ANNOUNCER: THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS PAID FOR BY
THE FRIENDS AND PARTNERS OF JOYCE MEYER MINISTRIES.
JOYCE: GOD MIGHT TELL YOU WHEN YOU'RE IN THE WORST BATTLE
OF YOUR LIFE, "I DON'T WANT YOU TO DO ANYTHING BUT WORSHIP."
GOD, WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?
WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO? WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?
"JUST WORSHIP ME." "WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?
WHAT DO YOU--" "THANK ME FOR WHAT I'M DOING."
"WELL, GOD, YOU'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING."
"YES, I AM. START THANKING ME."
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.
GINGER: QUESTION FOR YOU.
HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT THAT IF GOD SHOWED YOU YOUR ENTIRE PATH
THROUGH LIFE, THEN THINGS WOULD BE SO MUCH EASIER?
YOU'D KNOW WHAT PITFALLS TO AVOID AND SHORTCUTS TO TAKE,
WHEN TO TURN LEFT OR RIGHT, MOVE OR STOP.
YOU WOULD BE IN CONTROL AND KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO DO.
WELL, THAT LEADS US TO ONE OF OUR MORE COMMON QUESTIONS FROM
TWITTER, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ALL WANT TO KNOW QUITE OFTEN.
IF WE DON'T KNOW THE WHOLE PATH, AT LEAST THIS QUESTION FROM
LAURA, SHE SAYS, "HOW DO I KNOW WHEN IT'S GOD TELLING ME WHAT TO
DO AND NOT A LIE FROM SATAN?" WELL, LAURA, WE HAVE ALL ASKED
THAT QUESTION, IS IT GOD OR IS IT NOT?
IS IT JUST ME OR IS IT EVEN SOMETHING WORSE?
WELL, JOYCE IS GOING TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION WITH PRACTICAL
TIPS ON HOW TO RECOGNIZE GOD'S GUIDANCE.
BUT FIRST, WE WANT TO SHOW YOU A STORY THAT WE SHARED AT OUR
CONFERENCE IN FLORIDA.
THIS IS A SHORT REMINDER THAT GOD IS ALWAYS THERE FOR YOU.
[MUSIC]
LEPENA: WHEN I WAS JUST A YOUNG GIRL, I ENJOYED GOING
TO CHURCH.
AND I WAS ALWAYS ANXIOUS TO SHARE WHAT I HAD LEARNED IN
BIBLE STUDY OR SUNDAY SCHOOL.
AND THEN, AS I BECAME A TEENAGER, I WOULD OFTEN VISIT
A FAMILY'S CHURCH, AND THERE I MET A YOUNG GUY.
AND WE STARTED SITTING TOGETHER AND DURING SERVICE.
AND ON ONE SPECIAL NIGHT, THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE A MOVIE
SHOWING AT HIS CHURCH SCHOOL, WHICH WAS IN A DIFFERENT
LOCATION THAN THE ACTUAL CHURCH.
AND SO, I FELT CONFIDENT, LIKE THIS WAS REALLY KIND OF GOING TO
BE OUR FIRST MOVIE DATE OR SOMETHING.
I WORE A COLOR KIND OF LIKE--'CAUSE PINK IS MY
FAVORITE COLOR.
AND ALL US KIDS PILED INTO THE STATION WAGON
AND THE ADULTS DROVE US OVER TO THE CHURCH SCHOOL.
BUT WHEN WE GOT OUT OF THE CAR, THIS GIRL RAN UP TO THE CAR
IMMEDIATELY AND SAID TO THE GUY, HE'S LIKE, "YOU'RE SUPPOSED
TO BE WITH ME.
WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE TOGETHER."
WELL, I WAS SHOCKED, I WAS SURPRISED, I WAS HURT.
AND THEN I WAS ANGRY BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT HE REALLY LIKED ME,
AND I JUST DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.
WITH THOSE YOUNG EMOTIONS, I KNEW I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO
STAY THERE ANYMORE.
SO, THIS WAS A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT I WAS PRETTY UNFAMILIAR WITH,
BUT I WALKED AWAY.
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT WAS IT WAS LIKE A PACK OF WOLVES.
THEY APPEARED.
IT WAS A GANG OF TEENAGE BOYS WHO ATTACKED ME.
THEY RAPED ME.
ONE AFTER THE OTHER AFTER THE OTHER, THEY RAPED
AND THEY RAPED.
AND AT THAT INSTANT, MY LIFE CHANGED COMPLETELY.
I MEAN, I WAS BITTER.
I WAS HURT.
I FELT DECEIVED.
I FELT USED.
AND I JUST STARTED DRINKING AT A YOUNG AGE, AND IT CONTINUED
INTO MY ADULTHOOD.
AND I JUST DIDN'T TRUST.
I COULDN'T TRUST PEOPLE, I HAD POOR RELATIONSHIPS, AND MOSTLY I
COULDN'T TRUST MYSELF BECAUSE OF THE BAD CHOICES THAT I WAS
MAKING.
AND I COULDN'T TRUST GOD BECAUSE I ASKED HIM, "WHY, WHY DID THIS
HAPPEN TO ME?" AND THAT WENT ON FOR MANY YEARS,
BUT FINALLY I WAS INTRODUCED TO YOUR MINISTRY BY AN AUNT.
SHE GAVE ME A BOOK, IT WAS CALLED, "ME AND MY BIG MOUTH."
AND THERE WAS A REASON THAT SHE GAVE ME THIS BOOK, A BIG REASON,
BECAUSE YOU WERE JUST ALWAYS SO HONEST WITH EVERYTHING THAT YOU
HAD GONE THROUGH, AND I COULD RELATE TO THAT.
AND IT ENCOURAGED ME AND IT ENCOURAGED ME TO START TO TRUST
AGAIN, TO BELIEVE, TO BELIEVE THAT WITH GOD ALL THINGS
ARE POSSIBLE.
AND TO BELIEVE THAT GOD IS A RESTORER.
AND THEN THAT'S WHAT HE DID, HE DOES RESTORE.
AND THAT YOUNG MAN THAT I WALKED AWAY FROM SO MANY YEARS AGO,
HE CAME BACK INTO MY LIFE AFTER 28 YEARS.
EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING ALL OVER THE WORLD AND EVERYTHING
THAT THE MINISTRY IS DOING IS NOT FREE.
IT HAS A COST TO IT, AND I BEGAN TO REALIZE THAT.
AND MY MOTHER, I DECIDED THAT WE NEEDED TO HAVE PARTNERSHIP WITH
YOU, TO BECOME A PARTNER.
THE WOMEN THAT YOU TOUCH, THE YOUNG GIRLS THAT ARE STILL
ADDICTED TO ALCOHOL, AND THAT TOUCHED MY HEART.
AND SO MANY, AND YOU'RE JUST HELPING PEOPLE AND YOU'RE JUST
HELPING THEM.
JOYCE: WELL, NOW AS A PARTNER WITH US, YOU GET TO HELP THEM
TOO, RIGHT?
GINGER: WELL, LEPENA OBVIOUSLY WENT THROUGH SOME
REALLY DIFFICULT TIMES, SOME DARK, DARK STUFF, BUT GOD WAS
ALWAYS THERE.
HE DID HAVE A PLAN AND HE BROUGHT HER THROUGH THOSE
DIFFICULTIES, AND IT IS WONDERFUL TO SEE WHAT HE DOES
IN PEOPLE'S LIVES.
AND HE WANTS YOU TO KNOW THAT HE'S THERE WITH YOU.
HE WANTS YOU TO KNOW THAT HE IS SPEAKING TO YOU AND HE'S TRYING
TO HELP IN SO MANY WAYS.
IT'S ALSO WONDERFUL TO BE PART OF WHAT GOD IS DOING TO
CHANGE LIVES.
THAT'S WHAT LEPENA WAS TALKING ABOUT WHEN SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT
PARTNERSHIP.
YOU SEE, WHEN SHE BEGAN READING THAT BOOK, SHE DIDN'T KNOW THAT
SHE'D STARTED DOWN THE PATH TO FREEDOM THROUGH GOD'S WORD, BUT
THE TEACHINGS THAT WE PROVIDE THROUGH MEDIA, BOOKS,
CONFERENCES, ALL OF IT OUT OF GOD'S WORD WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE
WITHOUT YOU, OUR PARTNERS.
SO, THANK YOU FOR COMING ALONGSIDE OF US TO HELP PEOPLE
JUST LIKE YOU, AND ME, AND LEPENA DISCOVER SOLUTIONS IN
GOD'S WORD TO LIFE'S CHALLENGES.
IF YOU'RE NOT A PARTNER AND YOU WANT TO JOIN US, IT'S REALLY
SIMPLE, AND WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU BE PART OF OUR FAMILY.
GO TO JOYCEMEYER.ORG/PARTNERSHIP AND HELP OTHERS DISCOVER
THE WONDERS OF A RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST.
AND OF COURSE, WE'RE ALL STILL LOOKING FOR ANSWERS OURSELF,
THAT'S WHY WE ARE HERE TOGETHER.
SO, NOW LET'S JUMP TO THAT QUESTION I TOLD YOU ABOUT
EARLIER.
HERE'S JOYCE WITH PRACTICAL ADVICE ON RECOGNIZING GOD'S
GUIDANCE AS SHE ANSWERS THE QUESTION, "GOD, IS THAT YOU?"
JOYCE: FOR AT LEAST PROBABLY 25 YEARS, I HAD BACK TROUBLE.
AND IN HAVING THAT BACK TROUBLE, I WAS CONSTANTLY GOING TO THE
CHIROPRACTOR TO GET ADJUSTMENTS.
I HAD AN MRI ON MY BACK, I DID HAVE SOME DEGENERATED DISCS,
BUT NOTHING THAT THEY FELT NEEDED SURGERY.
MY BACK GOT SO BAD AT ONE TIME THAT I PRACTICALLY BEGGED
A SURGEON TO OPERATE ON ME.
AND HE SAID, "I CAN'T DO IT BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING THERE
TO OPERATE ON."
HE SAID, "IT'S, YOU KNOW, YOUR MUSCLES ARE ALL TIGHT
AND TENSE."
AND SO, I WANTED TO WALK FOR EXERCISE BECAUSE I REALLY ENJOY
WALKING, BUT I GOT TO THE POINT WHERE I COULDN'T DO THAT,
MY BACK WOULD HURT.
AND THEN I FINALLY GOT TO THE POINT WHERE, IF I TRIED TO DO
IT, I COULD ONLY WALK FOR MAYBE 15 OR 20 MINUTES, AND THEN MY
HIP WOULD JUST, LIKE, LOCK UP ON ME AND MY GROIN AREA.
AND SO, I'M GETTING ADJUSTED, AND GETTING ADJUSTED,
AND GETTING ADJUSTED.
AND I STARTED WORKING OUT ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO, AND THAT REALLY
HELPED ME, BUT I STILL HAD AN ONGOING PROBLEM.
SO, THE CHIROPRACTOR THAT I WENT TO FOR MANY YEARS THAT HAD
REALLY HELPED ME GOT REALLY BUSY IN SOME OTHER AREAS OF HIS
PRACTICE THAT GOD OPENED UP FOR HIM.
AND BECAUSE OF MY SCHEDULE AND HIS, I WAS HAVING
A DIFFICULT TIME GETTING IN.
AND SO, I FELT LIKE I WAS PROBABLY GOING TO NEED TO SEE
SOMEBODY ELSE.
AND I WAS DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT?
SOMETIMES, IF WE'RE NOT GETTING WHAT WE'RE USED TO, WE DON'T
UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING.
WE LOOK AT IT AS A LOSS.
SO, ONE OF OUR SONS WAS GOING TO SOMEBODY, AND HE SAID,
"WHY DON'T YOU TRY HIM?" SO, I WENT TO HIM.
AND AFTER TWO VISITS HE SAID, "WELL, WE NEED TO GET AN MRI
AND FIND OUT WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOUR HIP."
AND I THOUGHT, "YEAH, THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE GOOD."
SO, AFTER THEY GOT THE MRI AND HE READ IT, HE SAID, "I'M GOING
TO SEND YOU TO A SURGEON AND LET HIM TAKE A LOOK AT THIS."
SO, HERE'S A LONG STORY SHORT.
MY HIP JOINT WAS MALFORMED.
IT WAS OBLONG INSTEAD OF ROUND, SO IT WAS NEVER, EVER GOING TO
FIT INTO THE HIP JOINT RIGHT.
SO, NO MATTER WHAT I DID, I WAS ALWAYS THROWING MY BACK OUT.
WELL, NOBODY WAS LOOKING AT THE HIP BECAUSE WE ALL THOUGHT
IT WAS MY BACK.
AND SO, GOD GUIDED THAT, I BELIEVE.
HE SHUT THIS DOOR.
COME ON NOW.
HE SHUT THIS DOOR.
AND I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND, I WAS DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE HE SHUT
THAT DOOR BECAUSE NOW I HAD TO WALK THROUGH A NEW DOOR THAT I
WASN'T EVEN FAMILIAR WITH.
I WASN'T CRAZY AT THAT, BUT THAT TURNED OUT TO BE A BLESSING.
SO, LO AND BEHOLD, THE GUY THAT HE SENT ME TO HAD SEEN ME
A LITTLE BIT ON TELEVISION.
I DON'T, YOU KNOW, DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HIS CONVICTIONS
WERE, BUT HE SAID, "WELL, YOU'RE REALLY GOING TO NEED A TOTAL
HIP REPLACEMENT IF YOU WANT TO DO THIS THING RIGHT."
SO, YOU KNOW, I GOT THIS BIG SCHEDULE, AND I DON'T HAVE TIME
TO GET OPERATED ON, AND SO HE SAID, "I'M SCHEDULING ABOUT
3 MONTHS OUT."
AND I SAID, "WELL, I'LL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR BECAUSE
THE ONLY REAL SPAN OF TIME THAT I HAVE OFF IS, LIKE, FROM AFTER
THANKSGIVING UNTIL USUALLY AROUND THE FIRST OF FEBRUARY,
WE DON'T SCHEDULE A LOT OF CONFERENCES."
AND SO I SAID--HE SAID, "WELL, WE DON'T WANT TO WAIT A YEAR."
HE SAID, "WHEN COULD YOU DO IT?" AND I SAID, "NEXT WEEK."
HONESTLY, THIS WAS WEDNESDAY.
HE SAID, "WHEN COULD YOU DO IT?" I SAID, "MONDAY."
AND HE SAID, "ALL RIGHT, I'M GOING TO FIT YOU INTO
MY SCHEDULE."
SO, WE DID THE SURGERY, AND IT WAS 6 MONTHS LAST MONTH.
AND IN THE MONTH OF MAY, THE LAST 21 DAYS OF MAY,
I WALKED 70 MILES.
[AUDIENCE CHEERING]
JOYCE: AND I THOUGHT--I WAS DISAPPOINTED.
COME ON, I'M TRYING TO SAY SOMETHING.
I WAS DISAPPOINTED WHEN GOD STARTED GUIDING ME IN
A DIRECTION THAT I DIDN'T WANT TO GO IN BECAUSE IT WASN'T
THE DIRECTION THAT I WAS ACCUSTOMED TO.
EVERYTHING WORKS FOR GOOD TO THOSE WHO LOVE GOD AND ARE
CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE.
AMEN.
NOW, THIS IS A LITTLE BOOK BY A MAN NAMED F.B. MEYER
WHO'S NO LONGER WITH US.
HE DIED GOOD NUMBER OF YEARS AGO.
BUT THIS IS WHY I LOVE BOOKS, BECAUSE THEY CAN STILL KEEP
SPEAKING A LONG TIME AFTER WE'RE GONE.
AND THIS IS ON GUIDANCE, AND HE TAUGHT A PRINCIPLE THAT I THINK
WILL BLESS YOU TODAY.
AND THIS IS WHAT HE TAUGHT ABOUT BEING GUIDED BY GOD.
HOW MANY OF YOU WANT TO HEAR FROM GOD, AND YOU WANT TO BE LED
BY THE SPIRIT AND GUIDED BY GOD?
AND I THINK WE ALL RECOGNIZE THAT SOMETIMES IT CAN BE
A LITTLE TOUCHY BECAUSE WE'RE VERY ABLE TO SPEAK TO OURSELF.
AND THERE'S A GREAT PUSH TO GET WHAT WE WANT.
AND, BUT WE CAN COME INTO CLOSE FELLOWSHIP WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT,
WE CAN BE LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT,
WE SHOULD EXPECT TO BE LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, BUT WE
NEED TO KNOW THE SAFE GUIDELINES ON HOW TO DO IT.
AND I CAN'T GET INTO, YOU KNOW, A FOUR-PART SERIES ON HOW TO
HEAR FROM GOD, BUT I THINK THIS WILL HELP YOU.
F.B. MEYER HAD A FAMOUS TEACHING ABOUT HOW, IN HEARING FROM GOD
OR BEING LED BY THE SPIRIT, WE SHOULD ALWAYS LOOK FOR
THE THREE WITNESSES OR WHAT HE CALLS THE THREE LIGHTS, WHICH
ARE THE SPIRIT, THE WORD, AND CIRCUMSTANCES TO ALL AGREE.
SO, I CAN'T JUST GO ON MY CIRCUMSTANCES.
I CAN'T JUST GO BY WHAT I FEEL.
AND I THINK SOMETIMES, WHEN THINGS DON'T WORK OUT FOR US,
WE GET MAD AND WE BLAME GOD OR WE'RE YELLING ABOUT THE DEVIL.
AND REALLY, MANY TIMES--AND SOMETIMES IT IS THE ENEMY, BUT
MANY TIMES WE JUST NEED TO SAY, "YOU KNOW WHAT?
MAYBE THIS IS GOD CLOSING THE DOOR, AND WHAT I THINK I'M
SUPPOSED TO DO IS NOT WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO DO.
AND SO, IF I AM SUPPOSED TO DO THAT, GOD WILL OPEN THE DOOR AT
THE RIGHT TIME AND WE CAN JUST KEEP THAT IN FRONT OF GOD, BUT
GO ON AND ENJOY THE DAY THAT WE HAVE."
LET'S JUST SAY THAT THERE'S A YOUNG WOMAN THAT HAS A COUPLE
OF LITTLE KIDS, AND SHE WOULDN'T HAVE TO GO BACK TO WORK,
BUT THEY'D LIKE TO HAVE MORE.
YOU KNOW, WE ALL WANT MORE.
AND SO, SHE FEELS LIKE THAT GOD IS LEADING HER TO GO BACK TO
WORK, WHICH WILL REQUIRE HER HAVING CHILDCARE.
THERE'S NOTHING AGAINST THAT IN THE WORD OF GOD.
SHE'S NOT COMMITTING A SIN BY GOING BACK TO WORK.
SHE EVEN FINDS A JOB, SO SHE'S EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
SHE WANTS TO WORK, SHE FINDS A JOB, BUT SHE NEVER CAN FIND
SUITABLE CHILDCARE.
EVERYTHING THAT SHE DOES COME UP WITH IS WAY TOO EXPENSIVE FOR
THE AMOUNT OF MONEY SHE'S GOING TO BE MAKING.
IT BASICALLY WOULD NOT DO HER ANY GOOD TO WORK.
AND SO, SHE CAN GET FRUSTRATED ABOUT IT, SHE CAN GET MAD ABOUT
IT, SHE CAN GET CONFUSED ABOUT IT, SHE CAN NOT UNDERSTAND, BUT
WHY CAN'T WE JUST SAY, "WELL, GOD, IF YOU DON'T BLESS
THE CIRCUMSTANCE, THEN THE DOOR IS NOT OPEN.
AND SO, NO MATTER WHAT I THINK OR WHAT I FEEL, YOU HAVE TO DO
YOUR PART.
AND IF YOU DON'T, I'M GOING TO BE PEACEFUL TO BE WHERE I'M AT."
DOES THAT SOUND GOOD TO ANYBODY?
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: GOD'S IMPRESSIONS WITHIN AND HIS WORD WITHOUT
ARE ALWAYS CORROBORATED BY HIS PROVIDENCE
AROUND.
AND WE SHOULD QUIETLY WAIT UNTIL THESE FOCUS ALL INTO ONE POINT.
THE FINAL POINT IN THIS FIRST CHAPTER IS THAT IN SEARCHING FOR
GUIDANCE, WE ARE ONLY TO LOOK FOR THE NEXT STEP, NOT INTO
THE DISTANT FUTURE.
AND THAT WAS THE SECOND THING THAT HE SAID THAT WAS SO GOOD.
IF YOU WANT TO BE GUIDED BY GOD, YOU HAVE TO REALIZE HE'S NOT
GOING TO GIVE YOU A BLUEPRINT FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
BEING GUIDED BY GOD IS LIKE THIS.
OKAY, THAT SEEMS TO BE WORKING OUT...
OOH, THAT DIDN'T WORK.
BUT THEN YOU DON'T GIVE UP.
YOU GET A LITTLE MORE DIRECTION, THEN MAYBE YOU KNOW,
"WELL, MAYBE I NEEDED TO STEP THIS WAY."
DON'T QUIT TRYING, BUT DON'T BE ASHAMED TO ADMIT THAT YOU
WERE WRONG.
NOBODY CAN EVER REALLY LEARN HOW TO HEAR FROM GOD IF YOU'RE GOING
TO BE STUBBORN AND ALWAYS TRY TO SAY IT WAS GOD EVEN IF IT
WASN'T.
AND DON'T--YOU KNOW, DON'T TRY TO DO THINGS OUTSIDE
THE WORD OF GOD.
SWEET SISTER SUPER CHRISTIAN, GOD IS NOT TELLING YOU THAT
YOU'RE GOING TO MARRY SOMEBODY ELSE'S HUSBAND.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: AND IF YOU'RE ALREADY SO DEEP IN DEBT
THAT YOU CAN'T EVEN HARDLY GET THE MAIL OUT OF THE MAILBOX,
GOD IS NOT TELLING YOU TO GO BUY A NEW CAR AND MAKE $700 A MONTH
PAYMENTS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXCITEMENT.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH
NOT KNOWING WHAT TO DO.
AND I THINK THAT AS CHRISTIANS, WE NEED TO COME TO THE POINT
WHERE WE ARE SATISFIED IF WE DON'T KNOW, THAT WE DON'T FEEL
PRESSURED BY THAT.
HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE SOMETHING GOING ON IN YOUR LIFE RIGHT NOW
THAT YOU FEEL REALLY--AT LEAST YOU FEEL YOU NEED AN ANSWER,
BUT YOU'RE NOT GETTING AN ANSWER AND IT'S PRESSURING YOU?
OKAY, WELL, I HAVE A COUPLE THINGS RIGHT NOW, AND THEY'RE
THINGS THAT I'M NOT AT LIBERTY TO SHARE, BUT JUST A COUPLE
THINGS THAT I REALLY FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, "IS THIS GOD?
ISN'T IT GOD? IS IT GOD?"
AND I JUST DON'T REALLY KNOW FOR SURE.
WELL, WHEN YOU'RE LIKE THAT AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING I HAVE TO
DECIDE ON RIGHT NOW, SO THE WISE THING TO DO IS WAIT.
YOU WAIT UNTIL THOSE THREE LIGHTS ALL GET TURNED ON.
AND IN ORDER FOR ME TO DO THIS ONE THING, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF
OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE TO HAPPEN AND THEY HAVEN'T HAPPENED YET,
SO IF GOD DOESN'T FIX THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES, THEN NO MATTER
HOW MUCH I WANT TO DO THIS THING, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO BE
SATISFIED TO SAY, "NO, THAT'S NOT WHAT GOD WANTS."
BUT THE POINT IS THERE WERE TIMES IN MY LIFE WHEN I WOULD'VE
TORMENTED MYSELF.
AND I'M STILL--BOY, I LIKE ALL MY DUCKS IN A ROW.
I DON'T LIKE A LOT OF STUFF FLOATING AROUND OUT THERE THAT
I'M--I WANT TO HAVE A PLAN, WORK MY PLAN, AMEN?
SO, IT'S NOT JUST THE MOST COMFORTABLE THING IN THE WORLD
FOR ME TO NOT KNOW.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU IF YOU'RE GOING TO HANG OUT WITH GOD,
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET HAPPY NOT KNOWING.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: AND YOU TRUST THAT, EVEN IN YOUR NOT KNOWING,
THAT GOD IS GUIDING YOU.
AND EVERY DAY OF YOUR LIFE CAN BE AN ADVENTURE AND EVERY DAY
COULD BE A SURPRISE.
YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO BE IN THE EXACT RIGHT SPOT AT
THE EXACT RIGHT MOMENT AND MEET THE EXACT RIGHT PERSON BECAUSE
GOD CAN DO ANYTHING.
AND THE MORE WE TRUST HIM, THE MORE WE'RE GOING TO SEE HIM DO.
EVERYBODY SAY, "GOD IS GUIDING ME RIGHT NOW."
AUDIENCE: GOD IS GUIDING ME RIGHT NOW.
JOYCE: AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S TRUE.
I THINK A LOT OF YOU ARE BEING GUIDED AND LED BY GOD, BUT YOU
DON'T KNOW THAT YOU ARE.
YOU'RE ALL UPSET ABOUT THE DIRECTION YOUR LIFE IS TAKING.
BUT IF YOU JUST KEEP SAYING, "ALL THINGS ARE GOING TO WORK
OUT FOR GOOD.
I TRUST YOU, GOD.
I BELIEVE YOU'RE GUIDING ME.
IF I'M DOING SOMETHING WRONG, PLEASE SHOW ME."
WE HAVE TO COME TO THE POINT WHERE WE CAN BE SATISFIED NOT
KNOWING AND TO BE HAPPY TO KNOW THE ONE WHO KNOWS, AMEN?
I WANT TO LOOK AT 2 CHRONICLES CHAPTER 20, VERSE 11,
"BEHOLD--" WE'RE GOING TO START AT
VERSE 11, "BEHOLD, THEY REWARD US BY COMING TO DRIVE US OUT
OF YOUR POSSESSIONS."
NOW, HE'S TALKING TO GOD.
"WHICH YOU HAVE GIVEN US AS OUR INHERITANCE."
VERSE 12, "O OUR GOD, WILL YOU NOT EXERCISE JUDGMENT
UPON THEM?" NUMBER ONE, "FOR WE HAVE
NO MIGHT TO STAND AGAINST THIS GREAT COMPANY THAT IS COMING
AGAINST US."
AND NUMBER TWO, "WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO, BUT," NUMBER THREE,
"OUR EYES ARE ON YOU."
I LOVE THAT.
I MEAN, THIS GUY HAS GOT ENEMIES COMING AGAINST HIM FROM
ALL SIDES, AND HE SAID, "LOOK, I'M NOT UP TO THIS.
THIS IS TOO MUCH FOR ME.
I DON'T HAVE THE STRENGTH FOR THIS.
AND SECONDLY, EVEN IF I DID HAVE ANY STRENGTH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT
TO DO, BUT I'M STILL NOT IN A LOSS.
EVERYTHING IS NOT OVER BECAUSE MY EYES ARE ON YOU, AND I KNOW
YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO."
BY THE WAY, IN CASE YOU'RE WONDERING, THAT'S CALLED FAITH
OR TRUST IN GOD.
AND IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THIS, YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS AS
THEY WAIT ON GOD.
AND SOMETIMES WHEN YOU TELL GOD, "I'M TRUSTING YOU," YOU DON'T
GET AN ANSWER RIGHT AWAY.
IT MIGHT BE A FEW DAYS, IT COULD BE A FEW MONTHS.
GOD IS USUALLY NOT EARLY, BUT HE'S NEVER LATE.
AND AS YOU WAIT ON GOD, EVENTUALLY HE WILL SPEAK.
SO, EVENTUALLY GOD SPOKE TO HIM THROUGH A PROPHET, "THIS IS WHAT
THE LORD SAYS.
THIS BATTLE IS NOT YOURS, BUT IT'S GOD'S.
YOU DO NOT NEED TO FIGHT IN THIS BATTLE.
STAND STILL AND SEE THE SALVATION OF THE LORD BECAUSE
THE ENEMY THAT YOU HAVE SEEN TODAY YOU WILL NEVER SEE AGAIN."
AND THEN HE GAVE THEM SOME RATHER ODD INSTRUCTIONS.
HE SAID, "SEND OUT THE SINGERS, SEND OUT THE MUSICIANS, SEND OUT
THE PRAISERS.
AND WHILE THEY'RE OUT IN FRONT OF THE ENEMY DOING THAT, YOU GET
DOWN ON YOUR KNEES AND PRAY."
AND THE ENEMY GOT SO CONFUSED THAT THEY KILLED EACH OTHER.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S A WHOLE MESSAGE THAT I DON'T HAVE TIME
TO PREACH, BUT IT'S--I MEAN, WHO WOULD THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE
ANY WAY TO DEFEAT YOUR ENEMIES?
BUT YOU KNOW, GOD MIGHT TELL YOU WHEN YOU'RE IN THE WORST BATTLE
OF YOUR LIFE, "I DON'T WANT YOU TO DO ANYTHING BUT WORSHIP."
"GOD, WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO? WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?
WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?" "JUST WORSHIP ME."
"WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO? WHAT DO YOU--"
"THANK ME FOR WHAT I'M DOING."
"WELL, GOD, YOU'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING."
"YES, I AM.
START THANKING ME."
WE NEED TO GET DIRECTION FROM GOD.
YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS WANT TO KNOW.
"I WANT TO KNOW, I WANT TO KNOW, I WANT TO KNOW."
WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? EVE WANTED TO KNOW TOO.
INSTEAD OF WANTING TO KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT YOUR FUTURE,
AND INSTEAD OF WANTING TO KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT EVERYTHING
THAT'S GOING ON, LET'S SPEND OUR TIME GETTING TO KNOW GOD.
BECAUSE IF WE KNOW HIM, I CAN PROMISE YOU THAT WE ARE GOING TO
END UP KNOWING EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE NEED TO KNOW WHEN WE
NEED TO KNOW IT.
SO, NOW I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU SOME SCRIPTURES.
LET'S LOOK AT HOSEA 6:3.
"YES, LET US KNOW (RECOGNIZE, BE ACQUAINTED WITH, AND UNDERSTAND)
HIM.
LET US BE ZEALOUS TO KNOW THE LORD [TO APPRECIATE, TO GIVE
HEED TO, AND TO CHERISH HIM]."
I'M SO IMPRESSED WITH WHAT THE APOSTLE PAUL SAID
THAT'S RECORDED IN PHILIPPIANS 3:10 AND 11.
OF ALL THE THINGS THAT HE KNEW, AND HE WAS GIVEN THE TASK OF
WRITING ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT BY REVELATION,
YOU WOULD THINK THAT HE ALREADY KNEW EVERYTHING THAT HE
NEEDED TO KNOW.
AND LOOK AT WHAT HE SAID.
"FOR MY DETERMINED PURPOSE--" PHILIPPIANS CHAPTER 3, VERSE 10,
"FOR MY DETERMINED PURPOSE IS THAT I MAY KNOW HIM."
WHAT IS YOUR NUMBER ONE PURPOSE IN LIFE?
IT REALLY SHOULD BE TO KNOW GOD.
GINGER: AS JOYCE SAID, IF WE SPEND TIME GETTING TO KNOW GOD,
WE WILL END UP KNOWING EVERYTHING WE NEED TO KNOW WHEN
WE NEED TO KNOW IT.
NOW, IT MAY NOT BE EVERYTHING WE THINK WE WANT TO KNOW, BUT GOD
HAS A PLAN THAT IS SO MUCH BETTER IF WE JUST LEAVE IT
TO HIM.
AND IF WE MAKE A MISTAKE, HE WILL HELP GET US BACK ON TRACK.
THE ONE VERY IMPORTANT FACTOR IN ALL OF THIS, IN KNOWING IF THAT
VOICE IS GOD OR NOT, IS UNDERSTANDING THE HOLY SPIRIT
AND WHO HE IS.
HE IS THE ONE THAT IS HELPING US DAY TO DAY, GIVING US THOSE
INNER URGINGS AND HELPING US UNDERSTAND OUR PATH.
SO, WE HAVE A TEACHING FOR YOU TODAY CALLED "THE HOLY SPIRIT."
THESE FOUR TEACHINGS ON A CD OR BY DOWNLOAD WILL HELP YOU
UNDERSTAND WHO THE HOLY SPIRIT IS, HOW HE RELATES TO YOU,
AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO STAY IN TOUCH WITH THE LEADING OF
THE HOLY SPIRIT.
SO, AS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THOSE QUESTIONS OF,
"IS IT GOD OR IS IT NOT?" YOU'LL BE ABLE TO DISCERN.
THE HOLY SPIRIT IS WITH YOU RIGHT NOW IF YOU WANT HIM TO BE,
AND HE'LL HELP WALK YOU THROUGH THIS.
SO, ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY BECAUSE THIS IS GREAT
INFORMATION FROM GOD'S WORD THAT WILL HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE
THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT ALL THIS.
THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
GOD IS ALWAYS LISTENING AND SO ARE WE, SO NOW IT'S TIME
FOR YOUR VOICE.
GINGER: ALL RIGHT, WE ASKED YOU TO SHARE YOUR FAVORITE
CHARACTERISTIC ABOUT YOURSELF, AND I LOVE THIS BECAUSE IT'S
OKAY TO REALIZE THAT THERE ARE GOOD THINGS ABOUT YOU
AND TO CELEBRATE THOSE THINGS.
WE FOCUS WAY TOO MUCH ON THE THINGS WE DON'T LIKE, SO WE'RE
GOING TO SHARE SOME OF YOUR WONDERFUL RESPONSES.
THIS ONE'S FROM ST. LOUIS, "MY FAVORITE THING ABOUT MYSELF
IS MY ABILITY TO GO THROUGH HORRIBLE LIFE EVENTS AND COME
THROUGH IT WITH HOPE AND PEACE THAT GOD HAS A GOOD PLAN FOR ME
AND THAT HE'S WORKING ALL THINGS OUT FOR MY GOOD."
THAT'S IMPORTANT.
THIS COMES FROM VIDA.
VIDA SAYS, "MY SMILE, MY CALMNESS, AND PATIENCE.
I'VE BEEN THROUGH A LOT.
GOD HAS MADE ME A STRONGER PERSON TODAY."
ONE FROM FLORIDA, "WHAT I LIKE ABOUT ME IS THAT I REALLY DO
WANT TO MAKE GOD PROUD, AND I LIKE THE FACT THAT I'M
A GREAT LISTENER."
THAT'S A WONDERFUL ATTRIBUTE.
WELL, TODAY WE ARE TALKING ABOUT GOD'S GUIDANCE, SO WE WANT YOU
TO SHARE YOUR STORY OF WHEN YOU JUST TOTALLY MISSED
GOD'S DIRECTION.
WE HAVE ALL DONE IT, WE ALL HAVE THOSE STORIES.
TELL US WHAT HAPPENED AND WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM IT.
WE ALL LEARN FROM THOSE THINGS TOGETHER.
SHARE THOSE STORIES ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AT
JOYCEMEYERMINISTRIES FACEBOOK.
YOU CAN ALSO ON TWITTER USE #EA.
YOU CAN EVEN SHARE IT ON INSTAGRAM, TAKE A PICTURE AND
LET US KNOW WHAT YOUR STORY IS.
MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALSO ARE RIGHT HERE WITH US NEXT TIME.
YOU ARE NOT GOING TO WANT TO MISS IT ON "EVERYDAY ANSWERS."
JOYCE: TREAT OTHER PEOPLE THE WAY YOU WANNA BE TREATED,
NOT THE WAY THEY TREAT YOU.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: YOU KNOW WHY?
BECAUSE WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.
GINGER: WE DO ALWAYS WANT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS,
SO SEND THEM INTO US TODAY.
DO IT RIGHT NOW, DON'T EVEN WAIT, NOW IS THE TIME.
USE #ASKJOYCE ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
YOU CAN GO TO OUR EVERYDAY ANSWERS PAGE
ON OUR WEBSITE AND THERE IS A VERY HANDY PLACE
RIGHT THERE ARE AT JOYCEMEYER.ORG/EVERYDAYANSWERS
WHERE YOU CAN SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS.
WELL, GOD BLESS YOU TODAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT MISSING GOD'S DIRECTION
BECAUSE IF YOU GET LOST, HE WILL CERTAINLY FIND YOU.
IT'S YOUR HEART THAT COUNTS.
IF YOU ARE SEEKING HIM, YOU ARE IN THE RIGHT PLACE.
ANNOUNCER: THE PRECEDING PROGRAM WAS PAID FOR BY
THE FRIENDS AND PARTNERS OF JOYCE MEYER MINISTRIES.
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