Joyce Meyer - Be Determined (08/17/2019)
Young folks, get determined like Daniel—refuse to defile yourself or copy the world, no matter the cost. God rewards that fire with favor and victory. Three stories show unstoppable faith: friends tearing open a roof, Zacchaeus climbing a tree, blind Bartimaeus shouting louder. Don't quit; stir up your spirit, cry out to Jesus, and watch God move mightily in your life.
Be Determined Like Daniel: Stand Firm Against the World
The Bible is full of people that were determined. Daniel was a young man. I see many young men in this crowd tonight. It's wonderful to see so many young people who love the Word. And I know you like the music of Delirious. But I was also glad to see that you were excited when it was time for the Word of God. Music is wonderful. But the Word of God changes our lives. Amen.
Now a lot of the music that we sing is full of the Word. So it is also life changing. But many of you would be a young man like Daniel was a young man. Many of you young ladies would be a young lady like Esther was a young lady. Or like Ruth was a young lady. And they all had to make difficult decisions. They had to make difficult decisions and they had to make them for themselves.
Daniel was a young man who was taken into the king's court. And the king began to tell him different things that he could not do. But Daniel had made promises to God. And so the Bible says that Daniel was determined. That he would not defile himself. He was determined not to be like the world. I beg you young people in India, don't be like the world. You set the standard. You let your lives dictate what people do. Don't follow them, let them follow you. Amen? Amen?
God's Favor Follows Determination
Well, Daniel was determined. And the Bible says that God gave him favor. And a matter of fact, Daniel wore out three kings. Every time a king would die and another one would come in, God gave Daniel favor with that king too. If you're determined to do what's right, God will give you favor everywhere you go. God will give you favor everywhere you go.
But you have to be determined to do things the way God wants them done. There are too many people who do nothing with their lives. There are too many people who look at what can't be done instead of what can be done. How many of you know the Bible says, all things are possible with God. You know, the most important word there is a three-letter word called all. All things are possible with God.
That means no matter what we come up against, we should never say no way. Don't ever say there's no way I can get that. There's no way I'm going to make it. There's no way you're going to change. Because Jesus said, I am the way. I am the way. God likes determined people.
Stories of Never-Giving-Up Faith
I want to tell you three very short Bible stories. And each one of these display the spirit that God wants us to have. A spirit that says, I will never give up. You see, even as I preach this tonight, I can feel it down here in my spirit. I think we ought to have a little fire in our belly. I said, I think we need a little fire in our belly.
When the devil comes against us one way, we need to say, you're going to flee before me seven ways. Be determined. How many of you understand tonight that if you're determined, and God is on your side, that you cannot be defeated. You cannot be defeated. You cannot be defeated. It may not be easy, but it will be worth it.
Don't get to the end of your life, and be laying in some bed somewhere with nothing but regret. I know that I've lived most of my life. At least I've lived more of it than what I have left. Even if I live to be a very, very old woman, I could probably only live another 25 or 30 years. But when I go home to be with the Lord, I have no regrets. And that's a good feeling. I don't feel that I wasted my life. I had a rough beginning, but I'm going to have a good finish. Come on, it doesn't matter if you had a rough start. You can have a great finish.
The Friends Who Tore the Roof Open
But you will have a million opportunities to give up. How many of you ever feel like giving up? Come on, wave at me if you ever feel like giving up. We all feel that way. That's not God making you feel that way. It's the enemy trying to steal your destiny. In Luke chapter 5, there was some men who were bringing a friend of theirs to be healed by Jesus. He was a crippled man. He could not walk, so they carried him on a stretcher.
And when they got to the house where Jesus was, the house was so full that they could not get in. Well, how easy it would have been to have just given up. But they said, we're going to find a way. So they climbed on top of the house. Tore off part of the roof. Tied ropes on the stretcher. And let the man down through the crowd. Now you know that was probably a pretty big job.
Well, here Jesus is, preaching to the people. And all of a sudden, down through the roof, comes this man right in front of him. Jesus was so impressed with their faith. So impressed with their determination. That he said, man, your sins are forgiven. And you are healed. He liked their determination. A lot of people would have just given up. Don't ever give up.
Zacchaeus Climbed a Tree: Overcoming Disadvantages
There was another man in the Bible. That he heard Jesus was coming down the road. But he was a short little man. Sometimes when we have a disadvantage, we give up quick. We think we're too short or too tall. We're not smart enough. We don't look good enough. But the truth is, is we have everything we need if we have Christ.
He was too short to see Jesus. Well, you know, a lot of people would have just went and got all depressed. He could have just went and sat down on the side of the road. Said, oh man. If I just wasn't short, then I could see Jesus. Oh, I'm depressed because I'm short. Poor me, I'm just too short. But he said, nope, I'm going to find a way.
So, he ran ahead and he climbed up in a tree. We need more people in the world today that will be willing to climb a tree. We need more people that will say, I'm going to look for a way. Well, here's Zacchaeus up in this tree. And Jesus comes walking down the road. And all of a sudden, for no particular reason, he looked up. When you're determined, no matter where you're at, Jesus will see you.
He saw him up in that tree. And he said, Zacchaeus, come down here. I'm going to go to your house for dinner. Why did he choose Zacchaeus to go to his house for dinner? There were all kinds of people there. I mean, Zacchaeus was just a little short guy. Why did Jesus choose him? One reason and one reason only. He liked his determination. He liked his spirit. He said, I can work with you. I can do something through you. I'm going to your house for dinner.
Don't Let Critics Stop You
And sure enough, everybody else got angry. They got mad at Zacchaeus. You know, I found in my life, sometimes the more determined I am, the more people don't like it. If you know a bunch of people that are quitters, they're going to want you to quit too. But if you'll be determined, you'll be the one that will end up the winner.
Like I said, I'm still here. And a lot of those people that tried to get me to quit. I haven't heard about them in years and years. When I began to preach the gospel, women didn't preach. I lost a lot of friends. I got kicked out of my church. My family turned against me. Not my husband and children, but our other family. And it was hard. But I'm still here. I'm still here.
And today I have the privilege of preaching the gospel to literally millions and millions and millions of people all over the earth in 37 different languages every day. I'm glad I just didn't go sit down somewhere. And say, oh man, I wish I wouldn't have been abused. Poor me, I wish I could have gone to college. Oh man, I just was raised so bad. Nobody loved me. Man, I tried to do something good and got thrown out of my church. Tried to obey God and lost all my friends. Poor me.
Because if I would have done that, I'd still be there. I'd still be sitting on the side of the road somewhere feeling sorry for myself. But instead, I'm here tonight. All the way across the ocean. In India. Preaching to thousands of wonderful people. Whose lives can be changed. Because I didn't give up.
Bartimaeus Shouted Louder: Persist Through Opposition
God's promises are for whosoever will. The people on the platform are not some special brand of people. We're no better than any one of you. And we're here to tell you. That God wants you to do something great. God wants you to have a better life. God wants you to have victory. He doesn't want you just to hear about my victory. He wants you to have victory. But you're going to have to have some fire in your belly.
In your midnight hour. You're going to have to climb a tree. And say, I don't care what I don't have. I do have Jesus. Give him praise tonight. And then the last little story that I want to tell you is about a blind man. A man named Bartimaeus. He was a blind beggar. But he'd heard about Jesus. The Bible says he heard that Jesus was passing by.
And he began to cry out. Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. And everybody around him told him to shut up. It's amazing to me when we begin to cry out for Jesus, people want us to shut up. Well, Bartimaeus had a decision to make. Am I going to listen to the people? Or am I going to cry out louder?
Well, he just got louder. You know, when I felt like God called me to preach. Everybody I knew told me to shut up. And I had to make a decision to do what the people wanted me to do. Or just to cry out louder. Blind Bartimaeus got louder. The Bible says he shouted. He shouted all the more. Jesus! Yes! Have mercy on me!
And Jesus went right to the man and said, what can I do for you? Don't let people shut you up. Don't let people discourage you. I'm quite sure in this nation, like many others, that for some of you, if you make a decision to follow Jesus Christ, your friends and maybe some of your family is not going to like it.
Women in Ministry: God Uses Everyone
Because maybe that means you're going to be deciding to do something other than what they're doing. When we were called to preach the gospel, we were in a certain denominational church. Or you might say we were part of a certain religion. And David had been in that church all of his life. His whole family went to that church. But they didn't believe that women could be used by God.
How many of you ladies here in India know that God uses women? God uses women. And the men should be man enough to not let that bother them. Come on, guys. Women up, not be jealous of them. My husband is a great example. He's not a weak, wimpy man. He's six foot four. All muscle. He's the head of our home. He's my husband. But he stands with me and says, be all God wants you to be.
God didn't create women to be under man's feet. Eve came out of Adam's side, not the bottom of his feet. We're to walk beside our men. And together we can do great things. And you know, so many people say, well, women aren't supposed to preach. Well, I'll tell you something I've discovered. The first woman to preach the gospel after Jesus Rose from the dead was a woman.
The angel said to Mary. Go and tell my disciples he is risen. Or Jesus said it to her. Well, go and tell sounds like preaching to me. So don't tell me that God doesn't use women. It's too late to tell me that. Sorry, it's already happening. You know, the devil hates all of us, but he hates women because a woman gave birth to the Savior. And you guys need to help us. Together we can do great things.
My husband and I do this together. If you're a secure man. If you're a real man. Then you don't have to put your woman down. You can lift her up. You can help her be all that God wants her to be. Proverbs 31 talks about the perfect woman. And she's many things. She's a wise business woman. She's good with her household. She takes care of her family. She has businesses. But I love the Bible says. That her husband is well known because of his fine wife.
Well, my husband is well known because of his wife. And that doesn't bother him at all. Amen. Amen. And people sometimes say to him. Oh, are you Joyce Meyer's husband? And because he knows who he is. He says right away. No, she's my wife. Come on, give God praise for unity.
Stir Up the Fire: A New Day for India
It's a new day. And I see all of you beautiful young ladies out there. And I see all of you fine young men. I see Daniels and Davids. I see Ruth and Esther. And I see hell having a nervous breakdown. The enemy has loved keeping this nation oppressed. But you're breaking out. The light has come to India. The truth is setting you free.
But there will be opposition. You just try to do anything for God and there will be opposition. If you decide tonight to make Jesus the Lord of your life, there will be opposition. But if you've got some fire in your belly. If you've got some fire in your belly. I thought I'd stop by India and just fan your flame.
I believe the wind of the Holy Ghost is blowing on your flame tonight. Paul told Timothy, stir yourself up. Stir up those gifts within you. Don't be the kind of person who always waits for somebody else to come along and get you excited. Don't be the kind of person who always waits for you.