Tag Archives: Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Recognizing and Dealing with Strife

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 (AMPC)

My husband, Dave, and I had been active in the church for a long time. At church, we had bright smiles and mixed well with other church members. I’m sure people thought we were the ideal couple.

But we weren’t ideal. We had a strife-laden marriage—and it showed in the home. When we arrived at church, we set aside all the strife for a period of time. After all, we did not want our friends to know what things were really like at home behind closed doors.

We bickered and argued at times, but we also frequently pretended everything was fine between us. I look back now and believe that we didn’t fully realize we had a problem. The Bible teaches us that we speak out of our hearts. If we had only really listened to what we said about and to one another, we would have realized that something was wrong. For example, we made jokes in public about each other. “She thinks she’s the boss,” Dave would say. “She wants what she wants and stays on me until she gets it. Joyce wants to control everything and everybody.” Then he would pause to kiss me on top of my head and smile.

“I don’t think Dave’s hearing is very good,” I’d say. “I nearly always have to ask him four times to take out the garbage.” I’d smile, and everyone was supposed to know it was a joke.

Not everyone picked up on the undercurrents, but they were there. Those who frequently visited our home eventually saw even more chaos and underlying anger. But we smiled and said, “I’m only kidding,” when we put the other one down, so how could there be any real problems?

When the home atmosphere is terrible, the devil loves it. Division is his goal, and unfortunately, he is frequently winning in that situation. He loves it when people pretend and no one in the family actually faces the problems. That’s ideal for the powers of darkness. Satan would have kept on winning unless Dave and I had learned the dangers of strife and faced the truth about ourselves. We had to look at ourselves and admit how we had failed God and one another. We needed to acknowledge that our smiles and jokes only masked the pain.

If Dave and I were going to defeat the attacks of the devil, we had to make drastic changes. We had to fight the undercurrents and bring the darkness into the light.

This is the same message for all of us. We need to open ourselves to God’s Word and see our failings and shortcomings. We need to be able to say, “I have been wrong.”

Dave and I had both developed a bad habit—I’ll say it even stronger—Satan had made inroads into our minds. We had been justifying our behavior and blaming each other for our problems. We needed to be shown the error of our ways, and thank God, He did show us.

We had to study God’s Word extensively, and both of us had to be willing to humble ourselves in order for the atmosphere in our home to change from one of bickering, arguing, heated disagreement, and an angry undercurrent to one of peace and joy. The Holy Spirit worked with us, and we now enjoy peace. We respect each other and try to use good manners in private as well as in public.

We finally stopped listening to Satan’s lies. We began to use the weapons of God’s Word, praise, and prayer, and we have experienced great victory over the strongholds that once existed in our minds.

Prayer of the Day: Father, I’m so glad You came to deliver those who are oppressed. Thank You for helping me realize that my oppression comes from Satan, and for providing the weapons of your Word and prayer that I can use to break free from the devil’s powerful clutches. I pray, in the name of the Lord Jesus, that I will remain free both now and forever, amen.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Joyce Meyer – Start Where You Are

 

Do not say to your neighbor, Go, and come again; and tomorrow I will give it—when you have it with you.

Proverbs 3:28 (AMPC)

When God tells you to help someone, it’s easy to put it off. You intend to obey God; it is just that you are going to do it when—when you have more money, when you’re not so busy, when Christmas is over, when the kids are back in school, or when vacation is over.

There is no point in praying for God to give you money so you can be a blessing to others if you are not being a blessing with what you already have. Satan will try to tell you that you don’t have anything to give—but don’t believe Him.

Even if it is only a pack of gum or a ballpoint pen, start using what you have. In the process of giving, you will discover you don’t need money to be a blessing to others.

Prayer of the Day: Father, I thank You for the many blessings in my life. Please help me to strive to be a blessing everywhere I go, with whomever You place in my path, and to be generous with whatever I have to give.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Joyce Meyer – Set Priorities

 

Your eyes saw my unformed substance, and in Your book all the days [of my life] were written before ever they took shape, when as yet there was none of them.

Psalm 139:16 (AMPC)

Be determined to enjoy the abundant life that Jesus Christ desires for you to have. The devil will always try to set you up to get upset. The busy activities of today’s society can make life seem like a blur. Most people have a lot of stress, continuous pressure, and really too much to do.

Set priorities. Start your day with God. Be determined to follow His lead all day, and you will enjoy every day of your life—not just on weekends, vacations, or sunny days when the weather’s perfect. Walking with God will give you pleasure and relaxation even when things aren’t going your way.

Prayer of the Day: Father, I am so very grateful that Jesus came that I might have abundant life. When the day is stressful and my joy feels low, help me to remember that You have promised I can enjoy my life. Thank You for the joy, peace, and security I find in You.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Joyce Meyer – Freedom to Be Ourselves

 

Why are you cast down, O my inner self? And why should you moan over me and be disquieted within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, my Help and my God.

Psalm 42:5 (AMPC)

Ask 21st-century women, “How do you feel about yourself?” and many will confess, “I hate myself.” Or perhaps their opinion of themselves is not that severe, but they will admit they really don’t like themselves.

Our world has created a false, unrealistic image of what women are supposed to look like and act like. But the truth is that every woman was not created by God to be skinny, with a flawless complexion and long flowing hair. Not every woman was intended to juggle a career as well as all of the other duties of being a wife, mother, citizen, and daughter. Single women should not be made to feel they are missing something because they are not married. Married women should not be made to feel they must have a career to be complete. We must have the freedom to be our individual selves.

Many women hate themselves and have no self-confidence because they have been abused, rejected, abandoned, or in some way damaged emotionally. Women need to experience a revival of knowing their infinite worth and value.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, You know exactly how I feel about myself. You know how deeply I’ve been influenced by the messages of our culture and how confusing it is. Help me to discover the truth of my worth and value in Your eyes, amen.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Joyce Meyer – Simple, Confident Prayer

 

And when you pray, do not heap up phrases (multiply words, repeating the same ones over and over) as the Gentiles do, for they think they will be heard for their much speaking.

Matthew 6:7 (AMPC)

Life is often challenging, and I’ve discovered that the world around us will not always change, so we must be willing to change our approach to life and the situations we face.

It is important to develop confidence in simple, believing prayer. We need the confidence that even if we just say, “God, help me,” He hears and will answer. We can depend on God to be faithful to do what we have asked Him to do, as long as our request is in accordance with His will. The Holy Spirit is called our Helper, and He delights in helping us.

Too often we get caught up in our own works concerning prayer. Sometimes we try to pray so long, loud, and eloquently that we lose sight of the fact that prayer is simply conversation with God. The length or loudness or eloquence of our prayer is not the issue; what is important is the sincerity of our heart and the confidence we have that God hears and will answer us.

Prayer of the Day: I thank You today, Father, that prayer doesn’t have to be long and complicated. You hear even my short, heartfelt prayers. I am grateful that I can have a continuous conversation with You all through the day, and that You hear and answer me.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Joyce Meyer – Take Care of What God Has Given You

 

Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received [as a Gift] from God? You are not your own.

1 Corinthians 6:19 (AMPC)

What if you went to a church and it was run-down? Peeling paint, broken doors, and smudged windows that didn’t let the light in? You’d wonder about the pastor, wouldn’t you? The church is his instrument for celebrating the glory of God, yet if he doesn’t respect the church enough to take the time to keep it in good condition, what does this say about his relationship with God?

The same question applies to your own body—taking care of the body God has given you is the most important kind of “home maintenance” you can do! Your body is the home of your spirit where God dwells. To do the work you were meant to do, you need to keep it in shape.

I still have to remind myself of this. Once I hurt my voice by speaking in a seminar with an extremely sore throat. That morning when I woke up, I knew I shouldn’t speak, but I thought about the disappointment of the audience if I didn’t. So, I forced myself to speak, but the next day I could not make a sound. I couldn’t the next day, either, or the day after that. The condition continued, and I began to worry. I finally went to the doctor, who told me I had damaged my vocal cords. He said each time we push ourselves beyond reasonable limits, we do some damage, and if we do it too often, we get to a point where we can’t recover. He said it might reach a point where I could not teach at all if I did not respect my voice and take care of it.

I nearly jeopardized my entire public ministry! If I had permanently damaged my voice, I would have wound up helping far fewer people and derailing my life’s calling. Now I’m more careful about protecting the tools I need to do God’s work—my voice, my mind, my heart, my emotions, and my body. Please take care of yourself so you can glorify God and do all that He has intended for you to do.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, help me respect and care for the body You’ve given me, so I can fulfill Your calling on my life. Guide me to take care of my health and the gifts you have blessed me with, and honor You in all ways. Amen.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Joyce Meyer – The Importance of Right Thinking

 

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he….

Proverbs 23:7 (AMPC)

The mind is the leader or forerunner of all actions. The steps we take each day are a direct result of the thoughts we allow ourselves to think.

If we have a negative mind, we will have a negative life. On the other hand, if we renew our mind according to God’s Word, we will experience “the good and acceptable and perfect will of God” for our lives (Romans 12:2).

So many people’s struggles are rooted in wrong thinking patterns. Negative thinking can actually cause them to create the problems they experience in their lives; thankfully, though, we don’t have to live captive to those thoughts. We can choose to line our thoughts up with the Word of God.

The mind is a battlefield. Decide to resist destructive, negative thinking and dwell on godly thoughts for your life instead. The more you change your mind for the better, the more your life will also change for the better.

Prayer of the Day: Father, I’m thankful that I don’t have to live as a captive to my thoughts. With Your help, I can change those negative thoughts that are affecting my life. I can win the battle of the mind by spending time in Your Word, meditating on Your promises, and making a conscious effort to think God-honoring thoughts over my life.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Joyce Meyer – God’s Righteousness

 

Answer me when I call, God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; be gracious to me and hear my prayer.

Psalm 4:1 (NASB)

In today’s verse, David calls upon the Lord as “God of my righteousness.” The Bible mentions two types of righteousness. I think most people view righteousness as a quality that comes from right behavior, but a totally different kind of righteousness is available to us as believers in Jesus Christ.

God’s righteousness can be simply defined as “right standing with Him,” and it is a gift He gives to us when we receive Christ as Lord and Savior. It is a gift of His grace, which we receive through faith. We cannot do anything to earn it or make ourselves worthy of it; it has already been paid for through Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection.

God views us as righteous in Christ because Jesus has taken our sin and given us His righteousness. Because of this act of love and mercy, God now thinks of us as right with Him in every way. We do not have to think of ourselves as “wrong,” but we can be confident that we are in right relationship with God through Christ.

Prayer of the Day: Father, thank You for sending Your Son to die for my sin and to give me His righteousness.

 

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Joyce Meyer – Control What’s Under Your Control

 

One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.

Psalm 27:4 (NIV)

When I think about what stirs up our emotions, the hurtful things people do to us is at the top of the list, perhaps more frequently than anything else. Since we cannot control what others do, we need to look for ways to quiet our emotions when people upset us. The amplification of today’s scripture teaches us to look for the best in things, and I believe this applies to people as well as situations.

Our natural thoughts and emotions, without the influence of the Holy Spirit, can be negative. Romans 8:5 teaches us that we can either set our minds on what the flesh (human nature without God) desires or on what the Holy Spirit desires. If we set our minds on the flesh, we will be filled with negative feelings and attitudes. But if we set our minds on the Spirit, we will be filled with life and peace in our souls, which includes calm emotions. I encourage you to choose what creates peace, because a life of emotional turmoil makes us miserable.

I realized years ago that most of my emotional turmoil came from people problems. I knew from experience that I could not control people and what they decided to do, so I began to pray about what I could do to keep their words and actions from upsetting me. In answer to my prayers, and through studying God’s Word, I started obeying 1 Corinthians 13:7 by choosing to believe the best of everything and everyone.

Prayer of the Day: Help me, Lord, to control what I can control—my thoughts and emotions—while trusting You to handle what I can’t control.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Joyce Meyer – Pray in Agreement, Live in Agreement

 

Blessed (enjoying enviable happiness, spiritually prosperous—with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the makers and maintainers of peace, for they shall be called the sons of God!

Matthew 5:9 (AMPC)

The prayer of agreement is only effective when those who agree in prayer are living in agreement in their natural, everyday lives. Living in agreement does not mean never having our own opinions, but it does mean that there is harmony, mutual respect, and honor in our relationships. It means an absence of the things that cause division and strife—like selfishness, anger, resentment, jealousy, bitterness, or comparison. Living in agreement is like being on the same ball team—everyone works together, supports, and encourages each other, believes in, and trusts each other as they all pursue the same goal and share the victory.

The prayer of agreement is very powerful, but it can only be used effectively by those who make the effort to live in agreement. For example, if Dave and I argued and had strife most of the time but wanted to pray in agreement when we had a pressing need, then that would not work. There is no power in agreeing occasionally; we must live in agreement. Live with others respectfully and peacefully. Adapt and adjust yourself to people and things in order to be a maker and maintainer of peace (see Romans 12:16).

Maintaining unity and harmony does require effort, but the power released when people pray who live in agreement is worth it.

Prayer of the Day: God, thank You for the power that is released when I pray. I thank You that right now, incredible power is being released in my life, amen.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Joyce Meyer – Ministry Is Fulfilling Work

 

For you shall eat [the fruit] of the labor of your hands; happy (blessed, fortunate, enviable) shall you be, and it shall be well with you.

Psalm 128:2 (AMPC)

There is nothing more fulfilling than being rested and ready for the work that God has called us to do. God puts the desire in us to minister to people through whatever work we do. But ministry is work that requires physical, emotional, and spiritual strength.

Hard work is rewarding when you follow God’s way and minister to other people through “the labor of your hands.” That is why it is so important to start your day with God. His presence will build you up emotionally, His words will strengthen you spiritually, and the time of rest that He calls you to enjoy will make you physically able to handle whatever may come your way.

Prayer of the Day: Father God, thank You for Your presence in my life. Thank You for the rest I enjoyed, and give me the strength to minister to others, in whatever way You have for me to minister to them today and every day, amen.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Joyce Meyer – Why Forgiving Others Is So Important

 

And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your failings and shortcomings.

Mark:11:25-26 (AMPC)

One of the greatest reasons why prayer isn’t answered among Christians is unforgiveness. Jesus gave His disciples a command to forgive, and then He told them plainly that if they did not forgive, neither would their Father in heaven forgive them their failings and shortcomings. He was blunt with them, because He knew what a stumbling block unforgiveness would be for their spiritual life.

It is important to note that forgiveness and having faith to move mountains comes in the same context. There is no power in speaking to a mountain if the heart is full of unforgiveness. Yet this problem is rampant among God’s children. If there is anything that will short-circuit God from answering our prayers, it’s a heart full of unforgiveness and bitterness toward others. You can’t go into your prayer closet and expect God to move mountains for you or on behalf of others when you’ve hardened your heart with unforgiveness. Extend abundant mercy and forgiveness just as God forgave you in Christ.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, help me to always remember what it cost You to forgive me, and yet You freely forgave me. I want my heart to be like Yours and to extend mercy to others as well, amen.

 

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Joyce Meyer – The Power of Ownership

 

But God will redeem me…for He will receive me. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

Psalm 49:15 (AMPC)

When offenses come and we are tempted to get into strife, it is wise for us to examine our thoughts and take ownership of our actions.

If you find that you are justifying having a bad attitude, I encourage you to realize that justifying any bad behavior that the Word of God condemns is a dangerous thing. It keeps us deceived and unable to take ownership of our faults.

Nobody enjoys saying, “I was wrong—please forgive me,” but it is one of the most powerful six-word sentences in the world. It brings peace to turmoil; joy replaces frustration, and this attitude puts a smile on God’s face. He is delighted when we follow His ways instead of our own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

Prayer of the Day: Father, help me see myself as You see me. Renew my mind to reflect my true identity in Christ and embrace the life You have planned for me, amen.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Joyce Meyer – How to Treat Those Who Are Lonely

 

The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

Psalm 146:9 (NIV)

God seems to have a special place in His heart for those who are lonely, and He wants us to be good to them. Psalm 68:6 (NIV) says that He “sets the lonely in families….” If you know someone who has no family, you can include them in some of your family functions. Invite them to your home for Thanksgiving dinner, a Fourth of July celebration, and other such events.

God gave the Israelites commands about how they were to include the foreigners and strangers among them (Deuteronomy 10:19; Leviticus 19:34). And Hebrews 13:2 instructs believers to show hospitality to strangers. We tend to gravitate toward people we know and are comfortable with, but God wants us to reach beyond our comfort zone and think about how it would feel to be alone so we will include the lonely in our lives.

The Lord mentions the fatherless and the widow frequently in Scripture and instructs us to be good to them and to help meet their needs. James writes that religion that is pure and undefiled is about visiting and helping to care for the widows and orphans in their distress (James 1:27).

Choose a widowed person in your church and show special attention to them. You can informally adopt them into your family. If you are going to lunch after church on Sunday, you can include them. There are many ways to minister to the lonely if we will just think about it, and when we do, it will put a smile on God’s face.

Prayer of the Day: Father, help me remember how You feel about those who are lonely, and show me who I can minister to and help alleviate their loneliness. Help me walk in love with everyone and show kindness wherever possible, amen.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Joyce Meyer – Tell Your Emotions to Be Patient

 

He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”

Genesis 15:5 (NIV)

God promised Abram (later Abraham) a son. Not only that, but He promised him descendants so numerous that they would be like the stars in the sky. The problem was that Abram and his wife, Sarai (later Sarah), were way too old to have natural children. As advanced in years as they were, we might think God’s promise needed to come to pass quickly. But it didn’t. Abram and Sarai had to wait 25 years for His promise to manifest in their lives.

We often have to wait for certain things God has promised to come to pass, just as Abram and Sarai did. Sometimes He may need to teach us or prepare us for the blessings He wants to release in our lives. Or it could be that we need additional spiritual growth, greater emotional stability, or a new mindset before we can handle them properly. While we wait, we may be tempted to feel impatient. We may doubt or feel frustrated because nothing seems to be happening.

During these seasons of waiting for God’s promises to be fulfilled, we need to tell our emotions to calm down and wait patiently for Him to act on our behalf. Our emotions can help us wait peacefully, with joy and expectation, or they can keep us anxious and impatient.

God is always working for our good, even when we don’t see it. We need to trust His timing and wisdom, knowing He will fulfill His promises at the time that is best for us.

Prayer of the Day: Thank You, God, for the promises You’ve made to me. I trust You to fulfill them when the time is right. Help me to wait patiently and not let my emotions lead me into frustration.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Joyce Meyer – Live the Life of the Spirit

But you are not living the life of the flesh, you are living the life of the Spirit, if the [Holy] Spirit of God [really] dwells within you]… But if anyone does not possess the [Holy] Spirit of Christ, he is none of His….

Romans 8:9 (AMPC)

We are called to walk in the Spirit or, as today’s verse says, to “live the life of the Spirit.”

Making a decision to do this is the starting point, but I can tell you from the Word of God and from experience that it takes more than a decision; it takes a deep work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. He “operates” on us with God’s Word, which divides soul and spirit (see Hebrews 4:12). He also uses circumstances to train us in stability and walking in love at all times. These things we are called to do are not things that are just given to us; they must be worked in us. Just as leaven or yeast must be worked into dough—so Christ must be worked in us.

In Philippians 2:12 (KJV), the apostle Paul teaches us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. That means we are to cooperate with the Holy Spirit as He begins in us a work of crucifixion or “dying to self.” Paul said, I die daily (1 Corinthians 15:31 KJV). In other words, he was saying that he was constantly exposed to a “putting to death in the flesh.” He was not speaking of physical death, but a death to his own will and ways. If we really want to live the life of the Spirit, we also have to put to death our will and ways and choose God’s will. We can count on God to lead us, and we want Him to be able to count on us to obey.

Prayer of the Day: Father God, help me live a life of the Spirit. Help me to make the decision first, then do a work in me that only You can do. And help me to walk through life according to Your will and not my own, amen.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Joyce Meyer – Your Breakthrough Is Coming

 

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.

2 Corinthians 4:17 (ESV)

Paul calls our earthly troubles light, momentary afflictions compared to the glory we are to receive. When I go through trying times, it helps to remind myself that they will pass. “This cannot last forever” is what I tell myself. I think of other things that I thought I would not survive, yet I did. The devil whispers in our ear that certain things will last forever, but they won’t.

Christ is your strength, and no matter how bad your current situation may look, God loves you and has already planned your escape to a safe landing place. In addition, you will learn something from your trial that will help you later in life. Keep your eyes on the prize of heaven and the glory that awaits you there.

When we go through hard situations, they make us able to endure the next tough time with more ease. Each time we experience God’s deliverance, it is easier to know that it will also be there the next time we need it. Enter God’s rest today. Your breakthrough is coming!

Prayer of the Day: Father God, thank You for helping me through all the difficult times I have ever faced, am facing, and will face in the future. I know that You will be with me through everything. Thank You, amen.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Joyce Meyer – The Goal of a Healthy Soul

 

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

3 John 2 (NKJV)

Most people I know set and meet goals each day, such as “Buy the groceries. Do the laundry. Take the kids to school. Pick up Mom’s prescription. Get Mary’s birthday present.” We also set goals for each week and each year, such as getting to church every Sunday or going on a summer vacation. But how many people have this goal: “Work on getting my soul healthy”? It’s one of the most important of all.

A healthy soul is a soul at peace and at rest. It isn’t upset, worried, angry, ashamed, or fearful. It is strong and steady, full of love, joy, hope, compassion toward others, and confidence in God. It can handle the ups and downs of life appropriately and go through everyday life with ease.

As you read the description of a healthy soul, you may think, Oh, that sounds so nice! I would love that, but I just don’t think it’s possible because I am dealing with [fill in the blank]. When you fill in the blank, you may say “aging parents,” or “difficult teenagers,” or “a serious health condition,” or “job loss,” or “an abusive relationship,” or “losing my friends,” or “problems in my marriage,” or “financial trouble,” or “unreasonable stress at work.” There are all kinds of situations that will cause you to think you really cannot have a healthy soul. They may mean you have to work hard to improve the health of your soul, but they don’t prohibit it. Actually, the fact that you are going through these things is not a hindrance to a healthy soul; it’s the reason you need one! The healthier your soul is, the stronger you will be and the better you will be able to handle your most challenging circumstances.

Just like you, I am no stranger to stress, but I have learned that things that upset us will happen. We don’t have control over that, but because God has given us the fruit of self-control (Gal. 5:22–23) and because we can ask Him to help us, we do have control over the way we respond to them. I can guarantee you, based on personal experience, that it’s much better to face challenges with a healthy soul than with a weak or wounded one.

A healthy soul is a worthy goal for all of us. I understand that in many ways it’s easier to get the groceries or drop off the kids at school than to work on becoming healthy in your mind, will, and emotions. I also know it’s one of the best things you will ever do for yourself, and that God will help you do it. It may seem difficult to you, but all things are possible with Him!

Prayer of the Day: Lord, please boost my determination to have a healthy soul. Help me to remain committed to do what it takes to achieve the goal of a healthy and thriving soul, amen.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Joyce Meyer – No Condemnation

 

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 (AMPC)

“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.

The devil tries to stop us every chance he gets. I often use the analogy of a baby learning to walk. We don’t expect that baby to stand the first day and walk across the room like an adult. Those little ones will fall often. Sometimes they cry, but they always get back up. That may be some inborn quality, but I suspect it’s because the parents are there saying, “You can do it. Come on, baby, get up and walk.”

The scene is much the same in the spiritual world. All of us fall, but when we’re encouraged, we get back up and try again. If we’re not encouraged, we tend to stay down, or at least wait a long, long time before trying to get up again.

Never underestimate Satan’s relentlessness. He will do whatever he can to trip you, and then make you feel so condemned that you won’t want to get up again. He knows that his control is finished once you choose right thoughts and reject wrong ones. He wants to hinder you from clear thinking. He will attempt to thwart you through discouragement and condemnation.

I want to tell you what Cindy did. She wrote Romans 8:1 on three 3×5 file cards and pasted one on her mirror, one on her computer, and one on her dashboard. Every time she looks at the verse, she repeats it aloud. “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.”

The Message puts Romans 8:1–2 like this: With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ’s being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death.

We are free in Jesus Christ, and we don’t have to listen to Satan’s condemnation. When we fail—and we will—that doesn’t mean we are failures. It means we failed one time in one thing. It means we didn’t do everything right. That doesn’t make us a failure.

“Just let Christ be strong in your weaknesses; let Him be your strength on your weak days.”

Prayer of the Day: Lord Jesus, in Your name I pray for victory. When I fail, please remind me not only that You forgive, but that You also wipe away the guilt and condemnation. Please accept my gratitude, amen.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Joyce Meyer – The Answer to the Sin Problem

Since all have sinned and continually fall short of the glory of God, and are being justified [declared free of the guilt of sin, made acceptable to God, and granted eternal life] as a gift by His [precious, undeserved] grace, through the redemption [the payment for our sin] which is [provided] in Christ Jesus.

Romans 3:23–24 (AMP)

Sin is a problem for everyone, but Jesus is also the answer for everyone. No problem is really a problem as long as there is an answer for it.

Not only have we fallen short of the glory of God, but according to Romans 3:23, we are currently falling short. This indicates it is a continual problem, yet Jesus is continually at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for us, so this continual problem of sin has a continual and uninterrupted answer.

Although we deal with sin, we don’t have to focus on our failures. When we are convicted of sin, we can admit it, repent, and then turn toward Jesus. By focusing on Him and His Word, we will receive the power to overcome.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, Your Word teaches us to turn away from all that will distract us from Jesus—the Author and Finisher of our faith. Please help me keep all distractions at bay, so that I can focus my attention onto You, amen.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org