Despite our unexpected stormy trials, believers are never alone. “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
Trials, sorrows, and difficulties are designed to give us spiritual growth and increase our dependency on God. We were not created to live without God’s divine intervention. It’s normal for our emotions to intensify when we feel our hardships are drowning us. If we allow our emotions to control us, our faith diminishes and we risk losing our confidence in the love and strength that God provides.
Take the time to separate yourself and pray for help. Pray an honest prayer. “God, I am feeling overwhelmed and disappointed. I need your help. I know that you love me and will bring me victoriously through this situation. In Jesus’ name, Amen.” Praise God and thank Him in advance for His Divine Intervention. Prayer does not take away our trials. Consistent prayer allows us to receive strength and guidance from the Holy Spirit.
Study the Scriptures every day. Include time for quiet meditation. The Holy Spirit is our Comforter. As believers, we can hear God’s voice through different means such as our thoughts, reading scriptures, listening to sermons, or hearing another believer’s testimony of victory. Sometimes, God communicates through spiritual dreams or a fellow believer who may not even know our situation. However, it’s important to note that God’s answer always aligns with the Holy Scriptures. Through daily worship, we learn to recognize the voice of God.
When the disciples were in the boat, fearing for their lives, Jesus appeared to them by walking on the water. “Be of good cheer! It is I, do not be afraid” (Matthew 14:27). Remember, we are never alone. Jesus is with us in every stormy trial. The human effort of faith and trust along with Divine intervention always ends in victory! During the challenges of the raging storm, Jesus says, “Come to Me.” Take the giant leap of faith and “Go Ahead! Walk on the Water.”
Recently, I read that when Satan forms weapons to use against us, whether he is using people to hurt us, damage our reputation, or deceive us with covert temptations, if our First Response is to remain silent and pray, Jesus, our Mighty Warrior fights our battles. And we know that Jesus always wins! Yes and Amen!
Always Trust God, who tells us: “No weapon formed against you will prosper.” (Isaiah 54:17).
“God promises us His Divine protection, assuring believers that Satan’s attacks will not succeed because God [always] vindicates His faithful servants.”
“This promise is a pledge for the safety of God’s people to mean that no plan of the enemy will succeed against those in a covenant relationship with Jesus Christ.”
Lord God, we thank You for Your promises to protect us from spiritual warfare and all mental, emotional, and physical danger. Lord, help us to have a heart filled with humility and surrender, so that our first response is to call on Your Sovereign Name for help, when we are facing adversity. We pray for the strength not to react with our emotions when facing conflict and opposition. This Holy Sabbath, we ask You for the Spiritual Blessings of increased faith, wisdom, and discernment. In faith, we ask this prayer in the Righteous Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
The Blessing Is Jesus: “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28).
Often when we are facing challenges, obstacles, and adversity, we pray, asking God for the blessing of resolving our hardships. Yet what we usually mean is, “God, can You fix and remove this situation from my life right now?
In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus promises to provide us with the necessities of life: “So why do you worry about clothing? Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Verses 28, 31-33).
Our prayer for the provisions of life is a simple prayer of faith and gratitude: Lord God, in Matthew 6, You promised to provide food and clothes for us and we thank You for hearing, answering, and providing for our family. In Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.
“Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!” (Psalm 27:14).
I am a living witness that God always provides and He is always on time. We do not have to beg God for our necessities. Remain faithful, He is Yahweh Yireh. Yes and Amen!
Trials Build Our Faith and Trust in God and Develop Our Characters
“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” (1 Peter 5:10, ESV).
A pastor stated, “When experiencing tough times, God is more interested in changing your character than in your comfort.”
“Yahweh Ezer, meaning ‘The LORD Our Help’ or ‘The LORD My Helper.’ Psalm 33:20, identifies God as our strength and shield.”
When we are experiencing trials, our prayers should reflect faith and trust in Jesus’ promise to help us. Although we cannot ask God how to help us, we can ask Jesus for the blessing of specific spiritual gifts.
God’s first priority with gifting blessings was to give us Jesus, His only Son. Yes, God, the Father has given us our greatest Spiritual Blessing, Jesus, Who is our Savior, Redeemer, Intercessor, Helper, and Mediator between God and humanity.
“Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of lights [the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens], in whom there is no variation or shadow cast…”[for He is perfect and never changes]. (James 1:17, Amplified Bible).
And from Jesus, The Giver of all Good Gifts, we receive [without limits] His supernatural strength, which empowers us to persevere and keep moving forward. Jesus also gives us the additional blessings of comfort, peace, joy, and contentment, which reveal His immense love for us.
“Let us then approach God’s Throne of Grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”(Hebrews 4:16, NIV).
Jesus has given us an open invitation to pray, ask, wait, and we will receive, with the condition that are requests bring honor and glory to God, the Father’s Holy Name. Pray, Wait, and Obey.
And to prevent us from feeling hopeless and helpless, we use our faith to stay connected to Jesus through much prayer [Pray continuously. 1 Thessalonians 5:17].
Our prayers should always include loving words of gratitude for God’s loving kindness and faithfulness. In the struggle, our faith is tested during the wait. Do not give up, and do not follow your thoughts.
“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” (Romans 12:12). Believing that we are forever loved by God and He will deliver us, gives us courage, and keeps us anchored in Jesus Christ.
From embracing Jesus, God, the Son as our greatest blessing from God, the Father invites the Holy Spirit to strengthen our faith, and we can witness to others the Love, Faithfulness, and Power of Jesus Christ.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7, ESV).
Lord God, we offer this prayer of gratitude, thanking You for Your love, faithfulness, and the gift of your Precious Son, Jesus Christ, who is humanity’s Greatest Blessing. We also ask this prayer as an Intercessory prayer. Lord, we ask You to supply food, housing, and clothing to those who are striving to serve You, but cannot provide for themselves for reasons that You are aware of, and we, Thank You for those provisions. As we enter the Holy hours of the Sabbath, we pray for the Spiritual blessings of Your Living Water, and ask You to feed us with the Bread of Life. Lord, we also ask You for knowledge, wisdom, and the strength to persevere in our walk with Jesus. In faith, and with gratitude, we ask this prayer in the Loving and Holy Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
“But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31).
Take back control of your gift of time. Separate yourself and reflect on your day. Were you distracted? Too busy to whisper a prayer of gratitude to God?
To persevere in this Journey of Faith, we must stay connected to Jesus Christ. Start a new habit: Pray continuously! (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
Prayer redirects our faith and focus from ourselves to completely trusting in God’s Love, Promises, and Power.
Prayer connects us to Christ, our Heavenly Intercessor who receives every silent and spoken prayer. Always ask for spiritual wisdom, which empowers us to think differently and the strength to keep moving forward in faith.
“I am the God of All flesh, Is there anything too hard for me?” (Jeremiah 32:27). This Scripture proclaims God’s Agape Love, and His Absolute Omnipotence and Sovereignty over all creation.
Facing difficulties? Pray! Look up to Jesus, not at your circumstances. Use your faith to Fight against your unbelief and feelings of despair.
“For with God nothing [is or ever] shall be impossible.” (Luke 137, Amplified Bible).
Jesus’ promise to always take care of us is steadfast. If He said it, then He will do it. Only trust Him. Yes and Amen!
Lord God, we come to You asking for forgiveness for our self-reliance, doubt, and unbelief. We confess that we are caught up in the busyness of life and when facing challenges, our first response is to rely on our limited abilities to resolve our obstacles instead of depending on You. Lord, we have forgotten who You are, The Sovereign and Powerful God of the universe who knows everything that will happen in our lives. And now with no other options, we come to You humbly asking for your Divine Help to resolve the obstacles we tried to overcome. We also ask for the wisdom to think on a spiritual level and the strength to persevere through the storms of life. Lord, we thank You for Your steadfast love and faithfulness, and in faith, we ask this prayer for Your Help in Jesus’ Loving and Righteous Name, Amen.
“And God said, Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness…” (Genesis 1:26). This conversation between God, the Father, and God, Jesus, His Son, reveals the Christian believer’s identity.
In John chapter 17, Jesus prays for Himself, His twelve disciples, and His future disciples, which included everyone who accepts Christ as their personal Savior.
“As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man called Matthew, sitting in the tax collector’s booth; and He said to him, ‘Follow Me!’ And he got up and followed Him.” (Matthew 9:9, NASB).
Matthew’s silence and his decision to abandon his corrupt job and lifestyle revealed that deep within his heart, he desired to give up sinful habits and follow Jesus Christ on an unknown spiritual journey.
Reflection: Do we perceive ourselves as committed disciples who desire to follow Christ with love, loyalty, and obedience?”
“Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God lives in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16). Yet for the Holy Spirit to live in us, we must fulfill God’s Spiritual Qualifier: “Be holy, for I AM Holy.” (1 Peter 1:16). How does holiness affect the minds and lives of true believers?
Can you imagine being invited to an event requiring formal evening wear, only to hear in the closing remarks an invitation to play volleyball in your finest clothing? As absurd as this sounds, many believers accept Christ as their personal Savior, but engage in the world’s sinful, filthy habits.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8). To be clothed with Christ’s Righteousness, we must renounce sinful thoughts, habits, behaviors, and spoken words, and live a Christ-centered, Faith-based life of daily surrender and obedience.
Since we cannot live holy without Divine Power, through daily personal worship, we establish a heart-to-heart relationship with Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit begins the lifelong process of Spiritual growth and transformation. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13).
Every day, our priority is to renew our spiritual commitment to follow Christ, which connects us to our Shepherd and reinforces our status as Sons and Daughters of God. We ask God to reveal His plans for the new day, and the Holy Spirit instructs and gives us guidance on fulfilling God’s Will.
Yes, God knows that we have jobs and the routine duties of life to take care of, yet we are commanded to put God first. Time Management is God’s Specialty. With His guidance, we can accomplish our daily tasks and still have time and energy to fulfill our spiritual assignments.
The Challenge of Remaining Faithful and Obedient to God, Our Father
“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46). As Sons and Daughters of God, we have a spiritual requirement to always obey God. We honor God’s Sovereign Authority through faithful obedience because He is God, our Father, who loves us, and we love Him because we are His heirs.
“LORD, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps.” (Jeremiah 10:23, NIV). Always pray for Divine guidance before making decisions. Although the challenge can appear insignificant, following our thoughts and solutions is disobedience to God, “I say, ‘My purpose will stand.'” (Isaiah 46:10).
When we love and honor God, how can we justify playing the Game of Chance by trying to resolve our challenges, which can result in escalation and consequences that we can avoid by asking God for the answers?
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9). God is always faithful! Each new day brings unknown obstacles, temptations, and dangers that only our Protective Heavenly Father knows and can resolve.
Pray, Wait for God’s Answer, and Obey: Dependency on God is not a burden when we desire to follow Christ with love, loyalty, and faithful obedience. Obedience is the worship that keeps us aligned with God’s Will because God’s Intervention always ends in Victory!
“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8, NIV). Without Christ, we are no match for Satan. Praying for Spiritual Guidance keeps us aligned with God’s plans and invites Jesus, our Mighty Warrior, to send angels to intervene when we face daily unknown obstacles, temptations, and dangers.
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1, NIV).
As children of God, we maintain our spiritual connection with Christ through Prayer and Bible Study. Every day, we pray for God’s Will to be revealed, relying on the Holy Spirit to instruct us in our Heavenly Father’s plans for each new day.
In John chapter 10, Jesus tells a parable of the loving and tender relationship between a shepherd and his sheep: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27). “But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” (John 10:5, NIV).
Not only are we bombarded by the world’s voices, promising that if we follow their suggestions, our lives will improve and we will live peaceful and contented lives, but we must also fight against thinking our own thoughts [Proverbs 3:5-7] and Satan’s temptations.
Let go of self-reliance! To avoid embracing Satan’s schemes, we must do as Jesus did in His earthly life; Jesus prayed continuously. Whisper prayers at work and throughout the day and night. Always pray for Spiritual Wisdom and Discernment, and the Holy Spirit will empower you with spiritual insight and guide your steps.
Loving God and Following Christ With Surrender Is A Daily Choice
In Matthew 22:37, Jesus reiterates the command given in the Old Testament to love God with immense love: “And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:5).
When we love God with our all, we will not hesitate to pray and obey our Heavenly Father, who loves us and desires to give us our best lives, including the reward of Eternal Life. Yet, we were created with free will, and we must choose to obey God, which reveals the true condition of our hearts.
Many believers have their own agendas, plans, and goals, never considering that we must love and obey God by following Christ, our Shepherd. Sadly, if we refuse to surrender, then we have chosen to disinherit ourselves as Sons and Daughters of God, for which there is no reward, except the life we are living now.
“I the Lord search the heart and test the mind.” (Jeremiah 17:9, ESV). “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21, ESV). Since it is impossible to hide secrets from God, He knows who genuinely loves Him and desires to surrender and obey His Will and Perfect Plans.
“Jesus answered, ‘I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'” (John 14:6, NIV). When we love God, we strive to follow our Shepherd, Jesus Christ, with faithful obedience. Jesus tells us that He is the Living Water and the Bread of Life, and that we should seek Him daily through Prayer and Bible Study.
“We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19). As Sons and Daughters of God, accepting our spiritual identity is the catalyst for making definitive changes. We no longer participate in worldly habits and behaviors, and our thoughts and spoken words reveal God’s Love.
Using our faith to trust and obey our Heavenly Father, we cooperate with the Holy Spirit, who performs the lifelong, daily spiritual process of Sanctification—Spiritual growth and transformation into the Righteousness of Christ.
By studying the Holy Scriptures, we learn Christ’s Character and how to live righteously. Prayer invites God, the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of Truth and our Teacher, to give us spiritual wisdom and discernment of God’s One and Only Truth, instructs us on how to recognize Jesus’ Guiding Voice, and empowers us to stay on the Narrow Path of Righteousness.
God Speaks With a Quiet and Peaceful Voice: The Holy Spirit conveys God’s messages through our thoughts and the Holy Scriptures. God meets us where we are spiritually; His instructions are clear and concise, so that even a child can understand.
John 16:13: “When the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth…” (The Holy Spirit reveals truth and direction). We recognize the difference between human thoughts and God’s higher thoughts and ways, because His instructions always glorify and honor His Holy Name.
From eliminating distractions and putting God First, we will see ourselves through spiritual eyes as Sons and Daughters of the Most-High God. Jesus, our Savior and Triumphant King, is preparing us [through the Holy Spirit] to receive the Eternal Reward of our Forever Home in the New Heaven and New Earth with Abba, God, our Father, and Jesus, our Triumphant King. Hallelujah! Yes and Amen!
“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh…those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:16, 21-25).
Lord God, with surrender, we acknowledge that we are the temple of the Living God, in which the Holy Spirit resides. Today, we accept our identity as Your Sons and Daughters, with the commitment to strive every day for righteousness by not embracing the darkness of worldviews or following the path of self-gratification. Lord, it is only through your strength that we can remain faithful, and today, we ask for Your Strength. In faith, we ask this prayer in the Powerful Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Lord God, As we worship and honor You on Your Holy Sabbath Day, we ask for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. This week has drained us physically, mentally, and emotionally. We thank You for renewing us during our daily morning worship. Lord, from ceasing our secular activities in obedience to Your Commandment, we ask for a double portion of the blessings of wisdom, discernment, and restoration. Refresh us spiritually, as we eat the Bread of Life and drink from the Well of Living Water. With love and faith, we ask this prayer in the Righteous Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions 
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