16/10/23

Beloved, it is not enough for you to merely know the Word in your heart. You must say it. That’s when latent power becomes actual power.

When our Lord Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, He did not merely think about Scripture. He spoke it out loud.

You can memorize thousands of Scriptures, but if you don’t learn to say, “It is written,” and release the Word, there will be no power. God’s power is there, but it is all lying dormant inside you. But when you speak it out, God’s power is unleashed. When you release God’s Word through your mouth, you release God’s power into your situation.

Fear is not something you can reason or analyze away. Fear is irrational. There are some fears that come into your life and you can think to yourself, Come on, what are the chances of that happening? or It’s so silly to fear this. But have you noticed that those fears still hang around?

We are in a war, my friend, and the only way to defeat fear is to speak the Word of God to whatever fear you have by saying, “It is written.”

It is written—”For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Tim. 1:7).

I want you to memorize that. It’s a powerful verse of Scripture.

Now, I want you to say this out loud: It is written—”For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” Do you feel the power that comes with saying this aloud?

This is the truth: God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. I don’t care what kind of fears you are battling with—fear of growing old, fear of contracting this or that disease, fear of losing your job, fear of failure. Whatever the fear that has come against you, declare, “It is written.”

What if the fear comes back? Then say it again! Sometimes, I speak Scriptures over my situation in the morning, in the afternoon, and in the evening. Whenever the fear comes back, I speak the Word of God.

If the devil wants a fight, give him one! Give him the sword of the Spirit and he will get the point every time.

There are many Scriptures you can memorize. Write down the Scriptures that cover the areas of your need, and arm yourself with them!

15/10/23

I want to talk to you today about experiencing God’s kind of peace in the midst of fearful circumstances. My friend, peace is not the absence of trouble in your life. It is not the absence of turmoil, challenges, or things that are not harmonious in your physical environment.

It is possible to be in the midst of the biggest crisis in your life and still experience peace. That’s the true kind of peace that you can experience with Jesus—peace that surpasses understanding. Naturally speaking, it does not make sense for you to feel completely at rest and at peace when you are in dire straits, but supernaturally, you can be filled with peace!

The world defines peace, harmony, and tranquility based on what is happening in the sensory realm. The world’s notion of peace would look something like this: A man lying in a hammock on a white sandy beach in Hawaii with luau music playing softly in the cabana, coconut trees swaying in perfect unison and warm, blue waves rolling languidly along the shoreline. The world calls that peace—until reality kicks in, and the transient peace that was experienced just moments ago dissipates into thin air!

You see, my friend, you cannot use your external surroundings to permanently influence the turmoil that you are feeling inside. Only Jesus can touch what you are feeling inside and turn that turmoil into His peace. With the Lord by your side, and from that abiding peace within, you can influence your external surroundings.

NoIt’s not the other way round. With Jesus, transformation is always from inside out and not outside in. He puts a peace and rest in your heart that is so secure, you can face any challenge without worry or stress, regardless of your negative circumstances and environment.

JOEL OSTEEN MINISTRIES

THE 15/15 EXPERIENCE SPECIAL EDITION

Today’s Word

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.
Galatians 5:16–17, NIV

WIN THE WAR WITHIN
What’s limiting some people is not that they’re not talented or that they don’t have God’s favor. It’s that they keep sowing to the flesh. Don’t keep giving in to the same things that you know are holding you back. The next time that you’re tempted to be jealous, to find fault, or to say something critical, tell your flesh, “No, I’m not going there. I’m going to be happy for them. I’m going to see the best in people.” When you feel like staying up all night on the computer, tell your flesh, “Not tonight. I’m either going to pray or I’m going to bed. I’m going to take care of myself.” The next time the friends who are pulling you down and causing you to compromise want to get together, tell them, “Sorry, something has come up. I can’t hang out tonight.” Quit letting the flesh be the dictator. You have to take charge of your life. The flesh is not leading you anywhere productive.

The Scripture says, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:11, NIV). Being disciplined is not easy. Walking away when someone is rude, not giving in to temptation, and getting up early to excel at work are difficult. Your flesh wants to be comfortable. Your flesh wants the easy way out, but you can’t be comfortable all the time and reach your destiny. If you do the hard thing now, later on you’ll see blessings and favor that you’ve never seen.

But the flesh always wants instant gratification. “If I tell this person off, it will make me feel good right now. If I buy this item that I can’t afford, or if I sleep in and skip work, I’ll feel good right now.” But it’s important to think about later on. We should be growing. We should be getting stronger. We should be further along now than we were five years ago. If I’m still dealing with my temper the same way I did years ago, I’m leaving my flesh on the throne. If I’m still getting offended, upset, and jealous in the same way as years ago, I’m letting the flesh dictate my life. I’m not saying we have to be perfect, but we should be growing.

REFLECTION
As you reflect on how to Win the War Within, what ideas stand out to you? What takeaways are most important for the season you are in right now?

The Spirit-led life can bring fulfillment, peace, and “joy unspeakable.” But to enjoy its fruits, we must overcome the daily struggles with the flesh. Write about something in your life that is keeping you from the fullness of God’s best for you and how you can overcome it.

DECLARATION
Today, I declare that I will walk by the Spirit and not by the flesh. Because of Christ, I am no longer a slave to what leads to my destruction. I declare that I have been set free to live the abundant life that God has called me to live. Like Paul, I will put off the old self and put on the new. I declare that I will operate from a place of peace, joy, and self-control, and I will receive the victory and blessings only God can bring.

PRAYER
Dear God, I come to You today, admitting that I’m weak. Sometimes, I give into anger, laziness, or other temptations. Thank You that Your love is stronger than my old ways. Help me, God, to stop feeding the negatives. Show me how to starve the bitterness, the jealousy, the compromise. Teach me discipline, and let Your grace cover me. Even if my desires don’t entirely vanish, I trust Your power within me to resist and to make better choices. Please, Father, remind me not to use excuses but to recognize Your strength within me. Every time I overcome, I grow stronger. In Jesus’ Name, I pray. Amen.

SECTION TWO

How do we know that God is a good God and a good Father?

Jesus dealt with this question simply by asking another question: “If earthly fathers, imperfect as they are, know how to give good gifts to their children, don’t you think that your loving Father who is in heaven will be even better?”

My friend, if your child asks you for bread, would you give him a stone? Certainly not. You would give him the best bread you can find. How much more then, will your heavenly Father give good things to you when you ask Him!

Beloved, know in your heart that God is a good Father to you. So if you need something today, just ask Him for it. And as you ask Him, believe that you have received it from Him, and you will have it (Mark 11:24)!

12/10/23

JOEL OSTEEN MINISTRIES

THE 15/15 EXPERIENCE SPECIAL EDITION

Today’s Word

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:12–13, NLT

DON’T RELY ON PEOPLE
When we know that the Creator of the universe lives in us, when we know He’s equipped us, empowered us, and anointed us, we can put our shoulders back and hold our head high, knowing that if God approves us, we don’t have to have people’s approval. It’s good when people encourage us and cheer us on, but what I’m saying is to not become dependent on that. If someone’s not giving you what you expect, if they’re not validating you, that’s okay. You can validate yourself. You can approve yourself. You are self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency. You can feel good about who you are, knowing that God handpicked you, created you in His image, and put seeds of greatness inside.

What am I saying? You don’t need somebody else’s praise. You don’t have to have people’s applause. You have the applause from the One who matters most, from the God who spoke worlds into existence. I’d rather have His applause than people’s applause. But you may say, “Well, if I could convince this person to like me, he knows a lot of people, and maybe he could open some new doors for me.” Promotion doesn’t come from people. It comes from the Lord. God knows where all the opportunities are. He can make things happen for you without you having to convince someone to like you. You don’t have to play up to people to try to win their favor. If they don’t want to be your friend, it’s their loss, not yours. Do yourself a favor and keep moving forward. They’re not a part of your destiny. God has divine connections for you—people He’s already lined up. They’re already in your future.

Sometimes the reason people don’t give us what we need is because they don’t have it. Nobody gave it to them. They didn’t see it modeled when they were growing up. If they weren’t raised by parents who showed affection, expressed feelings of love, and were good to each other, the problem is, they don’t have it to give. If you’re trying to get it from them, you’re going to be frustrated. Why don’t you let them off the hook and go to God for what they can’t give you?

Here’s the key: God has it all. If you learn this principle of not relying on people but going to Him for your encouragement, your approval, and your self-worth, then you won’t live stressed out because somebody is not giving you what you expect.

REFLECTION
How can the principle of Don’t Rely on People free you from needing the approval of others, like your family, friends, or coworkers?

People may not encourage you, but you can encourage yourself. Others may not make you feel special, but you can remember how God sees you. You can say, “I am a child of the Most High God. I am wearing a crown of favor. I am one of a kind. I am a masterpiece.” Let this get down in your spirit. Take a few minutes to write about who you are in Christ.

DECLARATION
Today, I declare that I am equipped, empowered, and anointed for everything that God has called me to do. I receive my encouragement and worth from Him, and I will rely on Him rather than on the approval of people. I declare that I am created in the image of God and that He has handpicked me for His purpose. I am strong, healthy, and highly favored. I declare that the forces that are for me are greater than anything that comes against me.

PRAYER
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for creating me and placing seeds of greatness within me. I know that You live in me, and I can hold my head high and be confident, understanding that Your approval is all that matters. Help me not to depend on the praise and validation of others. I remind myself that I am sufficient in Your sufficiency. I can feel good about who I am because You handpicked me and created me in Your image. That is what truly matters. In Jesus’ Name, I pray. Amen

SECTION TWO

Learning to see what God sees is a powerful key in right believing. It involves replacing your wrong beliefs with right beliefs based on God’s Word.

When Jesus saw the man with the withered hand, He didn’t just see the withered hand, He saw that there was more than enough grace for that hand to be made completely whole. Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand!” The man did as told, and his hand was completely restored and made as whole as his other hand (Mark 3:1–5).

Now, you don’t say “stretch out your hand” to someone whose hand is obviously shriveled and disabled unless you see differently. Jesus sees differently from you and me. That’s why we need to go back to God’s Word and learn to see what He sees.

When Jesus sees a disease, a lack, or someone trapped in fear, guilt, addiction, and sin, He doesn’t just see the problem. He sees God’s healing, grace, and power superabounding in that area of weakness.

You too can change what you believe by seeing beyond what your natural eyes see. Press in to see what God sees. In your very area of lack, struggle, or challenge, see His superabounding grace all around your current situation.

Jesus says to you today, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). Give all your weaknesses, failings, and mistakes to the Lord Jesus and see Him transform your weaknesses into strengths.

What you believe is powerful, so are you going by what you see or what God sees? You may not be able to stop negative thoughts from passing through your mind or unhealthy emotions such as fear gripping your heart, but you can definitely anchor your thoughts and emotions on the unshakable Word of God. You can certainly ensure that you believe right regarding what God says about you in His Word, which contains His precious promises to you.

The more you learn and believe right about His love and what His Word says about your situation and your life, the more your thoughts will line up with His thoughts about you. You’ll begin to develop thoughts of peace and not of evil, thoughts of hope and a bright future (Jer. 29:11). And you’ll be transformed!