I remember the morning years ago when I was making my bed and I clearly heard God speak to my heart that He was calling me to teach the Bible to people all over the world. At the time, I was a housewife in Fenton, Missouri, and having a ministry like this didn’t seem likely.
But God had a plan, and He’s brought it to pass over the last 40-plus years as I’ve learned to walk by faith that He would do what He said He would do.
It didn’t happen overnight; it took time, effort and a determined decision to not give up when things were difficult. But I can tell you from personal experience that it’s possible to fulfill God’s plans for your life if you have an attitude that says: “I’m going to trust God and believe what He says more than what I think or feel or what my circumstances look like!”
Make Up Your Mind to Believe
God works in our lives through faith, not doubt and unbelief. James 1:5-8 (NIV) says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.”
It’s so important for us to understand this because we don’t want to live in situations where God can’t do anything because of our unbelief. When Jesus was ministering to people in His hometown of Nazareth, Matthew 13:58 (AMP) says, “He did not do many miracles there … because of their unbelief.”
The good news is we can make up our minds that we’re going to trust Him, stand firm and remain steadfast in our faith.
Learning From the Father of Our Faith
Romans 4:18-21 tells us that Abraham believed he would become “the father of many nations” even though it didn’t seem possible, naturally speaking. Verse 18 (NIV) says, “Abraham in hope believed…” even though he had no reason whatsoever to believe he and Sarah, his wife, would have a child because at this stage in life, they were beyond their childbearing years.
Verses 19-21 say, “Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was fully strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.”
Abraham faced the facts of his circumstances—he was impotent and Sarah was barren—but he did not waver in his faith in God. Instead, he “was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God.”
To defeat doubt and unbelief, we need to face our circumstances but not focus on them. When doubt is coming against us, we need to praise God and remember who He is and the other victories He’s given us in our lives.
Make It Practical
You can do this by talking about God’s goodness and the things He’s done for you, not just your problems. Set your mind, and keep it set, to walk by faith, trusting that God has something good in store for you. Don’t try to figure everything out or do something about a situation you can’t do anything about. Do what you know to do and believe that God will take care of the rest.
It’s especially important to spend time meditating on the Word of God during these times. Here are a few great scriptures that will line up your thoughts and words with God’s heart:
—”Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Prov. 3:5-6).
—”In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Rom. 8:37).
—”Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:7).
I want to encourage you to trust God’s love for you. Keep standing in faith for His will to be done and keep pressing on, one day at a time, doing what He’s showing you to do. Put your hope in Him to do something good in your life and confidently expect it, because with God on your side, all things are possible!
For more on this topic, order Joyce’s two-teaching CD series “Living with Hope.” You can also contact us to receive our free magazine, Enjoying Everyday Life, by calling (800) 727-9673 or visiting joycemeyer.org. {eoa}
Joyce Meyer is a New York Times’ bestselling author and founder of Joyce Meyer Ministries Inc. She has authored more than 100 books, including Battlefield of the Mind and Your Battles Belong to the Lord (FaithWords). She hosts the Enjoying Everyday Life radio and TV programs, which air on hundreds of stations worldwide. For more information, visit joycemeyer.org.
Please note: The views and opinions expressed throughout this publication and/or website are those of the respective authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Joyce Meyer Ministries.
