, endurance), and in [exercising] steadfastness [develop] godliness (piety). —2 Peter 1:6

As believers in Jesus Christ, God has given us a new nature, but at the same time, we also have to deal with the old nature. When we allow the old nature to rule, we will follow our feelings instead of operating in self-control. Self-control is a fruit of our new nature, and all we need to do is develop it. We can develop self-control by using it, just as we can develop muscles by using them.

Exercising self-control is a form of freedom. You don’t have to do what you feel like doing. You’re free to do what you know is wise. Discipline and self-control will help you be the person you want to be. Don’t ever say, “I just don’t have any self-control,” because the truth is that you do have it, but it needs to be exercised in order to be strong.

Power Thought: I exercise self-control.

From the book the book Power Thoughts Devotional by Joyce Meyer

http://www.joycemeyer.org

See what [an incredible] quality of love the Father has given (shown, bestowed on) us, that we should [be permitted to] be named and called and counted the children of God! And so we are! The reason that the world does not know (recognize, acknowledge) us is that it does not know (recognize, acknowledge) Him.—1 John 3:1

Many people fail at marriage because they don’t love themselves, and therefore they have nothing to give in the relationship. They spend most of their time trying to get from their spouses what only God can give them, which is a sense of their own worth and value.

In my case, although I didn’t even know what love was, I married a boy of nineteen simply because I was afraid no one would ever want me. He had problems of his own and did not really know how to love me—so the pattern of pain in my life continued. I was repeatedly hurt in that relationship, which ended in divorce after five years.

Receiving the free gift of God’s unconditional love is the beginning of our healing, and the foundation for our new life in Christ. We cannot love ourselves unless we realize how much God loves us, and if we don’t love ourselves, we cannot love other people. We cannot maintain good, healthy relationships without this foundation of love in our lives.

Lord, I am amazed that You love me and desire me to be Your child. I receive Your love today and choose to love myself. Amen.

From the book The Confident Woman Devotional: 365 Daily Devotions by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.—Deuteronomy 15:10 NIV

Here’s an idea: Get yourself a big box and start going through your possessions, asking God to show you what you have that you can use to bless others. Fill it up with things that are nice but that you no longer need.

Look in cabinets, drawers, closets, the basement, and the garage. You will fill up your box quickly. Don’t keep something for years in case you ever need it—if you’re anything like me, by the time you need it, you will have forgotten that you have it and go buy another one anyway.

Take the clutter that is frustrating you and turn it into blessings. Keep the box in a handy place and start asking God to show you who needs to be blessed.

One woman I know, who is a radical giver, got all the things together she wanted to use to bless people and displayed them on her kitchen table. She invited several friends over and told them to take anything they wanted from the table. She urged them to keep on taking until everything was gone.

I encourage you to be a giver and look for ways in which you can use what you have to be a blessing to others.

Love Others Today: I challenge you to start a blessing box before you go to bed tonight. Even if you only put one or two things in it, get it started.

From the book Love Out Loud by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Seek, inquire of and for the Lord, and crave Him and His strength.…—Psalm 105:4

When King Jehoshaphat heard that a huge army was amassing to attack Judah, he knew what to do. He needed to set himself to seek not the advice of the people, but to seek God and hear directly from Him.

No doubt, Jehoshaphat had been involved in other battles before this one, so why couldn’t he use the same methods he had employed in previous situations? No matter how many times something has worked in the past, it may not work to solve a current crisis unless God anoints it afresh. He may anoint an old method and choose to work through it, but He may also give us brand-new direction, instructions we have never heard before. We must always look to God, not to methods, formulas, or ways that have worked in the past. Our focus, our source of strength and supply, must be God and God alone.

Jehoshaphat knew that unless he heard from God, he was not going to make it. The Amplified Bible calls his need to hear God’s voice “his vital need.” It was something he could not do without; it was vital. It was essential to his life and the survival of his people.

You may be in a situation similar to Jehoshaphat’s. You, too, may need a fresh word from God. You may feel that, like a drowning man or woman, you are going under for the last time. You may be desperate for a personal word from God in order to survive.

God wants to speak to you even more than you want to hear from Him. Seek Him by giving Him your time and attention, and you won’t be disappointed.

God’s Word for You Today: Be open to hear a fresh word from God today.

From the book Hearing from God Each Morning: 365 Daily Devotions by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

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

No matter how many principles and formulas you and I learn, we will never have lasting victory in our Christian life without spending time in personal, private fellowship with the Lord. The victory is not in methods; it is in God. If we are to live victoriously, we are going to have to look beyond ways to eliminate our problems and find the Lord in the midst of our problems.

The good news is that when we set aside time with God, He meets with us. We can be grateful, knowing that when we seek Him, we will find Him. God has a personalized plan for each of us, a plan that will lead us to victory. That is why principles, formulas, and methods are not the ultimate answer, because they do not allow for the individual differences in people. As good as all these things may be as general guidelines, they are not substitutes for personal fellowship with the Living God.

Prayer of Thanks: Thank You, Father, that I can meet with You at any time of the day or night. You’re always here for me and You desire to spend time with me. Your Word says that when I seek You, I will find You. So help me, Lord, to find You in every part of my life today.

From the book The Power of Being Thankful by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Therefore, [there is] now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live [and] walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit.—Romans 8:1

I should have known better,” Cindy cried out to me. “All the signs were there that he wasn’t the man for me.” She had gone through two years of a painful marriage, of verbal and finally physical abuse. Then her husband left her for another woman. Now she felt doubly condemned—condemned for marrying him in the first place and condemned that she couldn’t hold the marriage together.

“If I had been a good Christian, I could have changed him,” she moaned.

I could have confronted her and said, “Yes, you did see the signs and you ignored them. You opened yourself up to this kind of treatment.” I didn’t say those words and wouldn’t. They would not have helped Cindy.

What she needed right then was for me to stretch out my hand and comfort her. She was so self-condemned that she finally asked, “Will God forgive me?”

At first, her words disturbed me. The Bible is clear that God forgives any sin. Cindy knew the Bible, so her question wasn’t due to a lack of knowledge; it was due to a lack of faith in a loving, caring God. She felt so dejected, and she didn’t know if God loved her enough to forgive her.

I assured Cindy of God’s forgiveness, but that wasn’t the real issue that troubled her. Satan had whispered in her mind for such a long time that she had failed God, that she had deliberately disobeyed, and that God was angry with her.

Continue reading Joyce Meyer – No Condemnation →

And this is the message [the message of promise] which we have heard from Him and now are reporting to you: God is Light, and there is no darkness in Him at all [no, not in any way]. [So] if we say we are partakers together and enjoy fellowship with Him when we live and move and are walking about in darkness, we are [both] speaking falsely and do not live and practice the Truth [which the Gospel presents].—1 John 1:5-6

So often the things we try to hide by burying them deep inside ourselves become darkness within us. But this passage tells us in God there is no darkness at all. So when we allow Him full entrance into our hearts and minds, there will be no darkness there. I am so glad that God fills every room in my heart, so that I am filled with His light. There are no places in my heart that I know of that are blocked off from Him and the light that comes with His presence. Often one of the signs that we are walking in the light of the Gospel is that we have good relationships with everyone with whom we come in contact in our daily lives—including our spouse and our children.

I can truthfully say that right now I do not know of any person in my life with whom I have a major problem. And it is not because they have all changed. The reason is that I have allowed the Lord to come into those dark recesses of my heart and fill them with His marvelous light. When I was one person on the inside and another person on the outside, I had to wear masks and be phony. I had to put on a facade and play games. I am so glad that now I can stand before God and my family and everyone else and be at peace with myself and with others.

I no longer have to live in fear of what anyone thinks of me, because I have opened my heart to God’s Holy Spirit and He has lighted up the dark places within me so I can live free! You can say the same thing if you will open your heart to God and allow Him to fill every part of you with His life-giving Spirit.

From the book New Day, New You by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org