ONE LOVE

Romans 12:2 informs us that God has a plan in mind for us. His will toward us is good and acceptable and perfect, but we must completely renew our minds before we will ever experience this good thing God has planned. We renew our minds, get a new attitude and new ideas, by studying God’s word. His word is truth ( see John 17:17) and exposes all the lies of satan we have believed and been deceived by. Adam and Eve believed Satan’s lie that there was something outside of God’s provision that would satisfy them ( see genesis 3:1-7) we each make this same mistake until we learn that nothing can deeply satisfy us except the presence of almighty God. Our contentment cannot be dependent on our spouse. Our joy cannot be derived from our kids, or our friends, or those who work with us. People will inevitably disappoint us, Because God created us for His fellowship, and nothing will satisfy that longing but Him. But satan still whispers lies to us saying “oh, this will make you happy. This is what you need.” Then we spend all of our energy entreating God for that thing. I couldn’t even count the times I have thought. Oh, that is what I need, God! Then I would put all my spiritual energies. My prayer and my studying to receiving that thing. Sometimes the desires of our heart can even seem noble, for years I wanted my ministry to grow. When it didn’t, I became Frustrated and dissatisfied. I fasted, prayed. And I tried everything I knew to try to get more people to come to my meetings. I remember complaining when God would not give me the increase I wanted and it was keeping me upset most of the time, I would come to a meeting and everybody would be late, nobody would be excited and sometimes the attendance would be half of what it was the time before. Then I would leave the meeting questioning, what am I doing wrong, God? Why aren’t you blessing me? I’m fasting. I’m praying. I’m giving and believing. God, look at all my good works and you’re not moving on my behalf. I was so frustrated I felt like I was going to explode. I asked, “God! Why are you doing this to me?” He said, Joyce, I am teaching you that man does not live by bread alone.“ I knew God had spoken to me from the bible. But at that time I wasn’t familiar enough with it to know where that scripture could be found, I knew He had spoken His word, a rhema ( a personal, individual message) to me. So I searched the scriptures for more explanation, but I didn’t like what I found. Deuteronomy 8:2-3:
And you shall earnestly remember all the way which the Lord your God led you these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and to prove you, to know what was in your mind and heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. And He humbled you and allowed you to hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you recognize and personally know that man does not live by bread only, but man lives by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord….

God wanted my desires to be purely for more of Him. The Lord said to me. “Anything that you have to have besides me to be satisfied is something the devil can use against you.” It’s not that we shouldn’t want things; God just doesn’t want us to put them before our desire for Him. He wants us to find a place in Him where we are living in His manifest presence and are satisfied with God himself, He demands first place in our lives. Consider 1 John 5:21:

Little children, keep yourselves from idols false gods—from anything and everything that would occupy the place in your heart due to God, from any sort of substitute for Him that would take first place in your life. Amen so let it be.

- by Joyce Meyer

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