A Rainstorm is Coming

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Then Elijah said to Ahab, ‘Go get something to eat and drink, for I hear a mighty rainstorm coming!’ ”

(1 Kings 18:41, NLT)

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

In First Kings 18, the Samaritans had been in a great famine. For three and a half years, there had been no rain. The prophet Elijah showed up and said to King Ahab, “I hear the sound of the abundance of rain.” When he said that, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, yet he chose to believe what he heard in his spirit in spite of what he saw in the natural. With his eyes, he saw drought, famine and barrenness; but inside, he heard the sound of the abundance of rain. Friend, this is what faith is all about. You’ve got to believe what you hear in your heart even when you see just the opposite. God is saying, “There’s about to be an abundance of favor in your life. The drought is coming to an end. You’re going to see healing, restoration, new opportunities, new growth.” Soon after, that rainstorm came. And just like Elijah, you have to believe that your rainstorm of blessing is right around the corner. No matter what anyone says, no matter what happens, keep believing and keep declaring because soon you will hear the sound of rain!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, thank You for the blessing and victory You have in store for my future. Thank You for allowing me to see and hear in my heart the good things You have planned. I choose to keep my eyes on You and declare Your blessing over my life in Jesus’ name. Amen.

— Joel & Victoria Osteen

Like Fire in Your Bones

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“...But His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, and I could not.”

(Jeremiah 20:9, NKJV)

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

In scripture, God gave a promise to Jeremiah that he would become a great prophet and speak to the nations. But Jeremiah was young and afraid. He didn’t see how it could happen. He started telling God all the reasons why it wouldn’t work out. He said, “God, when I get up to speak, people mock me and make fun of me. I’m young. I’m tired. I’m intimidated.” Just when you think he is going to talk himself out of it, he says in Jeremiah 20:9, “Your Word in my heart is like a fire shut up in my bones.” He was saying, “God, I may not see how it can happen. All the odds are against me, but this promise You put in me will not go away. It’s like a fire. It’s alive. I can’t get away from it.” You may be at a place right not where you could easily give up on what God has placed in your heart. But like Jeremiah, there is a fire shut up in your bones. What God promised you will not die. You can try to ignore it. You can try to talk yourself out of it. Your mind may tell you that it’s never going to happen, but deep down you feel a stirring, a burning, a restlessness. That’s the promise God put in you. He loves you too much to let you be average. He is going to push you into greatness. Get ready because the gifts, the talents, the skills, the ideas, the untapped potential is about to come forth!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, Your truth is like a fire shut up in my bones. Help me to see Your plan for me. Help me to stand strong and trust You. Help me to boldly embrace everything You have in store for me in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Get in the Game

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

(Hebrews 12:1, NIV)

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

Is there a desire that you placed on the shelf, so to speak? Have you been sitting on the sidelines of your dream, celebrating everybody else’s victories, content to see the promises come to pass in their lives? It’s good to celebrate with others, but God wants to do something amazing in your life, too. He wants you to be celebrated. You don’t have to sit on the sidelines watching everyone else. You have treasure inside of you. Think about the promises that God has spoken over you; dreams that He wants you to give birth to. It’s not too late. You’re not too old. It may look impossible, but our God can do the impossible. When you believe, favor is released. When you believe, hidden treasure comes forth. Don’t waste another day sitting on the sidelines of life. It’s time to get back in the game. It’s time to run your race. It’s time to press forward into the promises that God has in store for you!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, thank You for the promises You’ve spoken over my life. Help me to rise up, be strong and press forward. Today I choose to let go of anything that would hold me back from boldly embracing everything You have in store for me in Jesus’ name! Amen.

The promise will Come through You

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”

(Genesis 18:14, NKJV)

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

In scripture, God gave Sarah a promise that she would have a baby, but she was well beyond the childbearing years. She thought the promise would come through somebody else. That made more sense. She was too old. So she got her husband, Abraham, together with a young maid, and they had a baby. Sarah said, “Thank You, Lord. The promise came to pass.” But God said, “No, Sarah. I didn’t put the promise in them. I put the promise in you. You have hidden treasure that is still buried in your womb.” But as long as Sarah thought, “I’m too old. I’m at a disadvantage. I don’t look like these younger women,” she was talking herself out of what God wanted to do. How many times do we do the same thing? “I could never be in management.” “I could never write that book.” “I could never build that house.” No, God is saying to you what He said to Sarah. “I didn’t put the promise in somebody else. I put the promise in you.” Look past your circumstances today and look to God. The one who promised is faithful, and He will bring it to pass!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, thank You for Your faithfulness to me. I know that You will bring to pass every promise You’ve made. I repent for trying things in my own strength and choose to trust wholly in You in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Hearing His Voice

ODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“If only you carefully listen to the voice of the Lord your God...”

(Deuteronomy 15:5, AMP)

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

All through the day, there are two voices that compete for our attention — the voice of faith and the voice of defeat. You’ll hear a voice saying, “You’ll never rise any higher. You don’t have what it takes. You’ve reached your limit.” But if you listen carefully, you’ll hear another voice saying, “You are well able. You can do all things through Christ. Your best days are still up ahead.” You are the one who gets to choose which voice has power in your life. The moment you verbalize a thought, you give it the right to come to pass. When you speak faith, you’re in agreement with God. When you speak defeat, you’re in agreement with the enemy. God-talk brings God on the scene. Enemy-talk brings the enemy on the scene. Why don’t you get in agreement with God today? The negative voice may be louder, but you can override it. You can take away all of its power by simply choosing the voice of faith. Choose to declare favor, blessing and increase over your life so that you can walk in the victory the Lord has in store for you.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, today and every day, I choose the voice of faith and victory. I declare that I am rising up higher in You, that I can do all things because You give me strength. I bless You and honor You in everything I say and do in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Eat Your Fruit

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”

(Proverbs 18:21, NASB)

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

Did you know that your words produce fruit in your life that you will partake of in the future? If you aren’t where you want to be in life today, could it be because of the words you’ve spoken in the past? Have you said things like, “I’ll never rise any higher; I’ve gone as far as I can go?” Or maybe you’ve said, “I’ll never break this addiction. I’ve had it too long. It’s too hard.” And now you are eating the fruit of your words. You’re still in the same place. If you are ready to change your situation, then it’s time to change what you are saying about your situation. If you want a different harvest in your life, you have to change the seeds you are sowing. Start sowing words of faith and victory. Let your attitude be, “This may be the way it’s been in the past, but this is not the way it’s staying. I’m coming up higher. I may feel weak, but my declaration is that “I am strong.” When you sow seeds of life, you will reap life and move forward into the victory the Lord has in store for you!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, today I uproot any bad seeds I have sown by repenting and acknowledging You. I ask that You destroy any negative crop in my life. I choose to speak words of faith and life so that I can partake of the fruit of victory You have in store for me in Jesus’ name. Amen.