I consider Joyce Meyer to be one of the greatest preachers/teachers and my personal mentor. Here are the notes from her conference at Lakewood Church in Houston Texas 11/5/09 through 11/7/09. I pray you are blessed as I was blessed.
Thursday 11/5/09
1 John 3:9 amplified is about being born again
No one born (begotten) of God [deliberately, knowingly, and habitually] practices sin, for God's nature abides in him [His principle of life, the divine sperm, remains permanently within him]; and he cannot practice sinning because he is born (begotten) of God.
No one born of God knowingly sins
Jesus didn’t die for us to have religion; but a deep intimate personal relationship with God
A close conversational relationship
John 10 says My sheep know my voice
Joyce made a great religious person; she was just as judgmental and boring as could be
Joyce started beginning her conferences with an altar call
It’s awful when people are leaving during the altar call
Someone’s soul may be at stake and people are trying to get to their car!
When you’re born again, you surrender and receive Christ as your Lord & Savior
When you give Him your all God comes to live in your spirit
From there He begins to teach you how to live the way that God wants you to live
It’s about living the life that Jesus died for you to have
Joyce was asking God what He wanted of her and He said I want you to enjoy your life
The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy but He came that we might have life in abundance [The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). John 10:10]
He wants us to have a quality life while we’re here
A great opportunity comes to us with that new birth
When anyone is begotten of God the divine sperm remains permanently in him
Jesus is the sperm of almighty God
When a man’s seed is implanted in a woman she becomes pregnant
When we receive Christ we become pregnant with all that God is
The potential and possibilities God puts in us
Joyce lived as such a pathetic religious person for so long that she doesn’t want others bound
She feels sorry for people trapped in that cycle of trying to please God
You don’t have to compare and compete we’re equal in God
Joyce’s call is not only to see God save people but to teach them how to live
Understand God wants to be involved in every thing in your life
When Joyce was in a bowling league God said to Joyce why don’t you ask me to help you bowl
She didn’t realize she could ask God to help her with something like that
But God cares about every single aspect of our lives
You have a constant companion that gives you His Spirit
He doesn’t just throw you the football from heaven and expect you to make the touchdown on your own
Being born again is becoming a new creature altogether
[Joyce gave altar call]
You cannot sneak into the Kingdom.
[Conference news video]
[Love offering for television ministry]
[Testimony of mother and daughter plagued by fear. The daughter watched Joyce in the morning before school and was delivered from fear]
WHAT DO YOU WANT OUT OF LIFE?
And what does it take to get it?
Do you have a dream for your life?
Do you have hope?
Do you have something that you’re looking forward to in life?
We need to be reaching all the time
God didn’t create us to be passive or static
Part of us always needs to go somewhere
If you’ve got your life in park you need to get it in drive
And get rid of reverse
Proverbs 29:18 without vision the people perish [Where there is no vision [no redemptive revelation of God], the people perish; but he who keeps the law [of God, which includes that of man]--blessed (happy, fortunate, and enviable) is he.]
If you don’t have anything you’re looking forward to you become hopeless
And hope deferred makes the heart sick
You don’t need wishbone you need backbone
Get a dream; get a vision
The Bible tells us to fight the good fight of faith
You have to be determined to get that life Jesus died to give you
So many people wade around passively; waiting to see what will happen
In Phil 4:11-13 Paul learned how to be content
Where’s the balance between contentment and reaching
He was satisfied to the point where he wasn’t disturbed
He wasn’t upset about where he was but he was still looking forward
Joyce had a big dream but didn’t understand the contentment part
Don’t despise the day of small beginnings
Don’t get caught up in what you don’t have
Listen to those who have successfully made the journey
Joyce has lots of experience
She knows you can do great things and be happy at each step of the journey
We need to do at least one outrageous thing a week
Joyce was at a really nice restaurant and asking the waiter many questions and he said why don’t you let me surprise you
Her companions were shocked when she agreed because that’s not like her
We’re not created for boring sameness
When you do have a vision/dream you have to keep it in front of you
It’s easy to lose your vision/dreams and hopes
Habakkuk 2:1-3 write the vision and make it plain…
Habakkuk was complaining and getting tired and the Lord told him to write the vision and make it plain,
It could even be a simple vision (lose weight, etc)
God wants you to dream and plan and He doesn’t want life to steal your dreams nor fear
Fear is the master demon spirit
Joyce believes fear is even at the root of pride
When we’re being attacked [by a spirit of fear] we must rise up against it
It’s so important that you open up your mouth and speak the word and say it a loud
And there’s power in writing the vision
Joyce has kept journals for 32 years
It’s amazing when she looks back at what she’s been through and how God brought her through them all
It’s wonderful to have a record of what God has brought you through
Joyce found some old entries and she was believing God just to have people in the room
God is so faithful
Write down your victories
Keep a book of remembrance
It’s good to remember the things God has done for you
We need to remember the devil is alive but we have authority over him
We must resist these spirits trying to discourage and disappoint us and telling us we’re never going to see anything good in our lives
Timothy struggled with fear
Paul lovingly chastised him: your mother had faith and your grandmother had faith and you better stir up yours
Shake off that weariness that has gotten hold of you
Come full circle and say I will see my dreams come to pass
God is my vindicator
Don’t let weariness and/or age steal your joy
Age is only a number but youth is an attitude
1 Samuel 3:1-2 the lights were still on and there was still stuff to do but Eli was already lying down
He was weary
Joyce came here tonight to stir us up
To remind you of things you already know
You are so full of opportunity
He whom the son has set free is free indeed
1 Sam 3:10-13 Eli wasn’t even taking care of business. His sons were sleeping with prostitutes and he didn’t do anything about it
Joyce gets tired of dealing with difficult people but she refuses to stop trusting people or lose her joy
She wishes we had a Good News channel
Fight that attitude “can’t trust anyone”
You’re the one who will get hurt the worst
Joyce is sorry God has to put up with us
He’s been so good to us and there are such unbelievable possibilities
Samuel was being called by God to replace Eli
God needed a man with fresh faith
As people age they pass on the torch but Joyce isn’t passing her torch until there’s no flicker left in her
You have to fight that thing [that wants to quit]
When you’re older you have to really fight that thinking
Joyce will be 70 in 3 years
Eli got old and tired and worn out
If David had been out in battle then he wouldn’t have messed up with Bathsheba
Don’t think you’re doing God a favor by reading the Bible; He already knows it – reading is to help you
Somebody has to decide tonight if you’re going to finish your race
Get your faith back
Be God minded
Make a decision that the devil will be sorry every day when you get out of bed
We must take time to think and dream on purpose
Do you only see what’s in front of you?
Can you get with God and shut your eyes and say I see a promotion coming for me…
Jacob & Esau were twins and even though Esau came out first Jacob was holding on to his heel
Jacob was always conniving to get what he wanted; he didn’t know how to wait on God for it
Jacob reaped what he sowed. He tricked everybody and Laban tricked him.
Laban hid all the spotted sheep and made it impossible for the sheep to reproduce
Genesis 30:37 even though it was impossible because He kept the vision in front of those sheep they produced spotted sheep
When you keep the vision in front of you the impossible can occur
God is saying I don’t care what you are now this is what you’re going to be
Keep a dream in front of you
The vision was there repeatedly
All they saw were spots and speckles
And when it came time to give birth - spots and speckles
There’s a realm we’re not used to but it’s real
We need to learn how to live more in the spirit
What do you see for your life?
You need to see something
See something better than what you’ve been used to
Even if your parents had a bad life you’re not your parents
Genesis 13:2 Abraham was extremely rich…there was strife between the employees of Lot and Abraham
Avoid strife at all costs
There are too many mad Christians
Angry bitter resentful Christians
Abram was aggressive about keeping the peace
He went to Lot and said let there be no strife between us
Abram said you pick what you want and I’ll take what’s left
You’d think Lot would say you didn’t even have to bring me you take the best, but Lot went right for the best
Genesis 13:14 after Lot left God said look up and I’ll give you all the land you see
Don’t just see only for yourself
Joyce sees herself feeding 1 million hungry children every day
When she does the math it’s impossible but she keeps pressing towards it
God said I will bless you and make you a blessing
If you just collect the blessings it stops there
Let it flow through you
You can have all you can see
Genesis 15 Abram’s in his tent with Sarah when God says I’m going to give you a child with Sarah
I’m sick and tired of this tent and I’m sick and tired of waiting
Fear not (isn’t that what God always says to us first)
Lord what can you do for me? I’m practically dead and have no children
And God brought him outside his tent and told him to look at the stars
Sometimes you have to get outside your tent
You can’t stay in your tent dealing with the same old same old
Get outside your tent!
Sometimes we’re so in the mess we just can’t get it
You need to get outside your tent and start saying things on purpose
I will do everything God says I will do
I can have everything God says I can have
With God ALL things are possible
You’re either going to get this or spend the rest of your life feeling sorry for yourself going to pity party after pity party
Or you can come outside your tent and look up and see the vision
I don’t care how long it takes I’m not giving up
Recently Joyce had a mini meltdown
She’d crammed too much into too little time
She loves to rescue people. She was rescuing everybody.
She got so wired that she wasn’t sleeping
She was in the tent saying God what’s wrong with me, I’m just trying to do your will
You can’t get a breakthrough in your tent
Psalm 23 He makes me lie down in green pastures
She just needed restoration for her soul
If you want to be healthy and feel good then you can’t be involved in everything
Any time you say no somebody isn’t going to like it
So Joyce went away for a week
One day she sat in a chair all day and looked out the window
She petted her dog
She got a new perspective
When she came back she had a new plan for her health and her life
She came back excited
She had been going too long without eating before her break
She had cookies with cake icing on them
Give yourself permission to lighten up
Sometimes you just need perspective; to get somewhere and shake it off
Talk to God like you’d talk to a friend
Here I am again God
What can you see?
Hebrews 11:11 by faith Sarah conceived and delivered a child
You can give birth to anything but not if you don’t first conceive it
To form in your mind, to think or imagine
Goals and dreams are seeds in the spirit world
30 years ago it was ridiculous for Joyce to believe she could go all over the world
But she saw it
She had a vision
She saw Dave and her walking in a dark forest surrounded by skinny trees. When she and Dave walked in the trees started growing and getting bigger. She knew those skinny trees represented weak Christians who didn’t have any victory in their lives.
She brought light and knowledge to pitiful Christians
You get weary and you get tired of the fight when you’re just trying to do what’s right
The devil fights any kind of progress
William Tyndale went through so much just to translate the Bible into English
The church didn’t want the people to have the Bible in English; they didn’t trust them to understand it
Narrow minded people are the most dangerous thing in the world
When you’re going under for the 3rd time you get that will to fight and survive
Friday 11/6/09
Jesus warned us we would have trials
But cheer up, He overcame the world
2 basic things we should do during the trial
1. Believe God (trust in the Lord)
2. Psalm 37 Do good
Do something radical that would seem out of place for a hurting person to do
You may want someone to minister to you but you go minister to another
That is the highest form of spiritual warfare
Romans 12:12 do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good
Pray for your enemies
Bless those who curse you
It’s challenging to pray for someone who’s really persecuting you
Cover them; don’t even tell others what a rotten scoundrel they are
God tells us to do this because it’s good for us
Do the opposite of what would be natural and reach back out in love
Joyce has spent a lot of time preaching about the love walk
The church has slipped in world missions but it’s coming back
Matthew 28:19 - Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
We “go” in different ways:
Some actually go, some intercede, some finance it
There are so many unhappy Christians; that shouldn’t be
You cannot be selfish and happy
Jesus said forget yourself, lose sight of your own interests, pick up your cross and follow Me
Job 29:12-16 Job helped the poor
JMM goes out and aggressively looks for people to help
Prosperity needs to have a purpose
[Offering for missions/partnership]
WHAT DO YOU WANT OUT OF LIFE?
Joyce believes God created us to reach
You can’t be static/passive and be satisfied
Your future has no room for your past
It’s very important that you hope, dream and have a vision
If you don’t have a vision then get one
Move in a direction and see what the Holy Spirit does
You can’t drive a parked car
It’s not the end of the world if you make a mistake
We need to be pregnant in the Spirit with the dreams, visions and ideas God puts on the inside of us
A woman must conceive before becoming pregnant
Everybody is on a level playing ground
Don’t discount yourself for any reason
Regardless of your demographics and background God can impregnate you
When Joyce was sexually abused she agreed with the devil’s lies that the best she could have was a 2nd rate life
She couldn’t conceive of a great life
Colossians 3:11 all distinctions vanish
No matter what happened to you in your past the moment you receive God you’re on the same playing field
The promises of God are for whosoever will
You can’t do God’s part and He will not do your part
You are partners with God
There are principles we must learn
Dreaming is good
What if you have the dream and you’ve done all you could but nothing is changing?
Just because you don’t see anything happening doesn’t mean nothing is happening
There is a dormant season
While a tree looks dead sap is gathering up on the inside getting it ready for spring growth
You may look dead but it doesn’t mean God isn’t doing an awesome thing on the inside of you
Maybe you’ve had a dream a long time and you’re tired
First, does your dream/vision line up with God’s Word?
God won’t help you do something which is out of His will
It must agree with God’s word
Jonah was told to go to Nineveh
Sometimes we’re going in the opposite direction of where God wants us to go
We’re trying to get God to go with us (instead of trying to go with God)
Jonah 1:1-4
If you are on the wrong ship you are going to have a rough ride
You may have a God given goal but still have an impure motive
Motives are so important
God called Joyce 32 years ago
He told her she’d have a world wide teaching ministry
When it’s from God you won’t be able to get rid of it
Things were slow, and there were many obstacles
She didn’t know about not despising the day of small beginnings
Joyce wants us to finish our race
Even if your vision is to be peaceful - finish
It doesn’t have to be a worldwide ministry
Joyce had a God thing going on but very little growth
Although she was on God’s ship she had a lot of impure motives
When God first called her she didn’t have that deep desire to help people
She wanted to be somebody
She was very insecure and didn’t realize it
She got her worth and value out of what she did
Self-deception is the easiest thing to fall into and the hardest thing to face
God can’t fulfill your goals and dreams unless you let Him do a purifying work in you
Your flesh gets crushed in the process
Joyce taught a home bible study for 5 years
She worked in a church in St. Louis
God told her it was time to leave and it took her a year to leave
We all have hold of something right now but God is calling us to a new something
But He always keeps it just a little far away and you can’t get to it unless you let go of what you’re holding onto
We want to keep what we’re holding on to and get that new thing but we can’t do both
Joyce kept getting prophecies
God told her to go north, south, east and west
When God’s done you may as well get done
Some people are at jobs they hate just for the money
Do what you know you were born to do; what you were created for and trust God
Joyce liked that job, even though there was a spiritual part of her that wanted to go
Joyce knew God had called her to a broader spectrum of teaching
She was important and didn’t have to believe for her paycheck every week
God finally kicked her out of the nest
Eagles will pull all the padding out of the nest until there’s nothing but thorns left. If they still won’t go the mother eagle will put them out.
God yelled at Joyce while she was sitting in church
WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?
God wants us to use the skills that we have to help people
Don’t minimize your calling
Satan brings a spirit of diminishment and tries to make you feel small and worthless
It’s just possible that your unhappiness is your own fault
Joyce always thought it was someone else
Joyce finally obeyed and went to North St. Louis, South St. Louis, East St. Louis and West St. Louis
When Joyce went to church she felt insecure and out of place
She no longer had a special seat or place reserved for her
She had been getting her worth and value out of those things (status in the church)
In the beginning days it was a God dream but she had problems in her soul that needed to be dealt with
The whole reason why we have to be pregnant a long time is because there’s a whole lot of stuff inside of us that needs to be dealt with to get us ready for birth
Most people never wait long enough to come to full term
They either abort or try to induce it
Joyce carried all her children past 9 months
Joyce felt like she was never going to have those babies
The last one was 5 ½ weeks overdue
There’s a lot going on inside a pregnant woman
If you act a bit weird with your dream tell people I’m pregnant
Joyce was so miserable, feeling like she no longer had a place at church
God said Joyce I am your place
If you know you’re in God you can be comfortable anywhere
You have to learn how to be your own person before God can use you effectively
Don’t try to be someone else
Don’t sell yourself short
People can be an example but don’t make them your standard
Learn how to be you
Joyce is not a normal woman
You can’t do what Joyce does and feel like everybody else
She always felt a little lonely and set apart
She had been set apart for a reason
People didn’t always understand her
Don not let people control or manipulate you
You can’t buy friendship
Preparation takes a long time
God has got something ready for you
Now He’s getting you ready for the thing
When you’re ready the baby will come
When they get ready to come the babies come
It’s great to conceive and get pregnant but tomorrow we’ll talk about labor and delivery
Your goal may be right but your timing may be way off
Pregnancy is rather private
That baby is inside your body
God is doing things in you that are between just you and God
When you’re first pregnant you don’t look pregnant
When Joyce told people about her dream they told her no and all it did was discourage her
Let God do it and show the world the evidence
The silent years - the years between the goal/vision/hope and the delivery
The woman feels a separation. Pregnant women want to be around other pregnant women
God has to get you comfortable with not being involved in everything
Luke 2:22 Jesus was 8 days old when he was dedicated to the Lord
We don’t hear anything else about Jesus until He was 12 years old
Luke 2:40 the child grew
Jesus thought he must be about his father’s business but apparently not because they (parents) took him home
We don’t hear anything else until he was 30
For 18 years he grew
Those can be some of the most painful words
Growing up spiritually is not easy
Die to self, learning obedience, letting go of your plan
It was hard for Joyce to learn how to trust men
And come under male authority
God put her in situations and didn’t let her get out of them
Luke 2:41-42, 52
When Jesus came out of that growing season his 3 year ministry impacted the whole world
Because He was ready
Make sure you’re ready when you start
You have to have the character to stay there
You need more than charisma you need character
Joyce likes talking to people that have made the journey
You understand each other, like silent communication almost
She and Darlene connect as women in ministry whom succeeded
God may ask you to lay down your rod but if you do when you pick it back up it’ll be full of God
So many people lose the race, they never finish because nobody ever tells them about the messy part
Then you spend your whole life having one spiritual abortion after another
Joyce used to be so miserable and now she’s so happy
She still has rough days and she still gets tired, but it’s worth it to hear people say your ministry changed my life
Whatever you do do it the best
When Joyce went on TV someone asked where did you come from?
She was somewhere, just nowhere one would want to be
John the Baptist was born and given this great calling, but he went into the wilderness and stayed there until God told him to come out
30 years he was in that wilderness
We all want the mountaintop but nothing grows on mountaintops
All you can see on the mountaintop is the next mountain
We must be reaching and growing
In order to get to that next mountain you must go back down into the valley
God told her Joyce all your life as soon as you reach one goal there will be another one waiting
It’s for our own good that we have something to reach for
The bible is full of silent years
Moses was hidden for 3 months and then he spent 40 years in the desert
He had a call but nobody knew where he was but God
Joseph spent 13 years in prison
The devil is a dream thief
And he’ll try to get you to birth them early
David was anointed as king
It’s disheartening when you have a dream and all you get from people is jealousy and resentment and criticism
You won’t make it to the end if you never learn how to deal with it
Saul kept trying to kill David
David just wanted to play his music
When when when
Suddenly!
When you give birth - suddenly
Joyce thought she was going to be pregnant forever, 5 ½ weeks overdue then suddenly
The disciples were committed to waiting on God
Acts 1 and 2
They waited and suddenly Pentecost
Paul and Silas waited then suddenly at the midnight hour…
You may have to wait a while before your suddenly comes
Don’t just look at the breakthrough look at the go through
There’s anointed go through
Saul was ferociously killing Christians when suddenly God changed him
Your rascal of a husband could be on the way to the bar to get drunk when suddenly…
A woman was sick for 12 years with an issue of blood
She pressed through the crowd and when she did suddenly
The woman who was bent over for 18 years, couldn’t even look up
Jesus loosed her suddenly
There is a spirit of release in this place tonight
If you get it in your spirit that you won’t give up then you will get it
Joyce prayed that we would finish
We will see the fulfillment of goals, dreams and visions
We will not give up no matter how long it takes
We will give birth
Sat 11/7/09
If you stay on the attack you won’t be under attack
You have a blood bought right to live a great life while you’re here on earth
Resurrection power
We need more power for our every day lives
We all know there’s really only one truth
Joyce doesn’t think any of us [denominations] are 100 percent right so we need to open minded
Be careful not to worship your particular church doctrine
The Bible is the only real doctrine
The Bible was locked up for a long time, not available to the common man
Now it’s available to us
Back in 1976 Joyce was a very frustrated Christian
Christians shouldn’t be frustrated all the time
The world is a mean place
We need people but they are hard to get along with
You can’t wait for all your problems to go away because they never will
There are times of rest between battles but on and off you will have trouble
The righteous will be persecuted
You’re blessed when you’re persecuted for righteousness sake
The world isn’t real pleasant but God gives us power to live with joy
Everyday we should enjoy our lives
We must learn how to live in this messy planet and still have righteousness, peace and joy
We need the Holy Spirit to do that
The baptism of the Holy Spirit
If you want to see a real move of God you should be willing to study and seek
Jesus told the disciples to go and wait for power in the upper room
Basically he told them don’t even try to go out and do things without Holy Ghost power
If you’re born again you do have the Holy Spirit but does the Holy Spirit have you?
Are you full to overflowing?
Power for you and to splash on others around you
As the disciples waited indefinitely for this power SUDDENLY it came and they were all filled
The spirit isn’t the problem it’s our souls
When my soul gets full of Jesus then the world will see it
Too many have Jesus in their spirit but not their souls
Even if you’re filled with the Holy Spirit ask God to fill you daily
We really need discernment today
There are so many phony people out there
Paul said do not forbid anyone to speak in tongues
When you’re speaking in tongues you’re speaking in a spiritual language
You’re praying in a way that the devil can’t understand
And you can’t understand it either unless God gives you interpretation
That’s good because if you knew what you were praying it would blow your mind
The Bible says seek and you will find
Don’t have the attitude if God wants me to have it He’ll give it to me
Study and seek it
Behold I have given you power Luke 10:19
Acts 1:8
When you are something you don’t have to work at it
It’s just what you are
[conference news video]
If you don’t have a dream you’re probably pretty bored because we were created to reach
We have to learn how to value the valleys in our lives
Even if 10 prophets prophesy a word to you it’s a possibility not a positivity because you have to do your part.
Once you conceive you have to make it through pregnancy
Once you get to full term you have to be ready for labor and delivery
LABOR AND DELIVERY
Ecclesiastes 5:3 For a dream comes with much business and painful effort; and a fool’s voice with many words
It’s easy to say I have a dream and I’m going to do such and such
But it will only come to pass with much business and painful effort
Joyce can’t even scratch the surface today of what she went through in her 32 years of ministry
Even if your home is a mess, don’t put stuff off
If you know God is dealing with you about something address it
Put it out while it’s still a little fire; don’t wait for it to become a blaze
For a while people were having miracle debt cancellation services
But if you got in debt due to stupidity it’ll just happen again
Whatever God is dealing with you about - do it
It doesn’t do any good to come to church and be super spiritual and go home and act like a fool
It is not easy to change but it is worth it and it’s much easier than staying in bondage
You can’t get a drive through break through
But you can get an anointed go through
When a woman is pregnant we say she’s expecting
You must keep expecting
It must be aggressive and we need to talk to God about it every day (morning preferably)
Recognize the power of your words
Get up in the morning and talk out loud
I’m expecting favor
I’m expecting good news
I’m expecting to feel better today than I did yesterday
I’m expecting this message to be the best one ever
Are you an expector or a wait and see person?
The more you say what God says the more likely you are to have it
The more you say what the devil says…
What would have become of me if I had not believed I’d see the goodness of God in the land of the living
What is waiting on God?
It’s not so passive, you’re active spiritually
Usually we do the opposite, busy in the flesh and passive in the spiritual
To wait means to expect
We live too much in the natural and we let live …
The kingdom of God
If you start being aggressive in the spirit your flesh will catch up
Esther 2:8 Esther was taken
We may ask how did I get here
Esther probably had dreams that certainly didn’t involve being in the king’s harem
Esther had a good attitude because she pleased Hegai
No one with a bad attitude pleases anybody
Esther didn’t even know why she was there yet
God strategically put Esther in that place for such a time as this
No matter where you’re at right now, even if it wasn’t your plan and you don’t like it - get a good attitude
People are tired of hearing you complain, God is tired of it
We want people to feel sorry for us because our lives are not the way we want them to be
Dave refused to feel sorry for Joyce
It used to make her mad but pity would have only fed her problem
We may want God to do what He’s doing in us a different way but we have to trust Him
God puts people in our lives to crucify our flesh
Joyce finally learned it wasn’t Dave’s responsibility to make her happy
Stop giving somebody else the responsibility to make you happy
That’s your responsibility
God dealt with Joyce about being respectful to Dave
It was hard because her life had been full of horrible men
She was not pleasing God like Esther was pleasing Hegai
Stop worrying about what others are doing or giving you and let God take care of you
There are people in your life that are tools from God
God put them there on purpose and even if you get rid of them you will find 2 more just like them
Esther had a good attitude
If you have a good attitude God will give you favor
It’s so amazing to watch God pour out favor on you
If I have a good attitude I will make it through the wilderness much faster
If you want to go faster check your attitude
Because Esther had a good attitude she was given the best apartment
She was taken, life wasn’t going the way she thought it should go, but she had a good attitude and she received favor
No matter what is going on in your life you can choose to have a good attitude
12 months of beauty treatments
You have to get beautiful before you go in before the king
God told Joyce to be sweet
She wasn’t naturally sweet
It was a time of separation and preparation for Esther
Often it’s too hard to tell the difference between a Christian and a nonbeliever
We shouldn’t go by the bumper sticker
You will know them by their fruit
You may not be where you want to be yet but you’re practicing
You need to get this experience
Joyce doesn’t think a preacher is worth their salt if they’re just preaching out of a sermon book
There’s something deeper that happens when you’ve been there
God doesn’t give Joyce miraculous breakthroughs so she as a teacher can go through and teach others
Don’t fret when others get quick miraculous breakthroughs
2 Corinthians 6 come out from among them and be separate
Don’t have a super religious wall but be able to be around them as an example without getting sucked in
The world is desperate for heroes
Someone who will actually walk the walk
Part of us wants somebody to look up to
Pregnancy is a time of change
Once you’ve had a baby everything changes
Your priorities have to change
Once God gave her this ministry which is like a baby her plans had to change
Your life is no longer your own to do with as you please
Part of getting ready for the new thing is to let go of the old thing
One thing I do is letting go of what lies behind, pressing forward…
These are life principles
You may be reaching for the new but refusing to let go of the old
Let go and it gets a lot easier
When God called Joyce to teach the Word she was just doing home bible studies
She didn’t have any formal education in theology; it was the Holy Spirit or nothing
Joyce had to quit her job and trust God in a way that was beyond her sphere
God kept dealing with her until finally she quit her full time job and got a part time job
We try to partially obey God
So God got more aggressive and she got fired
Disobedience can open up a door for the devil
Like Jonah she was on the wrong ship and sinking fast
She learned that the one who fired her was a practicing witch
Believe that if you have a dream satan is chasing you around trying to swallow it up
Many dreams are useless (Ecclesiastes 5:7)
Some have a million ideas a year and never see any of them through
Narrow it down
When people realize this isn’t going to be as easy as I thought they abort
It’s costly it’s uncomfortable so they quit
If you do that you will never be satisfied
Paul basically said if I don’t preach I die
Joyce has considered retirement but she’d be miserable if she quit
You are called to do something and you need to do it to be happy
Matt 20:20 asking to sit on Jesus left and right
It’s easy to ask for stuff but harder to drink from the cup
When the 10 other disciples heard this they were indignant
People won’t be happy about your dream
They will be jealous
The seed was sown and satan came immediately tried to steal it
Even the seed we are receiving from Joyce the enemy will try to steal
Joyce knows that if she’s going to preach something she’s going to get tested
When she taught on the strategies of satan she encountered a lot of nonsense after that
We’re learning something that can change our lives but Joyce can’t go home with us and make us apply it
Mark 4 talks about the cares and anxieties of the world trying to steal our seed
Every harvest begins with a seed
Joyce showed a package of seeds
It has a picture of what it can grow into
God gives us a picture of what can happen
First that seed must go into the dirt
You don’t get a harvest without a little dirt
Don’t teach people half the gospel
Don’t tell them what they can get without telling them what it takes to get it
All that dirt and pressure on the seed breaks that seed open
In every seed is the embryo of those flowers
There is an embryo of God inside us
A seed of all the fruit of the spirit
Don’t expect to love the unlovely if you don’t run into some unlovely people
Just get it over with
Everything that you know is being ripped off of you
Before anything surfaces on the top it has to develop roots underneath
Anyone willing to die to what they were can be used mightily by God
Ms. Dodie is the sweetest lady and Joyce likes being around people that walk the walk
She’s like that because she’s gone through some difficult stuff and not jumped ship
And now she’s consistently operating in the fruit of the spirit
Treating everybody the same
Loving everybody the same
Giving respect to all people
You have to let those seeds be planted and die
Some are about to give birth
The worse pain comes right before the birth
Travail
Isaiah 53 Jesus had travail of soul but it brought him satisfaction
Luke 22 Jesus was in the garden praying, his disciples sleeping, Father take this cup from me but not my will be done but Yours
It became obvious that he had to drink from the cup so he prayed through it
He came from glory to benefit us
It’s challenging to get people to die to self when it’s only going to help someone else
About 3 years ago Joyce was thinking these trips weren’t worth the wear and tear on her body
The Holy Spirit said WILL YOU DO IT FOR ME?
She’s here because she believes she’s helping us
Are you willing to sacrifice for somebody else?
Dave sacrificed because he knew God had put him with Joyce
He prayed for a wife that needed help and he got his answer
Don’t give up on the people in your life so quickly
Maybe if you’ll stick with them…
Unless a seed falls into the ground and dies it abides alone, but if it dies
God is showing possibilities
If it dies it will bear much fruit
When the baby gets into the birth canal the body goes into transition
It’s very painful
And the doctors say don’t push
That’s God saying let me handle it
Don’t try to take matters into your own hands
Wait in the natural and push in the spirit
When you think you can’t stand one more minute “NOW!” the doctor says
If you can bear down and not give up it won’t be long before the baby arrives
A woman goes through all the travail of birth but when the baby comes she forgets the pain of birth [John 16:21]
Joyce wants us to be one of the ones that makes it
Thank you! This blog blessed me tremendously..
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