Handling Life's Hardships: First Aid For Life's Difficulties

By Robert E. Joyce

DETROIT PISTONS Chaplain of 22 Years

HANDLING LIFE’S HARDSHIPS offers you insights on what to do when you have obeyed God, but still find yourself asking, “Where is He?” You will learn what to do when your faithfulness seems to be rewarded with adversity, confusion and difficulty.

Robert Joyce reveals God’s th

• Language: English
• Publisher: Worldwide Publishing Group
• Release date: Mar 2, 2016
• ISBN: 9783960284338

Robert E. Joyce

ROBERT E JOYCE has been chaplain to the National Basketball Association's Detroit Pistons since 1990. He also ministers worldwide as a motivational speaker, relationship expert, life coach; and serves as senior pastor to Life Center Church which he and his late wife, LaVern, founded in 1982. Life Center Church is a center for ministry training in the northwest suburbs of Detroit, Michigan.

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This Book

This book by Bishop Robert E. Joyce offers you revelatory insights what to do when you have obeyed God, but still find yourself asking, Where is He?

You will learn what to do when your faithfulness seems rewarded with adversity--confusing and difficult circumstances. As we explore the word of God throughout this book, it will activate the anointing within us and stir us to advance the Kingdom of God.

This book will help you process your experiences according to God’s word and His way. Rather than panic, you will learn God’s ways of developing your character and integrity; and conforming you to the image of Christ.

No longer will you be moved by your emotions. You will be moved by your assignment!

Welcome to boot camp, Warrior!

Handling Life’s

Hardships

First Aid For Life’s Difficulties

Bishop Robert E. Joyce

Copyright © 2016 by Bishop Robert E. Joyce

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means—electronic, mechanical, digital photocopy, recording, or any other without the prior permission of the author.

All rights reserved solely by the author. The author guarantees all contents are original and do not infringe upon the legal rights of any other person or work. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without the permission of the author.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Holy Bible. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission.

All rights reserved.

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Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Foreword

Introduction

Chapter One Having the Faith of God

Faith is Foundational

Faith for the Fight

The Faith of Fathers

Divine Connection

Hearing God

The Fruit of Faith

Faith in Revelation

Enduring Faith

Living Faith

Guided Faith

Chapter Two God’s Place of Preparation is Hidden by Design

Why Does God Hide Us?

God Leads Us into Hiding

God Commands a Blessing in Hiding

How Long will We be Hidden by God?

The Death of Progress

Hiding Develops Character

Intimacy Leads to Impartation

The Shrinking Reservoir

The Calling Out

Chapter Three The Worshipping Warrior

We are at War

Know Your Enemy

Know Your God

The Character of a Warrior

Discipline

Submission

The Place of Pressure

Obedience

Loyalty

Courage

Humility

The Last Word for Warriors

Chapter Four Developing Your Relationship

A Deeper Love

Bible Reading

The Lost Art of Meditation

The Jealous Lover

We are Doers of the Word

Obedience is the Divine Response

Chapter Five Divine Direction

What is Divine Direction?

The Purpose of Divine Direction

The Leading of the Lord

How do I Know When it is God?

The Ways He Leads

The Importance of Relationship

God, I Missed It. What Do I Do Now?

On the Right Path

Following His Lead

Chapter Six Positioned to Receive Instructions, Having an Ear to Hear

Another Revelation

How Do We Hear from God?

The Ways Which God Speaks

Dreams

Visions

The Prophetic

God Speaks Through Nature

Why Can’t I Hear Him?

Positioning Ourselves to Hear

Do We All Hear His Voice the Same Way?

Recognition and Responsibility

The Proper Response

The Final Test

Chapter Seven There is an Expected End for You Purpose and Destiny

Destiny and Purpose Working Together

Corporate Purpose

Fight

We Need Each Other

Understanding Who You are in the Lord

Fulfilling Destiny

Destiny and Purpose Work Together

Judas Iscariot-Son of Perdition

Jesus – Our Lord

Am I There Yet

Chapter Eight Is it Sin or Righteousness?

The Struggle is Life

The Source of My Trouble

The Darkness of God

The Darkness of the Enemy

God’s Judgment is on Sin

Because of My Goodness

God Forgives Sin

The Grace of God

Chapter Nine Raising Your Level of Expectation, Times and Seasons

What is Time?

The Search for Answers

Discerning the Times

You are an Eternal Being

The God Spot

Missing It

The Right Place at the Right Time

Inventory

Chapter Ten The Finishing Anointing

The Wayfarers

It is time to Rule

The Journey

When Will I Finish?

Identifying My Gifts

Renewed Vision

Kairos

Deliberate Success

Know Your Anointing

Acknowledgements

I would like to give special thanks and appreciation to all those whom I am indebted for the production of this book. There are so many individuals who have invested in me and through our relationship have pulled the best out of me. Thanks to the Almighty God, for His inspiration, guidance, and Holy Spirit poured on me day and night. I could not accomplish anything without Him.

I would like to acknowledge and thank my Life Center Church Pastoral Staff, Pastor Anetria Wright, MA (Executive Pastor and NBA Chaplain since 2001), Prophet Ron Wright, MBA (Assistant Pastor, Assistant NBA Chaplain and Finance Director since 2001), Dr. Veronica Williams - Latnie, PhD (Staff Clinical Psychologist), Pastor James Moss (Worship Pastor, International Recording Artist and Branding Specialist), Pastor Melanie Moss, MA (Marketing Specialist), Pastor Starlette Joyce, BA (Youth Pastor), Pastor Anita Hopes (Women’s Ministry and Conference Coordinator).

To my Support Staff, Minister Ethel, Carol Wasnich, Minister Danai Makeleni, Deacon Calvin Burnett, Katie Green, and Minister Chris Alexander. To my Production Team, Nazir Ali (Media Specialist), Myles Wright, and James Moss Jr. To my Life Center Church Family and Friends, thanks for your labor of love and faithfulness.

Special thanks to Elder Melvin D. Latnie, who has had a long distinguished career in business and senior leadership positions at Michigan State University. Thank you for believing in me and investing in the production of this book.

Thank you Ms. Tamie Moran, Seline Nichols, Ms. Maleeka Love, Ms. Davida McShan, and Ms. Shawna Smith, with ENW Consultants for your assistance in editing this book for publication.

A deeply appreciate Elesia Powell for assisting in the early development of this book.

I especially grateful for my Spiritual Father and Covering, The Honorable Dr. Bishop Bill Hamon and the late Mom Hamon of Christian International. Your Anointing and Prophetic experiences has enhanced and inspired me. Thanks for your teaching and covering; it has maximized my potential and made an incredible influence on my life.

Also, special thanks to REJoyce Ministries Network and National Apostolic Prophetic School, of which have connected me with wonderful men and women of God.

As Senior Chaplain to The Detroit Pistons (22 years), I would like to thank Chauncey Billups, Grant Hill, Lindsay Hunter, Ben Wallace, Tayshaun Prince, Rodney Stuckey and The Detroit Pistons Organization.

To all the people who have been a blessing to me whose names were not mentioned, thank you for all you do to bless the Kingdom.

Sincerely,

Bishop Robert E. Joyce Sr.

Foreword

It is one thing to write a book which is not only intelligently well written, but also, comprehensive. This book is not only practical, but foundational, in that many of us have never truly understood the cohesive everyday events which challenge our Christian faith to the core. Challenges leaving many of us wanting and shaken. I believe manuscripts such as this, holds the mysteries to which will unlock those doors we've been kicking against, when it appears God does not answer our prayers, when it looks like the brook has dried up.

The two differentials of darkness are brilliant adaptations of Heaven and Earth. When one simply cannot determine whether it's God's darkness or the enemy's darkness, and for the commission to connect heaven to earth, we must be led by assignment and not emotion. Good work Bishop in explaining the two and giving us a road map for which to follow to victory when our brooks appear to have dried up.

Reading this book has empowered me to empower others. If you are looking for practicality, not religion, then this is your book. Real biblical answers for very real earthly challenges. Thank you Bishop Joyce for giving us this timely gift as we enter into a new level of Kingdom Empowerment!

Prophetess Dianne Palmer

Introduction

This book will encourage those who have been steadfast in their walk with God, but are discouraged because of their present trials. We often attribute our situation to the work of the enemy, but there are two types of darkness: the darkness of God and the darkness of the enemy. God will allow some God-ordained trouble to shape our lives. We can look at the lives of Moses, Elijah, and Jesus, recognizing times of darkness that were aligned with the will of God.

You are in the right place, at the right time! You are on course and God is still with you. Right now you may be in a dry place, like Elijah at the brook Cherith. Hold your position until you hear from God. This book will examine the commonality of adversity, while providing you with the keys to overcome it. We have all experienced setbacks, disappointments, the death of a dream, or the loss of a loved one. No matter what the difficulty has been (spiritual, relational, or economic) know that God’s resources are available for you. He allows our circumstances to both deliver and develop us. Our current position is no surprise to God and He desires our very best. He says, For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end (Jeremiah 29:11, KJV).

We will examine the life of the prophet Elijah. We can see that while God had Elijah hidden by the brook Cherith, he learned of God’s provision and prepared for the toughest battle of his life; facing the prophets of Baal.

Today, God is calling us, His army, to be equipped for battle. This book will take you to boot camp where you will understand that soldiers are to be moved by assignment, not by emotion. You will learn how to get up after you have taken a hit. You will learn that you are a soldier, whose will, flesh, and character is under subjection to the will of the Father. And you will learn that God is developing your integrity and character by the brook because He wants you to look like Him.

Chapter One

Having the Faith of God

While sitting outside of a mall one summer day, soaking-up the sun and people watching, I noticed a young boy about seven years old with his dad. The child walked along the edge of a small stone wall. As his father warned him to be careful, the boy continued to walk toward the end of the wall and said, Oh daddy, it will be alright. If I fall, you will be here to catch me. The boy reached the end of the wall and his father held out his hands as the little boy leaped into his arms. The child had faith that his daddy was able to catch him.

Understanding the trust the child had in his father was a powerful moment for me. It made me think of our relationship with God and how much He loves us. He always knows and desires the best for his children. God is always faithful, and because of his faithfulness we can put our trust in Him. The eternal creator, God, loves us and what is more remarkable is we did not do anything to deserve or earn it. He does not love you because you are good but because He is good. It is precisely because of His goodness that we can trust and have faith in Him.

We hear a great deal about faith, but what exactly is faith? How do we define something as intangible as faith? We can start by saying faith is a confident belief in the truth, value, or trustworthiness of a person, idea, or thing. Just like the little boy at the mall who had faith in his dad because he trusted him. The little boy had a relationship with his father and because of their relationship he had a confident belief in the trustworthiness of his dad.

Our relationship with God is similar. We trust Him based on our previous interactions and experience with Him. Jesus said, If you, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him (Matthew 7:11 KJV). If our natural fathers treat us well and care for us, how much more will the God of all righteousness hold our best interest near and dear to Him? He wants the best for us but our present circumstances may prevent us from seeing that our final outcome will be better. It is only through faith that we can remain steadfast and trust in His awesome ability to show Himself strong on our behalf.

Scripture tells us that, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen(Hebrews 11:1 KJV). As we have said, it is a belief in the intangible and confidence that the One who promised is