"THE THIEF COMES ONLY TO KILL STEAL AND DESTROY."
BUT JESUS SAID, "I CAME THAT THEY MAY HAVE
AND ENJOY LIFE, AND HAVE IT IN ABUNDANCE
(TO THE FULL, UNTIL IT OVERFLOWS)."
WHAT'S WITH THE OVERFLOW PART?
HE WANTS US TO HAVE SO MUCH THAT IT GETS OUT OF US
ON TO SOMEBODY ELSE.
WOMEN CAN SET THE TONE IN THEIR WHOLE HOME.
YOU CAN TURN EVERYBODY INTO A SOURPUSS,
OR YOU CAN CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE OF JOY.
YOU CAN MAKE THE PROBLEM SEEM WORSE, OR YOU CAN
MAKE IT SEEM BETTER.
WOMEN ARE VERY INFLUENTIAL.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: GO WOMEN!
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: AMEN.
YOU KNOW WE'RE ALL HEADED SOMEWHERE.
WE'RE ALL ON A JOURNEY.
I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT WRITING A BOOK SOMETIME JUST CALLED
"MY JOURNEY WITH GOD" BECAUSE, MAN, HAS IT EVER
BEEN A JOURNEY.
WE ALL HAVE GOALS, WE ALL HAVE DREAMS,
BUT VERY FEW PEOPLE REALLY ENJOY THE JOURNEY.
LIFE IS NOT ABOUT THE DESTINATION.
IT'S REALLY TRULY NOT ABOUT THE DESTINATION,
IT'S ABOUT HOW YOU MAKE THE JOURNEY.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: I MEAN, IT REALLY IS.
IT'S ABOUT HOW YOU MAKE THE JOURNEY.
AND HOW YOU MAKE THE JOURNEY IS REALLY UP TO YOU.
IT'S ABOUT TAKING A PROPER ATTITUDE,
A MENTAL POSTURE AND A MIND-SET--
YOU KNOW OUR MINDS, THE WAY WE THINK ARE CONNECTED
TO EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE DO.
THAT'S THE BOOK I'M WORKING ON RIGHT NOW,
IT'S CALLED "THE MIND CONNECTION,"
HOW OUR MIND IS CONNECTED TO OUR WORDS
AND TO OUR EMOTIONS AND TO ALL OF OUR ACTIONS
AND HOW WE TREAT PEOPLE, HOW WE RELATE TO OURSELVES,
AND HOW WE RELATE TO GOD.
PAY MORE ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU'RE THINKING AND UNDERSTAND
THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A MENTAL GARBAGE DUMP
FOR THE DEVIL TO THROW ANY WICKED THING IN THERE
HE WANTS TO.
YOU CAN DO YOUR OWN THINKING.
YOU CAN CHOOSE YOUR THOUGHTS.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET UP AND WAIT TO SEE IF YOU FEEL
LIKE IT'S GONNA BE A LOUSY DAY.
YOU CAN SAY, "TODAY I AM GOING TO ENJOY MY DAY.
GOD HAS GIVEN ME POWER AND AUTHORITY,
AND I SET MY MIND TO STAY PEACEFUL AND TO ENJOY MY DAY."
SET YOUR MIND EARLY.
EVERY TIME GUILT KNOCKS ON MY DOOR,
I'M GONNA TELL IT, "ONLY RIGHTEOUSNESS
IS AT HOME." THIS IS THE DEEPER LIFE.
SEE, IF I SAY TO SOMEBODY, "I'M GONNA TEACH
ON THE DEEPER LIFE," THEY'RE LIKE, "OH."
WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT?
SOME PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN SO DEEP, THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW
WHERE THEY'RE AT.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: THIS IS NOT HARD.
THE DEEPER LIFE IS DON'T BE CONCERNED ABOUT GETTING THINGS
THAT DON'T MAKE THAT MUCH DIFFERENCE BUT PURSUE
RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE, AND JOY IN THE HOLY GHOST.
WHEN YOU'VE GOT THOSE THINGS STRAIGHT INSIDE,
AND YOU'VE GOT THAT FOUNDATION, LIFE GETS SWEET,
AND WE CAN LIVE FOR GOD AND BRING GLORY TO HIM
AND ACTUALLY BE THE KIND OF PERSON THAT PEOPLE
ARE GONNA WANT TO BE LIKE.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: DO PEOPLE WANT TO BE LIKE YOU?
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: "WELL, I NEVER THOUGHT OF THAT."
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: "REJOICE IN THE LORD AND AGAIN I SAY, REJOICE!"
PHILIPPIANS 4:4.
PAUL WAS IN PRISON WHEN HE WROTE THAT, BY THE WAY.
NEHEMIAH 8:10, "THE JOY OF THE LORD
IS YOUR STRENGTH.
BE NOT SAD AND DEPRESSED FOR THE JOY OF THE LORD
IS YOUR STRENGTH." I'M TELLING YOU WHAT, JOY--
WHICH JOY IS NOT EXTREME HILARITY ALL THE TIME.
IT CAN BE THAT, BUT THE DEFINITION GOES
ALL THE WAY FROM EXTREME HILARITY TO A CALM DELIGHT,
AND I WOULD MOST OF THE TIME I LIVE IN THAT
CALM DELIGHT, AMEN?
YOU KNOW, WHEN I SAY, "BE JOYFUL,"
THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU GOTTA...
[FAKE LAUGHING] YOU KNOW?
TO BE HONEST, SOMETIMES THOSE PEOPLE GET ON MY NERVES.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: YOU KNOW, BECAUSE LIFE IS REAL,
AND THERE'S THINGS TO DEAL WITH.
AND YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN'T GIGGLE
YOUR WAY THROUGH EVERY DAY, BUT YOU CAN HAVE
A CALM DELIGHT.
"DELIGHT YOURSELF IN THE LORD, AND HE WILL GIVE YOU THE DESIRES
OF YOUR HEART." THIS IS JUST GOOD OLE
PRACTICAL COMMON SENSE.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT YOU CAN GO HOME AND YOU CAN SAY,
"YOU KNOW WHAT?
I'M LIVING THE DEEPER LIFE." AND PEOPLE ARE NOT GONNA
NOT KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT,
BUT THEY'RE GONNA WANT WHAT YOU'VE GOT.
WAYS TO INCREASE YOUR JOY ON PURPOSE.
FIRST OF ALL, PAY A LITTLE ATTENTION
TO YOUR HEALTH, BECAUSE I'LL BE HONEST WITH YA,
IF YOU JUST-- IF YOU HAVE PHYSICAL THINGS
GOING ON THAT YOU'RE NOT ATTENDING TO PROPERLY,
ALL THE REST OF THIS IS GONNA BE TOUGH.
I DIDN'T KNOW THAT I HAD SOME LOW THYROID ISSUES,
AND I REACHED A POINT IN MY LIFE WHERE I JUST FELT LIKE
EVERY MORNING WHEN I GOT UP, IT WAS 11 O'CLOCK BEFORE
I COULD GET HAPPY ABOUT ANYTHING.
I JUST DIDN'T FEEL GOOD.
I WAS JUST DRAGGING MYSELF AROUND,
AND I WENT TO A REALLY GOOD NUTRITIONIST
WHO FOUND THAT I HAD KIND OF A UNIQUE THYROID SITUATION
WHERE THERE'S A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT KINDS
OF THYROID YOU HAVE, AND ONE'S T3 AND ONE'S T4.
MY T3 WASN'T CONVERTING TO T4, SO EVEN THOUGH
ON A REGULAR MEDICAL TEST IT SHOWED UP THAT I WAS
WITHIN THE LIMITS OF BEING OKAY, IT WAS STILL TOO LOW FOR ME.
AND THEY PUT ME ON JUST A LITTLE BIT OF NATURAL THYROID
AND I COULD NOT BELIEVE THE DIFFERENCE.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT?
ALWAYS ASK YOURSELF FIRST, IF YOU'RE SAD AND DEPRESSED
ALL THE TIME, IF IT'S SPIRITUAL, IF IT'S ATTITUDE.
GO THERE FIRST.
BUT IF YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE
A BAD ATTITUDE, AND YOU ARE SOLID WITH GOD,
THEN DON'T JUST SIT AROUND AND DO NOTHING.
GET YOURSELF CHECKED OUT BY SOMEBODY GOOD
AND FIND OUT IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT'S CAUSING THIS
THAT YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: IT'S NOT A LACK OF FAITH TO SEEK MEDICAL HELP
IF YOU NEED IT.
KEEP YOUR DEPENDENCE ON GOD, BUT USE EVERY RESOURCE
THAT HE'S GIVEN.
IS ANYBODY HOME TODAY, AMEN?
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: AND I KNOW YOU'RE NOT GONNA CARE FOR THIS,
BUT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE I HAVE TO SAY IT ANYWAY,
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO INCREASE YOUR JOY, START EXERCISING.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: YOU CAN DO IT OR NOT DO IT,
I'M JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE.
IT'S GONNA HELP YOU.
YOU KNOW, WALK, DO SOMETHING, LIFT WEIGHTS, YOU KNOW,
DO SOMETHING.
GOD GAVE US JOINTS BECAUSE WE'RE SUPPOSED
TO MOVE, NOT SIT IN A RECLINER ALL DAY AND GO,
"I JUST FEEL TERRIBLE TODAY.
I JUST REALLY FEEL BAD." OH, GOSH, I WISH I HAD
ANOTHER HOUR WITH YOU.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: ALL RIGHT.
NOW WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH A LITTLE LIST HERE ON HOW
YOU CAN INCREASE YOUR JOY.
NUMBER ONE, STOP TRYING TO FIGURE EVERYTHING OUT
AND START TRUSTING GOD.
"WELL, I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND.
I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND.
AND I'M SO CONFUSED, AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND."
WELL, IF GOD'S NOT TELLING YOU ANYTHING, DON'T TRY
TO FIGURE IT OUT.
YOU'RE JUST GONNA GET YOURSELF MORE CONFUSED.
GET COMFORTABLE NOT KNOWING.
IT'S A GREAT PLACE OF PEACE.
"WELL, WHAT DO YOU THINK CAUSED THIS?"
I DON'T KNOW.
I EITHER DID SOMETHING RIGHT OR I DID SOMETHING WRONG,
EITHER WAY ONLY GOD CAN TAKE CARE OF IT.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: YOU KNOW, IF WE DO SOMETHING WRONG,
SOMETIMES WE CAN OPEN A DOOR FOR THE ENEMY,
BUT IF WE DO SOMETHING RIGHT, HE COMES AFTER US ANYWAY
TRYING TO STOP US, SO I DON'T WORRY ABOUT
THAT STUFF ANYMORE.
I PRAY ABOUT IT.
IF GOD'S GOT SOMETHING HE WANTS TO SHOW ME,
I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO SEE IT.
NOT AFRAID OF ANYTHING THAT GOD WANTS TO TELL ME.
DON'T EVER BE AFRAID OF ANYTHING THAT GOD WANTS TO TELL YOU
ABOUT YOU.
DID YOU HEAR ME?
AUDIENCE: YEAH.
JOYCE: DON'T EVER BE AFRAID OF ANYTHING THAT GOD WANTS
TO SHOW YOU ABOUT YOU.
TAKE IT ALL.
SAY "GOD, YOU'RE RIGHT.
I'M WRONG.
ONLY YOU CAN CHANGE ME.
HERE I AM, I'M YOURS.
GO TO WORK."
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: THE MOMENT THAT YOU START TO HAVE
CONCERN ABOUT SOMETHING-- THE MOMENT YOU START
TO HAVE CONCERN ABOUT IT, PRAY AND RELEASE IT TO GOD.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T PRAY AFTER WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING
WE KNOW TO DO.
"WELL, GOD, I'VE JUST-- WELL, I'VE JUST DONE
EVERYTHING THAT I KNOW TO DO SO I GUESS THERE'S NOTHING
LEFT TO DO BUT PRAY." PRAYER IS NOT
A LAST-DITCH EFFORT, IT'S A FIRST-LINE RESPONSE.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT GOD CAN DO
IF YOU'LL JUST ASK HIM TO GET INVOLVED IN YOUR MESSES?
I MEAN, I SEE SUCH AMAZING THINGS THROUGH PRAYER,
AND I'VE COMMITTED THIS YEAR TO PRAY ABOUT THINGS FASTER
AND MORE OFTEN THAN EVER BEFORE.
AND I'VE ALREADY SEEN SOME PRETTY ASTOUNDING THINGS,
JUST SIMPLE PRAYER.
"GOD, I ASK YOU TO TAKE CARE OF THIS.
I CAN'T DO IT, YOU DO IT." DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME TRYING
TO CHANGE PEOPLE.
IF THEY WON'T CHANGE FOR GOD, THEY AIN'T GONNA CHANGE FOR YOU.