Power Thoughts Devotional

365 daily inspirations for winning the battle of your mind

Joyce Meyer

• Publisher: Hodder Faith
• Year: 2013
• ISBN:
  9781444750003
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Religion

'Where the mind goes, the man follows.' - Joyce Meyer The groundbreaking principles of POWER THOUGHTS are now encapsulated in a 365 day devotional, which encourages you to expose negative thinking and learn to think in line with God's Word. Walk with Joyce day by day, as she demonstrates the twelve strategies that provide the antidote to every battle your mind faces. The POWER THOUGHTS DEVOTIONAL will teach you how you can control the way you think and make positive changes to your life.

May 1

Overcoming Indecision

[He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.

2 TIMOTHY 1:7

Many people struggle with indecision (the inability to make a decision) and double-mindedness (constantly changing their minds) because of fear or a lack of confidence. However, you can make a decision and stick with it because you have discipline and a calm, well-balanced mind.

You can easily feel overwhelmed by all the decisions you need to make daily unless you have confidence in your ability to make right ones. Don’t ever say again, “I have a hard time making decisions,” because when you think and speak like that you are setting yourself up for confusion. Instead, you can believe the next time you need to make a decision that you will hear from God, be led by the Holy Spirit, and know what to do. Even if you have had difficulty doing so in the past, this is a new day for you, and you are in charge of your thinking—it is no longer in charge of you!

Power Thought: My mind is calm, and I’m in control of my thinking.

May 2

It’s Not So Hard

I press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward.

PHILIPPIANS 3:14

Be careful how you talk about any habit you are trying to break. Don’t go out with friends and talk about how you are trying to break such-and-such bad habit and it is so hard. The more you say it is hard, the harder it will be. Actually, you would be better off not to talk about it much at all. Keep your goal between you and God, and possibly one or two other trusted friends or family members whom you want to pray for you and encourage you.

When you are weary of doing battle with your wrong desires, think of how wonderful it will be when the bad habit is a thing of the past and a new habit has taken its place. Focusing on developing the good habit you want to establish will automatically help you enjoy freedom from the bad habit.

Power Thought: I will press on until I reach my goal and enjoy the reward when I’ve received the prize!

May 3

Idle Words

But I tell you, on the day of judgment men will have to give account for every idle (inoperative, nonworking) word they speak.

MATTHEW 12:36

An idle word is a word that is useless. It’s a word that does nothing. If it does anything at all, it usually hurts somebody. To a large degree, the lives we have now are the results of thoughts we’ve meditated on in the past and words we’ve spoken. It’s not due to bad luck or the devil being after us. Much of it is related to the way we think and the way we speak.

If you realize you’re thinking about something that is not fruitful, the best way to interrupt a thought pattern is to speak what you want to think about. For example, if I find myself thinking, People don’t treat me right, and I am not happy about it, I can interrupt that thought pattern by thinking, The people in my life are not perfect, but I am not either, and I am blessed in many ways. Choose wise thoughts and words!

Power Thought: I choose to speak positive, faith-filled words that agree with God.

May 4

Don’t Look Back

Escape for your life! Do not look behind you or stop anywhere in the whole valley; escape to the mountains [of Moab], lest you be consumed.

GENESIS 19:17

Lot and his family lived in a city consumed by wickedness. God was angry at the degradation in the city and decided to destroy it. He sent two angels to Lot’s house to tell him to take his family and flee and not look back. Lot’s wife made the mistake of disobeying the command, and she looked back. Right then and there, she turned into a pillar of salt.

Jesus doesn’t want us to forget what happened to this woman, so in Luke 17:32, He spoke these three words: “Remember Lot’s wife!” In other words, “Stop looking back. The past is finished. Look to the future ahead!” Begin to see, think on, and talk about the future God has planned for you (see Jeremiah 29:11), and you will soon make progress in the right direction. If there is anything you need to let go of, there is no better time than now!

Power Thought: I am looking forward and making progress toward the good future God has planned for my life.

May 5

Take Responsibility

The man replied, “It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.”

Then the LORD God asked the woman, “What have you done?”

“The serpent deceived me,” she replied. “That’s why I ate it.”

GENESIS 3:12–13 NLT

Excuses have been used by humans to avoid responsibility since time began. After Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, Adam blamed Eve (and God for giving him Eve), then Eve blamed the devil. People make excuses for their sin all the time instead of simply admitting it, confessing it, and asking God to forgive them for it.

Excuses can easily become lies, causing us to break the commandment that tells us not to lie (see Exodus 20:16). When we make excuses, we are lying to ourselves, God, and others. You can easily find a reason for every error, but it is better to take responsibility for your actions. Remember: “The Truth will set you free” (John 8:32).

Power Thought: I do not make excuses; I am honest in my speech and take responsibility for my actions.

May 6

Feed My Lambs

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter,
“Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

JOHN 21:15 NIV

What are you doing to help someone else? Are you making a difference in someone’s life? Because that is how you show your love for God. The cycle of love God pours into your life is not complete until it is pouring out of you to meet other people’s needs.

If love has no action to back it up, then it becomes empty words with no power. God proved His love for us by giving His only Son to die for our sins. And we can prove our love for God by letting Him use us to help other people (His sheep). Don’t wait to feel like being a blessing; rather, start doing it on purpose, and you will realize that it adds joy to your life.

Power Thought: I love God, and I enjoy sharing His love with other people.

May 7

Be “God Loves Me” Minded

God is love, and he who dwells and continues in love dwells and continues in God, and God dwells and continues in him.

1 JOHN 4:16

I remember when I began my ministry. When I was preparing for my first meeting, I asked the Lord what He wanted me to teach, and what came to my heart was, Tell My people I love them.

“They know that,” I said. “I want to teach them something really powerful, not a Sunday school lesson out of John 3:16.”

The Lord reminded me that if people really knew how much He loved them, they would act differently than they do.

As I began to study the subject of receiving God’s love, I realized I was in desperate need of the message myself. I had a subconscious, vague sort of understanding that God loved me, but I needed deeper revelation. The love of G...