Graced To Do God's Will

@everydaygodswill

Now go and call together all the elders of Israel. Tell them, ‘Yahweh, the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—has appeared to me. He told me, “I have been watching closely, and I see how the Egyptians are treating you. I have promised to rescue you from your oppression in Egypt. I will lead you to a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live.’”
Exodus 3:16-17 NLT

God doesn’t show favoritism or partiality towards anyone. What He’ll do for one in principle, He’ll do for another. Through Jesus Christ, we are now children of God (1 John 3:1). So, if God saw how the Egyptians harshly treated the Israelites and wanted to rescue them, He sees how people harshly treat us and wants us delivered from that situation too.

He sees how that supervisor is specifically mean towards us. He sees how our spouse has been negative towards us. He sees how that child has been coldhearted towards us. It’s comforting to know He sees it all and He wants us delivered from that situation. 

We’re different from the Israelites. We don’t have to wait on our deliverer. Our deliverance has already come in Jesus Christ. As we recognize all that Jesus has done for us and walk in the authority He has given us, being led by the Holy Spirit within us, we can change our situation.

We can bind and loose, cast out mean spirits, speak life over that negative situation, and be led by the Spirit (Matt. 16:19; Rom. 8:14; Mark 16:17; Prov. 18:21). As we use all of God’s abilities He’s made available to us, our lives can change. And the thing He closely watches, He doesn’t have to see any more.

#deliverance #through #Jesus #Christ

@everydaygodswill

Psalms 118:8-9 NKJV It is better to trust in the Lord Than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord Than to put confidence in princes.

There are people who put their trust in political figures, medical providers, and pastors. At the end of the day, these are men with flaws who don’t have all the answers. Some may not think their trust is in man, but their actions say otherwise.

If we’re seriously getting upset because of what some politician said or did, we’re trusting in man. Our getting upset is a sign that we don’t trust that God can change the situation or it will work out for our good (Rom. 8:28). We may not like what they said or did, but when we know we can take our grievances to God, we won’t let their actions impact our emotions.

A medical provider may say we have a serious health issue. If our trust is in what they say, we’ll begin to fear and think this health issue will change the quality of our life or take our life from us. However, if we trust in the word of God, we’ll believe that we’re healed and we shall live and not die (Is. 53:5; Ps. 118:17).

A pastor is there to lead us to the Lord and to give us revelation from God’s word. They are not to be fully trusted. With this understanding, we shouldn’t feel deceived if a pastor misses the mark. They’re human with flaws. If we trust in them, we’ll leave the church thinking all pastors are the same. Trusting in God allows us to maintain our peace when a spiritual leader falls short. Trusting in God should encourage us to think if God can use that flawed pastor to lead all these people to the Lord, He can use us too.

Man may have some education and experience, but they’re not our Father Who is able to help, guide, and direct. If we put our trust in man, we’ll often be disappointed. But if we put our trust in God, He’ll never let us down (Rom. 10:11).

#God #won’t #fail

@everydaygodswill

Psalms 103:2 NKJV “Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:”

II Corinthians 1:20 NKJV “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. ”

Benefits, blessings, and promises have been made available through Jesus to the believer. Any blessing we would ever need or want has been made available to us, through Him.

Obtaining God’s promises is like going to a buffet. The promises have already been prepared by God and Jesus already paid for them with His life. All we have to do is receive them by faith.

If we need some healing apply “by His stripes we are healed” to the plate of our lives (Isaiah 53:5). If we need finances, add 2 Corinthians 9:8 to our plates which says, God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

Whatever we need or want in our lives has been prepared and can be found in the buffet of God’s word. Just use your faith to receive what God has made available through Jesus Christ. 

#abundantlife #healing #peace #joy #love

@everydaygodswill

There has been an increase of knowledge. With this increase of knowledge, there’s been an increase of labels.

For instance, people will read a definition of mood disorders like anxiety, trauma, and depression and attach that label to themselves. Or, they’ll gladly be diagnosed by a doctor to get a label. Once these labels are applied, people use them as a crutch or they want others to cater to their label.

A lot, if not all of these labels are labels God didn’t put on us. God never told us we’re depressed or have PTSD. We may have symptoms of these disorders, but we don’t have to accept the label.

God’s labels says we’re healed (Isaiah 53:5). God says we’re more than conquerors (Rom. 8:37). God says we’re blessed and anointed (Gal. 3:14; 2 Cor. 1:21-22). And He says we’re free (John 8:36).

These are the labels we should apply to ourselves. Any other label is a lie. Don’t wear these labels like a badge of honor. Accept what God says above anything else. 

Romans 3:4 NKJV Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: “That You may be justified in Your words, And may overcome when You are judged.

#overcomer #morethan #conquerors #mindof #Christ

@everydaygodswill

There are thoughts that come across our minds that attempt to threaten God’s plan for our lives. Some of these thoughts come out of nowhere.  Other thoughts may have some backing based on what’s happening in the natural. Either way, Satan puts these thoughts in our minds to frighten us into thinking God’s word won’t come to pass.

For instance, a threatening thought that may come out the blue could happen when we’re driving. As we’re driving, a thought may enter our minds of us getting into a horrible crash. That thought is attempting to scare us and threaten us into not believing God’s word that says “no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent” (Psalms 91:10).

If we’ve been facing some health challenges, a thought may enter our minds of dying prematurely. This is attempting to threaten God’s word that says, “with long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation” (Ps. 91:16).

Whether it’s thoughts of our safety, the safety of our children, financial issues, or problems in our past, if we dwell on these threatening thoughts, we’ll operate in fear, stress, worry, and anxiety. However, if we remove these thoughts and bring every thought to the obedience of Christ, as we’re instructed to in 2 Corinthians 10:5, we’ll have hope and our faith will bring God’s word to pass.

II Corinthians 10:5 NKJV “casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, ”

#think #life #Christ

@everydaygodswill

Daniel 6:7-10 NLT We are all in agreement—we administrators, officials, high officers, advisers, and governors—that the king should make a law that will be strictly enforced. Give orders that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions. And now, Your Majesty, issue and sign this law so it cannot be changed, an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.” So King Darius signed the law. But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.

There’s a rebellion that’s righteous. That rebellion goes against laws, values, and societal norms that are contrary to God’s word. For Daniel, he acted rebelliously when he was told he couldn’t pray to God. After hearing about the unrighteous law, he continued to pray as he always did.

For us, our rebellion may be staying in our hotel room on a business trip instead of getting drunk with our coworkers. We may appear antisocial, but we’re honoring God. We may have to operate in rebellion if we’re the only person in the group who chooses not to lie to get out of a bad situation.

Like Daniel, we don’t have to be afraid of the consequences of not going along with the crowd. As we honor God by making the right decisions, we can let God fight our battles.

#righteous #rebellion #God #fights #forme

@everydaygodswill

Daniel 2:14 NLT When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, came to kill them, Daniel handled the situation with wisdom and discretion.

A customer being extremely rude to us.
Someone cutting us off in traffic.
A coworker taking credit for our work.
Someone disrespecting us or our family.
A rebellious child. 

These are all examples where we need to handle the situation with wisdom. Our flesh instinctively wants to handle the situation with four-letter words, our fists, or a gun, but that’s unwise. We could end up losing our jobs, losing our freedom, destroying our family, or losing our lives. 

This is why it’s so important to spend time with God. As we spend time with God, our spirit man gets stronger and the reactions of our flesh minimize. We’ll clearly hear the Holy Spirit tell us to walk away when our flesh wants to respond. We’ll recall that God fights our battles if we stay calm (Exodus 14:14). We’ll receive wise words to say in an email or in person explaining the truth.

If we handle the situation in our flesh, we’ll most likely lose something. By acting wisely, we’ll not only maintain what we have, but we’ll gain something fruitful. 

#exercise #godly #wisdom #bewise

@everydaygodswill

Mark 11:20-21 NKJV Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.”

Biblical cursing has nothing to do with saying four-letter words to people or situations. When Jesus cursed the fig tree, He spoke negatively to it (Mark 11:12-14).

Proverbs 18:21 says, death and life are in the power of the tongue. Because of the power that’s in our speech, when we speak negatively, we’re cursing that person, thing, or situation. We may think it’s harmless or it won’t effect anything, but it actually impacts things.

We can curse situations by saying things like, “this war will never end” or “our health care is terrible.” We can curse our children by saying they’re dumb or they make dumb decisions. Even if they’re not in the room when we’re talking, we can curse them by speaking negatively about them. We can curse ourselves by saying, “I can never lose weight,” “I don’t ever get a raise,” or “I always get sick.” Even when we’re watching sports, we’re cursing our team by saying, “they’re trash.”

The only things we should be cursing are things that are contrary to God’s word. If we’re informed about disease in our bodies, we should curse the disease and command it to die. If we see lack, we should curse lack and command abundance. Whatever situation we’re facing, if it doesn’t align with God’s word, we should curse it.

We have to stop saying what we don’t actually want to see. Let’s use biblical cursing to benefit ourselves by cursing any negative situation.

#curselack #speak #abundance #peace #joy

@everydaygodswill

Mark 11:12-14 NKJV Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. In response Jesus said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.” And His disciples heard it.

The fig tree displayed and spoke lack to Jesus. Jesus’s response to the fig tree not having figs on it was a death sentence.

There will be things that negatively speak to us. Our health may tell us it’s declining. Our finances may tell us we’re lacking. Our emotions may tell us we’re unstable. How will we respond to these negative things? Will we just accept it, or will we counter it by cursing it?

When our bodies are telling us it’s failing, we can curse health decline and decree a renewal in youth (Ps. 103:5). When our finances are telling us we’re lacking, we can curse lack and declare abundance and overflow (2 Cor. 9:8). When our minds are attempting to tell us that we’re unstable, we can curse instability and declare perfect peace (Isa. 26:3).

Whatever the negative situation is saying, curse it, and declare what you want to see.

#declare #life #wholeness #peace #Christ

@everydaygodswill

Matthew 22:39 NKJV And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

People are important to God. Since people are important to God, then people should be important to us.

With this understanding, we should make it a point to contact people in some way. Daily, we should check on our friends or family members. We should have a genuine conversation with our colleagues to see how they’re doing. We should be a light to people we don’t know at the grocery store or the gym. During our interactions, we can pray for them, speak life over them, or help them.

The world and thoughts from the enemy tell us to distrust people and to protect ourselves by staying away from people. That’s not God’s way. How can we be vessels for God if we’re always alone or only focused on our immediate family? We should have boundaries, but we’re not called to be isolated.

To our flesh, this may be uncomfortable, but daily, we must deny what our flesh wants, and follow the ways of Christ.

#follow #Christ #love #people

@everydaygodswill

Matthew 28:19-20 NKJV Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

The bible instructs us to share the gospel of Jesus Christ, love our neighbors, and serve one another (Matt. 28:19–20; 1 John 4:11; Gal. 5:13).

One thing we have to remember is God wants us to be ourselves as we approach people. If we don’t normally wear suits or have this bubbly speech when we approach people, we don’t have to wear suits or have bubbly speech when talk to people about the love of God. It’s okay to have on jeans and a t-shirt. It’s okay if our speech is dry and monotone. It’s even okay if we’re not smiling. God just wants us to be our authentic self when we’re talking about Him.

Everyone may not respond well to a high-energy, extra excited believer who’s smiling from ear to ear. And we shouldn’t have to put on a fake smile to share Jesus. 

If God instructs us to put on a smile, then put on a smile. If He’s okay with us using a casual speaking voice and not smiling as much, we should be okay with that too.

It would be beneficial to all if we can be ourselves.

#be #authentic #reflect #Jesus

@everydaygodswill

Daniel 2:18-19 NLT He (Daniel) urged them to ask the God of heaven to show them His mercy by telling them the secret, so they would not be executed along with the other wise men of Babylon. That night the secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven.

We may not be facing a life or death situation like Daniel, but there are some serious situations that we face that require a quick solution.

At our jobs, we may need to come up with a reason why our department is necessary. If not, they may lay the entire department off. We may be facing a health challenge where the doctors can’t figure out why we keep having stomach pain. We may need to figure out the best way our children can learn in school, so they won’t be left behind.

Each situation requires revelation from God. Our earthly knowledge can go so far, but with God, secrets are revealed and mysteries are solved.

As we go to Him, expect to receive an answer. If our answer doesn’t happen immediately, don’t panic. Continue to position yourself to receive an answer from God. The answer may seem unconventional, illogical, or unwise in the world’s eyes, but trust Him and accept it.

As we apply His answer to the situation, we’ll experience a positive change for us and for others. Praise the Lord Who reveals secrets and solves mysteries for our benefit us and the benefit others.

#God #reveals #mysteries #to #us

@everydaygodswill

Psalms 5:3 NLT Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.

There are some who use this scripture to justify getting up early in the morning to spend time with God. Some may even try to make people feel guilty for not getting up in the morning to spend time with God.

Psalms 63:6 NIV On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.

On the other hand, we have the same author, David, expressing that he spends time meditating on God at night. So, the night time prayer people have a scripture to stand on.

Here we see David communicating with God all throughout the day.
Psalms 55:17 NLT Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the Lord hears my voice.

From these verses, we can see there’s not one right time of the day to spend with God. Anytime will work. He simply wants us to carve a piece of our day out and spend it with Him. God’s love language is quality time and He wants to spend time with the ones He loves.

Don’t get hung up on the most pleasing or appropriate time to spend with God. He just wants quality time with us. Let’s give it to Him.

#spend #time #with #God

@everydaygodswill

THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH GOING TO THE DOCTOR AND TAKING MEDICATION. I REPEAT…THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH GOING TO THE DOCTOR AND TAKING MEDICATION.

However, there’s a way that our bodies can be healed without going to the doctor or taking medicine. That way is receiving, by faith, the health that’s stored in God’s word. 

Isaiah 53:5 says, He (Jesus) was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. When we believe that we are healed through the stripes of Jesus, sickness has to go.

In Mark 11:23 it says, for assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. When we speak to that mountain of sickness, in the name of Jesus, truly believing that it has to go, that sickness can’t stay.

James 5:14-15 says, is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. If we want someone to agree with us to be free from sickness, we can contact the elders of our church and the prayer of faith can save the sick and the Lord (not the elders) will raise us up.

None of these methods require a doctor or medicine. The main ingredient is faith in God’s word. As we believe, if God instructs us to see a doctor or take medicine, do what He says. He knows best.

The point is, instead of directly going to WebMD, a doctor, or medicine, let’s give the word an opportunity to manifest healing in our bodies.

#healed #through #Jesus

@everydaygodswill

I John 3:22-23 NKJV And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.

All of us want our prayers answered. God guarantees that our prayers will be answered.  Our prayers aren’t answered because we’re good. Our prayers are answered because we believe on the name of Jesus and love one another.

BELIEVE
When we believe, it shouldn’t be short-lived. No matter how long it takes, from the moment we’ve prayed, we must believe God heard us and we have what we asked of Him (1 John 5:15).

When we make our requests, using the name of Jesus, we should have so much confidence in that name until we know our requests will come to pass. Using that name in prayer is like Jesus Himself is praying to the Father. Did Jesus get all His prayers answered? Yes. And we should believe our prayers will come to pass too.

LOVE ONE ANOTHER
It does us no good if we have all this faith in the name of Jesus, but don’t walk in love. Galatians 5:6 says faith works by love. Faith to get our prayers answered won’t work unless we love. So, if we’re harboring hate in our hearts for someone or we’re walking around hating those around us, our faith won’t work.

We must make the decision to love EVERYONE despite what they’ve done. The decision to love could be the only thing standing between us and our answered prayers.

Let’s maintain our belief and walk in love, then we can be confident knowing our prayers will be answered. 

#God #answers #us #love #others

@everydaygodswill

Jeremiah 44:16-17 NKJV “As for the word that you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord, we will not listen to you! But we will certainly do whatever has gone out of our own mouth, to burn incense to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her, as we have done, we and our fathers, our kings and our princes, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. For then we had plenty of food, were well-off, and saw no trouble.

God has rules set up here in the earth. These rules may seem restricting, illogical, or unjust. These rules are designed to benefit us and to ensure that we’re good representatives for the Kingdom of God. 

These people in Jeremiah’s day just flat out refused to obey God’s command. In their own twisted logic, they believed that when they worshiped this other god, their livelihood was better. Some of us have done similar things too.

Most of us know it goes against God’s rule to have sex before marriage (1 Cor. 6:18). But because it satisfies our flesh, we blatantly disobey God and do it anyway. We know the command of “thou shall not steal” in Exodus 20:15, but some of us steal time from the company by saying we’re working when we’re not. James 4:17 says, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. If we know God told us to give that waiter a big tip, but we don’t do it because we want to keep our money, that’s blatant disobedience.

The good news for us is there’s complete forgiveness. Even if we’ve been blatantly disobedient in multiple areas for years, we can receive forgiveness. Not only that, but we have the Holy Spirit Who gives us the power to do what pleases God (Phil 2:13).

We may miss the mark here and there, but let’s not live a life of blatant disobedience. It all starts with a decision. Let’s make the decision to do what pleases Him.

#forgiven #empowered #to #please #God

@everydaygodswill

Many of us have been told to quiet ourselves, seek the Lord, and listen for His voice. During that time, we may want some big revelation about ourselves or a situation we’re facing. We may want clear and complete instructions for an idea we believe God placed in our hearts.

God could give us a big revelation or complete instructions, but He also could remind us of a revelation He gave to us years ago. He could give us practical instructions we can use on a daily basis.

Don’t dismiss older revelations or seemingly basic instructions from God because it’s not big, fresh, or life-changing. Don’t think your time with God was wasted. Every word from God to us is necessary for where we are. It doesn’t matter if it’s old or new, complete, practical, or partial. Receive the word that was given and do what He says. 

John 10:27 NKJV My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

#follow #God

@everydaygodswill

Psalms 44:3 NKJV For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, Nor did their own arm save them; But it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, Because You favored them.

Because we’re favored by God, we’ll experience great victories every single time. We won’t win some or lose some. With God, He always causes us to triumph through Christ (2 Corinthians 2:14).

Does that mean we won’t face problems or difficulties? Absolutely not. In order to have victory, we’ll have to face a battle. Our battles are battles of faith (1 Timothy 6:12).

Every thing we face is designed to challenge our faith. If we’re unsure if God’s word will work based on the magnitude of the situation or based on how “good” we’ve been, we can’t expect to see manifestation from the Lord (James 1:6-7). But if we’re completely convinced that God’s word will come to pass no matter the opposition or delay, we’ll experience favorably fashioned victories. The way these victories will come to pass will be so intelligently orchestrated until everyone will have to say, “Only God could do it.”

Whether it’s sickness, financial issues, marital problems, or problems at work, if our faith is totally in Him, expect to experience favor-filled victories.

#faith-filled #victory #through #Christ

@everydaygodswill

Esther 8:5 NKJV and said, “If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor in his sight and the thing seems right to the king and I am pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to annihilate the Jews who are in all the king’s provinces.

Esther had so much favor on her life until she had an unjust rule changed to save her people. Through Esther, God shows us that unjust rules and policies can be changed for our benefit and the benefit of others through His favor.

If we’re a minority, and it seems like minorities can’t purchase property in a certain area, we can go to God with our problem and He’ll direct us to the right person who can assist us with finalizing the purchase in that area. If a company’s policy says they don’t promote until after 5 years, through God’s favor, they may see our credentials and work performance and promote us before 5 years. If we have a health condition, but our insurance doesn’t allow us to get the medication for that condition, we can rely on God’s favor. His favor can miraculously change what our insurance covers, which allows us to get the necessary medication. 

Other people may call it “making an exception,” but we can attribute it to the favor of God. Thank God for His favor.

#thank #God #for #His #favor

@everydaygodswill

Deuteronomy 33:23 NIV About Naphtali he said: “Naphtali is abounding with the favor of the Lord and is full of his blessing; he will inherit southward to the lake.”

We may need land for a business or land for a house. As we can see, due to the favor of God on Naphtali’s life, he received land. Since God doesn’t show favoritism, what He does for one, He’ll do for another. Based on this, we can have favor for land as well.

Combining the power of our words with this revelation of God’s favor, we can create a confession to receive land. Our confession can be the following: “God’s word shows that His people can have favor for land. Since I’m a child of God, I too expect to receive favor for land, in Jesus’s name.”

After making our confession, we can thank God for favor to obtain the land. Praise God for favor for the land.  

#receive #God’s #favor

@everydaygodswill

Esther 2:17 NKJV The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.

Proverbs 14:9 NKJV Fools mock at sin, But among the upright there is favor.

Because God’s favor is on the believer, there are times where we’ll experience prominence and preferential treatment. Prominence means the state of being important, famous, noticeable, or sticking out from a surface.

This type of favor can cause people to get a good feeling when they see our families and want to buy our meals. It can cause our supervisor to commend us on our work and use it in a presentation. It can cause a stewardess to give us extra snacks on a flight. This favor can cause our children to be selected to get a full scholarship to their most desired college. 

Believe for and expect favor in every circumstance. If it didn’t happen like you wanted, don’t close the door and say “I guess that favor stuff doesn’t work for me.” Meditate on favor in God’s word and continue to believe. Eventually, you’ll identify favor operating all over your life. 

#God’s #favor #works #for #me

@everydaygodswill

Esther 5:8 NKJV If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, then let the king and Haman come to the banquet which I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king has said.”

God doesn’t show partiality towards people (Acts 10:34). What He does for one, in principle, He’ll do for another. Esther received favor with the king to receive her petitions granted, and we can too.

We can get that time off that we’ve requested. We can receive that promotion we’ve requested. We can get an extension on that bill that’s due. We can have the dealership hold the car until we get our paperwork in order. All of this can be received based on the favor of God.

How can we be certain we’ll have favor in this area? Because God says in Proverbs 3:4 that we, the believers, have favor with God and mankind. God can change the hearts and minds of people to benefit us. So put your faith in the favor of God to get your petitions granted. It may not have happened to anyone else, but with the favor of God, it will happen for us.

#God’s #favor #is #working #now

@everydaygodswill

Psalms 27:14 NLT Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

Hebrews 6:12 NLT Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance.

Hebrews 10:36 NLT Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.

These three scriptures, along with many others, let us know waiting is involved as a believer. We may have to wait to find our spouse, wait on our purpose-fulfilling career, or wait on the manifestation of healing in our bodies.

Most of us know we’ll have to wait for God’s promises to come to pass, but a lot of us can wait better. Instead of waiting anxiously, we can wait patiently. Instead of waiting with worry, we can wait with confidence, knowing God’s word must come to pass. Instead of waiting with a plan B ready to go, we can boldly wait on plan A regardless of how it looks.

As we wait, let’s exhibit traits that reflect the character of God and our confidence in God.

Inspired by Lauren Stevenson

#wait on #trust in #God #confident #expectation

@everydaygodswill

Jeremiah 32:40 NLT And I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good for them. I will put a desire in their hearts to worship Me, and they will never leave Me.

God’s covenant with the children of Israel was to never stop doing good for them. Wow, just think about that. This is the true character of God on display.

The children of Israel weren’t saved or filled with the Holy Spirit. They were spiritually dead in their sins, but God still made a covenant with them to never stop doing good for them. If they got a promise like that, being unsaved and under the Law, how much more of a promise do we have being saved, righteous, justified, and sanctified under grace?

Some believers think God is still punishing us for our sins or He’ll only do good when He feels like it. No. God’s heart is to do good for us continually. If we’re in a bad place, God desires to turn it around for our good. Even if we feel like we’re in a good place, God desires additional goodness for us.

Don’t think for a second that good isn’t on God’s mind concerning us. It may look bad right now, but as we trust Him, it will work for our good (Rom. 8:28).

#God’s #goodness #mercy #pursue #me

@everydaygodswill

Push her down.
What are they like in bed?
Just leave and never come back.
Take their phone and sell it.
I should jump and end it all.

These are intrusive thoughts that may enter our minds. These thoughts sometimes come at the worst possible moment. We could be praying or worshipping and these thoughts come. We could be in a meeting at work and these thoughts come. 

As these thoughts come, especially the outlandish ones, we may begin to question our righteousness, holiness, or even salvation.

These are not our thoughts. These thoughts come directly from Satan. These thoughts don’t make us a bad person and it doesn’t necessarily mean we need to pray or fast more. Satan throws these thoughts in our minds to see if we’ll dwell and act on them. Or, he’ll try to make us feel bad for having these thoughts. 

We can’t stop a thought from coming, but we can control whether it remains in our minds.

When intrusive thoughts enter our minds, we must immediately recognize it’s Satan and kick them out. We remove the thought by replacing it with a righteous word. To interrupt these thoughts we must audibly say the word of God. If the thought of ending it all enters our minds, we must say “I will live and not die.” If the thought of taking someone’s money or property comes, we must say “I will not steal.”

Intrusive thoughts have nothing to do with our character or our righteousness. They’re thoughts sent by Satan that must be kicked out. 

Ephesians 6:16 NKJV above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

#guard #your #mind #think #better

@everydaygodswill

John 8:32 NKJV And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

We are made free from sin when we know the truth. What is the truth we should know? The truth is Jesus came and saved us from our sin. He lived a perfect life, but took on a sinner’s death for us. When we know and truly believe this truth, we become free from sin’s grip to hold us down. We become free from guilt, shame, and condemnation. We may not like when we miss the mark, but we know we have an Advocate who already paid for the mark we just missed.

As we focus on Jesus and know what He’s accomplished for us, the weight of sin has been lifted and the power of sin has been weakened. 

Thank God for Jesus who defeated the power of sin.

#focus #on #Jesus #victory

@everydaygodswill

James 5:16 NKJV Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

There are people out in this world who are going through a lot. It can be difficult at times to look beyond ourselves, but there are people who are really hurting.

There are people who are overcoming childhood trauma, people’s marriages are being torn apart, people facing health challenges with no end in sight, and people who have experienced an unexpected loss of a loved one. With everything that’s going on in the world, believers should be compassionate enough to pray for others.

We can pray for our friend’s peace and comfort. We can pray for our coworker’s family. As we drive, we can pray for that homeless person’s mental health. If we don’t know what to pray for, we can always pray that a person has a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Remember to think of others outside of ourselves. As we pray for each other, changes will take place. 

#pray #for #people

@everydaygodswill

Jeremiah 22:21 NLT I warned you when you were prosperous, but you replied, ‘Don’t bother me.’ You have been that way since childhood— you simply will not obey Me!

In times of prosperity, when everything is going well, it can be challenging to hear God’s voice. Why? Because there’s no incentive to seek God.

We have no problem seeking God when our backs are against the wall, we’re in financial trouble, or our health is declining. But when money is flowing in, our health is good, and our home life is great, there can be a temptation to push God to the side and enjoy our prosperity.

Seek God for more than what He can provide. Have the desire for a close relationship with Him. Develop more of an appreciation for what Jesus has accomplished for us. Allow Him to reveal areas where we need to mature, and let the Holy Spirit guide us in that maturation. 

Don’t get stuck in the cycle of sincerely seeking God when you need Him, then pushing Him away when you receive what you wanted. Allow Him to be the focal point of your life. 

#focus #on #God #growth

@everydaygodswill

As we wait on the promises of God to manifest, we need to be mindful not to be spiritually superstitious.

Let’s say we had a health issue two years ago. During that time, we believe God told us to pray in the Spirit for 30 minutes a day and confess Isaiah 53:5 ten times a day. After three months, our healing manifested. Praise God for this, but don’t be spiritually superstitious thinking that’s the remedy to overcome every health issue. Each trial we face is an opportunity to seek God for answers and guidance. If there’s another health issue, He may want us to listen to healing scriptures on repeat.

The same thing goes with getting a new job or a major purchase. Just because God told us to give a big offering at church last time doesn’t mean He wants us to do it again. He may have us do something unrelated like serve faithfully in our community during the summer. 

Let’s not put God in a box and limit Him to one way. He may be doing something new. The only thing that needs to remain the same is our trust in Him. Even if it looks unusual, unrelated, or like a waste of time, trust that His way will manifest His promises.

Isaiah 43:18-19 NKJV “Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.

#trust #rely #dependon #God #Jesus

@everydaygodswill

Matthew 6:14-15 NKJV “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Ephesians 4:32 NKJV And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

In Matthew 6, Jesus spoke this when mankind was under the Law of Moses. Under the Law, we could only be forgiven by God if we forgave. If we didn’t forgive, we were not forgiven. 

In Ephesians 4 and Colossians 3:13, not under the Law, Paul lets us know to forgive because we are forgiven. There’s a difference. Under grace, there’s not a consequence from God of eternal damnation if we don’t forgive. 

Does that mean we should go throughout life holding unforgiveness in our hearts just because we’re under grace? Absolutely not. We should still forgive, but our motivation to forgive is different. Instead of forgiving out of fear, we forgive from a place of gratitude. Because of our appreciation for being forgiven, we can forgive others. We can say to ourselves, “if God can forgive me, based on all the things I’ve done, I can forgive this person.”

It still may not be easy to forgive in certain situations, but the motivation to forgive is ever present and staring at us in the face. Because we’ve been forgiven by God, we can forgive someone else.

#forgiven #forgive #Jesus #didit #gratitude

@everydaygodswill

Whether we like it or not, AI (Artificial Intelligence) is here to stay. If you’ve used it, you’ll see you can ask it any question or put in any prompt that comes across your mind.

We can use it as a doctor and describe an unusual mark on our arm and it will provide an answer. We can ask what products we should put on our lawns to make them grow based on our geographical location. We can use it as a counselor and ask how we should parent a child with behavioral issues. There are even reports of people using AI as a relationship partner to avoid being lonely.

If we can essentially get all our answers from AI, where does that leave God? If we’re not mindful, we’ll push God to the side to get an immediate answer to all our issues. Biblically speaking, this is idolatry. Some may say they’re not worshipping AI, but to put anything above God, or as a replacement for God, is idolatry.

The reason why AI is so appealing is because it appeals to our carnality. Carnality is where we receive information and satisfaction from our five senses in this physical world instead of God.

Does that mean AI is wrong and of the devil? It can be, but it can also be a tool that God uses to benefit us.

So how do believers use AI without making it our god? We continue to spend quality time with God in prayer, in His word, and in worship. If a question arises or if a problem occurs, instead of running to AI to get an answer, we should seek the Holy Spirit. He’ll give us the best answer and guidance for our situation. It may take time to receive an answer and we may have to confirm if the answer is truly coming from Him, but it’s worth it.

Because our flesh hates delay and ambiguity, our flesh will want an immediate answer without taking the time to tune our spirits to hear God’s voice, but we must resist. We must trust His way and timing is more advantageous for our lives.

As we seek God for answers, He may direct us to AI. He may give us the prompt we need to get the answers we’re seeking. Just remember to use it as He directs us. Be prayerful when using AI.

Romans 8:14 NIV For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.

#seek #God #first

@everydaygodswill

Jeremiah 19:2 NKJV And go out to the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, which is by the entry of the Potsherd Gate; and proclaim there the words that I will tell you,

Jeremiah 20:1-2 NKJV Now Pashhur the son of Immer, the priest who was also chief governor in the house of the Lord, heard that Jeremiah prophesied these things. Then Pashhur struck Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the high gate of Benjamin, which was by the house of the Lord.

Some believe that when we obey God, blessings will immediately fall like rain. But here, we see otherwise. God gave Jeremiah words to say. After he said them, Jeremiah was struck and put in the stocks for a day.

This is not an Old Testament thing. We see Paul following God’s instructions in the New Covenant and being incarcerated. Also, in Hebrews 10:36 it says, patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. The promise only comes after patient endurance.

In certain instances, we can do the will of God and we may not immediately get the outcome we thought. God may instruct us to tell someone about Jesus. In return, they may use profanity and tell us to go away. God may instruct us to give sound advice to our friend. Our friend may take offense to our advice and think we’re belittling their way of living. 

There’s definitely a benefit in obeying God. Just know that after doing God’s will, rainbows and butterflies may not be the immediate result. But, trust that what God instructed you to do is for the greater good.

#trust #obey #God’s #word

@everydaygodswill

Hebrews 2:14 NLT Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could He die, and only by dying could He break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. 15 Only in this way could He set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.

Between movies, the news, and other people’s experiences, some people are afraid of death. They feel like death is waiting behind every corner and they’re paralyzed by fear.

They fear flying on airplanes because they’re afraid they’ll die in a plane crash. They fear getting on a cruise because they fear the ship will sink and they’ll drown. They’re afraid of going somewhere by themselves because they fear someone will take them out.

As children of God, we don’t need to be afraid of dying. Satan had the power of death. Because of Jesus, he no longer has the power. Jesus took the power of death away from Satan and through Him, we have authority over death.

We can put our faith in His word that says with long life He’ll satisfy us (Ps. 91:16). We can know we won’t leave this earth until we’re satisfied. We can believe God when He says our days shall be 120 years (Gen. 6:3). We can believe in God’s protection over our lives (Ps. 121:7).

Eventually, we all will transition from this life to the next, but because of Jesus, we have promises on when that occurs. Don’t fear death. Believe for and expect a long satisfying life. 

#with #longlife #God #satisfies #us

@everydaygodswill

Mark 9:25 NKJV When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it: “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!”

Jesus is our example of how we should use our authority here in the earth. Looking at this example, Jesus not only used His authority to kick the unclean spirit out, but He also used His authority to lock the door so the spirit won’t enter again.

Believe this, we have the same power as Jesus did. In John 14:12 it says, “verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.” Jesus has given us power to heal the sick and cast out demons (Mark 3:15). But like I mentioned before, looking at Jesus, we can close and lock the door on these demons so they won’t return.

Practically, we can command sickness to leave a person (including ourselves) and never return. We can command the spirit of depression to leave and never return. We can command a spirit of lust to leave and never return.

Some may feel like this has gone too far or this is impossible. The only thing that’s making this impossible is unbelief. Mark 9:23 says, “Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

Let’s increase and maintain our belief in God’s Word and in the authority He’s given us. Let’s kick out these demons, sickness, and anything else that’s not like God, and command they never return again. 

#boldy #use #your #Christ-given #authority

@everydaygodswill

Colossians 2:9-10 NKJV For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

I John 4:17 NKJV Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.

These scriptures take ourselves, our performance, our thoughts, and our behaviors completely out of the equation. It has everything to do with Jesus and what He accomplished on our behalf on the cross. God sees us like we’re Jesus Christ Himself. 

By being in Him (in Christ Jesus), we are complete and perfected and as Christ is, so are we right now. This means we’re lacking nothing. We may want to be more passionate for the things of God or want our behavior to improve, but that’s looking at ourselves independent of Christ. In Christ, there is no more areas to improve and nothing more we can do to earn God’s acceptance.

Does that mean we just sit back and do what we feel because God sees us like Christ? Absolutely not. Being complete and perfected in Him only applies to our born-again spirits. Romans 12:2 lets us know our minds need to be renewed. So, there’s still some effort on our parts, but our efforts aren’t earning God’s approval. Our efforts are from a place of gratitude knowing that we’ve been accepted by God.

Stop thinking you’ve got a long way to go or you’re not holy enough. If you’ve made Jesus Christ Lord, you’re complete and perfected in God’s eyes.

#complete #perfect #in #Jesus #Christ

@everydaygodswill

Jeremiah 13:1-7 NIV This is what the Lord said to me: “Go and buy a linen belt and put it around your waist, but do not let it touch water.” So I bought a belt, as the Lord directed, and put it around my waist. Then the word of the Lord came to me a second time: “Take the belt you bought and are wearing around your waist, and go now to Perath and hide it there in a crevice in the rocks.” So I went and hid it at Perath, as the Lord told me. Many days later the Lord said to me, “Go now to Perath and get the belt I told you to hide there.” So I went to Perath and dug up the belt and took it from the place where I had hidden it, but now it was ruined and completely useless.

God gave Jeremiah a strange illogical task. Regardless of how unusual it was, he did it. If we continue reading, God revealed something to Jeremiah through this task. The question is, would you?

If God gave you a strange unusual task, that required you to spend your money, time, and energy, would you do it or would you disregard it because it seems so illogical and wasteful?

Following these strange instructions requires great trust. We must trust that if God said it, there’s a beneficial purpose for it. With God, nothing is ever wasted. Even if we miss a step, He’ll use that for His glory and our benefit. 

Don’t minimize or disregard strange illogical requests from God. Ultimately, these requests are designed to reveal something to us about a situation, a person, or about ourselves. Remember, it will always work out for our good (Rom. 8:28). Trust Him.

#trust #and #obey #God

@everydaygodswill

John 9:1-3 NKJV Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.

The one option the disciples didn’t ask that some of us would have asked today is if God made him blind. It never crossed the disciples’ minds that God made him blind. 

Unfortunately, some believers still link God to negative circumstances. If someone transitions, they assume God took them home. If someone gets sick, they assume God made them sick to teach them a lesson. If someone loses their house, they assume God is humbling that person.

This goes against the character of God according to scripture. God doesn’t cause death to take us home. John 10:10 lets us know Satan is responsible for stealing, killing, and destroying. God isn’t making people sick to teach them something. He uses His word to correct us (2 Tim. 3:16). He’s not taking things from us to humble us. Romans 11:29 says God’s gifts are irrevocable. 

God is not behind negative circumstances. There are numerous reasons why we face them, but God isn’t one of them. He’s that good until He turns negative circumstances in our favor, but He’s not the cause of them. He’s a good Father and He’s not the cause of evil, harmful, or hurtful experiences.

#God #is #GOOD #allthetime

@everydaygodswill

Jeremiah 10:23 NKJV O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.

Mankind’s steps, ways, and decisions aren’t directed in himself. Our decisions are influenced and directed by the kingdom of darkness or the Kingdom of Light. We have free will, but we were created to have an overlord. That overlord will be God or Satan.

With this understanding, we must be mindful of who’s feeding our souls. Because who we’re feeding from will determine our steps, ways, and decisions.

This is why it’s so important feed on the Word of God. By knowing God’s Word, we can filter our thoughts to determine if they’re thoughts of light or darkness. 

Satan will throw some obvious dark thoughts in our minds like, stealing money or punching a disrespectful person, just to see if anything works. But he will also throw some subtle thoughts like questioning our spouse’s whereabouts or thoughts concerning our children’s safety based on news reports. 

God will fill our minds with thoughts agreeable to His will (Prov. 16:3). Those will be thoughts of love, forgiveness, positive communication, and trust in Him.

If a thought contradicts God’s Word or what He promised us, it’s a dark thought. Those thoughts are NOT meant to be acted upon. Likewise, if a thought aligns with God’s Word, it’s a thought of light and those thoughts ARE meant to be acted upon. It’s up to us what we will choose.

What we align our thoughts with will determine our actions. Let’s align ourselves with God’s Word.

#may #my #thoughts #please #God 

@everydaygodswill

As believers who are choosing to trust in God’s Word, when we’re talking about our lives or the lives of people close to us, speak in facts and not in absolute terms.

For instance, our bank account may show we only have $10. If someone would ask about our finances, we shouldn’t say “I only have $10.” Or worse say, “I’m broke, I only have $10.” When we speak in absolute terms, we limit our lives solely based on what we see. We’re not considering the truth of God’s Word. Instead, we should reply by saying, “the facts say I have $10, but wealth and riches are in my house (Psalms 112:3).”

We can tell people the facts. Faith doesn’t deny the facts. Faith chooses to believe God’s Word above the facts. Faith doesn’t give the facts the right to govern our lives because our lives should be governed by the truth in God’s Word.

The facts may show we have a lump in our breast. Instead of just informing people of the lump, we should say, “the fact says there’s a lump in my breast, but by His stripes I’m healed (Isaiah 53:5).”

Even when it comes to our children, the facts may show our children have a learning disability, but the truth is our children are taught by the Lord and great is their peace (Isaiah 54:13).

The beautiful thing about God’s Word is when it’s accompanied by our faith, it has enough power to change the facts.

When talking about our lives, be sure not to speak negatively in absolute terms, deny the facts, or lie about the facts. Put God’s Word above the facts and those facts will align with God’s Word.

Psalms 141:3 NLT Take control of what I say, O Lord, and guard my lips.

#speak #life #Truth #God’s #Word

@everydaygodswill

Galatians 1:23-24 NKJV But they were hearing only, “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.” And they glorified God in me.

Paul was a failure. He was being used by the devil to persecute, imprison, and kill followers of Jesus. On the road to Damascus, he received a revelation from Jesus, and after a 3-year transformation, he began preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.

No matter what we’ve done or how far we’ve strayed, we can still be used by God to share the gospel. It doesn’t matter if we’re 74 or still struggling with a bad habit, we can still be used by God. We can preach the gospel to our family, friends, and the people in our environment. Like Paul, we may have to take some time to consistently get in God’s presence to learn more about Him, but don’t let that time turn into a crutch of procrastination.

We ALL have something to say. Don’t let your failures of the past hinder you from sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

#share #Jesus #gospel #love #truth