Waching daily Aug 2 2018

ANNOUNCER: THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE BY

THE FRIENDS AND PARTNERS OF JOYCE MEYER MINISTRIES.

[MUSIC]

JOYCE: I GOT ABOUT TEN DIFFERENT NAMES OF GOD THAT I

WANT TO TEACH ON THIS WEEKEND, MY PURPOSE BEING THAT A NAME

TELLS YOU SOMETHING ABOUT A PERSON.

SO WE FIND THERE'S LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF NAMES OF GOD WHICH

ARE BASICALLY WAYS THAT HE'S REFERRED TO IN THE BIBLE, BUT

MANY OF THEM ARE CAPITALIZED AS IF THEY'RE ACTUALLY A NAME

FOR HIM.

LIKE ONE OF THE ONES WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT TODAY IS

JEHOVAH ELYON THE LORD MOST HIGH, AND

THAT'S ALL CAPITALIZED WHEN YOU SEE IT.

SO IT'S NOT JUST A STATEMENT BUT IT'S SAYING THAT GOD IS ABOVE

EVERYTHING ELSE AND SO WHEN WE REALLY STUDY THESE NAMES AND WE

LOOK AT THEM, WE BEGIN TO KNOW GOD IN A DEEPER AND A MORE

INTIMATE WAY.

AND THE POINT THAT I WANTED TO MAKE IS THAT ANYBODY WHO REALLY

KNOWS GOD COULD NOT POSSIBLY NOT WANT TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP

WITH HIM.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A CATEGORY OF PEOPLE THAT DO HAVE

A SEMI SORT OF KIND OF RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THEY MAY HAVE A RELIGIOUS

RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD WHERE THEY DO BELIEVE IN GOD.

THEY MAY HAVE EVEN SAID, "YES, I BELIEVE THAT CHRIST DIED FOR

ME," COULD EVEN BE SOMEONE THAT BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE IN CHRIST

WILL GO TO HEAVEN.

BUT THEY DON'T REALLY KNOW GOD AND SO MAYBE THEY PREFER A LOT

OF OTHER THINGS RATHER THAN SPENDING TIME WITH GOD BECAUSE

THEY DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW WONDERFUL AND AMAZING

THAT HE IS.

I SPENT A LOT OF YEARS AS A CHRISTIAN BUT I ONLY LET GOD

INTO THE SUNDAY MORNING PART OF MY LIFE, NOT INTO THE REST

OF MY LIFE.

AND I TELL YA, GOD IS JUST REALLY FUN TO HANG WITH ONCE YOU

REALLY BEGIN TO LEARN HOW TO DO LIFE WITH GOD.

SO I NOT ONLY WANT PEOPLE TO RECEIVE CHRIST, BUT I WANT

PEOPLE WHO ALREADY KNOW HIM TO KNOW HIM BETTER SO THEY CAN

REALLY ENJOY A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.

I WANT EVERYBODY TO BE COMFORTABLE HANGING OUT

WITH GOD.

AND SO THESE NAMES, YOU START WITH YAHWEH WHICH BECAME JEHOVAH

AND THEN YOU HAVE JEHOVAH DASH AND A LOT OF OTHER NAMES OF GOD

AND EACH ONE OF THOSE TALK ABOUT A FACET OF HIS CHARACTER OR THEY

DESCRIBE SOMETHING THAT GOD DOES.

SO TODAY WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT JEHOVAH ELYON WHICH MEANS THE

MOST HIGH GOD, THE POSSESSOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH WHO GIVES ALL

OF OUR ENEMIES INTO OUR HANDS.

SOMEBODY SAY, "AMEN."

AUDIENCE: AMEN.

JOYCE: GENESIS 14:14 RIGHT OVER IN THE VERY BEGINNING OF

THE BIBLE AND ACTUALLY ABRAHAM GAVE GOD THIS NAME AT A CERTAIN

PLACE IN HIS LIFE WHEN SOMETHING VERY SPECIFIC HAD HAPPENED

TO HIM.

VERSE 14, "WHEN ABRAM HEARD THAT [HIS NEPHEW] HAD BEEN CAPTURED,

HE ARMED AND (LED FORTH) THE 318 TRAINED SERVANTS

THAT WERE BORN IN HIS OWN HOUSE AND PURSUED

THE ENEMY AS FAR AS DAN," WHICH WAS A PLACE.

NOW RIGHT AWAY I THINK IT'S INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT ABRAM

WENT AFTER AN ARMY WITH 318 MEN.

I KNOW QUITE WELL THAT THE ENEMY HE WAS GOING AFTER HAD MORE

PEOPLE THAN 318.

THEY WERE PROBABLY WELL ARMED AND WELL ORGANIZED.

AND THE THING THAT I'VE DISCOVERED IN RESTUDYING THESE

NAMES OF GOD IS PEOPLE WHO REALLY, REALLY KNOW WHO GOD IS,

THEY'RE NOT COWARDS.

WHEN WE REALLY KNOW WHO GOD IS, IT STRIPS THE FEAR RIGHT OUT OF

OUR LIVES AND WE BEGIN TO COME UP AGAINST OUR ENEMIES AND TAKE

ACTION AND WE DON'T MESS AROUND WITH IT.

WE'RE AGGRESSIVE, WE'RE NOT PASSIVE.

AND I EVEN REALIZED THIS MORNING EVEN LIKE IN OUR OWN NATION AND

I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF ISSUES YOU HAVE HERE, PROBABLY SOME

SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAVE BUT IN AMERICA, IT WAS A COUNTRY

FOUNDED ON THE WORD OF GOD FOR THE PURPOSE OF SPIRITUAL FREEDOM

AND AS LONG AS GOD WAS NUMBER ONE, EVERYTHING WAS GOING

SO MARVELOUSLY WELL IT WAS ASTONISHING.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD GOING FOR US IS WE WERE

STRONG AGAINST OUR ENEMIES.

YOU JUST KIND OF DIDN'T MESS WITH AMERICA.

AND THAT'S ALL CHANGED NOW AND IT'S BECAUSE MORE AND MORE GOD'S

BEEN TAKEN OUT OF THINGS AND GOD IS NOT BEING HONORED,

AND THERE'S A REAL MOVE THERE AND POSSIBLY HERE ALSO.

IT'S PRETTY MUCH GOING ON ALL OVER THE WORLD.

ALL THESE PEOPLE TRYING TO GET RID OF GOD WHICH IS THE MOST

RIDICULOUS THING I'VE EVER HEARD OF.

GOD STARTED THIS.

HE OWNS IT ALL.

IT ALL BELONGS TO HIM AND YOU JUST CAN'T THROW HIM OUT.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]

JOYCE: BUT IT SEEMS LIKE NOW THE MORE GOD IS WITHDRAWN FROM

THINGS, THE LESS BOLD WE ARE, THE LESS BRAVE WE ARE, THE MORE

WE PUT UP WITH STUFF, THE SMALLER WE'RE LETTING

OUR ARMIES BECOME.

AND SO I THINK THERE'S A REAL CONNECTION, NOT ONLY FOR NATIONS

BUT FOR US AS INDIVIDUALS.

GOD HAS NOT GIVEN YOU A SPIRIT OF FEAR BUT OF POWER, AND LOVE,

AND A SOUND MIND.

AMEN?

[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]

JOYCE: AND WE ARE NOT CREATED BY GOD TO BE COWARDS AND COWER

UNDER EVERYTHING.

EVEN AS FAR AS WHAT I SAID EARLIER ABOUT HOW MANY OF YOU

REALLY HAVE AN ISSUE WITH BEING A PEOPLE PLEASER, THAT'S EVEN

BASED IN FEAR.

WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO BE UPSET WITH US.

WE DON'T WANT THEM TO BE UNHAPPY WITH US.

WE WANT EVERYBODY TO LIKE US.

AND SOMETIMES WE JUST NEED TO BE BOLDER AND SAY, "I WOULD RATHER

HAVE GOD'S FAVOR THAN YOURS, AND I'M GONNA DO WHAT GOD WANTS ME

TO DO AND WHAT I BELIEVE HE'S TELLING ME TO DO BECAUSE I WOULD

RATHER HAVE A GOOD REPUTATION IN HEAVEN AND A BAD REPUTATION

HERE IF THAT'S WHAT I GOTTA HAVE."

[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]

JOYCE: SO HE WENT AFTER THEM WITH 318 TRAINED HOUSEHOLD

SERVANTS.

VERSE 15, "AND HE DIVIDED HIS FORCES AGAINST THEM BY NIGHT, HE

AND HIS SERVANTS, AND ATTACKED AND ROUTED THEM, AND PURSUED

THEM AS FAR AS HOBAH, WHICH IS NORTH OF DAMASCUS.

AND HE BROUGHT BACK ALL THE GOODS AND ALSO BROUGHT BACK HIS

KINSMAN LOT AND HIS POSSESSIONS, AND THE WOMEN, AND THE PEOPLE."

SO VERY SIMPLY ABRAHAM TOOK BACK WHAT THE ENEMY HAD STOLEN.

DID YOU HEAR ME?

WHEN WE KNOW WHO OUR GOD IS, WE CAN TAKE BACK WHAT THE ENEMY HAS

STOLEN, ALL RIGHT?

VERSE 17, "AFTER HIS [ABRAM'S]

RETURN FROM THE DEFEAT AND SLAYING OF--"

YEAH, THAT PLACE.

I'M SORRY BUT I JUST DON'T DO ALL THESE NAMES WELL, YOU KNOW?

SOMETIMES I HAVE TO GET PEOPLE TO WRITE THEM OUT PHONETICALLY

ON PAPER FOR ME.

AREN'T YOU GLAD THAT I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN'T DO

ALL THIS STUFF?

THAT YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE?

"AND THE KINGS WHO WERE WITH HIM, AND THE KING OF SODOM WENT

OUT TO MEET HIM AT THE VALLEY OF SHAVEH, THAT IS,

THE KING'S VALLEY.

AND MELCHIZEDEK THE KING OF SALEM

[LATER CALLED JERUSALEM]

BROUGHT OUT BREAD AND WINE [FOR HIS NOURISHMENT]; AND HE WAS

THE PRIEST OF GOD MOST HIGH."

NOW WATCH VERSE 19, "AND HE BLESSED HIM AND SAID, BLESSED

(FAVORED WITH BLESSINGS, MADE BLISSFUL, JOYFUL) BE ABRAM BY

GOD MOST HIGH, POSSESSOR AND MAKER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH."

SO THEREFORE WE SEE GOD BEING CALLED JEHOVAH ELYON, THE GOD

MOST HIGH, THE POSSESSOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH WHO IF WE

FOLLOW HIM WILL ENABLE US TO TAKE BACK EVERYTHING THAT THE

ENEMY HAS STOLEN FROM US.

SOMEBODY GIVE A GOOD SHOUT.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]

JOYCE: SOMETIMES DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE OUTNUMBERED IN LIFE,

LIKE EVERYTHING'S TOO MUCH FOR YOU?

THINK ABOUT GOING AFTER AN ARMY WITH 318 PEOPLE AND YOU'RE ABOUT

TO SEE SOMETHING HERE IN JUDGES WITH GIDEON THAT IS EQUALLY

AMAZING.

JUDGES CHAPTER 6, VERSE 1, "BUT THE ISRAELITES

DID EVIL IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD, AND THE LORD

GAVE THEM INTO THE HAND OF MIDIAN FOR SEVEN YEARS."

SO ISRAEL WAS NOT DOING WHAT GOD ASKED THEM TO DO AND TO BE

HONEST, ANYTIME THAT WE DON'T DO WHAT GOD ASKS US TO DO, WE ONLY

HURT OURSELVES.

WE ACTUALLY OPEN A DOOR FOR THE ENEMY IN OUR LIVES.

SUBMIT YOURSELF TO GOD, RESIST THE DEVIL AND HE WILL FLEE.

YOU CAN'T JUST RESIST THE DEVIL.

YOU NEED TO SUBMIT YOURSELF TO GOD AND IN DOING THAT, WE

ACTUALLY AUTOMATICALLY RESIST THE ENEMY.

NOW NONE OF US ARE PERFECT AND THANK GOD FOR JESUS WHEN WE'RE

NOT, BUT THERE'S A DIFFERENCE IN MAKING MISTAKES AND DOING THINGS

WRONG WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE KNOWLEDGE.

IT'S ANOTHER WHOLE LEVEL WHEN YOU HAVE KNOWLEDGE, AND YOU DO

KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING, AND YOU DO KNOW THAT IT'S WRONG, AND YOU

JUST KEEP DOING IT THINKING THAT YOU'RE GONNA GET BY WITH IT.

THEN OUT OF HIS GREAT LOVE AND MERCY, GOD HAS TO DEAL WITH US

BECAUSE IF HE DIDN'T, HE WOULDN'T REALLY LOVE US.

ANY PARENT WHO WOULD LET THEIR CHILD GO RUN OUT IN THE STREET

AND KILL THEMSELVES AND NOT CORRECT THEM CERTAINLY

WOULDN'T LOVE THEM.

AND SO GOD CHASTISES THOSE WHOM HE LOVES.

THOSE WHOM HE DELIGHTS IN, HE CHASTISES.

AND REVELATIONS SAYS THAT THOSE WHO HE DEARLY AND TENDERLY

LOVES, HE TELLS THEM THEIR FAULTS.

WELL, I REMEMBER THINKING ONE TIME, "GOD, MAYBE YOU'RE LOVING

ME A LITTLE TOO MUCH 'CAUSE I JUST FEEL LIKE ABOUT

20 TIMES A DAY I'M SEEING SOMETHING ELSE

WRONG WITH ME.

SO THEY GOT THEMSELVES IN TROUBLE.

THEY LIVED IN BONDAGE FOR A GOOD NUMBER OF YEARS, BUT GOD ALWAYS

HAS SOMEBODY PREPARED THAT HE WANTS TO WORK THROUGH TO BRING

DELIVERANCE TO HIS PEOPLE.

OBVIOUSLY HE BRINGS DELIVERANCE TO US THROUGH JESUS, BUT HE ALSO

SENDS PEOPLE TO HELP US.

HE SENDS PEOPLE TO TRY TO SHOCK US OUT OF OUR NONSENSE AND OUR

STUPIDITY AND GET US OFF OF THAT BROAD PATH AND BACK ON TO

THE NARROW PATH.

GOD USED SOME PEOPLE LIKE THAT IN MY LIFE AND I HOPE AND PRAY

THAT HE CAN USE ME LIKE THAT IN SOME OF YOUR LIVES EVEN TODAY.

SO GOD FOUND A MAN NAMED GIDEON AND HE SAID TO HIM IN VERSE 12,

"AND THE ANGEL OF THE LORD APPEARED TO HIM,"

HIM BEING GIDEON, "AND SAID TO HIM THE LORD IS WITH

YOU, YOU MIGHTY MAN OF [FEARLESS] COURAGE."

NOW YOU'RE GONNA BE INTERESTED TO SEE THAT GOD SAW GIDEON

TOTALLY DIFFERENT THAN GIDEON SAW HIMSELF WHICH IS USUALLY

THE CASE.

IF ANY ONE OF US COULD SEE HOW GOD SEES US AND SEES WHAT WE'RE

REALLY CAPABLE OF--SEE, MOST OF YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE

CAPABLE OF.

YOU PROBABLY DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS RIDICULOUS FOR ME TO

BE DOING WHAT I'M DOING BECAUSE IN ALL TRUTH AND HONESTY, I

DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO IT.

I DON'T HAVE THE EDUCATION DO IT.

I DON'T HAVE THE INTELLIGENCE TO DO IT AND YET WHEN YOU CLOTHE

YOURSELF WITH GOD-- [AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]

JOYCE: OR I SHOULD SAY WHEN GOD CLOTHES YOU WITH HIMSELF,

IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE DO, HE DOES IT.

SO GOD SEES SO MUCH MORE POTENTIAL IN YOU THAN WHAT

YOU SEE.

YOU'RE SO MUCH MORE AMAZING THAN WHAT YOU THINK YOU ARE.

AND SATAN WOULD LOVE YOU JUST TO SIT AROUND AND THINK ABOUT WHAT

YOU'RE NOT, AND WHAT YOU DON'T, AND WHAT YOU CAN'T, AND WHAT YOU

HAVEN'T, AND HAVE YOU COMPARE YOURSELF WITH EVERYBODY ELSE

OUT THERE.

BUT GOD WANTS YOU TO SEE YOURSELF THE WAY HE SEES YOU AND

LEARN TO BELIEVE WHAT HIS WORD SAYS ABOUT YOU.

"THE LORD IS WITH YOU, YOU MIGHTY MAN OF [FEARLESS]

COURAGE.

AND GIDEON SAID, O SIR, IF THE LORD IS WITH US, THEN WHY IS

ALL THIS BEFALLEN US?

AND WHERE ARE ALL YOUR WONDROUS WORKS OF WHICH OUR FATHERS TOLD

US ABOUT, SAYING, DID NOT THE LORD BRING US UP OUT OF EGYPT?

BUT NOW THE LORD HAS FORSAKEN US AND GIVEN US INTO THE HAND OF

MIDIAN."

NOW WHAT A PATHETIC RESPONSE.

AND I LIKE TO EVEN KIND OF DO IT LIKE THIS 'CAUSE I THINK AT THAT

POINT, HE WAS JUST A LITTLE BIT WIMPY.

I THINK IT PROBABLY SOUNDED LIKE "O SIR, I'M NOT A MIGHTY MAN

OF COURAGE.

YOU'VE GOT THE WRONG MAN. WHO ME?"

[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]

JOYCE: "YOU WANT ME TO WHAT?"

[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]

JOYCE: "OH, NO SIR, THAT'S WAY TOO MUCH FOR ME.

YOU GOT THE WRONG PERSON."

COME ON.

COME ON.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]

JOYCE: "WELL, THEN, GOD, IF YOU'RE REALLY WITH US THEN WHY

ARE WE HAVING ALL THESE PROBLEMS AND WHY AREN'T YOU DOING

MIRACLES?" COME ON.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]

JOYCE: WELL, MAINLY BECAUSE GOD DOESN'T WANT TO HAVE TO COME

AND DELIVER US FROM EVERYTHING WITHOUT US DOING ANYTHING.

HE'D LIKE US TO STAND UP AGAINST A FEW THINGS AND SAY, "IF GOD BE

FOR ME, WHO CAN BE AGAINST ME?

IF GOD IS ON MY SIDE, WHOM SHALL I FEAR?"

[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]

JOYCE: YOU KNOW WE CAN'T JUST SIT AROUND SOMEWHERE AND SAY,

"GOD, WE NEED A MIRACLE.

GIVE US A MIRACLE."

YOU KNOW, I HAVE A MESSAGE THAT I TEACH CALLED ROLL AWAY THE

STONE AND I LOVE THAT MESSAGE BECAUSE I NOTICED ABOUT

4, 5 YEARS AGO THAT WHEN JESUS WENT

TO THE TOMB OF LAZARUS WHO HAD ALREADY BEEN DEAD SO LONG, HE

WAS STINKING, ALREADY KNOWING THAT HE WAS GONNA RAISE HIM FROM

THE DEAD, HE WALKED UP TO THAT TOMB BUT HE SAID TO THE PEOPLE,

"ROLL AWAY THE STONE."

NOW IF HE WAS GETTING READY TO RAISE A DEAD MAN, WHY DID HE

NEED PEOPLE TO ROLL AWAY THE STONE?

BECAUSE GOD WANTS US TO DO WHAT WE CAN DO AND THEN HE WILL

ALWAYS DO WHAT WE CAN'T DO.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]

JOYCE: SOME OF YOU NEED TO ROLL AWAY SOME STONES IN YOUR

LIFE AND WHEN YOU DO YOU WILL SEE THE RESURRECTION POWER OF

CHRIST DOING THE PART YOU CAN'T.

YOU SAY, "WELL, WHAT WOULD THOSE STONES BE?"

WELL, YOU MIGHT TRY FORGIVING ALL THE PEOPLE YOU'RE MAD AT.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]

JOYCE: "WELL, THAT'S TOO HARD.

I JUST NEED GOD TO GET RID OF MY ENEMIES."

[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]

JOYCE: NO, WE ARE SOLDIERS IN THE ARMY OF GOD, ANOINTED BY THE

HOLY GHOST, FULL OF HIS POWER AND IT'S TIME FOR US TO STAND UP

AND ACT LIKE IT AND NOT JUST IN CHURCH WHEN WE'VE GOT

A CHEERLEADER ON THE PLATFORM GETTING US ALL EXCITED.

YOU NEED TO DO THIS IN YOUR HOME.

WHEN YOU GET UP IN THE MORNING AND THE DEVIL SAYS, "YOU'RE NO

GOOD AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A LOUSY DAY," YOU NEED TO SAY,

"YOU ARE A LIAR, I AM A CHILD OF GOD.

HE LIVES IN ME AND THIS IS GONNA BE THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE."

[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]

JOYCE: SO AFTER THAT DISCOURSE BY GIDEON,

GOD DIDN'T GIVE UP.

"THE LORD TURNED TO HIM," IN VERSE 14, "AND SAID, GO IN THIS

YOUR MIGHT, AND YOU SHALL SAVE ISRAEL FROM THE HAND OF MIDIAN.

HAVE I NOT SENT YOU?

AND GIDEON SAID TO HIM, OH LORD, HOW CAN I DELIVER ISRAEL?

BEHOLD, MY CLAN IS THE POOREST IN MANASSEH, AND I AM THE LEAST

IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE."

ISN'T THIS SAD?

HE'S JUST NOT GIVING UP.

"AND THE LORD SAID TO HIM, SURELY I WILL BE WITH YOU, AND

YOU SHALL SMITE THE MIDIANITES AS ONE MAN."

AND SO THEN GIDEON SAID, "WELL, IF THIS IS REALLY YOU THEN GIVE

ME A SIGN."

AND SO GOD DID.

HE ENDED UP GIVE HIM A SIGN AND SO WE TALK ABOUT THE FLEECES OF

GIDEON AND YES, SOMETIMES GOD WILL GIVE US CONFIRMATION BUT I

LOVE THE SCRIPTURE THAT SAYS, "BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO BELIEVE

AND HAVE NOT SEEN."

GOD WANTS US TO KNOW HIM WELL ENOUGH TO NOT HAVE TO NEED PROOF

THAT HE'S THERE.

DID YOU HEAR ME?

GOD WANTS US TO KNOW HIM WELL ENOUGH TO NOT HAVE TO HAVE A

BUNCH OF SIGNS, OUTWARD THINGS HAPPENING.

IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING FROM GOD IN 5 YEARS, THEN JUST

KEEP DOING WHAT THE LAST THING WAS YOU HEARD.

AND WHEN GOD WANTS TO SAY SOMETHING, YOU DON'T NEED TO

WORRY, HE KNOWS HOW TO MAKE HIMSELF KNOWN.

AMEN?

[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]

JOYCE: AND I KNOW IT'S HARD, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE GOD IS

INVISIBLE AND HE CAN'T BE SEEN.

YOU KNOW WE NEED HIM TO DO STUFF.

WE WANT HIM TO DO STUFF BUT IT'S LIKE I SAID LAST NIGHT, I THINK

SOMETIMES WE'RE LOOKING FOR THESE GREAT, BIG THINGS AND WE

DON'T SEE THEM HAPPENING AND WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK FOR THE

LITTLE THINGS IN OUR LIFE THAT REALLY WOULD BUILD OUR FAITH TO

SUCH A DEGREE THAT NOBODY WOULD EVER BE ABLE TO CONVINCE US THAT

GOD'S NOT GONNA DO THE BIG THINGS AT THE RIGHT TIME.

EVERY ONE OF YOU, LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, I BELIEVE THAT

GOD SHOWS OUT IN EVERY ONE OF OUR LIVES EVERY DAY IF WE WOULD

JUST LEARN TO RECOGNIZE HIM AND SEE HIM.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]

JOYCE: AMEN?

AND SO WE NEED TO STOP LOOKING AT WHAT WE DON'T HAVE AND LOOK

AT WHO WE DO HAVE.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]

JOYCE: I WANT TO SAY THAT AGAIN, STOP LOOKING AT WHAT YOU

DON'T HAVE AND LOOK AT WHO YOU DO HAVE.

JUDGES 6:34, "BUT THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD CLOTHED GIDEON WITH

HIMSELF AND TOOK POSSESSION OF HIM, AND HE BLEW A TRUMPET,

AND [THE CLAN OF] ABIEZER WAS GATHERED TO HIM."

SO GOD SENT GIDEON TO DO SOMETHING THAT WAS IMPOSSIBLE

BUT IT BECAME POSSIBLE WHEN THE GOD MOST HIGH, THE POSSESSOR OF

HEAVEN AND EARTH CLOTHED GIDEON WITH HIMSELF.

LET ME TELL YA SOMETHING, MANY TIMES BEFORE I COME OUT HERE I

JUST ASK GOD TO THROW HIS MANTLE AROUND ME AND ENABLE ME TO COME

OUT AND DO WHAT HE WANTS ME TO DO.

AND IF WE LEARN TO TRUST GOD MORE, IT IS AMAZING WHAT YOU CAN

DO THAT YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT YOU CAN DO JUST BECAUSE GOD IS

WITH YOU.

AND I THOUGHT ABOUT GIDEON, THAT WAS SO EXCITING.

"OH, GOD CLOTHED GIDEON WITH HIMSELF."

AND I THINK WOW.

BUT THEN I HAD ANOTHER THOUGHT, BUT HE LIVES IN US.

I'D RATHER HAVE HIM IN THAN ON.

COME ON.

I SAID I'D RATHER HAVE HIM IN THAN ON.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]

JOYCE: HE CAME UPON THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS

BUT WE'VE GOT HIM IN.

HE'S NOT GOING AND COMING.

HE'S HERE TO STAY.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]

JOYCE: HE IS JEHOVAH ELYON.

I LOVE THE SCRIPTURE IN 1 SAMUEL 14:6,

IT DOESN'T MATTER TO GOD IF HE'S SAVED BY MANY OR BY FEW.

DOES NOT MATTER TO GOD IF HE'S SAVED BY MANY OR BY FEW.

LET ME TELL YA A LITTLE STORY THAT HELPS GET THIS POINT

ACROSS.

BACK IN THE VERY EARLY DAYS OF OUR MINISTRY WHEN I WAS HAVING

LITTLE MEETINGS ALL AROUND ST. LOUIS,

TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON GOD.

BY THEN DAVE HAD QUIT HIS FULL-TIME JOB AND SO WE,

YOU KNOW, GOD HAD TO SHOW UP, YOU KNOW?

NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE TO PAY FOR THE EXPENSES OF THE MINISTRY BUT

OUR WHOLE SALARY THAT WE NEEDED CAME OUT OF THAT.

AND SO WE HAD--WE HAD THESE MEETINGS AND, YOU KNOW, YOU GET

TO THE POINT WHERE YOU CAN USUALLY COUNT ON A CERTAIN

AMOUNT FROM EACH MEETING AND YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR EXPENSES ARE.

AND IF YOU'RE NOT CAREFUL YOU CAN GET YOUR MIND TOO MUCH ON

HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE THERE AND THE MEETING AND YOU START

DEPENDING ON ALL THESE THINGS YOU CAN SEE RATHER THAN THE GOD

THAT YOU CAN'T SEE.

AMEN?

AND SO WE HAD A SNOWSTORM ONE MORNING WHEN I WENT TO DO

THE MORNING MEETING.

I THINK IT WAS A THURSDAY MORNING AND SO WE ONLY HAD MAYBE

10, 12 PEOPLE THERE.

AND BOY, THE WHOLE TIME I'M TRYING TO PREACH, I'M ALREADY

HAVING TO FIGHT OFF WORRY ABOUT WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO?

WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO? WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO?

AND I HEARD THAT SCRIPTURE IN MY HEART AND TO BE HONEST, I DON'T

EVEN REALLY KNOW THAT I KNEW THAT IT WAS IN THERE AT THAT

TIME BUT I JUST HEARD THAT.

DOESN'T MATTER TO ME HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE HERE.

I CAN SAVE YA EITHER WAY.

WELL, IT JUST SO HAPPENED THAT DAY THAT THERE WAS A WEALTHY

WOMAN THERE WHOSE HUSBAND WAS A FAMOUS GUY IN THE SPORTS

INDUSTRY, AND SHE DIDN'T COME ALL THE TIME BUT SHE WAS THERE

THAT DAY.

AND SHE PUT IN ONE CHECK THAT WAS GENEROUS ENOUGH THAT IT MORE

THAN MADE UP FOR ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WEREN'T THERE AND THE

OFFERING THAT DAY WAS BIGGER THAN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IF WE

WOULD HAVE HAD A HUNDRED PEOPLE THERE.

IT DOESN'T MATTER TO GOD IF HE'S SAVED BY MANY OR BY FEW AS LONG

AS WE HAVE OUR EYES ON GOD.

SO, JUST THINK ABOUT YOURSELF RIGHT NOW FOR A MINUTE 'CAUSE I

CAN TELL YOU STORIES ABOUT ME, BUT THINK ABOUT YOURSELF

FOR A MINUTE.

IN WHAT AREA OF YOUR LIFE ARE YOU CONCERNED AND WORRIED?

WHAT AREAS OF YOUR LIFE DO YOU HAVE FEAR?

IS IT ABOUT THE PAST?

IS IT ABOUT THE FUTURE?

IS IT ABOUT YOUR JOB, YOUR HOUSING, YOUR RETIREMENT,

YOUR CHILDREN?

WHAT IS IT?

AND YOU LOOK AT YOURSELF AND YOU THINK, "I DON'T HAVE WHAT IT

TAKES."

WELL, NOW YOU'RE IN GOOD SHAPE FOR A MIRACLE.

NOW YOU'RE IN GOOD SHAPE FOR A MIRACLE.

FIRST, YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN'T DO IT, THEN YOU KNOW THAT GOD

CAN DO IT AND THAT'S MY POINT HERE TODAY.

WHO IS GOD?

HE IS JEHOVAH ELYON, THE GOD MOST HIGH, THE POSSESSOR OF

HEAVEN AND EARTH.

AMEN.

EL SHADDAI, ALMIGHTY GOD, THAT'S THE NEXT NAME WE WANT TO

TALK ABOUT.

HE HAS ALL MIGHT, HE HAS ALL POWER.

NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GOD.

YOU DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM THAT'S SO SMALL THAT GOD'S NOT

INTERESTED, AND YOU DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM THAT'S SO BIG THAT GOD

CAN'T FIX IT.

NOTHING'S TOO BIG.

AND THE GOOD NEWS IS NOT ONLY IS GOD POWERFUL, BUT HIS POWER IS

AVAILABLE TO US.

YOU SEE, I SAT IN CHURCH FOR YEARS AND I HEARD ABOUT THAT GOD

WAS POWERFUL, BUT NOBODY EVER TOLD ME THAT HE WANTED TO SHARE

THAT POWER WITH ME, THAT HE SAID IN LUKE 10:19, "BEHOLD, I GIVE

YOU POWER.

I GIVE YOU POWER TO TREAD ON SERPENTS AND SCORPIONS, AND I

GIVE YOU POWER OVER ALL THE POWER THAT THE ENEMY POSSESSES

AND NOTHING SHALL BY ANY MEANS HARM YOU."

AND YOU SAY, "WELL, WAIT A MINUTE, THINGS HAVE HARMED ME."

BUT NOTHING CAN DO YOU ANY PERMANENT, ETERNAL DAMAGE

IF YOU KEEP YOUR EYES ON GOD.

SATAN MAY COME AGAINST US ONE WAY, BUT HE WILL HAVE TO

FLEE BEFORE US MANY WAYS.

JOYCE: WELL, IF WE WANT TO HAVE A CHRISTIANITY THAT WE CAN

REALLY ENJOY, THAT REALLY WORKS FOR US, WE NEED TO KNOW

WHO GOD IS.

I THINK A LOT OF TIMES WE DON'T STUDY GOD'S CHARACTER ENOUGH

AND THAT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT IN OUR LIVES.

WHO IS GOD?

WHAT CAN I EXPECT OUT OF HIM?

IT'S THE ONLY TRUE WAY TO EXPERIENCE VICTORY IN OUR LIVES

AND SO, I'VE DONE A SERIES OF TEACHINGS SIMPLY CALLED,

"WHO IS GOD?" AND THEY'RE ABOUT THE CHARACTER

OF GOD, WHO GOD IS, WHAT WE KNOW THAT WE CAN EXPECT GOD TO DO

ALL THE TIME.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE BIBLE SAYS THAT HE NEVER CHANGES.

NO MATTER HOW MUCH SOCIETY CHANGES, GOD IS ALWAYS THE SAME.

WE KNOW THAT HE'S ALWAYS WITH US.

HE'S OMNIPRESENT.

WE DON'T HAVE TO LOOK FOR HIM.

HE'S WITH US ALL THE TIME, AND MANY OTHER WONDERFUL THINGS.

GET TO REALLY KNOW GOD.

DON'T JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT HE CAN DO FOR YOU, KNOW HIM.

THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US TODAY AND GOD BLESS YOU.

ANNOUNCER: DO YOU LONG FOR A DEEPER RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD?

IF YOU WANT TO EXPERIENCE GOD'S BEST IN YOUR LIFE, YOU FIRST

NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHO HE IS.

SPEND SOME TIME DISCOVERING THE MANY NAMES OF GOD

FOUND IN THE BIBLE, EACH ONE REVEALING HIS

TRUE CHARACTER AND PROMISES FOR YOUR LIFE

WITH JOYCE'S 4-CD SERIES, "WHO IS GOD?"

THIS RESOURCE IS AVAILABLE TODAY.

TO ORDER YOURS, SIMPLY USE THE INFORMATION ON YOUR SCREEN

OR YOU CAN VISIT US ONLINE AT JOYCEMEYER.ORG.

ANNOUNCER: YOU'VE BEEN WATCHING JOYCE'S

SUMMER MAKEOVER.

STAY TUNED THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF AUGUST TO HELP YOU EMBRACE

YOUR SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION.

THE SUMMER MAKEOVER, SIGN UP TODAY AT JOYCEMEYER.ORG

AND KEEP WATCHING "ENJOYING EVERYDAY LIFE."

[MUSIC]

GINGER: BRAD, HAND OF HOPE'S PROJECT GIRL FOCUSES ON BEING

ABLE TO GUIDE, RESTORE, AND LOVE WOMEN AND GIRLS ALL AROUND

THE WORLD, AND YOUR ROLE HERE IN AFRICA IS HUGE.

IT'S OBVIOUSLY AN AREA, WHICH PRETTY MUCH THE WHOLE WORLD IS

NOW, THAT MANY WOMEN AND GIRLS ARE IN DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES.

BRAD: YEAH, THAT'S SO TRUE.

SO MANY OF OUR WOMEN HERE IN AFRICA ARE EXTREMELY VULNERABLE

AND OFTEN SEEN AS SOMETIMES LESSER THAN MEN.

WE HAVE A LOT OF WOMEN IN OUR COMMUNITIES AROUND HERE THAT

EXPOSED TO THINGS LIKE RAPE.

SOUTH AFRICA, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU'RE MORE LIKELY TO BE RAPED

THAN TO GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL.

GINGER: OH, MY GOODNESS.

BRAD: THERE'S ABOUT A 40% CHANCE BEING A WOMAN

IN SOUTH AFRICA THAT YOU WILL BE RAPED.

GINGER: AND THIS IS SUCH A PASSION FOR JOYCE BECAUSE

SHE'S BEEN THERE.

YOU KNOW, SHE'S EXPERIENCED THAT TYPE OF HEARTACHE, AND SHE

REALLY HAS THAT DESIRE TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL, ALL PEOPLE BUT

ALL WOMEN AND GIRLS KNOW THAT THERE IS HEALING FROM

A SITUATION LIKE THAT.

SO, BEING ABLE TO HAVE SOME OF THE INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE,

THE CLASSROOMS OF HOPE, THE FEEDING PROGRAMS,

THE WATER INITIATIVES, AND ESPECIALLY

HUMAN TRAFFIC RESCUE ARE REALLY MAKING A DIFFERENCE

IN THEIR LIVES.

BRAD: ABSOLUTELY.

I MEAN, WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF GIRLS NOW THAT USED TO BE

VULNERABLE TO SOME OF THOSE ELEMENTS THAT ARE COMPLETELY

REMOVED FROM THAT AND ARE NOW PLACED IN ENVIRONMENTS OF HOPE,

SAFE SPACES WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THOSE KINDS

OF THINGS.

WE'RE SEEING WOMEN THAT WERE SENT AWAY ALL DAY TO COLLECT

WATER THAT HAVE BEEN DEPRIVED FROM EDUCATION JUST TO GO

EVERY DAY AND COLLECT WATER.

WE'RE NOW ABLE TO, THROUGH OUR PROGRAMS, 'CAUSE WE PROVIDE

CLEAN WATER, WE'RE ABLE TO REMOVE THAT BURDEN FROM

THE CHILD AND SEE THAT CHILD GET INTO SCHOOL.

AND THAT AT THAT-- GINGER: HOW EXCITING THAT?

BRAD: IT'S AMAZING.

GINGER: SERIOUSLY.

BRAD: AND THEN TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOOD AT THAT SCHOOL AND

TO TELL THAT CHILD THAT THEY'RE NOT A SECOND-RATE CITIZEN,

BUT THEY'RE A CHILD OF GOD, MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD,

IS PRETTY SPECIAL.

[MUSIC]

ANNOUNCER: WE HOPE YOU HAVE ENJOYED TODAY'S PROGRAM.

PLEASE CONTACT US OR VISIT JOYCEMEYER.ORG TO SHARE

YOUR PRAYER REQUESTS, SEE THE CONFERENCE SCHEDULE,

OR PARTNER WITH US IN SHARING CHRIST AND LOVING PEOPLE

ALL ACROSS THE GLOBE.

THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE BY

THE FRIENDS AND PARTNERS OF JOYCE MEYER MINISTRIES.