VICTORY IS YOURS!

Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

                                                          Joshua 1:8

These are some of God’s instructions to Joshua as he was about to become leader of the Israelites. Clearly, the Lord commanded him to constantly meditate on His Word and to keep it on his lips. God is teaching us a very important lesson, “Think about and speak My Word all the time and you will be victorious.”

As you face the challenges of your life day to day, the best strategy is to dwell on God's truths and promises. Why? Because as long as you live on this earth you will have obstacles, problems, challenges, and yes, even disasters. Hard words to accept, but as real is God’s infallible Word.
But, how can you really bring God’s Word to life in the trenches of your everyday battles? Only by the renewal of your mind. To win the many battles this life throws at us, we must begin with a Godly mind. An earthly mind cannot overcome earthly ordeals. Only a renewed Godly mind can do that. And how do we renew our minds?

With the Word of God.

It is actually very simple. You will renew your mind when you intentionally think God's thoughts. That is why the Word of God is so important, they are His thoughts. And that is why memorizing Scriptures and meditating on them day and night, will totally change your life. The process brings God’s thoughts into your mind. Then, you are renewed!

It is a glorious transition because it is impossible to speak or think negative things while you're dwelling on God's Word. It is nearly impossible to be fearful or worried while God's promises are on your tongue and in your heart. The planting of these powerful seeds in your life soon takes root. It is then you move from speaking God’s Word to living it. When you live God’s Word, you claim His victory, and that is what God was telling Joshua.

How strong is His Word in the claiming of His victory? The Bible says it is God's Word that increases our faith. (Rom. 10:17; Acts 20:32.) It also tells us the Word is "the sword of the Spirit," the only offensive weapon in our God-given armor (Eph. 6:17). And Hebrews 4:12 says, "The word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife."

Meditating on God's Word provides you with tremendous power in every situation. The next time the enemy tries to convince you that you just don’t have what it takes, or you didn’t have the right upbringing, or you’ll never get out of debt, or you’ll never save your family, just shout, "I have the mind of Christ!" (I Cor. 2:15).

When fear and worry come against you, just say in a loud voice, "God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind!" (2 Tim. 1:7). When you are convinced that you will never overcome the sin you're struggling with, you must firmly declare, "I've been set free from sin and I've become a slave to righteousness!" (Rom. 6:18). And when the day gets to be too much, and you just can’t go on, look upward toward His Kingdom and shout, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!" (Phil. 4:13 NKJV).

Right now, take God's advice and begin thinking and speaking His Word day and night. If you do, the Lord's promise to you is that, "Then you will be prosperous and successful.” Victory is Yours!

Today’s Prayer 

Lord, I thank You for Your Word. I ask that You help me to mediate on it and

speak it day and night, so that I can overcome the power of the enemy. Plant

it deep in my heart. Lord. Thank You that Your Word will make me prosperous

and successful wherever I go! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

SEEKING JOY

The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.

                                                             Psalm 126:3

We all seek to find joy, thinking there is one perfect thing in our work, our recreation or our relationships that will finally complete our lives. In our search, we create hectic schedules, full of activities, dashing from one task to the next. Then, we collapse at the end of each day, fooling ourselves into thinking that a filled life is a fulfilled life.

C. S. Lewis writes that each of us has a deep longing that we constantly search to fill. This "longing for joy" drives us all in unique ways throughout our lives. And because we are human, we try to fill it with earthly things.

So, after an education is finished, we get started on a career, thinking this will lead to fulfillment. Yet, after the career is established the longing is still there. Perhaps getting married and having children is the answer. Even surrounded by a new family, though joyous and challenging, that great void still remains deep within.

We have missed the point.

You see, there is no one point in life where we can claim that we have achieved happiness. The pursuit of accomplishments and achievements, while admirable, are sometimes misleading us along life’s journey. Being successful at work, on the athletic field, or in relationships cannot give us lasting joy. You can have all those things and still feel an empty longing.

At some point in your life you must realize that what you seek is not within you or your earthly grasp. In fact, nothing in our nature can fill this void. Eventually, you will arrive at a moment, however difficult, that you will finally see how weak and limited we are. And at that point in your life, it is easy to feel emotionally destitute; full of despair, frustration, anger, anxiety and loneliness. Even hope is gone.

Yet, it is in that moment – God arrives. Our heavenly Father speaks to us. And for the first time, we truly begin to see the power and majesty of Almighty God. We see how ourselves as we truly are and, consequently, how much we require the grace of the Lord Jesus and His cross.

We turn to God because we realize we have nowhere else to go.

Turning your face to Jesus, giving your heart to Him, floods you with joy. From the awful and empty depths, you begin to see the infinite majesty of God. Joy is a life that is renewed by knowing God up close. I promise it will take your breath away!

This great joy will force everything else out of your head and your heart. Because only when we turn from earthly things will we completely find God.

Today, consider what your life would be like if you truly put your faith in God. What would your life, your relationships, your job, your family be like if the foundation of you heart and mind was an indestructible joy? What would you do today if you knew God’s joyous victory was yours for the asking?

Today’s Prayer

Lord, I have tried everything. I have sought everything this world has to offer, yet I am still so lonely for you. I ask that you would open that deep and hollow place in my heart. Yes, open me up and let all your love and joy flood into my life once and for all. Fill me with the joy I have sought all these years. In Jesus’ name, Amen.