MY Devotional: Daily Biblical Encouragement & Prayer from Leading The Way

In 1970, Dr. Michael Youssef was newly arrived in Sydney with almost nothing—just one hundred borrowed dollars and a humble job at the telephone company. His supervisor noticed something surprising: despite poverty and uncertainty, Dr. Youssef was consistently calm, content, and unshaken.

When asked why, Dr. Youssef answered plainly: peace came when he surrendered everything to Christ—plans, goals, finances, circumstances, and even anxiety. But his boss’s response reveals the real barrier many face: “I couldn’t do that… I could never surrender my will to anyone.” He knew the Gospel and even went to church at times, yet he refused to place God in charge.

This devotional confronts a timeless truth: peace is free—you can’t earn it or buy it—but it will cost you surrender. You can’t clutch control and experience Christ’s peace at the same time. The invitation is clear: lay down your weapons, release your grip, and let Jesus lead your life. What He gives in return is the security and calm your heart has been searching for.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I know the only way to divine peace is to surrender to You, the God of peace. Help me to never resist Your call to give everything to You. Thank You for the free gift of Your peace. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. 

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you” (Isaiah 26:3).

Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef’s sermon A Heart for God, Peace Beyond Reason: LISTEN NOW | WATCH NOW

The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today’s devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don’t have to walk through it alone.

🙏 Pastoral Care & Prayer Teams
Our trained prayer partners and pastoral care team are available to pray with you and offer Biblical support.
https://ltw.org/care

💬 Receive personal answers to your faith questions—anytime, day or night—at:
https://myfaithassistant.com

If you’ve been blessed by this podcast, please consider a tax-deductible donation to help extend this ministry—so another person can be encouraged, prayed for, and pointed to Christ.

❤️ Support Leading The Way:
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How do you respond to fear—do you withdraw, distract yourself, or try to regain control? In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef reminds believers that the right response to fear is neither surrender nor avoidance, but overcoming fear through faith and obedience to God’s Word.

Scripture paints the picture of a life anchored in trust: the one who puts confidence in the Lord is like a tree planted by water—steady in heat, resilient in drought, and fruitful no matter the season (Jeremiah 17:7–8). Dr. Youssef exposes one of fear’s most common roots: the loss of control. Whether it’s finances, relationships, health, or the future, we often try to fix fear by tightening our grip—only to discover that control never produces peace.

But Jesus offers a different kind of security: “My peace I give you… Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27). And God promises a sure foundation for those who rely on Him—one that silences panic when everything else shakes (Isaiah 28:16). This devotional will help you trade anxiety for assurance by surrendering your circumstances to the God who is truly in control.

Prayer: God, help me to respond to fear with faith in You and obedience to Your Word. Help me to remember that I can rest in You because You are in control. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:8).

Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef’s sermon series Freedom from Fear: LISTEN NOW

The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today’s devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don’t have to walk through it alone.

🙏 Pastoral Care & Prayer Teams
Our trained prayer partners and pastoral care team are available to pray with you and offer Biblical support.
https://ltw.org/care

💬 Receive personal answers to your faith questions—anytime, day or night—at:
https://myfaithassistant.com

If you’ve been blessed by this podcast, please consider a tax-deductible donation to help extend this ministry—so another person can be encouraged, prayed for, and pointed to Christ.

❤️ Support Leading The Way:
https://www.ltw.org/donate

We may wish maturity came instantly, but the truth is simple: growth takes work—and it requires patience, persistence, and sacrifice. In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef compares spiritual formation to athletic training: no champion wins by coasting, and no believer grows into Christlikeness without intentional discipline.

Paul described his own commitment clearly—he refused to run aimlessly or fight without purpose. Instead, he practiced self-control so he would not be disqualified from the prize (1 Corinthians 9:26–27). Dr. Youssef warns that when we stop stretching, we don’t stay neutral—we stagnate. And when we choose deliberate disobedience, it reveals pride. But choosing obedience is the mark of humility, and God promises real fruit from that posture—riches, honor, and life (Proverbs 22:4).

This devotional also reassures you that submission is not weakness. When you humble yourself under God’s mighty hand, He will lift you up in His timing—and you can cast every anxiety on Him because He cares for you (1 Peter 5:6–7). As you trust His plan, even when it seems impossible, God will grow you to heights only He knew you could reach.

Prayer: Lord, help me resist the temptation to do what looks easiest and instead always obey Your voice. Strengthen me that I may fulfill Your work. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:38).

Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef’s sermon series Joseph: Portrait of a Winner: LISTEN NOW

The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today’s devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don’t have to walk through it alone.

🙏 Pastoral Care & Prayer Teams
Our trained prayer partners and pastoral care team are available to pray with you and offer Biblical support.
https://ltw.org/care

💬 Receive personal answers to your faith questions—anytime, day or night—at:
https://myfaithassistant.com

If you’ve been blessed by this podcast, please consider a tax-deductible donation to help extend this ministry—so another person can be encouraged, prayed for, and pointed to Christ.

❤️ Support Leading The Way:
https://www.ltw.org/donate

A breathtaking monastery perched on a cliff in Portugal offers a stunning view—but reaching it requires being hoisted in a wicker basket by an aged monk. When a nervous visitor asked how often the rope was replaced, the monk replied, “Each time the old rope breaks.” That answer captures the dread many people live with every day: the fear that everything could collapse at any moment.

In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef confronts that kind of anxiety—fear, doubt, and worry that can paralyze even believers. The liberating Truth is this: God holds the rope of your life. His protection is not flimsy, and His care is not distracted. Nothing is strong enough to pull you out of His shelter.

Dr. Youssef anchors this encouragement in Scripture: nothing—trouble, hardship, persecution, danger—can separate you from the love of Christ, and in Him you are more than a conqueror (Romans 8:35, 37). Jesus also assures us that the Father’s care is so detailed that even the hairs on our head are numbered—and we are worth far more than sparrows (Matthew 10:30–31).

When anxiety rises, pause and remember: God is aware of you, He loves you, and He has purpose for your days. Seek first His Kingdom, trust Him fully, and ask Him to teach you to number your days with wisdom (Psalm 90:12).

Prayer: Lord, thank You that You have a wonderful plan for all my days. I lay my fear and anxiety down before You and receive Your peace today. May I serve Your Kingdom purposes with my every breath and know the joy of living for You. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“[D]o not worry about your life, . . . Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:25-26).

Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef’s sermon series Psalms of Deliverance: LISTEN NOW

The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today’s devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don’t have to walk through it alone.

🙏 Pastoral Care & Prayer Teams
Our trained prayer partners and pastoral care team are available to pray with you and offer Biblical support.
https://ltw.org/care

💬 Receive personal answers to your faith questions—anytime, day or night—at:
https://myfaithassistant.com

If you’ve been blessed by this podcast, please consider a tax-deductible donation to help extend this ministry—so another person can be encouraged, prayed for, and pointed to Christ.

❤️ Support Leading The Way:
https://www.ltw.org/donate

During World War II, Corrie ten Boom and her family risked everything to hide Jewish men and women from Nazi persecution—creating a secret refuge above her father’s watch shop. Eventually, most of the family was arrested and sent to a concentration camp, where Corrie endured brutal conditions and heartbreaking loss, including the death of her beloved sister.

In this episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef highlights how Corrie wrestled with the same question many believers face in suffering: Has God forgotten me? Yet in the darkness of her cell, Corrie discovered something astonishing—her fellowship with Jesus became closer than ever. Though imprisoned, she could honestly say she was free.

Then, in a stunning turn, Corrie was released just one day before her scheduled execution—an unmistakable reminder that outcomes may vary, but God never abandons His children. As you walk through trials, this devotional anchors your heart in Paul’s perspective: even when outwardly we are wasting away, inwardly God is renewing us day by day—and our momentary troubles are producing an eternal weight of glory (2 Corinthians 4:16–17).

Prayer: Lord, I know Your love for me drives the darkness of this world away. I know that You will never leave me! Thank You. Help me to find comfort in this Truth, no matter how dark the situation may be. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“[E]ven the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you” (Psalm 139:12).

Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef’s sermon Joseph: Portrait of a Winner, Winners Don’t Always Look like Winners: LISTEN NOW

The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today’s devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don’t have to walk through it alone.

🙏 Pastoral Care & Prayer Teams
Our trained prayer partners and pastoral care team are available to pray with you and offer Biblical support.
https://ltw.org/care

💬 Receive personal answers to your faith questions—anytime, day or night—at:
https://myfaithassistant.com

If you’ve been blessed by this podcast, please consider a tax-deductible donation to help extend this ministry—so another person can be encouraged, prayed for, and pointed to Christ.

❤️ Support Leading The Way:
https://www.ltw.org/donate

Every Christian lives by faith every day. Like a muscle, faith grows stronger when you exercise it—and it weakens when you default to self-reliance. In this episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef explains that while all believers must walk by faith to mature in Christ, some are also given a distinct gift of faith by the Holy Spirit.

This Spirit-gifted faith is marked by a remarkable steadiness: it views God’s purposes as if they are already accomplished. Dr. Youssef points to biblical examples:

Not everyone will live the “headline” kind of life these men did—but God still gives the gift of faith to believers today, and their confidence becomes fuel for others to keep going. If you’re facing opposition, delays, or obstacles, this devotional will encourage you to keep exercising faith—and to thank God for those whose Spirit-given faith helps the Church press forward in victory.

Prayer: God, help me to discern Your will for my life and to walk by faith every day. May I grow in faith as I trust Your Word, leaning not on my own understanding. Spirit, grow the spiritual fruit of faith in my life as I fix my eyes on Christ, my Savior. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“[I]f you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20).

Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef’s sermon Who, Me? Gifted?, Mountain-Moving Faith: LISTEN NOW

The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today’s devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don’t have to walk through it alone.

🙏 Pastoral Care & Prayer Teams
Our trained prayer partners and pastoral care team are available to pray with you and offer Biblical support.
https://ltw.org/care

💬 Receive personal answers to your faith questions—anytime, day or night—at:
https://myfaithassistant.com

If you’ve been blessed by this podcast, please consider a tax-deductible donation to help extend this ministry—so another person can be encouraged, prayed for, and pointed to Christ.

❤️ Support Leading The Way:
https://www.ltw.org/donate

Exodus 3:7 makes God’s heart unmistakable: He heard the cries of His people, He knew their suffering, and He was already moving toward deliverance—even when the days turned into years and hope started to wobble.

In this episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef speaks to anyone standing at the crossroads of hope and doubt. God’s timing can feel slow, but it is never careless. He will not be late—He will be right on time. Like David, we learn to wait with courage and confidence: “I will see the goodness of the LORD… Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart” (Psalm 27:13–14).

You’ll also see how God used Moses’ “set-aside” season. After trying to force the outcome in his own strength, Moses was drawn into the wilderness for decades—not as punishment, but as preparation. God was quieting his pride, tempering his impulses, and shaping him into a leader who would trust and obey.

If you feel shelved, stalled, or forgotten, this devotional offers a steady perspective: God wastes nothing. Keep your obedience sincere, your surrender unconditional, and your hope anchored in His promises.

Prayer: God, I come to You in a difficult place. I pray that Your will would be accomplished in this season of my life. Help me to trust You and wait on You. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him, . . .” (Genesis 39:20-21). 

Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef’s sermon series Joseph: Portrait of a Winner: LISTEN NOW

The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today’s devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don’t have to walk through it alone.

🙏 Pastoral Care & Prayer Teams
Our trained prayer partners and pastoral care team are available to pray with you and offer Biblical support.
https://ltw.org/care

💬 Receive personal answers to your faith questions—anytime, day or night—at:
https://myfaithassistant.com

If you’ve been blessed by this podcast, please consider a tax-deductible donation to help extend this ministry—so another person can be encouraged, prayed for, and pointed to Christ.

❤️ Support Leading The Way:
https://www.ltw.org/donate

Joseph spent years confined in an Egyptian dungeon for a crime he did not commit. Yet God was not absent—He was refining Joseph’s faith, strengthening him with His presence, and preparing him for promises that would be fulfilled in God’s time, not Joseph’s.

In this episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef encourages a different kind of praying when you feel stuck: don’t only pray for a way out—pray for God’s will to be worked into you. If the Lord is using hardship to discipline, correct, or mature you, receive it with humility so you don’t miss His purpose. Trying to manipulate God’s will through prayer only produces frustration; faith learns to wait.

Dr. Youssef then turns to Jesus in Gethsemane—the perfect model of surrendered prayer: “Not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39) and “may your will be done” (Matthew 26:42). Christ taught His disciples to pray the same way (Matthew 6:10), because real victory in trials comes through submission, not control. When you’re weary, ask the Holy Spirit to help you pray, to intercede, and to deepen your grasp of God’s love—so you can trust and obey in the valley as confidently as on the mountaintop.

Prayer: God, I come to You in a difficult place. I pray that Your will would be accomplished in this season of my life. Help me to trust You and wait on You. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him, . . .” (Genesis 39:20-21). 

Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef’s sermon series Joseph: Portrait of a Winner: LISTEN NOW

The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today’s devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don’t have to walk through it alone.

🙏 Pastoral Care & Prayer Teams
Our trained prayer partners and pastoral care team are available to pray with you and offer Biblical support.
https://ltw.org/care

💬 Receive personal answers to your faith questions—anytime, day or night—at:
https://myfaithassistant.com

If you’ve been blessed by this podcast, please consider a tax-deductible donation to help extend this ministry—so another person can be encouraged, prayed for, and pointed to Christ.

❤️ Support Leading The Way:
https://www.ltw.org/donate

From the bottom of a pit to the halls of power, Joseph’s life is a masterclass in God’s providence.

In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef walks through Joseph’s painful timeline: rejected by brothers, sold into slavery, falsely accused, imprisoned—and then forgotten once again when the cupbearer failed to speak up. Years passed. Promises seemed delayed. And yet God was orchestrating every moment.

When Joseph finally interpreted Pharaoh’s dream, God elevated him to prepare Egypt for famine—using Joseph’s suffering to preserve nations and save countless lives (Genesis 41:56–57). By the time Joseph reunited with his brothers, he could say with clarity and peace: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good” (Genesis 50:20).

Whether you’re hurting in the “pit,” waiting in the “prison,” or rejoicing in a breakthrough season, this devotional calls you to ask God for Joseph’s perspective—thank Him for what He has done, trust Him for what He will do, and rest in the truth that God wastes nothing as He faithfully leads you through every valley and victory.

Prayer: God, thank You for Your faithfulness to redeem painful events in my life. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives" (Genesis 50:20). 

Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef’s sermon series Joseph: Portrait of a Winner: LISTEN NOW

The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today’s devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don’t have to walk through it alone.

🙏 Pastoral Care & Prayer Teams
Our trained prayer partners and pastoral care team are available to pray with you and offer Biblical support.
https://ltw.org/care

💬 Receive personal answers to your faith questions—anytime, day or night—at:
https://myfaithassistant.com

If you’ve been blessed by this podcast, please consider a tax-deductible donation to help extend this ministry—so another person can be encouraged, prayed for, and pointed to Christ.

❤️ Support Leading The Way:
https://www.ltw.org/donate

In Jude’s closing benediction, we’re given one of the most stabilizing promises in all of Scripture: God is able to keep you from stumbling (Jude 1:24). In this episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef explains why saving faith is not only God’s gift—but also God’s sustaining work. You are not kept by fear-driven performance; you are kept by Christ’s faithful power.

Dr. Youssef brings this promise to life through the imagery behind Jude’s words: Jewish wedding traditions. In betrothal, the groom would seal the commitment with a costly dowry—then return home to prepare a place—then come again for his bride with joyful announcement. In the same way, Jesus—our Bridegroom—paid the highest price with His own blood, returned to the Father to prepare a place, and will come again. And when He does, He will present His redeemed bride without blemish or stain, declaring what His cross and resurrection accomplished.

This devotional strengthens believers living in dark seasons of apostasy and pressure: keep your eyes on the future Christ secured. When you feel weak, unstable, or tempted to spiral into “trying harder,” remember the Truth—Jesus is holding you up. He will keep you from falling.

Prayer: Father, help me to rest in the Truth that You will never let me go. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. 

“[T]o the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen” (Jude 1:25).

Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef’s sermon series Contend for the Faith: WATCH NOW|LISTEN NOW

The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today’s devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don’t have to walk through it alone.

🙏 Pastoral Care & Prayer Teams
Our trained prayer partners and pastoral care team are available to pray with you and offer Biblical support.
https://ltw.org/care

💬 Receive personal answers to your faith questions—anytime, day or night—at:
https://myfaithassistant.com

If you’ve been blessed by this podcast, please consider a tax-deductible donation to help extend this ministry—so another person can be encouraged, prayed for, and pointed to Christ.

❤️ Support Leading The Way:
https://www.ltw.org/donate