We like to hold on to people. “Stay here. Meet my needs; keep it the same.” It takes maturity to let people walk away. It takes trust. You’re saying, “God, I know You’re my doorkeeper. You’re opening and closing the doors of relationships in my life”. Let God bring your relationships; trust Him with who comes into your life.

There are times in life when everything will try to get you to fight. Worry about this child. Get bitter over this hurt, feel guilty from your mistakes. The Scripture says, “Be still and know that He is God.” God said in Psalms, “Sit at My right hand.” If you’ll sit, God will make those enemies a footstool. Don't miss this powerful message, "It Changed Positions." bit.ly/3LwFSDa

Let people off the hook and start putting those negative words, what they spoke over you, under your feet. They don’t determine your destiny. They didn’t know you before you were formed in your mother’s womb. They didn’t handpick you. Why are you elevating their words over who God says you are? Be inspired by this message from Joel, "It Changed Positions". bit.ly/JOAPodcast

Taking matters into your own hands, trying to prove to people who you are, that’s not the way to deal with enemies. You’re letting the hurt, the bitterness reign. The Scripture says, “Sit at My right hand until I make your enemies a footstool.” Sitting means you’re at peace, you’re trusting God to fight your battles, you know He’s going to make it up to you.

Worrying about the situation is not going to make it better. Worrying is working. Living offended is working. Being discouraged, thinking about how impossible it looks—that’s working. Take the pressure off. You’re trying to do everything in your own strength. God wants you to depend on Him.

God doesn’t eliminate every enemy. He may not take away the offense, the hurt, the injustice, but He has given you the power to take it off the throne of your life and put it under your feet. Tune into Joel’s message today! "It Changed Positions": bit.ly/3LwFSDa

When we wake up in the morning, we get to choose how we’re going to live that day. We can choose to live in faith, happy, expecting favor, or we can choose to live discouraged, defeated, focused on our problems.

When you call on His name, angels go to work, giants come down, sickness can’t stay, addictions are broken, doors supernaturally open. Nothing can stand against our God. If He stopped the sun for Joshua because he dared to ask, God will stop things for you that are keeping you from your purpose if you will dare to ask. “God, show me Your favor so I can break this addiction. Show me Your goodness so I can accomplish this dream. Show me Your power so I can overcome this sickness.”

God is not intimidated by the size of your request. When it brings Him honor, displays His power, that gets His attention. He says, “Here’s someone that believes I can do something unusual, uncommon, where people will know I am all-powerful.”

You may have made mistakes, but you have to learn to forgive yourself. Quit beating yourself up over what didn’t work out. Sometimes we can forgive others easier than we can forgive ourselves.

Don’t look to people; look to God. You don’t need everyone to celebrate you. People can get jealous. People can be competitive, moody. You don’t need their approval; you have Almighty God’s approval.

Sometimes we’ve done all we can. We’ve prayed. We’ve stayed in faith. We worked hard, but nothing changed. It’s tempting to feel discouraged. “There’s nothing more I can do.” That’s when the Most High is going to step in and do what you couldn’t do. He’s the chain breaker. He came to loose the chains, to break the bondages.

You have to pass the test of overlooking insults, ignoring what people say. They wouldn’t be talking about you if you weren’t making a difference, if you weren’t a leader, if you weren’t shining brightly.

Don’t let one bad break, one hurtful season, cause you to miss all the blessings, the favor that God has planned for you. When we’re focused on our wounds, we can’t see the people God wants us to help. We miss these opportunities. It’s not just to be good to others. Those are seeds you’re sowing for God to restore and refresh you. Don't miss this powerful message, "Beyond the Bite". bit.ly/3LwFSDa

God uses wounded people, people who have been hurt, betrayed, gone through injustice. You may have wounds, but you still carry healing. You have some bite marks, but you’re still anointed, still favored. You can still be a blessing. Be inspired by this message from Joel, "Beyond the Bite". bit.ly/JOAPodcast

We all have things we’re waiting on. It’s easy to be frustrated. “Why is this taking so long?” But the Scripture says, “Through faith and patience, we inherit the promises.” It’s good to have faith, but without patience, you can miss God’s best.

Shake off the bitterness. Shake off the offense. You have a destiny to fulfill. We need the best version of you. Not the bitter you, the discouraged you, the half-hearted you, the limited you. Where is the strong, vibrant, talented, beautiful, passionate you that God created? The you that shines. The you that blesses others.