NOW, I'VE ALWAYS HAD A LEANING TOWARD
TEACHING IN SOME WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM ON
SPIRITUAL MATURITY.
WHEN GOD CALLED ME TO TEACH, I WAS A PERSON WHO'D BEEN
A CHRISTIAN FOR A LONG TIME, BUT I HAD NEVER REALLY BEEN
TAUGHT REALLY HARDLY ANYTHING AT ALL ABOUT SPIRITUAL MATURITY.
I WAS TAUGHT A LOT ABOUT DOCTRINE, I HAD GOOD DOCTRINE,
I KNEW ABOUT THE TRINITY, THE BLOOD OF CHRIST, COMMUNION,
AND A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE LEARN WHEN WE GO TO CHURCH, BUT
I WASN'T HEARING WHAT I NEEDED TO DEAL WITH THE KINDS OF
PROBLEMS THAT I HAD IN MY LIFE.
AND SO, BECAUSE OF THAT, I CERTAINLY WASN'T A VERY
GOOD WITNESS.
I REALLY WASN'T HELPING ANYBODY ELSE.
AND SO, WHEN I REALLY BEGAN TO LEARN THE WORD AND I SAW WHAT
GOD REALLY WANTED TO DO IN OUR LIVES, I JUST HAD A PASSION FOR
THE CHRISTIAN WHO LOVES GOD, BUT JUST KEEPS STAYING IN THAT
BABY STAGE OF CHRISTIANITY.
AND WHEN WE'RE LIKE THAT, NOT ONLY CAN WE NOT REALLY HELP
ANYBODY ELSE, BUT WE'RE NOT HAPPY.
WE'RE NOT HAPPY, WE'RE NOT CONTENT, WE'RE NOT SATISFIED.
WE ALWAYS THINK THERE'S ONE MORE THING THAT WE'VE GOT TO HAVE
TO BE HAPPY.
AND JESUS DIED THAT WE COULD HAVE AND ENJOY OUR LIFE, NOT SO
WE COULD JUST NOW BE A MISERABLE CHRISTIAN.
YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE THING TO BE A MISERABLE SINNER, IT'S ANOTHER
THING TO BE A MISERABLE CHRISTIAN.
I THINK THAT THERE SHOULD BE SOME KIND OF A TRANSITION THAT
TAKES PLACE.
AND YOU KNOW, GOD WANTS US TO ENJOY OUR LIVES, THERE'S NO
DOUBT ABOUT THAT, AND HE WANTS US TO BE BLESSED, BUT I WANT
EVERYBODY TO BE CLEAR AND UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S NOT
THE ONLY REASON WHY YOU'RE ON THE PLANET.
GOD DOESN'T HAVE US HERE JUST SO WE CAN GET EVERYTHING WE WANT,
AND JUST SO WE CAN BE HAPPY AND WE CAN HAVE A NICE LIFE.
WE ARE HIS REPRESENTATIVES IN THE EARTH.
THE BIBLE SAYS IT CLEARLY THAT WE ARE GOD'S REPRESENTATIVES.
AND THE AMPLIFIED BIBLE SAYS THAT GOD IS MAKING HIS APPEAL TO
THE WORLD THROUGH US.
NOW, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU IN THIS BUILDING AND EVERYBODY
WATCHING BY TV, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE IMPORTANT TO
THE CAUSE OF CHRIST IN THE WORLD TODAY.
AND IF THERE WAS EVER A TIME IN THE WORLD, EVER A TIME, AND I
KNOW THAT TIMES HAVE BEEN BAD IN THE PAST, WE ALWAYS SAY,
"WELL, THIS IS THE WORST THINGS HAVE EVER BEEN."
AND YOU KNOW, THEN SOMETIMES YOU READ SOME STUFF IN HISTORY AND
YOU THINK, "WELL, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE NOT."
BUT YOU KNOW, THINGS ARE REALLY BAD, AND MORE AND MORE PEOPLE
DON'T BELIEVE IN GOD.
MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE FINDING REASONS TO TRY TO GET GOD
OUT OF THEIR LIFE.
AND SO, REALLY AND TRULY, WE DO LIVE IN DESPERATE TIMES.
BUT THEY CAN ALSO BE WONDERFUL TIMES IF WE'LL ALL JUST REALIZE,
"I'M NOT HERE JUST FOR ME.
I'M HERE BECAUSE GOD WANTS TO DO SOMETHING, YES, FOR ME, BUT HE
ALSO WANTS TO DO SOMETHING THROUGH ME.
AND IN ORDER FOR HIM TO DO SOMETHING THROUGH ME,
I HAVE TO GET OUT OF HIS WAY." AMEN?
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: SO, JUST REAL QUICKLY, IF MAYBE YOU'VE NEVER MADE
THAT TRANSITION FROM SAYING, "GOD, I NEED THIS, I NEED THIS.
DO THIS FOR ME, GIVE ME THIS, GIVE ME THAT, GIVE ME SOMETHING
ELSE," IF YOU'VE NEVER MADE THE TRANSITION FROM THAT TO,
"GOD, WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU?
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO USE ME FOR," THEN HOW ABOUT LET'S JUST DO A
TURNAROUND HERE TONIGHT AND GET THINGS STRAIGHTENED OUT THE WAY
THAT GOD WANTS THEM TO BE?
I LOVE THE STORY OF THE PRODIGAL SON,
AND YOU'RE PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH IT IF YOU'VE BEEN IN CHURCH
VERY MUCH, BUT JUST REAL QUICKLY, WHEN THAT BOY LEFT
HOME, HE WANTED HIS INHERITANCE, AND HE LEFT SAYING TO HIS
FATHER, "GIVE ME, GIVE ME." AFTER A TRIP IN THE PIG PEN AND
REALIZING WHAT HE HAD GIVEN UP AND WHAT HE HAD AT HOME,
HE SAID, "I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO MY FATHER."
AND WHEN HE WENT BACK, HE SAID TO HIS FATHER, "MAKE ME WHAT YOU
WANT ME TO BE." SO, WE NEED TO GO FROM GIVE ME
TO MAKE ME.
WE NEED TO GO FROM, "THIS IS WHAT I WANT," TO,
"GOD, WHAT DO YOU WANT?" AND I CAN TELL YOU, YOU MAY
THINK THAT YOU CANNOT DO WITHOUT THE THINGS THAT YOU WANT RIGHT
NOW, BUT I CAN TELL YOU IF WHAT YOU WANT IS WHAT GOD WANTS,
YOU'LL END UP WITH IT, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO SPEND ALL
YOUR TIME TRYING TO GET IT.
IF YOU CHASE GOD, THE BLESSINGS WILL CHASE YOU.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: WE ALL HAVE MANY--I MEAN, I HAVE THINGS THAT I WANT.
I HAVE THINGS IN MY LIFE I DON'T WANT.
I HAVE THINGS THAT I DON'T HAVE THAT I DO WANT.
YOU KNOW, WE ALL HAVE DESIRES, WE ALL HAVE THINGS THAT WE WANT.
BUT WE HAVE TO GET THINGS--JESUS SAID, "I'D RATHER NOT DO THIS.
IF YOU CAN REMOVE THIS CUP FROM ME, THEN REMOVE IT FROM ME.
NEVERTHELESS, YOUR WILL BE DONE AND NOT MINE."
SO, SPIRITUAL MATURITY,
WHAT DOES SPIRITUAL MATURITY LOOK LIKE?
A PERSON WHO'S SPIRITUALLY MATURE, WHAT ARE SOME OF
THE THINGS THAT WE MIGHT SEE IN THEIR LIVES?
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THERE'S A LOT OF SELF-CONTROL.
THERE'S A LOT OF, "GOD, I WANT YOUR WILL," IN THEIR PRAYERS.
THEY'RE VERY CAREFUL WITH THEIR WORDS, THEY HAVE VERY
DISCIPLINED SPEECH.
THEY DON'T LIVE BY THEIR FEELINGS.
THEY HAVE FEELINGS, BUT THEY DON'T LET THEIR FEELINGS RULE
THEM AND CONTROL THEM.
LOTS AND LOTS OF CONSISTENCY.
NOT ONE TIME ONE WAY YOU SEE THEM, AND ANOTHER TIME
THE NEXT TIME YOU SEE THEM.
AND HAPPY WHEN THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES ARE GOOD, AND NOT
HAPPY WHEN THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES AREN'T GOOD, JUST CONSISTENCY.
LOTS OF GENEROSITY.
A REAL SPIRITUALLY MATURE CHRISTIAN, YOU DON'T HAVE
TO TRY TO TALK THEM INTO GIVING.
THEY GET UP EVERY DAY LOOKING FOR WAYS TO BE A BLESSING
TO PEOPLE.
LOTS OF HUMILITY FROM A SPIRITUALLY MATURE CHRISTIAN.
QUICK TO FORGIVE.
DIFFICULT TO OFFEND.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: NOW, I'M SURE THAT ALL OF YOU HERE HAVE ALL THESE
QUALITIES AND THAT YOU DON'T REALLY NEED MUCH OF THIS, BUT
I'VE BEEN IN KIND OF A SEASON LATELY OF GOD DEALING WITH ME
ABOUT SOME THINGS.
AND I TOLD SOMEBODY TONIGHT IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I'VE GONE
THROUGH THIS.
I'VE BEEN WALKING WITH GOD QUITE A WHILE AND, YOU KNOW,
GOD DEALS WITH US IN LAYERS.
SOMETIMES, YOU THINK THAT YOU JUST REALLY MASTERED SOMETHING,
AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, GOD WILL COME ALONG AND--YOU KNOW
WHEN--YOU MIGHT SAY, "WELL, WHAT DO YOU MEAN GOD'S DEALING
WITH ME?" WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN GOD
IS DEALING WITH YOU IS YOU BEGIN TO NOTICE THINGS IN YOUR
BEHAVIOR THAT MAYBE YOU DIDN'T PAY THAT MUCH ATTENTION
TO BEFORE.
SO, I'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT OF IN MY HEART, "WELL, THAT WAS
SELFISH.
WELL, YOU SURE DIDN'T NEED TO SAY THAT."
AND IT'S BEEN KIND OF GOING ON FOR A LITTLE WHILE, SO I'LL JUST
TELL YOU THE TRUTH.
IF YOU DON'T NEED THIS MESSAGE TONIGHT, I'LL BE HAPPY TO STAND
HERE AND PREACH TO MYSELF BECAUSE I DO NEED IT.
AND YOU SEE, YOU'RE GOING TO BE GROWING YOUR WHOLE LIFE.
THIS IS NOT JUST SOMETHING WHERE YOU ARRIVE.
THE APOSTLE PAUL SAID, "I'VE NOT ARRIVED.
BUT ONE THING I DO, IT'S MY ONE ASPIRATION,
FORGETTING WHAT LIES BEHIND AND PRESSING ON TO THE THINGS
THAT ARE AHEAD." HE SAID, "I AM--"
NOW LISTEN TO THIS, HE SAID, "I AM DETERMINED TO TAKE HOLD
OF THOSE THINGS FOR WHICH CHRIST JESUS DIED TO
TAKE HOLD OF ME." SO HE SAID, "JESUS DIED FOR US
FOR A PURPOSE, NOT JUST SO WE COULD GO TO HEAVEN, BUT SO WE
COULD DEVELOP CHRIST-LIKENESS AND BE MOLDED INTO HIS IMAGE
WHILE WE'RE HERE, AND THE WORLD COULD--"
HE SAID THAT HE SHOWED THE WORLD THE FATHER.
WELL, NOW HE'S GIVING US THE JOB OF SHOWING JESUS TO THE WORLD.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.
AND IT'S NOT JUST UP TO SOMEBODY LIKE ME THAT'S ON TELEVISION
OR HAS A LARGE AUDIENCE.
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU CAN REACH PEOPLE THAT SOMEBODY LIKE
ME COULD NEVER REACH, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU.
YOU KNOW PEOPLE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU KNOW PEOPLE
AT YOUR WORKPLACE, YOU MEET PEOPLE ALL OVER THE PLACE.
AND IF EVERY CHRISTIAN WOULD JUST TURN THE LIGHTS ON.
HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN BY THAT?
JUST TURN THE LIGHTS ON.
MY GOODNESS, YOU KNOW WHAT?
TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, IF CHRISTIANS WILL STOP
COMPROMISING AND STOP SLIPPING OVER INTO THE WORLD, AND REALLY
TAKE A STAND TO BE WHAT GOD WANTS THEM TO BE, WE CAN SEE
SOME GREAT THINGS HAPPEN IN THE EARTH.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: AND SO, I'VE ALWAYS PREACHED ALONG THESE LINES
IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
I DON'T PREACH ON THE SAME THING ALL THE TIME, OBVIOUSLY, BUT I
PREACH ALONG THESE LINES BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IF WE STAY BABY
CHRISTIANS, WE'RE NOT EVER GOING TO BE HAPPY.
AND I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT IF I'M GOING TO BE HERE,
I WANT TO BE HAPPY.
I MEAN, IF WE'RE GOING TO STAY BABY CHRISTIANS, WE'RE NEVER
REALLY GOING TO HAVE ANY PEACE.
YOU KNOW WHY?
YOU CAN'T CONTROL ALL YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES AND NEITHER CAN I.
SO, WE HAVE TO LEARN IF WE CAN'T CONTROL OUR CIRCUMSTANCES, THEN
WE NEED TO LEARN HOW TO CONTROL OURSELVES SO OUR CIRCUMSTANCES
ARE NOT RULING US ALL THE TIME, AMEN?