12/06/24
JOEL OSTEEN MINISTRIES
TODAY’S WORD
Today’s Scripture
The angel of the LORD appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the LORD is with you!”
Judges 6:12, NLT
WHAT GOD CALLS YOU
When the angel addressed Gideon as a “mighty hero” and told him he was to deliver his people from the Midianite army, he was hiding in a winepress, afraid and intimidated. God was saying, in effect, “Gideon, you don’t recognize who you are. You’re wearing negative labels—insecure, weak, not good enough—but I’ve come to tell you who you really are. You’re a valiant warrior. You have courage, talent, and ability that you haven’t discovered yet.” Gideon finally changed his thinking, got a new image of who he was, and defeated the Midianites. But if the angel had not told him who God created him to be, he would have lived and died and never discovered who he really was.
You may feel weak, insecure, not valuable, and unqualified, but don’t let your feelings determine your identity. Feelings come and go and can’t be trusted. You have to go back to what your Creator says. He calls you a mighty hero, a barrier breaker, a giant killer, a masterpiece, a prized possession. Don’t get stuck in who you used to be.
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
“Father, thank You that You know me and what I am capable of becoming. Thank You that You have equipped and empowered me to be strong where I feel weak and less-than. I believe that You are transforming me into a mighty warrior for Your honor and glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
SECTION TWO
When I was a student, I took on a part-time job in a factory that manufactured refrigerators. Like any teenager, I had just wanted to earn some extra pocket money.
It wasn’t a complicated job. I was part of an assembly line and all I had to do was use an electric drill to create an opening and to fasten a condenser securely onto the back of each refrigerator. I would be buzzing away on the power drill all day, earning my keep.
At that time, I had the habit of carrying a small booklet around with me. It was my little booklet of Bible memory verses, and I would read from it and speak the Word of God three times a day.
During that period, there was one particular verse in Psalm 91 that I would confess every day: “No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling” (Ps. 91:10).
It was my daily confession in the morning before I left for work, and during my break times, my coworkers would see me sitting in some corner, confessing this verse. It was a very powerful revelation for me, and I really wanted His Word, and in particular this truth of God’s protection, to drop into my heart.
One day, as I was assembling yet another refrigerator, I lost control of the power drill. It somehow slipped out of my hands and the drill went straight toward my stomach.
Everything happened really quickly. The power drill, which was spinning at full force, hit my stomach . . . and it just bounced off.
Some of the workers there who saw what had happened ran over, concerned for me. It was then that I realized I was completely unharmed!
The only thing that came to mind at that moment was the Scripture I had been meditating on. That day, the verse, “No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling” came alive for me.
I give thanks for the Lord’s divine protection over my life when I was a teenager. Don’t you just love our wonderful and beautiful Savior!
As you meditate on and declare His promises in His Word, I believe you’ll also see His saving and delivering power working on your behalf.
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