Galatians – Part 1 | Joyce Meyer | Enjoying Everyday Life Teaching

Have you been trying to change yourself…with little or no success? Learn how life transformation really happens as you study the book of Galatians with Joyce Meyer, on this episode of Enjoying Everyday Life.

Joyce Meyer, one of the world’s leading practical Bible teachers and New York Times best-selling author, shares encouragement and advice to help us enjoy our daily lives.

With a heart to share Christ and love people, Joyce’s messages help people in all walks of life to grow in their faith, learn to study the Bible, find healing from the wounds of life, get answers to life’s questions and encounter the love of God in a powerful way.

I’m Joyce Meyer, and I believe that god can heal you everywhere you’ve heard.
Galatians chapter 3 verse 1 starts out, oh, you foolish Galatians.
Who has bewitched you?
It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.
So let me ask you a question.
Did you receive the spirit by works of the law are by hearing with faith.
So let me just ask you this. How how were you saved? Were you saved?
Were you born again? Did you receive Christ? The forgiveness of your sins by anything you did?
It was all based on what Jesus did.
And You were told what he did or you read about what he did and you believed it, And when you believed it, you received Christ as your savior.
Being born again, receiving Christ through your savior is just so easy that people just miss it.
Because we always think there’s something that we must do to earn God’s favor, but you can’t earn favor.
Favor. Now, listen to me, is based on relationship.
It’s not based on me earning it. It’s based on relationship.
If I go to someone and I say, can you do me a favor?
I’m gonna go to somebody that I have a relationship with that I believe will do that for me just because I’m asking them to.
Well, favor or the grace of god is said to be god’s undeserved favor.
So by grace are you saved through faith?
It is the gift of god, not of works, lest any man can boast.
So anyone here today who’s not received Christ is your savior, I mean, it’s just so simple that it would just be downright insanity to leave this place today.
Without receiving Christ as your savior because there’s nothing that you have to do other than really be sorry for your sins, be willing to turn away from them Receive Christ, receive a new life, and then be ready to go out of here, letting the Holy Spirit teach you how to live and behave as a child of god.
So somehow or another, people normally don’t receive Christ until they finally realize that they are just hopeless and helpless and that they cannot fix anything in their life.
Life is a mess. They can’t do anything about it. I need you, god.
So finally, we give up, and we receive Jesus.
Wouldn’t you say that it’s kind of pretty much that way.
And so we receive Christ by faith, but then it’s not very long, and we start hearing are reading.
We read the Bible. We read books. We go to church. We hear messages.
And we start to hear about the things that we should do and the things we shouldn’t And so we start feeling this need to change, to improve There’s a desire that comes along with salvation to be more like Jesus.
How many of you really want to be more like Jesus. Okay. Well, of course, you do.
When you hear preaching, if you don’t know how to respond to it properly, it can actually make you more miserable than you were when you came in because now you’ve found out some more things that you need to do or not.
Do, and you’re already not doing such a good job at doing or not doing the things you already have been learning.
So now here you are. You’ve been a Christian for 5 years, and you have now this list of about a 1000 behaviors that need to change.
And you really wanna change, and you try to change, and you pray to change and you try to change and you try to change and you try to change and you tell god how you’re trying to change.
I’m trying to change, but nothing changes.
As a matter of fact, you may even act worse than you did before you found out about all these things that you weren’t supposed to be doing.
Because before somebody told you they were wrong, you thought you were okay.
Well, Like everybody else, I went through that.
And to be honest, anybody who really loves god.
I mean, if you really love god, you’re, you’re gonna want to change.
I mean, there’s something wrong with you.
If you say that you’re born again, you’ve received Christ and you can go and hear preaching and know that you’re not behaving according to the word and just say, I don’t care.
It’s a good thing when you want to change.
And we can change, but we can’t change by self effort.
You can’t make up your own plan on how you’re gonna change.
God has to change you. Now that doesn’t mean there’s nothing for you to do.
We always have a part We’re partners with god. He has a part, and we have a part.
But the part that god has given us in this change that needs to take place in our life.
And I might add a change that is taking place little by little all of our lives.
We’ve not arrived, nor will any of us arrive at that place of perfection we will still be being worked on by god when Jesus comes back to get us.
In the twinkling of an eye, we shall all be changed. Come on.
When he comes back, Whatever’s left to be done in us will be done just like that.
Honest with you, I don’t think god cares whether you’ve arrived or not, but he does expect when he returns to find each of us pressing toward that mark of perfection.
The word of god should help us. So god has a part. We have a part.
We cannot do god’s part, but now this one we’re gonna stay next, and he will not do our part.
Did you hear me?
So we need to figure out what is his part and what is my part because what we end up doing a lot of times is we don’t do our part, and we end up trying to do his part.
So we try to change ourselves, which is something we can’t do, But what god tells us we can do, should do, and are responsible to do is, number 1, agree with god.
Always be in agreement with God.
If god shows you something in the Bible and then convict you that your behavior is not in line with what his words says.
The first thing you do is say, god, you’re right, and I’m wrong, The second thing you do is you don’t blame your problems on anybody else.
You take responsibility for them because as long as we’re blaming we never get over our problems.
I was abused sexually by my dad, and I had a lot of problems that were caused from the way I was treated.
But as I grew into a young adult, The things that happened to me became an excuse for bad behavior.
Come on. Now listen to me.
Well, if I wouldn’t have been abused, then I wouldn’t be this way.
And god finally got across to me. Yes.
The abuse you went through has caused many of these problems in your personality.
But don’t let them be an excuse to stay that way.
See, here’s the thing I want you to understand.
No matter how bad of a temper you’ve got, You can get well.
No matter how full of hatred and bitterness you are towards somebody who hurt you, you can completely be free from that, You can forgive them.
You can even love them and pray for them.
And you can even have an understanding that only god can give you about why they do the things they do.
But not as long as you’re blaming and making excuses.
Is anybody in here hearing me?
So Number 1, if you wanna get make any progress from being here, first thing you need to do, I I’m I’m sure that if you were here last night and this morning, and now you’re here this afternoon, there’s not one of you that can get out of this building and not say that God convicted you about something.
I mean, has has anybody been here and you’ve already thought, uh, you know, god, that really needs to change in my life.
Okay. So see, I’m doing my job.
And so if you love God, you’re gonna wanna go home and change.
But the first thing that’s gotta happen is you have to take complete responsibility for your current actions.
No matter how you got to where you are, The only way you’re gonna get out of it is to take full responsibility for it Then to admit that you cannot help yourself, you cannot change yourself.
God, I agree with you. I am guilty. What you say about me is true.
I’m not gonna blame anybody else. I’m not making any excuses.
I stand before you just as guilty as I can be. I’m sorry.
I wanna change, but I cannot change myself please change me.
And then it’s like god says, okay.
I’ll do that. And here’s what I need you to do. So now I’m gonna tell you your part.
Your part is to The word of god is like medicine.
If I cut my finger, I don’t stick an aspirin in it.
If I have a headache, I don’t put a Band Aid on my forehead.
We’re smart enough to know what medicine to take for what ailment.
But somehow, we think if we just randomly read the word of god that that should fix all of our problems.
Well, I read the Bible every morning. I don’t know why I still have these problems.
Well, if you have a bad temper, reading stories on how you can be successful in life is not gonna help you get over having a bad temper.
Come on.
You don’t you don’t have the job of doing this and see the looks you get sometimes when you’re trying to teach people things that they need.
You know, it’s like trying to feed a kid’s spinach.
It’s like, My kids, when they were little, I remember they loved the smashed up Gerber peaches.
You know, little baby food and jars peaches, And I like them too.
So I’d give them a bite, then I’d take a bite.
But, you know, if you’re a good parent, then you start slipping in a spoonful of carrots or a spoonful of spinach.
And those aren’t so good because they don’t They don’t do much to hide the nasty taste.
And so you train them to the point where they think peaches are coming, they go.
And then you throw in a spoonful of spinach and they go, And I know when you guys are spitting back out what I’m trying to give you.
So I give you a little bit of peaches.
Tell you how great you are, how wonderful you are.
Then when you least expect it, here comes a spoon full of spinach. And here’s the thing.
I’m a good mama, so you can go, oh, you want to.
But I’ll scrape it up off your chin and keep putting it back in your mouth.
Finally get one spoonful of spinach in you today.
It’s worth it because you’re not gonna grow up and survive and be strong in the lord on dessert all the time.
So we have to tell you more than just your wonderful, your anointed, God loves you.
He’s got a good plan for your life. We have to also slip in there. It’s time to grow up.
It’s time to mature. It’s time to stop making excuses. It’s time to stop blaming everybody else.
Come on. And so you need to go home and you need to take your time, and you need to diligently study the word of god in the area where you’re having a problem.
There’s power inherent in the word of god to do the work in us that needs to be done If we will go to the word and study it and meditate on it, not trying to change yourself, But trusting the word of god to do that work in you and spending time with god.
And it doesn’t really matter to me what you do when you spend time with god.
You can sit there and stare out the window for all I care.
But the point is, is you say to god, you’re the only one that can help me.
I cannot change myself. I cannot help myself.
But I believe there’s power in your words, so I’m gonna study your word.
I’m gonna meditate on your word, and I am gonna sit here in your presence and trust that rather I feel anything or I don’t feel anything that you are working in me and you are changing me.
Now I don’t know how to make it any simpler than that.
Take your medicine, the word of god, which is medicine for your soul, study in the area where you’re having a problem.
I mean, if you’re having a problem forgiving somebody, then don’t just try to forgive them, study every scripture you can find on forgiving your enemies.
And study them and read them and write them out in long hand and look up the definitions of them and meditate on those scriptures And before long, you’ll start finding that you can do it.
And now let me say it again.
It’s not gonna happen just by trying.
We make an effort, but it’s an effort made in and with the Holy Spirit.
It’s not self effort But it’s leaning on god.
Apart from me, Jesus said, you can do nothing.
So work to the flesh our works of the law, which is what Galatians is talking about, are works that don’t work.
They’re our energy trying to do what only god can do.
Every victory that comes in your life, you will have a part in it.
It may even be that god will tell you in this battle, I want you to do absolutely nothing but be patient and wait on me Maybe you’ll be in a battle and god will tell you I want you to fast for 3 days.
And spend that time praying.
Or maybe God will tell you, I want you to sow a special seed, a special offering.
Whatever god shows you to do, do it.
But don’t just come up with your own plans.
And I alluded to this this morning or last night, but I had such problems with my mouth.
And I, I so distinctly remember When I started hearing messages about the power of words, I mean, I knew I was in big trouble.
How many of you say really stupid things? K.
And so I wanted to change.
I I wanted to not get in trouble with my mouth.
But a fleshly plan is always one that’s way out of balance is not gonna work.
And so my plan to not get in trouble with my mouth was to say nothing.
Well, I’m just, I’m just not gonna say anything tomorrow. Nothing.
Does anybody know what I’m talking about? You’re just like, I’m I’m just gonna be quiet.
I’m not gonna say anything. Well, first of all, if you’re a big talker, I can tell you now, you ain’t gonna be quiet, and you’re not gonna go all day and not say anything.
And even if you did, it wouldn’t change anything because you’re still talking inside.
And so here’s what would happen.
I would I could force myself to maybe be real quiet for a day or 2 but I would start to feel depressed.
And it was so confusing me.
I thought I’m trying to do the right thing Why is it making me feel depressed?
And god said because nothing’s changing on the inside. Come on.
See, that’s why no matter how much you try to force yourself to do the right thing, only god can change you from the inside out And if the inside doesn’t change, then nothing is ever gonna change permanently.
Traveling near the Utah Arizona border, you can’t help but notice the spectacular scenery.
The expansive landscape in lofty mountains and body freedom.
It’s hard to believe this area has been a prison for thousands of people.
Colorado City, Arizona, and the neighboring town, Hildale, Utah are home to a polygamous cult known as the FLDS, the fundamentalist latter day saints.
Their infamous leader Warren Jeffs had more than 75 lives, some as young as twelve years old.
He isolated the community and controlled every aspect of their lives.
Today, Jeff is serving a life sentence child’s sexual assault, but the cult and the devastation remain.
When all the the higher ups and the church left, They took a lot of the prosperity they had built with them.
And so the the latest Census Bureau information is that Colorado City proper suffers a 49 9% poverty rate.
It’s 11.2% average nationally. And so there’s a lot of of need here.
1 of community’s greatest needs is food.
Joyce Meyer Ministries is honored to support the Short Creek Dream Center, which fees over 1500 people through the city help food bank.
And we give out an immense amount of food.
Like I said, there’s a a large percentage of poverty right here.
And so we do almost a £100,000 of food average a month.
Which is a crazy amount for a single food bank.
Yeah. That was
Sorry. We we started late.
It’s down a little busy today.
Alright. We just We appreciate your service, Sean.
You guys are blessed.
Alright. Richard Brown is the manager here.
Most of the families are single parents with their children.
Without this, they wouldn’t have no place to get food.
This food bank feeds more than 60% of the is loaded into their car.
I am here, uh, because I I utilize this as well as my the you know, the pandemic took a toll on on some of our income.
Um, I also have a friend who’s pretty much housebound that I I pick up stuff for her and her family.
If someone can’t make it to the food bank, Richard and his team will make a special delivery.
And that’s why we have a box truck.
We take it to, 20 families, Friday Saturdays, and the kids there’s just seeing the kids when we drop them off at the doors that they just say thank you We have thin mints right there, because then we’d like to give them No way everyone’s there.
Exactly. It’s the sweets. I give them sweets.
I started off this giving them candy, and it’s just been a routine now.
They come by and says, we heard you guys give out candy.
And so, um, that’s just a smile on their faces that really makes us happy.
Spreading the joy and love of Jesus in such a practical way paves the way for people to find freedom and cry
Like Jesus tells us to do, feed the hungry and clothe the naked, and you build their trust.
And and, really, the answer is is Jesus in people’s lives. That’s freedom.
But before we can get to that topic, because religion was part of the abuse, We have to be very gentle and just really let the Holy Spirit go ahead of us because these are his people.
This definitely definitely is providing a good thing.
It represents hope, uh, represents a bridge to get from where they are to where they wanna be.
If you’d like to be part of that bridge, I invite you to join us With your special gift, we can feed hungry children and their families in this community and all over the world.
Call or click today. And together, we can make a difference.
You know, the people of community have been through so much, and it’s so inspiring to see when a practical need is met like providing food.
It’s able to do so much more. For the people here, it’s not just a box of food.
It is hope for the future. This is a reminder to all of us.
We don’t always have to leave the country to find people in desperate need.
They are right here, and we can make a difference.
We can make a lasting impact on their lives and those around the world when we work together.
We invite you to join us by giving a special gift today to all of our outreaches here at Joyce Meyer Ministries, and you will continue helping these precious people and others all around the world.
Give whatever you can. Just pray about it. Ask god what he might want you to be a part of.
And when you give, it will help people right here in the United States, wonderful people like you just met, and it will help people all over the world with things like not having good clean water.
Can you imagine how important that is? Not having medical care.
What if you don’t even have an aspirin when you have a headache?
You can help make a difference in these areas. So reach out today. Go to our website, joycemeyer.org.
Give us a call and do what you can.
We appreciate you so very much, and we love doing this together with you.