Tag: Holy Spirit

“Be Strong and Courageous!”

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional -October 8, 2024

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” —Joshua 1:9

For three years, I have resided on the East Florida Coast. In 2022, I prepared spiritually and physically for my first hurricane, Ian was headed for my city, but at the last minute, it took a sharp turn toward Orlando. We experienced high gusty winds but sustained no damage. Truly God keeps His promises and answers our prayers. “Even before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear” (Isaiah 65:24).

Today is October 8th, tomorrow Hurricane Milton is expected to hit the Florida West Coast and continue through the central and east areas exiting into the Atlantic Ocean. Many individuals have evacuated from Tampa and the cities in the direct path of Milton. I have committed to praying and fasting for God’s divine intervention. After all, He is the Creator of the Universe and is committed to protecting the righteous.

This morning, the Holy Spirit reminded me of the story of Joshua, who replaced Moses as the leader of Israel after his death. Joshua had insecurities because he focused on his abilities. In Joshua, chapter 1, three times, God reminded Joshua to be strong and courageous because He was with him.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” —Deuteronomy 31:6

Whatever we face in our lives, God is already aware. Our role in serving God is to redirect our focus on His Love and Sovereign power instead of our circumstances. Yes, we must use wisdom when facing adversity, but our faith in God is the attribute that moves Him to intervene for us.

Hebrews 4:16, (ESV) says, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

It is time for us to live as the faith warriors described in Hebrews 11. Pray, pray, pray. If Elijah prayed for the rain to stop for three years and God answered his prayer, how much more will He do for us when we exercise faith in Him? Whether facing life’s stormy trials or stormy weather, we must intentionally proclaim, “I trust the Sovereign God with my life!” Amen.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes..” —Proverbs 3:5-6

Lord God, we pray this Intercessory prayer for those facing Hurricane Milton that You will keep us safe. We also pray for the safety of the First Responders who risk their lives to save others. And we continue to pray for those who lost loved ones and their possessions from Hurricane Helene. God, we ask you to send Your angels to this earth to hold back the winds and devastation of satanic strife. We trust in You and Your promises and ask this prayer in faith. In Jesus’ Holy and Righteous Name, Amen.

© 2024 Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions

Guard Your Faith in God

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – October 7, 2024

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” —2 Timothy 3:16-17

“The Greek word translated as ‘breathed out’ in this verse is theopneustos. This means that Scripture is the very speech of God, and that God is the source of what is recorded in the Bible. The Holy Spirit used human authors to write what God revealed.”

The Holy Bible was breathed from the Voice of God and the Holy Words were given to righteous men for Christian believers. The Scriptures define God’s Loving Character, the Creation Story, gives us the history of Divine Intervention, and Jesus’ harsh earthly life, and we also receive guidance on how to live righteously.

In the book of Revelation, Jesus reveals the end of the Great Controversy between Good and Evil. Every believer will receive eternal life if they choose to serve [surrender and faithfully obey God’s will] in their earthly lives.

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

Although Satan, formerly known as Lucifer, the highest angel who resided in the presence of God is more powerful than humanity, we cannot be forced to sin against God! How do we guard our faith? Through much prayer! The awakening to the mercies of a new day is our opportunity to give gratitude to God by inviting Jesus to work on our hearts. From our daily prayer of surrender and obedience, we receive strength from Jesus through the Holy Spirit.

God’s Promise: “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” —1 Corinthians 10:13

Christ’s Invitation: “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4;16).

Jesus Christ is our Heavenly Intercessor. To guard our faith, we must admit our continuous dependency on God. Yes, we have received spiritual gifts to overcome sin: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7), still, only God can give us the strength to overcome temptations.

We were created with limitations: We cannot foretell the future, nor can we determine the outcome in any given situation, therefore, we desperately need Divine guidance to live as overcomers. Our role is to willfully choose to abstain from all sinful pleasures. When tempted, we use our love for God, and faith in Jesus Christ to pray for Divine strength, say No, and walk away.

“…Be holy, for I am Holy…” —1 Peter 1:16

Avoid Compromise: Guard your faith in God by separating from people who do not place God as the Sovereign ruler over their lives. Let go of secular music and programs that do not honor God. Use your time and spiritual gifts to glorify God and practice a healthy lifestyle. Volunteer your services to churches and nonprofit organizations that focus on helping the disadvantaged.

Choose Christ! When we admit our helplessness and pray for Divine guidance and strength the Holy Spirit will strengthen us when we face temptation. God’s ultimate goal is to save our souls. When we practice righteous principles, we align ourselves with God who will bless us with our best lives now and in the future New Heaven and New Earth. Guard your faith in God!

“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. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” —John 14:1-4

Lord God, we desperately need You in our lives. We pray for strength, guidance, and the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Thank You for Your great sacrifice and promise of eternal life if we strive for righteousness. In Jesus’ Holy and Righteous Name, we pray. Amen.

© 2024 Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions

God Cares For You

Sabbath Peace and Blessings

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior…” —Isaiah 43:1-3

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living” (Psalm 27:1, 13).

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

We Need God

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional- October 4, 2024

Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without me you can do nothing. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be my disciples.—John 15:5, 7-8

How do we abide in Christ? How is God glorified? Much prayer and studying of the Scriptures gives us knowledge of God’s righteous character and His plans for every believing Christian. The Plan of Redemption was in place before the world was created. God’s goal has always been to save our souls, therefore Jesus died for us, was victorious over death’s dark grip, and is in heaven serving as our Intercessor.

We pray and the Holy Spirit takes our prayers to Christ who covers us with His righteousness and presents us to God, the Father as the redeemed. We abide in Christ by seeking His will every day. There are 66 books in the Bible that guide and teach us God’s expectations of Jesus’ followers. God, the Father is glorified when we align ourselves to His will through faithful obedience.

Reflection: Do my life choices reveal that I am a dedicated follower of God? Every thought, spoken word, and action should reflect that we are on the Path of Righteousness. Every day, we encounter challenges, the testing of our faith, love, and loyalty to God through temptations, but prayer keeps us connected to God, the Source of All Power! With God, we live as overcomers! To “Pray without ceasing” means to talk to God throughout our waking hours.

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

We need God! Yes, our earthly journey is tough, but God never meant for us to navigate alone. Even if you can resolve the issue, Pray for God’s help. With God involved, we never have to suffer consequences for misjudging our circumstances. God always wins! Dependency on God always ends in victory!

In John 14, verses 1-3, Jesus promises to return as the Triumphant King one day to gather the righteous and take us to heaven. Amen. Until then, be faithful and courageous, and continue to pray, pray, pray!

Lord God, we desperately need Your help. And we thank You in advance for Your Divine Intervention in our lives. In Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.

© 2024 Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions

He Gives Power to the Weak!

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – October 2, 2024

Today, I had an appointment with my Pulmonologist Nurse Practitioner who was delighted that I no longer have to use a maintenance inhaler. After listening to my lungs, she said, ” Your lungs are clear with strong breaths.” My response was, Yes after three years of steroid inhalers, I am very excited to no longer require them. But then she attempted to throw a curve ball, “Your next visit you will need to complete tests A, B, and C” to which I responded, “I am declining tests B and C because test A, a Chest CAT Scan will reveal any abnormalities. Respectfully, I indicated I was a Registered Nurse [retired]….” We reached a modified and satisfactory treatment plan because I knew that I was healed by God and excessive diagnostic tests were unnecessary.

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” —Hebrews 11:6

For three years, I prayed for healing and in April of this year, God granted me healing. When God blesses us with miracles, we have an archenemy who uses countless ways [including people] to weaken our faith and make us doubt God’s love, His promises, and His Sovereign power. Pray daily for God’s Divine strength! Although God does not promise everyone physical healing, He does promise us the strength to travel the arduous journey through our trials and hardships of life.

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

Adversity produces steadfast faith in God. Whatever you are facing, never forget God’s promise in Isaiah 40, verse 29: “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak” (NIV). Our responsibility is to pray and faithfully believe that we will receive God’s Power—Jesus’ Strength.

Never stop praying! God hears and answers every prayer. The prayer of despair and desperation is responded to immediately. Jesus, the Commander of Angel Armies sends peace and comfort through the Holy Spirit and His heavenly angelic messengers.

Lord God, we face many challenges in life that either build our faith or make us doubt Your love and Sovereign power. We pray for an outpouring of Your Divine strength and the courage to witness to others that You not only give power to the weak but also heal us of brokenness and mental, emotional, and physical sicknesses according to Your will. We believe in Your Divine Power and pray for peace and comfort. In Jesus’ Righteous Name, Amen.

© 2024 Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions

The Believer’s Thankful Heart

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – October 1, 2024

“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service.  Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.” —1 Timothy 1:12-13, NIV

The History of Saul the Persecutor of Christians

“Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples” (Acts 9:1). Saul was also directly responsible for the merciless killing of Stephen, the Martyr (Refer to Acts chapter 7).

Jesus Rescues Saul—This is God’s Grace

“As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Saul asked. ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied.” —Acts 9:3-5

As we read further into the story, after Saul’s life-changing encounter with Jesus, He was blind for 3 days and fasted—ate no food. During this time, Saul repented, his heart was fully converted, and he consecrated himself to a life-long commitment for the service of God.

From Saul to Paul

Christ did not change Saul’s name, but He did transform Saul’s heart. The Apostle Paul had two names Saul, his Hebrew name, and Paul, his Greek name. He was a Jew born in Rome. He chose to use his Hebrew name, Saul, until sometime after he began to believe in and preach Christ. After that time, as ‘the apostle to the Gentiles’ (Romans 11:13), he used his Roman name, Paul. Gotquestions.org

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” —2 Corinthians 5:17

The fact that Saul chose to use the name Paul has a spiritual significance. He understood that he was no longer the former sinful person who sought to imprison and murder Christians. From his willingness to dedicate his life to God, the Apostle Paul began his ministry of witnessing to the Gentiles, starting several churches.

“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers…” —Ephesians 4:11

Not only did Paul accept his spiritual assignment by dedicating his life to starting the early Christian church, but the Holy Spirit inspired him [the words of the Holy Scriptures were given to the Apostle Paul by God, the Holy Spirit] to write most of the books of the New Testament. God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things because He strengthens us with His power.

The conversion of Saul from a murderer to an anointed Apostle of Jesus Christ has much significance for today’s Christian believers. From God’s love and through His grace, Christ died a heinous, criminal’s death on Calvary’s Cross for us. Still, we can rejoice! Through the plan of Redemption, we are privileged to be called the children of God when we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior.

From our yes to Christ’s invitation, we cooperate with the Holy Spirit, and our minds, characters, and personalities are transformed into the likeness 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).

“I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus…” —1 Corinthians 1:4

Because our hearts are overflowing with love for God and immense gratitude for the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ, the past sinful desires of our hearts no longer exist. We do not think, speak, or act in the same manner we did before we accepted Christ, our lives reveal that we are one with Christ. With humility, we seek God in prayer for our goals to align with the will of God.

The Grateful Heart Is Filled with God’s Love

“Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling aroma.” —Ephesians 5:1

“Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is…but be filled with the spirit, speaking to one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord and giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ…” —Ephesians 5:17, 19-20

Like the Apostle Paul, we proclaim our worship for Jesus, our Triumphant King through the praises from our mouths and the prayers of thanksgiving. Every day, we receive new mercies and strive to live righteously, demonstrated by our spoken words and lifestyle. Yes, our prayers and the eagerness to know the word of God (Daily Bible study) reveal our love and gratitude for Jesus coming down from His throne in heaven to live a life of poverty and suffering for us.

Lord Jesus, we thank you for your great sacrifice. We thank you for loving us with an everlasting love. Today, we dedicate and consecrate our lives to you. From this day forward, we will possess hearts of gratitude and serve You with obedience. We ask this prayer in your Holy Name, Amen.

© 2024 Steps to Success with Spiritual Solutions