Tag: trust

“To You, O Lord, I Lift Up My Soul”

“For you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. For You, Lord, are good and ready to forgive, and abundant in Mercy to all those who call upon You (Psalm 86:4- 5).

The book of Psalms reflects David’s love, faith, and trust in God. Throughout history, no musician, or songwriter can equal the heartfelt Psalms [Songs of Praise, Worship, and Petitions], which are prayers  from the depths of David’s heart.

“In the day of my trouble I will call upon you, for you will answer me” (Psalm 86:7).

Many do not understand David’s prayers and feel that he was depressed. No, he understood God’s Love and Sovereign Authority, and the limitations of human effort to resolve life’s challenges.

David, the shepherd boy who played his harp in the fields was given the supernatural strength to kill bears and lions with his hands. Yes, young David tenderly cared for his sheep, matured into a mighty warrior, and was honored by God to become King over Judah and Israel, yet David was hated.

“O God, the proud have risen against me, and a mob of violent men have sought my life. Oh, turn to me, and have mercy on me! Give Your strength to your servant. Show me a sign for good that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed, because You Lord have helped me and comforted me” (Psalm 86:14, 16-17).

David’s petitions reveal an unwavering faith in God,  reliance on the power of prayer, and the belief that humanity was created to depend on God, Jesus Christ, the Creator, therefore, he honored God by continuously crying out to Him for Divine help.

“For great Is Your mercy toward me” (Psalm 86:13).

We have received the mercies of a new day, will we pray and obey, or move ahead to fulfill our desires and plans? Sadly, many Christians have embraced the worldview of self-sufficiency resulting in the exclusion of God from their lives.

If our first response to challenges and adversity is to ask ourselves, “How am I going to resolve this?” then we have separated ourselves from God. Christ always prayed with the intent to seek and obey God, the Father’s will. [Read John 8:29].

The Bible teaches us that unless we love God more than ourselves, and like Christ, surrender daily by seeking His Divine will and plans, we will not receive the eternal reward that God desires to give us.

We accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior because we love and honor Him for His great sacrificial offering on Calvary’s Cross. Every day, we must remind ourselves that we desperately desire Jesus’ promise in John 14:1-3.

Yes, faith, reverence, and loyalty are fruits of a loving heart that readily acquiesces to God’s Sovereignty in total surrender and obedience.

“Teach me your way, O Lord” (Psalm 86:11).

God is Sovereign, Holy, Righteous, and Majestic, the angels cover their faces when worshiping Him. Daily surrender develops a spirit of humility, “God, not my will, but Your will be done” preparing us for a forever life of worship.

Our earthly lives are the only opportunity to invite the Holy Spirit to change our character into the Righteousness of Christ. Sanctification is performed by the Holy Spirit and is the spiritual process of mind, character, and personality transformation that requires a lifetime.

When our hearts are overflowing with love for God, our perception changes, and like David, we begin to cry out continuously with praise, worship, and petitions asking for Divine Help. Yes and Amen!

“Bow down your ear, O LORD, hear me; for I am poor and needy. Preserve my life…You are my God; Save your servant who trusts in You! (Psalm 86 1-2).

Lord God, we ask for forgiveness for not honoring you with the worship of surrender and obedience. Lord, we ask you to show us your mercy, and grant us Your salvation. We pray for Your guidance, which is the only way that we can stay on the Path of Righteousness. We ask this prayer in faith, and in the Sovereign Name of Jesus, our Triumphant King, Amen.

© 2025 STEPS 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions Ministry

Through Christ, We Are More Than Conquerors!

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – September 24, 2024

Sometimes in our lives, even though we struggle to remain steadfast, faithful, and obedient to God, we let our guard down or follow our own thoughts, and end up disobeying God. Yes, we feel defeated, but those are the times we need to fall on our knees, ask God for forgiveness, and be reassured of His forgiveness as evidenced by His loving promises of grace and mercy.

“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 34:17-18

Moving Forward Despite Our Circumstances: “To be ‘more than a conqueror’ means we not only achieve victory, but we are overwhelmingly victorious.”

We must acknowledge the two conflicting spiritual powers in this world to move forward—Good and Evil. Satan is our adversary. “He sends all kinds of life-defeating, joy-stealing attacks to threaten the well-being and faith of God’s children.” In John 16:33, Jesus forewarns us that our lives will be filled with adversity, hardships, trials, and tribulations. Yet, He says to be courageous because He has overcome evil. Christ is our Divine Conqueror!

“The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call out to Him in truth.” —Psalm 145:8

For today’s believers, challenges can arise in many ways: The constant internal battle of following our desires versus surrender and faithful obedience to God’s will and plans. Financial loss, natural disasters, dissolution of marriages, the break up of relationships, strained family ties, and even the death of loved ones touch our lives.

“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). God’s Promise: “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3). In the Bible, we read real-life stories of human sorrows and God’s intervention. We cannot defeat Satan’s attacks without God.

“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?” —Jeremiah 32:27

Are we willing to seek God’s help when in despair? The Christian believers who fail to study the Scriptures do not have knowledge of God’s Righteous Character nor do they trust in Him which results in a life infiltrated with anxiety, worry, and spiritual instability.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” —Romans 8:28

“Yet, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” —Romans 8:37-39

“The Apostle Paul is encouraging us to stand firm in our faith when those attacks come, reminding us that not only will we win in the end, but Jesus enables us to win now.”

“To be more than conquerors means we face the trials of life with the certainty that we are not alone. We have a mighty Father who fights for us. We approach the darkest valleys with confidence, knowing that nothing can happen to us that is not permitted by our loving Father for our good….” Christ, our triumphant King places limits on Satan’s attacks on the righteous. Read Job Chapter 1. Nothing we face is a surprise to God.

“…Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.” —Jeremiah 31:3

“No sin of ours and no attempt of the enemy can steal the loving care of God from our lives, and that makes us more than conquerors through Christ who loves us.” Through faith in Christ, we commit to trust in God and are rewarded with His promise of love, protection, and deliverance from our distress and persecution.

Reference: All quotations from, “What does it mean that we are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37)?” Gotquestions.org

God, we are facing adversities that only You can resolve. We confess that we have not approached You for help because our faith and trust in You are weakened by self-reliance. And we ask for forgiveness for our doubt and unbelief. Today, we pray in faith, asking for Your Divine Intervention and to “Create in us a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within us.” In Jesus’ Righteous Name, we pray, Amen.

© 2024 Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions

The LORD Is on Our Side

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – August 26, 2024

“… With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.” —Mark 10:27

God gifted us faith, love, power, and a sound mind. Consciously, we may not realize the importance of faith [belief], but every day we use our faith in various ways that empower us to trust in God. We pray for God’s protection and direction in our lives, fulfill our job duties with the expectation that we will be paid at the designated times, and rely on God to love us unconditionally.

For the believers who place their lives in God’s hands, we also use our faith to humbly surrender and obey, the character traits God requires for traveling on the narrow Path of Righteousness. From our faith, we have joy and peace. Yes, we feel great, easily praising God when all is well, but what happens when our peaceful times are interrupted by a stormy trial. What is our first response? Faith or fear? Prayer or Anxiety?

“And Peter answered Him and said, ‘Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.’ So He said, ‘Come.’ And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, ‘Lord, save me!’ And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’ ” —Matthew 14:28-31

Peter walking on the water represents many Christians who follow Jesus but have wavering, unreliable faith. Financial hardships, challenges in our daily activities of life, sudden illnesses, divorce, job loss, family turmoil, and even unexpected death of family and friends will arise in our earthly lives. When facing an overwhelming and impossible situation, we should self-reflect, Did I disobey God and now am suffering consequences?

“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

Unless we have relied on our thoughts and intuition, Jesus tells us that as His followers, we will suffer a life filled with tribulations. Yet, the apostle James defines the spiritual response to adversity: “… Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work (endurance), that you may be perfect and complete lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4).

Faith must grow and mature. Trials and hardships are the spiritual channels that produce strong faith and redirect our focus to rely on God. Spiritual hardships strengthen, encourage, and produce spiritual growth, and maturity. God desires us to be strong, not giving up, but praying and believing His Divine intervention will resolve every challenge in our lives.

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

Trusting in our abilities guarantees that we will experience disbelief and discouragement. What does God expect of us when we face challenges? “Cast your burden on the LORD, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved” (Psalm 55:22).

Even Jesus in his earthly life had daily challenges. Yet, with courage, He prayed continuously because Jesus was confident that He would always receive God’s help and strength in His times of need. Jesus’ command: Have courage, because I have overcome every trial and will give you the victory!

“Only fear (reverence) the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things he has done for you.” —1 Samuel 12:24

“Count your blessings, count them one by one. Count your many blessings to see what God has done.” Despite the many victories our Heavenly Father has blessed us with, we easily forget His Loving character and Sovereign power when we face adversity. Daily, we receive the breath of life and the necessary provisions to sustain our lives. A heart filled with gratitude has steadfast faith in God.

“So I said, ‘Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. Indeed, I would wander far off and remain in the wilderness.’ ” —Psalm 55:6-7

In the Psalms, we note that King David suffered from emotional highs and lows from the chaos of the continuous covert betrayal from his sons and hatred from his enemies. We cannot fly away from adversity, but we can speak prayers expressing our deepest concerns to our Loving Savior, King Jesus who always hears and comforts our hearts.

God’s Promise: “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’ ” —Hebrews 13:5-6

Faith is our anchor to the power of God. Always go to God first. Remember He commands us to have faith in His power. We are heaven’s priority! Despite what you are going through, God’s got you and you will be okay if you only trust Him. Use your mustard seed Faith and believe in His Grace and Great love for you.

Prayer: God, we believe but help our unbelief. We are facing challenges that only You can resolve. We ask for Your divine help and strength to face our trials. Thank you for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in Jesus’ Holy Name. Amen.

© 2024 Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions Ministry

Expect God To Do The Impossible!

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – August 13, 2024

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us…” —Ephesians 3:20

We place too many limitations on God. He not only loves us but also has plans that exceed our thoughts. Using our faith to believe that God desires the best for us, we faithfully believe His promise to “will do exceedingly and abundantly above all we ask or think.”

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat? or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles [unbelievers] seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” —Matthew 6:31-34

Using our faith to trust God’s Sovereign Power invites Him to open the windows of heaven and shower us with blessings. Believe in God’s love by praying and waiting for His miraculous wonders.

Lord God, we thank You for loving, caring, and providing for us. In Jesus’ Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

© 2024 Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions Ministry

Believe – Pray – Wait

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – August 3, 2024

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose.” — Romans 8:28, NIV

Through Jesus Christ, we always have hope. Whatever you are worrying about or stressing over, remember Jesus already knows your circumstances. Use your Mustard Seed faith, pray, and thank him in Advance for His Divine Intervention in resolving whatever you feel is out of control. We were intentionally created with limitations which leads us to depend on God.

It takes courage to be a follower of Jesus Christ. Never forget that humanity was created in the image of God and Christ breathed His Ruah breath into Adam and Eve’s bodies to make them into living beings. God is Love. God loves us. And God promised to provide for us. He asks you and I to place our faith in his Sovereign Love and Power.

We would never drive our car down the middle of the road, yet we waver between faith and faithlessness with God. Like Job in his hardships, we often forget who God is. Study Job chapters 38-42 when you cannot remember God’s Omnipotence. Our Heavenly Father reminds us that He knows the end from the beginning, including every aspect of our lives.

Peace is knowing that we are loved and God’s promises are Yes to which we proclaim, Amen [It is so!] Place your life in his hands. Trust God. He is faithful, and forgiving, always desiring that we exercise the faith to totally depend on Him.

Lord God, we are stumbling with our steps to walk on the Path of Faith and desperately need Your help. Thank You for hearing and answering our prayer in Jesus’ Holy and Righteous Name. Amen.

© 2024 Steps to Success with Spiritual Solutions

While You Wait On God

Concepts you need to know while waiting on God’s answer to your prayers.

1. You don’t need what you don’t have for God to fulfill His purpose.

2. You don’t need what you used to have for God to fulfill His purpose.

3. You may experience a major life event that totally changes the direction of your life.

4. Don’t give up because you are counting the hours or the days since you prayed for God’s Divine intervention.

5. We do not have to beg God for His help or a miracle. He heard your prayers. Read Isaiah 65:24.

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

Prayer: God, please help us to understand that its your way and your timing. Please give us strength to endure and persevere the times of testing in our lives. In Jesus’ Worthy name, we pray. Amen.

Think About It First

They say what the world needs is love, sweet love. Although I wholeheartedly agree, I would like to add another character trait that is in short supply and that is patience. Most of us are victims to the “hurry up with it, I have other things to do” mindset. Even so, I came across some profound advice, “Unless it is an emergency, think about it for at least 24 hours and the possible consequences that may follow from you making that decision.”

For the believer in God, every decision that we make is either for God or against God. Within that 24 hours, we must go to God in prayer and ask for His will. There are few absolutes in life. We can know this for sure that we can never hurry God. And there is one more absolute truth, every mistake that we have made in our lives is because we did not ask God or we did not wait for God’s answer.

And for those like myself who lack the virtue of patience, God has no problem letting us make the mistake. He knows that when we are drowning in the Sea of Consequences, we will pray the SMS–Save My Soul prayer. Thankfully, He forgives us with loving grace and mercies. Still, we may suffer the full impact from our disobedience.

Last night during worship, it was the Holy Spirit who taught me this profound fact of life. Every decision that you make is either for God or against God. The imagery was the train crossing with the flashing red lights with the barrier coming down warning of the pending train traveling at an unknown speed. I am thankful that our Heavenly Father’s love is overprotective.

And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourself this day whom you will serve. Joshua 24:15

Prayer: God, we ask for forgiveness for excluding you from our lives. We are suffering the consequences of misguided decisions based on impatience. Please come to our rescue. We ask this prayer in Jesus’ name. Amen. © 2021 Sonya Johnson, Faithful Fishers Ministry