The Holy Spirit Intervenes when we pray for help. Human Effort alone cannot keep us on the Path of Righteousness. God, the Father, Jesus, God the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit along with angel armies as are just a prayer away. Don’t lose your crown because you gave up without asking and relying on the Warrior God and His angel armies.
Be blessed. Happy Sabbath!
Honor God by Waiting on His Timing Devotional September 26, 2023
“Still I am certain to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait patiently for the LORD; be strong and courageous. Wait patiently for the LORD!” —Psalm 27:13-14
Waiting is one of the most difficult things in life. Yet, to be obedient, we must wait on God. Every day we choose to honor God through surrender and obedience. To live a strong life in Christ, we pray for God to reveal His will and plans. God’s ultimate goal is to give us eternal life. And none of us are ready to receive the reward, so in His loving mercy, God is waiting on us—He is waiting for us to embrace the spiritual journey of Sanctification—the transformation of our character into the likeness of Christ.
God’s Timing: “The smallest family will become a thousand people, and the tiniest group will become a mighty nation. At the right time, I, the LORD, will make it happen.” —Isaiah 60:22
The last part of Isaiah 60:22, “At the right time, I, the LORD, will make it happen.” is trending on social media as God’s promise to fulfill our dreams and goals in His timing. But as I listened to the reel, something did not feel right. God never promised to give us the things we desire unless they are perfectly aligned with His will and plans for us. So, I researched to find out the spiritual meaning of this verse.
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical. The following is an excerpt from his article, The Lord Will Hasten the Day (Isaiah 60:22). The link to his article is included in this post.
Now, that verse is only rightly understood when you realize all that’s come before it, and 21 verses before that, because basically, what God, through Isaiah, gives his people is prophecy, a picture of their restoration. After exile, after experiencing the consequences of sin, he’s saying, “I’m going to bring you back to your land. You’re going to dwell in peace,” but it’s a picture not just of what was going to happen in Old Testament history. radical.net
It broadens to a picture of what God is going to do in ultimate history when he brings his people to himself for among all the nations to worship, and there’s peace and righteousness that reigns on the Earth. This is talking, ultimately, about a new Heaven and a new Earth, where God will dwell with his people in perfect harmony. radical.net
“I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” —Luke 18:8
Reflection: Are spiritual transformation and eternal life in the New Heaven and New Earth our priorities?
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” —2 Peter 3:9-11
“But God isn’t subject to time. Because he created time, he operates outside of time…He uses time to test your faith and to build your character. While you’re working on your goal, God is working on you. And God’s much more interested in you than in what you’re trying to accomplish because you’re not taking your accomplishments to heaven. You’re only taking your character.” pastor rick
Truthfully, we rarely focus on our spiritual status. We assume that we are in the right standing with God. But John Bradshaw, President of It Is Written stated, “The biggest deception among today’s Christians is that we think we are ready to receive eternal life.”
“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
Human effort is always required to receive God’s Divine Intervention and His blessings. Faith, humility, surrender, and obedience are the bundle of character traits that God requires for us to receive eternal life. We cannot change ourselves or possess these righteous traits without the Holy Spirit. We have a tough decision to make—pray and ask God to search our hearts and reveal all unrighteousness or continue to live according to our earthly agendas.
Honoring God requires the sacrifice of giving God our all. We pray daily for His will to be done. And we change our desires to align with His plan to change us into the likeness of Christ. Honor God by praying, obeying, and waiting on His timing.
Scripture: “The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” —Zephaniah 3:17
Prayer: God, we confess that we are living to satisfy our desires. And for this sin against You, we ask for forgiveness. We ask You to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and fill us with the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Because we love You, we will honor You by living obediently, righteously, and according to Your timing. In Jesus’ Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
© 2023 Steps 2 Success with Solutions and Woman, You Are Loved by God Ministries
Link: https://radical.net/podcasts/pray-the-word/the-lord-will-hasten-the-day-isaiah-6022
“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on Earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
Depending on God is Not Optional for Christian Believers
Jesus tells us that we can do nothing without him. Many have made earthly accomplishments, but for the spiritual growth and transformation required to receive our reward of eternal life, we need the Divine Intervention of the Holy Spirit to help us every day.
Prayer: God, we pray for the humility to love, surrender, and serve You. In Jesus’ Righteous Name, we pray. Amen.
© 2023 Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions and Woman, You Are Loved by God Ministries
Who Will Pray for You? Devotional September 24, 2023
Yes, Jesus witnessed to everyone, and He ate with the sinners, but His purpose was to reveal the love and glory of God and the plan of Salvation.
What is the status of your relationships? Hanging out with people who have not surrendered their hearts to Jesus changes you! We need friends who can give us spiritual support and pray for us and with us. Reflect on your relationships, Who can you ask to pray for you and with you?
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but He who does the will of my Father in heaven.” Matthew 7:21
© 2023 Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions and Woman, You Are Loved by God Ministries
Our God reigns forever more! Hallelujah! Amen.
Sabbath Devotional, September 23, 2023
“It shall come to pass That before they call, I will answer; And while they are still speaking, I will hear.” —Isaiah 65:24
“God help me! These three words reveal our surrender and the desire to place our faith in the presence and power of God. Although this prayer is mainly prayed in desperation, facing the challenges we cannot resolve, the daily spoken prayer of “God help me”, acknowledges the Sovereignty of a Supreme and Loving God and establishes unwavering faith and trust in peaceful or turbulent times.
“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” —1 Peter 4:7, NLT
Reflection: Do we believe God is a loving Heavenly Father who cares about us?
Our lives are filled with challenges that impact our daily routines. These are the unexpected and frustrating things that are certain to arise and disrupt our day. Including God relieves the burden of trying to figure out resolutions and we receive peace knowing that He can never fail.
Need a problem solved on your job, with your neighbors, children, husband, or wife, or facing the uncertainty of a life-changing circumstance? Go to God!
Make your first response an immediate prayer asking for God’s help. When facing obstacles, adopt the standard of “the need to know.” Not every family member or friend should be included in our dilemmas. Too many voices prevent us from hearing God’s Voice. We take our burdens to God because He gives us a fail-proof resolution that brings victory!
“Pray without ceasing.” —1 Thessalonians 5:17
Regularly seeking God in daily activities builds our faith and trust in God. When stormy trials and tribulations arise that we could never resolve, we will not fixate on the obstacles, our initial reaction will be to pray the faith-filled prayer of “God, help me!” The habit of including God in every aspect of our lives reassures us that our Father cares and gives us confidence in His love and power.
Our God is awesome! He created us to depend on His power. Praying the powerful prayer of, “God help me” invites our loving, Heavenly Father into our lives. Not only will He fulfill His promises and exercise His Sovereign power, but you will receive the peace and joy that comes from trusting in God. And always remember to thank Him for loving and helping you in times of peace and struggle.
Continuous Communication with God Produces a Courageous Christian!
From our intentional faith in God, the Holy Spirit gives us the strength to keep moving forward and helps us overcome challenges with ease and grace. Our faith will be like a mountain that cannot be removed. Today, begin a new spiritual habit by praying for God’s Divine Intervention throughout your waking hours.
To pray without ceasing is much more than having morning and evening worship. If you are ready for a life full of peace, joy, and happiness that can only come from a Majestic God who gives victorious outcomes then Pray, Pray, Pray!
O Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth,
Who have set Your glory above the heavens!
2 Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants
You have ordained strength, Because of Your enemies,
That You may silence the enemy and the avenger.
3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
4 What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You visit him?
5 For You have made him a little lower than the angels,
And You have crowned him with glory and honor.
6 You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet, 7 All sheep and oxen—
Even the beasts of the field, 8 The birds of the air, And the fish of the sea
That pass through the paths of the seas.
9 O Lord, our Lord,
How excellent is Your name in all the earth! —Psalm 8, NKJV
Prayer: “God, Help Us! We thank You in advance for Your Love and Divine Intervention. In Jesus’ Worthy Name, we pray. Amen.
© 2023 Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions and Woman, You Are Loved by God Ministries
The Battle From the Winner’s Perspective Devotional, September 21, 2023
The Battle From Jesus, Our Commander’s Perspective: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” —Revelation 22:13
When the Apostle John was given the heavenly vision, he described Jesus’ appearance [study Revelation chapter 1]. “…and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, ‘Do not be afraid, I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hell and Death.” —Revelation 1:16-18
The War Has Already Been Won
On Calvary’s cross, Jesus won the battle between good and evil and life and death. “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely, I am coming quickly” (Revelation 22:20).
We Are in the Battle for Our Lives!
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles [schemes] of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 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 6:10-13
The strife and temptations that believers face every day are not a coincidence. We are in a spiritual battle with the fallen angel Lucifer who was cast out of heaven onto the earth. Lucifer now known as Satan convinced one-third of the angels to follow his evil surmising’s against God. And he has convinced humanity, beginning with Adam and Eve that God is an unfair Judge and withholds the best from the righteous.
Sadly, many believers have accepted Satan’s false claims about God as true. Although we cannot imagine a believer speaking those words, the behaviors of self-reliance, the refusal to surrender and obey God, and taking action to bring our plans to fruition without praying and waiting for God’s guidance are evidence that we do not believe God will give us the best.
In Ephesians chapter 6, the Apostle Paul reveals the spiritual preparation necessary to fight against satanic spiritual warfare. Soldier mentality reveals the desire to serve and obey, to give one’s best, and to win the battle.
“Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints…”—Ephesians 6:14-18
As soldiers in God’s Army, we must “put on” to be prepared for the battle against Satan. Paul uses military terminology in his analogy of the method by which Roman soldiers suited up for face-to-face combat. “Putting on the Whole Armor of God” begins with the courageous mindset that we are enlisted as spiritual soldiers in God’s Army when we accept Christ as our personal Savior. we make a covenant vow to have faith, trust, obey, and surrender ourselves to Jesus Christ, our Commander.
“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” —Matthew 24:14
Through the Holy Spirit, every person will receive the invitation to join God’s Army before Jesus comes. Many believers who were excited when they accepted the gift of salvation have fallen away because they didn’t realize that serving God requires a lifetime in the battle zone. Failure to study the Bible produces fear and hopelessness. We cannot receive spiritual strength and courage unless we have faith and knowledge of God’s promises and His divine role in our lives.
Signing Up as a Soldier—Gideon and the 300 Soldiers—The Godly Process of Elimination
“And the Lord said to Gideon, ‘The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me,’ saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’ Now therefore, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and afraid, let him turn and depart at once from Mount Gilead.’ And twenty-two thousand of the people returned, and ten thousand remained.” —Judges 7:2-3
When God instructed Gideon to reduce the number of men, the first round of elimination was to identify the fearful and instruct them to return home.
Our Commander identifies Himself
“The LORD is a man of war; The LORD is His name.” —Exodus 15:3; “Who is this King of Glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle” —Psalm 24:8; “Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness, He judges and makes war.” —Revelation 19:11
The Godly Process of Elimination
“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” —Revelation 21:8 KJV
Many translations use the adjective cowardly instead of fearful. Still, we must note that Jesus mentions the characteristic of fearfulness first—there will be no cowards in heaven. We may rationalize that some people are born timid. When we give our hearts to Christ, the Holy Spirit empowers us, and we receive the holy boldness to witness and the spiritual strength to actively resist temptation—no one can convince or persuade us to do wrong! It is a conscious decision to choose sin.
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.” —Ephesians 6:10
Can you imagine that your country engages in war and the soldiers chosen to fight the enemy are timid? We readily admit that God is powerful, but most Christians do not acknowledge that Satan is an evil angel with power and he uses it against the righteous believers. His only goal is for us to lose our reward of eternal life.
Fact: The war of good and evil involves your soul. There are only two destinies, eternal life or the second death by fire. Study Revelation chapter 20 with a focus on verses 7-9. Satan knows that he will be destroyed. The Apostle John describes the number of people who will be destroyed as innumerable, he compares them to sand…their “…number is as the sand of the sea” (Revelation 21:8, last part).
Paul tells us to “Stand!” Fearful believers render themselves ineligible to be soldiers in God’s Army. Cowardly behaviors include hiding your Christianity from others, being afraid to witness, possessing a wavering mindset of God’s truth because you fear exclusion from your friends, coworkers, and family, maintaining a neutral position on social injustices and sinful lifestyles, and embracing worldviews and practicing compromising behaviors to maintain relationships with friends and family.
“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” —1 Corinthians 10:13
Satan has limitations. He is not Omniscient [All-Knowing], Omnipotent [All-Powerful], nor can he compel [force] us to sin!
Jesus tells us the requirement for following Him: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” —Luke 14:26
The hate that Jesus refers to is not the evil emotion of hatred we feel toward others. Jesus used hate as a metaphor to describe the sacrifice we must make to love God first above everyone else on this earth. Recently a pastor described the condition of most people, including believers living in these last days, “Pleasing oneself is prevalent. People worship themselves as idols and strive to please themselves by fulfilling all of their carnal desires.”
“Jesus said to him, You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” —Matthew 22:37
Who have you put above God? Yourself, family, or friends? Even in marriage, will the believer compromise to make their spouse happy? Jesus told the church in Ephesus, “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love” (Revelation 2:4).
Our relationship with Christ is one-to-one! Although we can ask others to pray for us, the warfare, trials, and tribulations we face are custom-made for each believer. No other person can fight our daily spiritual battles. Many believers have fallen away because of the perseverance, endurance, and continuous courage and strength required to be a soldier [follower] of Christ.
“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
When humanity was created, Jesus equipped us with power, love, a sound mind, and a measure of faith. It is our faith in God that cancels all fear!
Our spiritual journey begins as babes in Christ and our spiritual nourishment begins as milk. Studying Genesis chapters 1-4 and the life of Christ in the Four Gospels is an excellent starting point. A new believer requires spiritual support and mentoring from the church that baptized them into membership. They should attend Bible Study classes in addition to personal studying to receive a foundation of God’s Truth.
As we grow and mature in Christ, the Holy Spirit gives us a deeper spiritual understanding and wisdom of the Scriptures, resulting in eating the meat of the Bible, which allows us to receive the transformation of our minds and characters. Whether we are new or mature believers, we must do our part by studying the Scriptures and praying for wisdom, discernment, and help from the Holy Spirit, our Teacher.
Accepting Christ as our personal Savior is not complex—every day little children accept Jesus. If we tell our testimony of Jesus’ love and how He transforms us and gives us a new life, then the Holy Spirit will take over if the person has a receptive heart. Witnessing strengthens our relationship with Christ.
Prepare for the Battle!
The human effort of daily preparation requires a desire to be faithful, to surrender, and to obey God. From the moment we awaken, through penitent prayer, we express gratitude for receiving God’s new mercies for another day of life and we pray for the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Our prayer of surrender acknowledges that God’s Divine Intervention is needed to receive the blessings of wisdom, discernment, and the spiritual, mental, and emotional strength necessary from the Holy Spirit to stand against Satan’s deceptive temptations and strategies to defeat us for that day.
“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
Yes, our Heavenly Father knows that we need His help to overcome. And He promises to be with us when we fulfill our commitment to honor and reverence Him. Being in the spiritual position of right standing with God requires courage. We renounce sin by choosing to avoid the people, activities, and situations that would result in disobedience to God.
The book of Revelation is vivid in its description of the battle Satan is waging on the inhabitants of this earth. The Spiritual Warfare of good versus evil is one that believers face every day. The majority of our battles are with people who are being used as instruments of Satan. The conflict usually involves foolish arguments designed to rob us of our God-given peace.
If Satan can manipulate and use a situation to upset us then he has accomplished his goal for that day. Without praying when we face challenges, our first response will be fueled by our emotions.
“Be sober, be vigilant: because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. — 1 Peter 5:6-7
Soldier Behavior: Love God. Love Others. Love yourself. Be humble, gentle, and kind. Pray and use silence. Avoid foolish arguments. Speak fewer words. Use discretion and wisdom. Be decisive and stand firm. Renounce sin and worldviews. Pray continuously. Study the Scriptures. Get ready and stay ready! Read Revelation chapters 21 and 22 once a week to remind yourself of the great reward Jesus has for you.
We are living in the last days of perilous times. The Holy Spirit is working to transform our character into the likeness of Christ. The life we live on this earth demonstrates that we understand the spiritual battle has been won and we have decided to follow Jesus all the way or not. “Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity” (Ephesians 6:24).
Prayer: Jesus, we thank You for Your great love and the sacrifice of Your life to win the war against sin and Satan. We commit our minds, bodies, and souls to follow you all the way. We desire to have eternal life and pray for the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We give You the honor and glory You rightfully deserve as our King. And we ask this prayer in Your Holy Name, Amen.
© 2023 Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions and Woman, You Are Loved by God Ministries
Trusting in God Always Ends in Victory! Devotional Reading September 19, 2023
“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.” —Proverbs 3:5-6
Many Christians are in a battle of the wills, Our will versus God’s Will. Yes, we love God, but feel more confident relying on our knowledge and life experience. But the decisions we make that intentionally exclude God reveal some facts about the condition of our hearts.
“Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.” — Proverbs 3:7-8
Yes, we were created as free moral agents and have the right to choose, but when we fail to honor God through surrender and faithful obedience, we use our free will to deny God’s Divine Intervention in our lives. Not only do we set ourselves up for failure, but we also take a detour from the Path of Righteousness and lose out on receiving God’s perfect blessings including eternal life.
Throughout the Scriptures, we have evidence of Jesus’ humility and obedience in His earthly life [as the Son of Man] fervently praying to stay in His Father’s will. The desire to trust God is a choice that springs from a heart with overwhelming love for Christ. Our dedication and commitment are to self or God.
“The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know what makes them stumble.” —Proverbs 4:19
There is no middle ground—either we trust God or we do not trust Him. Trusting in God strengthens our relationship with Christ. Trusting in self separates us spiritually from God. The perception of the power of human wisdom is exaggerated. We cannot foresee the outcome of our choices. Why should we choose to live as unbelievers who fall because they are in spiritual darkness?
“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.” —Romans 8:5
With spoken words, we can verbalize our belief in God, but without trusting in God, we are certain to suffer the consequences of defeat. You may think that your decision-making skills have given you a good life. Yet, there is no time limit for suffering the consequences that are certain to happen from a believer’s disobedience to God!
As a transformed believer who suffered the hard knocks of relying on my wisdom, there is a better way to live! To believe in God requires total surrender, faith, trust, and obedience. Our obedience demonstrates a heart filled with reverence and honor for God as the Supreme Provider. When I dedicated myself fully to Christ, I began to enjoy the blessings of peace and contentment that come from being aligned with His perfect Will. Yes, trusting in God erases our worries because we have confidence in His promises that can never fail.
Taking everything to God in prayer changes the course of our lives. We learn to rely on the One who gave His only Son, Jesus Christ for us. Our self-reliance and pride are washed away. We eagerly involve God, not only in life-changing decisions but also pray for the Holy Spirit to give us the wisdom to efficiently perform our routine activities of daily living.
“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” —Philippians 4:19
Trusting in God gives us courage and strengthens our faith. From personal experience, I proclaim that our Father always gives Victorious Outcomes to the righteous who trust in Him!
Scripture: “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 NIV).
Prayer: God we pray for the desire, faith, and courage to trust You with our lives. In Jesus’ Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
© 2023 Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions and Woman, You Are Loved by God Ministries
Devotional Reading, September 18, 2023
Think about your priorities. Do they reflect that you are preparing for Eternal Life?
Sadly, we are focusing on the earthly, ordinary things of life that distract us from preparing for the Day of the Lord. The antediluvians—inhabitants of Noah’s era were so preoccupied with their daily tasks and personal desires that they failed to acknowledge the warnings of an impending and great flood that would destroy the earth.
Because of their sinfulness, they could not possess the faith necessary to believe in Noah’s messages, resulting in a lack of desire to enter the ark.
“The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.” —Genesis 6:11
It is phenomenal that the condition of humanity described so many centuries ago is evident again in our world today. Not only are we repeating the same behaviors of those in Noah’s time, but advancements in technology have driven us into a frenzy. We already spend the majority of our free time looking at screens. With the development of AI [Artificial Intelligence] our interest is piqued.
Mentally, we suffer from the negative impacts of spending countless hours staring at screens to keep up with innovation. But the necessity to stay current has produce a life and death adverse effect—believers are suffering from the spiritual desensitization of Jesus’ Second Coming.
The pace of life is one of overwhelming busyness and is filled with numerous voices [secular and religious]. It is the ordinary routine life tasks that result in eating up our time, leaving us no time to worship God every day.
Our Priorities Determine Our Destiny
Busyness has us so mentally and physically fatigued that we do not have time to have a personal relationship with Christ. Or we have those who study the Bible but still live according to their desires because it’s easier to deviate from the truth then to consistently be forced to choose between right and wrong.
“Then Elijah approached all the people and said, ‘How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him. But if Baal is God, follow him.’ But the people did not answer a word.” —1 Kings 18:21
But our spiritual dilemma requires us to take action and make a choice. Faith, surrender, obedience, prayer, and daily study of the Bible are the non-negotiable requisites for the Christian believer. God must be first!
The apostle Paul said, “I die daily to sin.” We fight a continuous internal battle waged by the desires of our carnal hearts. It is easier to think and do wrong than to live righteously. To remain in God’s will, we must pray the I surrender prayer every day.
The Scriptures define the humility and character that is required by God to receive eternal life. Many have redefined righteous living according to their mindsets and lifestyles. At the end of the day, we should reflect on our thoughts and actions, “Did I do all to the glory of God?”
Are we witnessing to others every day, face-to-face, or through social media? We are not saved by our works, but our works are evidence of our faithful obedience to God’s commands for the spiritual works of every believer.
“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.” —Revelation 22:12
Either we will live our best life on this earth or in the New Heaven and New Earth. We must decide, will our earthly life reflect our priorities or God’s priorities? Each person determines their own destiny by whom they place their love and loyalty. Pleasing self is a form of idol worship.
Yet, Jesus created us as free moral agents. God will never force us to accept His will. But if we choose to follow our agendas then we should not deceive ourselves into thinking we will receive the reward of eternal life for living a self-seeking lifestyle on this earth.
We Require Divine Intervention to be Spiritually Transformed into Christ’s Likeness
“Can people change the color of their skin, or a leopard remove its spots? If they could then you that do nothing but evil could learn to do what is right.” —Jeremiah 13:23, Good News Translation
Although the trending worldviews proclaim that humans possess the powers of manifestation, self-healing, and mind control, we were created with limited abilities. We cannot change ourselves spiritually, mentally, or emotionally. Truthfully, we struggle with the behaviors that we can change. As creatures of habit, even when diagnosed with chronic illnesses, it usually takes a health crisis to initiate a change in an unhealthy lifestyle.
From our desire to be faithful and obedient, we invite the Holy Spirit into our lives to transform our minds and characters into the Righteousness of Christ—Sanctification. Spiritual growth and development are comparable to that of a baby maturing into an adult. It takes a lifetime of human effort and Divine Intervention to change the innate sinful heart into a righteous heart [mind] and character.
We must fully cooperate with Divinity to be changed into the likeness of Christ.
“For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want.” —Galatians 5:17
Preparation for eternal life is not a last-minute decision. It is accomplished by putting God first. Praying every day for His will to be revealed followed by our surrender and obedience invites the Holy Spirit’s presence and power into our lives. Spiritual transformation and obedience to God is possible for every believer who is willing to live righteously!
Preparation not only requires us to have an intentional mindset of obedience and the wilful determination to go all the way with God, but we also place boundaries on the ordinary things of life that distract and prevent us from receiving our reward of eternal life.
Scripture: “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” —Revelation 3:21
Prayer: God, we are at a crossroads in our lives that requires us to make the decision to prioritize our desires and make the decision to devote ourselves totally to You. Today, we renew our covenant vow with You. Lord, we pray for the strength to put aside the ordinary things that prevent us from faithfully obeying Your Will. We ask this prayer in Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.
© 2023 Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions and Woman, You Are Loved by God Ministries
Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions 
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