faith-trust-obedience – Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions

A Prayer of Surrender — Stop Striving: Jesus Is The God Who Sees

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I Am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10).

In our Spiritual Journey with Jesus, we will face disappointment, sorrow, loss, conflict, and uncertainty. Study John 16:33.

“The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.” (Psalm 145:18).

When the intrusive vicissitudes of life threaten to devastate us mentally and emotionally, we must come to our spiritual senses, and use our faith to believe Yeshua, our Loving Shepherd’s promises to always take care of us.

“The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. (Psalm 23:1-2).

Jesus Is Our Shepherd; He is The God Who Loves, Sees, and Takes Care of His Sheep. Yes, our Shepherd promises to give us Spiritual Peace and Comfort to soothe our troubled and weary minds. Thank You, Jesus!

“Hebrew Name: El Roi (or El-roi), which translates to “The God Who Sees” or “The God Who Sees Me.”

“She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: ‘You are the God who sees me,’ for she said, ‘I have now seen the One who sees me.'” (Genesis 16:13, NIV).

“Who Spoke It: Hagar, an Egyptian slave of Sarai (Sarah).”

“Context: Hagar was mistreated by Sarai and fled into the desert, pregnant, and feeling alone, afraid, and overlooked. Jesus, Who is called “The Angel of the Lord” found her by a spring, comforted her, and promised descendants.”

“Significance: Hagar is the only person in the Bible who personally gives God a Name.”

“Related Well: The well where this happened was named Beer Lahai Roi, meaning “Well of The Living One Who Sees Me.”

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28).

The Bible is the Word of God: The Word of God is Alive and Active,” filled with His Infinite Power, and is guaranteed to soothe and comfort us.

God’s Promises keep us anchored to Christ the Solid Rock. When we study and meditate on the Holy Scriptures, we invite the Holy Spirit to give us Jesus’ gift of Spiritual Peace.

God has given the righteous many promises that we should memorize: He will never leave us or forsake us; He will heal our broken hearts, He will provide for us, and He will protect us from our enemies.

“Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear [reverence] Him, on those who hope in His steadfast love…” (Psalm 33:18, ESV).

What does it mean to surrender to God? Everyday, we pray for His Divine Will and Plans to be revealed to us. And then we pray for the Holy Spirit to give us the wisdom and the strength to fulfill His Plans.

Because God is Perfect and can never make a mistake, following God’s Plans alleviates all anxiety, worries, and eliminates the chance of suffering from unknown future consequences.

Pray, Wait, and Obey. Our faith is being tested during the wait; will we obey God, or will we rely on our own thoughts when we get tired of waiting?

“The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly For the salvation of the Lord.” (Lamentations 3:25-26).

God Declares His Sovereign Omnipotence

“Who then is able to stand against Me?
Who has preceded Me, that I should pay him?
Everything under heaven is Mine.” (Job 41:10-11).

“Behold, I am Yahweh, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27, BLB).

Whether facing the routine challenges of everyday life, the devastation of life-changing adversity, or people who Satan is using to bring chaos and confusion into our lives, our First Response must be a Prayer of Faith.

“Cast your burden on the Lord [release it] and He will sustain and uphold you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken (slip, fall, fail). (Psalm 55:22, Amplified Bible).

In faith, we ask God for His Help, and then we patiently “Wait on God,” whose timing will never match our mindset and lifestyle of rapid response. God sees time as eternal, so He has no need to hurry.

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.” (Psalm 37:7-8, NIV).

Psalm 46:10: “Be still, and know that I am God,” reminds us to stop striving and acknowledge God’s Sovereign Authority and Power.

“I Am The God Who Sees. I am the God, Who sees you in your wilderness, in your brokenness, and your empty spaces. My power will bring you to your knees!” And then I will lift you up again with My Righteous Right Hand,” because I Am the God Who Sees.

“And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him.” (1 John 5:14-15).

Lord Jesus, we approach Your Throne of Grace, asking for Your Divine Help and Guidance in our time of need. Lord, we admit that our faith is weak, still we ask for Your guidance, peace, and stability in a time of uncertainty. We have experienced many challenges and disruptions this week; Lord, thank You for giving us the Holy Sabbath to redirect our focus from the tumultuous events in our lives and in this world back to You. Jesus, as we prepare for Your Soon Coming, we pray for every believer to redirect their faith and focus from the natural to the supernatural. Anoint us with the Oil of Gladness, the Holy Spirit in our hearts, so we can experience the blessings of the joy and peace of following Christ. Lord, help us to prepare for eternity by teaching us how to place God First in everything we do and say. In faith, we pray this prayer of surrender in the Righteous Name of Jesus Christ, our Faithful Shepherd, and the God Who Sees, Loves, and Cares, Amen.

Jesus’ Spiritual Encouragement and Comfort For His Followers Facing The Fiery Trials of Persecution and Hatred

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.” (John 15:18).

When Joshua and the nation of Israel were facing their enemies in Jericho: Yeshua, The Commander of Angel Armies, said these words to Joshua: “Then the Lord said to Joshua, ‘See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men.'” (Joshua 6:2, NIV).

“Who then is able to stand against ME? Everything under Heaven is Mine. (Job 41:10-11).

For those of us who are experiencing persecution, be encouraged! Jesus tells us that He has already given us the victory.

Jesus sees time as Eternal, so He already knows the final outcome of every fiery trial that we face. Remain courageous!

“Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say on the LORD! (Psalm 27:14).

Our responsibility is to use our faith to wait, trusting His Sovereign Authority and Power, by totally depending on Jesus to Fight All of Our Battles.

“There is no wisdom or understanding Or counsel against the LORD.” (Proverbs 21:30).

jesus, Our Mighty Warrior has already won our battle for us and that is the mindset that we must possess as we endure and persevere through the fiery trials of persecution.

Personal Testimony: Recently a very interesting video appeared in my YouTube feed: Nigerian Christians are enduring active persecution that involved the burning and destruction of their homes along with the loss of all their personal possessions.

Our Brothers and Sisters in Christ and their children are currently in a displaced community living in small tents.

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7).

Despite their overwhelming circumstances, they appeared peaceful, happy, and were singing and praising God.

The reason that God allowed me to watch this video: Because of my Christian beliefs, I am facing open hatred from my property manager in the complex where I live.

And yes, I did report her verbal offenses to the corporate office, who have reiterated professional boundaries; yet, for believers who have endured open dislike and hatred, we know that people can communicate hatred in the tone of their voice and demeanor.

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Dealing with persecution and open hatred is one of the toughest trials that we will ever experience in our Christian Journey with Jesus; yet, Jesus gives us peace, comfort, and strength when we consistently ask for His Help.

The Love of Christ Constrains Our Responses

“For the love of Christ controls and compels us, because we have concluded this, that One died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that all those who live would no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and was raised for their sake.” (2 Corinthians:14- 15, Amplified Bible).

“The Spiritual death of dying to self means the total surrender of our human will, pride, and selfish inclinations to God so that Christ can live and work through us.”

“We can come to Jesus just as we are, but we cannot stay that way.”

Spiritual Transformation is accomplished through fiery trials resulting in the Holy Spirit purging [spiritual cleansing] us from the sinful dross of unrighteous thoughts, spoken words, habits, and lifestyles.

“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. (1 Peter 4:12, NIV).

The Fruit of the Spirit represents Jesus’ Righteous Character Attributes: “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, NKJV).

The Righteous Character of Christ is our Righteous Standard. Through the Power of the Holy Spirit, daily, our mind, character, and personality are Sanctified and Spiritually Transformed, which requires total surrender, humility, faithful obedience, and self-control.

There are requisites to receive Spiritual Transformation: The Holy Spirit cannot change us without our cooperation and active participation:

“Jesus said to him, ”You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”” (Matthew 22:37-39).

1. We must possess a heart overflowing with love for God and humanity.

“Pray continuously.” (1Thessalonians 5:17).

2. We pray, asking the Holy Spirit to reveal our unrighteous character traits.

“If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just [true to His own nature and promises], and will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness” [our wrongdoing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose]. (1 John 1:9 Amplified Bible).

3. We acknowledge and verbalize our unholy traits with a prayer of confession and repentance.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:10, ESV).

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7, ESV).

4. Every day, we pray a Prayer of Surrender asking for God’s Divine Strength to overcome, and use our spiritual gift of “self-control” to fight against hereditary tendencies and learned behaviors.

“And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.'” (2 Corinthians 12:9, ESV).

“For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:10, ESV).

5. When experiencing open hatred, we must pray throughout our waking hours, asking Jesus to give us the strength to endure.

Jesus’ Promise: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10, ESV).

Pray every hour! The Holy Spirit responds by empowering us with Jesus’ Supernatural Strength, giving us His Divine Joy and Peace while we are enduring our hardships.

12 “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of [c]the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:12-13)

Core Christian Principles for Responding to Hatred

“Recognize the Spiritual Source: Hatred and revenge originate from Satan, who uses slights, gestures, or harsh intonations to provoke bitterness in the human heart; recognizing this helps prevent you from taking the bait.”

“Handling open hatred and hostility from another person requires rejecting retaliation, holding fast to Christ by faith, and responding with quiet self-control rather than bitterness.”

Refuse Retaliation: Jesus did not threaten or retaliate when reviled and abused; believers are instructed to follow His pattern and prefer to suffer wrongfully rather than vent wrath or seek self-defense.

Exercise the Power of Silence: Meeting angry or hateful words with a sharp reply acts like a whip that stirs up greater fury, whereas remaining silent and silencing the tongue allows anger to quickly die away.

Purge Bitterness from the Soul: Clinging to resentment, malice, or a desire for revenge opens the heart to Satan and destroys harmony with God. True Christian character replaces hatred with kindness through Divine Grace.

Maintain Love and Forbearance: Even when facing false reports, jealousy, or mistreatment, Christians are called to avoid fault finding, remembering that God exercises tenderness and forbearance toward human defects.

Hold to Christ by Faith: Human strength alone cannot withstand open hostility; you must unite human weakness with divine strength through prayer and faith in Jesus Christ.

Check Your Own Spirit: Guard against embracing wrath or magnifying grievances, and resist the temptation to gloat or rejoice if an enemy stumbles or falls.

The New Living Translation: “Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.” (2 Corinthians: 14-15, NLT).

Lord Jesus, we know that Your earthly life was filled with religious enemies, who hated You because You were Righteous, revealing God’s Love for all humanity, whether poor or wealthy.

You gave hope through your Sermons and Parables, giving spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical healing to the multitudes. You explained that You were the Way, the Truth, and the Life to Heaven.

Jesus, you exposed the evil traits of self-righteousness, pride, prejudice, oppression, and greed residing in the hearts of the religious leaders: And you were hated and repaid with suffering a criminal’s death of crucifixion on Calvary’s Cross. Yet, we thank You for the Cross and for giving Your Life to save our souls.

LORD, we also pray an Intercessory prayer for all Christian believers, globally, who are experiencing persecution, including myself. Jesus, it is a privilege to suffer for You. We ask for the Blessings of Strength, Guidance, Wisdom, and Your presence in our lives.

Thank You for Your Promises of never leaving or abandoning us. Thank You for providing our necessities, and giving us Your Divine Peace that comforts our hearts, and redirects our faith and focus to You instead of our circumstances.

Jesus, we love You! Thank You for Your never-failing Faithfulness, and in faith, we ask this prayer for continuous Mercies in Your Loving and Righteous Name, Amen.

Missing Out On God’s Blessings? Do Not Settle for Less!

Practical Messages for Impractical Times — Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – November 13, 2024

“The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Go from your country, your people, and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.’ ” —Genesis 12:1-2

Devout Christians love God and others, pray, study the Bible, and do not commit wilful sin against God, still, many do not enjoy the peace and victory and often miss out on God’s greatest blessings. How is this possible? Let’s reflect on God’s command to Abram: He told him to leave his country, relatives, and friends.

“So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated, and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.” —Genesis 12:4-5

Yet, Abram did not obey God’s command. Abram’s Disobedience: Why did he take his nephew Lot?

To understand the context of this story, we must think of Biblical times, walking, tending to animals, and setting up and taking down camp until one reaches their destination. Although relocation requires major adjustments, because Abram did not possess the inner peace that comes from total obedience to God, he had apprehensions and fear within his heart.

The Result of Disobedience: When arriving in Egypt, he lied that Sarai, his wife was his sister, and Pharoah attempted to take Sarai to be his wife. God immediately intervened [Study Genesis 12:10-20]. However disobedience produces continuous consequences, and once Abram and Lot settle into the promised country, a conflict arises between Abram and Lot’s workers.

“Now Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together. And quarreling arose between Abram’s herders and Lot’s.” —Genesis 13:5-7

Human Resolution: “So Abram said to Lot, ‘Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives. Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.” —Genesis 13:8-9

“Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company…” —Genesis 13:10-11

Not only was Lot, Abram’s nephew disrespectful by choosing the best land, but the hidden pride and greed in Lot’s heart was exposed. Because we live in perilous times, many individuals would not understand the issue of a younger person choosing the best for themselves. “Well, he told me to choose and I did” is not justifiable in following God’s commands in honoring our elders.

“You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the Lord.” —Leviticus 19:32

In Leviticus 19:32, God commands the people to “stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly, and revere your God.” For believers, respect for older individuals is connected to honoring God. Yes, the elderly may be wrong in many circumstances, but still, we cannot respond verbally. We have to remain silent and pray for them. God will intervene through the Holy Spirit to speak to their hearts.

Lot’s Greed Results in Cohabitation with Pagans: “Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent even as far as Sodom. But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord.” —Genesis 13:12-13

God’s promise to Abram, ‘I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing’ ” did not include his nephew. Not only did Abram have to settle for the second best of the land, but Lot’s choice and disrespect produced tragic results in his life that also impacted Abram and Sarai.

Genesis 14: Lot, his family, and their possessions were taken by enemy kings. Abram intervened with armed servants to free Lot. Genesis 19: Sodom and Gomorrah are destroyed, Lot loses all possessions, his wife dies, and his depraved daughters plan a diabolical scheme to commit incest with their drunken father and produce children that produce a nation of idolaters.

“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” —Luke 6:46

Disobedience is an innate trait that lies within every human heart. Our greatest enemy is ourselves! Because of inherited sin, we can never satisfy the innate desires of our hearts nor do we remain content even when we receive the things that we desire. Impatience, relationships, and the love of material things and money have caused many believers to make counterproductive decisions.

We may not face immediate consequences, but the passing of time reveals our misguided choices, and we will ultimately regret choosing the temptation of “Second Best.” God is not a God of Instant Gratification. Because we know that God waits to bless us, we can spiritually discern the presenting situation as one of Satan’s temptations if we are being coerced to make an immediate decision.

Relationships [often leading to marriage] with those whom God has not chosen for us rank as the highest act of disobedience. Also high on the list are choosing the wrong friends, careers, jobs, relocation, and practicing worldly behaviors and habits that place us in opposition to God. Because “we want what we want when we want it,” we nurture a spirit of disobedience resulting in chaos and missing out on the many wonderful blessings God desires to give us.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” —James 1:17

To receive God’s promised and abundant blessings, we must obey His exact commands without adding or taking away from His instructions. Standing down our wayward desires is the hardest battle we face. Every day, we are presented with Satan’s schemes to make us fall. Yet, we are not helpless. “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7).

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). Jesus knows our weaknesses and promises to give us strength. Pray out loud when tempted, physically walk away, and learn to say No! Tell yourself, I love God and will not sin against Him!

Reflection: What or Who do you need to let go of to escape the Land of Disobedience and step into a life of freedom with God? When emotions and personal preferences are involved, we need Divine Help! We pray continuously and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any lifestyle choices that prevent us from total surrender and obedience to God, and for the supernatural strength to let go of those choices.

“…Obey Me, and do everything I command you, and you will be My people, and I will be your God.” —Jeremiah 11:4

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” —Jeremiah 29:11

God’s Ultimate Goal: “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

Every believer’s ultimate goal should align with God’s goal of saving their souls. No earthly relationship, job, or material blessing can compare with Jesus’ Greatest Blessing of giving us Eternal Life! Jesus created us with natural desires and dreams, yet, we honor Him by not following our thoughts and inclinations [Proverbs 3:5-6].

Nowhere in the Bible can we find that God gave the righteous second best. Allow God to fulfill His promises by making a covenant to Obey and Wait on the Lord. Yes, it is difficult to make the right choice and live it out from day to day but to be in the right standing with God by obeying Him gives us His best blessings and inner peace, joy, and happiness. Obedience, Patience, and Perseverance prepare us for a perfect life in the New Heaven and New Earth. Yes and Amen!

Lord God, we ask forgiveness for the sin of self-gratification and disobedience. We ask You to give us the strength to overcome our inner desires. Today, we make a covenant to faithfully trust and obey Your Divine choices that always bring completion and victory to our lives. Thank You for loving and caring for us. We ask this prayer in the Holy Name of Jesus, Amen.

The Practical Messages for Impractical Times is a series that addresses the gap between hearing and studying the Scriptures and their application to the Christian Believer’s life. Peace and Blessings as we strive to “Be holy, for I Am Holy” (1 Peter 1:16) through the power of the Holy Spirit.