MOST OF MY PRAYING IS DONE
THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
AND, I LEARNED A LONG TIME AGO NOT TO SEE A NEED AND SAY,
"WELL, WHEN I PRAY, I'LL PRAY ABOUT THAT.
SEE, THAT'S IT.
WELL, WHEN I PRAY, I'LL PRAY ABOUT THAT,"
AND THE DEVIL LOVES THAT BECAUSE BY THE TIME WE PRAY WE'RE
GOING TO FORGET IT.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF THAT OLD RELIGIOUS THINKING THAT,
"WELL, YOU CAN'T JUST PRAY IN THE GROCERY STORE.
I MEAN, YOU CAN'T JUST PRAY WALKING DOWN THE HALL
OR GOING UP A SET OF STAIRS.
WE HAVE TO BE IN A CERTAIN POSTURE, IN A CERTAIN PLACE,"
AND THAT'S JUST NOT TRUE.
SO, YOU CAN PRAY ANYWHERE, ANYTIME, ABOUT ANYTHING.
THE ONLY THING IS, AND I BELIEVE THIS IS A PREREQUISITE,
YOUR PRAYER HAS TO BE SINCERE.
THE SINCERE HEARTFELT PRAYER OF A MAN MAKES TREMENDOUS
POWER AVAILABLE.
I'LL GIVE YA AN EXAMPLE.
I WAS EATING MY DINNER LAST NIGHT.
DAVE WASN'T HOME YET AND SO, I TURN THE TELEVISION ON,
I WAS GOING TO SIT IN FRONT OF THE TV AND EAT.
I'D BEEN BUSY ALL DAY, SO I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO PUTTING MY
FEET UP AND I WAS REALLY HUNGRY.
AND SO, I STARTED TO DO ONE OF THOSE, "THANK YOU LORD FOR
THIS FOOD," AND JUST GO TO EATING.
AND GOD JUST REMINDED ME BECAUSE OF THIS NEW COMMITMENT THAT I
JUST NEEDED TO PUT MY FORK DOWN, AND PUT THE TV ON PAUSE,
AND SAY A SINCERE DECENT PRAYER.
IT WASN'T LONG.
BUT NOT JUST A, THROW SOMETHING UP AT THE MASTER OF THE
UNIVERSE, THE KING OF KINGS, BUT IF I'M GOING TO THANK HIM
FOR MY FOOD AND ASK HIM TO BLESS IT TO MY BODY, WHICH TODAY,
WE'D BETTER PRAY OVER OUR FOOD.
AND IT JUST FELT SO MUCH BETTER THAN THAT KINDA HALFWAY,
"WELL, GOD I'M IN A HURRY, BUT THANKS 'CAUSE I KNOW
I'M SUPPOSED TO DO THIS." ANYBODY HOME?
ALRIGHT, SO, 1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18 SAYS,
"PRAY WITHOUT CEASING." WELL, HOW IN THE WORLD
DO WE DO THAT?
WELL, WE PRAY WITHOUT CEASING BY LETTING PRAYER BECOME
LIKE BREATHING.
WHERE IT'S JUST, YOU SEE A NEED, YOU PRAY.
YOU SEE SOMEBODY THAT LOOKS UNHAPPY, YOU ASK
GOD TO BLESS 'EM.
YOU CAN TELL BY THE WAY SOMEBODY'S BEHAVING THAT THEY'RE
NOT A BELIEVER SO YOU QUICKLY ASK GOD TO PUT THE PERFECT
LABOR IN FRONT OF THEM AT THE JUST RIGHT TIME.
"THANK GOD, IT'S NOON.
I MADE IT THROUGH FIRST HALF OF THE DAY."
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: ALWAYS TALKING TO GOD ALL THE TIME.
GIVE THANKS--AND BOY, THIS IS A CHALLENGING ONE.
GIVE THANKS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES.
ALL CIRCUMSTANCES, THAT MEANS I SHOULD HAVE BEEN THANKING
GOD WHEN I WAS HAVING TO WAIT ON THOSE APPOINTMENTS
INSTEAD OF BEING IRRITATED THAT THEY WEREN'T TAKING ME THE
MINUTE THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO.
LISTEN, IF YOU DON'T NEED THIS TODAY,
I'LL PREACH IT TO MYSELF...
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: ...BECAUSE I NEED THIS.
"GIVE THANKS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES; FOR THIS
IS THE WILL OF GOD FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS."
I THINK A LOT OF TIMES WE'RE LOOKIN' FOR, "OH GOD,
WHAT'S YOUR WILL FOR MY LIFE?" AND WE CAN'T SEEM TO GET
ANY DIRECTION ABOUT OUR CAREER OR THIS BIG DECISION
WE'RE SUPPOSED TO MAKE.
WELL, MAYBE WE SHOULD START WITH WHAT THE BIBLE ALREADY
SAYS IS GOD'S WILL.
GIVE THANKS IN ALL THINGS, AND THEN PRETTY SOON WITHOUT
YOU EVEN TRYING VERY HARD, GOD WILL SHOW YOU WHAT
YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.
ANYTIME YOU PREACH ON THANKSGIVING EVERYBODY'S
CONVICTED, SO DON'T FEEL BAD IF YOU ARE.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE GET WEAK
IN MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, IS JUST, TAKING THINGS FOR
GRANTED AND NOT REMEMBERING TO THANK GOD FOR THEM.
GOD HAS INVITED US TO PRAY INSTEAD OF WORRYING
ABOUT ANYTHING.
"DO NOT BE ANXIOUS ABOUT ANYTHING, BUT IN EVERYTHING BY
PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION WITH THANKSGIVING LET YOUR REQUESTS
BE MADE KNOWN UNTO GOD." NOW, HERE I THINK IS THE KEY
IN DOING THIS.
I THINK SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE YOU HAVE TO COME
TO THE POINT WHERE YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT GOD HEARS YOU.
IT'S NOT JUST SOME OBLIGATION WE'RE FULFILLING, BUT YOU REALLY
DO BELIEVE THAT GOD HEARS YOU, AND YOU REALLY DO SERIOUSLY,
SINCERELY BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF PRAYER.
SO, WE'RE NOT DOING IT AS AN OBLIGATION BUT, "GOD, I KNOW
THAT YOU HEAR ME AND I BELIEVE THAT YOU'LL TAKE CARE OF THIS
IN YOUR OWN WAY IN YOUR OWN TIMING."
I'VE SEEN SOME AMAZING PRAYERS ANSWERED IN THIS
LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, JUST EVEN FOR THINGS I WAS
PRAYING FOR MY GRANDCHILDREN.
AND I DON'T WANT TO HAVE GOD DOIN' ALL KINDS OF THINGS FOR
ME AND ME JUST SKIPPING ALONG AND NOT EVEN REALIZE THAT
HE'S DOIN--"ISN'T THAT LUCKY?
WELL, THAT SURE IS A COINCIDENCE."
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: 1 JOHN 5:14 SAYS, "AND THIS IS THE CONFIDENCE THAT
WE HAVE TOWARD HIM, THAT IF WE ASK ANYTHING ACCORDING
TO HIS WILL HE HEARS US." EVERYBODY SAY, "WHEN I PRAY,
GOD HEARS ME." AUDIENCE: WHEN I PRAY,
GOD HEARS ME.
JOYCE: 'CAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT GOES THROUGH OUR HEAD?
A LOT OF TIMES THE ENEMY PLANTS THIS THOUGHT, "WELL, I
WONDER IF GOD REALLY HEARD ME?" AND WE THINK IF WE'RE
BAD HE CAN'T HEAR US.
BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, HIS GOODNESS OUTWEIGHS
OUR BADNESS ALL THE TIME.
AND REMEMBER, WE DIDN'T GO IN OUR OWN NAME, WE WENT
IN THE NAME OF JESUS, ANYWAY.
"I DON'T DESERVE FOR YOU TO DO THIS FOR ME,
BUT I'M ASKING IN JESUS' NAME." ISN'T IT COOL THAT JESUS DID ALL
THE SUFFERING AND YOU GET EVERYTHING THAT HE EARNED?
HMM...NOW, I LOVE MARK 11:24, AND THIS IS GOING TO TELL
US SOMETHING INTERESTING ABOUT PRAYER.
"FOR THIS REASON I'M TELLING YOU, WHATEVER--
"SOMEBODY SAY, "WHATEVER." AUDIENCE: WHATEVER.
JOYCE: "WHATEVER YOU ASK FOR IN PRAYER, BELIEVE..."
THERE'S NO POINT IN PRAYING UNBELIEVING PRAYERS.
BELIEVE GOD HEARS YOU.
BELIEVE HE WILL ANSWER YOU AT THE RIGHT TIME IN THE RIGHT WAY.
AND, IF IT'S NOT GOD'S WILL WE SHOULDN'T WANT IT ANYWAY.
SO, IF I ASK GOD FOR SOMETHING THAT'S NOT COVERED IN THE WORD,
I DON'T HAVE TO SAY, "WELL GOD, IF IT'S YOUR WILL SAVE THAT
PERSON," I KNOW HE WANTS 'EM TO BE SAVED.
BUT MAYBE, IF I JUST WANT A BIGGER SOMETHIN' OR ANOTHER
OF SOMETHIN' OR YOU KNOW, WHATEVER, IT'S NOT BAD TO SAY,
"NOW, GOD, IF THIS IS NOT YOUR WILL PLEASE DON'T
GIVE IT TO ME." BECAUSE I'LL TELL YOU,
THE WORST POSITION YOU CAN BE IN IS TO BE TRYING TO TAKE
CARE OF SOMETHING THAT'S OUT OF THE WILL OF GOD.
THE LORD TOLD ME ONE TIME, "IF YOU GET IT IN THE FLESH,
YOU'LL HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF IT IN THE FLESH."
SEE, A LOT OF TIMES WE CAN MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.
YOU CAN KEEP PUSHING AND PRESSING, AND YOU
CAN MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.
BUT, IF YOU DO THAT, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO ALWAYS
HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
"WHATEVER YOU ASK FOR IN PRAYER, BELIEVE (TRUST AND BE CONFIDENT)
THAT IT IS GRANTED TO YOU," AND THIS NEXT FEW WORDS
IS SO IMPORTANT, "AND YOU WILL [GET IT]."
WELL, IT DOESN'T SAY WHEN YOU'LL GET IT.
IT DOESN'T SAY HOW FAST YOU'LL GET IT.
AND THAT'S THE TESTING TIME TO SEE WHETHER WE REALLY
HAVE FAITH OR NOT.
I ASK, I BELIEVE, AND I BELIEVE, AND I BELIEVE, AND I BELIEVE,
AND I BELIEVE, AND I BELIEVE AND THEN I GET IT.
OR SOMETIMES, THE BIBLE SAYS IN JAMES THAT WE ASK--WELL,
FIRST OF ALL, IT SAYS, "YOU HAVE NOT BECAUSE YOU ASK NOT."
AND SO, A LOT OF TIMES WE JUST DON'T ASK, YOU KNOW.
MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING WE THINK GOD WOULDN'T WANT US TO ASK FOR.
BUT THERE'S NOTHING IN YOUR LIFE THAT HE'S NOT CONCERNED ABOUT.
THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN'T TALK TO HIM ABOUT.
YOU CAN ASK GOD FOR ANYTHING AS LONG AS YOU BELIEVE
IT'S HIS WILL OR AT LEAST NOT AGAINST HIS WILL.
BUT, YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO TRUST THAT IF IT'S THE RIGHT THING FOR
YOU, GOD WILL BRING IT TO YOU.
BUT, LET'S DON'T WANT THINGS THAT AREN'T GOD'S WILL FOR US.
AND JUST BECAUSE YOU SAW GOD DO SOMETHING FOR THIS FRIEND OF
YOURS OR THAT FRIEND OF YOURS...
"WELL, GOD, DON'T YOU LOVE ME?
YOU DID THAT FOR HER AND YOU'RE NOT DOING IT FOR ME."
WELL, GOD'S GOT AN INDIVIDUALIZED PLAN FOR EACH ONE
OF US AND WE GOTTA KEEP OUR EYES OFF OF WHAT HE'S DOING
FOR EVERYBODY ELSE AND JUST SAY, "I WANT YOUR WILL IN MY LIFE."
SO BELIEVE AND YOU WILL GET IT.
NOW, WHEN IT COMES TO PRAYER-- OH, I GUESS MAYBE 35 YEARS AGO,
ACTUALLY, WHAT THE LORD PUT IN MY HEART IS, "YOU SHOULD
HAVE TO LISTEN TO YOU PRAY."
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: BECAUSE, I HAD A LOT OF WRONG ATTITUDES ABOUT PRAYER.
I THOUGHT I HAD TO BE LOUD, BANG ON THINGS [BANGING],
"OH, GOD..."
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: AND DAVE, MY DARLING HUSBAND DAVE, HE WOULD SIT
IN HIS ROOM WITH HIS EYES OPEN AND LOOK OUT THE WINDOW
AND HE TOLD ME HE WAS PRAYING.
I THOUGHT, "YOU AIN'T PRAYING."
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: 'CAUSE I HAD THAT OLD RELIGIOUS ATTITUDE THAT YOU
HAD TO BE IN A CERTAIN POSTURE AND THAT YOU HAD TO GET LOUD,
YOU KNOW.
GOD'S NOT DEAF, HE CAN HEAR US.
AND SO, HE BEGAN TO CHALLENGE ME TO STUDY HOW JESUS PRAYED
AND HOW PAUL PRAYED.
AND, I PROBABLY DON'T HAVE TIME TO DO THIS JUSTICE,
BUT THE DISCIPLES SAID, "'LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY.'"
AND THIS IS ALL JESUS SAID, "'PRAY LIKE THIS, OUR FATHER WHO
IS IN HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE THY NAME,'" YOU NEVER WANT
TO GO INTO PRAYING WITHOUT A LITTLE PRAISE AND WORSHIP
FIRST, BECAUSE IT'S PRAISE AND WORSHIP AND THANKSGIVING
THAT BRING US INTO THE COURT OF THE LORD.
THIS PRAYER'S SO SIMPLE, "'YOUR KINGDOM COME.
YOUR WILL BE DONE IN EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.'"
"LORD, LET YOUR WILL-- LET YOUR KINGDOM IN HEAVEN
COME DOWN TO EARTH TODAY.
LET US EMULATE HERE WHAT'S GOING ON IN HEAVEN."
"'GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD.'"
"OH, BUT GOD, I WANT A BLUEPRINT FOR THE WHOLE REST OF MY LIFE."
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: "'AND FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS, AS WE HAVE
FORGIVEN OUR DEBTORS.'" THAT MEANS FORGIVENESS
IS SUCH A KEY PART OF ANSWERED PRAYER.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MANY ANGRY CHRISTIANS
THERE ARE IN THE WORLD.
I MEAN, BITTERNESS, RESENTMENT, UNFORGIVENESS, AND THEY JUST
THINK THAT IT'S TOTALLY UNFAIR FOR THEM TO BE EXPECTED
TO FORGIVE SOMEBODY WHO'S DONE THEM SUCH A GREAT INJUSTICE.
BUT WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THE INJUSTICES ARE THAT
WE HAVE DONE AND STILL CONTINUE TO DO TOWARD
THE LORD IN OUR OWN LIVES, AND WE WANT HIM
TO KEEP FORGIVING US.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN'T FORGIVE.
NOW, FORGIVENESS DOESN'T NOT ALWAYS MEAN RESTORATION
OF THE RELATIONSHIP, BUT IT DOES MEAN THAT YOU'RE
TO BLESS AND NOT CURSE.
AND TO BLESS MEANS TO SPEAK WELL OF, AND TO CURSE MEANS
TO SPEAK EVIL OF.
SO, YOU BLESS YOUR ENEMIES AND YOU DO NOT CURSE THEM.
IN OTHER WORDS, WHATEVER THEY'VE DONE TO YOU,
YOU DON'T GET TO GO TELL EVERYBODY ALL ABOUT IT.
YOU DON'T GET TO RUIN THEIR REPUTATION.
AND THIS ONE'S GOOD, "'LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION,
BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL.'" AND THE REST THAT WE ADD ON,
"FOR YOURS IS THE KINGDOM, POWER, AND THE GLORY."
THAT'S NOT ACTUALLY PART OF WHAT JESUS SAID,
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL ENDING.
BUT, HOW SIMPLE?