ANNOUNCER: THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS PAID FOR BY
THE FRIENDS AND PARTNERS OF JOYCE MEYER MINISTRIES.
GINGER: AS WE WALK THROUGH EACH NEW DAY,
WE ALL HAVE QUESTIONS.
THEY'RE JUST PART OF LIFE, BUT DID YOU KNOW THERE ARE ANSWERS
FOR YOU?
GOD SAYS WHEN WE LOOK, WE'LL FIND HIM.
HE'S NOT TRYING TO HIDE ANYTHING.
SO TOGETHER, WE ARE DISCOVERING LIFE'S EVERYDAY ANSWERS.
JOYCE: "BUT YOU SAID JESUS SET ME FREE, WELL, THEN WHY
AM I NOT FREE?
YOU SAID I'M HEALED BY THE STRIPES OF JESUS, SO WHY
AM I STILL IN A MESS?
YOU SAID THAT HE WOULD GIVE ME BEAUTY FOR ASHES, BUT WHY IS MY
LIFE STILL FALLING APART?" GINGER: "WHY DO I CONTINUE
TO SUFFER?" WHAT A HUGE QUESTION AND
IT'S ONE THAT JOYCE IS GOING TO HELP WALK US THROUGH TODAY.
IT'S ALSO A QUESTION THAT WE RECEIVE QUITE OFTEN FROM A LOT
OF YOU IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS.
HERE'S ONE EXAMPLE FROM TWITTER.
GABRIELLE FROM CALIFORNIA ASKS, "HOW DO I GET THE IMMEDIATE
MIRACLE I NEED?" WELL, WE CANNOT DETERMINE GOD'S
TIMING, BUT HE IS NEVER LATE.
AND TODAY, JOYCE WILL HELP US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS WE NEED
TO BE DOING WHEN SHE ANSWERS OUR QUESTION, "WHY DO I CONTINUE
TO SUFFER?" JOYCE: IN ISAIAH 61,
VERSES 1 THROUGH 3, THERE ARE SCRIPTURES
THAT CARRIED ME THROUGH MANY OF THE FIRST YEARS OF, I MIGHT SAY,
MY VERY CONFUSING WALK WITH GOD.
BECAUSE VERY OFTEN WE THINK, "WELL, YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT
CHRIST NOW.
I'M GOING TO CHURCH.
EVERYTHING SHOULD START TURNING AROUND IN OUR LIVES."
BUT IT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAPPEN JUST THAT WAY.
I WAS IN A LARGE DENOMINATION AND I TOOK INSTRUCTIONS
IN THE CHURCH.
AND I JOINED THE CHURCH AND INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH,
NOT MUCH GOT BETTER IN MY LIFE.
NOW, I DID HAVE SOME KNOWLEDGE INSIDE OF ME THAT--OF CHRIST
AS MY SAVIOR AND I HEARD A GOOD FOUNDATIONAL MESSAGE ABOUT
GRACE.
I UNDERSTOOD GRACE.
I UNDERSTOOD THE DOCTRINAL THINGS
THAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND.
I HEARD GOOD TEACHING ABOUT FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT,
THE BLOOD OF CHRIST, THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF CHRIST,
BUT WHAT TO DO WITH MY EVERYDAY LIFE, I DID NOT KNOW AT ALL.
AND IN 1976, GOD TOUCHED MY LIFE IN A REAL POWERFUL WAY AND HE
GAVE ME A REAL HUNGER FOR HIS WORD, AND I BEGAN TO STUDY
THE WORD.
AND I BEGAN TO REALIZE THAT I HAD MANY, MANY, MANY PROBLEMS
IN MY SOUL THAT WERE LEFT OVER FROM THE ABUSE IN MY CHILDHOOD.
YOU SEE, VERY OFTEN IF WE'RE IN A CIRCUMSTANCE THAT'S HURTING US
OR MAYBE AS A CHILD YOU GREW UP IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU WERE
BEING HURT.
MAYBE YOU WEREN'T GIVEN LOVE AND ATTENTION.
MAYBE YOU HAD A LOT OF VERBAL ABUSE, SOME ANGRY PERSON TELLING
YOU YOU'RE NO GOOD ALL THE TIME, OR ALWAYS FINDING FAULT WITH YOU
AND SAYING CRITICAL THINGS TO YOU.
"YOU'LL NEVER AMOUNT TO ANYTHING.
WHY CAN'T YOU BE LIKE YOUR BROTHER?
WHY CAN'T YOU BE LIKE YOUR SISTER?"
WHATEVER IT IS THAT ANGRY PEOPLE SAY.
OR MAYBE YOU WERE SEXUALLY ABUSED LIKE I WAS, BY YOUR DAD,
YOUR MOM, SOMEBODY ELSE IN THE FAMILY, A NEIGHBOR.
MAYBE IT WAS ONE OR TWO TIMES OR MAYBE IT WAS MANY YEARS LIKE
WHAT I WENT THROUGH.
MAYBE YOU WERE PHYSICALLY ABUSED.
I KNOW PEOPLE THAT WERE LOCKED IN CLOSETS, DENIED FOOD, BEATEN
UNMERCIFULLY BECAUSE THEY HAD MENTALLY ILL PARENTS
OR ANGRY PARENTS.
IT'S AMAZING THE HORRIBLE THINGS THAT PEOPLE DO TO OTHER PEOPLE,
BUT ONE THING THAT HAS REALLY HELPED ME IS TO REMEMBER THAT
HURTING PEOPLE HURT PEOPLE.
HURTING PEOPLE HURT PEOPLE.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S VERY MANY PEOPLE WHO JUST GET UP EVERY DAY
AND THINK, "WELL, I'M JUST GONNA SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE I CAN MAKE
MISERABLE TODAY."
I REALLY THINK THAT PEOPLE, MANY TIMES, ARE ACTING OUT OF THEIR
OWN PAIN.
AND WHAT SATAN WANTS, OF COURSE, IS FOR SOMEONE TO HURT US
AND THEN FOR US TO BE ANGRY, AND BITTER, AND RESENTFUL,
HAVE A CHIP ON OUR SHOULDER, SPEND OUR LIFE
FEELING SORRY FOR OURSELF, GET INTO ALL KINDS OF ADDICTIVE
BEHAVIORS, AND THEN SPEND OUR LIVES HATING SOMEBODY ELSE AND
HURTING SOMEBODY ELSE SO THEY CAN THEN TURN AROUND
AND DO THE SAME THING.
AND THEN THERE IT GOES FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION
TO GENERATION.
BUT I'M HERE TO ANNOUNCE GOOD NEWS TO YOU TONIGHT THAT IF
YOU'VE BEEN HURT IN THE PAST, IT DOES NOT HAVE TO GO BEYOND
YOU TO ANYONE ELSE.
YOU HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SPEAKING THE NAME OF JESUS AND
BELIEVING IN THE POWER OF GOD TO NOT ONLY COMPLETELY HEAL YOU
AND MAKE YOU JUST AS IF IT NEVER HAPPENED TO YOU, BUT TO NEVER
LET IT GO ON TO ANYBODY ELSE IN YOUR GENERATION, AND THAT IS
WONDERFUL, GOOD NEWS, AMEN?
GIVE GOD A BIG PRAISE.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: IN THOSE EARLY YEARS, I NEEDED SO DESPERATELY TO
BELIEVE THE PROMISES OF GOD AS I WAS TRYING TO STUDY THIS
AND WALK IT OUT IN MY LIFE.
I'M NOT GONNA TELL YOU THAT IF YOU'VE BEEN HURT REALLY BAD AND
YOU'VE GOT A BIG MESS IN YOUR SOUL, YOUR MIND IS MESSED UP,
YOUR EMOTIONS ARE MESSED UP, YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO MAKE RIGHT
DECISIONS, MAYBE YOU WANT TO BE IN CONTROL OF EVERYTHING OR
MAYBE YOU'VE BECOME REAL PASSIVE AND YOU DON'T WANT TO MAKE
ANY REAL CHOICES.
YOU JUST KIND OF FLOAT THROUGH LIFE AND WAIT TO SEE WHAT'S
GONNA HAPPEN DAY AFTER DAY.
IT'S GONNA TAKE SOME TIME, AND SOME DILIGENCE, AND SOME STUDY,
AND SOME PRAYER TO WALK OUT THIS HEALING THAT IS YOURS BY
VIRTUE OF THE BLOOD OF CHRIST.
WHAT WE HAVE LEGALLY AS A GIFT FROM GOD, WE HAVE TO LEARN HOW
TO APPLY EXPERIENTIALLY IN OUR EVERYDAY LIFE.
AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE GET CONFUSED BECAUSE THEY SAY,
"BUT YOU SAID JESUS SET ME FREE, WELL, THEN WHY AM I NOT FREE?
YOU SAID I'M HEALED BY THE STRIPES OF JESUS,
SO WHY AM I STILL IN A MESS?
YOU SAID THAT HE WOULD GIVE ME BEAUTY FOR ASHES, BUT WHY IS
MY LIFE STILL FALLING APART?" BECAUSE ALL OF THOSE THINGS
ARE--THEY DO BELONG TO EVERY ONE OF US.
EVERY PERSON WATCHING BY TV, YOU'VE EVER BEEN HURT, ANYBODY'S
EVER ABUSED YOU, MISUSED YOU, YOU'VE BEEN ABANDONED, YOU'VE
BEEN BETRAYED, YOU'VE HAD PEERS IN OUR LIFE MAKE FUN OF YOU,
YOU'VE BEEN REJECTED, WHATEVER IT IS--AND YOU'RE EMOTIONALLY
WOUNDED RIGHT NOW.
YOU'RE WHAT I WOULD TERM A BROKEN-HEARTED PERSON.
THE GOOD NEWS IS IS JESUS HAS ALREADY SET YOU FREE.
HE HAS ALREADY SET YOU FREE.
NOW, PART OF MY JOB AS A TEACHER IN THE BODY OF CHRIST IS
TO TEACH YOU HOW TO WALK OUT OF THOSE PRISON DOORS THAT--THOSE
PRISONS THAT ALREADY HAVE OPEN DOORS, TO TEACH YOU TO SEE
WHAT'S YOURS AND TO BELIEVE IT ENOUGH TO REACH OUT AND BEGIN TO
PUT IT INTO ACTION IN YOUR LIFE.
IT'S A WONDERFUL JOURNEY, ABSOLUTELY AMAZING,
WONDERFUL JOURNEY.
HOW MANY OF YOU THINK YOU UNDERSTOOD WHAT I JUST SAID,
AT LEAST TO SOME DEGREE?
OKAY, AND IT HELPS TO UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE THEN YOU'RE NOT
WONDERING, "WELL, IF I'M SAVED, WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?"
WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN BE SAVED, BUT MAYBE YOU HAVEN'T
RENEWED YOUR MIND YET.
I WAS SAVED, BUT I MEAN MY MIND WAS A GARBAGE PIT.
I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO THINK RIGHT.
I WAS CRITICAL, AND JUDGMENTAL, AND SUSPICIOUS, AND ANGRY,
AND MANY OF MY THOUGHTS WERE DARK, AND LONELY.
AND I DIDN'T KNOW THAT EVERY TIME I READ THIS, I WAS LEARNING
HOW TO THINK DIFFERENT.
IF WE KNOW HOW VALUABLE THIS IS, WE'LL SPEND A LOT MORE TIME IN
IT THAN JUST A FEW SECONDS A DAY, MAYBE ON A GOOD DAY, AMEN?
MY EMOTIONS WERE A MESS.
I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO GET ALONG WITH PEOPLE.
I WAS JUST--I WAS A NIGHTMARE IN RELATIONSHIPS AND MY WILL
WAS MESSED UP.
I WENT FROM ONE EXTREME TO THE OTHER.
I EITHER HAD TO BE IN CONTROL OR IF I GOT AROUND SOMEBODY
STRONGER THAN ME, THEN THEY WOULD CONTROL ME.
SO, I WOULD BOUNCE BACK AND FORTH FROM BEING CONTROLLED
TO BEING IN CONTROL AND BEING CONTROLLED TO BEING IN CONTROL,
AND THAT'S NOT THE WAY THAT GOD WANTS US TO LIVE.
AND I'M KIND OF GIVING YOU A LITTLE PICTURE OF SOME OF
THE PROBLEMS THAT I HAD BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT EVEN
THOUGH I WAS SAVED AND GOING TO HEAVEN, I WAS MISERABLE BECAUSE
I NEEDED HEALING IN MY SOUL.
GINGER: POWERFUL STUFF FROM JOYCE, SO IMPORTANT.
AND SHE'LL BE BACK TO ANSWER, "WHY DO I CONTINUE TO SUFFER?"
IN JUST A MOMENT.
BUT FIRST, WE HAVE A GUEST TODAY WHO REALLY UNDERSTANDS WHAT
JOYCE IS TALKING ABOUT.
HE ENDURED PAIN FOR A LONG TIME DUE TO ABUSE IN HIS LIFE UNTIL
HE DISCOVERED CHOICES HE NEEDED TO MAKE TO EXPERIENCE FREEDOM.
TONY GILMORE IS HERE WITH US.
PASTOR TONY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
TONY: SUCH AN HONOR TO BE HERE TODAY.
GINGER: I KNOW THAT AS JOYCE IS TALKING ABOUT THOSE HURTS AND
THOSE CHOICES THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE AND FACING THINGS THAT HURT
SO BADLY IN HER CHILDHOOD, THAT YOU REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT.
TONY: TOTALLY, YOU KNOW, GROWING UP IN THE HOUSEHOLD WITH
A MOTHER WHO SUFFERED FROM A BIPOLAR DISORDER, THERE WERE
SOME PRETTY SKETCHY DAYS.
YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER A PARTICULAR INCIDENT AT THE AGE
OF 14 COMING HOME FROM SCHOOL, I WAS A FRESHMAN, AND WALKING IN
THE DOOR.
AND MY MOTHER HADN'T BEEN ON HER MEDICATION.
SHE COMES BARRELING OUT OF THE KITCHEN WITH A BUTCHER KNIFE
AND YELLS, "I BROUGHT YOU IN THIS WORLD, I'LL TAKE YOU OUT."
AND, YOU KNOW, AS A 14-YEAR-OLD HAVING NO REAL IDEA OF WHAT
THE DISORDER WAS DOING TO HER, I RUN OUT OF THE HOUSE.
AND IT WOULD BE--BEGIN TO BE A SERIES OF TIMES WHERE I WOULD
ACTUALLY RUN AWAY FROM HOME JUST TO BE SAFE UNTIL MY DAD GOT HOME
FROM WORK.
SO, IT WAS PRETTY SCARY.
GINGER: HOW DID THAT SHAPE THE WAY YOU SAW YOURSELF?
TONY: YOU KNOW, IT CAUSED ME TO BEGIN TO LIVE WITH THE
MINDSET OF TRYING TO PLEASE HER.
I BEGAN TO THINK THAT I COULD CONTROL WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH
HER IF I WAS A BETTER KID.
GINGER: IF YOU COULD KEEP HER HAPPY?
TONY: YEAH, IF I COULD KEEP HER HAPPY.
AND SO, IT STARTED A SERIES OF MINDSETS THAT WOULD CAUSE ME TO
MAKE DECISIONS TO NOT ONLY PLEASE HER, BUT LIVE TO BE
A PEOPLE PLEASER FOR EVERYONE I WAS AROUND.
AND SO, IT SHAPED HOW I WOULD BE PROBABLY FOR THE NEXT
16 YEARS OR SO.
GINGER: WOW.
TONY: YEAH.
GINGER: AT WHAT POINT DID YOU BEGIN TO JUST BE ANGRY,
YOU KNOW?
JUST FEEL LIKE, "IF YOU HAD TREATED ME DIFFERENTLY, MAYBE
I WOULDN'T BE SUFFERING THE WAY THAT I AM OR MAYBE I WOULDN'T BE
HAVING THESE PROBLEMS"?
TONY: YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING AS A TEENAGER YOU
CAN'T EVEN THINK IN THOSE TERMS.
I WAS JUST ANGRY WITH EVERYONE AND I DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL I HAD
BECOME AN ADULT HOW ANGRY I WAS AT MY MOTHER.
AND SO, I SAW EVERY PERSON AS AN OPPORTUNITY OR AN ADVERSARY,
IF YOU WOULD, TO MY FUTURE.
AND SO, EVERYTHING I DID WAS SELF-PRESERVATION.
I HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT THAT DAY AT THE AGE OF 14 WHEN MY MOM
CAME IN AND THREATENED MY LIFE, I STOPPED LIVING AND STARTED
SURVIVING.
AND SO, EVERYTHING I DID WAS JUST TO SURVIVE THE DAY, OR
THE MOMENT, OR WHATEVER I WAS WALKING THROUGH.
GINGER: AND YOU TALK ABOUT SUFFERING, THAT REALLY IS
SUFFERING.
THERE'S NO JOY IN A LIFE LIKE THAT, THERE'S NO HOPE,
THERE'S NO PROMISE.
TONY: IT WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE THE FEELING OF
ABANDONMENT, EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF ME,
WAS SOMETHING THAT--YOU KNOW, A YOUNG MAN NEEDING THE LOVE OF
A MOTHER, THERE'S NOTHING LIKE THAT.
AND TO HAVE THAT AS A VOID IN YOUR LIFE, WELL, LET'S JUST SAY
IT WOULD CAUSE A SERIES OF DECISIONS AND EVENTS FOR THE
NEXT 16 YEARS THAT WOULD LEAVE ME AT A PLACE WHERE I ALMOST
WANTED TO TAKE MY OWN LIFE.
YEAH, IT WAS INTERESTING.
I WAS SAVED AT THE AGE OF 21, BUT IT WOULD TAKE 9 YEARS FOR ME
TO GET FREE.
GOING TO CHURCH SERVICE, LISTENING TO MESSAGES, BUT THERE
WAS A COMPARTMENT IN MY HEART THAT I HELD CAPTIVE FROM GOD.
BUT I WAS ACTUALLY--I HAD GIVEN MY LIFE TO HIM, BUT ONLY PART
OF IT.
IT WAS AT 30 THAT I MADE THE DECISION, "OKAY, I'M GIVING
YOU EVERYTHING."
GINGER: WAS IT BECAUSE THAT PAIN WAS TOO MUCH TO FACE THAT
YOU DIDN'T WANNA GIVE THAT TO HIM, OR WAS IT BECAUSE THAT YOU
DIDN'T HAVE THE TRUST TO DO THAT?
WHY DO YOU THINK WE HOLD THINGS BACK?
TONY: I WOULD SAY BOTH.
I WOULD SAY THAT I DIDN'T TRUST HIM ENOUGH TO SHARE THOSE
INTIMATE DETAILS, WHICH IS CRAZY, WHEN YOU THINK OF IT.
HE KNOWS IT ALL.
BUT IN MY HUMAN THINKING, I WAS LIKE, NO, I CAN'T LET GOD KNOW
THIS PART.
AND THEN THE PAIN WAS SO REAL, AND I WAS AFRAID TO FACE
THE PAIN BECAUSE LOOKING BACK AT THE PAIN WAS SO TERRIFYING THAT
ALL I COULD THINK TO DO WAS TO CONTINUE TO JUST TRY AND JUST
MASK IT BY ACTING CERTAIN WAYS AND JUST LIVING LIFE AS IF IT
DIDN'T HAPPEN.
BUT IT WOULD ALWAYS CREEP UP.
EVEN IF I HAD A COUPLE OF MONTHS WHERE I THOUGHT I WAS OKAY, IT
WOULD ALWAYS FIND ITS WAY BACK.
AND IT HAD A DESTRUCTIVE PATTERN IN MY LIFE AND AT THE AGE OF 30,
I WAS LIKE, NOW IS ENOUGH.
SO, I WENT TO A CHRISTIAN COUNSELOR AND, YOU KNOW, I MEAN
IN MY COMMUNITY WHERE I GREW UP, COUNSELING WAS LIKE,
"OKAY, WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?
SOMETHING'S REALLY WRONG WITH YOU THAT YOU'RE GOING TO
COUNSELING."
BUT I MADE THE DECISION THAT I WANTED TO BE FREE SO I FOUND
A CHRISTIAN COUNSELOR-- GINGER: WHATEVER IT TOOK.
TONY: WHATEVER IT TOOK.
SHE HAD ME DO SOMETHING UNIQUE.
SHE ASKED ME--BECAUSE AT THE AGE OF 20 MY MOTHER HAD
ACTUALLY PASSED.
SO, YOU FAST FORWARD THOSE 10 YEARS SHE SAID, "I WANT YOU
TO WRITE A LETTER TO YOUR MOTHER AND I WANT YOU TO SIT DOWN
AND TALK TO YOUR FATHER."
AND IN THAT LETTER, I SAID EVERYTHING TO MY MOM THAT I WAS
TOO AFRAID TO SAY.
"WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO ME?
WHY WERE YOU THIS WAY?" AND AT THAT MOMENT,
I EXPERIENCED A LEVEL OF FREEDOM THAT I DIDN'T EVEN THINK WAS
POSSIBLE.
I REMEMBER SITTING AND TALKING TO MY DAD AND SAYING TO HIM,
"WHY DIDN'T YOU PROTECT ME?
YOU KNEW EVERYTHING THAT WAS GOING ON."
AND HE APOLOGIZED IN THAT MOMENT.
AND I SAID THESE WORDS TO BOTH OF THEM, IN THE LETTER TO MY MOM
AND IN THE CONVERSATION WITH MY DAD, "I FORGIVE YOU."
GINGER: HOW HARD WAS THAT?
TONY: IT WAS SO HARD BECAUSE I WAS SAYING SOMETHING IN THAT
MOMENT THAT I--MY HEART WASN'T REALLY SOLD OUT TO BUT I WAS
MAKING THE DECISION THAT DAY BECAUSE I REALIZED SOMETHING
THAT MY UNFORGIVENESS WASN'T HOLDING MY MOTHER IN PRISON,
WHO'S NO LONGER HERE, OR MY FATHER IN PRISON, IT HELD ME IN
PRISON AND I WAS READY TO BE FREE.
SO, IN THAT MOMENT, EVERY TIME A THOUGHT CAME BACK OF
UNFORGIVENESS, I WOULD CONFESS, I HAVE FORGIVEN THEM.
THEY HAVE NO DEBT TOWARDS ME.
I FULLY RELEASED THEM OF IT.
FOR ME, IT WAS ONE THOUGHT, ONE ACTION, ONE DAY AT A TIME.
AND EVENTUALLY, I WAS TOTALLY FREE AND HAVE BEEN FREE FOR
THE PAST 16 OR SO YEARS FROM THAT MOMENT.
GINGER: SO, THERE WERE STEPS THAT YOU HAD TO TAKE.
I MEAN, GOD WALKS YOU THROUGH IT.
HE NEVER LEAVES US, BUT HE DOES ASK US TO FACE SOME HARD THINGS.
TONY: HE DOES.
GINGER: SO, FOR YOU, IT WAS GETTING HELP.
IT WAS ADMITTING WHAT YOU WERE DEALING WITH, FORGIVENESS.
WAS IT ALSO TAKING SOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT YOU
NEEDED TO DO?
TONY: WELL, WHAT WAS THE ONE THING THAT GOD POINTED OUT TO ME
IN MY TIME WITH HIM DURING THAT MOMENT WHEN I WAS 30 IS NOW IT'S
TIME TO STOP BLAMING.
YOU CAN NO LONGER BLAME YOUR MOM'S ILLNESS.
YOU CAN NO LONGER BLAME YOUR DAD FOR NOT BEING THERE THE WAY YOU
WANTED HIM TO BECAUSE YOU'RE A GROWN-UP NOW AND THE DECISIONS
THAT YOU'VE MADE HAVE BEEN YOUR DECISIONS.
AND GINGER, IF I CAN SAY THERE WAS ONE THING THAT TOTALLY
SHIFTED THE TRAJECTORY OF MY LIFE, IT WAS SAYING, "THESE WERE
MY DECISIONS, THESE THINGS WERE MY FAULT, AND I AM NO LONGER
A VICTIM TO LIFE."
AT THAT MOMENT, I BEGAN TO WALK LIFE OUT IN SUCH A WAY THAT I
TOOK CONTROL BY THE POWER OF GOD AND HE HAS DRASTICALLY CHANGED
EVERYTHING OVER THE PAST 16 YEARS SINCE THEN.
GINGER: THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WATCHING RIGHT NOW WHO
NEED TO DO THAT ALSO, AS HARD AS IT IS, AND IT HAS TO BE
SO DIFFICULT.
TONY: WHEN THE PAIN OF REMAINING THE SAME BECOMES
GREATER THAN THE PAIN OF CHANGE, OR HOWEVER THAT PHRASE GOES, YOU
WILL GET TO A PLACE WHERE YOU'RE READY TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT
AND THAT'S WHERE I WAS.
AND WHAT I DIDN'T REALIZE WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF ALL OF THE
THINGS THAT I WASN'T WILLING TO FACE, THERE WAS A DESTINY, THERE
WAS A PEACE, THERE WAS A JOY THAT I NEVER THOUGHT WAS
POSSIBLE IN MY LIFE.
AND NOW, I HAVE MADE THE COMMITMENT WITH MY LIFE TO MAKE
SURE THAT EVERYBODY I COME IN CONTACT CAN EXPERIENCE THE SAME
THING THAT I'VE EXPERIENCED.
GINGER: THANK YOU SO MUCH.
TONY: OH, THIS IS MY PLEASURE.
GINGER: WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE WHAT PASTOR TONY
IS SAYING IS EXACTLY WHAT WE ALL NEED TO FACE.
IF YOU'RE ASKING THAT QUESTION, "WHY DO I CONTINUE TO SUFFER?"
YOU NEED TO ASK THOSE SAME QUESTIONS AND DECIDE, ARE YOU AT
THAT POINT WHERE YOU'RE READY TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO ALLOW
GOD TO WALK YOU THROUGH IT?
IF YOU ARE, CALL US RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME THINGS THAT
WILL HELP YOU AND IT IS EXACTLY WHAT GOD'S WORD TELLS YOU TO DO.
SO, WE HAVE SOME RESOURCES, ONE IS THIS, IT'S CALLED
"MOVING FORWARD."
IT'S 4 CD TEACHINGS FROM JOYCE AND THEN YOU'LL ALSO RECEIVE
FREE THIS LITTLE BOOKLET THAT HAS SOME POWERFUL STUFF IN IT,
"4 STEPS TO A NEW YOU."
AND THIS IS, LIKE I SAID, JUST TAKING GOD'S WORD, THAT'S REALLY
WHAT CHANGES YOUR LIFE, AND REALLY OPENING IT UP
SO THAT YOU CAN UNDERSTAND HOW IT CAN HELP YOU.
THERE'S MORE FROM JOYCE SO HERE'S THE CONCLUSION TO JOYCE'S
ANSWER TO THE QUESTION, "WHY DO I CONTINUE TO SUFFER?"
JOYCE: THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT A GROUP OF PEOPLE, ABOUT
A MILLION AND A HALF OF THEM ACTUALLY AS AN ESTIMATE, WHO
CAME OUT OF EGYPT WHERE THEY'D BEEN SLAVES, HEADED FOR
THE PROMISED LAND.
IT WAS 11 DAYS FROM WHERE THEY WERE TO WHERE GOD WAS CALLING
THEM TO, A LAND THAT FLOWED WITH MILK AND HONEY, A GREAT LAND.
BUT IT TOOK THEM 40 YEARS TO MAKE AN 11-DAY JOURNEY.
NOW, THAT TO ME IS VERY SAD.
AND NOT ONLY DID IT TAKE THEM FORTY YEARS TO MAKE
AN ELEVEN-DAY JOURNEY, ONLY TWO, TWO PEOPLE OF THE ORIGINAL
ONE AND A HALF MILLION THAT CAME OUT ENTERED INTO
THE PROMISED LAND.
NOW, OTHERS WERE BORN OUT THERE AND OTHERS ENTERED IN BUT OUT OF
THAT ORIGINAL GROUP OF ONE AND A HALF MILLION,
ONLY TWO PEOPLE MADE IT.
AND I THINK THAT'S KIND OF INDICATIVE OF A PERCENTAGE THAT
WE MIGHT WANNA LOOK AT TODAY OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE
WHO MAYBE ARE BORN AGAIN.
THEY'RE NOT IN EGYPT ANYMORE.
THEY'RE NOT LIVING IN SIN.
THEY'RE NOT OFFICIALLY SLAVES ANYMORE BUT THEY--THEY'RE ALWAYS
LOOKING TOWARD THE PROMISED LAND BUT THEY END UP JUST WANDERING
AROUND AND AROUND THE SAME STUPID MOUNTAINS ALL THEIR LIFE,
DEALING WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS, HAVING THE SAME ISSUES.
COME ON, NOW.
DOES ANYBODY HERE FEEL LIKE YOU'VE BEEN AT YOUR MOUNTAIN
LONG ENOUGH?
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: THE ISRAELITES WERE A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO JUST,
THEY JUST NEVER GOT IT.
THERE WAS ONLY A FEW OF THEM THAT REALLY GOT IT.
THEY THOUGHT THEIR WHOLE PROBLEM WAS THEIR ENEMIES,
THE JEBUSITES, THE HIVITES, THE PERIZZITES, THE CANAANITES,
ITES, ITES, ITES.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT?
WE'VE ALL GOT OUR OWN ITES.
THE HUSBAND-ITES, THE WIFE-ITES, THE KID-ITES, THE JOB-ITES,
THE TRAFFIC-ITES, THE ECONOMY-ITES.
THEY'RE JUST--THE WORLD IS FULL OF ITES.
BUT MANY, MANY YEARS AGO AS I WAS--I MEAN I KNOW GOD CAUSED ME
TO PONDER THIS SITUATION BECAUSE IT BECAME THE ROOT FOUNDATION OF
A TEACHING THAT GOD ALLOWED ME TO DO THAT I REALLY BELIEVE HAS
OPENED A LOT OF PEOPLE'S EYES AND HELPED THEM OVER THE YEARS
AND THAT IS IS THAT THEIR PROBLEM WASN'T THEIR ENEMIES,
IT WAS THEIR ATTITUDE.
THEIR PROBLEM WASN'T THEIR ENEMIES, IT WAS THEIR
BAD ATTITUDE.
IT'S POSSIBLE THAT YOUR PROBLEM IS NOT REALLY WHAT YOU THINK
YOUR PROBLEM IS.
IT'S POSSIBLE, JUST POSSIBLE--I KNOW IT'S AN OUTSIDE ONE OFF
CHANCE BUT IT'S JUST POSSIBLE THAT YOU HAVE A BAD ATTITUDE.
NOW, I HAVE FOUR SCRIPTURES THAT I WANNA GO OVER WITH YOU ON
THE MIND BECAUSE YOUR THOUGHTS BECOME YOUR WORDS AND YOUR
ATTITUDE.
YOUR THOUGHTS BECOME YOUR WORDS AND YOUR ATTITUDE.
HOW MANY OF YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: WHAT A MAN THINKS IS WHAT HE BECOMES.
AS A MAN THINKS IN HIS HEART, SO HE IS.
WHERE YOUR MIND GOES, THE MAN FOLLOWS.
SOMEBODY OUT THERE HAS BEEN LISTENING TO ME, I CAN TELL.
EPHESIANS 4:22 THROUGH 24, WE WANNA LOOK AT THESE BECAUSE
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO SEE 'EM.
"STRIP YOURSELVES OF YOUR FORMER NATURE [PUT OFF AND DISCARD YOUR
OLD UNRENEWED SELF]."
NOW, HE'S SAYING, OKAY, YOU HAVE A NEW NATURE, BUT NOW YOU HAVE
TO PUT OFF THE OLD NATURE, "WHICH CHARACTERIZED YOUR
PREVIOUS MANNER OF LIFE AND BECOMES CORRUPT THROUGH LUSTS
AND DESIRES THAT SPRING FROM DELUSIONS."
DELUSIONS ARE LIES THAT SATAN TELLS US THAT WE NEVER BOTHER
TO LEARN ENOUGH TRUTH TO REFUTE THOSE LIES.
"AND BE CONSTANTLY--" EVERYBODY SAY, "CONSTANTLY."
AUDIENCE: CONSTANTLY.
JOYCE: "AND BE CONSTANTLY RENEWED IN THE SPIRIT
OF YOUR MIND [HAVING A FRESH MENTAL
AND SPIRITUAL ATTITUDE]."
TURN TO THE PERSON NEXT TO YOU, SMILE AT THEM SO YOU DON'T GET
MAD AT YOU AND SAY, "GET YOUR ATTITUDE RENEWED."
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: I DON'T KNOW, THAT'S FAR TOO FUNNY AND I'M TRYIN' TO
BE VERY SERIOUS.
NOW, LET'S LOOK AT THE NEXT VERSE BECAUSE THIS
ALWAYS AMAZES ME.
"AND PUT ON THE NEW NATURE--" REMEMBER, HE STARTED BY
SAYING, "AND PUT OFF THE OLD NATURE," AND NOW HE'S OVER HERE
SAYING, "PUT ON THE NEW NATURE."
SO, HE'S ACTUALLY OVER HERE SAYING, STOP LIVING LIKE YOU'RE
NOT SAVED, START ACTING LIKE CHRIST.
BUT WHAT IS THE BRIDGE TO GET THERE?
"BE CONSTANTLY RENEWED IN THE SPIRIT OF YOUR MIND
[HAVING A FRESH MENTAL AND SPIRITUAL ATTITUDE]."
SO, YOU'RE NEVER GONNA CHANGE YOUR LIFE, YOU'RE NEVER GONNA
CHANGE YOUR BEHAVIOR, TILL YOU CHANGE YOUR THINKING.
YES, I SAID YOU CHANGE YOUR THINKING.
NOW, WE DO NOTHING WITHOUT GOD'S HELP.
GOD GETS ALL THE CREDIT FOR ANY SUCCESS THAT WE EVER HAVE.
APART FROM HIM, WE CAN DO NOTHING.
BUT NEITHER IS GOOD GONNA DO EVERYTHING FOR US WITHOUT US
JOINING HIM WITH A FAITHFUL EFFORT LEANING ON
THE HOLY SPIRIT, CERTAINLY LEANING ON THE HOLY SPIRIT,
KNOWING WE CAN'T DO IT ALONE BUT BEING DETERMINED
THAT WE ARE GONNA WORK WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT TO BE THE PERSON
THAT GOD WANTS US TO BE.
GINGER: SO, IT'S GREAT NEWS TODAY.
AND I KNOW THAT MANY OF YOU ARE REALLY HURTING BUT TAKE HOPE.
THERE MAY BE SOME STEPS THAT YOU NEED TO TAKE BUT THE KEY IS GOD
DOES NOT WANT YOU TO BE STUCK IN YOUR SUFFERING AND HE HAS MADE A
WAY OUT FOR YOU THROUGH CHRIST.
NOW, THOSE STEPS THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT, WE HAVE SOME MORE
HELPFUL TIPS TO WALK YOU THROUGH THAT.
FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE JOYCE'S TEACHING CALLED,
"MOVING FORWARD."
IT'S 4 HOURS OF TEACHING THAT SAYS IT'S KEY LIFE LESSONS THAT
BROUGHT HER FROM BROKENNESS TO WHOLENESS.
IT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU MAY BE LOOKING FOR.
AND THEN FOR FREE, YOU'LL GET THIS BOOKLET CALLED
"4 STEPS TO A NEW YOU."
IT IS PRACTICAL WAYS TO MOVE TOWARD THE LIFE GOD HAS FOR YOU.
SO, CALL, GO ON OUR WEBSITE, PICK THESE UP TODAY.
THEY WILL MAKE THAT DIFFERENCE IN YOUR LIFE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING
FOR BECAUSE IT'S WHAT GOD'S WORD SAYS.
HE IS FAITHFUL, YOU CAN TRUST HIM, AND YOU CAN DEPEND ON HIM.
NOW, WE KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A LOT TO SAY ABOUT THIS TOPIC
AND MANY OTHERS.
WE LOVE LISTENING TO YOU SO RIGHT NOW, IT'S TIME FOR YOUR
VOICE.
[MUSIC]
GINGER: WELL, AS WE KNOW, PART OF THE PROCESS OF
OVERCOMING PAIN IS GETTING OUR MIND OFF OURSELVES AND HELPING
SOMEONE ELSE.
AND RECENTLY, YOU SHARED WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA HOW GOD IS USING
YOU TO HELP OTHERS.
HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES, STEPHANIE FROM ALABAMA SAYS,
"GOD USED ME TO TAKE CARE OF HOSPICE PATIENTS FOR ABOUT
28 YEARS."
THAT'S AWESOME.
GWENDOLYN, "GOD IS USING ME TO HELP WOMEN RECOVER FROM
CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE BY RUNNING A RECOVERY PROGRAM IN
OUR COMMUNITY."
THOSE ARE GREAT THINGS.
KAREN SAYS SOMETHING THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE SIMPLE THAT
PROBABLY MOST OF US COULD DO.
"USING MY COMPUTER AND PRINTER TO FIND AND PRINT OUT MATH GAMES
FOR OUR COWORKER'S KIDS WHO NEEDS EXTRA HELP IN MATH
AT HOME."
THAT'S GREAT.
AND THEN MARGARET FROM CALIFORNIA SAYS, "GOD HAS ME
PRAY FOR THOSE WHO ASK FOR PRAYER ON FACEBOOK."
WELL, THERE YA HAVE IT, SOME GREAT EXAMPLES.
AND IF YOU NEED PRAYER, GO TO FACEBOOK.
MARGARET AND A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE WILL BE PRAYING FOR YOU.
WE DON'T HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU THIS WEEK BUT INSTEAD, WE HAVE
A REQUEST THAT YOU TAKE JUST A MOMENT TO SHARE SOME ENCOURAGING
WORDS TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE MIDST OF SUFFERING
THEMSELVES.
WHATEVER IT IS, MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S HELPED YOU,
MAYBE IT'S A SCRIPTURE, BUT JUST GET ON THERE
AND LET'S ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER.
ON FACEBOOK, IT'S THE JOYCE MEYER MINISTRY'S
FACEBOOK PAGE.
IF YOU'RE ON TWITTER USE #EA FOR EVERYDAY ANSWERS.
AND PLEASE JOIN US NEXT TIME ON "EVERYDAY ANSWERS."
JOYCE: GOD WANTS TO WALK WITH YOU.
HE WANTS TO TALK WITH YOU.
HE WANTS TO LEAD YOU.
HE WANTS TO GUIDE YOU.
HE WANTS TO BE INVOLVED IN LITERALLY EVERYTHING THAT
YOU DO.
NOW LISTEN, GOD CARES ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT CONCERNS YOU.
GINGER: DON'T FORGET THOSE QUESTIONS.
WE LOVE GETTING THOSE.
ON TWITTER USE #ASKJOYCE.
YOU CAN ALSO ASK YOUR QUESTIONS ON FACEBOOK.
AND WE REALLY PRAY THAT TODAY YOU'LL JUST ENJOY YOUR DAY,
YOU'LL HAVE A WONDERFUL, ENCOURAGING DAY, AND THAT YOU'LL
JOIN US NEXT TIME AS WE TACKLE MORE OF THOSE DAILY DILEMMAS
AND GET ANSWERS FROM GOD'S WORD.
[MUSIC]
ANNOUNCER: THE PRECEDING PROGRAM WAS PAID FOR
BY THE FRIENDS AND PARTNERS OF JOYCE MEYER MINISTRIES.
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