ANNOUNCER: THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE BY
THE FRIENDS AND PARTNERS OF JOYCE MEYER MINISTRIES.
JOYCE: IF YOU TAKE TOO MUCH OF A SUPERNATURAL LOOK AT WHAT
IT MEANS TO BE LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT,
MANY TIMES YOU'RE GONNA MISS WHAT GOD REALLY WANTS YOU
TO DO BECAUSE IN MANY WAYS, THE WAY THAT GOD SPEAKS TO US
AND DEALS WITH US IS A LOT MORE NORMAL THAN WHAT YOU
MIGHT THINK.
[MUSIC]
JOYCE: OKAY WELL, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DIVINE GUIDANCE
AND IN PARTICULAR HOW TO HEAR FROM GOD.
FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THE WORD THIS AFTERNOON, AND I PRAY
THAT EVERYTHING THAT NEEDS TO COME OUT OF ME WILL, THAT PEOPLE
WILL UNDERSTAND IT, RETAIN IT, AND BE PREPARED TO GO HOME
AND DO IT.
IN JESUS'S NAME, AMEN.
ALL RIGHT, WHEN WE STOPPED THIS MORNING, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT
HOW TO FIND GOD'S WILL FOR YOUR LIFE AND THAT SEEMS TO BE
A BIG THING FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.
"HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO KNOW WHAT IT IS THAT GOD WANTS ME TO DO?"
AND, YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER ONE GIRL THAT USED TO WORK FOR ME
AND SHE WAS IN HER 50S, VERY ATTRACTIVE WOMAN BUT SHE JUST
NEVER BEEN MARRIED AND NEVER EVEN REALLY DATED TO ANY DEGREE.
AND SHE SAID GOD TOLD HER, "I WANT YOU JUST TO SERVE ME
WITH GLADNESS, SERVE ME WITH GLADNESS."
AND SO, PERHAPS THERE ARE EVEN PEOPLE THAT GOD WANTS TO STATION
THROUGHOUT THE BODY OF CHRIST THAT JUST ARE ONE OF THOSE KIND
OF PEOPLE.
THEY'RE JUST THERE TO BE AN UPLIFTER AND AN ENCOURAGER
AND TO GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF BEING CONTENT.
YOU KNOW, GOD USES US IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS AND I HOPE THAT
YOU'RE PAST THE THINKING THAT IF YOU'RE NOT ON A PLATFORM
SOMEWHERE THEN YOU'RE NOT BEING USED BY GOD.
BECAUSE TO BE HONEST, MOST OF THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE
AND IS DONE OUT IN THE WORLD IS DONE ONE ON ONE BY PEOPLE THAT
ARE OUT THERE ON THEIR JOBS, IN THE MARKETPLACE, IN THE STORE.
MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT NEED HELP ARE NOT COMING TO CHURCH.
I MEAN NOW, I'M SURE WE ALL NEED HELP IN HERE TODAY BUT MOST OF
THE PEOPLE THAT ARE A LOT MORE DESPERATE FOR HELP THAN YOU ARE
ARE OUT THERE.
THEY DIDN'T KNOW TO COME IN HERE TODAY.
SO, WE COME TOGETHER LIKE THIS TO LEARN AND GROW SO WE CAN THEN
GO OUT AND BE THE WITNESSES THAT CHRIST WANTS US TO BE TO CHANGE
THE WORLD.
EVERY SINGLE CHRISTIAN IS CALLED INTO MINISTRY.
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU ARE CALLED INTO MINISTRY.
WE ALL HAVE THE MINISTRY OF INTERCESSION.
IT'S OUR MINISTRY TO PRAY FOR OTHER PEOPLE AND WE ALL HAVE
THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION, THE BIBLE SAYS, WHICH IS BEING
THAT GO-BETWEEN THAT HELPS TO BRING RECONCILIATION BETWEEN
THE LOST AND GOD.
SO, YOU ALL HAVE A MINISTRY, FINDING OUT THE PARTICULAR WAY
THAT GOD WANTS YOU TO MANIFEST THAT MINISTRY MAY BE ONE THING,
MORE THAN LIKELY IT'S GONNA BE SEVERAL THINGS, BUT I STOP BY
SAYING THAT THE ONLY WAY YOU'RE GONNA EVER GONNA FIND OUT IS TO
STEP OUT AND FIND OUT.
DON'T BE AFRAID TO TRY THINGS.
IT WON'T TAKE VERY LONG AND YOU'LL KNOW IF IT'S JUST
SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN DO OR IF IT'S THE THING THAT GOD WANTS
YOU TO DO.
YOU KNOW, PAUL WAS MINISTERING FOR QUITE A WHILE BEFORE GOD
SAID, "SEPARATE UNTO ME NOW PAUL AND BARNABAS FOR THE WORK TO
WHICH I HAVE CALLED THEM TO DO."
SO, THEY WERE MINISTERING FOR A LONG TIME BEFORE THAT HAPPENED
BUT THEN GOD SET THEM APART FOR A SPECIAL THING.
AND I THINK A LOT OF TIMES WE'RE SO INTENT ON BEING SET APART FOR
THAT SPECIAL THING THAT WE DON'T GET THE TRAINING THAT WE NEED
FOR THAT THING BY DOING ALL THESE OTHER THINGS THAT GOD
MAY WANT US TO DO.
YOU MIGHT SERVE IN THE HELPS MINISTRY.
YOU MIGHT, I DON'T KNOW, BE ASKED TO HELP CLEAN THE CHURCH.
IT MIGHT NOT BE SOMETHING THAT'S VERY ATTRACTIVE OR ANYTHING THAT
YOU FEEL IS WORTH VERY MUCH BUT A LOT OF TIMES IN OUR LIFE GOD
RUNS US THROUGH THE PACES, I GUESS I CAN SAY, TO CHECK OUR
ATTITUDE JUST TO SEE, "ARE YOU WILLING TO DO ANYTHING THAT I
ASK YOU TO DO OR DOES IT HAVE TO BE SOMETHING BIG IN ORDER
FOR YOU TO BE WILLING TO DO IT?" SO, DON'T--SAY IT AGAIN, DON'T
BE AFRAID TO STEP OUT AND FIND OUT AND JUST BECAUSE YOU STEP
OUT INTO SOMETHING AND IT'S NOT RIGHT FOR YOU, THAT DOESN'T MEAN
THAT YOU MADE A MISTAKE IN STEPPING OUT INTO IT.
IT JUST MEANS THAT YOU'RE IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO FIND OUT
WHAT IT IS THAT GOD WANTS YOU TO DO.
I MENTIONED THAT A GREAT MAN OF GOD SAID THAT HE HAD NEVER, IN
ALL OF HIS WALK WITH GOD, AT ANY REALLY IMPORTANT JUNCTURE IN HIS
LIFE HAD GOD TELL HIM EXACTLY WHAT HE WANTED HIM TO DO.
HE SAID, "GOD ALWAYS WORKED WITH ME, BUT HE MADE ME GET OUT THERE
AND TRY THINGS, AND PRAY ABOUT THINGS, AND DO THINGS."
SO, IF YOU TAKE TOO MUCH OF A SUPERNATURAL LOOK AT WHAT IT
MEANS TO BE LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT,
MANY TIMES YOU'RE GONNA MISS WHAT GOD REALLY WANTS YOU
TO DO BECAUSE IN MANY WAYS THE WAY THAT GOD SPEAKS TO US
AND DEALS WITH US IS A LOT MORE NORMAL THAN WHAT YOU
MIGHT THINK.
AND SO, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD FROM THAT POINT AND TALK ABOUT
SOME OTHER THINGS ABOUT HOW TO HEAR FROM GOD.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY IF YOU WON'T LISTEN TO THE LITTLE
THINGS THAT GOD ASKS YOU TO DO, CHANCES ARE YOU'LL NEVER HEAR
HIM TELL YOU ANYTHING BIG.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: AMEN?
YOU PROBABLY HAVE HEARD SOME OF THESE STORIES SO I WON'T LABOR
WITH THEM TOO LONG BUT WHEN GOD STARTED CALLING ME INTO MINISTRY
BACK IN THE '70S, I ALREADY HAD THREE CHILDREN AND CERTAINLY WAS
NOT IN A PLACE WHERE I COULD GO TO BIBLE COLLEGE BUT EVEN THOUGH
YOU CAN'T GO SOMEWHERE TO GO TO SCHOOL TO BE TRAINED FOR
MINISTRY, YOU CAN ALWAYS GO TO THE SCHOOL OF THE HOLY GHOST.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: YOU CAN ALWAYS ASK GOD TO BEGIN TO TRAIN YOU RIGHT
WHERE YOU'RE AT IN WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU DO.
WELL, I WAS A HOUSEWIFE AND PART OF THAT TIME I WAS STILL WORKING
A FULL-TIME JOB BUT AFTER A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME, BECAUSE
I WASN'T GETTING ANYTIME TO STUDY, I FELT LIKE GOD WANTED ME
TO QUIT MY JOB AND SPEND AS MUCH TIME AS I COULD STUDYING
THE BIBLE.
I HAD A DREAM IN MY HEART, BUT THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT IT
WAS EVER GONNA HAPPEN.
A LOT OF TIMES YOU MAY WANT TO DO SOMETHING BUT IF YOU DON'T
TAKE THE TIME TO--FOR THE PREPARATION THEN YOU'LL NEVER
BE RELEASED INTO WHAT IT IS THAT GOD WANTS YOU TO DO.
SO, IN ORDER FOR ME TO QUIT MY JOB, WE WERE GONNA HAVE TO TAKE
A BIG STEP OF FAITH BECAUSE OUR BILLS WERE $40 A MONTH MORE THAN
WHAT OUR INCOME WAS GONNA BE.
AND SO, BACK THEN WAS WHEN I LEARNED HOW TO TRUST GOD FOR
MONEY AND MOST OF THE THINGS THAT HE DID FOR US WERE
SEEMINGLY LITTLE SMALL THINGS BUT THEY REALLY HELPED ME BUILD
MY FAITH IN GOD.
I HAD A FEW FRIENDS AND, YOU KNOW, WE DID THINGS LIKE GO TO
THE FARMER'S MARKET ONCE A WEEK AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT I HAD
A GROCERY STORE THAT WAS RIGHT DOWN THE STREET FROM MY HOUSE
AND SO IT SEEMED LIKE I ENDED UP IN THE GROCERY STORE
TWO, THREE TIMES A WEEK.
AND AS UNIQUE AS THIS MIGHT SOUND, GOD TAUGHT ME SOME OF
THE MOST PROFOUND LESSONS THAT I'VE LEARNED THAT HAVE HELPED ME
ALL MY YEARS IN MINISTRY IN THAT GROCERY STORE.
AND REALLY, I'M TELLING YOU THIS BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO URGE YOU
TO WATCH FOR HOW GOD IS TRYING TO TEACH YOU IN THE ORDINARY
EVERYDAY AFFAIRS OF EVERYDAY LIFE.
YOU CAN LEARN SOME AMAZING LESSONS JUST AS YOU GO ABOUT
YOUR NORMAL EVERYDAY.
SO, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT GOD BEGAN TO DEAL WITH ME ABOUT
WAS PUTTING MY GROCERY CART BACK IN THE SPACE THAT WAS MARKED OFF
FOR GROCERY CARTS.
AND, YOU KNOW, MOST PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.
THEY WANT TO LEAVE IT OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PARKING LOT TO
CHASE SOMEBODY'S ELSE'S CAR DOWN OR IT'S AMAZING HOW HARD WE WILL
WORK AT TRYING TO KICK THE WHEELS IN A CERTAIN
DIRECTION SO IT WON'T ROLL.
IT WOULD TAKE MUCH LESS TIME TO GO PUT IT BACK WHERE IT BELONGS
BUT INSTEAD OF DOING THAT, WE DO--SPEND ALL THIS TIME TRYING
TO GET IT NOT TO GO ANYWHERE AND THEN IT ENDS UP RUNNING INTO
SOMEBODY'S CAR ANYWAY.
AND IT'S SAD FOR ME TO SAY THIS BUT IT TOOK ME TWO YEARS TO GET
FULLY OBEDIENT.
SO, IT'S OBVIOUS THAT I WAS A LONG WAY AWAY FROM BEING
WORLDWIDE MINISTRY MATERIAL.
HOW MANY OF YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING?
IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA OBEY GOD WHEN HE TELLS YOU TO DO
SOMETHING LIKE WALK WITH INTEGRITY OR TO DO SOMETHING
WITH EXCELLENCE, YOU KNOW, LIKE SOMETHING THAT WE ALL DO 'CAUSE
WE FEEL LIKE THAT GOD DEALS US WITH TO DO IT.
WE STAY IN A LOT OF HOTELS AND EVERY TIME WE LEAVE OUR HOTEL
ROOM, WE TURN ALL THE LIGHTS OUT AND BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING
THAT I JUST FELT LIKE GOD PUT ON MY HEART.
NOW, YOU KNOW, I CAN HAVE THE ATTITUDE WHAT DO I CARE?
I PAID FOR THE ROOM, THEY GOTTA PAY THE BILLS.
BUT SEE, HOWEVER YOU TREAT OTHER PEOPLE, YOU'RE SOWING A SEED
THAT'S GONNA COME BACK TO YOU AT SOME TIME IN YOUR LIFE.
SO, I WASN'T IN BIBLE SCHOOL BUT THOSE WERE LESSONS THAT GOD
WAS TEACHING ME.
HE WAS TEACHING ME HOW TO BE EXCELLENT.
HE WAS TEACHING ME HOW TO BE HONEST.
ANOTHER THING THAT HE TAUGHT ME IN THE GROCERY STORE WAS WE WERE
ON A VERY TIGHT BUDGET, $70 EVERY TWO WEEKS FOR GROCERIES
AND SO I HAD TO GO WITH MY COUPONS AND MY CALCULATOR
AND MAKE SURE THAT NOTHING WENT OVER.
AND YOU HAVE A TENDENCY WHEN YOU GO TO THE GROCERY STORE,
ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE HUNGRY, YOU'LL PUT A LOT OF STUFF IN
YOUR CART THAT BY THE TIME YOU GET TO THE LAST AISLE, YOU
REALIZE YOU CAN'T PAY FOR ALL OF IT AND SO YOU HAVE TO PICK
THROUGH AND DECIDE WHAT YOU CAN KEEP AND WHAT YOU CAN'T.
AND I, LIKE MANY OTHER PEOPLE AT THAT TIME, I WOULD JUST TAKE OUT
WHAT I DIDN'T WANTS AND JUST PUT IT ANYWHERE, WHEREVER I WAS AT
IN THE STORE.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY YOU FIND A HEAD OF LETTUCE IN WITH
THE CLEANING SUPPLIES IN A GROCERY STORE.
IT WAS PEOPLE LIKE I USED TO BE THAT DO THAT.
WELL, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T WANT TO GO ALL THE WAY FROM THE MILK AND
EGG AISLE WHICH IS ALL THE WAY OVER HERE ON THE END ALL THE WAY
BACK OVER TO THE PRODUCE, YOU KNOW, TO PUT AWAY A HEAD OF
LETTUCE, WHY?
BECAUSE WE'RE LAZY AND I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO.
NOW, I DIDN'T CARE THAT SOMEBODY ELSE WAS GONNA HAVE TO CLEAN UP
MY MESS SO THAT WAS ANOTHER THING THAT GOD TAUGHT ME.
IT WAS LIKE, NOPE, TAKE IT BACK, PUT IT BACK WHERE YOU GOT IT.
YOU KNOW, GOD CAN BE--HE CAN ANNOY YOU.
HE KNOWS HOW TO ANNOY YOU.
PUT IT BACK, PUT IT BACK, PUT IT BACK, PUT IT BACK, PUT IT BACK.
AND YOU TRY TO WALK AWAY FROM IT AND IT'S JUST LIKE, JUST GO PUT
IT BACK.
AND ANOTHER THING THAT I LEARNED IN THE GROCERY STORE WAS TO READ
THE FINE PRINT ON THE COUPONS.
LIKE, I REMEMBER THAT THEY WOULD VERY OFTEN HAVE CHICKENS
ON SALE, THREE FOR A DOLLAR OR WHATEVER IT WAS.
IT WAS A LONG TIME AGO THAT YOU GET THREE CHICKENS FOR A DOLLAR.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: BUT AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU BECOME A
CHRISTIAN, A SERIOUS CHRISTIAN, YOU START NOTICING THE FINE
PRINT THAT YOU'VE MANAGED TO IGNORE.
AND I NEVER NOTICED THAT IT SAID, "LIMIT THREE PER
CUSTOMER."
WELL, I DIDN'T WANT THREE CHICKENS.
I WANTED TO FILL MY FREEZER FULL OF CHICKENS SO I WOULD TAKE MY
KIDS TO THE STORE WITH ME AND EACH ONE OF THEM WOULD GET
THREE CHICKENS IN THEIR CART, DAVE WOULD HAVE THREE,
THE KIDS WOULD ALL HAVE THREE, I'D HAVE THREE.
WE'D ALL HAVE OUR COUPONS AND THEN THE HOLY SPIRIT STARTED
CONVICTING ME.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: I MEAN, DO I HAVE TO GET CONVICTED ABOUT CHICKENS?
DON'T I HAVE THINGS MUCH MORE SERIOUS IN MY LIFE THAN
CHICKENS?
AND HE'D CALL ME BACK TO THAT FINE PRINT.
WELL, I KNEW THAT I HAD A PROBLEM WHEN I WAS IN LINE
ONE DAY GETTING READY TO PAY FOR MY CHICKENS AND I THOUGHT,
I DON'T THINK I GAVE MY DAUGHTER ENOUGH MONEY FOR TAX.
AND MY HEART WAS POUNDING IN FEAR THAT THE CLERK WAS
GONNA REALIZE THAT I WAS DOING SOMETHING THAT
I SHOULDN'T BE DOING.
AND SO, I BEGAN TO LEARN, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GOTTA FEEL LIKE YOU
GOTTA HIDE SOMETHING OR YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE DOING SOMETHING
WRONG THEN THAT MEANS THAT YOU ARE.
WELL, TO BE HONEST, I'D BEEN A CHRISTIAN FOR A LONG TIME BUT
I DIDN'T KNOW STUFF LIKE THAT.
NOBODY WAS TEACHING ME THAT KIND OF STUFF AND I HAD SOMEBODY
RECENTLY ACTUALLY A WELL-KNOWN MINISTER, HE WAS AT A CONFERENCE
WHERE I WAS TEACHING SOME THINGS ON EXCELLENCE AND HE SAID,
"I HAVE NEVER IN MY LIFE HEARD THAT KIND OF STUFF."
NOW, HOW CAN WE BE GROWN ADULTS AND NOT KNOW WHAT EXCELLENCE
AND INTEGRITY IS?
YET MANY PEOPLE IN THE WORLD DON'T AND THAT'S WHY THE WORLD
IS IN THE MESS THAT IT'S IN.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: AND THEN ONE OTHER THING I'LL TELL YOU THAT I
REMEMBER GOD TEACHING ME WHEN I'D BE OUT IN A DEPARTMENT STORE
SHOPPING, YOU KNOW, HOW A LOT OF PEOPLE THEY'LL KNOCK
CLOTHES OFF THE HANGERS AND JUST LEAVE THEM LAY ON THE FLOOR.
AND GOD STARTED TELLING ME TO PICK THEM UP AND PUT THEM BACK
ON THE HANGERS.
AND I THOUGHT, WELL, WHY SHOULD I CLEAN SOMEBODY ELSE'S MESS UP?
THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
BUT THEN I FELT LIKE THE LORD SAID TO ME, "WELL, WOULD YOU
LIKE TO HAVE SOMEBODY CLEAN YOUR MESSES UP SOMEDAY?"
AND SO NOW GOD HAS PROVIDED AND HAS FOR YEARS AND YEARS ALL
THE HELP THAT I NEED IN ORDER TO DO WHAT I'M DOING.
LET ME TELL YA SOMETHING, SOMETIMES WHEN YOU, OR WE, WHEN
WE DISOBEY GOD IN SOME OF THESE LITTLE THINGS, WE DON'T REALLY
REALIZE THAT WE'RE CREATING A PROBLEM FOR OURSELF THAT
WE'RE GONNA DEAL WITH LATER.
SO, WHEN GOD TELLS YOU SOMETHING LITTLE TO DO, KEEP IN MIND THAT
ANYTHING GOD SAYS, THERE'S NOTHING LITTLE ABOUT IT.
SO, IF GOD BOTHERS TO TELL YOU ABOUT IT, THEN THAT MEANS THAT
IT'S A BIG AND AN IMPORTANT THING IN YOUR LIFE AND YOU NEED
TO JUST, IN OBEDIENCE, CHILD-LIKE OBEDIENCE, AMEN?
JUST LIKE A LITTLE KID IT MAY SEEM SILLY BUT CHILD-LIKE
OBEDIENCE.
I THINK NOTHING BONDS US TOGETHER WITH GOD IN CLOSE
FELLOWSHIP MORE THAN BEING A CHILD OF GOD WHO'S WILLING TO DO
SEEMINGLY FOOLISH LITTLE THINGS JUST BECAUSE YOU BELIEVE THAT'S
WHAT YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER WANTS YOU TO DO.
SO, I'LL JUST SAY AGAIN IF WE'RE NOT GONNA OBEY GOD IN LITTLE
THINGS THEN WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA MISS OUT ON A LOT OF BIG THINGS
THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO.
HOW ABOUT IF SOMEBODY GIVES YOU TOO MUCH CHANGE?
DO YOU TAKE IT BACK OR DO YOU JUST THINK, "OH MAN,
GOD'S BLESSING ME"?
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: SEE, NOW ANYBODY, ANYBODY THAT KNOWS THE WORD OF
GOD KNOWS THAT THAT'S JUST SILLY.
YOU KNOW, MORE THAN ANYTHING IT'S A TEST TO SEE IF YOU'LL BE
HONEST, AMEN?
I BOUGHT A PAIR OF SHOES ONE DAY AND I'D BEEN LOOKING AT THE
PURSE THAT WENT WITH IT AND WAS GONNA GET THE PURSE AND THEN I
DECIDED NOT TO GET THE PURSE.
WHEN I GOT HOME, THE GUY HAD ACCIDENTALLY PUT THE PURSE IN
MY BAG.
WELL, YOU KNOW, IN A WAY IT'S A LITTLE BIT IRRITATING WHENEVER
SOMEBODY ELSE HAS MADE A MISTAKE THAT NOW YOU HAVE TO SPEND YOUR
TIME AND GAS MONEY TO GO CORRECT, BUT I KNEW THAT
I NEEDED TO DO IT.
THIS IS HOW WE HEAR FROM GOD.
HOW MANY TIMES DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU NEED TO DO?
YOU DON'T NEED A THREE-PART SERIES PREACHED TO YOU.
YOU KNOW DOWN DEEP INSIDE WHAT YOU NEED DO.
WELL, ONE OF THE MAIN WAYS THAT GOD SPEAKS TO US IS THROUGH
JUST KNOWING.
THERE'S NO NEED TO TRY TO EXPLAIN HOW YOU KNOW,
YOU JUST KNOW.
YOU JUST KNOW THAT YOU SHOULD OR YOU SHOULDN'T DO THAT THING.
THIS IS WHAT MAKES OUR RELATIONSHIP, OUR PERSONAL
RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, PRECIOUS AND EXCITING WHEN YOU WALK WITH
HIM IN YOUR EVERYDAY ORDINARY MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY,
THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY, MONDAY, TUESDAY,
WEDNESDAY, WHEN YOU WALK WITH HIM IN YOUR ORDINARY EVERYDAY
LIFE AND YOU WANT WITH ALL YOUR HEART TO OBEY HIM AND TO BE
THE KIND OF PERSON THAT HE WANTS YOU TO BE.
DON'T HAVE YOUR MIND ON BEING IN SOME BIG MINISTRY.
IF YOU'RE CALLED TO BE IN SOME BIG FULL-TIME TRAVELING MINISTRY
OR TO BE ON A PLATFORM SOMEWHERE TO DO SOMETHING MAGNANIMOUS,
THAT'S WONDERFUL BUT I'LL TELL YOU YOU'LL NEVER GET AROUND TO
DOING THAT IF YOU DON'T DO THESE LITTLE THINGS THAT I'M TELLING
YOU TO DO.
THAT'S ALWAYS GONNA BE PART OF THE TRAINING BECAUSE, WHAT DOES
THE BIBLE SAY?
IT'S THE LITTLE FOXES THAT SPOIL THE VINE.
I'LL TELL YOU ANOTHER THING THAT CAUSES US A LOT OF PROBLEMS.
I WON'T HARP ON THIS BUT I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
KEEPS US FROM HEARING FROM GOD PROPERLY AND THAT'S HAVING
A NEGATIVE COMPLAINING ATTITUDE.
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, I THINK IF ANY PERSON COULD JUST GET
THROUGH ONE WHOLE DAY WITHOUT UTTERING ONE COMPLAINT IT WOULD
BE AN OUTSTANDING MIRACLE FROM GOD, AMEN?
I'LL BET SOMETHING THAT GOD HAS SPOKEN TO ALL OF YOU, INCLUDING
ME, HUNDREDS OF TIMES IN YOUR LIFE, "YOU DON'T NEED
TO SAY THAT."
NOBODY, I'M THE ONLY ONE?
JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST GETTING READY TO SAY SOMETHING.
SOMETIMES I'LL NOTICE I'M GETTING READY TO SAY SOMETHING
AND THE ONLY POINT IS IT'S GONNA CALL ATTENTION TO ME.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE WANT TO SAY SOMETHING CUTE, OR SMART, OR
FUNNY BUT IT'S JUST REALLY, IT'S TO DRAW ATTENTION TO OURSELVES.
WHEN YOU CAN START GETTING REALLY, REALLY HONEST WITH
YOURSELF AND REALLY CHECKING YOUR MOTIVE FOR WHY YOU DO
THINGS, YOU CAN START MATURING PRETTY FAST AND I KNOW THAT
I HAVE A LOT OF TIMES IN MY LIFE WHEN GOD WILL JUST SIMPLY SAY,
"YOU DON'T NEED TO SAY THAT."
NOW, I'D LIKE TO STAND HERE AND TELLING YOU THAT I'M ALWAYS
OBEDIENT AND ANYTIME HE TELLS ME NOT TO SAY IT, I DON'T BUT I'M
NOT THAT GOOD YET, THANK GOD I'M NOT WHERE I USED TO BE BUT I'M
NOT WHERE I NEED TO BE EITHER.
HOWEVER, I AM HAPPY THAT I'M STILL MAKING PROGRESS.
THIS IS ALL INTENDED TO HELP US BE MORE OBEDIENT.
YOU KNOW, THE BIBLE SAYS, "BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD."
AND SO, A LOT OF THAT KNOWING, IT'S A DIFFERENT KIND
OF KNOWING.
IT'S NOT A HEAD KNOWING, IT'S A HEART KNOWING.
ONE GREAT FEMALE MISSIONARY, I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE HER NAME.
I DIDN'T EVEN WRITE IT DOWN.
I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU WOULD, BUT SHE DID A LOT OF GREAT THINGS ON
THE MISSION FIELD AND WHEN SHE WAS ASKED HOW SHE KNEW WHAT TO
DO, I LOVED HER CHILD-LIKE ANSWER.
SHE SAID, "OH, I DON'T KNOW.
I JUST GET THESE ANOINTED NOTIONS."
AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS GOOD.
YOU KNOW, SHE JUST--GOD WILL SPEAK TO US SOMETIMES
THROUGH JUST GIVING US AN IDEA, BUT YOU CAN TELL
THERE'S SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT ABOUT IT.
IT'S NOT JUST LIKE A IN YOUR HEAD IDEA.
THERE'S SOMETHING IN IT THAT KIND OF FEELS SPECIAL ABOUT IT.
I WAS TALKING TO SOMEBODY OVER THE BREAK ABOUT HOW I DECIDE AND
KNOW WHAT I THINK I'M SUPPOSED TO TEACH OR PREACH IN ANY GIVEN
MEETING THAT I DO, AND I'VE DONE THIS A LONG TIME
AND A LOT OF IT.
I MEAN, I THINK I HAD ONE MONTH HERE RECENTLY WHERE I TAUGHT
13 DIFFERENT MESSAGES IN ONE MONTH.
WELL, HOW DO I KNOW WHAT'S RIGHT FOR EACH CROWD?
I GET OUT MESSAGES SOMETIMES THAT I'VE PREACHED IN YEARS'
PAST AND SOMETIMES I'M DOING IT JUST TO SEE IF THERE'S A SUBJECT
THAT SEEMS TO FIT.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE WALKING WITH GOD AND DOING WHAT GOD
WANTS YOU TO, IT JUST FEELS RIGHT.
IT JUST FEELS COMFORTABLE.
YOU KNOW, NOBODY LIKES TO WEAR CLOTHES THAT ARE UNCOMFORTABLE.
WE LIKE TO BE COMFORTABLE AND I LIKE TO BE COMFORTABLE
IN MY RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
AND SO, SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA TRY A FEW THINGS BEFORE YOU COME
AROUND TO WHAT YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH.
SO, YOU CAN KNOW WHAT GOD IS WANTING YOU TO DO JUST BY,
"DO I FEEL RIGHT ABOUT THAT?" SO, I CAN HAVE PREACHED A SERIES
IN MESSAGES AT ONE POINT AND JUST THOUGHT THEY WERE
THE GREATEST MESSAGES, THE GREATEST THING.
NOW MAYBE FOUR OR FIVE YEARS LATER I CAN PICK THOSE UP
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA RE-PREACH THAT.
THAT WOULD REALLY BE GOOD.
AND I CAN START TO LOOK OVER THE NOTES AND IT JUST FALLS SO
FLAT INSIDE ME.
IT DOESN'T EVEN INTEREST ME SO WHY WOULD I THINK IT WOULD
INTEREST SOMEBODY ELSE?
BUT THEN I COULD PICK THAT SAME SET OF NOTES UP TWO MONTHS LATER
AND THEN IT WOULD JUST FEEL RIGHT.
SO, A LOT OF OUR HEARING FROM GOD, WELL, I WOULD SAY ALMOST
ALL OF OUR HEARING FROM GOD, IT'S NOT COMING FROM OUT HERE
SOMEWHERE.
IT'S COMING FROM INSIDE OF US.
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.
FEMALE: AND I LOVE THAT MAGAZINE SHE SENDS OUT.
FEMALE: THERE'S SOMETHING IN THERE FOR EVERYBODY.
FEMALE: IT'S JUST BROUGHT ABOUT SO MUCH CHANGE IN MY LIFE
PERSONALLY.
FEMALE: IT'S ALWAYS AN ENCOURAGEMENT FOR YOU
TO WANT TO DO MORE MINISTRY.
ANNOUNCER: GET YOUR FREE SUBSCRIPTION TO
"ENJOYING EVERYDAY LIFE" MAGAZINE TODAY
AT JOYCEMEYER.ORG.
READ ENCOURAGING ARTICLES FROM JOYCE, UPDATES FROM
HAND OF HOPE, AND MUCH MORE.
FEMALE: READING THROUGH THE MAGAZINE CONFIRMS FOR ME
THAT GOD'S AT WORK.
JOYCE: YOU MAY FEEL LIKE YOU ARE TOTALLY INVISIBLE IN THIS
EARTH.
GOD SEES YOU, HE'S GOT A PLAN FOR YOU.
IF YOU'LL JUST BELIEVE JUST A LITTLE TINY BIT, HE'LL REACH
DOWN IN THERE AND HE'LL LIFT YOU UP OUT OF THAT PIT AND HE'LL SET
YOUR FEET ON A ROCK.
[MUSIC]
[MUSIC]
GINGER: FROM PROVIDING HOMES TO MEETING WONDERFUL FAMILIES
HERE IN NICARAGUA, TO MEDICAL CARE IN EL SALVADOR, WE ARE
SHARING CHRIST AND LOVING PEOPLE THROUGHOUT CENTRAL AMERICA.
HERE IN NICARAGUA IT'S A PEACEFUL COUNTRY, BUT
THE POVERTY IS STILL EXTREMELY STRONG.
THERE ARE A LOT OF SINGLE MOTHERS STRUGGLING TO RAISE
THEIR CHILDREN IN TERRIBLE CONDITIONS.
THE HOMES HERE ARE CRUMBLING, THEY'RE FALLING APART.
THE WEATHER IS TAKING ITS TOLL ON THEM AND THEY'RE NOT SECURE.
WE ARE ABLE TO BE HERE TO GIVE AWAY HOMES TO 22 FAMILIES
AND YOU'RE A PART OF EACH ONE OF THESE FAMILIES' NEW BEGINNING.
IN FACT, WE'VE ALSO BEEN ABLE TO BE INVOLVED HERE WITH LEADERSHIP
TRAINING WITH DISASTER RELIEF AND IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF
YOUR HELP.
PICK UP THAT PHONE, CLICK THAT WEBSITE RIGHT NOW, AND HELP US
THROUGH HAND OF HOPE AND JOYCE MEYER MINISTRIES
AS WE REACH PEOPLE WITH THE LOVE OF CHRIST.
[MUSIC]
ANNOUNCER: WE HOPE YOU 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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