Matthew 5 – Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions

Jesus Proclaims: “All Power and Authority Has Been Given To Me”

Throughout the Bible, Jesus revealed His Power and Authority: When the disciples and the other followers in their boats were facing death from a vicious stormy sea, Jesus stood up in the boat and commanded the sea, “Peace, be still,”

“…the men marveled, saying, ‘Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?'” (Matthew 8:27).

“The raising of Lazarus is one of Jesus’ most profound miracles, detailed in the Gospel of John. It is the ultimate display and proof of His Power over death and serves as a preview of His own Resurrection.”

Jesus tells us that without Him we cannot function spiritually without Him: “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5).

Behavior Modification, stopping habits and behaviors that produce negative consequences is not Spiritual Growth and Character Transformation.

When we accepted Christ as our Savior, He accepted us just as we are, but we cannot stay that way. “For it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.'” (1 Peter 1:16).

Jesus’ Power and Authority: “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12).

To be holy cannot be accomplished by using human thoughts and strength. Spiritually, we cannot change our heart, mind, and character, only Jesus can cleanse and change the human heart!

Cooperation is our responsibility! We must renounce sin and follow Jesus with faithful obedience; only then can the Holy Spirit give us a clean heart that is responsive to Jesus’ Voice, guiding us day by day in our spiritual journey.

Daily surrender invites the Holy Spirit to Sanctify our thoughts, words, behaviors, and lifestyle. We use our faith to pray, asking for guidance, and the Holy Spirit speaks to us through the Holy Scriptures and our thoughts.

To differentiate between our thoughts and God’s Guidance, we ask ourselves, Does this thought reflect, honor, and glorify God?

Because God loves us, He gave Jesus, as the Sacrificial Lamb to redeem us from the consequences of sin. (John 3:16). We choose to accept or reject Christ, and we choose our destiny of life or death.

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18).

Our Salvation requires an active faith, trust, and obedience to God. We must know the difference between God’s Absolute Truth and Satan’s false teachings.

Keeping our focus on Christ requires Biblical knowledge and the intentional awareness of the people, programs, and activities that we allow to enter our lives.

“Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-16, BSB).

Every Son and Daughter of God is the target of Satan’s Spiritual Warfare. All of Heaven is dedicated to guiding and protecting us from Satan’s covert deceptions and temptations.

As Children of the Light, we are responsible for maintaining control of our Gift of Time. Always pay close attention to interruptions and distractions.

Saying No, to most unplanned activities is necessary, so we can spend quality time with our Savior and Shepherd in personal worship.

To Grow Closer to Jesus Christ, Practice Separation, Solitude, and Silence

We dismiss all desires and distractions that prevent us from praying for and receiving Jesus’ Divine Guidance, Wisdom and Strength.

It is the time we spend in personal worship that invites the Holy Spirit to empower us with a deeper understanding of the Holy Scriptures, and what we need to do to maintain an unbreakable spiritual connection with Christ.

Studying and obeying God’s Precious Promises, His Commands, Precepts, Moral Law, and the Life of Christ in the Holy Scriptures is crucial for our Spiritual Transformation.

The Scriptures reinforce God’s Truth, reveal His Promises, give us the wisdom to perceive life through spiritual eyes, and teach us how to think, respond, and live as Jesus did in His earthly life.

“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12).

Satan cannot deceive Christ’s followers, who make it their priority to have daily Bible Study, whispering prayers throughout their day, asking for wisdom, discernment, and Jesus’ Power. “Pray continuously!” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

To receive spiritual growth and character transformation, we cannot rely on hearing weekly sermons. Just as physical food is required daily, every day, we must engage in personal worship with the goals to learn how to live righteously.

We receive spiritual empowerment from the Holy Spirit to fulfill God’s Will and Plans for the given day. “Lord, not my will, but Your will be done,” is the prayer of victory that demonstrates our willingness to obey God.

The Apostle Paul was an awesome, loving, and caring Pastor to the members of the Early Churches; the Believers faced continuous challenges and hardships, because paganism [idolatry] was the standard of worship:

“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. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:1-2, NIV).

Paul’s instructions to each of his churches: Consecrate yourself to Christ by letting go of unrighteous people, worldly behaviors, profane words and habits, and immorality are still valid for us today.

To be a Christian is to remain steadfast in our Spiritual Journey with Jesus. We must learn to hate sin!

Following Christ may cause us to lose relationships with friends, family members, and at times, our jobs. Facing compromising situations is the true test of our faith.

The possibility of loss reveals to us whether or not, we really believe in Jesus’ Sovereign Power and Authority. Even if your faith is weak, Never compromise!

Our faith will be tested. Still, we must possess courage and the ability to say “No, I will not sin against God!”

I can recall a behind closed doors meeting with the company’s Regional Nursing Director, who relayed an unwritten corrupt policy that I was expected to follow; her exact words, “I will return to your office in 1 hour and we can discuss the changes that will be implemented.”

I prayed and within 10 minutes, walked to her office and stated, “I am ready to meet with you.” She smiled with the look of victory on her face. She entered my office with confidence, but my words were brief, “I emailed Human Resources my letter of resignation that is effective today.”

Her response, ” I cannot believe that you are willing to give up this excellent job.” Within a week, God blessed me with a new job that was a work from home position.

Reflection: Do we really believe that Jesus has All Power and Authority?

Our faith and trust in God’s Love, Sovereign Authority, Power, and Promises is the foundation of our beliefs, morals, values, and most importantly builds and sustains our relationship with Christ.

“…continue to work out your salvation [that is, cultivate it, bring it to full effect, actively pursue spiritual maturity] with awe-inspired fear and trembling [using serious caution and critical self-evaluation to avoid anything that might offend God or discredit the Name of Christ]. (Philippians 2:12, Amplified Bible).

The Holy Spirit is responsible for performing the lifelong spiritual process of Sanctification: The daily spiritual growth and transformation of our mind and character, and our role is to cooperate with surrender and obedience.

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” (Matthew 6:24).

“God requires a decision on who we will serve, challenging us to make an active, daily choice between worldly influences and God.”

We were created with the power of choice, to either love and obey Christ, or to reject Him and live as we please. God will never coerce us to follow Jesus or to participate with the Holy Spirit.

Many believer’s pursuits and lifestyles reveal they are content with receiving only earthly rewards. But to follow Christ, there is no middle ground, and no areas of compromise; we cannot think and live as we please and inherit the reward of Eternal Life.

“I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.” (Jeremiah 17:10).

The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ has a remnant of faithful followers that love Him, denying themselves of life’s pleasures to implicitly [without hesitation] follow Him.

When our love and loyalty is to Jesus Christ and we desire our reward of the Crown of Life, then we will remain steadfast, and the Holy Spirit will give us the Mind of Christ. Yes and Amen!

In Matthew 5, Jesus tells us we are the salt of the earth and the light. We are instructed to represent His Love, Light, and Righteousness in a morally corrupt and dark Earth.

We are Temporary Travelers Living on a Temporary Earth! Prepare every day for your Forever Home in the New Heaven and New Earth. Yes and Amen!

Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

As Sons and Daughters of God, who are preparing for our King of Kings and Lord of Lord’s Second Coming, our thoughts, spoken words, habits, behaviors, and lifestyle must always represent the Righteousness of Christ.

Even when facing the brutal loss of income, relationships, marriage, and severe health challenges, we may feel weak and dejected, but in faith, we must remember that Jesus Christ is still in control!

“My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Loving Christ is to experientially know Him, only then can we abide in Him..Studying the Life of Christ changes our desires, thought processes, and goals, inviting the Holy Spirit to purify our hearts, teach us spiritual priorities, and strengthen our faith and trust in Jesus’ Divine Power.

When our journey is tough, and we feel our faith failing, deeply reflect on Jesus’ Promise: “My Power will give you the Strength, you need.”

Immediately Pray for Divine Comfort, Strength, and the Power to persevere! Your prayer will be answered before you say, Amen!

“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).

To stay on the Narrow Path, like the men in the boat, we must ask ourselves, “Who is Jesus Christ?” He is the Only One who can save the human soul!

Through His blood, we are forgiven, and our heart, mind, character, and body are cleansed from the unrighteousness of sin.

Jesus covers us with His Righteousness, transforming us daily into His likeness through the Power of the Holy Spirit.

Because of Jesus’ Infinite Love, we can receive the Power to overcome sin, and to live holy!

The Cost of Our Redemption: “…the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5, NIV).

Who Am I? Jesus, God, the Son’s Answer: “‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God'” “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.'” (Revelation 3:14; Revelation 22:13).

“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 21:3).

Lord God, we thank You for Your Amazing Love and Promises to empower us with Your strength to overcome the temptations and the darkness of sin on this present Earth. We ask You to forgive us for the many times, we have rejected Your Love by following our sinful desires. Thank You, Jesus, for loving us with an Everlasting Love and willingly sacrificing Your life to save our souls. Today, we consecrate ourselves to follow Jesus with humility, surrender, and faithful obedience. We ask for the Holy Spirit to guide us in our spiritual journey, especially when we are discouraged by our presenting circumstances. We look forward to the day when there will be no more sin and grief. Until then we ask You to please be our Strength. In faith, we ask this prayer in Jesus’ Loving and Righteous Name, Amen.

Christ Chose Us To Always Reflect His Light

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” —Matthew 5:14, 16

Pastor G’s Testimony of His Life-Changing Experience

“It was a busy morning for Pastor G. He had awakened early to prepare for the Bible Class and the Sermon, and he was also leading an Evangelistic Series in the afternoon. He grabbed his keys, ran out the door, and sped away….

He drove through the city traffic, annoyed that so many people were out on that morning and could make him late for church. Where were they all going? Then, out of nowhere, one car cut in front of him. He slammed on the brakes and held up his fist in frustration and anger, yelling at the driver.

Finally, Pastor G arrived at the church. As he stood up to teach the lesson, his eyes scanned his class and came to rest on a familiar face: the driver of the car he was angry at just 20 minutes earlier was sitting on the church pew.” SSNet

Jesus’ disciple Peter was a fisherman who was prideful, aggressive, impatient, and usually the first one to express his feelings using harsh words.

In fact, at The Last Supper when Jesus told them that one of them would betray Him, Peter immediately stated, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.” (Luke 22:33).

As the disciples followed Jesus to the Mount of Olives and entered the Garden of Gethsemane before He separated Himself to pray, Jesus told them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

The Rest of Peter’s Story: After Jesus’ arrest, Peter viciously denied knowing Christ three times, swearing and cursing, and then the rooster crowed, just like Jesus prophesied.

Jesus Forgives and Restores Peter: After Jesus’ resurrection, He had breakfast with His disciples by the sea. “Jesus asked Peter three times, ‘Do you love me?’ as recorded in John 21:15–17.”

“By asking Peter, ‘Do you love Me?’ three times, Jesus was emphasizing the importance of Peter’s love and [unrelenting] obedience to his Lord as necessary for his future ministry.”

And from deciding that he desired to love like Jesus loved, Peter cooperated with the Holy Spirit, who changed his crude, unloving heart into a gentle heart that was tender and responsive, a heart overflowing with God’s Agape Love.

Yes, on the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit gave Peter the wisdom and the words to witness Jesus’ Love and Saving Power: “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” (Acts 2:36).

When Peter spoke, the people who knew him as the rough fisherman listened closely to his words. Yes, Peter revealed that following Jesus, and surrendering to Him with faithful obedience, invites the Holy Spirit to transform us from roaring lions into gentle sheep.

The People’s Response: “And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, ‘Be saved from this perverse generation.’ Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.” (Acts 2:40-41).

Today, Jesus is asking His believers [you and me], “Do you love Me?” Yes? Then Feed My Lost Sheep!

Possessing the Love of Christ Is the Foundation of Our Relationship With Christ and Our Most Powerful Witness: “Though I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.” (1 Corinthians 13:1).

Like Peter, if we desire a spiritual transformation [total makeover] of our heart, mind, and character, we commit daily to following Christ with love, surrender, faith, and obedience, always praying for wisdom, guidance, and strength.

Spiritual Growth Requires Human Effort and Divine Help! We were not created with the ability to change ourselves. Behavior Modification is the attempt to change by using human strategies and effort, but Spiritual Transformation can only occur when we are empowered daily by the Holy Spirit.

Human Effort: To follow Jesus requires a life of self-denial, renouncing sin, and agreeing to live as clean vessels with pure hearts. Spiritual transformation is a lifelong, daily spiritual process, which requires us to be in total agreement with the Holy Spirit.

Yes, the spiritual journey is tough! Yet, we have hope; eleven of Jesus’ twelve apostles were transformed [Judas had his own agenda, including betraying Christ].

Through prayer, we commit to actively participating in our Salvation. We must maintain the continual desire to be one of Jesus’ faithful disciples. Using self-control, when we resist our heart’s desires and Satan’s temptations, the Holy Spirit gives us the Divine strength to overcome.

To Be a Light Requires a Daily Battle With Self and Satan!

Reflection: Are we ready to use our faith and self-control, praying to be empowered with Jesus’ Strength when facing challenges and temptations?

Jesus revealed in His earthly life that He relied on the Divine Power of the Holy Spirit for strength to accomplish His daily goals and to say, No to temptation.

The Character of Christ: “But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23, Amplified Bible).

How do we know we are growing spiritually?

Spiritual Growth is gradual, but consistently progressing, from the invisible spiritual, mental, and emotional changes to the visible physical changes.

Jesus’ Promise: “And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.” (Ezekiel 36:26, NLT).

From the moment we wake up, we have peace and joy from being filled with the Light of Jesus’ Love and Compassion—our presence, facial expressions, attitude, thoughts, spoken words, and actions reflect that we are “lights” in darkness.

The Holy Spirit, through daily Sanctification, changes us from the inside; we let go of worldly habits, clothing, and lifestyles that we used to enjoy; and the things that used to annoy and upset us, instead, we whisper a prayer or sing a song, praising God for His Faithfulness.

“The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.” (1 John 3:1, NIV). To be a “light” requires continuous self-denial and steadfast faith, courage, and prayer. You will lose friends and family.

“We live in a world that hates God’s Truth, but that reality should not prevent us from sharing [God’s Love] in thoughtful, loving ways.”

As empty vessels, if we allow ourselves to be filled with the Light of Jesus’ Love and Compassion, serving as witnesses of God’s Steadfast Love, Grace, and Mercies, Jesus has this promise for you and me:

“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). Yes and Amen!

The Apostle Peter’s Guidance:

“Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers [and sisters], be tenderhearted, be courteous;

not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.

For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” (1 Peter 3:8-9, 12).

Lord God, we thank You for choosing us to follow and represent Jesus Christ, who is the Light of the world. We pray for a spiritual makeover, one that represents a heart filled with Christ’s love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, and self-control. We desire for our minds and characters to be transformed into the likeness of Christ, revealing to the world that loving and following Jesus makes a difference in one’s life. We ask the Holy Spirit to guide us to those who desperately need to know that Jesus loves them. We also pray for wisdom, guidance, and the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. In faith, we ask this prayer in the Loving and Righteous Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.