God Jesus Holy Spirit – Page 6 – Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions

Growing Closer to Christ – Striving For The Best Spiritual Health

“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” (3 John 1:2)

Strive For The Best Spiritual Health: Christ created us to live in harmony with God’s Laws of Health. Our mental, emotional, and physical health impacts our spiritual relationship with Jesus Christ.

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2).

The concept “We are what we eat” is a reality, yet healthy intake extends beyond nutrients [food]. Every day, we use our Five Senses [sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch] to either build or tear down our Spiritual Health.

Satan entices us by appealing to our Senses; still, it is our hearts’ desires that propel us to say yes to temptation. “The mind influences the body and the body influences the mind.” We are shaped by what we watch, listen to, the habits we practice, and the people in our inner circle of family and friends.

God’s Standard for Believers: “Be holy, for I am Holy.” (1 Peter 1:16).

Because we live in a time when Satan has used digital and virtual platforms to covertly present compromising entertainment, many Christians are being deceived and engaging in sinful activities.

For example, I prefer playing logic games, so I chose one that had good reviews. All was well until it wasn’t. As I advanced to higher levels, I noticed an unusual number of words related to the occult, mythology, and criminal activity. And the Ads progressed from family appropriate to covert but suggestive immorality.

Although I diligently pray and study the Bible every day, I was focused on the game, which was challenging, and I had achieved a high score; I gradually became desensitized to the content. I thought, “It’s only a game, I don’t believe in those false teachings.”

Yahweh Nissi—Jesus Christ, Our Mighty Warrior Against Satan’s Deceptions

“I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will give you counsel and watch over you.” (Psalm 32:8, BSB).

Jesus loves and protects those who love Him. On the day I dismissed the game’s promotion of false teachings, during evening worship, the Holy Spirit spoke to me, “Do not love the things of this world.” And yes, I knew that I had a decision to make: Obey God and let go of the game, or continue in disobedience.

“Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.” (1 John 2:15, NLT).

In 2026, Blended Christianity, the integration of “soft” worldly activities, has been accepted and is being practiced by many believers:

Hanging out with people who acknowledge that God exists, but do not serve Him, watching programming and playing games with violence, sexual content, or gambling, listening to secular music [Rock, Jazz, R&B, etc.], taking sleep gummies, recreational drugs, alcoholic drinks, using profanity, and the list is endless.

“Moral perfection is required of all believers. We should never lower the standard of Righteousness in order to satisfy our desires. We need to understand that nurturing character imperfections is wilfully sinning against God.”

Christ Is Our Righteous Standard and Role Model

“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.” (Galatians 5:16-17).

If unbelievers love and promote the activities, then we know they are not of God. Aggressive sports [hands-on contact], animal fights, parties with secular music, alcoholic beverages, and recreational use of marijuana, legal or not, are activities that will prevent us from receiving Eternal Life.

“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Mark 8:36). We may not agree, but Jesus loved us unconditionally, paying with His life to save our souls. We cannot afford to let this Earth’s temporary trinkets corrupt our minds, making us apathetic toward receiving our Crown of Life.

The habits and lifestyles that we practice now either allow the Holy Spirit to transform us [Sanctification] to live righteously forever in a loving and peaceful New Heaven and New Earth with God, or they do not.

Every aspect of our being, our thoughts, choices, activities, and friends must reflect God’s Holiness. And yes, it is a tough decision, but we cannot justify socializing with unbelieving family members. It is always the Christian who must compromise when they choose friends who do not follow Christ.

We must ask ourselves, Does this activity or individual represent the Righteousness of Christ? Pray before embracing fun and relaxing activities, and let God choose your friends.

Reflection: We cannot judge ourselves. Our lifestyle reveals if we are following Christ on the Narrow Path of Righteousness. Still, we should pray and ask God, “Does my heart and lifestyle represent the Righteousness of Christ?

“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 12:1, NIV).

Lord God, we ask You to reveal the habits, activities, friends, and family members who are preventing us from living holy and receiving our reward of Eternal Life. We ask You to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and to create a pure heart within us. As we honor Your Holy Sabbath, Lord, we ask for Your guidance, wisdom, and strength as we strive to live righteously. In faith, we ask this prayer in Jesus’ Loving and Righteous Name, Amen.

Knowing and Doing the Will of God

“And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” (John 8:29)

The following are Sermon Notes on living a dedicated life of doing God’s Will. Every day, we must ask ourselves this profound question: “Am I really doing God’s Will?”

“Every moment of our lives, either we are living in the Will of God or we are living outside of the Will of God.”

“There is no middle ground. Either we are living a life of obedience to God or a life of disobedience to God.”

“Is this decision consistent and in agreement with the Word of God?
Is it a wise decision? If I do this, what will the consequences be?
Can I honestly ask God to empower me to achieve this decision?
Do I have God’s peace about this decision? Is it the right time?
Is this decision consistent with the way God works? Is it consistent with the Scriptures?
Does this decision or action represent who I am, a follower of Jesus Christ?
Does this decision align God’s overall plan for my life?
Does my action and conversation align with who I claim to be?
Does my decision or action honor God? If you are thinking about doing something and you don’t have peace or cannot sleep, let it go.
Will this decision result in unrest and regret for the rest of my life?
Can I expect God to bless and reward me for making this decision?
God has a purpose and plan for my life and He wants the best for me. Am I going to trust God with my life?”

The Believer’s Prayer of Repentance: “Lord, I have lived my entire life thinking my own thoughts and pleasing myself. And for this sin, I ask for forgiveness. I surrender my will to You and ask You to direct me in all my decisions for the remainder of my life. Lord, I want Your best plans for my life, and I am willing to change whatever needs to be changed. In faith, I ask this prayer in Jesus’ Righteous Name, Amen.”

Preparing For An Eternal Life of Worshiping God, Begins Now

Accepting Christ Makes Us Heirs of His Grace

“Remind them…to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men…” (Titus 3:1-2)

Every day, our thoughts, behaviors, habits, and lifestyle reveals if we are living a sanctified life of faithful obedience, preparing for an eternity of worshiping God.

God’s Gift of Salvation and Redemption; Titus 3:4-7:

“But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done,”

“but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration [rebirth] and renewing of the Holy Spirit…”

“whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

Through daily personal worship, we reveal our love, loyalty, faith, and trust in God, demonstrated by a life of daily surrender and obedience to God’s plans.

Self-governance and self-reliance, the bitter fruits of pride, cannot be present in the hearts of Christ’s dedicated followers.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.” (Isaiah 55:8).

Jesus tells us that we cannot use our thoughts to follow Him on the Narrow Path of Righteousness, which requires a sacrificial life of self-denial and dedication to Christ, our Shepherd.

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14, NIV).

Preparing One Day At a Time For Eternity With God

The Prayer of Humility: “Lord God, reveal to us everything that is standing in the way of worshiping You in surrender and with faithful obedience. In Jesus’ Righteous Name, we pray, Amen.”

Winning The Daily Battle of Trusting God

“To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

Instant gratification always brings a smile to our face and a sense of accomplishment. We feel like shouting to the world, Yes! I got exactly what I wanted!!!

But did we compromise our commitment to God to receive exactly what we desired? Yes, we did.

Psychologists agree that human beings are even willing to choose smaller, immediate rewards over waiting for larger, delayed rewards.

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

Sadly, because we have embraced and nurtured instant gratification, the majority of Christian believers never receive God’s greatest blessings.

We have two enemies that fight against us every day with the goal to prevent us from fulfilling God’s Divine Purpose for our lives:

The Two Enemies: Our Heart [Desires] and Satan, the Giver of Temporary Treasures and Pleasures

“And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” (Genesis 2:9, NIV).

The Internal Conflict of the Human Heart: We know how the story begins, Mother Eve had a secret. Deep within her heart, she desired to eat from the forbidden tree of The knowledge of Good and Evil.

We cannot think wrong and do what is right [Faithful obedience to God is doing right]:

“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.” (Genesis 3:6, NIV).

#2 The External Opposition of Satan’s Temptations of Treasures and Pleasures

Naaman is healed from leprosy (2 Kings 5:14-16).

“So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.”

“Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, ‘Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant.'”

“The prophet [Elisha] answered, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing.’ And even though Naaman urged him, he refused.” “Go in peace,’ Elisha said.”

Elisha’s servant, Gehazi demonstrates the true condition of the human heart: (2 Kings 5:19-22, NIV).

“…After Naaman had traveled some distance, Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said to himself, ‘My master was too easy on Naaman, this Aramean, by not accepting from him what he brought. As surely as the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him.'”

“So Gehazi hurried after Naaman. When Naaman saw him running toward him, he got down from the chariot to meet him. ‘Is everything all right?’ he asked.”

“Everything is all right,’ Gehazi answered. ‘My master sent me to say, Two young men from the company of the prophets have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two sets of clothing.'”

Sadly, Gehazi received the punishment of leprosy for his treachery of misrepresenting Elisha, God’s anointed prophet.

Although we would like to think that our hearts are good, God tells us the true condition of our inherited hearts:

“The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).

Because we were born with the drive to satisfy our hearts desires, we easily choose self-gratification over self-denial, resulting in the compromise of God’s commands.

For over 6,000 years, Satan has used the same old, but highly effective temptations to manipulate our minds, resulting in disobedience to God.

“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. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.” (Jeremiah 29:11-12).

From the moment we awaken, we decide through our morning prayer, whether or not, we will surrender to God in faithful obedience.

“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46).

Every day, every follower of Christ faces the internal conflict of saying yes or no to their heart’s desires and the external opposition of Satan’s temptations.

“And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” (Matthew 16:26, NLT).

Reflection: Are we willing to exchange our promised reward of Eternal Life for Satan’s temporary treasures and pleasures?

Receiving God’s Eternal Plans Requires the Human Effort of Loving God As Demonstrated Through Daily Surrender and Faithful Obedience

Remain Loyal By Following the Shepherd! Jesus’ Promise Gives Us Hope:

“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).

Lord God, we thank You for the blessings of life, health, and strength. We confess that our faith and trust have been redirected to ourselves and for this sin against You, we ask for forgiveness. Lord, anoint us with the Holy Spirit, guide our steps, and give us the discernment to recognize Satan’s covert temptations designed to make us fall. We also ask for the strength to overcome our hearts desires and to live a life of self-denial. In faith, we ask this prayer in Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.

Great Is His Faithfulness!

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

March 2026 was the beginning of my commitment to manage my gift of time, allowing myself to pay attention to Jesus’ Love and Presence in my life. Worship is a lifestyle that requires us to keep our faith and focus on Christ.

From whispering prayers of gratitude and asking for guidance before making decisions, I discovered that Jesus, our Shepherd, always keeps us safe and gives us the best blessings.

From surrendering myself every day to God, I have no worries about resolving life’s challenges or the future. The decision to put my life in Jesus’ hands is better than I could ever imagine; Yes, I can testify, Great Is His Faithfulness!

“We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19). To maintain a heart-to-heart relationship with Jesus requires a daily commitment of reciprocal love for Christ.

Loving Christ includes the daily commitment to faithfully follow and obey Him:

David’s Prayer: “Show me Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day long.” (Psalm 25:4-5).

We demonstrate our love and gratitude for Jesus’ Faithfulness through humility, daily surrender, and faithful obedience.

And from our willingness to obey, we receive the blessings of Jesus’ peace and joy abundantly flowing into our hearts.

“Peace I leave with you; My [perfect] peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid.” [Let My perfect peace calm you in every circumstance and give you courage and strength for every challenge.] (John 14:27, Amplified Bible).

Jesus, we thank You for Your steadfast love and for redeeming us. Throughout our lives, You have been faithful, taking care of us, even when we thought, we were taking care of ourselves. Jesus, our Shepherd and Triumphant King, we love You and praise Your Holy Name. In faith, we pray this prayer of gratitude in Your Holy Name, Amen.

Always Hold On To God’s Hand

“We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)

Every morning, pray a prayer of gratitude for the new day and ask the Holy Spirit to give you the wisdom to recognize God’s Voice speaking to you.

Because we face the unknown, we ask for God’s guidance whether we are facing life-changing circumstances, or insignificant challenges.

When we put our complete faith and trust in God, the Holy Spirit will give us the spiritual strength to live as faithful overcomers in the strength of Jesus Christ.

“And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” (John 8:29).

Pray over every aspect of your life. Ask God to show you what He wants you to do. Faithful obedience is the only way that we can please God and receive His directions.

Keeping your focus on Jesus prevents fear and anxiety from becoming a stronghold in your mind. Trust in God’s promises and move forward in Jesus’ Strength! Yes and Amen!

Bible Study: Memorize Isaiah 41:10.

Lord God, teach us how to redirect our faith and focus back to your Love and Power. From thinking our own thoughts and focusing on life’s ever-changing circumstances, our faith is weak. Lord, we ask for strength. Restore our joy and peace and teach us how to place our faith and trust only in You. We commit to holding Your hand and never letting go as You guide us on the Narrow Path of Righteousness. In faith, we ask this prayer in Jesus’ Powerful Name, Amen.

We Have This Hope: Jesus Is Coming Soon!

Jesus’ Faithful Promise of Encouragement: John 14:1-3

“Behold, I (Jesus) am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to the merit of his deeds (faithfulness).” (Revelation 22:12, Amplified Bible).

A God First commitment is revealed by a Christ-centered, Purpose-driven Lifestyle. Our daily pursuits, habits, and lifestyles reflect our priorities. Distractions, including goals, are a catalyst for minutes quickly evolving into hours of non-productive time. We must take back control of our precious gift of time to include personal worship with Christ.

For those who believe in Jesus’ promise of coming soon, every day, we are: “Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.” (Titus 2:13). We do not belong to ourselves—Christ purchased us with the sacrificial offering of His life.

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20, ESV).

Every believer must grow spiritually and be transformed by the Holy Spirit into the likeness of Christ. Sanctification requires the human effort of faithful obedience and the Divine Intervention of the Holy Spirit. Our only opportunity to be transformed spiritually is in our earthly lives.

“Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.” (Isaiah 64:8).

While we can stop sinful habits through behavior modification, we cannot change our hearts. This transformation can only happen through the power of Jesus Christ, who cleanses us from all unrighteousness.

In Jeremiah 17:9, God tells us the condition of the hearts that we inherited [deceitful and desperately wicked]. Every day, we pray and ask Christ, our Heavenly Intercessor and Mediator, for the forgiveness of our sins, and the wisdom and strength to live righteously.

Faithfulness to God is the intentional decision to follow Christ by worshiping God in spirit and truth, to renounce sin, and our internal desires. Through daily surrender and consecration, the Holy Spirit changes our hearts, and we begin to perceive life through spiritual eyes, so that everything we do and say will honor God.

“Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. 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 15:4-5).

Jesus tells us that to be covered with His Righteousness, we must rely on His Spiritual Power, given to us by the Holy Spirit. Love, Faith, Humility, Surrender, and Obedience are the character traits that Christ possessed in His life on earth.

“And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” (Philippians 2:8).

“Jesus humbled himself by voluntarily taking human form, acting as a servant, and submitting to God’s will even unto a shameful, agonizing death by crucifixion. This act of obedience represents the ultimate sacrifice to redeem humanity, leading to His exaltation.”

Reflection: Jesus promises the faithful “an immortal inheritance…you cannot afford to devote your life to the things of this world, but that your concern is to prepare for the [ forever] home that awaits you in the kingdom of God.” God’s Amazing Grace

Staying connected to Jesus is accomplished through a sacrificial life of self-denial, continuous prayer, and study of the Holy Scriptures.

The Holy Spirit transforms us from the inside out; a clean heart reveals the Love and Righteousness of Christ. As followers of Christ, we have the responsibility of representing Christ’s Love to others through a gentle demeanor and kind words. It is up to us to reveal that choosing Jesus Christ makes a difference in one’s life.

Never feel intimidated when witnessing to others; the most powerful words are: “God [Jesus] loves you!” Today, I told one of my neighbors, “God loves you,” and her response was, “I believe that God loves me because I can feel God’s love from you,” which brought tears to my eyes.

When Jesus comes again,” the work of Redemption will be complete. The Earth…that Satan claims as his, will be exalted by Christ.” This Earth where Jesus came as a human, where the king of glory lived and suffered and died, He will make all things new.” Hallelujah!

“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ And He said to me, ‘Write, for these words are true and faithful…'”

“And He said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.” (Revelation 21:4-7).

King David’s Prayer: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10). Amen.

You Were Chosen By God

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will…” (Ephesians 1:3-5).

While having worship this morning, I listened to the powerful words of a song that said, “God chose us.” And with deep reflection, I thought about the spiritual responsibility of being chosen to follow Christ; What does it mean to be chosen by God, the Father?

Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus always answers our questions regarding our salvation and spiritual matters. The Holy Spirit speaks to us in various ways, which requires us to separate ourselves from distractions and worship God in solitude and silence when we desire to hear His Voice.

While studying my daily Bible Lesson, Ephesians 1:3-5, a Scriptural reference was the answer to my question. The apostle Paul explains that before Christ created the world, God, the Father, predestined us for adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ.

“We love Him, because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19).

“Divine Initiative: 1 John 4:19 highlights that God loved humanity first, even before we existed or chose to follow Him.”

“The Cause of Our Love: Our capacity to love God and others is not self-generated; it is a response to His grace and love, which is described as Agape (unconditional/sacrificial love).”

“A Reaction to Redemption: Because Jesus sacrificed Himself for humanity (as mentioned in 1 John 4:10), our love is a response of gratitude.”

Jesus Chooses Matthew as His Disciple: Matthew, the rogue tax collector, was chosen by Christ to be one of His twelve disciples. His response was not one of spoken words: “As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, ‘Follow Me.’ So he arose and followed Him.” (Matthew 9:9).

Jesus knows our hearts and, through the Holy Spirit, He extends the invitation to accept Him as our personal Savior: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20).

“Our work is to open the door of the heart and let Jesus come in. He is knocking for entrance….Will you open the door? Jesus is standing at the door of your heart. Let Him in, the Heavenly Guest.” Our High Calling

“Many have so much rubbish piled up at the door of the heart that they cannot admit Jesus. Some have difficulties between themselves and their brethren to remove; others have evil tempers, pride, covetousness; with others, love of the world bars the entrance. All this must be taken away before they can open the door and welcome the Saviour in.” Our High Calling

For those who have opened the door of their hearts by accepting Christ as their personal Savior have been intentionally chosen by God, the Father, before the world was created, and we have at least one spiritual assignment to fulfill.

Will we accept our Holy Assignment of being chosen? If yes, then our lifestyle and priorities must reflect a “God First, Christ-Centered, Purpose-Driven” commitment to follow our Shepherd, Jesus Christ.

Daily surrender and faithful obedience are required to live the sacrificial life of a chosen follower of Jesus Christ:

A Living Sacrifice: “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 12:1, NIV).

“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).

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (ESV): “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

The Commitment: “I have decided to follow Jesus, and through His strength, I will move forward to fulfill my Spiritual Assignment!” Yes and Amen.

Lord God, we thank You for Your amazing love and for predestining and choosing us to be faithful followers of Jesus Christ. Lord, we accept our Spiritual Assignment. As You reveal Your plans to us day by day, we ask the Holy Spirit to teach us to recognize Your Voice above other voices, including our own thoughts. You told us in Your word that we will face many distractions designed to turn our focus away from You, and we ask for Spiritual wisdom, discernment, and the strength to fulfill Your plans as we tell others about the saving Grace of Jesus Christ. In faith, we pray in Jesus’ Righteous Name. Amen.

Facing Challenges? Immediately, Pray!

“The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their cry…”

“The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears,
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart…”

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
But the Lord delivers him out of them all.” (Psalm 34:15, 17, 19).

Although God does not cause adversity in our lives, He allows us to experience challenges that we cannot resolve to maintain our dependency on Him.

There is a dual purpose for trials: First, our challenges redirect our faith and focus from our abilities to the love and unlimited power of Jesus Christ. We were created to surrender and depend on God, not ourselves.

Trials are designed to produce the righteous characteristics of steadfast faith and trust in God, courage, and perseverance, producing the spiritual growth and maturity required to receive our reward of Eternal Life.

“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. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4, NIV).

Lord God, in obedience, we come to You with our challenges and hardships. We believe that You love us and that Your promises are true. While we wait for Your Divine Intervention,we desperately need Your strength. Thank You for loving us. Thank You for giving us the victory. And in faith, we ask this prayer in the Righteous and Powerful Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Pray! God Always Answers Our Prayers

“The Lord is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear [revere] Him…” (Psalm 103: 8, 11).

Every day, we must make decisions and choices that should always include God’s Divine wisdom. With God, our faith grows, and our minds are filled with peace, because we know that our Heavenly Father will always give us a perfect outcome.

Maintaining a spirit of gratitude, praying, and studying the Holy Scriptures are daily faith-building activities, giving us knowledge of God’s Character and His steadfast Promises. Daily personal worship indicates that we are actively participating in our journey of spiritual growth and development.

Loving God gives us the desire to be in His presence. Personal worship not only reveals our love and loyalty to God, but also invites the Holy Spirit to give us spiritual wisdom and discernment of the Scriptures and the strength to live righteously.

In John 14:1-3, Jesus reveals the expected end for the faithful, believers who let go of their desires and the world’s treasures and pleasures to follow Christ. God has gifted everyone a measure of faith. Either we use our faith to believe in ourselves, or in God.

Jesus compared “faith” to a mustard seed. The mustard seed is the smallest of all seeds, yet it is…” considered strong, hardy, and resilient, and capable of withstanding harsh conditions and providing shade.” By trusting God, the Holy Spirit keeps us aligned with God’s Divine purpose of Eternal Life.

To remain on the narrow Path of Righteousness, we use our faith to trust that Christ is the King of our lives, and we study the Bible with the intent to obey: “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17).

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6, NIV).

The Holy Scriptures reveal God’s promises and faithfulness in helping the righteous; still, we need more than knowledge of the Scriptures, faith requires the childlike belief of, “If God said it, He will do it.”

“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 undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, Amplified Bible).

Hardships are guaranteed to happen. All is well, and then it isn’t. If we choose Christ, then we are never alone. In faith, we ask God for His help and guidance, and in the same prayer, we thank God for His intervention.

God never expected us to carry the burdens of life that we readily take ownership of, wearing ourselves down to the point of mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion. Burdens also prevent spiritual growth and restoration because they cause us to lose our faith in God.

“Be still, and know that I am God…” (Psalm 46:10). God commands us to “Cease striving.” Our Loving Heavenly Father does not require us to resolve our challenges; God requires us to have steadfast faith in His promises to always help us.

When we pray for help, if God desires our participation in the resolution, the Holy Spirit will guide us in understanding what we need to do. However, in many cases, God simply asks us to have faith and patiently wait for His intervention.

In fact, God tells us that He has already answered our prayer of faith: “I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!” (Isaiah 65:24, NLT).

You may think, “But God has not answered my prayer because nothing has changed.”

God is Omniscient [All-Knowing], so He already knows every adversity we will face in our lifetime. And His answers to our challenges have existed, even before we were conceived.

“Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!” (Psalm 27:14). God’s timing is never our timing. We live in an environment of immediate answers and resolutions, but God uses the time of waiting to test our faith in Him.

“Would not God discover this? For He knows the secrets of the heart.” (Psalm 44:21). Although we say that we believe in God’s power, God already knows whether our faith is weak and wavering or strong and steadfast.

Waiting on God places us at a Spiritual Crossroads. Either we will choose to place 100% of our faith and wait with gratitude for the anticipated resolution, or we will attempt to resolve the challenge ourselves.

The Big Reveal: Waiting on God has two purposes: Waiting is a powerful act of faithful obedience, and waiting reveals whether or not we really believe in and trust God’s love, power, and promises.

During the wait, if we have anxious, worried thoughts about our challenges, wondering how and when God will intervene, then our hearts are filled with doubt and unbelief.

“Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, ‘Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!'” (Mark 9:24).

Jesus is our Savior and Heavenly Intercessor whose heart is filled with love and compassion, and He knows our weaknesses. With humility, we pray an honest prayer of confession: “God, my faith is weak, but I believe that You love me and will keep Your promises to help me.”

Reflection: What is your knowledge base of God’s promises? We should know at least 3-4 Promises of God, and meditate on them every day.

Christ is our Savior, Redeemer, Intercessor, Provider, and Protector!

“I will never leave you or forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5). Trusting in God’s promises of never abandoning us, and believing that God is faithful, always keeping His promises, gives us hope even when facing harsh adversity.

“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.” (Lamentations 3:25-26).

Steadfast faith in God also gives us the confidence that He always answers our prayers. God knows exactly what we need and when we need it. Weak faith? Pray anyway!

“Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up and went out to a solitary place to pray.” (Mark 1:35).

Separation, Solitude, and Silence: In personal worship, we need to hear from God. “…go to a private, secluded, secret place to pray, God is there in that secret place.” Whisper the short prayer of humility: ‘Lord, I need Your help.”

“But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Matthew 6:6).

Close your eyes, meditate on God’s love and promises. The Bible reveals that it is in the quiet places where the Holy Spirit enters, giving us comfort and guidance, and empowering us with Jesus’ strength.

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