Copyright 2021 by Joyce Meyer.
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First Edition: October 2021
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Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc. | Scripture quotations are taken from the Amplified Bible, Copyright 2015 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org. | Scripture quotations marked AMPC are taken from the Amplified Bible, Copyright 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org. | Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
ISBNs: 978-1-5460-2645-7 (paper over board), 978-1-5460-0065-5 (large print), 978-1-5460-2644-0 (ebook)
E3-20210804-JV-NF-ORI
We need strength for each day in many different areas of our lives. We need physical strength, emotional and mental strength, and, most importantly, spiritual strength. Jesus is our strength, and we can receive as much of His strength as we need each day by spending time with Him, studying His Word, and asking Him to give us what we need.
I look at the devotions in this book like little bursts of energy. They are not long, but they are powerful because they are filled with Gods Word. Read and meditate on one each morning and keep the book handy so you can read one anytime you want or need to be strengthened and encouraged.
Read them slowly, really think about what you read, and consider how you can apply it to your life. You will reap a harvest of spiritual growth and understanding as you sow thought and study into the truth you read (Mark 4:24 AMPC ).
No matter how young or how strong we are, we are still limited in what we can do or handle, but God is unlimited. As we wait on Him, we renew our strength, and He enables us to do anything we need to do.
But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. ISAIAH 40:31 ESV
If you drove your car daily and never stopped to refill the gas tank, you would soon be stranded on the highway with a problem you could have avoided. You might even end up needing to push your car to the side of the road. We can consider this example in deciding how to run our lives. Isaiah says, Even youths shall faint and be weary (Isaiah 40:30 ESV ). At times, we all grow tired and feel that we cant go on. The weariness may be mental, emotional, or physical, but we can avoid it by learning to spend regular time with God and allowing Him to refuel and refresh us. I recommend spending this kind of time with Him daily, and I believe that even more than once a day is advisable.
Dont wait until you are out of fuel and stranded on the highway of life before you go to God for help. He is always available and always happy to spend time with you. Many people ask what they should do when they spend time with God, but I think that simply setting aside time to be with Him is more important than how you spend the time. You may pray (talk to God and listen to Him). You might also study the Bible, listen to music that builds you up spiritually, read a book written by a good Bible teacher, or simply sit in Gods presence and enjoy Him. When you do any of these things, He will strengthen you.
Just as you pay attention to the gas gauge in your car and are careful to get gas before the tank is empty, pay attention to the signs that you are growing weary. Do something before you feel completely drained instead of pushing yourself too hard day in and day out, trying to meet lifes demands. Be wise and refuel regularly!
Father, I am sorry for those times when I try to do things on my own without coming to You to obtain Your strength. Help me to always put You first. In Jesus name, I ask this. Amen.
He also is the Head of [His] body, the church; seeing He is the Beginning, the Firstborn from among the dead, so that He alone in everything and in every respect might occupy the chief place [stand first and be preeminent]. COLOSSIANS 1:18 AMPC
The beginning of a new year is always a good time to examine our priorities and make sure that Jesus is first in our lives. We may need to reevaluate our priorities several times throughout the year, but we can begin by making sure today that unimportant things have not crept into our lives and pushed Jesus out of first place.
Sometimes we feel weak instead of strong because we are unhappy and frustrated, and we dont even know why. We often feel this way because our priorities are out of order. Anyone can make this mistake, so there is no need to feel condemned about it if it has happened in your life, but there is a need to make a change. Ask God to show you anything you need to see in this area and, with His help, make any adjustments that you need to make.
Lord, I want You to be first in my life. Please show me any area in which my priorities are out of order. Show me anything that needs to be eliminated or relegated to a place of lesser importance so You and You alone can occupy first place in my life. Amen.
Be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude]. ROMANS 12:2 AMPC
Have you noticed that the more positive you are, the stronger you feel? Think about it. When you are negative, you feel gloomy and weak. This is why the enemy puts negative thoughts into our minds. He wants us weak, not strong. If he sees that we agree with the thoughts he whispers to us and that we allow them to influence our emotions, he continues his lies. The more we believe them, the weaker we become.
You can choose today to resist negative thoughts and to think positively instead through renewing your mind according to Gods Word. The more positive your attitude is, the stronger you feel. As a follower of Jesus Christ, you have every reason to be positive today. You can be sure that God loves you, that He fights your battles for you, that He has a good plan for your life, and that He is with you in everything you do (Exodus 14:14; Deuteronomy 20:4; Jeremiah 29:11; 31:3; Ephesians 1:79).
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