Category: The Victorious Life

Jesus Is Our Only Source of Peace, Joy, and Happiness: Stop Collecting Stones

“Casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].” (1 Peter 5:7, Amplified Bible).

Every day, we strive to complete our responsibilities, relying only on our own strength. Yet, for believers, we also face many unexpected the spiritual warfare of challenges and temptations that test our faith, trust, and obedience to God.

“I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13). Without asking Christ for His strength to accomplish our tasks for the given day, we deplete our mental, emotional, and physical resources.

Can you imagine carrying a backpack of heavy stones as you perform your daily tasks? From using our thoughts and strength to navigate through life, we pick up Mental and Emotional Stones: Using emotions to react to challenging situations and people.

Collecting Stones: Stones are our emotional reactions, including doubt, fear, failure, discouragement, anger, and hopelessness, that impact our rational thought processes.

The “stones” we collect every day remain in our minds, and as the weight grows heavier, we cannot remain positive or enjoy Christ’s blessings of peace, joy, and happiness.

When we have put forth our best efforts and the outcome is not what we expected, we blame ourselves and begin to accumulate the “mental stones” of failure, stress, fatigue, disappointment, anxiety, and worry.

Stones produce a negative perspective: As we reflect on our day, we are unable to focus on our accomplishments; instead, we focus on the failure to complete our to-do lists, which are often unrealistic. Instead of relaxing after a taxing day, we think about various ways to complete today’s unfinished tasks and tomorrow’s responsibilities.

Although we desire to have positive interactions with our family, friends, neighbors, and others, it is an unrealistic expectation. Many individuals react to stress by communicating with emotional responses.

Stones cause us to overreact: If we take things personally, instead of telling ourselves, “Some people are just difficult, it’s not about me, or “Everyone has a bad day, so their reaction was not about me,” then we pick up the “emotional stones” of anger, hurt, embarrassment, disappointment, and feeling let down.

Taking everything personally leads to harboring feelings of sustained anger and resentment. Remaining upset provokes us to replay the negative interaction, which prevents us from enjoying a peaceful sleep, and our mental, emotional, and physical health begins to decline.

Stones cause Spiritual Decline: Most importantly, our Stones cause us to lose our spiritual perspective. We cannot focus on our spiritual journey with Jesus. Our daily personal worship of Prayer and Bible Study ceases, and our reciprocal relationship with Christ gradually declines. And sadly, we do not recognize that we are separated from Christ.

There is a better way to live! Jesus Is Our Stone Gatherer: “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.'” (Matthew 11:28, NLT).

Giving Our Stones to Jesus Requires Two Actions: First, We Are Who God Says We Are: We Are Loved by God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, and the recipients of God’s Grace. Do not practice self-criticism! Incorporate time management skills into your life by asking the Holy Spirit for guidance in your daily activities.

Secondly, a believer’s life is comparable to a soldier’s life: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” (Ephesians 6:10-11, NIV).

In John 16:33, Jesus tells us that His followers will face a life of continuous temptations and struggles. Satan uses people to speak harsh words to upset us so that we will become angry and sin against God with unrighteous responses. “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger…” (James 1:19).

From whispering a prayer for strength, the Holy Spirit will tell us when to respond and when to remain silent when confronted. To avoid collecting Stones, we must depend on Jesus’ Strength and Guidance, which requires us to stay connected to Him through a life of continuous prayer and praise.

A Relationship with Christ built on faith, trust, obedience, and daily prayer, and study of the Holy Scriptures is the only way to have “An Unbothered Mind.”

The Believer’s Privilege of Prayer

“Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment]. (Hebrews 4:16, Amplified Bible).

Prayer allows us to have a heart-to-heart connection with Jesus, our Creator and Shepherd, who “cares about you with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully.”

Invite Christ into every little detail of your life. Not only will you receive peace, but the Holy Spirit will give you the wisdom to resolve every challenge. We reflect the love of Christ to others through gentleness and self-control, eliminating the need to retaliate with emotional responses.

Reflection: How many times a day do you pray? Whispering prayers throughout our day keeps us connected to Christ, our Source of Strength, and the Giver of Spiritual Peace, Joy, and Contentment.

“There is necessity for diligence in prayer; let nothing [stop] you. Make every effort to keep open the communion between Jesus and your own soul. Seek every opportunity to pray.”

God’s Divine Love Revealed: 24/7, We Have Total Access to Christ!

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. (Romans 8:26-27, NIV).

We do not have to understand the Divine Pathway of how Jesus receives and answers our prayers. Whether spoken or silent, Christ tells us to “pray without ceasing,” and He will empower us with His Divine Strength, Guidance, and Wisdom.

“Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.” (Isaiah 65:24, NIV).

Brothers and Sisters, stop collecting Stones! Use your faith to depend on Jesus. Our Heavenly Intercessor waits for us to seek His Help.

Even if our backpack of Stones is overflowing, Jesus is waiting for us to cast those Stones at His feet, and He will deliver us from the weight of life’s challenges and empower us to live with an unbothered mind. Yes and Amen!

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with loving kindness I have drawn you and continued My faithfulness to you.” (Jeremiah 31:3, Amplified Bible).

Lord God, thank You for Your Amazing Love and Faithfulness that never changes. We desire to begin a consecrated life of prayer; a life that is free from the stony weights of emotional reactions, uncertainty, burdens, anxieties, and worries. Jesus, today, we commit to redirecting our faith and trust back to You. And we thank You for the privilege of Prayer, and in faith, we ask this prayer in the Righteous Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

© 2026 STEPS 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions Ministry

God Is Always Good!

“The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble, And He knows those who take refuge in Him.” (Nahum 1:7).

This morning, I read a Devotional on how easy it is for us to react negatively to the darkness of trials and hardships. But the author reminded us that God is Always Good, and the dark times are allowed for our spiritual transformation and redirecting us to depend on our Heavenly Father.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16, NIV). From a perfect love that we cannot understand, God gave His only Son, Jesus, who sacrificed His life on Calvary’s Cross to redeem us from sin and to save our souls.

Yes, God’s priority is to give us Eternal Life, but we choose our destiny. Receiving immortality in our Forever Home requires us to actively participate with the Holy Spirit in our spiritual journey by obediently following Christ, our King, Savior, and Shepherd.

“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46). We abide in Christ through daily personal worship. With a spirit of surrender, we commit to faithfully obey our Shepherd. Our Daily Prayer: Lord, what do You want me to do?

Although we desire our heavenly reward, there is an obstacle that each of us must overcome: We have become too attached to this earthly home. Our lifestyles reveal that we are making future plans that have nothing to do with living righteously now and in our Forever Home.

Scenario: You purchased a house, and the closing date is 30 days away, but today the company announced immediate layoffs, and your supervisor informed you that you would also be impacted.

Feeling disappointed, you reach out to the seller to explain your situation. To your surprise, they respond by stating that they will not accept other offers. Instead, they give you a timeline of 3 to 4 months to find another job because they genuinely want you to purchase the house.

Your prayers of gratitude would include joy, happiness, and excitement, you know that God has given you a miraculous blessing.

Jesus’ Promise: “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:1-3).

Jesus’ promise of life in the New Heaven and New Earth that He gave to His disciples is for all believers. From Adam and Eve to every faithful believer who has lived on the planet Earth will receive their reward of immortality when Jesus comes again [Revelation 22:12].

In Revelation, the Apostle John describes the righteous as a number like the grains of sand. Every day, with joyful anticipation, we should reflect on Jesus’ love, preparing ourselves spiritually for Heaven through daily prayer and Bible study.

Jesus’ Warning: “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-16, NIV).

According to 2 Timothy 3, we are the generation of Christians who are living in the Last Days on this present earth. We cannot afford to waste our gift of time. Our lifetime is the only opportunity we have for the Holy Spirit to transform our minds, characters, and personalities. 

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth…For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19, 21).

Success and prosperity have the power to change us from the outside in, which opposes the spiritual process of Sanctification. We cannot experience spiritual growth if the majority of our time and efforts are spent fulfilling our hearts’ desires and pursuing personal and professional success.

To clear out excess inventory, many stores offer reduced prices for “As Is” items. We purchase these items because we have the vision and skills to modify them. When we come to Jesus, He accepts us “As Is: “I can come to Jesus, just as I am, but I cannot stay just as I am.” We must be changed into the likeness of Christ by the Holy Spirit in our earthly lives.

Perform a spiritual self-assessment. Do your behaviors, habits, and lifestyle demonstrate a God First or a Me First mindset? If we desire to live an obedient life, surrendering to God’s plans, then we have given access to the Holy Spirit to convert our hearts. Faithful obedience reveals that our hearts are filled with love and loyalty to Christ.

God Is Always Good: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.” (Psalm 32:8, ESV). God honors and rewards those who obey Him.

God Is Always Faithful: Jesus knows that our spiritual transformation requires His Divine Help and Strength, so He allows the “Chisels of Trials and Hardships” to enter our lives.

God’s Rescue Plan: “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident…be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, Amplified Bible).

“We must overcome through His Strength and Grace, that we may be partakers of [His] Divine Nature…Our pride, selfishness…passions, and love of worldly pleasure must all be overcome; therefore God sends us afflictions [adversity] to test and prove us, and show us that these evils exist in our characters.”

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23). The Fruit of the Spirit describes the attributes of  Jesus’ Righteous Character that we must also have.

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2, NIV).

One thing is for certain: Self-discipline and self-denial are within our power to exercise under all circumstances. But overcoming our internal desires requires the willingness to live a sacrificial life of saying no to the world’s treasures and pleasures. Sadly, this is the turning point for many believers who decide to detour from the Path of Righteousness.

Loving God motivates us to agree to become Spiritual Works-in-Progress. Every day, the Holy Spirit gradually performs the work of our spiritual transformation from the inside out [heart conversion]. Through daily personal worship, we ask God to reveal His plans, and we obey, without doubting His Divine Wisdom.

“This is the way; walk in it.” (Isaiah 30:21). God reveals His promise to provide guidance and direction for His people.” Faithful obedience invites the Holy Spirit to teach us how to live righteously. We are never alone. The Holy Spirit guides us day by day in our rugged journey on the Path of Righteousness.

The Life of Self-denial: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” (Romans 12:2, NIV).

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

Yes, the Christian journey is tough! Although human effort is required, we cannot save ourselves. Every day we pray, asking the Holy Spirit to empower us with Jesus’ Divine Strength to overcome the internal conflict of our heart’s desires, and the external opposition of temptations.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” (James 1:2-3, NIV).

God Is Always Good! We have 24/7 access to Christ, who gives us His strength to persevere through our trials and hardships. Pray for guidance, wisdom, and strength throughout your day. Jesus lived on this earth, and He knows that daily self-denial is a tough journey.

God’s Divine Intervention: “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13, NIV).

Human Effort: “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7, NLT).

Live With the Mindset: “I will not disobey God!” Our enemy, Satan, the roaring lion, knows our weaknesses, developing personalized temptations that are temporary and worthless. Still, we can never be coerced into sinning against God; we choose to sin.

When tempted, immediately pray with audible words that you can hear, asking Jesus, our Mighty Warrior, for His Help. Every prayer asking for Jesus’ Strength to overcome temptations and challenges is immediately answered by Jesus, our High Priest.

God is Always Good! Before we can blink our eyes, Psalm 91 tells us Michael [Jesus], the Commander of Angel Armies, sends His angels to strengthen us and to fight the unseen spiritual warfare of Satan’s evil angels. Hallelujah and Amen!

The days we live in are filled with evil. Become a prayer warrior! Prayer keeps us connected to Jesus, who receives every prayer. The Holy Spirit empowers us with Divine wisdom and supernatural strength to live righteously.

God is Always Good! The Triune God [God, the Father, God, Jesus, the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit] is doing all that is possible to ensure that every believer receives their Crown of Life. The decision to choose life is up to us.

Human Effort plus Divine Intervention Always Ends in Victory!

Lord God, we thank you for your Amazing Love, Grace, and Mercies. We desire to change and ask You to reveal the traits in our characters that prevent us from living a sacrificial, faithful, and obedient life. We ask for forgiveness for wasting our gift of time, chasing after worthless desires. Lord God, thank You for Your love, faithfulness, and for always being Good. Teach us how to worship you in Spirit and Truth, and guide us in our journey so we can receive our reward of Eternal Life. In faith, we ask this prayer in the Mighty Name of Jesus, Amen.

© 2025 STEPS 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions Ministry

Psalm 100: A Psalm of Praise to the LORD

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.
5 For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations. (Psalm 100, NIV).

“Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for He is our God and we are the people of His pasture,
the flock under His care.” (Psalm 95:6-7, NIV).

A life of gratitude and praise prepares us for an eternity of praising and worshiping God.

© 2025 STEPS 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions Ministry

“You’re in a Battle that You Will Win” Video Short

Facing Opposition? Study 2 Chronicles 20, to learn how King Jehoshaphat used his faith to teach us how to pray.

When facing opposition, we usually focus on the matter at hand, but King Jehoshaphat teaches us to focus on the power of God in our prayers.

Yeshua, El Gibbor, is the Mighty God, and The Commander of the angel armies. Throughout the Holy Scriptures, from Genesis to Revelation, we find that Jesus has always been a Mighty Warrior protecting the faithful from their enemies.

Only trust Him and Christ will give you the victory. Yes and Amen.

“‘No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me,’ Says the LORD.” (Isaiah 54:17).

Video Short by Pastor W. Phipps

Should a Christian Celebrate Halloween?

“Be holy, for I Am Holy” (1 Peter 1:16). “Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.” (Ephesians 5:11, NLT).

As a child, we received God’s blessing of growing up in a Christian home. My mother gave us the simple, but profound explanation that Halloween did not honor God, and we live to honor and obey God.

From a spiritual perspective, there is no reason to offer an alternative to Halloween, in the attempt to pacify children. God expects parents to teach their children the difference between what is Holy and unholy.

The Steadfast Decision is ours to Choose: Compromised Christianity, or Receiving Our Crown of Life.

“Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the LORD. Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you.” (2 Corinthians 6:17, NLT).

Silence Invites Christ Into the Conflict

“For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.” —1 Corinthians 14:33, ESV

Because of sin, conflict is a natural part of life. But regardless of the highly practiced worldview, “Conflict is healthy,” God clarifies that He is never present in disagreements, arguments, confusion, or strife.

“Be alert and of a sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

Because Satan is shrewd, dissension presents itself in various [covert] ways. Something as simple as, “What are we going to eat for dinner?” can escalate into a tug of war when our hearts are not filled with Christ’s love.

“And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household” (Matthew 10:36). Do not be deceived by describing conflict as “a little disagreement.” Little conflicts invite the unrighteous spirit of confusion into our homes.

Dissension changes the atmosphere of our homes and our minds, characters, and personalities, which become instruments that Satan easily manipulates.

The Spirit of Strife not only destroys our internal peace but also separates us from God, placing us on the same unrighteous level as unbelievers. To “Agree to Disagree” is one of Satan’s deceptive theories of compromise, and is not Biblical, or a Righteous Principle.

Our earthly lives are the only opportunity given by God to cooperate with the Holy Spirit to transform us into the likeness of Christ. Through humility, surrender, and faithful obedience, the righteous are covered with Christ’s garment of spiritual peace.

“If possible, to the best of your ability, live at peace with all people” (Romans 12:18, CEB). God’s expectation for every Christian believer is that we possess a pure, loving heart that reflects the Righteousness of Christ. A home that is peaceful and righteous is the home where the Spirit of God is always present.

“Careless words stab like a sword, but the words of wise people bring healing. (Proverbs 12:17, GWT).

Satan’s most effective conflict strategy is to use people to provoke us, so we will react with angry thoughts and words, or impatiently blow our vehicle horn, an unholy substitute for irate spoken words.

Do not give Satan control of your mind and mouth by speaking emotionally charged words. Unrighteous responses are one of the easiest ways to sin.

Angry sarcastic words are thoughtless words that not only escalate the situation but are also hurtful. Fact: Apologies do not soothe or heal wounded hearts.

Seeing Conflict Through Spiritual Eyes: There are only two powers in this world, God, who is Good, and the Creator and Giver of Peace, and Satan, whose evil schemes always produce conflict with the intent to destroy harmony and peace.

Overcoming Satan’s Schemes of Conflict Requires the Teamwork of Human Effort and Divine Intervention.

“The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent” (Exodus 14:14, NASB).

How to Handle Conflict With Unfamiliar People: Immediately pray for strength, remain silent, and walk away. No discussion is necessary. Walking away is our witness.

Handling conflict with familiar people [family, friends, coworkers] who are also believers is the true test of our love and loyalty to Christ. Unless they are immediate family living in the same home, we must separate ourselves from those whom the enemy is using to persecute us.

Throughout the Holy Scriptures, God reveals boundaries in interaction with our family and friends. Husbands and wives must pray together when animosity arises between them, and parents must be a godly example for their children when dissension arises.

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32). Never harbor grudges: We must extend mercy as God extends Mercy to us.

The first response in the Christian home is not to hear what happened first, but to engage everyone present to immediately pray a prayer of repentance, and with humility invite God to resolve the conflict. Only then, when the Holy Spirit is present, should they hear the rest of the story. An effective way to resolve conflict and evaluate with fairness is, after the prayer, have each person write about their experience.

Dissension is often fatal to our spiritual growth and transformation. We must never forget that we accepted Christ to live righteously and cooperate with the Holy Spirit for a complete spiritual makeover of our mind, character, and personality. One thing is for certain: There will be no conflict in heaven.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:10-12, NIV).

The Truth: Quick and intemperate responses reveal that our hearts are unconverted, and we do not possess the righteous character traits that align with the Fruit of the Spirit.

The Righteous Attributes of Christ: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).

Whether strife arises with familiar people, or strangers, remain silent! God has gifted us with the power of self control, React by breathing a silent prayer. Ask God for Divine Help. Using self-control, Stand down your anger!

Prayer and Silence accomplish two spiritual goals: We learn to totally depend on God to fight and win our battles, and our character is transformed daily by the power of the Holy Spirit necessary for us to receive our reward of the Crown of Life.

Lord God, we ask for forgiveness for the many times we have thought or spoken angry words that did not reflect Your love. We ask you to give us the strength and the guidance to cultivate a spirit of meekness and to extend mercy when experiencing the persecution of conflict for serving You. In Jesus’ Righteous Name, we pray, Amen.

© 2025 STEPS 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions Ministry