“And this command (charge, order, injunction) we have from Him: that he who loves God shall love his brother [believer] also” (1 John 4:21).
You are God’s special child. He told you that in Deuteronomy 7:6. If you will start to act that way, it will begin to change the world. You will go into the supermarket with a smile on your face and grab your grocery cart and say, “Everything that I touch is blessed. Hallelujah! They’re blessed to have me in this store today. Glory!” Just go whistling through the store, singing, being special wherever you go.
When we begin to know how special we are and start acting like God loves us, we can win the world for Jesus. Love will spread like wildfire. But it is not going to do any good to go around saying you are a Christian, then growling at everyone.
You say, “I’m a Christian, I’m a Christian,” but when a car cuts in front of you, you say, “Come on, dummy, get out of my way. Don’t you know I’ve got to get to church? I’m going to be late for the meeting, you nut.”
That’s the kind of stuff we do sometimes. Are you ready to grab hold of victory? Just reach out there in the spirit, and grab hold of victory and say, “Devil, you have led me around with lies and fear long enough. I am a special person, and I am going to have victory in the name of Jesus because God loves me, devil, and there is nothing you can do about it!”
God’s love inside of you will set you free from fear, and you will not be afraid to reach out to others with love. God wants you to believe it when He says He will do greater works through you because Jesus went to His Father. Do you really believe God will use you? God will give you what you believe Him for. You can’t be afraid to step out.
I couldn’t even begin to tell you how many times I have stood on the edge of a faith cliff, right on the edge of doing something scary, and God said, “Come on, Joyce, come on. I’ll do great things through you. Come on.” And I just jumped right out in the middle of it, and God has never let me down one time.
Do you know why I don’t have to worry about stepping out and being a failure? Because I know God loves me. He loves me, and He knows I love Him, and through His grace I have laid down my life for Him. If you have done that, and you love God, and He loves you, then nothing in all creation can be a problem to you that can’t be overcome.
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
Joyce Meyer is one of the world's leading practical Bible teachers. A New York Times bestselling author, her books have helped millions of people find hope and restoration through Jesus Christ. Through Joyce Meyer Ministries, she teaches on a number of topics with a particular focus on the mind, mouth, moods and attitudes. Her candid communication style allows her to share openly and practically about her experiences so others can apply what she has learned to their lives.
Joyce hosts a TV and radio show, Enjoying Everyday Life, which broadcasts worldwide to a potential audience of 4.5 billion people. She has authored 100 books, which have been translated into more than 100 languages. More than 12 million of her books have been distributed free of charge around the world, and each year millions of copies are sold.
Joyce conducts close to a dozen domestic and international conferences every year, teaching people to enjoy their everyday lives. For 30 years, her annual women's conference has attracted more than 200,000 women from all over the world to St. Louis for specifically themed teachings by her and guest speakers.
Through her teachings, God has provided opportunities to meet the needs of the suffering and bring the Gospel in a practical way. Joyce's passion to help hurting people every day is foundational to the vision of Hand of Hope, the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. These outreaches around the globe include feeding programs, medical care, homes for orphans, and programs combatting human trafficking. In her hometown of St. Louis, Joyce and Dave, her husband, founded the St. Louis Dream Center (SLDC) in 2000. The SLDC serves the inner city through hands-on programs targeted at reaching the lost and hurting with the love of Christ.
Over the years, God has provided Joyce with many opportunities to share her testimony and the life-changing message of the Gospel. Having suffered sexual abuse throughout her childhood, as well as just dealing with the struggles of everyday life, Joyce discovered the freedom to live victoriously by applying God's Word to her life and in turn desires to help others do the same.
Joyce is and continues to be an incredible testimony of the dynamic, redeeming work of Jesus Christ.