Joyce Meyer - Why Shouldn't I Give Up? (08/20/2019)
In Luke 19:1-8, the despised, wealthy tax collector Zacchaeus overcomes his physical limitation and sinful past through sheer determination to see Jesus, climbing a sycamore tree despite the crowd. His persistent effort draws Jesus' attention and invitation to his home, resulting in immediate repentance, restitution, and transformation. The key point: aggressive determination—refusing to let obstacles, deficits, or past failures stop you—positions you to encounter Jesus, receive His presence, and experience radical life change.
Zacchaeus' Desire to See Jesus
I want to start in Luke chapter 19, the first eight verses. And Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through it. And there was a man called Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector, and he was rich.
So this is telling us that Zacchaeus was not a real honest guy. Tax collectors were probably hated more than any other group of people in those days. And so he not only collected taxes, but he obviously got rich himself by taking other people's money.
Maybe something about Zacchaeus wasn't satisfied with his life because he'd heard about Jesus and he was trying to see Jesus, which one he was, because Jesus was coming. And it says he could not see him because he was small in stature.
Now, let's just be plain. That means he was real short. Okay? And now, you know, like Dave can see things that I can't see. And he has a habit of laying things on top of stuff that's, like, he might put something on top of a shelf that I can't even see the top of.
And he'll say sometimes, well, don't you see that? And I'm like, no, you know, I don't see that. So I guess if a person is real short and there's a big crowd and there's something you're wanting to see, you might feel that that was, like, a little deficit or a handicap for you.
Determination Overcomes Limitations
But the thing that you're going to find interesting, the reason why I love this group of scriptures is because Zacchaeus didn't let what was going to be a little problem for him stop him. Everybody say determination. Determination.
See, if you ever want to have what Jesus died to give you, you've got to have a boatload of determination. And that determination means that you have this attitude, if anybody can have what Jesus died to give them, then I can have it.
If God can bless anybody, then God can bless me. Now, come on, I'm talking about having a more aggressive attitude. If God can bless anybody, he can bless me. If God can do that for anybody, he can do that for me. If he did it for you, he can do it for me.
All too often, we look at what's wrong with us and why we can't and can't and can't and can't. And we need to remember that God is no respecter of persons. And whatever we will trust God for and believe for, if it's in his word, not just because you decide you want to, but if it's in his word, you can count on God doing that in your life at the right time and in the right way.
Climbing the Sycamore Tree
Well, Zacchaeus wanted something, but he had a challenge in front of him. And I love what happened here. He was trying to see Jesus, but he was small, verse 4. So he ran on ahead and climbed up in a sycamore tree in order to see him, for he knew that he was about to pass by that way.
Now, see, I have this little thing that I like to say. More people need to be willing to climb a tree if that's what it's going to take to get what they want. And you can translate that however it fits into your life.
So he ran on ahead and he climbed up in the tree. And when Jesus reached the place, and I love this, I want you to get a picture of this. Try to imagine this scene. Big crowd. Guy wants to see Jesus. I mean, huge crowd.
He's really not a very good guy. He's got problems in his life, but maybe he's ready for a change. He wanted to see Jesus. Couldn't see him. Should he just give up? Is it going to be too hard? Should he just say, oh, this is not going to work for me and walk off?
No, he ran ahead of everybody else, and he climbed up in a tree. And when Jesus came passing by, I love this part of the story, it says that he looked up.
Jesus Sees the Determined Heart
Now, why would Jesus be walking along and decide to look up in a tree? I'll tell you why. Because there was something in the attitude of Zacchaeus that drew the spirit of Jesus to him. Come on now.
And so, and he said to him, now watch this, Zacchaeus, hurry up and come down, because I must stay at your house today. Who does Jesus like to hang out with? People that have got a determined attitude that they're not going to quit and give up.
You know what? I think if we're whiners and moaners and groaners, and all we do is talk about what we can't and what we don't and what we're not, I'm not sure that he cares to come to our house.
And I don't mean that, you know, we don't have Christ as our Savior, but I'm just talking about, if we want the presence of God in our lives, then we've got to have the kind of attitude that he wants us to have.
And that means I don't care what I'm not. Jesus is everything that I need. And so I may be short, but I can find a way to do what he wants me to do. Come on.
Stop thinking about what you don't have and how you weren't raised right and how you didn't get this and you're not this and you're not that. Don't focus on what you're not. Focus on who he is and what he can do through you.
From Taker to Giver
So, as we go on... So he hurried and he came down and he received and welcomed him joyfully. Verse 7. And when the people saw it, and this always happens, these people just aggravate me no end.
When the people saw that Jesus was going to go to Zacchaeus' house, they all muttered among themselves, indignantly complaining, he has gone to be the guest of and lodge with this man who is devoted to sin and is a preeminent sinner.
It's amazing the person who has an aggressive attitude and gets God's attention and something good starts to happen in their life, how all the people don't like it and nobody else ran and climbed up a tree and so they shouldn't have been murmuring because Zacchaeus got something from Jesus that they would have liked to have had.
And then verse 8 says, So then Zacchaeus stood up and solemnly declared... I love this part. To the Lord. See, Lord, the half of my goods now I give by way of restoration to the poor. And if I have cheated anyone out of anything, I now restore four times as much.
You see what happens to people when you start hanging out in the company of Jesus? All of a sudden, you get generous. All of a sudden, you start wanting to give instead of taking.
Zacchaeus had been a taker. He'd been a thief. He'd been taking other people's money and using it for himself. Now all of a sudden, one encounter with Jesus and he's a changed man.
Overcoming a Bad Start
Let me tell you something. Don't let any deficit in your life hold you back. You know my story if you've watched me on TV. I mean, my gosh, I got such a bad start in life. I mean, I was hurt so bad and you know, I had to come to the point where I just said, I'm not going to let that hold me back.
God is greater than your past. Amen? He's greater than any problem that you've got.
We've got a young man that's here today and I don't know where Tony's at, but this is like the third time he's been to one of my conferences. I met him 10 years ago and he was one of the Make-A-Wish Foundation children.
He happens to be in a wheelchair and he's got some physical challenges and so his wish was to meet me, which I thought was just, it's just one of the sweetest things that's ever happened to me.
So... So, anyway... There's Tony right there. See, there he is. Look at that, Tony. Now you're famous. You're going to be on TV. Check it out.
All right, now, he came here today. They drove from Naples and he's so excited because he's about to graduate from college. He's getting a business degree in administration.
Now, how many people in that situation would just give up and say, well, my life's over. I can never do anything. Come on.
What have you given up on and what are you whining about? Let's let his testimony kick us in the tutu a little bit and say, I'm going to start climbing a tree if that's what I have to do to see Jesus in my life. Amen?
Yeah! Awesome. Awesome, awesome, awesome.
The Power of Guts and Determination
I'll tell you what. I just get so excited about people that won't give up. And I'll be very honest with you and tell you something. You know, we have got such an unbelievably great ministry and I just, I am so blessed that God is using me.
But I just want to tell you something. I really, in the natural am not all that talented. I mean, I mean, you know, I have average IQ and, you know, I got fairly decent grades in school, but I wouldn't call myself extremely creative or anything.
But I'll tell you what I do have. I have got a boatload of guts and determination. Amen? And you don't, you don't want to tell me that I can't do something.
Actually, my trainer, my exercise coach, he comes to my house and trains me and he's been in the business for a long, long time. And I told him he needs to go into the business of being a psychologist because he gets his clients figured out and he knows how I am.
He knows if he tells me that he doesn't think I can do it, that it's already done. And so, he'll give me some exercise to do and he'll say, well, you know, you probably can't do 12, so just see if you can do 8 or 10.
And then I just give him this look. It's like, well, you might as well write 12 down on your sheet because 12's what it's going to be.
And see, I'm trying to get the point across to you today that you will be amazed what you can do if you won't have a give-up attitude before you ever give it your best to find out what God can do through you if you'll trust him and take a step of faith.
Paul's Determined Purpose
Come here. I am telling you that there is no way that I should be doing what I'm doing. I talk. And I gave my mouth to God and I said, I believe that I can overcome my past because I see the promises in your word.
Hey, listen, when I started this, women didn't do what I'm doing. There was maybe a handful, just a handful. And I just want to say again, determination.
I love what the apostle Paul said it's recorded in Philippians 3. my determined purpose is to know him and the power of his resurrection that lifts me out from among the dead even while I'm in the body.
And if you want to have a great relationship with Jesus, you can have a great relationship with him, but you're going to have to be determined to not let the devil or circumstances or anything else steal it from you.
How many of you want to have the best life that you can have? You might say, yeah, I'm praying about that. Well, that's good. You always want to start with prayer, but I want to tell you something.
It's going to take a little bit more than that because God's going to show you some things that you need to do, some things that you need to change, and he will give you the grace to do it, but in what comes right down to it, you've got to do the doing. you've got to do it.