Joyce Meyer - Receiving From God, Part 1

I'm doing a series called "Enjoying Everyday Life". And you know, that might sound a little bit, you know, kind of fluffy, but the truth of the matter is is a lot of people have a very difficult time really enjoying their life. How many of you could use enjoying yours a whole lot more than what you do? And you know, one of the things that we do is we wait for the conditions in our life to become what we think would be enjoyable. "If I had more money, I'd enjoy my life. If I didn't have trouble with this kid, I would enjoy my life. If my marriage was better, I would enjoy my life. If I had a different job, I would enjoy my life. If I didn't have all this housework to do all the time, I would enjoy my life. If I didn't have to mow the grass today, I could enjoy my life". But the truth of the matter is, is we should not put off another moment enjoying our lives. I said do not put it off one more moment. And don't wait for your circumstances to dictate to you that you can enjoy your life. You make a decision to enjoy your life regardless of your circumstances. 'Cause you know what? Those circumstances will change. They will. It'll come to an end. And I don't want to be depressing, but something else will follow it.

Now, we all have lived long enough to realize that that's just kind of the way it is. You go through something, it gets over with, you settle down, everything's good for a little period of time, and then here comes something else. And then you get through that, and then everything's good for a little while, and then boy, maybe you have two, three, four things come at once. Then you settle down. And the truth is is we just need to believe and understand that we can do whatever we need to do through Christ, who is our strength. The Bible says in Romans 8 that we are more than conquerors. What does it mean to be more than a conqueror? I believe that it means that you know you've got the victory before you ever get the problem. So, therefore we don't have to be afraid of problems. "Oh no, not again". Well, I mean, who likes it? I don't like it. Nobody likes it. But the truth of the matter is is it is inevitable. No life is going to be perfect and without some trouble, some trials, and some tribulations.

If we have perfect lives, we would not need any faith. Faith is not to get us to the point where we never have a problem. Faith is to enable us to stand up to things and to know that with God, all things are possible. And that because he's with us, we can do whatever we need to do. So, I'm only saying all that to get you to realize that if you're going to wait until you have no problems to enjoy life, then I guess you'll just still be waiting when Jesus comes to get you because you're going to have different things happen. And as we all know, every storm is not in the forecast, amen? Sometimes, you know, the weatherman may even say it's going to be sunny today. You may be following my advice and get up and say, "Something good is going to happen to me today". And boy, it just turns out to be a bummer of a day.

Well, if you're wise, you'll get up the next day and say, "Something good is going to happen to me today," because you're not going to give up. So, I'm not trying to teach people how to enjoy having a vacation, or going to a party, or getting a new outfit, or thank God it's Friday. Not that kind of attitude, where I'm just trying to endure everything else so I can get to the few things in life that I like. But I think it's a great miracle of God when we can take ordinary, everyday, sometimes humdrum life and enjoy it. And just say, "I am going to enjoy this. I'm going to enjoy Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, back to Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday". How many of you think that if you made your mind up to it, you could just even enjoy cleaning your house, or cutting your grass, or driving in traffic? How many of you know it's an attitude? Our joy is not around us, it's in us. It's how we decide to look at things.

So, three things. We want you to enjoy everyday life, want to teach you to enjoy your life. Stop wanting somebody else's life. Enjoy your life. And one of the best ways to do that is to do the things that you would normally do that are just common, ordinary, everyday things that don't seem at all spiritual to you, and do them as a service to God. In other words, "God, I'm going to do my grocery shopping with you, for your honor and your glory. I'm going to go out with a good attitude". And you know what? You may have an opportunity to make a big difference in somebody else's life if you get your mind off how miserable you are about going, and just decide you're going to go with God and see what he does. I think if you hang out with God all day, every single thing that you do could turn out to be an adventure.

I want to talk to you about Learning How to Receive From God. Because what we usually do is spend our time trying to get things. "I'm going to get my healing, I'm going to get saved, I'm going to get my breakthrough". And you know what? There's nowhere in the Bible that even really I don't know even uses that word. But the word "Receive" is all over the place. And the word "Receive" means to act like a receptacle and just take in what's being offered. Ahh. Don't you feel the rest of that already? But get means to obtain by struggle and effort. So, one of the things that we must do if we want to enjoy our life, now, listen to me, is stop trying to make happen what either only God can make happen or what he has in fact already made happen. And all we need to do is believe it and receive it by faith. I think we spend a lot of our time trying to get things we've already got. And I'm going to explain that a little bit more to you later.

The Bible says that we are to accept and welcome and receive the Kingdom of God like a little child, otherwise we will in no wise enter in. "Truly I say to you, whoever does not accept and receive, and welcome the Kingdom of God like a little child shall not in any way enter into it [at all]". So, I'm going to show you a little example, and it will help you understand. Kids, can you come on out, please? I got me some helpers tonight. Oh, aren't they sweet? Let's see, I want everybody to be able to see you, so where should I have you stand? I guess we'll just go right over here, okay? All right. Okay, can you make a straight line for me? Michael, could I have my money, please? Do you guys like money? Do you, you like money? What would you think if I just gave you some money? All right, you get it? He says, "I'll take it".

Boy, God wishes we were that way. You mean, you think I would just give you money for no reason? What do you think? What if I just gave it to you and said, "You don't have to do anything for it except just believe I'm going to give it to you"? There's some for you, what do you think? How about you? Ooh, oh my gosh, don't let anybody else get it. How about you? Oh, you're a sweet receiver. There, how about that? Maybe I'll have some left and somebody will get some more, I don't know. Oh, you're welcome. One out of the five so far said thank you. Thank you, you're a good looking guy. Oh, how about you? You're so sweet. I got a little bit left. I don't have enough for everybody, should I tear them in half and start giving them away? I don't know. Who really wants to have more? All right, there you go. There you go. I don't have enough to give it to everybody. You're the littlest, there you are. You're the biggest, there you are. All right, give them a clap there. Thank you, you can go back.

Now, I want you to notice that they received what I offered without question. They didn't try to figure out why I would give it to them. They didn't say, "Oh no, no, no, no, I don't deserve that". They didn't even do what most adults do. Do you know most adults, when you try to bless them, even Christians, the first thing they say is, "Oh no, you don't have to do that"? Stop that. If you're going to pray for God to bless you, when somebody tries to bless you, just say, "That is awesome. Praise God, thank you". I don't like that, "Oh no, no, no". You know you want it. You just going to make somebody try to push it off on you. There are so many things that God has for us, so many things that he wants to do for us. And we keep trying to earn and deserve what God is giving us freely. And we need to stop it. Now, we are supposed to work, but we are supposed to avoid works. You say, "Huh"? That's a brain twister. Jesus said we must work the works of him who sent me. So, he said we're going to work, but it's not going to be our works, it's going to be his works.

Now listen, I got a bunch of scripture, and I really want you to get this. Our works the Bible calls works of the flesh. And it's our energy trying to buy from God what he has already given freely or wants to give us freely. For example, you can never earn forgiveness. You cannot deserve forgiveness, you cannot earn forgiveness, you cannot buy forgiveness with hours of prayer or hours of Bible reading. There's only one thing that you can do about forgiveness when you sin is ask for it, receive it, and be amazed. Did you hear me? Ask for it, receive it, and be amazed. And I think if we would learn more about just receiving the goodness of God, we would live more amazed. And I think we would be a lot happier than what we are right now. Anybody understanding this? All right. Receive like these little kids did tonight. I like that little boy, I said, "Who wants some money"? And he said, "I'll take it, I'll take it". I've just told God, "You know, the word says you're looking for somebody to bless. I just want you to know here I am. Yoo hoo, here I am". You say, "Well, that just doesn't sound right. You don't deserve that".

Well, that's what makes it exciting is that we don't deserve it. God is not looking for somebody that's deserving. He's looking for somebody that knows they're not deserving, but by faith will receive anyway and glorify God for everything he does in their lives. That's why it's so amazing when you take somebody that has lived such an awful, terrible, ridiculously sinful life to watch them receive the forgiveness and the mercy of God. And be changed into a new creature, who can let go of the past and press on to the good things that God has. How could you be anything but excited about that? And how could we not want to tell other people what God has done for us? Children have no problem receiving what they've not deserved or earned. To receive once again means "To act as a receptacle or a container, and to just permit to enter or to receive whatever is being offered". But to get means "To come into possession of or to obtain, to go after and obtain, to take by force, to seize, to require as a result of action or effort".

Now, the Bible says in Ephesians 2:8 and 9, we want to look at this. It's our classic scriptures about salvation. "For it is by grace (God's unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made a partaker of Christ's salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God: not because of works [not the fulfillment of the law's demands], lest any man should boast. It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do. It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do". No matter how many good works we did, we could never make up for our sin. Only Christ could do that, and he has already, in fact, done that. This is why the Gospel is such good news that, to be honest, it really makes no sense at all that there's so many unhappy Christians. I mean, you're not going to hell. That ought to be enough to keep us happy for awhile, amen?

You know, there's a lot of talk today about the conditions in the world, and surely we're living in the end times, and Jesus is coming soon. You know what? That doesn't frighten me at all. I'm looking forward to it. I'm ready today if he wants to take me. And that's a good feeling. I'm looking forward to the fullness and the completion of all that God has for me. And you don't have to live in fear if you know that you're born again. And if you don't know that you're born again, then we would love to help you tonight. And if you're watching by television and you don't have the assurance of salvation, and you want to receive Christ as your Savior, call the number on your screen right now, and somebody at my office will pray with you and lead you by faith into a relationship with Jesus Christ.

So, really if you think about the condition you were in when you were saved, you basically came to the end of yourself, didn't you? It's like, "I am so miserable that I really just don't think I could be miserable any more. I can't help myself. God, take me, God, just the way I am. Save me, Jesus, help me". Okay, now watch that. You get that. How many of you remember that surrender, that, "I'm done. Finished. If you can do anything with me, take me and do it 'cause I'm lost without you"? But do you know the Bible says in Colossians 2:6 that the same way that you were saved, that's the same way you have to learn how to live? Ooh, that is so good.

Let's look at it, Colossians chapter 2, verse 6. This was really eye-opening to me when I saw this many years ago. It was like wow. "The same one who began a good work in you is the one that will finish it". And he will finish it the same way that he started it. As you put your faith in him and he pours his grace into you, everything. "As you have therefore received Christ, [even] Jesus the Lord, [so] walk (and regulate your lives and conduct yourselves) in unity with and conformity to him". As you have received Christ Jesus, so live your life and walk the same way that you received him. In other words, you don't have to get up every day and be all stressed out, and go through the day frustrated and struggling because you're trying, you're trying, you're trying, you're trying. "I'm trying to pray more, I'm trying to read more, I'm trying. I'm trying to be good, I'm trying to make my confessions, I'm trying. Oh my gosh, I forgot to say, 'something good is going to happen to me today, oh Lord'".

Oh yeah, we're always giving you guys something new to do, you know? And to be honest, you can't remember it all. So, you get up every day, and you do the best you can, and you trust God to take care of the rest. You put your faith in him, and you know that your salvation is not earned by your confession, it's not earned by how much you read the Bible. It's not earned by how many hours you pray or how much scripture you've got memorized. You can read your Bible through ten times every year, and that's not going to earn you salvation or God's help. God doesn't help us because we memorize all the Psalms. He helps us because we are helpless. And we put our faith in him and say, "God, if you don't help me, I'm finished".

Is there anybody in the building tonight that's tired of trying to make something happen that you just cannot make happen? Anybody here trying to change your kids? Ooh. Anybody trying to change yourself? Oh, my gosh. Whatever your project is, whoever you've got on the potter's wheel, why don't you just go home and let them off, and give them a little joy? And instead just pray and let God do what only God can do? Because he's the only one that can transform and change a life. How can you change? Not by hearing messages, and going home, and trying to make them work in your life.

My goodness, I tell you what, if you were as bad as I was, I needed everything I heard, everything. And every preacher gave me something different to do. I was to make confessions, and get up early and pray, and we had a read the Bible through in a year plan. And you know, I mean, it was just one thing after another after another. And then I would hear messages about being careful with your mouth and not talking too much. And I'd hear messages about the mind. And so, I would decide that I was going to go home and not say anything, so that way I didn't make any mistakes with my mouth. Come on, you know where I'm at? And then I'd just be real super quiet. And then people would say, "What's wrong with you"? And then I'm like, "That figures. You don't like it if I talk. You don't like it if I do talk. People just aren't happy no matter what you do".

But here's the wild thing that I noticed. When I shut my mouth as an act of discipline, I would get depressed. By the time late in the afternoon came, I was so down. And I didn't understand, I said, "God, why do I feel so down? I'm just trying to do what you want me to do". And this is what the Lord spoke to my heart. He said, "You shut your mouth, but nothing's changed on the inside. At least when you were talking, you were letting some of the pressure out. Now, it's all in there". Well, yes, we should respond to the messages that we hear, but what we need to do is go home and say, "You know, God, I was really convicted by that word tonight. That really touched my heart, and I really want to grow in that area. And so, Holy Spirit, I'm asking you to teach me in this area. And God, I need you to change me because I know that I cannot change myself". And then your part is to study the word in that area. Because the Word of God contains the power to save your soul according to the book of James chapter 1. "The Word of God, if received in meekness, contains the power to save your soul".

So, our part is not to go home and try really hard to change. But if you feel like you've got a mouth problem, then go home and read every book you can find on the mouth. I've got two or three out there, plus a bunch of CDs and DVDs and everything else 'cause I had a lot of mouth problems, so I teach on that a lot. And so, you don't go out and say, "Well, I'm going to really go home and try to be quiet, but I don't know, I don't want to do that". Or you go out and there's ten people waiting, "Well, I don't want to wait that long. I'm just going to go home and try". No, you got to have the word. We are changed by the power of God's word. And our part is to study the word. As we look into the Word of God faithfully, we are changed into his image from glory to glory to glory. "If you continue in my word," Jesus said in John 8, "Then are you my disciples indeed, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free". Amen?