Distractions–The Enemy that Always Wins

Distractions—The Enemy that Always Wins Devotional Reading

So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom. –Psalm 90:12

Think of your plans and goals for yesterday, how well did you do? Did you accomplish the tasks according to their priority on your to-do list? What did you do with the leftover time? And did you fall asleep with peaceful thoughts from the joy of your accomplishments?

The War of Distractions

The questions are pertinent because we are involved in an intense battle of strategic spiritual warfare intended to make us lose everything God has planned to bless us with now and eternally. As one contemplates the busyness of life, we have grown accustomed to accepting distractions as a natural element that rightfully belongs in our lives.

Distractions are often hidden from plain sight. Always have a million things on the to-do lists or make promises to help because you can’t say no without feeling guilty? Distractions make us waste valuable time from our lives that we can never retrieve.

Distractions make us lose the ability to dream, and prevent us from developing our spiritual gifts and natural talents. Nor can we receive the blessings from using our God-given spiritual assignment to tell others of the love of Jesus Christ because Distractions rob us of the life-giving sustaining power of God.

Distraction Alert!!! The Covert Strategy of Multitasking is a Manmade Concept!

Biblical references prove that God is Completion. Let us look at the story of Creation. In six days God used a systematic approach for the completion of His work for that day. The affirmation “And God saw that it was good.” is repeated four times. There were no thoughts about manipulating tomorrow’s schedule to squeeze in the things that were not completed in the day’s 24-hour cycle of time.

“God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.” Genesis 1:5

Our concept of time is out of sync with God’s time. Sunset is the beginning of a new day. In the evening, say a prayer, and ask God to give you the wisdom to change your present routine. Develop one or two realistic goals before you go to bed. Be specific by placing a one or two-hour-time parameter that you will complete during your daytime hours.

Eliminating distractions requires courage and discipline! Stand your ground against all distractors. Perform an honest self-evaluation. Are you embracing distractions? If yes, then admit that you are working against yourself and take aggressive steps to remedy the situation.

The Restorative Benefits of Completion–“A desire accomplished is sweet to the soul.” Proverbs 13:19

When our lives are out of sync with their natural order, we will never enjoy the blessings of peace and joy that come from making accomplishments. King Solomon says that accomplishments are sweet to the soul, indicating the spiritual aspect of completion. We do not find peace in tranquil locations nor achieve optimal mental, emotional, and physical health without following God’s plan for the human beings He created in His image.

The Journey to Complete Spiritual Restoration includes the Challenge of Overcoming Distractions

“Teach me Your way, O Lord, And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.” Psalm 27:11

We have a choice to make. Eliminate the struggle caused by oneness—we have Divine Intervention available. God’s promise to never leave us or forsake us is lifelong. Yes. God is a God of Completion. When Jesus created us in their image, He knew the forever dependency that was required to sustain humanity.

Stopping the repetitious cycle is possible! Do not live in misery because of Satan’s spiritual warfare of distractions. Let go of your learned thought processes from the influencers who can do nothing but give misconstrued advice. Let go of habits and people who constantly introduce suffering into your life. Satan uses the familiar to keep us overwhelmed.

Embrace God’s Righteous Standard of Completion to overcome the Enemy of Distractions. God Always Produces Victorious Overcomers!

“I brought you from the ends of the earth and called you from its farthest corners. I said, ‘You are My servant.’ I have chosen and not rejected you. Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand of righteousness.” Isaiah 41:10

God created us to live on this earth in the peace and prosperity that comes from receiving His abundant blessings. Our willingness to have a heartfelt relationship with Christ not only gives us joy, contentment, peace, and happiness, but we also receive knowledge and wisdom from the Holy Spirit to live productive and structured lives. Created in His image, we receive the power to achieve completion of the tasks to maintain a life of spiritual equilibrium.

Prayer: God, we desperately need Your help. Please reveal the distractions that prevent us from making accomplishments and having the daily joy that comes from completion. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

The Spiritual Intimacy of Healing

“When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, ‘Do you want to be made well?'” John 5:6

The well-known story of the man at the Pool of Bethesda has been analyzed, critiqued, and given various explanations of why the man didn’t simply answer, yes, to Jesus. Still, Jesus told him to rise, take up his bed and walk. And the man obeyed. The man has another encounter with Jesus who clarifies that being made well involved more than his ability to walk. Spiritual healing was Jesus’ ultimate goal in the once-lame man’s healing journey.

Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.” –John 5:13

If we focus only on the lame man’s healing of his physical ability to walk then we do not understand Jesus’ primary spiritual healing mission for the human race. Jesus’ second encounter with the man at the temple reveals that our hearts are His primary concern. The desperately wicked heart requires rescue and healing from the always-present disease of sin. The healed man was told to sin no more or something worse would happen. Our minds may naturally think of another illness worse than paralysis, yet, consider the loss of the man’s reward of eternal life.

Yes, receiving spiritual healing is contingent on our intentional rejection of sin. The first response of praying for the daily renewal of our covenant vow with Jesus places us in the right standing to be recipients of His love, grace, and mercies. The human effort of surrender and obedience keeps us on the Path of Righteousness where we begin and maintain an intimate heart-to-heart relationship with Christ.

The question is, Do you want to be made well? places us at the Spiritual Crossroads that requires a definitive answer to God. Truthfully, many believers do not desire to be made well because to be made well requires giving in and giving up everything for Jesus Christ.

One could never imagine that a believer would answer, no to Jesus’ question. The inner battle of surrender versus disobedience is our daily cross to bear. Hitting the roadblock of indecision [which is a decision] happens because of giving in to the full pursuit of one’s desires. Our life must align with God’s will. There is no leeway or compromise in our intimate journey with Jesus.

Without surrendering to God’s Conditions of Participation, we repeat the actions of the rich, young ruler who desired salvation on his terms. Sadly, with modern believers, there is a clear difference between us and the young ruler, although we turn away from the Spiritual Journey we do it without feelings of sadness or remorse.

Christ alone has the power to heal and transform our hearts into His likeness–Sanctification, the lifelong journey with Jesus is continuous. It will last up until the day of Jesus’ Second Coming. Read Philippians 1:6.

“What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD. Psalm 116:12-13

2023: Totally Doing His Will

The mighty rushing wind of the Holy Spirit is moving fervently through this earth anointing the hearts of the faithful. Through answered prayers and the diligent study of the Scriptures, many hearts are accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Yes, we believe that God has selected, appointed, and anointed us to carry the torch. And in humble obedience, we are witnessing of Jesus’ love, grace, and mercy to everyone who will listen.

But, Wait! Salvation is for all. And God shows no favoritism. Exactly! The difference is that we acknowledge that God is enough in our lives. We give ourselves daily to the saving power of Christ. With intentional commitment we stay connected to the Vine, Jesus Christ. We fully understand that we are saved by grace. And because of our faith, the Holy Spirit has filled us like cups overflowing with an overwhelming love for an Awesome God. Our response is to continually seek God through prayer and to renew our covenant vow every day to totally do His will.

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” –2 Corinthians 12:9

Sonya Darcell Johnson, Steps2successwithsolutions.com 2023

The Misconception of Spiritual Defeat

“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:33 NIV

Faith allows us to have a deep dependency on God. We abide in Christ to receive His fortifying protection from the continuous spiritual warfare that many believe will produce the destitution of Defeat.

Satan can only be successful in his ploys to defeat us when we help him. Sounds crazy? Distractions are his proven strategies to bait and switch our focus from Christ to our circumstances.

Loving and Trusting Jesus allows us to receive His never-ending power. Jesus is our only Hope. Human Effort plus Divine Intervention equals Victory!

Ending Our Struggle with Sin

The story was told about a well-known pastor conducting a revival in a small town. After the service ended, he was approached by a young man who said, “I don’t like your religion, you can’t party, drink, smoke, gamble when playing cards, or have girlfriends.” The pastor responded, “Oh, I can do those things and more, but I no longer desire to do those things because I gave my heart to Jesus Christ.”

Question: Do you believe that Jesus ends our struggle with sin?

Answer: When Jesus died and rose from the dead, He ascended back to heaven. His death and resurrection completed the Plan of Salvation–to redeem humanity from their sins when we confess and ask for forgiveness. Surrendering our hearts to Jesus requires that we love Jesus. We love Him because He loved us first. He paid for our redemption with His life. And Jesus has promised us in John 14:1-3 that He will come again and take us to heaven to live forever with Him in a perfect world without sin, sorrow, crying, and death.

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. Ephesians 2:1-3

We were spiritually dead in sin before our transformation. Ruled by the carnal desires of our flesh, we gave ourselves to Satan, the prince of the power of the air. The desires, habits, people, places, and things that we used to do have been cleansed away by the precious blood of Jesus. We are so grateful for a Savior who rescued us that we walk away from a prior life like it never existed.

How is spiritual transformation possible?

Remember that God created us in His image, and He created us with a soul that is connected to Him for the duration of our lives. The emptiness of sin overshadows our connection to Christ, but it is impossible for us to ever be totally disconnected. The Plan of Salvation was in place before humanity was created. God knew that we would have a sinful nature. Yes, we have a continuous inner conflict between right and wrong, but in staying connected to Jesus, He gives us the strength to overcome our passionate desires.

Christ has the power to make us alive!

“What shall I render to the LORD For all His benefits toward me?” Psalm 116:12