I DECLARE (6 page)

When you allow what someone says or does to upset you, you're allowing them to control you.

People have a right to say what they want, to do what they want, as long as it's legal. But we have a right to not get offended. We have a right to overlook it. But when we get upset and go around angry, we change. What's happening is we're putting too much importance on what they think about us.

What they say about you does not define who you are. Their opinion of you does not determine your self-worth. Let that bounce off of you like water off of a duck's back. They have every right to have their opinion, and you have every right to ignore it.

I DECLARE God's supernatural favor over my life. What I could not make happen on my own, God will make happen for me. Supernatural opportunities, healing, restoration, and breakthroughs are coming my way. I am getting stronger, healthier, and wiser. I will discover talent that I didn't know I had and I will accomplish my God-given dream. This is my declaration.

In the Bible, God promised Sarah she would have a child. At first she didn't believe it. She thought she was too old. I love what God said to her in Genesis 18:14: "Sarah, is there anything too hard for the Lord?"

God says that to each one of us. "Is there anything too hard for Me?" Do you think your dreams are too big for God to bring to pass? Do you think your relationship is too far gone for God to restore? Do you think you just have to live with that sickness the rest of your life?

No, get a new vision today. Put on a new attitude. God is saying, "I am all-powerful. I can turn any situation around."

It doesn't matter what it looks like in the natural world. He is a supernatural God.

The Amplified Bible puts it this way, "Is there anything too wonderful for the Lord?"

God says, "If you'll take the limits off Me I'll amaze you with My goodness. I'll not only meet your needs, I'll take it one step further. I'll give you the desires of your heart" (2 Corinthians 9:8-9 NIV). One translation says, "the secret petitions of your heart." These are your hidden dreams, those secret desires, those promises that you haven't told anybody about. It's just between you and God. Know this today; God wants to bring your secret petitions to pass. Will you get a vision for it? Will you put your faith out there?

Sometimes we think, God has bigger things to deal with than me getting this business off the ground, or taking this trip overseas to see my relatives. I can't bother God with that. That's not important enough.

God is the one who puts the

dream in your heart.... He wants to

amaze you with His goodness.

No, it's just the opposite. God is the one who puts the dream in your heart. I know as a parent I love to do good things for my children. I love to make their day. I want you to get a revelation of how much

your Heavenly Father is longing to be good to you.

He wants to amaze you with His goodness.

When you believe, it sets a series of events into motion. God wants to give you the desires of your heart. I believe even right now, because you're in faith, because you're saying, "Lord, I believe," God is arranging things in your favor. He is lining up the right people, the right opportunities. In the coming days you will see supernatural increase, explosive blessings.

I DECLARE I will live victoriously. I was created in the image of God. I have the DNA of a winner. I am wearing a crown of favor. Royal blood flows through my veins. I am the head, never the tail, above never beneath. I will live with purpose, passion, and praise, knowing that I was destined to live in victory. This is my declaration.

It says in Romans 5:17, "We are to reign in life as kings." When God looks at us He doesn't see us defeated, barely getting by, or just taking the leftover positions. Not at all. God sees you as a king. He sees you as a queen. You have His royal blood flowing through your veins. You and I are supposed to reign in life.

Do you know what that word reign means? It means, "time in power." God said we're to reign how long? In life. That means as long as you're alive that is your time in power. You don't have a two-year term like a mayor, a four-year term like a president. Your term is to reign every single day, to be victorious, to rise to new levels, to accomplish great things.

And on those days where you don't feel like a king, or you don't feel like a queen, just remember to reach down and check your pulse, and as long as you feel something beating you can say, "What do you know? It's still my time to reign." Let that be a reminder to put on a new attitude. And sometimes you have to do this by faith. You may not feel victorious. It may not look like you're blessed. But I like that saying, "You've got to fake it until you make it." By faith you need to walk like a king, talk like a king, think like a king, dress like a king, smile like a king. Don't go by what you see. Go by what you know. There is royalty in your DNA. You have the blood of a winner. You were created to reign in life.

Go by what you know.

Too many people are living below their privileges. It's because their vision has been clouded by past mistakes, disappointments, or how they were raised. They don't feel like royalty. They don't think they could be successful and really accomplish what God has put in their hearts. But I believe today, as I'm speaking faith into you, something is happening on the inside.

New seeds are taking root; strongholds that may have kept you back for years, even right now, are being broken. You need to rise up and say, "That's it. I'm not settling where I am. I know it's still my time of power. Yes, I may have taken a break for a little while but I've got an announcement. I'm coming back. I will start stepping up to who God created me to be."

I DECLARE I am a people builder. I will look for opportunities to encourage others to bring out the best in them and to help them accomplish their dreams. I will speak words of faith and victory, affirming them, approving them, letting them know they are valued. I will call out their seeds of greatness, helping them to rise higher and become all that God created them to be. This is my declaration.

Do you know how many people have never been told: "You are a winner"? There are most likely people in your life right now—people you work with, people you play ball with, maybe even your own family members—who are starving for your approval. They are craving for you to speak the blessing over their life.

You don't know what it will mean when you affirm them, when you give them your approval, and let them know in no uncertain terms that you are proud of them and you think they will do great things. Everyone needs to be valued. Everyone needs to be appreciated. Every person needs that blessing.

Let me ask you today, what kind of seeds are you planting in your child, in your spouse, in that friend, in that nephew? Are you believing in anyone? Are you taking an interest to see how you can make someone's life better? Listen to their dreams. Find out what God has put in their hearts. Let them know you're behind them. Give them your approval.

Everyone needs to be valued.

Everyone needs to be appreciated.

Every person needs that blessing.

If you talk with any successful people they'll tell you somebody believed in them. Somebody planted a seed and encouraged them when they were down. Somebody helped them get a good break. Somebody spoke faith when they didn't think they could do it.

Thomas Edison encouraged Henry Ford. Mr. Ford was introduced to him as "the man trying to build a car that runs on gasoline." When Edison heard it, his face brightened up. He hit his fist on the table and said, "You've got it. A car that has its own power plant; that's a brilliant idea."

Up to that point no one had encouraged Mr. Ford. No one thought it was a good idea. He had just about convinced himself to give up, but along came Edison and spoke faith into him. That was a turning point in Henry Ford's life. He said, "I thought I had a good idea but I started to doubt myself. Then came along one of the greatest minds that's ever lived and gave me his complete approval."

That's what can happen with a simple vote of confidence. We don't realize the power we hold. We don't always realize what it means when we tell somebody, "I believe in you. You've got what it takes.

I'm behind you one hundred percent." And really, every one of us should be someone else's number one fan. We should be encouraging them, lifting them when they've fallen, celebrating when they succeed, praying when they're struggling, urging them forward. That's what it means to be a people builder.

I DECLARE I will speak only positive words of faith and victory over myself, my family, and my future. I will not use my words to describe the situation. I will use my words to change my situation. I will call in favor, good breaks, healing, and restoration. I will not talk to God about how big my problems are. I will talk to my problems about how big my God is. This is my declaration.

We need to pay attention to the things we say. I've known people who are always talking about how tired and run-down they are. They say it so much it's become a reality. The more you talk about negative things in your life the more you call them in. So if you wake up in the morning and feel tired and lethargic, instead of complaining, you need to declare: "I'm strong. I'm full of energy. God is renewing my strength. I can do what I need to do today."

Sometimes when we've been traveling a lot and been very busy we'll come to church and Victoria will say, "Joel, I am so tired. Look at my eyes. Can you see how red they are?"

I always say, "No, Victoria. You look great. You look just as beautiful as ever."

She knows me too well. "No, I don't," she'll say. "I know you. You just won't say it."

Victoria is right. I won't agree when she says she looks bad. I don't want to speak defeat. I want to speak victory. I often wonder what she would think if I ever said, "Oh yeah, Victoria. You don't look good at all. You look so tired. Are you really wearing that?"

I'd have to find a ride home! So, I stick to talking with hope. The more we talk about being tired the more tired we become. The more we talk about being depressed the more depressed we'll be. The more you talk about being overweight the more out of shape you will become. Switch over into victory.

Don't talk about the way you are. Talk about the way you want to be.

There is a young lady on staff at Lakewood Church. She told our women's group that every morning before she leaves the house she looks in the mirror and says, "Girl, you are looking good today."

I saw her a while back and asked if she was still doing it. She said, "Yeah. In fact this morning, Joel, when I looked in that mirror I said, 'Girl, some days you look good but today you're looking really good.'"

Encourage yourself. Don't speak

defeat over your life.

I encourage you to be bold in the same way. Encourage yourself. Don't speak defeat over your life. Be bold and dare to say, I look great today. I'm made in the image of Almighty God. I am strong and talented. I'm blessed. I am creative. I will have a productive day."

I DECLARE I will not just survive; I will thrive! I will prosper despite every difficulty that may come my way. I know every setback is a setup for a comeback. I will not get stagnant, give up on my dreams, or settle where I am. I know one touch of God's favor can change everything. I'm ready for a year of blessings and a year of thriving! This is my declaration.

Some people lock into a survival mentality instead of a thriving mentality. They watch so many troubling news reports they decide: "It's so bad. How will I ever make it?"

Just like you can be talked into surviving, I want to talk you into thriving. I realize we need to use wisdom with what God has given us. But I don't believe we're supposed to pull back to where we're not pursuing our dreams anymore so that we don't expect increase or favor. I don't think we should just be holding on, or trying to maintain. That is a survival mentality.

Remember this: as God took the five loaves and the two fish and multiplied it to feed thousands of people, He can multiply what you have. He can multiply your time and help you to get more done.

He can multiply your wisdom and help you to make better decisions.

God can multiply your time and help you

to get more done. He can multiply your wisdom

and help you to make better decisions.

God is in complete control. When times get tough don't hunker down and think, Oh, it's so bad. If I can just hold on and make it through another year...

No, dig your heels in and say, "I'm not just surviving. I will thrive. I'll prosper despite this difficulty."

A young lady told me that she had struggled in her marriage for a long time. She had done her best to keep it together, but it just didn't work out. She said, "Joel, well, at least I survived." She was happy to just make it through, but I could tell the wind had been taken out of her sails. She was a beautiful girl, but she had lost her fire. She'd lost the sparkle in her eyes.

I told her what I'm telling you: You made it through but you can't keep that survival mentality. God has new seasons in front of you. He has new doors He wants to open. He wants the next part of your life to be better than the first part.

A survival mentality will keep you from God's best. Shake it off and say, "God, You promised what was meant for my harm You would use to my advantage. I may have been through the fire, through the famine, through the flood, but I know it's my time for favor. It's my time to see more of Your goodness in my life."

Keep your faith out there. I want you to start expecting God to increase you in a greater way. Start expecting this to be your best year so far!

I DECLARE I will choose faith over fear! I will meditate on what is positive and what is good about my situation. I will use my energy not to worry but to believe. Fear has no part in my life. I will not dwell on negative, discouraging thoughts. My mind is set on what God says about me. I know His plan for me is for success, victory, and abundance. This is my declaration.