The above picture shows that the current name of the women’s conference is “Love Life.” Our Lord issues a warning that says whoever loves his life will lose it. The overall goal or pursuit of the believer is not to find ways to love this life more, rather, it is to count this life as loss when compared to the surpassing value of knowing Christ.
Whoever loves his life will lose it, but whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
John 12:25 (emphasis added)
Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
Matthew 10:39
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
Matthew 16:25
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and for the gospel will save it.
Mark 8:35
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.
Luke 9:24
If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters–yes, even his own life–he cannot be My disciple.
Luke 14:26
0:30 Joyce: “I guess we better be glad somebody is rich otherwise they would never get taken care of.”
Scripture tells us that those that desire riches fall in to temptation. Scripture also tells us that our father in heaven who cares to feed the birds will surly provide for his children. In this video, Joyce says that we need to have “prosperity with a purpose,” however we are not admonished in scripture to desire riches even if it’s in the name of helping someone.
But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.
1 Timothy 6:9
For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26“Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?
Matthew 6:25-26
If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, 4he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, 5useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself.
1 Timothy 6:3
1:37 Joyce quotes 3 John 1:2 – The way in which Joyce continues to use this scripture is out of context. Joyce uses this scripture to justify the acquiring of more ‘’blessings’’ and says that as a person matures that they should be able to handle more of Gods blessings. 3 John 1:2 reads as follows:
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
3 John 1:2
Joyce paints the picture that this is God speaking to all people saying that what he desires above everything is that you prosper financially and be in health physically. This is like saying since Noah was charged with building an ark, we should build one too. This scripture says nothing of the sort; this is a salutation from John to a man named Gaius. When you include the verse before verse two this becomes obvious.
1 The Elder,
To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth:
2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
3 John 1:1-2
1:48 Joyce goes on to say that just like raising children you wouldn’t give something to a five-year-old that they couldn’t handle, but as you mature, God wants to give you more “blessings” that you can indeed handle. There are examples in scripture of God blessing his people with tangible things, but the scriptures do not elude to some growth track in which you try to spiritually mature for the sake of “blessings.”
Consider the temptation of Christ…we see that Lucifer offered all the kingdoms of the world to our Lord only to be rebuked. If Lucifer offered Christ the world and its splendor, then material wealth cannot be proof of a blessing from God.
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’
Matthew 4:8-10
2:33 Joyce opens the meeting with quotes from her diary where she says that God spoke to her. This is greatly concerning for several reasons, the biggest reason this is concerning is because Christians are not to gather to hear from a diary, but the are to gather to hear and learn Gods Word. This is troubling because this is the first time I have seen someone of Joyce’s level of influence and platform treat a personal diary like God’s Holy Bible. Nowhere in scripture are we told to “Speak the word and experience more help from angels.” She continues to treat her diary with the same amount of inspiration as Holy Scripture.
3:48 Joyce says, “you’re not going to complain your way in to increase, that’s not how you get it.” Here Joyce states why she believes we should not complain and that’s because she is equating getting “increase” from God with “not complaining.” In other words ,God is the increase piñata and not complaining is the stick you use to get what you want.
This conclusion is foreign to scripture. The Biblical reason why we should not want to complain is because we want to be further conformed to the image of Christ and glorify Him alone. The wrong motive is clearly stated in this video and it’s quite unsettling.
5:35 Joyce quotes Psalm 103:20. She goes on to say that by speaking scriptures out loud, the believer can aid or hinder angelic activity. The problem is that is not what the Bible says; Her diary says this, not scripture. In the below reference of Psalm 103:20, it’s clear that angels respond only to the word of the Lord, the Sovereign of the universe, not believers speaking Bible scriptures. We are not in charge of angles, God is. This bears a striking resemblance to the New Age understanding of the law of attraction, if you say the right things and think the right thoughts the universe will give you what you want. Reference to New Thought definition: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_attraction_(New_Thought)
Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.
Psalm 103:20
In addition to the above-mentioned examples, Joyce Meyer has continued to stand behind and teach Word of Faith theology as well as associate with other preachers that do the same. Below is a list of examples of what Word of Faith theology teaches.
- Jesus atoned for sin in hell and had to be born again.
- Faith is a force vs faith being placed in God.
- If you are sick, you need to deny that you are because you won’t be healed if you have negative confessions.
- It is always God’s will to heal physically, as well as financially bless believers.
- Words and thoughts control matter and the universe vs. God controlling the universe.
Joyce has been quoted as saying that Jesus stopped being the Son of God (click links).
This is blasphemy in the highest sense! Jesus was not born again! This is because God cannot be born again- He has no sin and is perfectly Holy. Jesus also never ceased to be God. There are many videos online that show Joyce saying that Jesus Christ was born again and to my knowledge, Joyce has never retracted these statements, nor repented for saying them.
Lastly, it is my deep conviction that Holy Scripture is being misrepresented by Joyce Meyer as well as Joel Osteen, John Gray, Steven Furtick, Ed Young, Beth Moore, Christine Caine, and many other Word of Faith teachers that Joyce associates with and endorses. I wish no ill towards Joyce Meyer nor anyone at Joyce Meyer Ministries. I do, however, pray that people will begin to read and study the Bible in context and that Joyce would repent for misrepresenting the Holy eternal Word of God for 40+ years.
Thank you,
Paul Massey