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Romans 8:12-13 NLT Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live.
In the flesh or sinful nature dwells greed, lust, fear, addictions, uncontrollable anger, perversions, worry, misery, depression, lack of empathy, etc. In our flesh dwells no good thing (Rom. 7:8).
Every single day we must keep our flesh in check. If not, we’ll go down a wrong path that doesn’t honor God and we’ll reap the consequences of our actions. We’ll end up hurting ourselves, someone else, and negatively impacting our future.
It’s a chore to keep our flesh in check because our flesh wants to dominate our lives. But as we focus on Him, we’ll release the strength to overcome our flesh.
#empowered #by #the #Spirit
Acts of the Apostles 20:20 NLT I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly or in your homes.
Everything God tells us to say is not always going to be rainbows and butterflies. Some of the things He’ll tell us to say may sting.
For instance, if we have a friend who’s doing things contrary to God’s word, God may instruct us to tell that person (in love; not judgment) about their behavior. We have a choice to make. We can do what God says and tell them or, shrink back because we don’t want to offend them or lose a friend. It’s better to obey God and plant a seed of repentance rather than watching our friend’s life spiral out control. If we love them, we’ll tell the truth in love (Eph. 4:15).
Fear may come after getting instructions from God, but don’t shrink back. Be bold enough to say whatever God instructs you to say.
#bebold #conquerfear #trust #God
Acts 3:16 NLT “Through faith in the name of Jesus, this man was healed—and you know how crippled he was before. Faith in Jesus’ name has healed him before your very eyes.
It wasn’t how much he gave to the church that got this man healed. It wasn’t how righteous he was. It wasn’t the amount of good deeds that got him healed. It was faith in the name of Jesus that got this man healed.
When we have faith (acting on what we believe) in the powerful name of Jesus, we too can experience healing like no other. We’re not depending on ourselves. We’re depending on the name of Jesus.
Philippians 2:9-10 says, God exalted Jesus to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.
When we believe that the name of Jesus is more powerful than cancer, ebola, arthritis, and mental illness, we’ll experience deliverance once and for all. Have faith in the name of Jesus.
#faith #healing #believe #Jesus
You’ve told yourself you needed to smoke a little bit to calm your nerves.
You’ve told yourself you need a drink to take the edge off or loosen up.
You’ve told yourself you’re no good until you’ve had your cup of coffee in the morning.
You’ve told yourself you won’t be happy until you get a man/woman.
You’ve told yourself you won’t be satisfied until you make a certain amount of money.
Some of us have told ourselves a lot of different things. There’s only one question. Where are these things in the bible? If it’s not in the bible, why are you telling yourself these things?
What we’re doing when we tell ourselves these things is placing limitations in our lives. Unknowingly, we’re using the power of words to construct a mindset that’s not backed by scripture.
Let God be the Source for our joy, satisfaction, happiness, peace, and fun. Secondly, stop telling yourself you need certain things to “function.” Finally, don’t replace God with things that are only going to temporarily satisfy the flesh.
You have everything you need in God, through Christ.
Colossians 2:10 NKJV and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.
#complete #in #Christ
2 Corinthians 3:18 NLT So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image.
How you are now is not how you’ll always be. God is an image changer. We may have insecurities, mental health issues, anger issues, or low self-esteem. Spending time with the Lord and understanding how He created us has the potential to change our image. It’s a potential image changer because it’s up to us to receive and accept what God said about us.
For those who accept all the things God said about them such as, being the righteousness of God, fearfully and wonderfully made, and totally forgiven, will change the carnal image of ourselves into His glorious image.
Get in God’s word and understand what He said about us and allow His word to change your image.
#righteous #wonderfully #made #forgiven #free #empowered #strengthened #loved #inChrist #imageupdate
Psalms 107:6 NLT “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble, and He rescued them from their distress.
We’re only one cry away from getting all the help we need in any situation. It doesn’t matter if it’s financial help, mental help, help in our families and marriages, or help in our careers. God can even help with small matters like cooking a turkey for Thanksgiving.
If there’s anything that causes us the slightest bit of stress, call on God and He’ll come to our rescue with a plan that will ease our soul.
We don’t need to have a 6 month track record of holiness in order for God to respond to our cry. If we’ve turned our backs on God for 10 years, the moment we sincerely call for help, He’ll immediately respond with a helping hand.
Praise God that He’s always there to help us in a time of trouble and when there’s no trouble at all. God is our helper.
#helper #counselor #friend #provider #peace #wisdom #guide #joy #allin #Christ #Jesus
2 Corinthians 3:2-3 NLT The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in our hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you. Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This “letter” is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts.
Our lives may be the only bible a person reads. When they see us saved, knowing who we are in Christ, healed, delivered from sins, walking in love, and prosperous, they’re seeing the word of God alive in front of their eyes.
As we communicate with the lost or those who have gone astray (as we should), we can let them know our testimony and the One (Jesus) who changed our lives. Hopefully the sharing of the gospel and our personal testimony will intrigue enough to make a change.
Whether you know it or not, people are watching. Make sure what they’re seeing is an accurate representation of the word of God.
#represent #God #reflect #Christ #livingexample
Jude 1:22 TPT Keep being compassionate to those who still have doubts,
There are people who doubt God’s existence. There are people who believe in God, but doubt Jesus being the Son of God. There are people who believe in God and Jesus, but doubt their ability to help them in life. Regardless of the category of doubt, it’s our job as believers to be compassionate or merciful towards their doubts.
We may sincerely share the gospel of Jesus Christ with someone we know. After sharing the gospel, they still may not believe. Instead of throwing them away and saying they’re on their own, continue to seek God on when and how to share bits and pieces of the gospel with that person. Our compassion and persistence to see them saved, could be the difference maker in their lives.
God didn’t throw us away after we rejected Him and what He had to offer. He continued to send people, ministers, or sermons across our paths in order for us to surrender and believe.
Be one of the compassionate people God uses to help people get saved and help them know all the wonderful things He has for them.
Psalms 25:8 NLT The Lord is good and does what is right; He shows the proper path to those who go astray.
Sometimes, situations and temptations in life cause us to go astray. Our flesh trumps our spirit and we get ourselves into a deep hole.
Don’t worry. There’s hope. God promises to get us back on track if we stray. If we call on Him and ask for help, He’ll guide us back in our relationship with Him, our purpose, and fulfilling our dreams.
He’s not going to force His way on us, so we will have to humble ourselves and reach out to Him first. But when we call, He’s quick to respond.
Even with our loved ones. Instead of worrying about them and wondering if they’ll ever return to the Lord, we can encourage them to ask God for help and know He’ll guide them on a proper path.
Praise God we have a Savior who doesn’t throw us away when we go astray. He desperately wants everyone turn back to Him.
This is Mary’s mindset and attitude when she realizes and accepts that she will be the mother of Jesus.
Luke 1:38 NLT Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.
This is the same mindset and attitude we must have when it comes to accepting and receiving what God says about us.
With God, our mindset should be, “May everything You say about me come true.” Compared to Mary, we have more of an advantage. She was only a servant of the Lord. We are born-again children of God.
Now, we have to see what God says about us.
God says we’re loved. -1 John 4:19
God says we’re wonderfully made. -Psalms 139:14
God says we’re blessed. -Galatians 3:14
God says we’re healed. -1 Peter 2:24
God says He’ll supply all we need. -Philippians 4:19
Whatever God says about us, we have to accept it, if we want to see it. Accept what God says about you and don’t believe the lies of the enemy.
Ephesians 6:13 NIV Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
An illness comes on a person. They’ve read 1 Peter 2:24 where it says, by His stripes we are healed. They’ve believed and confessed “by His stripes I am healed.” They’ve spoken to the illness and commanded it to go (Matt. 18:18). They’ve sincerely praised God for their healing. They’ve done all they know to do. The illness gets worse and they’re admitted to the hospital.
What else do they do? The answer is stand.
After we’ve done everything we know to do, we continue to stand or maintain our belief in God’s word. It doesn’t matter if the situation remains the same or gets worse. God’s word is greater than our situation. And if we don’t give up, don’t quit, and maintain our belief in God’s word, the situation has to align with God’s word.
Whether it’s financial lack, sickness, chaos at work, or a desire that hasn’t manifested yet, continue to stand on God’s word and the situation MUST change.
So, what else do you do? Stand.
1 Timothy 4:7 NLT Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly.
Being godly is not something that comes automatically after being born-again. Being godly takes training. It’s not training for the first couple of years after salvation, but it’s a lifetime of training.
Who’s our Trainer? The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will train us to be godly. He’s the One who will instruct us to apologize to our spouses. He’s the One to tell us not to watch that movie. He will tell us to give our time, money, or energy for the Kingdom of God. The Holy Spirit will shape us into being godly.
Don’t try to be godly on your own or come up with a form of godliness using man-made traditions as a template of godliness (2 Tim. 3:5). Get in God’s word and follow the Holy Spirit to be godly.
2 Corinthians 3:5 NLT It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God.
We have been qualified to do whatever God called us to do. It doesn’t matter if it’s teaching, running a business, pastoring a church, or raising children. God qualified and equipped us for the job.
Our natural qualifications may not be impressive to people, but we’re not relying on those. We’re relying on the qualifications, that may not have been revealed, given to us by God.
We don’t need to look at our strength, education, and natural qualifications. We need to focus on the One who’s given us everything we need to complete our assignments. Trust that if God called you to do something, He’s given you the ability to complete the job.
Psalms 78:71 NLT He took David from tending the ewes and lambs and made him the shepherd of Jacob’s descendants— God’s own people, Israel.
God is responsible for our promotion (Ps. 75:6). If God can take David from being a shepherd to a king, He can take anyone of us to a place of prominence.
Unlike the world’s system, believers don’t need to depend on education, work experience, networking, or knowing the right people. We only need to believe in THE right One and follow His instructions. He may tell us to get a degree or know a certain person, but we’re not relying on those things. Our reliance is on God.
No matter where you are in life, promotion is still possible if you believe. Don’t let age, education, or a lack of experience stop you from believing that God can promote you.
Psalms 78:41 NKJV Yes, again and again they tempted God, And limited the Holy One of Israel.
We can limit God. We have the power to put handcuffs on God and limit what He can do in our lives and in this world. How? Look at verse 42.
42 They did not remember His power…
When we believe that the situation is too big for God, we limit Him. When we say “that’s impossible” or “that will never happen” we limit God. God can only meet us at the point of our belief. If we believe small, God can only do small. If we believe big, God can do big. If we believe colossal, God can do colossal.
Whatever God says in His word, that’s what He can do. Read His word, find out what He promised, believe for it regardless of how the situation looks, and expect it to come to pass.
Hebrews 12:28 NLT Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe.
It’s always a good time to be thankful. Thank God that we have salvation through Jesus Christ. Thank God we’re forgiven of all our past and future sins. Thank God we don’t have to earn our righteousness. Thank God for life, health, and strength. Thank God for food, clothes, and a place to live. Thank God for the people we love and who love us.
As we reflect on all He’s done, let’s please God in our worship. Worship Him with our words. Worship Him by spending time with Him on a daily basis. Worship Him in our bodies. Worship Him with our finances. Worship Him by doing whatever He’s called you to do.
With all that God has done, it’s only right to be thankful and please Him with everything we have.
Mark 4:38 NLT Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”
In Mark 4:35 Jesus said to His disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” As they’re crossing, due to the storm, they begin to panic and question Jesus’s care for their lives.
Somewhere in those three verses, they listened to, believed, and received what Satan said over what Jesus had said. Jesus said they’re going to the other side. Satan told the disciples they were all going to die. Based on the circumstances, they chose to believe Satan’s word over the word of the Lord.
We’re guilty of that too. We look at the circumstances, get an earful of what Satan is saying, begin to believe it over the the truth in God’s word, and start freaking out.
For instance, you only see $200 in your account. Satan says, “you’re broke.” You believe that and tell everyone else that you’re broke. Stop believing and saying what Satan is saying when God’s word says we’re abundantly supplied (Phil. 4:19). Or, you’re a certain age and you’re not married yet. Satan may tell you you’re never going to get married. However, God’s word says He’ll give us the desires of our hearts (Psalm 37:4). Who will you believe?
Ignore what Satan is saying. It will always be contrary to God’s word. Believe God’s word over anything else.
Some of us read the bible cover to cover. We know all the stories, we know about the crucifixion, and we know the points each story is making. With all this bible knowledge, there’s a temptation to devalue God’s word. We think since we know it, there’s no need to read it. That’s a lie from Satan.
Joshua 1:8 tells us to meditate on God’s word. This is more than having head knowledge of God’s word. This is reading, thinking about, and listening to God’s word over and over and over again.
The day we think we have God’s word figured out is the day we arrogantly say we have God figured out because God and His word are one (John 1:1).
Even if you’ve read a passage of scripture 1,000 times, meditate on it and God will provide more and new revelation to it.
Joshua 1:8 KJV “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”
I Timothy 1:8-10 NKJV But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully, knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine,
The law is still being preached as if it’s our ticket to heaven. It’s not. Here we see that the law was not made for a righteous person.
Anyone who has made Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior has been made righteous (Rom. 5:1). Since we’re made right through Christ, the law is not made for us. The law is made for the unrighteous. The law is their guide.
So, how are we to live as New Covenant believers? By allowing the grace of God to teach us how to live coupled with the Holy Spirit’s guidance (Titus 2:11-13; Rom. 8:14) . Praise God for the freedom we have in grace.
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
There are billions of people in the world we can pray for. When a major situation comes on the news, sincerely pray for them and their families. When you know your friend is having a difficult time in life, marriage, or with children, pray for them. When you see that homeless person talking to themselves or passed out on the sidewalk, pray for them.
We don’t have to wait until we get home to pray for others. We can pray for them at that moment. They don’t have to know we’re praying for them. We can pray in passing. We don’t need to be loud and theatrical when praying. We can whisper a prayer.
Don’t forget about others. They may not know how or what to pray, but as a believer, our prayers are effective (James 5:16).
1 Timothy 2:1 NLT I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.
Isaiah 54:10 NKJV For the mountains shall depart And the hills be removed, But My kindness shall not depart from you, Nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,” Says the Lord, who has mercy on you.
Drama, chaos, and fear is not God’s will for our lives. God is so against these things until He made a covenant (a strong promise) with us offering everlasting peace.
Like anything else God offers, we have the option to accept it or reject it. We accept this covenant of peace by obeying His written and audible word. We reject it by disobeying Him and doing what we want to do. As we align our will with His, God guarantees peace.
Peace is often overlooked. People pursue money or relationships, but neglect peace. We can have all the money in the world and someone on our arm, but if we don’t have peace, that money or relationship doesn’t mean a thing.
Get with God’s program and experience a lifetime of peace. It will minimize stress and increase joy.
Graced To Do God's Will 