Joyce Meyer
Well laid plans
This sums up quite a bit of what can happen when you start believing the lies:
(He knew he was making a few bad choices, but he had not looked ahead at the consequences of his actions). I knew damn well I was doing bad things, making bad choices, and did not care about anything else but myself feeling good. The aftermath of the destruction I caused was the last thing on my mind, until it actually does, and you see the pain, hurt, devastation brought on by hurricane warren.
(I was unfaithful to you before I ever committed adultery). This started from when we were dating, that I was up in Japan hooking up with girls I had met when they were in Hawaii and went out to check them out while traveling without Sachi. Thought I was being clever that she would never find out but she did. This was a pattern that would repeat itself for quite some time.
(That is exactly how Satan works. He begins by bombarding our minds with cleverly devised patterns of irritation, dissatisfaction, doubts, fears, and reasonings. He moves slowly and cautiously (after all, well-laid plans take time)). I can easily fall into 'the devil made me do it' and never take responsibility. The truth is that while he does provide the temptation, I had a choice, a real choice to not make that call, not get in the car, to not meet up, etc. All the crap that he feeds into you undermines what God is speaking into your life, what His Word provides us - we are made in His image, fearfully and wonderfully made; we are His workmanship, and so much more.
What I know now is that in order to block out the noise and distractions, we have to go to Him in prayer, we need to learn more of what the Bible provides us as Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth, and actually apply the lessons. When I start believing things that are not fundamentally in alignment with his word, I now stop what I am doing and ask God for His covering, Jesus’ presence, for the Holy Spirit to place a hedge of protection over my mind, heart, & mouth. To provide me with a sound mind and to focus on all that I know to be true and to fix my very thoughts on Him.
Father God, please keep our hearts and minds in alignment with your Word, what our Lord and Savior taught and how He lived out His life. May your truths be evident and lived out in our lives that honors, glorifies, and pleases you. Please be the center of our lives Lord Jesus. Do not allow any thoughts that are not in alignment with how we should be living out our lives to enter. I am asking for breakthroughs with my thought life. May my attitude be corrected where and when needed too. Thank you, Lord we love you, in Jesus’ name, amen!
know the truth
John 8:31 Jesus told the people who had faith in him, “If you keep on obeying what I have said, you truly are my disciples. 32 You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
How quickly we can become entrapped by what the devil tries to make us believe. In any vulnerable state, we tend to accept what he and others try to tell us who we are vs. what God says in through His Word.
(If the enemy of your mind can convince you that you're too bad or too worthless, he has set up a stronghold in your mind). So important to recognize this and take hold of it quickly. Do not get caught in the vicious lies the devil will use to make you feel less than who God designed and made you to be.
Do not be afraid to call out to God, to ask our Lord and Savior, Jesus, to help protect your thought life, to invade every areas so that nothing negative or evil takes shape and embeds itself like roots of a plant/tree into the ground. Asking for the Holy Spirit to guide you, your thinking, your attitude, your decision-making.
Father God, we leave into your hands every thought, every decision, and humbly ask for you to block what should not be going in and to protect us from any bad decision or influence that comes to mind. May you always be glorified. In Jesus’ name, amen!
as we focus
7 People like that take note of how much you eat. They say, “Take all you want!” But they don't mean it.
(If we focus only on the negative things in our lives, we become negative people. Everything, including our conversations, becomes negative. We soon lose our joy and live miserable lives--and it all started with our own thinking. We should choose our thoughts carefully. We can think about what is wrong with our lives or about what is right with them. We can think about what is wrong with all the people we are in relationship with or we can see the good and meditate on that. The Bible teaches us to always believe the best. When we do that, it makes our own lives happier and more peaceful.)
She wrote this so well that it is hard to change it up. I did start becoming that negative person last year when things were not going the way I was hoping for - with my existing and former business partner. Focusing only on what I was doing, the struggles, the challenges, the ups and downs and how much time and effort I was putting into this and we were not exactly where I thought we could have been. Eventually my thoughts were not of positivity and from a place of love, although I may have thought so at the time, but of selfishness and the desire to be heard and seen. Instead of seeing how much everyone contributed to that point, it became a vicious cycle of who did more.
Definitely know that this area of my life is challenging. My mind does start to wander and I worry at times that I do not have a grasp on it rather a stronghold is in place and surfaces when things are not going the way I want it to. Consistent checks and balances help me to see and evaluate when things are out of whack and where I need to get my attitude in check. Fortunately we can go to the feet of our Lord and Savior Jesus, to ask for help in releasing the wrong thoughts, bad attitude, and what is not pleasing in His eyes.
Oh gracious and loving Heavenly Father, please let me in this area when my focus is not on the things you have taught me, reinforced and need to change. Teach me how to set my mind, thoughts, heart on your Lord. May your Holy Spirit invade every area of my life where it needs improvement and please provide me the strength and fortitude to see it through. In Jesus’ matchless and mighty name we pray, amen!
Do not quit
It can be so easy to beat yourself up when things are not going as you hoped for, the outcome was not in your favor, you cannot see light at the end of the tunnel, you are frustrated, very disappointed, etc. and wish it all would end or that you could walk away.
As I have learned, to give up is just too easy and many of us have done so, including myself. What if I or you just went a little further, tried a little harder, been a little more patient, and see things to the end. What happens when you have these questions after you stop trying is a lifetime of regret and what ifs you ask yourself.
Because God says He will be with us, why did I simply gave up - is it because I did not believe Him, did not trust His words, or did I let the devil talk me out of whatever I was doing. What I realize is that is how he gets you to believe the lies that I cannot and why would God let me when I am this or that or have not amounted to much and not really the right person for the job.
So many occasions I believed the lies and just gave up, gave in when the actual end zone, the finish line was right around the corner or I was in the red zone and only needed 10 more yards to cross the goal line. How different my life and families if I simply just trusted God and kept moving forward. Now I am more determined than ever to keep that focus going and when I want to give up I reflect on the past and keep telling myself is this really what God wants me to do - just throw my hands up in the air and say “I give up,”
No, I believe that through our Lord Jesus all is possible and it may not be on my time nor the outcome exactly how I would have wanted it. All that I know is He is good and has never let me or my family down. In that, in His promises, I know I can trust that all will be well.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you that you never quit on me, on us, and that I can trust in you, our risen Lord Jesus, whom I place my hope and trust and believe He will continue to be with me , that you will guard and protect my and my families life and that I am not a quitter. That you want me to keep pushing through and know you are with me in all areas of my life and will guide me in what I need to learn and do, now and in the future. I love you Father God, Lord Jesus, please help my family and I and have your way in us. In your mighty name, Jesus, I ask these things, amen!
I Can’t Help It
Deuteronomy 30:19 CEV
19 Now I call the sky and the earth to be witnesses that I am offering you this choice. Will you choose for the Lord to make you prosperous and give you a long life? Or will he put you under a curse and kill you? Choose life!
If you really think about this carefully, it really is not a difficult decision; and, if it is, there is definitely a problem which needs to be addressed immediately. The outcome of one is life, everlasting life with the Lord; the other is death, eternal damnation and suffering with the devil. Even if you are not a believer I cannot imagine that you would choose the latter.
In her teaching, these are a couple ways we can continue working on and get better with our thought life:
God has given us the power to decide--to choose right thinking over wrong. But once we make that choice, we must continue to choose right thoughts. It's not a once-and-for-all decision, but it does get easier. The more we fill our lives with reading the Bible, prayer, praise, and fellowship with other believers, the easier it is for us to continue choosing right thoughts.
The basis of success is from the choice we make - think wrong, you choose wrong; chose right, do right.