Take God out of the "Emergency only" box!

**Joyce Meyer


I used to spend time with God once in awhile or when my life was in big trouble. Eventually I learned that if I ever wanted to stop living from one emergency to the next, I needed to seek God every day as if I were in desperate need of Him.


It is true that God will always help us when we come to Him. But if we want constant victory, we need to take God out of our "emergency only" box and invite Him into our everyday lives.


God wants us to get personal with Him. He proves this by the fact that He lives within us.


When Jesus died on the cross, He opened the way for us to get personal with almighty God. If God had wanted an "emergency only" relationship, He might just visit on occasion, but He certainly would not have come to take up permanent residence within us.


What an awesome thought! God is your personal friend! Will you remove Him from the "emergency only" box today?


Prayer starter: Lord, I know that the Christian life is so much more than an "emergency only" back-up plan. Because You live within me, I want to know You as a personal friend. Rather than just calling on You when I am in trouble, I want to seek You every single day.

1 Corinthians 3:16

Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?

The evidence of the Holy Spirit

**Joyce Meyer


There are too many unhappy born-again, Spirit-filled believers who do not know what it is like to remain full of the Spirit of God by acknowledging Him and pursuing His ways daily. The Holy Spirit is in them, but they do not let the evidence of it show up in their normal, day-to-day life.


It is possible to fill a glass with water without filling it to full capacity. Likewise, when we are born again we have the Holy Spirit in us, but we may not yet be totally filled and have the evidence of His power in our lives.


Acts 4:31 reports that when people were filled with the Holy Spirit, they spoke the Word of God "with freedom and boldness and courage."


It does not please God when people leave Him out of their daily lives and then follow religious formulas to try to appease Him. Instead, He wants us to live the Spirit-filled life of freedom, boldness and courage.


I urge you to let God work freely in every area of your life through the power of the Holy Spirit.


Prayer starter: God, I want to be filled with the Holy Spirit every day. Help me to live with the freedom, boldness and courage You give in my daily life.

Acts 4:31

After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

Receiving the Holy Spirit

**Joyce Meyer


In Acts 1:8 Jesus promises that the Holy Spirit will also come upon us, giving us power (ability, efficiency and might) to be Christ's witnesses to the ends of the earth.


Many Christians follow all the "right" rules, but wonder: "Is this all there is?" As a young Christian, I experienced that same emptiness. Doing the right things brought temporary happiness but not deep, satisfying joy.


I cried out: "God, something is missing!" To my surprise, I heard the audible voice of God and I knew He was about to move in my life.


Only a few hours later Jesus filled me with the presence of the Holy Spirit in a way that I had never before experienced, and everything changed. I felt His power in my life in a new way.


When you spend time with God daily and receive His Holy Spirit, you are not signing up for a scary, weird experience. You are simply receiving His power to be more like Jesus and His wisdom to walk through ordinary events.


Do not be afraid of new things, just make sure they are biblical. I believe that God desires to take you to new heights in Him through the power of daily interaction with His Holy Spirit. He is knocking at the door of your heart. Will you open it wide and welcome Him?


Prayer starter: God, I want to live as a Christian who is filled with the power of Your Holy Spirit. Show me how to live in the deep, satisfying joy that comes from the Holy Spirit. I thank You for the power and the wisdom to walk through every day and every situation.

Acts 1:8

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Truth will set you free

**Joyce Meyer

Many people today do not even bother to think rationally about what they believe and end up building their entire lives on beliefs that are simply not true. Whatever the news media, a celebrity or a group of friends say suddenly becomes 'truth' to them.

Believing what others say rather than exploring God's Word for yourself will actually limit you and even keep you from doing what God created you to do. But, if you will contend for the truth, embrace it and build your life upon it, you will succeed in every endeavor.

If you want to stay on track with God's Truth, you have to make communication with Him a priority in your daily schedule. I cannot urge you strongly enough to communicate with Him frequently through prayer, reading His Word, worship, and simply acknowledging His presence and guidance throughout the day.

When you know God, you know Truth. Living in His Truth will bring peace, freedom, and joy to your life.

Prayer starter: God, I do not want to be limited by my thoughts and beliefs about what is true. You are the only source of Truth. As I spend time communicating with You, show me and guide me into Your Truth.

John 8:32

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

Nothing is impossible

**Joyce Meyer


People who think positively can see potential in even the most discouraging situations, while those who think negatively are quick to point out problems and limitations.


This goes beyond the proverbial idea of simply seeing a glass "half full" or "half empty" and extends to actually making decisions and taking actions based in either positive or negative thinking.


Have you ever noticed how negative thinking blows things out of proportion? Problems start to seem larger and much more difficult than they really are.


Sometimes, a problem may actually be impossible...in the natural. And a negative mindset forgets that nothing is impossible to God.


Meditating on God's Word will rid you of negativity and help you refocus on who God is. A positive mindset based on God's Word knows that nothing is beyond God. He is always present.


I have trained my brain to believe God and His Word, and I have experienced the power available to me through God when I have trusted Him more than my circumstances. We need to always remember that nothing is impossible with God.


Prayer starter: Lord, it is clear to me that I have nothing to gain from a 'glass-half-empty' mindset. Even in impossible situations, I know that You are there. I choose to see the positive side of things as I live in Your Word.

Luke 1:37

For nothing is impossible with God.

Let the storm subside

**Joyce Meyer


I have faced so many storms in my life, some like the quick afternoon storms that are common in the summertime and some that seemed like category four hurricanes!


If I have learned anything about weathering those storms, it has been that they do not last forever, and I do not need to make major decisions in the midst of them.


Thoughts and feelings run wild in the midst of crises, but those are exactly the times we need to be careful about making decisions. I often say to myself, "Let emotions subside before you decide."


We must remain calm and discipline ourselves to focus on doing what we can do and trust God to do what we cannot do. Instead of drowning in worry and fear, get in touch with God, who sees past the storm and orchestrates the big picture.


He makes sure everything that needs to happen in our lives happens at the right time, moves at the appropriate speed, and causes us to arrive safely at the destinations He has planned for us.


Prayer starter: God, I know that I cannot control everything, so I will do what I can and trust You to do what I cannot do. The storms of life do not control me. I trust Your plans for me.

Psalm 46:1-3

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

Remembering past successes

**Joyce Meyer


To be honest, a lot of us are negative thinkers when we find ourselves in challenging situations. But to move past trying times, you have to take your negative thoughts and turn them into positive thoughts.


God wants to take you on a "truth journey" through studying His Word that produces amazing results. It will help you purge your negative thoughts and give you the ability to see the positive in your situation.


Being positive is powerful. And a big part of being positive is simply reminding yourself of your past successes.


When David faced the giant Goliath, he remembered the lion and the bear he had already defeated, and it gave him courage in his current situation.


If you are going through a difficult time right now, let me remind you that this probably is not the first challenge you have faced. You survived the last one (and probably learned some valuable lessons through it) and you will survive this one too.


Like David, remember your past successes. Then go to the Word and see what God says. Better days are on their way. God promises it!


Prayer starter: God, sometimes the situation in front of me seems impossible, but You have brought me through difficult times in the past, and I know You can do it again. Help me to remember past successes and to think positively about my present situation.

1 Samuel 17:37

The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine. Saul said to David, "Go, and the Lord be with you."

Free to think positive thoughts

**Joyce Meyer


This scripture show us how important it is to think healthy, positive thoughts about ourselves. You cannot love life if you are always thinking negative thoughts. If you struggle with this, I encourage you to make up your mind to work toward changing your way of thinking. I have found the best way to become a positive thinker is to ask God for a lot of help, and to ask for it often.


That is really the hardest part of being set free from negativism: admitting that it is a problem and asking God for help. But once you do that, you can overcome it because according to the Bible, you are a new person in Christ (see 2 Corinthians 5:17).


Many people are afraid to hope because they have been hurt so much in life. Their philosophy is: "If I do not expect anything good to happen, I would not be disappointed if it does not."


That is how I used to think. I had encountered so much disappointment and I was afraid to be positive. When I began to study the Word and trust God to restore me, I realized my negative thoughts had to go.


We need to practice positive thoughts in every situation. If you are going through a difficult time, expect that God will work things out for your good. As a Christian, it is time for you to fight for your thoughts, because your mind would not automatically come into agreement with God's plans.


I encourage you to spend time examining His Word and comparing it to Your thought life. Give God time to help you put your thoughts in line with His. He showed me how to be a more positive person, and He will show you how to be one too.


Prayer starter: God, I admit that I struggle with negative thoughts and I need Your help/ Line my thoughts up with Your Word. In every situation, remind me that You will work things out for my good.

Proverbs 23:7

for he is the kind of man who is always thinking about the cost. "Eat and drink," he says to you, but his heart is not with you.

Eating the "solid food" of God's Word

**Joyce Meyer

I remember feeding my babies and as long as I was giving them bananas and peaches, everything was great. But when I would slip in a spoonful of peas, they would go "Phftt!" So I would scrape the peas off their chin and shove it back in their mouth again. It took me awhile, but sooner or later, they were eating peas.

It is the same with baby Christians. When we start consuming God's Word, we start growing up spiritually. We stop walking in the flesh and start doing what He wants us to do.

Proverbs 4:18 tells us the path of righteous shines brighter and clearer every day as we continue in God's Word. The key word here is continue. We have got to love the Word, study the Word, and listen to the Word so it can transform us.

Have you ever run a yellow light? Maybe you are in a hurry and think, I can make it through this. If you do that over and over, you are bound to end up in a wreck. Well, it is the same with God's Word.

If we go ahead and do what we know we should not be doing and just try to sneak by, we can end up getting hurt. God's Word is here to protect us.

Hebrews 5:14 says, "Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong" (NLT).

The "solid food" of the Word will convict you, and that is a positive thing. It is the Holy Spirit letting you know in your heart that your attitude stinks or that you are on the wrong path.

Getting in the Word is the key to living life in the right direction. So do not be a baby...take in the solid food of the Word!

Prayer starter: God, I know that Your Word is the only path to maturity. Do not let me be a baby! Guide me and help me to grow as I take in the solid food of Your Word.

Hebrews 5:14

But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

God approves of you

**Joyce Meyer


We need to speak affirming words over people. We need to resurrect this benediction in Numbers 6:24-26: "the Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you; the Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace" (AMP).


In other words, God is smiling at you. Think about it. Every time you smile at someone, you are saying to them, "I approve of you. I accept you. You are cool."


God not only approves of you, He is smiling over you. He loves you! You need to get that so deeply rooted withing your heart that nothing can ever take it from you.


When you are rooted in God's love, He is going to help you stand up in faith and start walking in obedience to Him. But you cannot go ahead of Him trying to do good works on your own. You have to know the Word so that you can know who you are in Christ.


In Psalm 18:19, David said, "God is pleased with me." David was not perfect, but he knew God delighted in him. God is pleased with you too. Get that truth down inside you. He is smiling over you and He loves you very much. God approves of you!


Prayer starter: God, thank You so much for loving me and for approving of me. Thank You for smiling over me. Your love has changed my life and I know that it will only continue to do so as I grow in You.

Numbers 6:24-26

The Lord bless you and keep you;

the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;

the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.

Being an imitator of God

**Joyce Meyer


Being a Christian is not about making a weekly trip to church. We need to develop the character of God so others can actually see Jesus working in a practical way.


Ephesians 5:1 says that we are to be imitators of God. Unfortunately, saying it is a lot easier than actually doing it. So many times we do things that do not reflect God at all. It is easy to get discouraged, give up on and condemn ourselves when we fall short.


Thankfully, God is not bothered that we have not arrived yet. He know we are only human. He knows that we are not going to instantly, perfectly mirror Him overnight, but He does want us to continue growing.


We are not meant to live stagnant lives, never moving forward in our faith. Where is the adventure in that? We need to be able to look back on our life and see some changes taking place.


I used to be a Pharisee. I think I could have been the chief of Pharisees. I had a real religious act going on, but I was not really doing anything to truly "imitate" God. At some point, God let me to ask myself: "What am I doing to be more like God? Am I actually helping anybody? Am I just in this thing so God will make my life better?"


When we are in a place of questioning, that is the best place to be. It is a place of constantly striving toward being more like Christ.


As you are striving, do not fall into the trap of perfectionism and self-condemnation. We all make mistakes but the important thing is to be willing to take steps every day toward being more like God.


Prayer starter: God, I thank You that even though You see my mistakes, You still love me and help me live a godly life. While I refuse to be discouraged by my failures, I also refuse to stay the same. I choose to follow you and imitate you more and more each day.

Ephesians 5:1

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children.

God's agape love

**Joyce Meyer


The Bible talks about various kinds of love. There is the Greek word "phileo," which means friendship or tender affection. Then there is "eros," which is the passionate love we feel for a lover. But there is a third kind, a higher kind of love.


"Agape" is the kind of love God has toward His Son and the human race. It is a love that sacrifices, the love that we see in John 3:16:" For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son..." (NIV).


There are so many scriptures on this topic. It is really something you should sit down and study personally. Another scripture that teaches the concept of agape love is Matthew 5:44. It tells us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.


It is not difficult to pray for people who are good to you. But it does stretch you to pray for people who have wounded you. It is easy to hang out with your friends at church. But it is harder to seek out that person who looks like they are miserable and alone and just listen to them for awhile. That is agape love. It is sacrificing your comfort to do what is righteous.


You can "agape love" people by being patient with them, by being understanding with them, by saying something encouraging or by not saying anything when you could. As humans, we are inherently selfish, constantly asking, "What about me?" It is time to declare war on selfishness with the power of agape love.


It is time to be good and loving to people on purpose as we study and understand what scripture says about love. And let the agape love of God in you overflow to others.


Prayer starter: Lord, Your powerful agape love is amazing. Empower me as I declare war on selfishness and make a decision to, on purpose, live a life of agape love.

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Know God's character

**Joyce Meyer


It is important that we know God's character. Why? It gives us discernment. If we do not know the character of God, How can we ever know who is from God and who is not from God? Here are three character traits of God that help me stay in tune with who He is and what He is doing:


1. Justice: God is a God of justice. That word justice is so awesome because it means that He will always make anything that is wrong right. This helps me to not worry when I am mistreated because I know God will bring justice. It is who He is.


2. Goodness: God is good, this fact never changes. And He is good all the time, not just once in a while or when things go your way. Psalm  34:8 says, "Taste and see that LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him" (NIV). When things are bad, I find great encouragement in God's goodness.


3. Holiness: God is holy and righteous, and He desires to make us holy, pure and clean, free from the defilement of sin. To be honest, it has helped me in my walk with God to realize that whatever He does is right, whether I like it or not. This helps me to stay in sync with Him.


These three traits are not the only characteristics of God, but they are some of the most significant and powerful ones to me.


I encourage you to spend some time looking up these traits, and other traits if God that are important to you. When you study who He is, the Holy Spirit will help you incorporate His traits into your own personality. Begin to practice them in your daily life, and see what God does... You would not be disappointed. 


Prayer starter: God, You are wonderful. Your justice, goodness, holiness, and countless other traits amaze me and remind me of how great You are. Continue to remind me of Your character so I can become more like You.

Psalm 34:8

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who take refuge in Him.

Social justice

**Joyce Meyer


It is simply wrong to see or hear of someone in need and do absolutely nothing. Let me explain...


Awhile ago, the Lord revealed to me just how strongly He feels about wanting me to work for justice for the oppressed. It is part of His calling for all in the body of Christ. He has been looking for people to help the fatherless, the widows, the oppressed, the poor, the lonely and forgotten since He gave the law in Old Testament times.


Speaking through Moses, He said, "You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child" (Exodus 22:22 AMP). God is not partial, "He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger or temporary resident and gives him food and clothing" (Deuteronomy 10:18 AMP). God told the people that if they fed the strangers, the widows and the fatherless, He would bless the work of their hands (see Deuteronomy 14:29).


Some of the most lonely and forgotten people in the world today are the girls who have been forced into prostitution in order to survive, the orphan boy in Africa whose parents have died of AIDS, the prisoner who spends day after day alone in a prison cell, the homeless man living on the streets...there are plenty of people in need out there.


This can all seem overwhelming, and you might be thinking, "What can I do about this?" God has taught me that while I cannot solve everything, if i relieve the suffering of just one person, I am making a difference.


Please do not think that what you have to give is not enough. The hurting, broken, hungry and homeless are all around. Will you help them today?


Prayer starter: Lord, You clearly care about helping those who are poor and lonely. Give me your heart for justice and show me the hurting and broken that You want me to help.

Deuteronomy 10:18

He defends the cause of the  fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.

True happiness

**Joyce Meyer


Years ago  I had no idea how strongly God felt about giving to others. Before that, I lived a selfish, me-first life. I struggled and strived constantly to find happiness for myself, but I always found myself worn-down, stresses-out, and definitely unhappy.


However, God taught me a thing or two about true happiness. Once I figured out that happiness is a by-product of doing something good for other people, I began to adopt a lifestyle where I intentionally look for ways to help people, every day.


The Bible says in Acts 20:35, in everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: It is more blesses to give than to receive' (NIV).


That is amazing. Giving brings more happiness than receiving? On the surface, that does not make such sense. We live in a world and a culture that is obsessed with receiving. So many times, we look at people who have a lot of stuff and think, 'They must be truly happy.'


But true happiness comes from a lifestyle of giving to others. Now, that does not mean you have to give away millions. All God asks is that you give what you have.


I do not ever want to be the kind of person who just says, "Well, I am doing enough. I am satisfied." In reality, that will never bring satisfaction. No, I want to help as many people as I possibly can.


Today, find someone you can give to. No matter how big or small your gift, whether it is money, time, or encouragement, just give what you have. Experience the true happiness that comes from giving.


Prayer starter: God, I know that true happiness comes from giving, not receiving. I want to live the life of true happiness that comes from forgetting about my selfish desires and seeking to give to those around me.

Acts 20:35

In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak. remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'

Making the most of your time

**Joyce Meyer


Time really does fly, doesn't it? On the other hand, in some situations, it may seem like time crawls! No matter how fast or slow it feels like time goes by, each of us only has a certain amount of time on this earth. With that in mind, I want to ask you, what are you doing with your time?


Time is such a gift from God! I see every day how He takes His time to make us what He wants us to be. And then, in His mercy and grace, He gives us time to get in agreement with what He is doing in our lives so we can experience His goodness. What a loving God!


So, ask yourself, "Am I in agreement with what God is doing in me? Or, am I struggling and fighting, impatiently trying to do things my way?"


I can assure you, if you are struggling with God, you are just wasting your time, but if you are in agreement with Him, you are using your time for great things.


Remember, God is gracious. He takes His time. We might think He is taking too long when, in His goodness, He is just waiting for us to line up with the work He is doing in us. He would not rush. He is patient. Our struggling only delays our progress.


So maybe this is a good time to change your outlook and start looking ahead to a new way of doing things, a new vision for life, a renewed faith and trust in the One who is always at work in us, and always for our good.


My encouragement to you is to trust God and spend your time getting in agreement with what He is doing in you life. Let Him define your purpose. Know in your heart that He has great plans, and no matter how much time He takes, He loves you, and He always has your best interest at heart.


Prayer starter: Lord, I want to spend my time agreeing with, not fighting, the great work You are accomplishing in me. I thank You that when I start to waste time, You always remind me that You love me and that Your timing is always best.

Ephesians 5:15-16

Be very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

Guarding your heart

**Joyce Meyer


Proverbs 4:23 says to guard your heart "for it determines the course of your life" (NLT). Think about that. Whatever's in your heart is eventually going to show up in your everyday life. Whatever is inside will eventually find its way out, where anyone and everyone can see it.


That alone makes it extremely important to monitor the things we allow to shape our hearts. I do not want something nasty, sinful, and selfish finding its way out and damaging my relationships with others, and I doubt you do either.


A large part of guarding your heart means learning how to control your thoughts, your words, your disposition and your general outlook. What you think usually comes out in what you say. What you say affects how you feel, and that show up in your overall attitude.


In the course of everyday life, this is what determines how you handle your circumstances, whether you will have peace or fall apart in a stressful situation. It governs how you respond to others, either with compassion and understanding or with judgement and arrogance, especially when you disagree with them!


You can try and keep your inner thoughts from altering your words and attitudes, but I find it is much easier to have godly thoughts to begin with. Spend time in God's presence, and let Holy Spirit fill your heart with His goodness.


Prayer starter: Lord, I only want my heart to be filled with thoughts and desires that are from You. As I spend more time in Your presence and focus solely on You, I know that my heart will change for the better, affecting    the rest of my life in godly ways.

Proverbs 4:23

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

Through Christ who strengthens you

**Joyce Meyer


Philippians 4:13 is a very popular scripture  that is often quoted out of context. It says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." That does not mean you can just do anything you decide to do because you want to do it. Paul was talking specifically about how he was able, through the power of Christ, to be content no matter what his circumstances were.


I do believe that, by God's grace, we can do whatever we need to do in life. I think that is a mindset we need to have. There us nothing that is too much for you if you are trusting God. You can handle whatever comes your way because God promises that He will never put more on us than we can bear and deal with.


So keep a positive attitude no matter where you are right now, no matter what is going on in your life. Cheer up, God is on your side. Stop being upset about things you cannot do anything about.


God wants you to know that He has an individual plan for your life, and He wants you to accept His unique plan for you and not compare your plan with anybody else's. You have to trust God knows more about what you need and what you can handle than you do. After all, He knows you better than you know yourself!


Prayer starter: Lord, like Paul, I want my contentment to come from You, not my circumstances. Show me every day that Your plan for me is perfect and that I do not need to worry.

Philippians 4:13

I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Living with contentment and satisfaction

**Joyce Meyer


The Bible says that godliness accompanied with contentment is great and abundant gain. What I take from that is, a godly person who is content is in the very best place he can possibly be.


Joy does not come from having your circumstances in order and under control; it comes from what is in your heart. For example, the world is full of people who have what they think they want, and they are still not happy. In fact, some of the most unhappy people in the world are people who seem to "have it all."


Contentment is not about fame or being well-known, how much money you have, your position at work or your social circle. It is not found in your level of education or what side of the tracks you were born in. Contentment is  a heart attitude.


There is nobody happier than a truly thankful person, a truly content person. The word content means 'being satisfied to the point where nothing disturbs you no matter what is going on, but not satisfied to the point that you never want any change.'


We all want to see things get better. But where you are right this minute does not have to disturb you. You can choose to believe that God is working and things are changing, and you will see the result of it in due time.


Life is all about the choices we make, so choose contentment and satisfaction every single day of your life. You would not go wrong when you do.


Prayer starter: God, I want to be content and satisfied with where I am, right here, right now. Give me the strength to choose to be content every single day.

1 Timothy 6:6

But godliness with contentment is great gain.

Visualize your victory

**Joyce Meyer


I have had some great victories in my life. God has set me free from so many old sins, bondages and habits. The thrill of freedom I have experienced is absolutely amazing, and it is something God wants all of us to experience.


I still have battles I need to win and obstacles to overcome, and I am sure you do too. I encourage you to pick one thing you would like to start working on today.


Next, start visualizing your victory today. Think about what your life will look like when you are free.


I use Deuteronomy 28 as an incentive. I encourage you to read the whole chapter. It basically says that if you obey God, He will bless you, and if you disobey God, you will be cursed. Now that is a powerful incentive, wouldn't you agree?


I like working with God to conquer things and not let the enemy rule me. In fact, I think the most exciting journey in life is simply saying, "God, I want to change. I want to please You."


When you get into that frame of mind, you can get free from one thing and go on to another thing and another thing and pretty soon, you will start to realize that you have some real authority in Christ.


Do not live your life without the thrill of growing and changing or you will miss out in the good things God can do through you.


Take some time today to visualize the person you want to be and start pursuing God's freedom. Because one day at a time, you and God can do anything!


Prayer starter: God, I believe that I can experience Your freedom. Today, I visualize the free person I can be in You. Empower me as I live to please You and walk in the authority You have given me.

Deuteronomy 28:13

The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.

A willingness to change

**Joyce Meyer


I started smoking when I was nine years old. I liked it because it relaxed me, and for a long time, I did not want to quit. By the time I knew I should quit, I did not want to because I thought I would put on weight. That was my excuse for years. Then I got into this cycle where I would quit and start again, quit and start again.


But I reached my crisis point when I wanted to smoke so much I started sneaking out during church to lie down in the seat of my car and smoke. That is when I knew I had to make a change.


There usually comes a crisis point before a lot of us are willing to change. For example, sometimes it takes a heart attack for a person to start eating right. But you do not have to wait for your crisis point. You can just bite the bullet and say, "That us it. I am done with this."


The Bible says that we can "choose life." God has provided you with the support and ability to change, but you have to be willing to, otherwise your crisis point will hit you hard and fast. It is so much easier to "choose life" before you reach that point.


Do not be afraid to be a little uncomfortable for awhile. I finally achieved freedom from smoking, and it was not easy...but I did not have to do it alone.


If you think you are not ready to change, just take it to God and say, "Help me, help me, help me."


I am telling you that with the help of God and a decision on your part to "choose life," you can truly, permanently change for the better.


Prayer starter: God, You have given me a choice, and I choose life! I know change is hard, but I ask You to help me. With Your help and my willingness to change, I know I can overcome any obstacle.

Deuteronomy 30:19

This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live

Breaking bad habits

**Joyce Meyer


You can break up with your bad habits just like you can break up a bad boyfriend or girlfriend. Bad relationships are one of the hardest habits to break, but if we choose to end them, we can spare ourselves a lot of trouble and pain. Let me explain.


For years and years, I had a bad habit of getting upset every time I did not get my way. Maybe that is not your bad habit. Maybe you gossip or cuss or drink too much coffee or watch too much TV or spend money on things you do not need. Whatever your bad habit is, you can break it.


I am not going to say that breaking a bad habit is easy, but it is God's desire for us to take authority over our bad habits. He does not want us to be "bossed around" by our emotions, He wants us to have victory.


Breaking a bad habit requires making a series of good choices, one after the other. Most of us will try to do that on our own without the help of the Holy Spirit. But eventually we figure out that we cannot please God without God helping us.


The Amplified Bible refers to the Holy Spirit as our "standby." He is always standing by in case you get into trouble and need a little help. But He would not just show up uninvited. You have to ask Him for help.


Romans 12:21 says we "overcome (master) evil with good." That is one of the biggest secrets in the Word of God. It is a lot easier to make the right choice when you are focusing in God and your victory instead of the fear of failure.


Make the choice today to walk in the Spirit to overcome bad habits and live in victory!


Prayer starter: God, I am done living with my bad habits. I make a choice now to take the authority You have given me over temptations that want to boss me around. I will follow Your Holy Spirit into new and better life habits.

Romans 12:21

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

God will direct your journey

**Joyce Meyer


The Christian life can be likened to a journey. The Holy Spirit is our guide, He leads us daily. And He is always guiding us to what is best for our life. The key to a successful and enjoyable journey is to follow Him.


But what does it mean to follow God? Basically, it means to obey Him, to follow His lead, and to do what He says.


So many times we get ahead of God. We may think we know the best direction to take or we get impatient with His timing and make a wrong turn because it looks quicker. The problem is, once we realize that road leads to a dead end, we have to go all the way back to where we got off course.


The good news is, God is there, waiting to take the land again and show us the right way to go.


The Lord has each of our journeys perfectly planned. We need to fully understand that He loves us, that He is good and righteous and that we can trust Him.


We can trust Him to lead us in the direction that is right for us. We can trust Him to correct us when we stray guide us back to the right place. We can trust Him with others on our path. We can trust Him with our life, period.


Follow the Holy Spirit's lead, because He knows the way and He will always stay with you. Trust Him to lead you into all the good He planned for your life long before you were ever born. And enjoy the journey.


Prayer starter: God, Your Word says that You direct the steps of the godly. I trust You to guide me on the journey You have for me, and I know that when I get off track, You will always be there to help me recover and keep going.

Psalm 37:23

The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him

Look from the place where you are

**Joyce Meyer

It seems that life always has its ways of bringing us to a place where we need to make a fresh start.


In the Bible, Abram found himself in that very place when his nephew Lot chose the best land in the area, leaving Abram with the less desirable land. But God did not abandon Abram. Instead He showed up and gave Abram a bold new vision.


I like what the Lord told Abram after he and Lot parted ways. He told him, 'Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are.'


It is the phrase, "look from the place where you are," that stirs me. That is the point of a fresh start, a new beginning. God Himself will bring us to that point occasionally.


You might be there right now. Maybe you want to break a bad habit or revive a lost dream. Maybe you want to get a handle on your finances, start your own business, write a book, whatever it is, God could be telling you to get started right now. This could be your new beginning!


After God told Abram to look from that place, the next thing He told him was, 'Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you' (Genesis 13:17 NKJV).


God could be telling you right now to get up and get on with your dream or vision, your assignment, your life, because He is giving it to you. Your part is to walk it out.


Do what you need to do. It may not be easy. It might take some time. But trust God and go for whatever it is. Look from the place where you are right now - and go!


Prayer starter: God, regardless of what is happened in the past, help me to look up from where I am now. I thank You for your new beginning for me. I will boldly step into it and walk out Your calling for me.

Genesis 13:14

The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, "Look around from where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west.