“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.
I am sharing a discussion of the spiritual meaning of the apostle Paul’s admonishment for the Christian believer to Put On the Whole Armor of God. This is part of the SDA World Church’s Lesson Study. Be blessed in Jesus’ Holy Name.
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.
With all of our heart, soul, and mind we love ourselves [before God] by trusting in our ability to produce absolute outcomes.
We practice irreverence by failing to acknowledge and trust in the Omniscient—All-Knowing God.
We embrace the worldview of self-reliance which produces the fruit of disobedience to God
“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.
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.
If we do not fill our minds with the Scriptures then Satan will fill our minds with worldviews. Without Scriptural knowledge of God’s righteous precepts and commandments, we develop standards to live by that are not in alignment with righteousness. Our knowledge deficit does not remain, we fill the void by embracing worldly concepts that lead to the decline of our relationship with Christ.
The Bible is our Spiritual Guidebook in which God defines the standards for our moral code and value system.
Morals: a person’s standards of behavior or beliefs concerning what is and is not acceptable for them to do.
Values: a person’s principles or standards of behavior; one’s judgment of what is important in life.
“All of a man’s ways are pure in his own eyes, but his motives are weighed out by the LORD.” —Proverbs 16:12
Reflect on your decisions, habits, and lifestyle. Our morals and values are demonstrated by the way we think, act, and live. We need spiritual strength from the Holy Spirit to practice the righteous standards of God. Believe it or not, most of us are impacted by the spiritual warfare of worldviews. But know this, every worldview is a contradiction of God’s Biblical view.
We were created with a measure of faith to establish and maintain our belief in God’s love, power, and presence in our lives. When our faith is not in God because He is a stranger [the Scriptures reveal every aspect of God’s Character], from our disinterest in studying the Bible, we misappropriate our faith.
Some believers study the Scriptures and pray, but choose not to obey all of God’s requirements because they have already embraced the pleasures of worldliness. They live a life of self-deception. Their importance is on their works which they use as a substitution for faith in God.
We were created to believe in God. Human beings cannot function without a belief system. We need someone or something to believe in. Some people think they are elevating their status by believing in their human reasoning. Our minds cannot remain void, so we make a substitution for our faith in God by placing our faith in worldviews—worldly beliefs and practices.
“The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” —Jeremiah 17:9
As our morals and values transition, our thoughts and emotions also change. We begin to incorporate different habits into our lifestyles and practice unrighteous behaviors every day without remorse. We lose all guilty feelings over our new and comfortable lifestyle. Did you know that it is easier to do wrong than to do right? There is nothing more pleasing to Satan than a believer who compromises and thinks they are still in right standing with God. With the decline of our spiritual health, our mental, emotional, and physical health also decline. Sinful choices never lead to a healthy, happy, and harmonious life.
“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” —1 Corinthians 10:23-24, 31, ESV
Worldviews that Destroy Our Spiritual Health, Harmony [with Christ], and Happiness
Pursue your dreams, just do it!
Look out for yourself first.
Trust in your judgment.
Follow your heart.
Trust no one but yourself.
Opportunity only comes around once, take immediate action.
Always speak up for yourself even if it involves conflict.
Do whatever is necessary to achieve your goals.
Make yourself happy—Enjoy life to the fullest!
Relax with a bottle of wine or use marijuana, it’s legal.
Self-centered concepts reveal the effectiveness of Satan’s opposition to God’s promises. Embracing worldviews disrupts our spiritual journey with God and has a parasitic effect on our mental and emotional health. Trending Worldviews: “The truth is what you believe it to be”, and “No one is coming to help you.”
God’s Views: In Psalm 119, verse 105, David said, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Jesus prayed, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth (John 17:17). “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).
We cannot stop the decline of morals, values, and sinful practices, yet, it is a choice to compromise, embrace, and validate worldviews by incorporating them into our lives. “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” (Proverbs 14:12). Satan is very deceptive! It is not easy to recognize changes in our spiritual condition when we are distracted by our life of ease.
Satan ceases to fight a compromising believer. He has a remarkable talent for using pleasure as lullabies that create a sense of spiritual tranquility and relaxation. We cannot engage in any aspect of worldliness—secular music, movies with sexual content and profanity, consuming alcoholic drinks, using drugs to relax, having relationships with unbelievers, and living a hedonistic [focusing on pleasure and having a good time] lifestyle when serving God.
Ask yourself, “Right now, where do I stand with God?” The apostle Paul tells us to awaken from our spiritual sleep.
Too busy and too tired to perform quiet introspection—soul-searching of our behaviors and habits, we continue our counterproductive lifestyle. No, things are not going the way we planned, but we do not recognize the need for self-examination. Still, we cannot rationalize our decision-making that excludes God or the need to embrace the shortcuts of worldly behaviors.
Because we are making a little effort to keep in touch with our religious beliefs by attending church or praying when we remember, we feel that our status with God is okay. Sadly, it usually takes a major life event for us to wake up out of our spiritual sleep. Then we have no choice but to come to Jesus.
“But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” —1 Peter 1:15-16
The Holy Spirit gives us warnings through sermons, and our consciences—our thoughts. He allows us to see social media posts on committing our lives to Christ, reminding us to study the Bible, and giving up all secular habits to follow Christ. We can never say that God did not tell us that we have strayed from the Path of Righteousness. Every Christian believer who once had a close relationship with Christ and is now practicing any worldview knows they are not faithfully obeying God’s precepts nor are they in right standing with God.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” —Psalm 139:23-24
David knew the condition of the human heart. Every day, in humility, we can speak this prayer for God to search our hearts. God lovingly and patiently waits for our prayers asking for His help. Yes, our Heavenly Father knows our inner struggles and the warfare we face daily in our earthly journey. We have Divine help that is just a prayer away. Redirect your faith and focus on God by studying the Scriptures—begin with Genesis.
Seeking to live a godly lifestyle is the toughest decision we will ever make. Our lifestyle on earth is meant to prepare us for eternal life in the New Heaven and New Earth. God says, “Be holy, for I am Holy.” He knows that we cannot achieve righteous living without the Holy Spirit. Do your part in the plan of Redemption! To achieve optimal spiritual health includes giving up habits, lifestyles, friends, and family members. Yet, all the sacrifices we make for God will be rewarded!
The condition of these perilous times requires that we renew our covenant vow of discipleship to Christ every day. We need Divine reinforcement from the Holy Spirit to maintain our spiritual strength! Our responsibility is to faithfully obey God and renounce sin. Jesus created us and we belong to Him! Never forget, that only the Three Persons of the Triune Godhead can empower us with optimal spiritual health, and harmony of the mind, body, and soul. Our happiness is consistent because it springs up from Christ’s Spiritual Well of Joy flowing within our souls.
Prayer: Thank You, Heavenly Father for Your love, grace, and mercies. We ask for forgiveness of our sins and to create in us a clean heart. We need Your help to remain in optimal spiritual health. Thank You for blessing us with a sound mind and our measure of faith. We commit to love and serve You for the rest of our lives. In Jesus’ Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
Relying on God reveals a heart that is faithful, obedient, and one that reverences His Sovereign Wisdom. Pray throughout your waking hours. Make your prayers honest and to the point. A prayer does not have to be lengthy. Sometimes our despair and disappointment is so great, we can only breathe, God, I need Your help.
Our Spiritual Journey—Becoming One with Christ Devotional Reading September 12, 2023
Most of us have the natural desire to travel with other people, or at least one other person. Still, many are adventurous and comfortable exploring this beautiful world alone. Even if we decide to forge ahead on a solo journey, the opportunity to interact with others is always available.
The believer’s spiritual journey requires both a solo effort and interaction with the church family for fellowship. What does it mean for the believer to travel alone and how do they receive spiritual support outside of attending church? The spiritual transformation of our hearts and the strength to stay on the Path of Righteousness only involve two participants, the believer and Christ. Yes, the other deities of the Triune Godhead [God and the Holy Spirit] are involved in every aspect of our spiritual transformation, but our daily walk is with Christ.
Because of Jesus’ sacrificial offering of Himself, He took the penalty of sin [the wages of sin is death] and offered every believer redemption from their sins. Coming to Jesus is not complicated, in love and faith, we believe that He died for us, we confess and repent of our sins, and immediately accepted into the royal family of Christ. “So they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household’” (Acts 16:31).
Regardless of trending false doctrines, salvation is only available through Christ. The relationship between Christ and ourselves is built on love. We dedicate our lives to Christ and honor Him as our Savior and Heavenly Intercessor.
“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’” (John 14:6). Salvation is only available through Jesus Christ who died for the redemption of our sins.
“We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). A heart-to-heart relationship with Christ is possible because we love Him.
Where did our love for Christ come from? God is the Origin of our love:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” —John 3:16
“And love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.” —1 John 4:10
Sadly, many new converts do not know what happens next once they have accepted Christ as their personal Savior nor do they understand the concept of salvation.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” —Ephesians 2:8-9
Grace is an attribute of God shown to undeserving human beings. We have received the opportunity to be saved from death which is the penalty for sinful disobedience to God. Because of grace, we can come to God in prayer and confess and repent of our sins and we are forgiven. Our sins are erased!
The habit of prayerful confession and repentance should be practiced daily. There are times that we sin and because our hearts are naturally carnal, we may overlook the sin especially if it is a character trait or habit we need to overcome from our former, unconverted lives.
The second most misunderstood concept is faith. Faith is simply believing in God without questions or doubts. We were created with a measure of faith. Let’s compare our gift of faith to a mustard seed. Through consistent faith and trust in God [even in situations that appear impossible], we believe in God’s Sovereign power to resolve every challenge in our lives.
“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?” —Jeremiah 32:27
Taking our eyes off of the situation and placing them on God’s ability allows our faith to grow abundantly. Imagine your faith growing from a tiny mustard seed to the size of an avocado seed. Yet, the growth of our faith and trust in God has no limits. If we only memorize one Scripture, it should be Jeremiah 32, verse 27.
Our Spiritual Journey Involves Daily Spiritual Change and Growth
Reflection: We can come to Jesus just as we are, but we cannot stay as we are. Tell yourself, “My present character is unacceptable to God.”
Sanctification is the spiritual transformation of our mind, character, and personality into the likeness of Christ’s Character which is necessary to receive eternal life. We cannot change ourselves. In humility and surrender, we acknowledge our sinful traits and habits, repent, cease the sinful behaviors, and ask the Holy Spirit to change us and guard us from succumbing to temptation. Never forget, that it takes an entire lifetime to become like Christ.
We can do our part in experiencing spiritual transformation because God has gifted us with innate gifts: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind [self-discipline and self-control]” (2 Timothy 1:7).
The core value of loving the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind is the catalyst to daily spiritual growth and transformation.
“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
The willingness to surrender every day to the will of God and the commitment to serving Him with love, faith, obedience, and loyalty is God’s expectation of every believer. God required the same righteous characteristics from Jesus in His earthly life. Before Jesus was born as a human, His mind was one with God. Jesus commanded angel armies who obeyed His directives. Still, God His Father required that Jesus learn obedience.
Spiritual Growth in Marriage
How does our individual walk with Christ and Sanctification apply to a marriage? Although in marriage, two become one, salvation is still one-to-one with Christ. God intended for the husband and wife to spiritually support and help each other to live righteously and prepare for eternal life.
Yet, the willingness to surrender, reverence, and worship God in Spirit and Truth through faithful obedience is an individual choice. Having a first love for Christ is from a responsive heart filled with love for God. Husbands and wives will be judged separately by God. They should not attempt to persuade one another to love and serve God. “For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven” (Matthew 22:30).
Satan knows his time is short on this earth. He is using any means necessary to separate us from God. Now he is targeting single Christians by presenting people who believe in God but are not dedicated to serving God. Many believers are involved in unequally yoked relationships that eventually cause the believer to reach a crossroads in their relationship with Christ—will I choose Christ or the person I am in love with?
I read a post where a young woman shared a story about never letting another person change you according to their mindset. After dating for a few years, her significant other told her that he wanted to share some good news with her. Naturally, she assumed that he would ask her to marry him, which he did when they met over dinner. But she noticed there was no ring presented with the spoken desire for her to be his wife. Still, she loved him, so it didn’t matter. She was shocked by his next statement, “Before we get married, you need to give up your cats, I can’t imagine living with cats.” Fast forwarding to the end, she immediately broke off the relationship. The majority of women responding to her post disagreed with her decision. Yet, the spiritual issue is deeper than putting one’s pets over a significant other. This was a long-term relationship. His masquerade of pretense equates to deception. His attempt to manipulate her response by presenting the proposal with an ultimatum revealed his true nature of a selfish heart and a corrupt character.
Practical Living Guidelines
“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 3:5-7
Remember, only God knows the true condition of a person’s heart, desires, and innermost thoughts. Living in these perilous times and last days requires Divine Intervention. Believers face many obstacles in their earthly journey. When we love God, we will pray and wait before we decide to accept people as friends into our lives. It is a daily struggle to stay on the straight and narrow Path of Righteousness. Why enter into relationships with those who are stumbling blocks and do not love and put God first?
The healthiest relationships are a result of men and women of God who have a genuine love for God and others. We must possess loving and forgiving hearts, share Biblical views, morals, and values, and strive to put God first. Whether we have similar likes and dislikes, no person can ever be a carbon copy of someone else. We differ in our strengths, weaknesses, personality, habits, and perception of life in general. Our uniqueness is God-given. No two people can ever develop, mature, dream, or think alike because we were created as free moral agents. Let the Holy Spirit guide you.
Each believer’s spiritual journey differs–several factors impact our spiritual growth and development. Do we love God and put Him first? Is Jesus our LORD and Savior? Are we faithful? Have we consecrated ourselves to God? Do we seek God’s will every day through prayer? Are we diligent Bible students?
Based on our faith, love, and loyalty, we trust God due to our knowledge of the Scriptures and our desire to accept God’s will. We have Divine help [24/7] from the Holy Spirit who empowers us to live righteously, avoid mistakes, and experience spiritual growth. Obedience takes our relationship with Christ to the highest level. The Holy Spirit guides us to let go of unholy character traits which are a sum total of our hereditary tendencies and life experiences. Our new character reflects Christ and we begin to possess the Fruit of the Spirit [Galatians 5:22-23].
From our willingness to go all the way with Christ, we receive evidence of daily transformation: We value our times of personal worship. We have inner peace. We gain spiritual insight which results in a change of our perception of God. Our lifestyle choices reflect obedience to God. And we begin to recognize the Holy Spirit speaking to us through our thoughts and the Scriptures. Most importantly, we seek the will of God before making life decisions.
Spiritual growth and transformation are an exciting part of our spiritual journey. Yet, it takes courage! We cannot expect our family and friends to understand our walk with Christ. As we grow deeper in our relationship with Christ, we will lose some friends, family, and sometimes a spouse who will not embrace our journey. Persevere anyway, there is a crown and robe and an abundant eternal life waiting for us. King Jesus is coming soon. Amen!
Scripture Reading: “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. Revelation 22:12-14
Prayer: God, we pray for strength and guidance from the Holy Spirit to accept our Higher Calling and to stay on the Path of Righteousness. We ask this prayer in faith. In Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.
“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 of the devil.” —Ephesians 6:10-11
Where does humanity fit into the great controversy between the literal supernatural powers of good and evil?
For the righteous, we are the seed of Abraham who has made a covenant with Christ, the Source of the believer’s strength. Yet, we are the target of Satan’s spiritual warfare in which we are powerless without Divine Help. We derive our power from the Source of Life, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
“We love Him because he first loved us.” —1 John 4:19
Our relationship with Christ is based on love. Through the gift of His life, Jesus has already proven His overwhelming love for us. Still, Jesus serves as our Heavenly Intercessor. Through Him, we receive Agape love, salvation, God’s grace, mercy, and the forgiveness of our sins. It is our choice to embrace His love through surrender and faithful obedience to His commandments and God’s will.
The Believers Requirement: The relationship with Christ requires a heart filled with love, surrender, faith, and obedience—Jesus must be our First Love.
As we progress into the unknown future, from studying Revelation prophecies, we know the battle of spiritual warfare will intensify. As the prophetic events unfold, those who fail to make a steadfast commitment of consecration and surrender to Christ will lose their courage to fight the good fight of faith. The connection to God is one that we establish and maintain through our daily worship practices of reverencing and honoring God. Christ is our anchor!
For this reason, I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. —Ephesians 3:14-19
In our personal worship, we separate ourselves from spouses, children, and electronic devices to have alone time with God. It takes a concerted effort to maintain our one-to-one relationship with Christ. From our willingness to put God first, we receive strength, discernment, and wisdom from the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. “…but now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed'” (1 Samuel 2:30, last part).
The Spiritual Conflict we face every day requires the sacrificial practice of putting God first. Facing the tasks of daily living along with the unexpected life events combined with ongoing spiritual warfare would leave us defeated without spiritual nourishment and reinforcement.
We cannot live off of yesterday’s worship. Every day we receive new mercies that require our commitment to much praying, studying the Bible, and taking the time to include the quietness of spiritual meditation. Our desire to listen to the Voice of God allows the Holy Spirit to reveal a deeper insight into our relationship with Christ. With a heart filled with gratitude, we can reflect on the goodness of God despite the circumstances.
“Strength for every current and future conflict is to be found in the believer’s solidarity [oneness] with the resurrected and exalted Christ.” John K. McVay, PhD
God’s Promise: “No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is from Me, says the LORD.” — Isaiah 54:16-17
Although the battle is continuous, God has ensured that we can be Victorious Overcomers! All three members of the Triune Godhead are involved in every believer’s life. We have guardian angels who fight Satan and his evil angels 24/7. Thankfully we are unaware of these battles because our eyes are shielded from the activities in the spiritual realm.
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” —Psalm 46:1 “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” —Isaiah 40:29
God’s promises to give us power through the Holy Spirit to fight against the battles of evil. Our role is to consecrate ourselves as soldiers in God’s Army. Striving to live holy is possible when we totally surrender ourselves to God. The human effort of putting God first by seeking Him in prayer throughout our waking hours unleashes God’s power and promises.
“Now it shall be, if you diligently obey the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you obey the Lord your God:” —Deuteronomy 28:1-2
God honors our dedication and obedience! We receive many blessings including the blessings of peace and joy from having the assurance that we are living in the perfect will of God. From our faithfulness, we have unwavering confidence and courage in the power and might of the Lord. It pays to serve the LORD!
Scripture: “Our soul waits for the LORD, He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name.” — Psalm 33:20-21
Prayer: Lord, draw us close to you, closer than before, closer than we have ever been with You. We promise to dedicate ourselves to You by giving You the honor, the glory, and the praise for the rest of our lives, In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.
Today, I agonized in prayer all day into the evening regarding a powerful stronghold—I was fixated on thoughts for two days that I knew would cause me to lose eternal life. Yet, I could not stop the anger from thinking about the situation. Although I have read many Scriptures on continuous praying, I have never prayed like this before. But, I desperately needed God’s help!
“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, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.” —Psalm 34:15, 17-18
If I did not continue to persevere in prayer, I would have failed to gain spiritual victory. I kept praying! Finally, around 7 p.m., I received deliverance and the command to let go and move forward in the Mighty Name of Jesus. Now, I am able to understand from a spiritual perspective why God allowed the incident to happen.
The peace that I feel is from the Holy Spirit breathing into my soul. Yes, it feels as if a mighty, rushing wind of Divine peace and strength went through my mind, body, and soul. We should never limit the times that we pray! Prayer invites the presence of God into our minds, hearts, and souls. One thing is for sure, we will always experience change, and gain spiritual insight, and the victory from staying in God’s presence.
Reflection: What is the lifestyle, habit, or relationship that is preventing you from fully devoting yourself to God?
“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
We are rapidly moving forward in the last days of Earth’s history. Jesus is coming soon!
To make it through this journey of life and stay on the Path of Righteousness, we need to stay connected to the Source, Jesus Christ. We are told to boldly come to the throne of grace in prayer. We need Help! There are no surprises regarding the spiritual warfare the Christian believer will face in these perilous times. We cannot stay on the narrow Path without the Holy Spirit’s constant intervention which is only available through our prayers of surrender.
Jesus’ Warning: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” —John 16:33
The Reason for Our Spiritual Warfare: “If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first.” —John 14:27
We Are Fighting Against Satan, a Fallen Angel: “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
Like a lion in the African Savannah stalking his prey and using stealth moves hidden behind the tall grass or bushes, Satan has increased his warfare against the Saints of the Most-High God.
“Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.” —Revelation 12:12
Yes, Satan knows that his time is running out. Through observation of our habits, spoken words, and the people we hang out with, he uses our heart’s desires to easily deceive us. Many believers who were once strong in the Lord, are separated from God because they followed the whims of their hearts.
“For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.” —Matthew 24:7
With the increase in natural disasters, the events of Matthew chapter 24 are rapidly being fulfilled. Live with a spiritual sense of urgency and the determination to possess faithful obedience to God. Pray diligently before making [all] decisions! The outcome is only guaranteed when God is involved.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” —Matthew 7:21
Pray before you invite anyone into your social circle. Not everyone who believes in God serves God. And there are many individuals who are comfortable living on this earth who never think about eternal life.
Put on the Whole Armor of God—Ephesians 6:10-18
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 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. 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.
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which, you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 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 6:10-18
The Apostle Paul invites believers once they are fully armed to do what ancient Israel did before they engaged in battle against their enemies—and that is, to Pray! The time is now for us to pray specific prayers to overcome our weaknesses, habits, and unrighteous character traits. We have the Holy Spirit to guide us and give us wisdom, spiritual discernment of the truth, and the spiritual strength to live as victorious overcomers. Yet, we must pray and offer ourselves as a living sacrifice to Christ.
Jesus’ Promise: “To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” —Revelation 3:21-22
Prayer: God, we pray for those who need Your help in overcoming the habits, relationships, thoughts, and desires that keep them from fully surrendering to You in faithful obedience. Many times, our victory is only a prayer away, yet, we fail to call on You for the strength to overcome. Lord, help us to realize that our lives are not our own and You are coming soon. We pray for the Divine Intervention of the Holy Spirit and the humility to do Your will. In Jesus’ Worthy Name, we pray, Amen.
Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions 
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