Prayer has amazing benefits! On this episode of Enjoying Everyday Life, be encouraged to pray throughout each day as Joyce Meyer shares testimonies and scriptures that reveal the power and purpose of prayer.

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?