Pt 1 (Joyce’s Bootcamp: Getting Your Day Started Right – Week #1) Joyce teaches how to start your day on a positive note and eliminate those “bad days” the enemy is stealing from your life.
how many of you have ever had a bad day
have you ever wished I would have gotten
this day started different than what I
did you know don’t don’t ever waste
today once you know you think about time
differently as you get older I think
when you’re in your 20s and maybe even
30s and maybe even 40s you don’t you
don’t think too much about time but a
few years ago it occurred to me that
two-thirds of my life was over and I
just became much more aware of time and
how how foolish it is to waste any day
that you have you know there’s something
really interesting about time we all get
the same amount in a day every day is 24
hours and some people are very very
fruitful and effective and some people
just waste their time day after day
after day and that’s a choice that we
make but there’s one thing about time
once it goes by you never get it back so
how it is to waste any day of your life
I think we need to live every day like
it was our very last one and live it to
the absolute fullest that we can live it
so I want to just give you a few things
that I think will help you maybe get
your day going in the right direction
and maybe effect the whole rest of your
day and I hope it helps you every single
day of your life what are some of your
morning’s like do you go to bed
intending to get up and spend time with
God but then when the alarm goes off you
hit the snooze then you hit the snooze
again then you hit the snooze again and
then you’ve laid in bed too long and so
then you get up of course now you have
no time for anything and you’re in a
frenzy and you’re in a row
so that makes you grouchy and of course
the devil will play the game with you
and he’ll make sure that that’s the day
you can’t find your car keys and that’s
the day nobody does anything that’s
right and then you you know you’ve
yelled at the kids and now you’re
feeling bad about that and your mom gave
you a call to say good morning you
Grouch to her because you didn’t have
times and now you feel bad about that
and you get in your car and you get down
almost to the entrance to your
subdivision you realize you left your
cell phone at home and so that adds your
frustration now you’ve got to hurry up
and go back and get that then you get in
the house and you can’t find it then you
get on the highway and the traffic’s bad
and you know you’re going to be late for
work so you’re thinking of all the
excuses you can give and you finally get
there and you’re basically frustrated
upset got this little weight of
condemnation on you because of the way
you acted you know you should have spent
time with God you didn’t do it and the
whole day basically just becomes a
nightmare anybody been there done that
now if you’re honest you know that more
than any other thing the devil will
fight you on your time with God and the
reason he does that is because that is
more valuable to you than any other
thing your time your personal time with
God is more valuable to you than you
being in this conference it is the most
important thing and anytime we think
that we’re going to get it all just
through listening to somebody CDs and
going to church once a week or twice a
week or going to a couple of conferences
a year you’re totally wrong because I’ll
tell you what you get when you do that
I’ll tell you what you’ve gotten here
this weekend you’ve gotten pieces of
great stuff and now if you’re smart
you’ll go home and you’ll take the notes
that you have or you’ll buy the CDs from
the conference or whatever session
really meant a lot to you and then
you’ll really get down to doing your own
study hearing somebody else not good
enough you got to study if you want to
be victorious you have to study well
Joyce you mean to tell me just listening
to you every morning isn’t enough not
really I’m not God I’m a teacher and I
believe that I’ve got a lot of good
information a strong teaching gift but
what I found in my own life was I got
all this information I mean I was like
you know when I really got serious about
my walk with God I mean I was in a
conference every time I turned around
and CDs and everything I get my hand on
in TV programs and radio programs and it
just seemed like why isn’t it working I
mean I’ve been there done that had the
t-shirt had the CDs I knew everything
you could possibly know about spiritual
warfare and yet the devil still had the
upper hand in my life
and none of it really began to fall into
place for me until I started really
spending time with God every day now you
probably will be a little quiet because
probably a lot of you aren’t doing that
and so that makes you feel a little like
a lot of people watching by television
you’re like thinking maybe I’ll see what
else is on this morning the Holy Spirit
is the one who puts it all together far
so not only that it offends God when we
leave him out he’s more important than
anything else until you learn that
you’re going to be in sad shape I love
psalm 27:4 it says one thing if I desire
than that will I seek after that I might
dwell in his presence behold his beauty
all the days of my life
you need him a whole lot more than you
need me you need him a lot more than you
need any of your friends and I know we
get all funny about this time with God
thing well what do you do I don’t think
it matters so much what you do as it
is just that you’re giving God the time
just by giving him the time you’re
saying I need you now every morning is a
fresh start in our life mornings are
really wonderful and you might say well
I’m not a morning person but I suggest
you pray to get over it and stop saying
that and the reason why a lot of you are
in the morning person is because you
don’t go to bed at night however even if
you’re a person that sleeps with two
o’clock in the afternoon then 2 o’clock
in the afternoon is your morning so I
can’t dictate to you how do you do how
you do it I personally like to go to bed
early and get up early I’m in bed every
night by 9 o’clock unless I’m out
preaching and a lot of times I’m asleep
somewhere between 9:00 and 9:30 I get up
almost every day between 5:00 and 5:30
and I will I would fight a bear to
protect that time that I have with God
in the morning because I know that I
absolutely 100% for sure cannot be the
kind of person that God needs me to be
to glorify Him and do what I’m doing if
I don’t have that time with God but it
took me a long time to get there I was
no different than anybody else I made
every excuse I got distracted you know
on and on and on and on and on and God
finally got it across to me you are not
going to stay alive if you don’t spend
time with me and I think for me he kind
of meant it physically you know that I
needed that protection because of what I
was doing and so I’ve studied and
studied and studied and studied a lot
about seeking God’s face and not his
hand and I just know that mornings are
very important my favorite time of the
day is the first two hours of the
morning I want it quiet I want to be
left alone
the only person I let get near me is my
dog she weighs 7 pounds and sits on the
end of my recliner and sometimes Dave
will come in and say good morning but
that’s about it otherwise we’re just
like
Dave goes to his place I go to my place
and if you want to know why this
ministry is successful I can tell you
that that’s probably the most important
foundational thing that we do because we
know from the get-go that it’s God not
us I don’t know how to get the money
that I need to pay the bills for this
ministry so I just go seek God and I
don’t even seek him for money I just
seek him but every day is a fresh start
I love the way God’s arranged it that in
these 24-hour periods where we’re up
about 16 hours and then we sleep 8 hours
and then it’s amazing how much better
are things sometimes feel just in the
morning isn’t it you’re tired by the end
of the day you need the rest your mind
needs the rest your spirit needs that
you know everything needs to rest one of
the first things you need to do every
morning is take care of every mess from
yesterday by repenting and receiving
God’s mercy let’s go to lamentation 3 19
through 23 Oh Lord remember earnestly my
affliction of my misery my wandering and
my outcast state the wormwood in the
goal my soul has them continually in
remembrance and is bowed down within me
but this I recall and therefore have I
hope and expectation it is because the
Lord’s mercy and loving-kindness that we
are not consumed because his tender
Compassion’s fail not they are new every
morning beautiful they are new every
morning great and abundant is your
stability and faithfulness I kind of say
just in fun that I guess God makes a new
batch of Mercy every morning because we
use up all of yesterday’s receive God’s
mercy don’t stay mad at yourself
whatever you did wrong God knew you were
going to do it before you did it
you’re no surprise to God he’s not
shocked about what you do as for
forgiveness receive mercy and go on you
cannot have a good day if you’re under
condemnation
not possible that should be something
that you do every morning we’re talking
about how to get your day started right
make some decisions early in the morning
the decisions that you make early in the
morning are like getting dressed
spiritually I’m going to talk to you
about that you not only have physical
clothing you have spiritual clothing and
many people go out naked in the spirit
look at revelation 16:15 behold I’m
going to come like a thief blessed
happened to be Nvidia’s he who stays
awake alert and guards his clothes so he
may not be naked and have the shame of
being seen exposed now surely he’s not
talking about sitting with a rifle in
front of your closet and guarding your
clothes but he says guard your clothes
and make sure that you’re not seen naked
and you end up embarrassed and he’s
talking about spiritual nakedness we
literally get dressed spiritually as we
make decisions this is the day the Lord
has made I will rejoice and be glad I
usually say that before ever get out of
bed I start this regimen this program
that I’m talking to you about today
that’s not a law to me it’s not a burden
to me I’ve just finally found out how to
get the upper hand over the devil and I
know if I don’t do something he will
empty space is still a place and if all
you offer is empty space and the devil
will be happy to fill it so you better
start thinking something on purpose
before he starts thinking for you this
is the day the Lord has made I will
rejoice and be glad then the next thing
I do is I begin to thank God for
everything that I can think of
everything I can think of from hot water
to my kids to my husband that I can walk
that I can see and everything else
receive God’s mercy and then start
making decisions every decision you make
is like getting dressed spiritually in
Ephesians 6 the Bible talks about the
armor of God it says put on put on the
full armor of God put on the breastplate
of righteousness now I believe the way
that we put on that breastplate of
righteousness is by receiving the mercy
of God and then making a decision I know
who I am I am the righteousness of God
in Christ and I am going to be bold in
the Lord today and act like the person
that I am now when you do that you put
on something spiritually that begins to
cover you from the enemy you put on the
shoes of peace and the way you do that
is by making a decision I don’t know
what’s going to happen in my life today
but I’m deciding before I ever go out
the door that whatever it is I’m up for
it
and I’m going to stay in peace I’m going
to be adaptable and pliable and moldable
and even if I don’t get my way I’m still
going to keep my peace now what I used
to do was sit in the morning with my
coffee and think if Dave goes to that
golf course again today
I am going to be so mad at him and if
this person doesn’t do that and if that
person doesn’t do this then if this
happens man I am really going to be
ticked off and so I would prepare myself
early in the morning to just have a
horrible day all day where your mind
goes the man follows so I take time in
the morning to get spiritually dressed
by making decisions about what I’m going
to do that day the devil is going to do
what he’s going to do the worlds are
going to do what it’s going to do but
here’s what I’m going to do this is the
day the Lord has made I will rejoice and
be glad and sometimes I got to slay that
one five six times
sometimes it takes me a little while to
start feeling happy now Dave gets up
happy but I you know I’m little I mean
he’s like good morning how are you and
I’m like he likes music I like it quiet
how do you go out of your house dress
spiritually have you paid more attention
to what you look like physically than
what you look like spiritually did you
spend an hour fixing your hair and
getting your makeup on and just the
right outfit and yet you’re spiritually
naked and the devil is ready to just
have your day come on now play my little
game this morning
in Ephesians 4 the Bible says put off
the old man put on the new man another
scripture says put on Jesus Christ
Colossians 3 says clothe yourself with
mercy and above all that you put on put
on love well how do I I don’t you know I
know how to get these clothes on but how
do I get them other ones on I believe
it’s decisions that we make about how
we’re going to walk and I believe it’s
things that we say ahead of time by
faith faith speaks faith is not silent
faith speaks out of the heart the mouth
speaks and I don’t just think this is
the day the Lord has made I will rejoice
I say it this is the day the Lord has
made I will rejoice I’m just looking hmm
this is the day the Lord has made I will
rejoice and be glad get out the
toothbrush I am the righteousness of God
in Christ Oh
this is going to be a good day I’m
expecting something good to happen to me
today now I’m just telling you how I
live I have to do this you can do it or
not do it but I just believe your life
will improve if you do the devil took
advantage of me long enough wonder why I
seem to plan decide ahead of time I can
do all things through Christ who
strengthens me I’m ready for anything
I’m equal to anything through Christ to
infuse his inner strength into me we
have to learn how to do this you have to
start thinking on purpose not just
thinking passively whatever falls in
your head but thinking on purpose you
get up and you decide that you are going
to be in agreement with God you don’t
get up and wait to see how you feel and
wait to see what happens
and if you do this it’ll even help you
feel better physically you’ll start to
get energy
how can two walk together unless they be
agreed start agreeing with God and
disagreeing with the devil this is not
hard everybody can do this a 10 year old
can do this amen
this is not complicated what I’m telling
you today it’s not deeply theological
but it will help you put on the helmet
of salvation think like a Christian
don’t have a bumper sticker and think
like the devil put on righteousness put
on peace
lift up the shield of faith make a
decision that you’re going to go from
faith to faith – faith – faith – faith –
faith start every day with Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is so important the devil
hates it when we’re thankful because he
is a full-time grouch some 50:14 offer
to God the sacrifice of Thanksgiving and
pay your vows to the Most High Psalm 100
verse 4 this is probably my favorite
enter into his gates with Thanksgiving
and a thank offering and into his courts
with praise be thankful and say so
be thankful and say so
say so let the redeemed of the Lord say
so if you’re thankful open your mouth
and say so if there’s somebody you in
your life you appreciate open your mouth
and say so don’t just tell them
everything they do wrong tell them what
you’re grateful for I was talking to a
girl that travels with me this morning
we were talking about some husband stuff
and I said I said you know what
everybody’s got some faults but if we’ll
just meditate on the good things and I
just listed off about 10 or 12 things
about Dave that I’m thankful for there’s
a couple of things that I could do
without but
but the good stuff so far outweighs
those couple of things and see what I
used to do when I used to have lousy
days was I would in the morning even
before I got out of bed
I’d be I’m so sick and tired of Dave not
doing this and not doing that he never
brings me flowers and he never does this
and he never does that
yawning hey man Annette I don’t do that
anymore now I think man Dave so easy to
get along with praise the Lord praise
the Lord
he’s adaptable he lets me do anything I
want to do Dave is secure I can say to
him go somewhere I want to be myself and
he’s like okay
after 43 and a half here is you get a
good system going you might as well keep
the one you got because you’re going to
have to work on the next one too so what
do you think fallar do you do you thank
God daily for even little things there’s
so much to be thankful for and the more
thankful we are the happier we get and
the matter the devil gets be thankful
and say so say so that has to become
part of every day I think every morning
we need to dedicate ourselves to God
let’s look at Psalm 25 verse 1 talk
about rededicate we need to do it every
day unto you O Lord do I bring my life
plain and simple I get that Psalm out
very frequently and read it I love Psalm
25 one unto you O Lord do I bring my
life it’s a great thing to do every
morning just sit or stand or kneel or
whatever you’re comfortable and just
lift up your hands and say Here I am
Lord I’m yours use my mouth use my mind
use my hands use my feet use my eyes use
my ears my finances are yours I commit
myself to you God and dedicate myself to
you see we spend too much time wanting
telling God everything we want I love
what the Christians what Paul said about
the Christians he said they gave as much
as they possibly could financially but
they also gave themselves to the Lord
you know it’s easier to give your money
than it is to give yourself this morning
when I asked God if there was anything
he wanted me to do today I thought a
couple of times for I said it because
what if I don’t like what he says
today I got a good one enjoy yourself
yes
who knows what I’ll get tomorrow is
anybody hearing me today now come on
listen and you think now I know
somebody’s thinking I don’t know I don’t
have the time to do all that good night
what time I I have to get up to do that
now you know you’re going to do what you
want to no matter what I say but I’m
telling you you need to go to bed at
night so you can get up in the morning