ANNOUNCER: THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE BY
THE FRIENDS AND PARTNERS OF JOYCE MEYER MINISTRIES.
JOYCE: SO PLEASE, IF YOU'RE WAITING ON AN ANSWER FROM GOD,
DON'T GET FRUSTRATED BECAUSE GOD'S NOT ANSWERING YOU YET.
HE MAY NOT BE EARLY, BUT HE WON'T BE LATE.
[MUSIC]
JOYCE: NOW, DIVINE GUIDANCE IS GOD'S WILL FOR HIS CHILDREN.
ISAIAH 42:16, "I WILL LEAD THE BLIND BY A WAY THEY DO NOT KNOW;
I WILL GUIDE THEM IN PATHS THAT THEY DO NOT KNOW.
I WILL MAKE DARKNESS INTO LIGHT BEFORE THEM AND RUGGED PLACES
INTO PLAINS.
THESE THINGS I WILL DO [FOR THEM], AND I WILL NOT LEAVE THEM
ABANDONED OR UNDONE."
SOMEBODY NEEDS TO RECEIVE THAT WORD THIS AFTERNOON.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: I READ THAT, THAT'S A GREAT SCRIPTURE BUT IT'S FOR
SOMEBODY HERE TODAY.
GOD WILL LEAD YOU.
YOU MAY FEEL LIKE A BLIND PERSON RIGHT NOW NOT KNOWING WHERE TO
GO BUT GOD SAYS, "I WILL LEAD THE BLIND BY A WAY THAT THEY
DON'T KNOW RIGHT NOW.
I WILL GUIDE THEM IN PATHS THAT THEY DON'T KNOW RIGHT NOW.
I WILL TURN THE DARKNESS THAT YOU'RE EXPERIENCING INTO LIGHT,
AND I WILL MAKE THE RUGGED PLACES A STRAIGHT PLAIN PATH
THAT YOU CAN WALK OVER.
THESE THINGS I WILL DO FOR THEM AND I WILL NOT LEAVE THEM
ABANDONED OR UNDONE."
COME ON, GOD IS NOT GOING TO ABANDON YOU.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: A LARGE MAJORITY OF OUR PRAYERS ARE ONES ASKING GOD
TO SHOW US WHAT TO DO IN A VARIETY OF SITUATIONS, WHAT TO
DO ABOUT THE FUTURE, WHAT TO DO ABOUT MISTAKES WE'VE MADE
IN THE PAST, DECISIONS WE NEED TO MAKE,
HOW TO HANDLE AND DEAL WITH DIFFICULT RELATIONSHIPS, AND GOD
WANTS TO LEAD US AND GUIDE US.
ISAIAH 30:21 SAYS, "YOUR EARS WILL HEAR A WORD BEHIND YOU,
SAYING, 'THIS IS THE WAY, WALK IN IT,'
WHENEVER YOU TURN TO THE RIGHT HAND OR TO THE LEFT."
BUT HERE AGAIN, I DON'T THINK THAT THAT MEANS AN AUDIBLE VOICE
IS GONNA BE BACK HERE JUST SPEAKING IN YOUR EARS ALL
THE TIME, BUT I THINK IF WE SLOW DOWN AND I THINK SLOWING DOWN IS
A GOOD PART OF HEARING FROM GOD.
SO, CAN WE ALL SAY IT, "SLOWING DOWN"?
IF WE SLOW DOWN A LITTLE BIT AND TAKE A LITTLE MORE TIME, I THINK
YOU'LL GET A MAJOR UPGRADE IN HEARING FROM GOD.
I HAVE STARTED TAKING A LITTLE MORE TIME TO MAKE DECISIONS.
I'M THE KIND OF PERSON THAT PRETTY MUCH THINKS I CAN TAKE ON
JUST ABOUT ANYTHING AND GET IT DONE, BUT MY BODY IS BEGINNING
TO LET ME KNOW THAT I'M GONNA HAVE TO LOSE SOME OF THAT
ATTITUDE IF I WANT TO BE AROUND FOR A LONG TIME.
AND SOMEBODY, ANOTHER PERSON IN MINISTRY, SAID THIS TO ME A LONG
TIME AGO AND IT WAS HELPFUL TO ME.
I WAS TALKING TO HER ABOUT HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT TO SAY YES TO
AND WHAT TO SAY NO TO?
BECAUSE YOU GET MORE OPPORTUNITIES EVENTUALLY THAN
WHAT YOU CAN TAKE AND YOU MAY NOT BE IN FULL-TIME MINISTRY
LIKE ME BUT YOU DEAL WITH THE SAME THING ALL THE TIME.
YOU CAN'T SAY YES TO EVERYTHING THAT EVERYBODY WANTS YOU TO DO
BECAUSE IF YOU DO, YOU'RE JUST GONNA ABSOLUTELY FALL APART.
AND SO, SHE SAID, "I'VE FORMED THE HABIT OF THINKING THROUGH
EVERYTHING IT'S GONNA TAKE FOR ME TO DO THAT.
LIKE OKAY, IF I'M GONNA TAKE THIS SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT,"
AND SHE HAPPENED TO LIVE IN AUSTRALIA, "THAT'S A LONG TRIP
TO COME OVER HERE.
THERE'S THE PACKING, THERE'S THE AIR FLIGHT TO GETTING TO THE
HOTEL, THE UNPACKING, THE DOING THE MEETINGS, HAVING THE JETLAG,
GETTING BACK ON THE PLANE."
IT REALLY HELPS YOU HONESTLY, TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS IF YOU'LL
SLOW DOWN A LITTLE BIT AND LET GOD KIND OF WALK THROUGH WITH
GOD WHAT IT'S ACTUALLY GONNA TAKE FROM YOU TO DO THIS THING
THAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO SAY YES TO.
AND SO, I FOUND I'VE BEEN PRACTICING THIS A COUPLE THINGS
RECENTLY THAT HAVE REALLY HELPED ME IS I'M NOT TRYING TO MAKE
DECISIONS BEFORE I NEED TO MAKE THEM.
I'M THE KIND OF PERSON THAT LIKES TO BE ON TOP OF STUFF.
I WANT TO KNOW NOT ONLY WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TODAY, BUT
TOMORROW, AND NEXT WEEK, AND THE WEEK AFTER THAT,
AND THE WEEK AFTER THAT.
AND SO, IT PUTS A LOT OF INTERNAL PRESSURE ON YOU AND
YOU'RE ALREADY DEALING WITH SO MUCH OUT HERE, YOU DON'T NEED TO
BE DEALING WITH ANYMORE INSIDE THAN WHAT YOU NEED TO.
AND SO, IT'S REALLY HELPED ME TO JUST THINK SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW,
I DON'T--THAT'S FOR ANOTHER DAY.
I DON'T NEED TO THINK ABOUT THAT TODAY.
AND ALSO WHEN PEOPLE ASK ME IF I WANT TO DO THIS OR I WANT TO DO
THAT, LIKE I WAS TRYING TO MAKE SOME APPOINTMENTS LAST WEEK
AND I HAD TWO OR THREE DIFFERENT OPTIONS, AND MY ASSISTANT WAS ON
THE PHONE WAITING FOR ME TO GIVE HER AN ANSWER AND I SAID,
"YOU KNOW WHAT?
I WANT TO THINK ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT AND THEN I'LL CALL
YOU BACK."
WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS I DECIDED I DIDN'T WANT TO DO AT
ALL AND THEN ONE OF THEM I CHANGED THE TIME FROM
WHAT I WAS GONNA DO.
SOMETIMES WE GET THIS BRIGHT IDEA THAT WE WANT TO DO
SOMETHING AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE'VE SIGNED ON THE DOTTED LINE
AND MADE A COMMITMENT TO SOME APPOINTMENT, AND THEN WE END UP
NOT BEING PEOPLE OF INTEGRITY BECAUSE WE DON'T FOLLOW THROUGH
AND DO WHAT WE SAID WE WERE GONNA DO.
AND SO, HEARING FROM GOD IS GOING TO REQUIRE, I'MMA SAY IT
ONE LAST TIME, SLOWING DOWN AND TAKING JUST A LITTLE BIT
MORE TIME PONDERING THINGS OR THINKING THINGS OVER.
DOES ANYBODY AGREE WITH THAT?
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: "YOU WILL HEAR A WORD BEHIND YOU, 'THIS IS THE WAY,
WALK IN IT,' WHEN YOU TURN TO THE RIGHT HAND AND WHEN YOU
TURN TO THE LEFT."
NOW, WE WOULD ALL LIKE A BLUEPRINT FOR OUR WHOLE LIFE.
WE'D LIKE TO KNOW ALL THE STEPS.
WE THINK WE WOULD, WE REALLY WOULDN'T BECAUSE IF YOU KNEW
EVERYTHING THAT YOU WERE STILL GONNA HAVE TO DEAL WITH IN YOUR
LIFE, YOU MIGHT JUST WANT TO GIVE UP RIGHT NOW.
BUT IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE WHEN THINGS COME ONE AT A TIME,
WE CAN TAKE JUST ABOUT ANYTHING WITH GOD'S HELP.
AND SO, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY GOD WITHHOLDS A LOT
OF INFORMATION FROM US BECAUSE HE'S CREATED US TO LIVE ONE DAY
AT A TIME AND TO DEAL WITH ONE THING AT A TIME.
AND SO, YOU HAVE TO LEARN WITH GOD THAT HE'S NOT GONNA GIVE YOU
THE NEXT STEP UNTIL YOU DO THE STEP THAT HE'S TOLD YOU
TO DO NOW.
COME ON.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: SOME OF YOU MAY BE WAITING TO SEE
WHAT IT IS YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO ABOUT SOMETHING BUT YOU'RE
FROZEN IN FEAR AND NOT DOING ANYTHING BECAUSE YOU CAN'T SEE
PAST THIS ONE STEP THAT YOU FEEL LIKE GOD'S GIVEN YOU, BUT YOU
MAY NOTICE THAT THE JORDAN RIVER DIDN'T PART UNTIL JOSHUA PUT HIS
FOOT IN IT.
AND MAYBE THE WATERS ARE NOT GONNA PART FOR YOU EITHER UNTIL
YOU TAKE A CHANCE AND PUT YOUR FOOT IN IT.
ANYBODY WITH ME, KNOW WHERE I'M AT?
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: BUT WE DON'T LIKE THAT IDEA OF GETTING INFORMATION FROM
GOD ONE THING AT A TIME BECAUSE THIS IS THE WAY THAT GOD'S GIVEN
ME TO EXPLAIN IT AND PEOPLE USUALLY GET IT.
IT'S LIKE YOU HAVE THIS.
YOU DON'T LIKE IT ANYMORE BUT AT LEAST YOU'VE GOT IT.
YOU'RE NOT HAPPY WITH THIS, LET'S SAY IT'S YOUR JOB OR
WHATEVER, THERE'S NO LIFE IN IT FOR YOU ANYMORE AND YOU FEEL
LIKE GOD WANTS YOU TO LET GO AND DO SOMETHING ELSE BUT YOU DON'T
WANT TO TILL YOU KNOW WHAT THE SOMETHING ELSE IS.
AND SO, YOU'RE TRYING REAL HARD...
AND SO YOU END UP FEELING CONFUSED AND PULLED APART
BECAUSE GOD IS ALWAYS GONNA KEEP THIS NEW THING ABOUT THAT FAR
AWAY FROM YOU UNTIL YOU LET GO OF THIS THING AND SHOW THAT YOU
TRUST HIM.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: I MEAN, I DON'T HAVE THE TIME TODAY BUT I CAN TELL
YOU SO MANY STORIES ABOUT OUR MINISTRY AND THE THINGS,
THE SCARY THINGS, THAT WE HAD TO DO AND HOW GOD LED US ONE STEP
AT A TIME STEP BY STEP BY STEP.
I'LL GIVE YOU ONE EXAMPLE OF WHEN WE STARTED OUR MINISTRY, IT
WAS IN THE BASEMENT OF OUR HOME AND WE HAD, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE
EIGHT, TEN EMPLOYEES DOWN THERE BEFORE WE FINALLY REALIZED WE
HAD TO GET IT OUT OF OUR HOUSE.
AND SO, WE RENTED 1700 SQUARE FEET OF OFFICE SPACE
AND WE FELT LIKE, WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE WE
EVER GONNA DO WITH ALL THIS SPACE?
I MEAN, ITS JUST LOOKED LIKE THE WORLD TO US.
WELL, PRETTY SOON WE'D USED UP ALL THAT SPACE AND THEN WE'D
RENTED EVERYTHING ELSE IN THIS COMPLEX THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY
RENT SO WE KNEW IT WAS GETTING TIME TO BUY A BUILDING, BUILD
A BUILDING, BUY SOME PROPERTY, SOMETHING.
SO, WE ALMOST BOUGHT A CHURCH THAT WAS CLOSING DOWN AND WE
WERE CLOSE TO SIGNING THE PAPERS AND DAVE JUST SAID ONE DAY
HE SAID, "YOU KNOW WHAT?
I DON'T HAVE PEACE ABOUT THIS."
THAT WAS IT, THAT WAS THE ONLY THING, "I DON'T HAVE PEACE
ABOUT THIS."
AND SO, I SAID, "OKAY, THEN WE WON'T DO THAT."
AND THEN WE ALMOST BOUGHT ANOTHER BUILDING AND IT WAS,
HOW MANY SQUARE FEET WAS THAT BUILDING, HUH?
THIRTY THOUSAND SQUARE FEET AND WE THOUGHT WELL, MY GOSH, WHAT
IN THE WORLD WILL WE EVER DO WITH 30,000 SQUARE FEET?
WELL, WE PUT IN A BID ON THAT BUILDING AND SOMEBODY ELSE GOT
IT INSTEAD OF US.
SO, ONE OF THE WAYS THAT YOU HEAR FROM GOD SOMETIMES IS
HE'LL JUST SHUT A DOOR.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: YOU KNOW, AND DON'T BE THE KIND OF PERSON THAT GETS
UPSET BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T GET WHAT YOU WANTED.
IF GOD CLOSES A DOOR THEN YOU BETTER THANK HIM FOR DOING IT
BECAUSE THAT MEANS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN DOING SOMETHING
THAT WOULDN'T HAVE WORKED FOR YOU OTHERWISE.
GOD CAN OPEN DOORS BUT HE CAN ALSO CLOSE THEM.
AND SO, THAT DOOR CLOSED.
WELL, WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WE WERE GONNA DO.
I MEAN, WE WERE REALLY LIKE HURTING FOR SPACE.
I MEAN, WE WERE ON TELEVISION BY THEN AND WE WERE HIRING SO MANY
PEOPLE.
OUR MINISTRY WAS TRIPLING IN SIZE AND WE HAD DESKS OUT
IN THE HALL.
WE HAD YOU JUST EVERYWHERE WE COULD PUT THEM.
AND THE WAY WE DROVE INTO OUR OFFICE WAS THE SAME WAY EVERY
DAY AND YET FOR SOME REASON, WE HAD NEVER SEEN THE SIGN.
I'D SEEN IT BUT NEVER PAID MUCH ATTENTION TO IT.
THERE WAS A LITTLE SIGN OVER HERE ON SIDE OF THE ROAD AS WE
WOULD DRIVE BY AND IT HAD AN ARROW POINTING UP
"55 ACRES FOR SALE."
WELL, ONE DAY I SAID TO DAVE, "I WONDER WHAT THAT IS."
YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING HOW GOD CAN BLIND YOU TO SOMETHING
IF IT'S NOT THE RIGHT TIME AND HE CAN OPEN YOUR EYES TO
SOMETHING WHEN IT IS THE RIGHT TIME.
AND SO, WE WENT UP AND LOOKED AT THE 55 ACRES AND, MAN, THIS
WOULD JUST BE--THIS IS WOULD BE AWESOME BUT THERE'S NO TELLINGS
WHAT THIS WOULD COST.
AND WE ONLY HAD A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY SAVED TOWARD THIS AND
SO WE FOUND THE LADY WHO OWNED IT AND SOMEBODY ELSE HAD OFFERED
HER THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE FELT LIKE WE COULD OFFER
A COUPLE OF YEARS PRIOR TO THAT AND SHE WOULDN'T SELL IT TO
THEM, BUT GOD GAVE US FAVOR WITH HER AND SHE SOLD IT TO US FOR
THAT EXACT AMOUNT OF MONEY.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: AND THAT'S WHERE OUR PROPERTY SITS TODAY, AND IT'S
HOW MANY THOUSAND SQUARE FEET?
A 150,000 SQUARE FEET IN THE OFFICE BUILDING
AND 68,000 SQUARE FEET IN THE DISTRIBUTION CENTER.
SO, THE 30,000 SQUARE FEET WOULDN'T HAVE LASTED VERY LONG.
SEE, GOD SHUT THAT DOOR BECAUSE HE KNEW MORE THAN WE DID ABOUT
WHAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.
IF WE WOULD HAVE BOUGHT THAT CHURCH OR THAT BUILDING,
WE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN TROUBLE.
WELL, GOD HID THAT PROPERTY FROM US, EVEN THOUGH WE DROVE RIGHT
BY IT EVERY DAY, DIDN'T SEE IT.
HE HID IT FROM US UNTIL IT WAS THE RIGHT TIME FOR US
TO DO THAT.
SO, PLEASE, IF YOU'RE WAITING ON AN ANSWER FROM GOD, DON'T GET
FRUSTRATED BECAUSE GOD'S NOT ANSWERING YOU YET.
HE MAY NOT BE EARLY, BUT HE WON'T BE LATE.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: COME ON.
WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT AND EVERY TIME THE DEVIL TRIES TO
DISCOURAGE YOU, JUST OPEN YOUR MOUTH AND SAY, "GOD WILL SPEAK
TO ME AT THE RIGHT TIME.
HE IS NOT GONNA LEAVE ME ABANDONED.
GOD IS GONNA SHOW ME WHAT TO DO WHEN I NEED TO DO IT."
AND, YOU KNOW, I ESPECIALLY FEEL BAD SOMETIMES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
GETTING OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL OR GETTING OUT OF COLLEGE BECAUSE
EVERYBODY WANTS TO ASK THAT PERSON, "WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO
WITH YOUR LIFE?" I MEAN, COME ON, SOME OF US ARE,
SOME OF YOU ARE 50 AND YOU STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING
WITH YOUR LIFE, YOU KNOW?
YOU'RE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT.
AND WE'RE BADGERING THESE 18-YEAR-OLD AND 21,
22-YEAR-OLDS, YOU KNOW, "WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO WITH YOUR--"
DON'T YOU IMAGINE THEY GET FED UP WITH HAVING TO TRY TO ANSWER
THAT QUESTION?
I MEAN, I GUESS IT'S OKAY TO ASK IT BUT IF THEY SAY, "I DON'T
KNOW YET," DON'T BUG THEM ABOUT IT JUST, YOU KNOW, WHO CARES?
MAYBE YOU SPEND THE FIRST TEN YEARS DOING STUFF THAT HAS
NOTHING DO WITH WHAT YOU'RE GONNA ULTIMATELY DO, BUT YOU
WILL GET EXPERIENCE EVERY PLACE THAT YOU ARE THAT WILL
ULTIMATELY BE USED IN YOUR LIFE SOMEWHERE DOWN THE ROAD.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: WE'RE ALL JUST IN TOO BIG OF A HURRY TO KNOW
EVERYTHING AND WE DON'T ALWAYS NEED TO KNOW EVERYTHING
ALL THE TIME.
ALL RIGHT, THE MOST COMMON WAY THAT GOD SPEAKS US TO IS THROUGH
HIS WORD AND I'LL JUST TELL YOU RIGHT NOW IF YOU EVER WANT TO
LEARN HOW TO ACCURATELY HEAR FROM GOD, YOU HAVE TO KNOW
THE WORD OF GOD.
IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE A STUDENT OF THE WORD, YOU'RE GONNA GET
DECEIVED AND YOU'RE GONNA GET YOURSELF IN TROUBLE.
THE WORD OF GOD WILL RISE UP IN YOU WHEN YOU'RE ABOUT TO MAKE
MISTAKES, WHEN YOU'RE GETTING READY TO GO IN A WRONG
DIRECTION, WHEN YOU'RE GETTING READY DO THE WRONG THING,
WHEN YOU'RE TREATING SOMEBODY IN A WAY THAT'S
NOT PLEASING TO GOD, THE WORD OF GOD WILL RISE UP
IN YOU.
SO, YOU HAVE TO MAKE A COMMITMENT TO BE A STUDENT
OF THE WORD OF GOD.
I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO SEE EVERY SINGLE PERSON SPEND SOME
TIME IN THE WORD EVERY DAY EVEN IF IT CAN'T BE A LONG, LONG
TIME, SPEND SOME TIME IN THE WORD OF GOD EVERY DAY AND YOU'LL
BE AMAZED THE TIME THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO LISTEN TO THE WORD
IF YOU REALLY STARTED THINKING ABOUT--EVEN IF YOU'VE GOT YOUR
PLAYING A CD OR SOMETHING AND YOU'RE NOT A POSITION WHERE YOU
CAN LISTEN TO EVERY SINGLE WORD INTENTLY, HAVE THAT WORD GOING
AND IF YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO THAT THING FOUR OR FIVE TIMES
BEFORE YOU GET ALL OF IT, IT'S BETTER TO DO THAT THAN TO JUST
HAVE WASTED BRAIN SPACE WHERE YOU'RE JUST, YOU KNOW, SITTING
AROUND GETTING OFF INTO THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S NOT GONNA
BEAR ANY GOOD FRUIT FOR YOU ANYWAY.
LOVE THE WORD OF GOD.
"THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE ARE NOT PHYSICAL [WEAPONS OF FLESH
AND BLOOD].
OUR WEAPONS ARE DIVINELY POWERFUL FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF
FORTRESSES," OR STRONGHOLDS.
"WE ARE DESTROYING SOPHISTICATED ARGUMENTS AND EVERY EXALTED AND
PROUD THING THAT SETS ITSELF UP AGAINST THE [TRUE] KNOWLEDGE OF
GOD, AND WE ARE TAKING EVERY THOUGHT AND PURPOSE CAPTIVE UNTO
THE OBEDIENCE OF JESUS CHRIST."
IN OTHER WORDS, THERE ARE VERY MANY VOICES IN THE WORLD TODAY,
NATURAL ONES AND SUPERNATURAL ONES, THAT MAY TRY TO SPEAK TO
US BUT IF WE KNOW THE TRUTH OF GOD'S WORD, WE WILL RECOGNIZE
THE ONES THAT ARE RIGHT ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF GOD
AND THE ONES THAT ARE WRONG ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF GOD.
JESUS SAID "IF YOU CONTINUE IN MY WORD, THEN YOU WILL KNOW
THE TRUTH AND THE TRUTH WILL MAKE YOU FREE."
NOW, I BELIEVE THAT ONE OF THE MAIN WAYS WE HEAR FROM GOD,
AND I KNOW THIS TO BE A FACT FOR DAVE AND I, IS JUST THROUGH
WISDOM AND COMMON SENSE.
DAVE AND I, AND I--THIS IS NOT SAID IN A BRAGGING WAY.
IT'S JUST A FACT.
WE JUST HAVE A LOT OF COMMON SENSE.
AND, YOU KNOW, COMMON SENSE CAN BE MORE VALUABLE TO YOU THAN
A WHOLE BUNCH OF EDUCATION SOMETIMES.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT WE DON'T NEED
TO HEAR FROM GOD ON, IT'S JUST COMMON SENSE.
YOU DON'T SPEND MORE MONEY THAN YOU MAKE.
YOU DON'T GO OUT AND BUY A NEW CAR WHEN YOU'RE REALLY NOT GONNA
BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO MAKE THE PAYMENT AND IT'S JUST GONNA
PUT PRESSURE ON YOU.
WELL, YOU KNOW, FIRST OF ALL, GOD DOESN'T PRESSURE YOU TO MAKE
DECISIONS, AMEN?
WHEN SOMEBODY STARTS PRESSURING YOU TO MAKE A DECISION,
YOU MIGHT AS WELL SAY RIGHT NOW, THIS IS NOT GOD.
PLEASE TAKE A LITTLE MORE TIME.
YOU KNOW, WHEN--IF YOU'RE GONNA BUY SOMETHING, ESPECIALLY
SOMETHING THAT'S EXPENSIVE, SLEEP ON IT.
GET AWAY FROM THE JEWELRY CASE.
GET AWAY FROM THE SHINY SHOWROOM WHERE THE CARS ARE ALL POLISHED
AND, YOU KNOW, LOOK LIKE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING
YOU'VE EVER SEEN.
KEEP IN MIND WHAT IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE AFTER IT'S FULL OF
MCDONALD'S WRAPPERS, AND STARBUCKS CUPS, AND IT'S GOT MUD
ON IT, AND A FEW NICKS ON THE DOORS FROM PEOPLE SLAMMING
THEIR CAR DOOR INTO YOURS.
AND THEN ASK YOURSELF, "WHEN IT'S LIKE THAT AM I GONNA BE
WILLING TO PAY $700 A MONTH FOR SEVEN YEARS TO OWN IT," AMEN?
COME ON, GOOD COMMON SENSE STUFF HERE.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: ANOTHER WAY THAT GOD CAN SPEAK TO US VERY CLEARLY IS
THROUGH OUR PAST MISTAKES.
SO, LET ME TELL YA SOMETHING, MAYBE YOU'VE MADE SOME MISTAKES
IN OUR LIFE BUT DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND GET SOME BENEFIT OUT
OF THEM OTHER THAN JUST SITTING AROUND FEELING GUILTY THAT
YOU DIDN'T.
PROVERBS 3:11, "MY SON, DO NOT REJECT OR TAKE LIGHTLY THE
DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD [LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES AND THE
TESTING THAT COMES FROM HIS CORRECTION THROUGH DISCIPLINE]."
ISN'T THAT GOOD?
LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES.
ONE THING'S FOR SURE ABOUT MAKING A MISTAKE, IF YOU DON'T
LEARN ANYTHING ELSE, YOU LEARN NOT TO DO THAT AGAIN.
THAT'S WHY SOMETIMES IT'S WISE IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE
SUPPOSED TO DO WITH YOUR LIFE OR SOMETHING TO JUST TRY A FEW
THINGS BECAUSE IF SOMETHING DOESN'T WORK AT LEAST YOU KNOW
THAT'S NOT IT.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT WE HAVE TO DO?
WE HAVE TO GET OVER THIS ABNORMAL FEAR OF BEING WRONG.
WE JUST CAN'T STAND TO THINK THAT WE MIGHT BE WRONG OR THAT
WE MIGHT HAVE TO TELL SOMEBODY THAT WE WERE WRONG.
YOU KNOW, WE GO AROUND TELLING PEOPLE, "OH GOD SAID THIS AND
GOD SAID THAT," AND THEN WHEN IT BECOMES OBVIOUS THAT GOD DIDN'T
SAY IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT WORKING THEN WE MAKE ANOTHER MISTAKE BY
TRYING TO COVER IT UP WITH SOME OTHER EXCUSE.
I DON'T KNOW WHY WE CAN'T JUST GO BACK TO PEOPLE AND SAY,
"YOU KNOW WHAT?
I THOUGHT IT WAS GOD BUT IT WASN'T."
EVERYBODY GOES THROUGH THAT AND WE'D BE A LOT BETTER OFF IF WE'D
JUST BE HONEST WITH EACH OTHER ABOUT STUFF LIKE THAT.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: WE LEARN SO MUCH FROM LIFE'S EXPERIENCES.
GOD SPEAKS TO US THROUGH OUR OWN THOUGHTS AND I LOVE THIS.
NOW, THAT DOESN'T MEAN EVERY THOUGHT YOU HAVE IS GOD, BUT
IT'S MORE LIKE ONE OF THOSE ANOINTED THOUGHTS IS JUST
SOMETHING YOU JUST--IT FITS.
YOU JUST, YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT.
IT FEELS RIGHT.
PROVERBS 16:3 SAYS, "ROLL YOUR WORKS UPON THE LORD [COMMIT
AND TRUST THEM WHOLLY TO HIM; HE WILL CAUSE YOUR THOUGHTS TO
BECOME AGREEABLE TO HIS WILL, AND] SO SHALL YOUR PLANS BE
ESTABLISHED AND SUCCEED."
ISN'T THAT GOOD?
SO, SOMETIMES SEE I HOPE YOU'RE SEEING THAT A LOT OF THIS IS
JUST REAL--IT'S NOT LIKE THIS SOUPY FLOAT AROUND ON A CLOUD
SUPERNATURAL, "OOH, THAT WAS GOD."
SOMETIMES GOD WILL SPEAK TO YOU THROUGH A FAMILIAR VOICE.
WHEN GOD WAS CALLING SAMUEL, SAMUEL KEPT THINKING IT WAS ELI
THAT WAS CALLING HIM BECAUSE THAT WAS THE VOICE HE WAS
ACCUSTOMED TO HEARING FROM GOD ABOUT THROUGH.
AND SO, I'VE HAD PEOPLE SAY TO ME, "I WAS ABOUT TO DO SO AND SO
AND I HEARD YOUR VOICE IN MY HEAD SAYING."
SEE, WHEN YOU LISTEN TO SOMEBODY A LOT, YOU LISTEN TO YOUR PASTOR
A LOT, ONE OF THE WAYS THAT GOD DIRECTS US IS THAT HE MAY BRING
UP SOMETHING IN YOUR REMEMBRANCE THAT THEY SAID TO YOU AT ONE
TIME OR ANOTHER THAT REMINDING YOU OF THAT THING IS NOW GONNA
BE THE THING THAT'S GONNA KEEP YOU FROM GETTING IN TROUBLE.
SO, DON'T BE SURPRISED IF YOU FEEL LIKE THAT GOD IS SPEAKING
TO YOU THROUGH A FAMILIAR VOICE THAT YOU'RE ACCUSTOMED TO.
NOW, GOD ALSO CAN SPEAK TO US THROUGH OUR DESIRES.
NOT EVERY DESIRE WE HAVE IS A GOD DESIRE.
IF YOU DESIRE A HOT FUDGE SUNDAE EVERY NIGHT, THAT'S PROBABLY NOT
A GOD THING.
IF YOU DESIRE SOMEBODY ELSE'S SPOUSE, THAT'S PROBABLY NOT
A GOD THING, AMEN?
IF YOU DESIRE TO NOT KEEP YOUR WORD, THAT'S DEFINITELY NOT
A GOD THING.
BUT I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT SOMETIMES IF I JUST KEEP WANTING
TO DO SOMETHING, AND IT'S NOT A SINFUL SOMETHING, IT'S JUST,
I JUST KEEP WANTING TO DO IT, I FOUND OUT A LOT OF TIMES
THAT'S HOW GOD GUIDES ME.
HE JUST PUTS IT IN ME TO WANT TO DO SOMETHING.
AND THERE'S SCRIPTURE THAT BACKS THAT UP.
MARK 11:24, "THEREFORE I SAY UNTO YOU, WHAT THINGS SOEVER YE
DESIRE, WHEN YE PRAY, BELIEVE THAT YE RECEIVE THEM,
AND YE WILL HAVE THEM."
PSALM 37:4, "DELIGHT YOURSELF IN THE LORD AND HE WILL GIVE YOU
THE DESIRES AND THE PETITIONS OF YOUR HEART."
AND THEN I LOVE THIS ONE PHILIPPIANS 2:13, "FOR IT IS
[NOT IN YOUR STRENGTH, BUT IT IS] GOD WHO IS EFFECTIVELY AT
WORK IN YOU, BOTH TO WILL AND TO WORK [THAT IS, TO STRENGTHEN,
ENERGIZE, AND CREATE IN YOU THE LONGING AND THE ABILITY TO
FULFILL YOUR PURPOSE]."
SO, GOD PUTS IN US A LONGING FOR THE THING THAT HE WANTS US
TO DO.
I CAN HONESTLY TELL YOU FROM THE DAY GOD CALLED ME TO TEACH, I'VE
HAD A BURNING DESIRE TO DO THAT AND THAT'S ONE OF THE WAYS THAT
I KNOW FOR SURE THAT IT'S GOD BECAUSE I CAN'T GET AWAY
FROM IT.
PEOPLE SAY TO ME FREQUENTLY NOW IN THE LAST TEN YEARS,
"DO YOU EVER PLAN TO RETIRE?" AND I'M LIKE, NO, I DON'T--WHAT
WOULD I DO WITH MYSELF? I MEAN--
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: I MEAN I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'D DO WITH MYSELF.
I MEAN THAT'S JUST WHEN YOU HAVE A CALL FROM GOD IT'S DIFFERENT
THAN GOING OUT AND GETTING A JOB.
IT'S NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT YOU--I HAVE TO MAKE CHANGES AS
TIME GOES BY.
I CAN'T DO AS MUCH AS I DID AT ONE TIME, BUT I HAVE NO DESIRE
TO DO ANYTHING BUT TO GIVE GOD WHATEVER'S LEFT IN MY LIFE.
JOYCE: WELL, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE HEARING FROM GOD IS MUCH
LESS COMPLICATED THAN WE MIGHT IMAGINE.
SOMETIMES IF YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE HEARING FROM GOD
THE ONLY WAY YOU'RE REALLY GONNA FIND OUT IS TO STEP OUT.
I ALWAYS CALL IT STEP OUT AND FIND OUT.
I REMEMBER ONE GREAT MAN OF GOD, SOMEONE ASKED HIM HOW HE LEARNED
TO HEAR FROM GOD AND HE SAID, "BY MAKING A LOT OF MISTAKES."
AND THAT'S TRUE.
SOMETIMES YOU JUST, YOU'LL NEVER DO ANYTHING IF YOU'RE ALWAYS
AFRAID OF MAKING MISTAKES.
BUT I'VE WRITTEN A BOOK CALLED "HOW TO HEAR FROM GOD," AND I
THINK IT'S GOT A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION IN IT THAT WILL BE
VERY HELPFUL TO YOU AND SO WE'RE OFFERING YOU THAT BOOK TODAY
AND ALSO FOUR AUDIO TEACHINGS.
NOW REMEMBER, GOD WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE AFRAID TO TRY THINGS, TO STEP OUT.
GOD KNOWS YOUR HEART AND HE'LL HELP YOU EVERY STEP OF THE WAY
SO BE SURE YOU HAVE A GREAT, WONDERFUL DAY.
ANNOUNCER: GOD WANTS TO SPEAK TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US.
WE SIMPLY NEED TO LEARN HOW TO LISTEN AND JOYCE WANTS TO HELP.
TODAY, WE'RE OFFERING THIS "HOW TO HEAR FROM GOD" BOOK.
THROUGH PERSONAL AND BIBLICAL EXAMPLES, JOYCE WILL HELP YOU
UNDERSTAND HOW EASY IT IS TO HEAR FROM THE LORD.
AND IN HER FOUR-PART TEACHING SERIES "HOW TO HEAR FROM GOD,"
JOYCE EXPLAINS HOW TO DEVELOP A SPECIAL AWARENESS TO
THE DIFFERENT WAYS GOD SPEAKS.
THESE RESOURCES CAN BE YOURS FOR A GIFT OF...OR MORE.
CALL US...
OR VISIT US AT JOYCEMEYER.ORG.
[MUSIC]
[MUSIC]
[MUSIC]
[LAUGHING]
FEMALE: AND I LOVE THAT MAGAZINE SHE SENDS OUT.
FEMALE: THERE'S SOMETHING IN THERE FOR EVERYBODY.
ANNOUNCER: THE "ENJOYING EVERYDAY LIFE"
MAGAZINE IS FREE.
SUBSCRIBE AT JOYCEMEYER.ORG TO READ ENCOURAGING ARTICLES FROM
JOYCE AND MUCH MORE.
FEMALE: READING THROUGH THE MAGAZINE CONFIRMS
FOR ME GOD'S AT WORK.
ANNOUNCER: WE HOPE YOU HAVE ENJOYED TODAY'S PROGRAM.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT JOYCEMEYER.ORG.
THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE BY
THE FRIENDS AND PARTNERS OF JOYCE MEYER MINISTRIES.
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