Living by Faith – Page 9 – Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions

Can We Live As Overcomers? Yes!

Our Daily Walk with Christ – Sabbath Devotional -November 30, 2024

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” —Philippians 4:13

We inherited hearts that naturally gravitate toward fulfilling our desires. Every day, we must decide to use our faith to surrender to God. By accepting God’s will, we agree to abide in Christ and enter a Covenant of Obedience. From our yes, we vow to trust and obey. From our prayer of surrender, we receive Jesus’ Divine strength via the Holy Spirit who empowers us to live holy, and yes, our faith and obedience will be tested through many temptations [mostly arising from our heart’s desires].

“Paul’s sanctification was a daily conflict with himself. He said, ‘I die daily’ (1 Corinthians 15:31). His will and desires daily conflicted with duty and the will of God. In the plan of not following inclination, he did the will of God, however unpleasant and crucifying to his nature.” Although many commentaries refer to Paul’s statement of “I die daily” as his impending physical death, the apostle is speaking of a spiritual sense of dying daily to sin.

“I die daily” (1 Corinthians 15:31). Every soul must battle against inclination. Christ came not to save men in their sins but from their sins. He has made it possible for us to possess a holy character; do not, then, be content with [character] defects and deformities. But while we are to seek earnestly for perfection of character, we must remember that Sanctification is not the work of a moment, but of a lifetime. Paul said, Day by day the work of overcoming must go forward. Every day we are to resist temptation and gain the victory over selfishness in all its forms. Looking for a Daily Victory, EGW Estate, Sharing the Vision

Yes, we are covered by Grace, still, true religion is not one in which we do nothing. Our responsibility is to surrender to God and strive for holiness by renouncing sin when tempted. The secret to living victoriously requires the daily consecration of our intellect and faith to Christ, our Redeemer. We live in spiritually dangerous times [2 Timothy 3], and praying twice daily is insufficient to maintain our connection to the Power of God.

“…and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” —Matthew 28:20

Jesus knows that our struggle to renounce our desires and sinful pleasures could not be accomplished without His Divine Intervention, therefore, “He promises to be with His followers every moment of every day, until the end of the present age.”

“I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.” —John 15:5

What does it mean to abide in Christ? Total surrender and diligently studying the Bible to learn God’s Righteous Character, Commandments, and Precepts. Living holy requires more than intellectual knowledge, our hearts must be converted. With determination, we pray for the spiritual strength to stand down sin!

This is the well-kept secret in the Christian Community, abiding in Christ requires accepting God’s will over our will, desires, and plans. And that’s not all, striving to live holy requires the always present faith-building tests of loyalty to God. Temptation is powerful! Never think too highly of yourself by trusting your instincts. The human intellect is in a lose-lose situation against Satan. Without Divine wisdom and discernment, we are guaranteed to fall.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” —James 1:5, NIV

To overcome Satan’s covert temptations, we desperately need Godly wisdom and discernment. Pray daily for wisdom. It’s vital to stay close to God and learn His Divine prompts. When tempted, the Holy Spirit intervenes by alerting us, and we lose our inner peace. Feeling uneasy is God’s Divine Protection.

When tempted and in spiritual or physical danger, we realize that something is not right! Make a prayer of faith your first response, ask Jesus, the Commander of Angel Armies to send angelic protection. Yes, heavenly angels fight spiritual warfare and protect us from physical danger [Psalms 34 and 91]. Immediately leave the situation! Do not attempt to use strategies, remain silent, and place all your faith in God who gives us the courage to walk away.

The human effort of staying close to Christ requires much prayer and learning to hear the Voice of God. The Holy Spirit speaks to us through the Scriptures and our thoughts. The Christian journey is rugged, but we have Divine Help from the Triune God and the heavenly angels. Are we ready to live a sacrificial life?

“…I will never leave you nor forsake you.” —Hebrews 13:5

Consecrating oneself to God may result in walking alone [without support from family and friends]. If feeling alone, ask God to reveal your spiritual assignment. Helping those in need redirects our focus from ourselves. Do not give credence to your feelings—our feelings are unreliable. Strive to live a consecrated life, the reward [Revelation 21-22] is worth all sacrifices.

“Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” —Jude 24-25

Every day, we bow before the Throne of Grace thanking Jesus for His commitment to fulfill the Plan of Redemption. This earthly life is not the end for the righteous! Tell yourself, “I am going to receive my Crown of Life! Amen.” Pray and ask God to reveal what you must do to live as a victorious overcomer, indicating your willingness to actively participate in your spiritual journey of Sanctification.

Communicate with God through prayer several times a day. Dedicate more time to studying the Bible. Let go of the hindrances of compromising habits, unrighteous behaviors, and people who have no desire to receive Eternal Life. There is no other way to build your faith in God but to acquiesce to His Sovereignty by following His plans. Victory over sin through Christ defines the Overcomer’s life!

Our Reward: Jesus proclaims, “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne” (Revelation 3:21). Yes, and Amen!

Lord God, we desire Eternal Life and ask You to reveal every sin and character defect that prevents us from receiving our Crown of Life at the Second Coming of Jesus. In Jesus’ Righteous Name, we pray. Amen.

Sin Is a Bully!

Sin Is a Bully Devotional Reading

The young man told the story of his family being missionaries for 20 years in a rural village in Peru. He had three brothers who along with their parents were content with the routine of everyday life. But he confessed that he was the adventurous one who was always eager to accompany anyone who was taking a trip into the mountains to forage for berries or medicinal herbs.

One of the men started a business as a tour guide in the mountains. This particular hike was one into unfamiliar territory and with his father’s permission, he joined the large group for the day trip. All was well until he had to use the bathroom. Instead of notifying the guide that he needed to stop, he felt confident with his prior hiking knowledge and left the group.

Veering off the trail he paid attention to his surroundings, but the attempt to return the same way posed a major problem. He had walked deeper into the thick forest than he realized. All of the trees and foliage looked the same. His mind became filled with questions, Did I walk straight into the bush? Where are the broken twigs that I stepped on? As he walked straight ahead toward his perception of where the trail was, he knew that he was lost.

At the age of 15, he felt embarrassed and ashamed. He failed to follow the safety protocol by notifying the guide that he needed to stop. Since he grew up in this mountainous area, what would the other hikers think of him for becoming lost? Those thoughts prevented him from calling out for help. Yet, he had to make a decision, the group was going on without him.

Finally, he began to pray for forgiveness for his wilful disobedience and then he asked God to show him the way back to the trail. After what seemed like forever, the teenager begin to hear the voices of the other hikers. His prayer was answered! God in His mercy led him safely out. There were so many hikers that no one was aware that he had ever left the group.

As he ended the testimonial, the young man, now 22, advises every Christian believer to obey God and never make decisions without praying and waiting for an answer from God.

For us to surrender ourselves to God, we must have a spiritual understanding of the dilemma within ourselves–we were born with a heart filled with carnal [sinful] desires.

“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin, my mother conceived me.” —Psalm 51:5
“The heart is deceitful above all things And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” —Jeremiah 17:9

Is David saying that we are born with sinful hearts? We can look at this spiritual fact from a practical perspective. Whether or not a child has siblings or is an only child who was taught to share, and eagerly shared, as they continue to develop they become self-centered in the toddler stage of their lives.

The psychological perspective: “Sharing is hard for toddlers because it involves thinking about someone else’s feelings, wants, and needs and they haven’t developed the ability to do that yet. Self-centeredness in toddlerhood is a normal part of development, and not a reflection of parenting or caregiving.” https://babysparks.com/2019/03/07/

Proof that we are born with sinful hearts is exhibited in the behaviors of innocent, young children. Sin is innate and impacts every human being who was ever born on the planet Earth! Even the Apostle Paul, a godly man whom God used to write 14 of the 27 books of the New Testament struggled with sin.

“I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.” —Romans 7:15, NLT
“For I do not do the good I want to do. Instead, I keep on doing the evil I do not want to do.” —Romans 7:19
“For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other so that you do not do what you want.” —Galatians 5:17
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” —Ephesians 6:12

We cannot fight the Sin Bully without Divine Intervention! Jesus gave His life for us to be saved from the consequences of losing the battle against sin. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

“Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me. Yet not My will, but Yours be done.” —Luke 22:42, ESV

Jesus is our Role Model. Not only was He tempted by Satan after He fasted for 40 days, but Jesus was also continuously tested by the unbelieving Pharisees. It was the decision to totally surrender His will to God, the Father along with fervent praying that gave Jesus the strength to overcome sin’s every temptation and to die on the Cross to redeem us from death, sin’s consequences.

“Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).

We will have an internal battle of the heart with sin that will never cease until Jesus comes again. Without our Spiritual Team, we are as helpless as newborn babies against the temptations of sin. Every day we must be intentional in our commitment to surrendering our will and upholding our vow of total obedience to God.

With a heart filled with gratitude, we can thank God for the gift of His Son, Jesus. Because of His love, grace, and mercy, we never have to fight the Sin Bully alone! Divine Help is just a prayer away!

Pray for help when tempted. Proclaim, “Get, behind me Satan!” The Holy Spirit gives us strength and angels intervene for us when we refuse to let sin knock us down! Divine Intervention, Obedience, Prayer, Bible Study, and deciding to remain steadfast [and immovable] is the only way we can overcome the Sin Bully.

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. —1 Corinthians 15:50-53

Brothers and Sisters, Never give up your reward! We are soldiers in God’s Army, serving under a Fearless Leader—Jesus Christ, the Lion of Judah, who is a Warrior and will always fight for us against the Sin Bully. Let the redeemed of the Lord, say so! Yes and Amen.

Faith Triumphs In Trouble

For we walk by faith, not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7)

In John 16:33, Jesus tells us of the life His disciples will face: “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.”

Faith takes effort! Remembering our former blessings and supernatural miracles from the Giver of Life waters the seed of our ever-growing faith. A heart filled with gratitude expressed through prayer is the only way to strengthen our faith.

This verse represents the hardships of our tribulations: “If I close the sky so there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send a plague among My people…” (2 Chronicles 7:13)

Yes, the trials and sorrows are too great for us to resolve. Victory is impossible without unrealistic faith, trust, hope, and confidence in God. We do not have to analyze or try to figure it out. A prayer based on belief in a Loving and Omnipotent Father God never escapes the ears of God.

God tells us what is required to receive His Divine Intervention: “…if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:13-14)

Faith is the response of our hearts to God’s gracious appeals for our fellowship with Him. It is the healing relationship with the One who is the Source of all life, health, and happiness. Faith restores us to our rightful state, to the condition in which we were created to live: union with our Creator. His Healing Love, D. Winn

Lord, I Believe, Please Help My Unbelief!

Prayer: God, please forgive us for the sin of self-reliance. We desire to live a Christ-centered, Faith-based life. Lord, we desperately need You in times of peace and afflictions. Hear our prayer, and give us the direction and the strength to live as one who is faithful. In Jesus’ Worthy Name, we pray. Amen.