All posts by mjharvell

Welcome, friend—I’m glad you’ve pulled up a chair on the front porch of my little corner of the internet. My name is Michael Joe Harvell, and I live my life with one simple mission: to glorify God, encourage people, and leave this world a little better than I found it. I’m a husband, father, pastor, writer, Jeep enthusiast, and front-porch thinker who believes that life is best lived on purpose. I serve as pastor of Eureka Baptist Church in Anderson, South Carolina, where I get the joy of preaching, teaching, and walking with people through the ups and downs of everyday life. Over the years, I’ve discovered that faith isn’t just about Sunday mornings—it’s about living every single day in the presence and power of God. I’m also an author. My books—including The Grace Exchange: How Forgiven People Forgive People and The Word Works—grow out of the sermons, stories, and lessons I’ve learned on this journey. I write in a style that’s conversational, a little front-porch-rocking-chair, and full of stories, quotes, and Scripture that point us back to the goodness of God’s Word. When I’m not writing or preaching, you might find me sitting outside with my Bible and journal, cruising the backroads in my Jeep Gladiator, or sharing a meal and some laughs with the good folks God has put in my life. I love helping people find peace in their spirit, strength in their body, and encouragement in their soul. This blog is simply an extension of that mission. Here you’ll find devotions, encouragement, reflections, and practical insights for living a life of purpose, peace, and joy. So grab a cup of coffee, pull up a rocking chair, and stay awhile—I’d be honored to walk this road of faith with you.

Breaking Strongholds!

What Has A Stronghold In Your Life?

 

 

4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.  II Corinthians 10:4-5

The enemy attempts to build strongholds in our lives, so that He might have a place to launch attacks from whenever he feels good and ready.  A good way to recognize a stronghold in your life, is to watch for those situations and circumstances that attack and bring you down in your spirit.

You know when something is not going right, or when things around you just don’t feel right.  When things start to spiral out of control you can feel it and you know that you need to do something about it, but you are not sure what that something is!

You need to use the weapons that God has given you and attack that stronghold that is attacking you!  When you begin to feel your spirit slipping, seek God.  He created you, loves you and has given you all you need to get back what belongs to you!  If you have a negative behavior, thought are action that seem to keep repeating itself, then you know that the devil has or is building a stronghold in your life, and you need to respond as quickly as possible by attacking that thing with the strength and wisdom that your Creator has provided you with!

The enemy may build strongholds in your life, but you don’t have to allow him to keep them there!  Take him on and take the strongholds out today.  Enjoy walking in right direction and living in victorious power!  G3!

Chase Your Dream!

Chase Your Dream!

“‘AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,’ God says, ‘THAT I WILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND; AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, AND YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS, AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS;”  Acts 2:17

You have a dream!  You may not know what it is, but your Creator created you on purpose and for a purpose and with the purpose, He implanted in your life a dream that He wishes to make come true in and through your life!

I don’t know what your dream is, but I do know that it will take you beyond the normal, hum drum, everyday grinding of life, so that you might live the amazing life that you were created to live.

Don’t you dare settle for less than you were created for!  It does not matter what situation you find yourself in or what circumstances you may be battling.  Don’t get caught up in the expectation of others, instead remember that you have a dream and allow that dream to pull, push and guide you to the place where you receive and give blessing all at the same time!

Your life can begin to change for the better right now, from this moment on!  There will be challenges, but as you take on those challenges, you will discover a power within you that will enable you to do incredible and amazing things.  As you begin to travel in the direction of victory and success, you will begin to discover your dream and the really beautiful thing – see your dream take shape and start to become reality.

There will be obstacles along the way, but don’t you dare turn back.  In every obstacle there is an opportunity for amazing progress!  Remember it’s a journey from where you are to where your dream becomes reality.  Start today and take it one step at a time!  Chase your dream and your Creator will help you to catch it!  G3!