Be Joyful: 50 Days to Defeat the Things that Try to Defeat You

by Joyce Meyer

Conquer the most common obstacles to life with this 50-day guide as #1 New York Times bestselling author Joyce Meyer draws upon the teachings of the apostle Paul to help you experience joy-filled living each day of your life.
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In this 50-day guide, #1 New York Times bestselling author Joyce Meyer draws upon the teachings of the apostle Paul to help you experience joy-filled living each day of your life.

Joy is not just a "happy feeling" based on circumstances or on things you possess—it is a fruit of the Holy Spirit that empowers you to remain stable and persevere through hard times so you rise above them, rather than becoming defeated by them. One of the hallmarks of Paul’s epistles is the joy with which he writes and which he invites his readers to experience also. He chose joy in all circumstances, even during times of struggle.

In this unique book, Joyce Meyer presents Paul’s teachings on joy into concise lessons that equip you to triumph over the greatest challenges to a joy-filled life. Through these 50 daily entries, you’ll be encouraged to embrace the truths God has given you, truths that will allow you to overcome the emotions, attitudes, and experiences that rob you of joy. Be Joyful in the journey and begin to experience the wonderful, abundant life that the Lord has in store for you!

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Self Help, Christianity, Audiobook, Religion

224 pages, Hardcover

Published May 10, 2022

About the author

Joyce Meyer is one of the world's leading practical Bible teachers. A New York Times bestselling author, Joyce’s books have helped millions of people find hope and restoration through Jesus Christ. Through Joyce Meyer Ministries, Joyce teaches on a number of topics with a particular focus on how the Word of God applies to our everyday lives. Her candid communication style allows her to share openly and practically about her experiences so others can apply what she has learned to their lives.

Joyce’s programs, Enjoying Everyday Life and Everyday Answers with Joyce Meyer, can be seen around the world through television, radio, and the Internet. Joyce has authored more than 100 books, which have been translated into more than 100 languages and over 65 million of her books have been distributed worldwide. She teaches in cities across America as well as internationally. Joyce Meyer Ministries has offices in nine countries.

Joyce’s passion to help hurting people is foundational to the vision of Hand of Hope, the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. Hand of Hope provides worldwide humanitarian outreaches such as feeding programs, medical care, orphanages, disaster response, human trafficking intervention and rehabilitation, and much more – always sharing the love and Gospel of Christ.

Her latest book, LIVING A LIFE YOU LOVE, releases Spring 2018.

Hachette Book Group has sold over 30 million copies of Joyce Meyer's books.

Reviews

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not what I expected. A very thorough read for me. Took my time. Got all calm and comforted.

[Monica H (TeaandBooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joyce Meyer talks about Paul (formerly known as Saul) in the introduction to Be Joyful. She shares how Paul began writing about joy after he was transformed. He shared in the Bible about how joy is a big part of his life now and how it can change yours.

In Be Joyful, Joyce Meyer writes fifty days of devotional readings focused on the joy that you can have today through the Christian life. I like how these readings are so easy to understand and relate to. Meyer has such a way of bringing the Bible to people in such a way that they can understand and better apply it to their life. Each reading includes a Bible verse, a short devotional and ends with a couple things to think about. Usually the things to think about are questions to ask yourself so that you can relate to the reading and apply it to your own life. For example, chapter 34 features Philippians 4:6-7 with encouragement not to be anxious. Meyer shares advice and short stories on anxiety that is truly uplifting. Then closes with some ways to apply that verse to your own life and encourages the reader to remember ways that God has helped them in the past. Be Joyful includes a variety of other topics through the readings that relate to joy: patience, suffering, new life in Christ, doing good to others, and prayer, among many other topics in the fifty days of readings.

I also love this beautiful cover on Be Joyful! This book would make a nice gift for someone, as well as being a great book to read on your own.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions within this review are my own.

[Monica Mohr · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel bad rating this a two but it just felt like a book of directions and it didn’t feel very personalized. It felt like very general basic Bible teachings with not many connections to real life situations. I just guess I like daily devos that make me feel a connection this one just felt like a rule book.

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meyer provides fifty days of readings on joy. These are not fluffy devotions nor sweet stories. While joy is a fruit of the Spirit, Meyer reminds us it comes through love and self-discipline.

I like how she distinguishes joy and happiness. I like her saying joy is not getting what we want. She has found that life's greatest joy comes from helping others. We are never promised a trouble free life yet can have joy in the midst of our circumstances. Paul did not say we are to rejoice in our circumstances, Meyer writes, but rather we are to rejoice in the Lord at all times. (663/2182)

Other insights about joy include avoiding arguments, forgiving, thinking about godly things, letting go of the past, and remembering that God has given us everything we need to have a wonderful day. (249/2182)

I had to laugh at one devotion because Meyer reveals the error of taking a verse out of context. “No one has seen or imagined,” she writes, “all the good things that 'God has prepared for those who love him' (1 Corinthians 2:9)” (491/2182) The next verse says those very things “are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.” Oops.

This is a good collection of teachings on joy, receiving it and sustaining it. Most of the devotions are like brief Bible studies. Meyer adds a couple of questions at the end of each devotion for further thought.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

[Barbara Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joyce Meyer has long been a go-to teacher for me because she always keeps things simple and straightforward. There’s no fluff or flowery prose with her, which is what I need most of the time to keep me focused. Joy is one of the fruits of the Spirit, but as she showed in this book, it doesn’t always come naturally. It takes loves and self discipline. There’s a difference between joy and happiness. Happiness can be created or crushed by outside circumstances but joy comes from within in finding a relationship with Jesus.
This is a great collection of scriptures, explanations of each one and 2 questions for each on how to apply it to your life.
One thing that stood out to me was the following:
“No matter where you are on your spiritual journey-whether you are. Just starting out and have many questions about God or you have walked with God for decades and feel closer to Him than ever-let me encourage you to keep moving forward with Him…He will never give up on you, and no one will ever know or love you like age will. This is a good reason for great joy.”
This would make a great gift for the women in your life and for yourself.
Thanks to FaithWords and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

[Shannon Timme · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ugh lol! I hate to give a book that shares God’s Word 3⭐️s- but I’m just not sure Joyce Meyer delivers it in a way that resonates with me. She mostly uses the amplified or KJV translations when she quotes scripture. All of her stories start out the same and it seems she repeats well known Bible stories so often instead of digging deeper into God’s Word for examples of whatever the topic is. I do want to say that I read this like I would read a book, I didn’t do it as a 50 day devotional so perhaps I didn’t digest each day as she intended when she wrote it, but honestly most of the time I didn’t find there was much to digest. The depth just wasn’t there for me in this book. 🤷‍♀️

[Kati · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fifty days of devotions that focus on joy, not happiness, but the deep peace and contentment the Bible talks about. There will always be trouble and challenges and hurts in our lives, but joy within us can see us through the hard seasons.

Some chapters in this book were nice to read. But many chapters "talked" to me and made me think about my questions or challenges in a different light.

All in all, this is an encouraging and worthy book that helps the reader become more aware of the gift of joy and how to attain it.

[Emily Danielson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always enjoy Joyce Meyer’s books and this was no exception. Each chapter includes a brief introduction with a scripture as the theme and is only 3-4 pages long. The book was laid out in this way for 50 days, so this could be read as a daily reading for almost two months. I read it in a matter of a few days! It was very helpful and encouraging ! Definitely recommend!

[Michelle Odom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the interaction after each chapter. I found a lot of helpful advice in what having joy actually means.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Be Joyful, Joyce Meyer explored the teachings of Paul and how we become more joyful. The book is meant to be studied daily like a devotional. She begins the book by sharing how Saul became Paul and was a changed man. He first was strongly against Christians and would put them in prison. She begins by looking at how Paul would begin a lot of his writings with the saying of grace and peace from God our Father. She instructs us to try and live in peace daily.


She also looked at how worrying about things causes us to lose our joy. She compared worrying to rocking in a rocking chair and how it will lead us nowhere. In Philippians 4:6-7 we learn four ways to combat worrying. One of these ways in pray and let God handle whatever problems we are facing. Joyce explained how we need to replace our worried thoughts with thoughts about God has come through for us before.



One of the most powerful teachings in the book is the topic of who we are in Christ. I liked how Joyce explained how she was a Christian for many years before she understood this truth. She saw a big change in her life when she realized who she was in Christ. Some of these included, “alive in Christ, mind of Christ, can do all things through Christ, new creature in Christ”, and much more. We could see our lives improve greatly if we really believe these scriptures verses and live them out.



I would recommend this life changing book about Paul’s teaching to anyone who is living their lives burden down by their worries and they aren’t living a joyful life. I personally believe the whole world is losing their joy and they I immensely loved how she devoted two days to the scripture verses, Philippians 4:8-9 and this one discussed what we need to be thinking about. If we would focus on these thoughts our minds could change. I loved the lessons she taught in this book that are also found in scripture verses and they are all geared to help us to live a better life filled with true joy.


"I received this book free from the publisher, Hachette Book Group/Faithwords for my honest review.”

[Latisha’s Low-key Life · Rating 4 out of 5]

Be Joyful is an easy-to-use self-help book for those feeling defeated by life. Each chapter presents a Bible quote followed by a short text that matches it, written by Joyce. At the end of the chapters are a couple of questions to think about. These would be great discussion questions for a book club or reading with a book buddy.

I enjoy reading one chapter a day, so I haven’t read the book in its entirety yet. Be Joyful is a book you can put down for a while and jump right back in when needed. The chapters are titled in a way that lets the reader find a helpful passage, which means you can skip around, not reading the chapters in order. In addition, the chapters are short, so they are not time-consuming for busy people.

Obviously, this is a Christian self-help book. Joyce Meyer is well known for her sermons and books. If you enjoy studying small portions of Christian material, I think this book would be for you.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing this ebook. This is my honest review.

Read more reviews at Latishaslowkeylife.com

[Leslie McKee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meyer is a go-to author for me, so I was excited to check out her latest release. She never fails to provide encouragement. In this book, she focuses on Paul's messages and how his life is an example of how we can have more joy in our lives.

Chapters are short. They start with a focus verse(or verses) and contain a short devotion then two reflection questions.

Some chapters include:
- Knowing Who You Are in Christ
- How to Receive God's Blessings
- Rejoice in the Lord
- Choose Thoughts That Lead to Joy
- Deeply Rooted in God's Love

Some of my favorite quotes:
- "To me, grace is God's freely given, underserved favor and power that enables us to do with ease what we could never do on our own with any amount of struggle or self-effort."
- "Joy is not determined by circumstances. It is a gift from God, and it follows a life of grace and peace."

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy, but I wasn't required to leave a positive review.

[Rena McGrath · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a marvelous spiritual guidebook for living by Joyce Meyer. I have read many of her books but found this one particularly helpful as it came to me through Net Galley at a particularly difficult time in my life. I thought that I had to fight my way through all my problems by myself but through reading this insightful book I suddenly realized I had a constant, loving, helping Master - God to help me conquer my problems. This was a tremendous breakthrough for me. I was alone and now I learned I am never alone. Along the way I also learned about forgiving others 70 times 7 as Jesus answered one of His disciples when he asked just how many time should he have to forgive the same person again and again. There are many other guidelines for living a more spiritual life for anyone that makes Joyce's book very precious and important. Many thanks to Net Galley for allowing me to read this advanced copy and to FaithWords Hachette Book Group publishers.

[Cover Lover Book Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are a few go-to authors I reach for when I’m wanting guidance, encouragement, or inspiration in my Christian walk, and Joyce Meyer is one of them. In Be Joyful, she reflects on the Scripture messages of Paul so we can better live joyfully.

One statement that made me pause and reflect was a quote from theologian, Karl Barth. “Joy is the simplest form of gratitude.” We are truly blessed, and living joyfully recognizes that, no matter our circumstances. Spending time is gratitude will not only bless our lives but those around us. After all, joy is infectious.

I love the short chapters. Each includes a verse, a brief devotion/explanation, and two questions to meditate on. Reading these questions and searching for answers certainly puts our minds and hearts on a quest of finding joy each day.

Disclosure: #CoverLoverBookReview received a complimentary copy of this book.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you feel at times like joy is elusive? Yet the Bible tells us repeatedly to Rejoice or Be of Good Cheer. In Be Joyful Joyce Meyer shares 50 devotionals to help you find joy again. There may be things in your life which leave you feeling defeated. These devotionals from Meyer can help you find your joy again. As I read through my copy I found myself highlighting and putting sticky notes in many pages - things I wanted to remember to help me retain my joy.
You can read these devotionals 1 a day for 50 days. Or, you can read them the way I did - reading several at a time on days when I felt down and discouraged.
This is not a book to be read and set aside, at least not for me. It is a book I will continue to pick up and read a devotional or two when I need some encouragement.
I received a complimentary copy of Be Joyful. This is my honest review.

[Donna Hines (The Secret Book Sleuth) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Be Joyful is exactly what it claims to be ....find your happiness, follow God's word, help your fellow brother and sister.
Find the goodness in everything and proclaim the gratitude like Thanksgiving Day.
Never forget how blessed you truly are for each new day upon each new rising that gives an abundance of blessings.
Don't lose sight of who God intended you to be and how standing in faith and being ever present is how you move forward.
Don't just ask for prayer but be mindful.
Having read this book in its entirety a couple of lines stood out:
Our misery is the devil's greatest joy.
If you live to give instead of to get, you will always have plenty and joy to go with it.

[Christina Claypool · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author/speaker Joyce Meyer just turned 80, and she continues to write inspiring and spiritually helpful books. I recently used this one, “Be Joyful” as a daily devotional and found it filled with practical advice for everyday life. The truth is that this has been a challenging year for my family, and I needed a resource to enable me to amplify the joy in my life. Definitely, a beneficial study, because Mama Joyce’s books never disappoint! Five stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #joycemeyer #joy #bejoyful #devotional #God #Bible

[Marcena Hooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joyce Meyer spoke to me through this book. It is perfect for those seeking joy, and like me, who have lost it along this life’s journey. It’s practical, gives steps and examples, and most importantly is all based on the scriptures. The Word of God and Christ Himself are where we can find JOY. Thank you Mrs. Meyer for writing this. JOY has been my word for the year going on two years now and I’m learning so much about it. This book is a guide, like a handbook to set readers on their way to finding JOY again.

[Susan Shipe · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is my humble opinion that Joyce Meyer's teaching will grow you up in your faith with raw honesty and truth. In this book Joyce shares 50 days of defeating the things that try to defeat you. These are common, everyday obstacles we all have faced, are facing, or will face sooner of later. Each of the 50 chapters end with "things to think about."
Highly recommended for those who want to grow in Christ and overcome the obstacles that easily beset us.

[Leslie Yong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Praise for the book “Be joyful: 50 days to defeat the things that try to defeat you” by Joyce Meyer

Truly this is good hand book for reading and reference to equip the believers to have an overcoming life. Daily meditating over the guides can help build up our faith, and encourage us to move on and pursue our dreams.
Indeed at the end of it we can come out stronger and strengthen and be matured in Christ.

[Jennifer Tse · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt like it helped somewhat and didn’t help. Like I’ll try to implement the advice to think about joyful things instead of the past in order to be joyful. What doesn’t help is the advice to think about what God blessed me with and not think about what is missing in my life. I agree that I need to be content, but what I feel is missing means I need to try my best to fill the missing things with God’s help.

[Shelley Marushak Langelaar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joyce Meyer takes the Word of God and helps the reader to apply it to their personal life. I enjoyed this daily devotional book. It was a simple - yet effective way to add good habits to my life.

I received a complimentary copy of the ebook version of this book from NetGalley for my honest review.

[Sonja Coull · Rating 5 out of 5]

we all need joy

This is a great book of self reflection and learning how to create and accept joy into your life with the help of God. I equate it to “just stop and smell the roses”. It was a great study for 50 days and a great read while waiting in the doctor’s office or in the carpool line. Everyone should read this.

[Carol Custer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meyer writes with good, easy-to-understand care as she shares 50 days of advice based on the teachings of the Apostle Paul. The writing isn't 'preachy', but good solid information on how we can achieve a joyful life.

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an arc copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. Oh how I do enjoy reading books by Joyce Meyer and this book does not disappoint. She teaches about living in joy through Christ in 50 days!

[Orsayor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joyce Meyer's 50-day guide, inspired by the teachings of Paul, offers practical insights and empowering truths that lead to a joy-filled life, helping you triumph over challenges and embrace the abundant life God has in store for you.

[Ebony Scott]

A great 50-day devotional. A little bit of reading and reflection each day. I also love how much scripture and quotes that she supplies in her books! Will definitely be doing this again. It's a great reminder to be joyful and show gratitude unto all the Lord provides us! 💕

[Wiktoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to be more captivated by this book than I was. It kinda felt like I’m sitting through an average bible study, I wish there were more real life references. Definitely didn’t speak to me as much as I’ve hoped for it to.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Going on the keep shelf! Will definitely pull this book out again in the future. it's a great daily devotional for 50 days. The 2 questions at the end of each day's devotional make you really think and reflect. Highly recommend!

[Nancy Hooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly Loved it and she has helped me immensely with walking with Jesus and God, listened through Audible