“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding]. (John 16:33, Amplified Bible)
The External Opposition
“Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them; for the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.” (Deuteronomy 20:3-4).
God’s Answer: “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7, NIV).
Spiritual Warfare is invisible to the human eye, still every believer is targeted. In the Great Controversy of Good and Evil, we are the focus. Satan uses people and temptations to fulfill His schemes in the attempt to separate us from God.
Internal Conflict: Our Minds [Hearts] Are the Battlefield
Internal: “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). Since it is easier to choose wrong, we must pray to overcome our heart’s desires, which are never satisfied.
“Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.” (James 1:14 NLT)
Though we can never be coerced to sin against God, every temptation is customized according to our desires and habits. Satan is not Omniscient, therefore he cannot read our minds, but he observes our habits and hears our spoken words.
The battles of Spiritual Warfare and the Desires of our Hearts are lifelong battles for which we desperately need Divine Strength to overcome!
The Struggle Is Real, but Victory Is Sure Through Jesus Christ
“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.” (Ephesians 6:12).
Although Satan has not changed his deceptive strategies since the Garden of Eden, his knowledge and wisdom supersedes human knowledge.
Yes, we were created in the Image of God, still, we were created lower than the angels. We cannot fight Satan, formerly known as Lucifer, the highest ranking angel, without the strength of Jesus, the Commander of Angel Armies.
True heart conversion reveals itself by acknowledging, “I was created to depend on God.”
Without involving God in our battles, we place ourselves in a spiritual dilemma, because we cannot win the war within, or the invisible warfare, without asking Jesus Christ, our Mighty Warrior for His Divine Help.
We Must Live As Prayer Warriors
“To pray without ceasing” means to pray continuously throughout our day for Spiritual wisdom, discernment, guidance, and strength. Prayer keeps us connected to Christ.
“The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” (Exodus 14:14).
The key to Victory is to possess a spirit of humility, always realizing your limitations. Before responding, or making decisions, always hesitate, and pray.
“Do not be wise in your own eyes.” (Proverbs 3:7). To build our faith, and test our obedience, there is always a waiting period when we pray for Divine Help. Resist the urge to help God.
“Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.” (Psalm 27:14, NLT).
Who can fight against Christ, our Mighty Warrior and win?
God’s Promise: “I will answer them before they even call to Me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!” (Isaiah 65:24, NLT).
Bible Study: Exodus 14, 2 Chronicles 20, Psalm 37
Lord God, in these continuous Battles of Life, we desperately need Your Divine Help. We ask for the wisdom to use self-control when facing external opposition and internal conflict by persevering and waiting until you provide resolution. Lord, we thank You for Your Amazing Love and Divine protection. We ask this prayer in faith, and with joyful anticipation, we know that You will give us the victory. In Jesus’ Powerful Name, we pray, Amen.
“But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps…”
“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.” (1 Peter 1:20-23).
The Incident In the Synagogue on Sabbath: Anger Incites the Congregation to Become a Mob
Luke 4:14-30 records Jesus’ Rejection in Nazareth: “He went to Nazareth, where He had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day He went into the synagogue, as was His custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him.” (Luke 4:16-17, NIV).
“…And they said, ‘Is this not Joseph’s son?’ ” (Luke 4:22, NIV).
The Outcome of Unleashed Anger
“All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. They got up, drove Him out of the town, and took Him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw Him off the cliff.” (Luke 4:28-29, NIV).
It’s hard to believe that religious men who proclaim to serve God would transition from worshiping God to an angry mob [in the Synagogue] from hearing the spoken words of God’s Truth.
Truthfully, Jesus endured much suffering including the constant barrage of angry, hostile words from those who refused to accept Him as anything other than Joseph’s, the poor carpenter’s, son.
Understanding Spiritual Warfare [Ephesians 6]
Satan’s most effective tool is to use people, especially familiar people to antagonize us with the goal of enticing us to commit grievous sins against God by speaking, or messaging sinful words of retaliation.
” ‘In your anger do not sin:’ Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold [a stronghold].” (Luke 4:26-27, NIV).
Yes, anger is a God-given emotion that prevents us from accepting injustices, corruption, and heinous crimes that plague our world. However, the problem is that many believers cannot control their anger, easily responding with harsh words against the offender.
Righteous Anger only applies to God who tells us, “…There is none righteous, no, not one…”(Romans 3:10). We are sinners saved by Grace who must guard our words [and thoughts] to remain covered by the Righteousness of Christ.
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline [self control].” (2 Timothy 1:7, NLT).
From embracing the Spirit of Offense, we place ourselves in extreme danger spiritually; uncontrolled anger crosses all righteous boundaries, separating us from God, and prevents the Holy Spirit from dwelling within us.
We desperately need spiritual reinforcement everyday. To rise above offensive words is only possible when we surrender daily to live a Faith-based, Christ-centered life reflected by the daily personal worship of prayer and Bible Study.
Jesus did not attempt to use His personal strength to overcome aggression, but prayed continuously for God’s strength and wisdom, receiving the Divine Power to overcome, and remain victorious when facing adversity.
From studying the life of Christ, we learn how He responded to hostility with the Holy Scriptures: “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” (Luke 2:52, NIV).
Jesus possessed godly wisdom and discernment, answering direct questions with Holy Writ. Still, He also used silence when facing His accusers. If our goal is to be like Christ then we will pray and control our emotional responses when facing the War of Words.
Reflection: Are you willing to suffer the necessary hardships and challenges required of every believer?
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” (Romans 8:18).
The Apostle Paul also teaches us that the believer’s life is one of continuous suffering for Christ, yet, if we remain faithful, and cooperate with the Holy Spirit through daily surrender, we will receive the reward of Eternal Life.
The Struggle to Control Our Anger Is Real: The Reasons We Are Easily Offended
“The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). We do not understand the true condition of our inherited sinful hearts; it is easier to become angry than to remain calm and unbothered.
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…” (1 Peter 2:9). We become angry when we do not understand our true identity and value found in Christ Jesus.
None of us are perfect. Every human being possesses character weaknesses, still, God knows the true condition of our hearts.
If we hear, or read words defaming our character, and the accusations are not true in the sight of God then we have the assurance that we are facing spiritual warfare, pray, and God will intervene.
“Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
Through daily personal worship, we commit ourselves to a life of humility, surrender, and faithful obedience, which invites the power of the Holy Spirit to dwell within us, giving us the strength to remain silent when interacting with angry individuals.
“Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions.” (Proverbs 18:2, NIV).
The person who delivers angry words is not interested in maintaining peace, or participating in conflict resolution, but waiting for a response that will always result in escalation.
When facing conflict, if we control our anger, the Holy Spirit will speak to us, “Remain silent.” If we obey then He empowers us to use our gift of self-control. We must decide if we will obey the commands of the Holy Spirit, or to rant, and sin against God.
Excerpt from ” In Contact With Others” Devotional, EGW
“We cannot afford to let our spirits chafe over any real or supposed wrong done to ourselves…”
“Self is the enemy we most need to fear. No form of vice has a more [devastating] effect upon the character than has human passion not under the control of the Holy Spirit. No other victory we can gain will be so precious as the victory gained over self…”
“We should not allow our feelings to be easily wounded. We are to live, not to guard our feelings or our reputation, but to save souls. As we become interested in the salvation of souls we cease to mind the little differences that so often arise in our association with one another.”
Jesus’ Disciples Reveal Their Lack of Self-control
Two of Jesus’ disciples, the brothers, James, and John were called “the Sons of Thunder” because of their fiery tempers. When the people of Samaria sent a messenger to Jesus telling Him not to come to their town, the brothers responded with this question to Jesus:
“And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, ‘Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?’ ” (Luke 9:54).
Jesus’ Response: “But He turned and rebuked them, and said, ‘You do not know what manner of spirit you are of.’ ” (Luke 9:55).
Christ’s Righteous Character: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23, KJV).
“It takes the right situation to reveal our real character.” When Christians become offended by harsh, hateful words, the true [unconverted] condition of our hearts is revealed.
“And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:24-25, KJV).
Jesus Christ is our Perfect Role Model
Sanctification is the lifelong spiritual journey of growth and transformation of our sinful hearts into the Righteous Character of Christ. The Christian Journey is the toughest one we will ever face!
“But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.” (2 Timothy 2:23).
A Christian believer should never become involved in arguments, or debates. Even when discussing the Bible, if dissension begins, we should pray, and end the conversation with, “God, bless you.”
With humility, we must strive every day to be a faithful and disciplined follower of Christ. From cooperating with the Holy Spirit, we receive the spiritual discernment to recognize the enemy’s spiritual warfare of covert attacks.
When a situation includes emotional escalation, we implement the Best Spiritual Practice, Prayer. If we form the habit of whispering prayers throughout our day when facing opposition, our immediate response is a prayer for Divine help!
Our True Identity Is Found in Christ: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9).
We are chosen by God to be a representative of Christ. Our responsibility is to always represent the humility of Christ, even when offensive, undeserving words are unleashed against us.
” ‘Vengeance is mine; I will repay’ is found in Romans 12:19 and is also quoted in Deuteronomy 32:35. “This verse is a command for believers not to seek their own revenge but to leave retribution to God who alone has the authority to judge and repay.”
Our Response to Offensive Words: Whether face to face, or text messaging, we whisper a prayer for Divine strength and remain silent. Do not respond!
Workplace Conflict: We should not tolerate conflict in the workplace. Follow the company’s policies for reporting incidents to your Supervisor and Human Resources.
Abuse in the Home: God does not require us to stay in abusive marriages and relationships, which impair our ability to worship God in Spirit and in Truth.
Living in an environment of aggression and conflict prevents us from enjoying God’s gift of spiritual peace, which is needed for the spiritual growth and transformation required to receive Eternal Life.
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.” (Ephesians 4:31, NIV).
Yes, like Jesus, our Savior and Redeemer, at some point in our lives, most believers will face hostile words cutting like a sword, but we must never forget that our goal is Heavenly.
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32, NIV).
We are sojourners, temporary travelers living on a temporary Earth. Included in our Life Journey are many trials and hardships including Satan’s Spiritual Warfare designed to make us react using our inherited sinful tendencies.
Our lives will not always be like this! Whatever adversities we face, we should memorize and remind ourselves daily of Jesus’ promise in John 14: 1-3.
We are sons and daughters of the Most-High God, preparing every day to receive our reward of the Crown of Life in the New Heaven and New Earth where the atmosphere will be saturated with eternal love, peace, joy, and happiness. Yes and Amen!
“To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on His throne.” (Revelation 3:21, NIV).
Bible Study: Luke 4:14-30
Lord God, we thank you for speaking to our hearts and reminding us of our spiritual status as a royal priesthood who will receive our Crown of Life, if we are faithful and obedient to Your Righteous Precepts and Commands. Lord, we ask for forgiveness for the times that we have failed to represent You by responding with anger and sinful words of retaliation. We ask for the Divine Strength, Wisdom, and the Discernment to recognize and overcome spiritual warfare. We look forward to the day when we will live in a world of love, peace, and harmony, and Jesus, we thank You for the gift of Your life that makes it possible for us to live forever with You. We ask this prayer in the Powerful Name of our Triumphant King, Jesus Christ, Amen.
“And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” (John 14:13-14).
Although our spiritual journey is unique, every believer has experienced the disappointment of God saying, “No,” to our heartfelt prayers requesting the things we desire.
God immediately denies requests that He knows are guaranteed to prevent our spiritual growth, development, and transformation, which is required for Eternal Life.
Everything God does brings honor and glory to His Name; therefore, He does not bless us if we do not possess the spiritual maturity to focus on the Giver instead of the gift.
“But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5, ESV).
With love, God agreed to Jesus’ voluntary sacrifice to die on Calvary to save us from the penalty of sin, which is the final death. God’s ultimate goal has always been to save our souls.
Sadly, many Christians disagree with God’s greatest desire for us to live with Him throughout eternity in the New Heaven and New Earth.
Wait! Who would accept Christ as their personal Savior and not desire His promise to give us the reward of Eternal Life?
“For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the LORD, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’ ” (Jeremiah 29:11, Amplified Bible).
When we ask God to bless us with a specific request and His answer is No, many of us are upset, especially when we see others with an abundance of money and material possessions.
God’s future plan of giving us a Crown of Life is steadfast, yet it is conditional. From the time we awaken, with a prayer of faith, we seek God’s plans, asking for the spiritual strength to obey, persevere, and complete His plans.
“And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” (John 8:29). Jesus reveals that the character trait of faithful obedience is required to stay aligned with God’s Perfect Plans for our lives.
The Believer’s Struggle is not only against the daily External Opposition of temptations, but we also must fight against the never-ending Internal Conflict of our desires.
It is easier to desire financial and material abundance instead of living a Christ-centered, faith-based life of self-denial. Because we inherited sinful hearts, enough is never enough. In Jeremiah 17:9, God says, The human heart is never satisfied!
When God says, No, we often feel that He is not a Loving and Gracious God. Regardless, God reminds us that He will not change His decision.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9).
God does not perceive time as we perceive time; His Omniscient perspective of time is Eternal. Since He knows how long we will live, there is no reason for God to hurry up and bless us. Abraham was 100 years of age when Isaac was born.
There are 8 billion plus people on the planet Earth, and God knows every hardship, setback, disappointment, acts of obedience, and willful disobedience, along with every temptation, and victory we will experience in our lives from conception to birth to death.
“Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring—what your life will be! For you are like vapor that appears for a little while, then vanishes.” (James 4:14, CSB).
We can pray for and receive spiritual wisdom, but God tells us that we cannot look beyond today, so focus on the responsibilities and blessings of the given day. “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:34).
We feel slighted when God says “No,” because we have been deceived by Satan to think that we have the time and the right to pursue whatever makes us happy.
Signs of Living in the Last Days
In America, Religious Liberty and Freedom of Speech, two Constitutional Rights, are gradually being withdrawn. Many individuals have lost their employment for posting personal opinions regarding current global events on Social Media.
If the Christian Community began diligently studying the Bible, we would understand God’s refusal to give us what we are asking for. According to Matthew 24 and 2 Timothy 3, we learn that Bible Prophecies are rapidly being fulfilled, and we are currently living in the Last Days.
Although we do not know the exact time, those who are praying and preparing every day for Revelation 22:12, we recognize that Jesus, our Triumphant King, is coming sooner than we think.
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6). We need Scriptural knowledge to fully understand our Heavenly Father’s Love and His desire to keep us from losing our spiritual focus, so the Holy Spirit can perform the work of Sanctification in our lives.
Misalignment with God’s Will and Plans
In 2016, I was employed as a Quality Nurse reviewing medical documentation for a national Home Healthcare Company. I imagined a very long career, possibly leading to retirement.
In my 8th month of employment, we received notification from the Corporate office that the branch would be relocated to a beautiful business park 45 minutes away from our current location.
I was very excited, but also realized that my high-mileage vehicle was not reliable for traveling 2.5 hours per day. Without praying for God’s approval, I went to the Nissan dealership and purchased a new vehicle.
God’s Warning Was Not Perceived!
Just before my purchase, I had a very interesting conversation with the office secretary. We became friends, and when I shared my plan to purchase a new vehicle, the answer she gave me was very disconcerting.
“Sonya, how do you know that everyone in this location will be relocated to the business park?” I simply did not respond because to me, it did not matter.
I rationalized that the office could not meet healthcare regulations without a quality nurse who reviewed and approved all medical documentation before submission for Medicare reimbursement.
Two months later, following our conversation, I met with the Director, who informed me that Corporate had made the decision to eliminate the position of all branch office Quality nurses. All quality reviews would be sourced to the Corporate office, which was located five hours from our branch office.
Because of my desire to have a new vehicle, I did not recognize that God was speaking to me through our office secretary, who was aware of the Corporate plan before the nursing staff was informed.
Sadly, three of the staff nurses were also unable to travel the additional distance, but were not eligible for unemployment because they were offered additional compensation to work from the new location, but could not travel due to school-age children.
Although I immediately found a 35-week contract assignment that paid well, I was not prepared for a change in my health status. I began to experience severe pain in both knees, which indicated the progression of my diagnosis of Osteoarthritis.
I can recall the shock of leaving my Orthopedic Doctor’s office with a mid-thigh to mid-calf brace on my left leg. Yet, from listening to the Doctor’s treatment plan, I knew my nursing career had ended. His recommendation to immediately apply for Social Security Disability [SSD] made me realize that we should never plan our lives according to our thoughts.
Because I did not pray for guidance before purchasing a new vehicle, instead of keeping my vehicle that was paid for, I was facing the consequences of making a decision outside of the will of God.
The new monthly note, along with sustaining the vehicle’s insurance and routine maintenance costs, consumed 100% of my unemployment compensation and was draining my savings.
Not only did the constant worry keep me mentally and spiritually drained, but the stress from not having internal peace also exacerbated my physical level of pain,
“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19).
God is still merciful and does not leave us stranded when we genuinely repent of our wrongdoing. Although there was a 3-year waiting list for SSD applications, God rerouted my disability packet to another state, and my disability was approved in a record time of two months.
Fast forward to 2025, and from studying the Bible, I have learned that the human heart never loses its desire to acquire material possessions [the non-essentials], but we must practice our God-given gift of self-control [2 Timothy 1:7] with the commitment to live a sacrificial, obedient life, holy and acceptable to God.
“God, reveal Your will to me and I will obey,” is the daily prayer of surrender that honors God’s Sovereignty, and is not an easy prayer! But to love God is to honor Him with faithful obedience, which reveals our desire to be aligned with His perfect will.
Pray, Wait, and Obey!
God’s Love never changes. And His answers of No are not punitive, but demonstrate His immense love for us. We should never compare ourselves to others, often wondering why God is blessing them, but not us. Many believers step outside of God’s will by blessing themselves [like I did]; not every material acquisition is a gift from God
When God says “No,” our response should be, “Thank you, God for loving and protecting me from the future consequences that are impossible for me to anticipate.”
“Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of lights [the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens], in whom there is no variation [no rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [for He is perfect and never changes].” (James 1:17, Amplified Bible). Yes and Amen!
Bible Study: James 1, Revelation chapters 21-22.
Lord God, we thank You for being a Loving and Protective Heavenly Father who knows every temptation we will endure in our lives. Lord, please give us the strength and the courage to overcome the internal conflict in our hearts of choosing loyalty and obedience to Your plans versus pursuing our desires without Your Divine blessing. In faith, we accept Your perfect will for our lives. We love You, thank You, and ask this prayer in the Worthy Name of Jesus, Amen.
“I have loved you with an everlasting love…” No other love can compete with God’s love. We do not have to earn His love. Even when we stray by following our own thoughts, He still loves us.
In times of correction and hardships, we may not feel loved, but our Heavenly Father has an Eternal plan of a Forever Life living with Him where abundant Agape love will permeate the New Heaven and New Earth.
So, He uses trials and hardships to chisel away the inherited stubbornness and selfishness in our hearts that threatens to destroy His perfect plans.
God blessed us with the Holy Sabbath to receive a much-needed 24 hours of rest, and a time in which, we receive spiritual renewal, and mental, emotional, and physical restoration.
The Sabbath is a God-given gift. We place the cares of our lives into His hands, and intentionally redirect our focus to God, our Father by worshiping Him with love, reverence, honor, and adoration.
Lord God, we thank You for Your love and Your beautiful gift of the seventh-day Sabbath. We look forward to the time when we will worship with You and the angels from Sabbath to Sabbath. We ask this prayer in the Worthy Name of Jesus, Amen.
Recently I took a short walk to clear life’s challenges from my mind, and I happened to look up. When I gazed at the blue sky filled with the amazing cloud puffs, I felt Jesus’ love, which erased all of my weekly concerns.
Every week, Sabbath-keepers are blessed to savor the spiritual gift of 24 hours to commune with God, and to focus on His love and faithfulness. All of the cares of life are placed on hold as we intentionally reflect on the goodness of God.
Yet, there is so much more, not only do we receive a spiritual blessing from worshiping in the Church Service, but God also gives us the blessings of mental, emotional, and physical restoration and renewal.
The History of Creation Sabbath
“And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.” (Genesis 2:1-2).
God’s Declaration of Sabbath Worship for Eternity
The primary Scripture in Isaiah that speaks to the ongoing practice of the Sabbath in the future eternal state is Isaiah 66:22-23, which states, “For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make shall remain before Me, says the LORD, so shall your offspring and your name remain. From new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before Me, declares the LORD.”
“This passage verifies that the Sabbath will continue to be observed by God and the redeemed in the New Heaven and New Earth.”
Lord God, we pray for a Sabbath blessing as we worship You in Spirit and Truth. We pray for every individual who is faithfully obeying Your Commandment to keep the Sabbath Day holy, and ask for Your gifts of peace and joy. Thank You for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in the Worthy Name of Jesus, Amen.
“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” (Jeremiah 33:3).
September 18, 2025 is a date that God changed my life by giving me a deeper understanding of His plans for my life. The Holy Spirit helped me to prioritize my time and goals, so my relationship with Jesus Christ would grow, and my faith in God would become steadfast.
“But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:6).
This deep spiritual connection happened because I made the intentional decision to spend the entire day with Jesus in the personal worship of prayer, singing, and studying the Holy Scriptures.
Yes, it was an intense effort to discipline my mind to meditate on the written words of God and His goodness. I prayed often for the Holy Spirit to give me the strength to redirect my focus to God.
Jesus tells us that He is the Living Water and the Bread of Life. Although I did not engage in a complete fast yesterday, I ate a minimal diet of mostly fruits and lentil flatbread along with keeping myself hydrated with water.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” (Romans 12:1, NIV).
The sacrificial life results in total dependency on God, which is greatly rewarded. Not only do we receive spiritual wisdom, peace, and God’s guidance from spending intentional time with Him, but we also receive answers to the complexities in our lives that are impossible for us to resolve.
Christ Delivers Us From the Chains of Sin
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” (Galatians 5:1).
“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16).
Attempting to use our strength against the internal desires of our hearts and the external temptations of this world always results in failure. We must have the strength of Christ to live as a Victorious Overcomer!
“The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.” (Proverbs 18:10).
Many times it is difficult for us to realize the overwhelming love Jesus has for us. From Jesus’ sacrificial death on Calvary’s Cross, God proclaims that we are valued beyond our finite understanding. Yes, we are Heaven’s priority. Yes and Amen.
Our decision to consecrate ourselves daily to God by dedicating frequent time in solitary worship [free from distractions and other people] invites the Holy Spirit to open our eyes, gifting us with deeper spiritual insight, and empowering us with the strength of Christ.
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28, ESV).
Everyday, we have an opportunity to bond with Christ. Our love for God is the foundation for using our faith to prayerfully consecrate ourselves in surrender to God with the commitment to follow Christ, our Shepherd.
“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-16).
“Knowing the time means recognizing the urgency and significance of life, especially in light of Christ’s imminent return and the brevity of human existence, and therefore should be lived with wisdom, a focus on God’s will, and the mindful use of every opportunity to honor God.”
Time is precious. Doing our part is to be grateful for God’s gift of time. Many believers do not even give God one hour a day in personal worship.
With a God-first commitment, we let go of the habits of time-consuming recreational activities, and distractions which prevent us from worshiping God in Spirit and Truth.
Intentional time with God in daily personal worship is essential for the Holy Spirit to transform our mind, character, and personality into the likeness of Christ’s Righteous Character, which is required to receive our reward of Eternal Life.
LORD God, we thank You for the gift of a new day. We confess our sin of wasting the precious time that You have given us. We ask you to help us to prioritize our lives according to Your perfect will and plans. And ask this prayer in the Righteous Name of Jesus, Amen.
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 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. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:1-3).
Our world is in chaos. The unprecedented global events indicate the progressive loss of our Religious Liberty. Yes, Bible Prophecy is rapidly being fulfilled.
Study Matthew 24, [Jesus answering the disciple’s questions about the signs of the End Times], and Revelation chapters I9-22.
“But mark this: There will be [perilous] terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5, NIV).
In 2025, we are the generations living in the Perilous Times, which the Apostle Paul warned us about in 2 Timothy 3. Yes, it is time for Christian Believers to Separate Ourselves from sin in all forms.
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 1:15-17, ESV).
Unless we are witnessing, we have no reason to socialize with unbelievers. From hanging out with unbelievers, and participating in their secular activities, it is the Christian who changes, not the unbeliever.
Sanctification requires us to cooperate daily with the Holy Spirit who transforms our mind, character, and personality into the likeness of Christ when we strive to live righteously. Let go of every habit and practice that does not honor and revere God.
Every day, Pray for God’s Guidance and ask Jesus for the Divine strength to overcome temptations, and to stand down your heart’s desires. In Jesus’ Strength, we will be one of the number of people standing on the Sea of Glass. Peace and Blessings.
Bible Study: Revelation chapters 19-22
Lord God, we worship and honor You because You are God. We thank You for the Holy Scriptures, which identify Satan’s various covert deceptions, masterminded to separate us from our Shepherd, Jesus Christ. Lord, we ask for Spiritual strength, wisdom, and the discernment to recognize and overcome the temptations of success, prosperity, and a life of ease.
Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions 
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