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Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people,
Matthew 25:21 “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
Some of us desire a promotion or a pay increase in our careers. The best way to get it is to faithfully work unto the Lord. What does that look like? Work, knowing your performance is being reviewed by God.
God sees what we’re doing and what we’re not doing. He notices things our natural supervisors may not have noticed. He notices if we skipped a step, half did something, or treated a customer unkindly.
We are to operate by faith and faith without works is dead (Heb. 10:38; James 2:20). If we desire promotion and a pay increase, we must work as if we already have the promotion and increase. Understanding that God sees all, and our promotion or increase is tied to our corresponding action, it’s in our best interest to faithfully work unto the Lord. Don’t wait until you get the increase or promotion to work diligently. Start now.
God has done some amazing things in our lives. He’s opened up doors for us, He’s healed us, He’s delivered us from that bad habit, and He’s prospered us in our finances. Everything could be going well, but here comes the devil. Out of all the things God has done, the devil will point out and magnify the few things we don’t have. If we’re not mindful, our entire focus will be on those few things.
We can’t let him control our thoughts. We must shift our focus on all the wonderful things God has done for us. Think about the ways He’s made, the Savior He provided, and the promises that came through.
When we excite ourselves about what God has done, we keep ourselves joyful, at peace, and grateful for all He’s done.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
John 16:33 (NIV) “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
One of the biggest misconceptions in the body of Christ is the misconception of a problem-free life. Some of us have been taught that once we get saved and become totally submitted to God, we’ll have a problem-free life. We think flat tires, layoffs, attacks against our health, and lost items happen to unsaved people or carnal Christians. And when we get hit with a problem or two, we try to figure out what we’ve done wrong or we blame God for not stopping bad things from happening to us.
Jesus tells us, in life, we will have problems. That’s a promise. So, we can’t get mad when problems show up. Now, for totally submitted Christians, these problems won’t be the death of us or eternally ruin any area of our lives. It will just be a slight inconvenience. As we place our faith in God and put His Word above what we’re facing, we’re guaranteed the victory (2 Corinthians 2:14).
Problems will happen. Just don’t put these problems above His promises.
Numbers 8:1 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to Aaron and say to him, ‘When you set up the lamps, see that all seven light up the area in front of the lampstand.’” 3 Aaron did so; he set up the lamps so that they faced forward on the lampstand, just as the Lord commanded Moses. 4 This is how the lampstand was made: It was made of hammered gold—from its base to its blossoms. The lampstand was made exactly like the pattern the Lord had shown Moses.
God gave Moses detailed instructions to give to Aaron on how to arrange and construct the lampstands. This was seemingly minor in the grand scheme of things, but the rules were followed precisely.
God, through the Holy Spirit, will give us detailed instructions in different areas of our lives. He’ll give us instructions for very important things, but He also wants to instruct us on minor things. It’s up to us to listen and follow His instructions. Following His instructions positions us to reap maximum benefits.
Remember, no matter how great or small the task may be, consult God on what to do and how to do it and we’ll prosper every time.
Proverbs 17:14 (CSB) To start a conflict is to release a flood; stop the dispute before it breaks out.
As we can see, starting conflict is problematic. Unfortunately, there are some who enjoy conflict. It excites them to tap into their emotions and cause someone else to tap into their emotions. Some people think conflict adds spice to their marriage. This type of thinking is twisted. The goal of any relationship is to be drama-free.
We can’t be drama-free if we’re willing to argue about everything we don’t agree with. We can’t be drama free if we’re intentionally trying to pick a fight with those closest to us.
If we’re always arguing or desiring to pick a fight, we must look inward. We must ask ourselves, is this God’s best? Our flesh may enjoy it, but is God pleased? There has to be some deep underlying issue that likes conflict. Conflict could be what we saw growing up as a child. We may think starting conflict is how we show love. Starting conflict could be a defense mechanism to avoid being hurt. Whatever the reason is, allow God to show it to you and follow His instructions to root conflict out.
Genesis 15:5 Then the LORD took Abram outside and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!”
God gave us an imagination for a reason. Like Abraham, God wanted us to imagine ourselves with His promises before they materialize.
God wants us to imagine ourselves healthy and healed from cancer, lupus, or acne. God wants us to see ourselves delivered from pornography, alcoholism, and the bondage of people’s opinions. God wants us to imagine ourselves with all our needs met, having the home and cars we desire, and having surplus to give to others.
Our imagination helps combat thoughts of doubt and unbelief because it may take some time before our desires manifest. However, if we can believe God’s Word about His promises and imagine ourselves with those promises, we’ll maintain the faith to eventually receive God’s promises.
Children are not the only ones who should use their imagination. Every believer should be using their imagination daily.
John 8:24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
This is Jesus speaking. Jesus says, if we don’t believe that He is the Son of God who came to die for our sins, we will die in our sins. It’s that simple.
Notice what it doesn’t say. It doesn’t say if we don’t go to church, fast, or get baptized we’ll die in our sins. If we don’t believe, we’ll die in our sins. For salvation, all God requires of us is our belief in His Son Jesus.
Receive salvation by believing in Jesus and receiving everything He’s done for us. If you’re already saved, don’t be selfish. Share this message with your friends and family to ensure they won’t die in their sins.
Jude 1:20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
1 Corinthians 14:4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church.
*Praying in the Holy Spirit and praying in tongues means the same thing.
Praying in the Holy Spirit is a tool God has given to believers to stay on top. When situations in life have us mentally and physically exhausted, we can recharge our batteries by praying in the Holy Spirit. We build ourselves back up when we’re praying in the Holy Spirit. Praying in the Holy Spirit compels us to maintain a positive attitude when things aren’t going our way and it keeps our faith free from doubt. Not only that, 1 Corinthians 2:1-12 says when we pray in the Holy Spirit, we declare the hidden wisdom of God about our futures.
If you’re waiting for this to make logical sense, you’ll be waiting forever. This doesn’t make sense. It’s faith and faith is a spiritual thing.
Don’t let the thought of looking foolish stop you from praying in the Holy Spirit. Use all the tools God has provided to live a victorious life.
Matthew 4:4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”
Jesus tells us to live by every word that comes out of the mouth of God. This includes His word that we like and makes us feels good, but it also includes His word that challenges us and our flesh hates.
We all love to hear that God eternally loves us (Rom. 8:38-39), God has forgiven us of our past, present, and future sins (Rom 6:10), and we’re made righteous because of our faith in Jesus (Rom. 5:1). But, if we only read scriptures that make us feel good, we’ll never be challenged to do better.
On the other hand, if we only hear scriptures such as, be holy (1 Pet. 1:16) and the rules under the Law of Moses in the old covenant, we’ll never fully appreciate God’s grace and we’ll constantly live in a state of condemnation.
There needs to be balanced diet of the Word. We should honor God with our behavior, decisions, and attitude, but also, receive His love, grace, and forgiveness if we miss it.
There are some extremely intelligent people in this world. They have numerous degrees, a lot of education, and a lot of experience. Here’s where it becomes an issue: some people are so intelligent and knowledgeable until their intellect can slowly push God out of the picture. They rely on their intelligence instead of relying on God.
When a problem comes, they don’t turn to God. They attempt to figure it out using all the knowledge they’ve accumulated over the years. If it works, they’re more likely to use their intellect again and again.
This is not a bash against intelligence. This is a reminder to put intelligence in its proper place. When a situation comes (great or small), go to God first. Once we’ve gone to God, He’ll show us what intelligence tool to use to fix the problem. He may even give us something we’ve never thought of before. That’s wisdom.
There’s nothing wrong with getting a great education and being knowledgeable, but be intelligent to know to go to God first about any situation and let Him show you the solution.
Proverbs 3:7 (GNT) Never let yourself think that you are wiser than you are; simply obey the LORD and refuse to do wrong.
Romans 5:1 (ESV) Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
By faith, we’re justified. Justified means we’re righteous or made right with God. We’re not made righteous because of actions and works. We’re made righteous because God’s Word says we’re righteous when we believe.
Satan loves to point out all our flaws. He loves showing us how we missed it in this area, how we sinned in that area, and how we could have done better in another area. If we’re not mindful, these flaws he’s pointing out can give us a sense of unrighteousness. We must understand there is nothing we can do to make us any more righteousness than we are now and there’s nothing we can do that can take away our righteousness. We’re righteousness through Jesus Christ.
So, if we messed up a couple of times this week or we’ve been sinning for years, if we believe in the finished works of Jesus, we can boldly say, “I am righteous.”
John 6:28 Then they inquired, “What must we do to perform the works of God? 29 Jesus replied, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.”
Followers of Jesus wanted to know the works of God. They wanted to know all the rules and regulations they must follow so that God would be pleased. In return, Jesus told them the work of God (just one). The work of God is to believe in Jesus.
As followers of Jesus, that’s our assignment as well. We are to believe in Jesus and everything He accomplished for us. We are to believe He’s the Son of God, He was whipped and beaten so that we can be healed, and He was punished and died for our sins. Through Jesus we’re forgiven, obtain mercy, we’re made right with God, we experience unearned favor, we’re redeemed and so much more. When we believe in Jesus and believe in everything He did on our behalf, we’re aligning our lives with the will of God.
It doesn’t take much. Jesus simplified it. Believe in Jesus and God is pleased.
Psalm 41:1 Blessed is he who considers the poor; The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. 2 The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, And he will be blessed on the earth; You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies. 3 The Lord will strengthen him on his bed of illness; You will sustain him on his sickbed.
Let’s face it, there are some people who are extremely poor. They don’t have money for food, clothes, water, or shelter. Some of them made bad decisions that caused them to be poor and others were born into poverty. Regardless of how they became poor, it’s God’s desire that we, the believers, help them.
Look at the promises God has for those who consider the poor. There’s happiness, preservation, blessings, health, etc. Proverbs 19:17 says, whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward them for what they have done. With all these promises listed for helping the poor, it’s easy to see God is compelling us to be a blessing to the poor.
So, with all the promises of God we’re standing in faith for, don’t forget about the poor. God hasn’t forgotten about them and neither should we.
Be a blessing.
James 1:3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Faith is believing that all the promises of God have been made available to every born-again believer. We act on that belief by verbally agreeing with God’s Word (confessions).
Now, demonic forces will bombard our minds and five senses with things contrary to the Word of God. This is the testing of our faith. The question is, will you still believe?
God’s Word says we are healed (Isaiah 53:5).
You go to the doctor and they say you have COVID-19. Two days later, you’re coughing a lot and it’s difficult to breathe. Do you still believe you’re healed? Do you declare you’re healed or say you’re sick with COVID-19? We pass if we say, in the midst of all those symptoms, that we’re healed. Caving in under the pressure of all those symptoms and declaring we’re sick instead of healed lets us know our faith needs to be strengthened.
We strengthen our faith by continuously reading the Word of God until we’re convinced that God’s Word is greater than anything we can see or experience. Pass the test by believing God’s Word.
Psalm 71:14 But I will hope continually, And will praise You yet more and more.
Hebrews 11:1 says, faith is the substance of things hoped for. That lets us know hope is associated with faith. As we put our hope in God for things we desire, it’s important not to get discouraged during the times of delay. Between the time we pray, to the time we receive our desires, praise is vital.
We praise God in advance knowing He’ll deliver His promise. We praise God to let the devil and any naysayer know where we’re putting our trust.
Praise may not speed up the process, but it will keep our disposition positive. Let’s place all of our hope in God and praise Him continually.
Psalm 145:16 You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
The devil will always and continuously show us things we don’t have. If we’re not mindful, not having those things can make us dissatisfied. We’ll think we can’t be happy or fulfilled unless we have this or that.
Instead of focusing on what we don’t have, focus on the One who’s responsible for our satisfaction. Focus on God. God obligated Himself to be responsible for our satisfaction. By beholding Him, and all the things He’s done, and all His promises He has in store, we’ll experience complete satisfaction.
The moment we look elsewhere and focus on what we don’t have instead of focusing on God is the moment we’ll become dissatisfied. Focus on God because He alone can provide us with satisfaction.
1 Samuel 30:6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.
Satan sends an attack in our minds, telling us we will never be this or that and telling us we will never have this or that. We must counter those attacks by preaching to ourselves.
We must open our mouths and declare what God says about us. We must tell ourselves…
“I am victorious.”
“I am strong.”
“God loves me.”
It’s very beneficial to find scriptures that correlate with our confession. Such as…
“God shall supply my needs.” -Philippians 4:19
“God takes care of me.” -1 Peter 5:7
“By His wounds, I am healed.” -Isaiah 53:5
Satan will try to make us think we look silly by talking to ourselves, but don’t listen to him. He knows our consistency with our confession will stop his attack and give us the victory. So, preach preacher!!!
There are people who claim they believe, know, and trust God, but they’re living with fears. I was one of them. Before I got married, I was afraid of being rejected if I approached an attractive lady so, I never approached women. I was perfectively comfortable living in fear. That’s unacceptable.
People are afraid to fly, afraid to go on cruises, afraid their spouse will leave them or cheat on them. That’s a lot of fear. Not only that, those same people want us to accept their fears and empathize with them. As true believers, we can’t do it.
God has told us numerous times in scripture to not be afraid and don’t fear. If God tells us not to be afraid, no matter how we feel about a situation, we should trust Him and not fear. How can we honestly say we trust God, but we’re afraid?
Living in fear won’t send us to hell, but it will drastically reduce the quality of life. Don’t accept, tolerate, or entertain fear in any area of your life.
Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
People desire to get closer to God, but when it comes to reading the bible, they don’t know where to start. Some say start in Proverbs while others say read the bible from Genesis to Revelations. There’s not one right way to read the bible, but a beneficial way is to read it based on a subject that’s most relevant to us.
One great tool is Google. If we’re facing health challenges, we should google, “bible scriptures about healing.” We can read and reread those scriptures until we’re convinced divine health is a part of God’s will. If we’re wanting to know about marriage, we can google, “bible scriptures about marriage.” Anything we want to know in God’s Word can be found online.
A lot of people have already done the work and we’re blessed to be living in a time where the internet is easily accessible. Don’t let the devil succeed by accepting the excuse of not knowing where to start. Study God’s Word to know God’s will, God’s way, and God’s nature.
2 Timothy 2:15 (NASB) Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.
Graced To Do God's Will 