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James 4:7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
If we were walking down the street and a stranger grabbed our arm and tried to take us to a place we didn’t want to go, we would resist them with all our might. We wouldn’t accept what they were doing or where they were trying to take us. We would fight.
If we know how to resist in the natural, we should know how to resist spiritually. When the devil is attacking us with negative thoughts, sickness, lack, or problems, resist him. Fight back. Don’t just stand there and let him ruin your life.
First, we submit our lives, our thoughts, and our actions to God. Secondly, we fight back with the word of God. If we’re experiencing pain, we resist that pain by believing and declaring we’re healed. If he’s attacking us with sad or depressing thoughts, fight back by saying, “I think on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. I think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise” (Phil. 4:8). We may have to say this 1,000 times, but that’s how we resist Satan.
Like the natural stranger, don’t just accept what Satan’s doing. Whatever he’s attacking in our lives, find a scripture to combat his attacks. If we have a scripture, we have the word of God, and if we have the word of God, we have God because God is the word.
#fight #back #clingtoGod
2 Kings 7:1-2 NLT Elisha replied, “Listen to this message from the Lord! This is what the Lord says: By this time tomorrow in the markets of Samaria, six quarts of choice flour will cost only one piece of silver, and twelve quarts of barley grain will cost only one piece of silver.” The officer assisting the king said to the man of God, “That couldn’t happen even if the Lord opened the windows of heaven!” But Elisha replied, “You will see it happen with your own eyes, but you won’t be able to eat any of it!”
A byproduct of unbelief is seeing a promise happen in someone else’s life, but not experiencing it in our own lives.
Belief in God’s word is required to receive His promises. Unbelief and doubt will cause us to miss out on what’s rightfully ours through Christ. It’s not God withholding anything from us. Our unbelief is what’s limiting God.
When things seem impossible and doubt turns into unbelief, we’ll almost never see the miraculous. For the officer in 2 Kings 7, he couldn’t believe God could change the destruction of a famine in a day. For us, it’s difficult to believe the following:
-A person completely recovering from stage 4 cancer.
-Having a baby over 50 years old.
-Obtaining $1,000,000 in a month.
-Starting a business during a “recession.”
-Complete deliverance from a drug addiction in a day.
Regardless of how it looks or how impossible it seems, if God said all things are possible with Him, that should be THE only thing we should believe. Even if you’ve never heard it or seen it before, believe God’s word. With God, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).
#all #things #are #possible #with #God
Psalms 112:7 NLT They (those who fear the Lord and delight in obeying His commands) do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them.
How is your response when bad news comes? Is it panic, fear, or frustration?
Our response to unfortunate news and circumstances will determine the level of our trust and reliance we have in God.
If we freak out or panic because we don’t know what to do, our trust level is low or nonexistent. If we initially fear, but eventually gain our composure, our trust level is present, but it can use some improvement. The ultimate goal is to hear bad news, not be moved by what you’ve heard, and give Him praise because you know He’s already worked it out.
Develop an immovable faith in God and His word. Know that He will take care of you. And whatever bad news we hear or experience, believe He will turn it around for our good.
#immovable #faith #in #God
Matthew 9:23-25 NLT When Jesus arrived at the official’s home, He saw the noisy crowd and heard the funeral music. “Get out!” He told them. “The girl isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.” But the crowd laughed at Him. After the crowd was put outside, however, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she stood up!
When people didn’t believe Jesus due to their unbelief, He kicked them out. Once all the unbelief was out of the house, He then was able to raise the girl up.
This year, you may have big desires and dreams you want to see manifest. It’s difficult to maintain your faith in God’s word when you’re surrounded by unbelief. If people say it can’t be done, it’s impossible, or don’t get your hopes up, figuratively or literally, kick them out. It could be your mom, a friend, a child, or a spouse. Kick them out. Kick them out of your mind by minimizing contact with them or don’t mention your dreams to them. If they’ve got unbelief, kick them out.
It may seem harsh, but in order to maintain your faith and keep doubt and unbelief away, kick them out.
#keepthefaith #trustGod #no #unbelief
1 John 3:20 NLT Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and He knows everything.
Guilt is not a good thing. No matter how many times we hear that from people or even ministers, the bible paints guilt in a negative light.
Guilt lets us know we did something wrong and tells us to feel bad or ashamed about it. The good news is God is greater than our guilt.
Whenever that feeling of guilt comes after we’ve missed the mark, we can boldly go to God and receive forgiveness that has already been made available through Jesus Christ.
God will let us know what we did wrong, but He never wants us to feel guilty about it. Remove all guilt, shame, and condemnation from your life. It’s not good and it’s not of God.
1 John 3:21 Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. 22 And we will receive from Him whatever we ask because we obey Him and do the things that please Him.
#freedom #found #in #Christ #nocondemnation
Acts 20:23 NKJV except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. 24 But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
Paul knew, by way of the Holy Spirit, that he would have to endure suffering and tribulation from preaching the gospel. Regardless of what was ahead, he wasn’t moved. The joy of preaching the gospel outweighed his upcoming suffering.
When we experience pain, discomfort, shortcomings, and disruption, while doing the will of God, this is not the time to panic or give up. This is the time to stand our ground and not be moved. We have a God who loves us, who has given us a promise, and is there to see us through. The circumstances are temporary, but God and His word is eternal.
It doesn’t matter if we’re starting a business, a church, looking to promote, or raising children, if it’s God’s will, we will prosper. The only way we won’t prosper is if we doubt and get into unbelief because of the circumstances. However, if we stand our ground, trust in the Lord, and exercise patience, we’ll accomplish the goals He set out for us.
If you’ve given up, get back up and do the will of God. If you feel like giving up, go to God’s word and let Him give you a pep talk. If you’re standing your ground and believing God’s word, don’t be moved by anything and keep on standing.
#keep #the #faith #trust #God
If you see a successful God-fearing person, but don’t want to ask for their help or don’t want to do the things they suggested just because you want to do it your way, that’s pride.
It’s a form of humility to ask questions or follow the example of others. You’re letting yourself and everyone know you don’t have it all together. And that’s okay. As you pick the brain of godly people, you’re getting the wisdom needed to change the trajectory of your life.
Don’t be stubborn, prideful, or foolish. Follow the example of those who honor God, have the success you want, and learn from them. If you don’t know anyone personally like that, let the Holy Spirit lead you on who to follow.
1 Corinthians 11:1 NIV Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
#follow #me #as #I #followChrist #Godfirst #success #in #Christ
Jonah 2:9 NLT But I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise, and I will fulfill all my vows. For my salvation comes from the Lord alone.”
Jonah was in the belly of the fish. Some bible scholars believe he was dead or near death. Even at the point of death, he’s conscious enough to know the following 3 things:
- The sacrifice of praise.
- Commitment to God.
- Reliance on God.
In the middle of terrible situations, it’s important to praise God. It’s a sacrifice because we won’t feel like praising God. We would rather cry, complain, and feel sorry for ourselves. But, we praise God because He is THE only One who can deliver us from that situation.
Commitment to God is something a lot of us have done. A lot of us had that desperation prayer of, “God if you get me out of this, I promise I’ll serve You.” Desperation in negative situations can drive us to be committed to God.
God has obligated Himself to be our Savior. It has everything to do with His love towards us. Jonah didn’t have the finished works of Jesus. But we do. Our reliance or faith in Jesus is the exchange needed to obtain what Jesus has already provided. As we rely on what God has provided through Jesus, He’ll provide tips, strategies, and people to come across our paths that will help us.
Give God praise, commit yourself to Him, and totally rely on Him. And like Jonah in verse 10, our negative situations will turn from bad to good.
#trust #rely #depend #on #God
Psalms 148:5 NLT Let every created thing give praise to the Lord, for He issued His command, and they came into being.
Although we’re instructed to praise God, a lot of us have never been taught to praise God. We usually end up imitating what we see others do. We’ll raise our hands, say hallelujah and glory to God. That’s fine, but it’s limited.
If we look at Psalm 149 and 150, it provides some instructions on how to praise God.
Praise God by Singing – Psalm 149:1 Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song. Sing his praises in the assembly of the faithful.
Even if we don’t know how to sing well, start singing to God on how wonderful He is. Create a new song. He loves it.
Praise God by Dancing – Psalm 149:3 Praise his name with dancing, accompanied by tambourine and harp.
Don’t just sit still, start dancing with your praise. Your flesh WILL think it’s embarrassing, but if He’s been that good, you would move beyond embarrassment and give into praise.
Praise God in Speech – Psalm 149:6 Let the praises of God be in their mouths, and a sharp sword in their hands.
Don’t let praise be limited to church. As we go throughout the day, open your mouth and praise God.
Praise God with Instruments – Psalm 150:3 Praise him with a blast of the ram’s horn; praise him with the lyre and harp!
Some of us have a talent to play an instrument. Use that instrument to praise God.
Praise God for What He’s Done – Psalm 150:2 Praise him for his mighty works; praise his unequaled greatness!
Here’s where we go beyond just saying hallelujah and glory to God. Praise Him for waking you up. Praise Him for that promotion last year. Praise God for keeping you safe last night. Praise Him because of His faithfulness. Praise God for a heart beat. This can go on forever.
What’s the point? There’s no right or wrong way to praise God. Let’s sincerely, boldly, and unashamedly praise our loving God with everything we have to give.
#let #everything #that #has #breath #praise #the #Lord #God
Obadiah 1:3 NLT You have been deceived by your own pride because you live in a rock fortress and make your home high in the mountains. ‘Who can ever reach us way up here?’ you ask boastfully.
Some people have been deceived into thinking because of their financial status, where they are in their career, and their notoriety that they’re untouchable.
Wrong!! If the right circumstances come up, it could cost a person all they have. Then what?
That’s why it’s so important to lean on God. Depending on anything else but God is foolish. He is the Supplier. He is our Help. HE is everything we need.
Stop trusting in riches and a career. Trust in God alone because He is THE One who will sustain you when everything else seems like it’s falling apart.
#trust #in #God #alone
Jonah 2:1 NLT Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from inside the fish.
When we’re in the middle of a bad situation, pray. Don’t panic and freak out. Pray.
Understand that when we pray, God hears us. It doesn’t matter if we were disobedient and put ourselves in that bad situation, when we pray, God hears us and He’s promised to respond.
Whether it’s a financial crisis, marital problems, disobedient children, or problems with your boss at work, in all these situations, pray. After praying, expect God to respond and follow His instructions on overcoming that situation.
#pray #expect #God
There are people who don’t mind being alone. It’s not because they don’t like people or have been hurt by people. It’s just natural for them to be loners.
As a believing loner, it’s even more of a temptation to be isolated from people. A believing loner has God and the finished works of Jesus. You don’t have people bringing you down with drama and chaos. You don’t have peer pressure to lead you into sin. You’re just living your life with God and Jesus and a few friends who understand you.
As a loner, you may be honoring God, prospering in your career and with your family. You may not feel like you need something from someone else, but here’s the thing, someone else needs something from you.
We all (loners included) have a gift or a talent that people need to see. You may feel like you’ve got yourself together, but someone else may need what you have. Use the opportunity to socialize with people to pour what you have inside of them.
The first obvious thing is to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with people. We assume most people know it, but everyone doesn’t know the truth. We can share financial wisdom with people, marital tips, career advice, or how to overcome hurt.
Don’t be selfish with your time and space. You may not feel like you need people, but there are people who need you. Be a vessel to be a blessing.
Luke 3:11 NLT John replied, “If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry.”
#generosity #be #a #blessing #share #Jesus #shine #bright
Psalms 37:7 NIV Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.
From our childhood to being an adult, patience is something we really don’t like to hear. We may understand its benefits when we get older, but we really don’t like waiting on something we want.
In the Kingdom of God, it’s a necessity. Hebrews 10:36 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.
It gets more difficult to be patient when we see others getting blessed and we’re waiting with uncertainty of how long it will take. We can’t worry about someone else. We must focus on ourselves.
Galatians 6:9 says, let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. If we continue to believe God’s word, be patient, and don’t get frustrated with God, we’ll have everything He promised. So, let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing (James 1:4).
#patience #waitforit #God #will #provide
Galatians 6:8 NIV Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
When people think of acts of the flesh, they usually think about sex, drugs, alcohol, and partying. You know what also is an act of the flesh? Sitting at home feeling sorry for yourself. Intentionally isolating yourself just to think about all the things that are going wrong in your life. Complaining to someone about how bad things are.
The flesh referenced in the bible means our sinful nature. Anything done from our sinful nature is referred to as the flesh. There’s no difference between a person giving into their sinful nature to have a one night stand or to have a pity party. It’s all out of the flesh and it will all lead to destruction.
Now that you understand that the flesh comes in many forms, ask yourself, are you pleasing your flesh in any way or are you actively resisting your flesh to please God? Let’s do our best to please God.
#discipline #selfcontrol #God #first
Psalms 32:10 NLT Many sorrows come to the wicked, but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the Lord.
God loves us unconditionally. His love never stops, never ends, and never runs out. His love doesn’t come and go based on our behavior. His love goes on and on and on.
God is love. That’s why He has so much to give. There are no levels or hierarchies to God’s love. God loves us just as much before we were saved as He does after we’re saved. God doesn’t love ministers more than He does a God-hating atheist. He loves us all the same.
God’s love is always available. It’s up to us to take it. We may not always feel His love, but it’s during those times we must receive it by faith. Don’t let no devil, person, or preacher tell you that God doesn’t love you. His love is unfailing and everlasting.
#Hislove #neverends #neverfails #God #greatly #loves #us
Some of the things God instructs us to do don’t make us happy. Some things don’t make sense and go against how we feel. For our flesh, it’s extremely difficult to obey God.
God never told us to obey Him with a smile on our faces and gladness in our hearts. He simply wants us to obey Him.
As we obey Him, even if it’s reluctantly, we’re prioritizing Him above our logic, emotions, and our flesh.
Look at Jesus in Luke 22:42. He wasn’t excited to suffer and separate Himself from the Father for us. However, He pushed His emotions aside and obeyed God.
As we continue to obey God, hopefully, we’ll get to a point where our reluctancy is short-lived because fulfilling the will of God and experiencing the fruit of our obedience is magnified. Let’s obey God above anything else.
Luke 22:42 NLT “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”
#Hiswill #just #obey #God #first
Being a believer requires 100% faith. Without using our five senses, we’re using our faith to believe that God exists and He sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for the world’s sins. We obtained this information, along with so many other things, from the bible.
When it comes to the bible, there are skeptics. People think because it was written by flawed men, there could be inconsistencies or contradictions. Some feel like promoters of the bible are attempting to brainwash society and squash “free thinking.” People feel like some stories in the bible are too similar to other stories that predate the bible.
With all this skepticism surrounding the bible, it’s important to use our faith to believe the bible is inspired by God. We can’t ask the authors of each book to validate their inspiration from God. We must use our faith and completely trust that God’s word is real and true.
Don’t allow the skepticism of the world to lead you down an unbelieving path. If there are some questions, ask God and allow His Spirit to provide the answer.
2 Timothy 3:16 NLT All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.
#faith #believe #God #inspired
Ecclesiastes 11:4 NLT Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.
A lot of us wait for perfect conditions before we do anything. We want to wait and get ourselves together before we surrender our lives to the Lord. We want to get in a better financial place before we give. We want to wait until everything is situated before we start our business. We want to have everything set up before we get married.
If we keep waiting for perfect conditions, we’ll be waiting forever. Perfect conditions are a deception from the enemy. Satan is the god of this world and he’ll always move things around until nothing feels stable.
If God gives us a desire or He instructs us to do something, do it. Don’t wait, do it. He knows the conditions are not ideal. But He knows and we should know that when we obey, His power can change circumstances in our favor. The only time we should wait is if God instructs us to wait.
Whatever God has instructed you to do, even if it seems illogical, obey God.
#follow #God #pray #trust #obey
1 Corinthians 7:21 NLT Are you a slave? Don’t let that worry you—but if you get a chance to be free, take it.
Thank God there’s no longer legal slavery where people are forced to serve others. However, there is a form of slavery some of us volunteer for. That’s debt.
Debt is modern day slavery. Our master is creditors. Whenever we buy things on credit, lack self-control in shopping, and spend more than we’re bringing in, we’re volunteering for slavery. We’re limited to what we can do because of debt. Not only are we limited to what can we do in our own lives, more importantly, we’re limited to what we can do for the Kingdom of God. Think of the amount of ground we can take for the Kingdom of God if we’re not in debt.
It’s one thing to use credit to get something we NEED. It’s another thing to be irresponsible and buy too much of what we want or what we can’t afford.
Let’s allow the Holy Spirit to help us be responsible with our finances and not voluntarily put ourselves in the slavery debt.
#stewardship #finances #money #management
Psalms 147:3 NLT He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.
A tragic childhood, failed marriages, backstabbing friends, the loss of a loved one, and other unfortunate circumstances can all potentially cause emotional pain. Some of the things we’ve been through can leave us messed up in the head.
In God’s word, He promises to heal our broken hearts. Just because it’s in the bible doesn’t mean it’s automatic. We must receive it by faith.
When the emotional pain comes and we’re feeling down, sad, or depressed, that’s when we apply our faith to this scripture as well as 1 Peter 2:24. We literally confess, “I receive the healing God made available, through Jesus Christ, for this emotional pain.” If the pain comes back again 5 minutes later, confess it again. Depending on how deep the emotional pain is, we may have to confess this 30 times a day for the next 3 years.
It seems like a lot, but the alternative is to live with depression and the negative impact sadness has on our bodies and the effect it has on other relationships. When we use our faith in God’s word to combat negative emotions, we’re guaranteed victory (1 John 5:4).
Since God promises to heal our broken hearts and healing has been made available through Jesus, apply your faith to God’s word and allow Him to mend your broken heart.
#broken #hurt #abused #healing #restoration #redemption #in #Christ #God #heals #loves #restores
Acts 20:21 NLT I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.
There’s only one message for everyone in the world.
- Repent of sin.
- Turn to God.
- Have faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
This message is THE foundational message for everyone to establish a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Once we believe, this message will allow us to maintain a relationship with God. This message will renew our minds to the word of God. This message will allow us to see and experience all that God has promised us. This message will soften our hearts in order to share this same message with others.
This message is simple. Don’t over complicate it with rules and traditions that aren’t mentioned.
Receive this message and share this message with someone else.
#repent #receive #forgiveness #have #faith #in #Jesus
Some of us had an unfortunate upbringing. Our parents, the people we’re supposed to trust and depend on, let us down. They may not have been there, they didn’t care, or they violated our trust in some way. At the same time, we may not have received a good foundation to value God’s word.
We get older and attempt to find trust in earthly relationships. Unfortunately, because of our upbringing, some of us have trust issues. Those trust issues sabotage these relationships or people take advantage of our trust.
With all that some of us have been through, we’re told to put all our trust in an invisible God who loves us. That’s a difficult task for some, but it’s worth it.
Depending on our situation, start trusting God a little bit at a time. The goal is to put all our trust in Him, but start with a portion of our trust. The first and most important thing to trust God with is our eternity. We may not trust God with our relationships or finances, but trust that He sent Jesus to die for our sins.
Once we’ve solidified our salvation, start trusting God in other areas like our protection. Find a scripture where God promises to protect us (Psalm 23:4), start confessing that scripture, and expect His protection in every situation. Eventually, we’ll move on to trusting God in our relationships, in our health, with our finances, etc.
Don’t allow an unfortunate upbringing and broken relationships to stop your trust in God. Our trust in God is THE only thing we can count on that will remove the pain of our past and positively impact our future. Trust in God.
Psalms 9:10 NLT Those who know your name trust in You, for You, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for You.
#insecure #hopeless #broken #hurt #trust #God #protected #loved #valued #restored #byGod
John 17:23 NLT I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.
If there’s anyone who got all their prayers answered by God, it would be Jesus. In this verse, Jesus prayed that we know God loves us just as much as He loves Him. That’s awesome. God loves us just as much as He loves Jesus.
We don’t live a perfect life. We didn’t die or even go through a little suffering for Him. But still, God loves us just as much as He loves Jesus.
There’s no stipulations with God’s love. We don’t have to sacrifice everything or earn His love. His love is freely given. He loved us tremendously before Jesus prayed this prayer and He certainly loves us because Jesus prayed this prayer.
Understand how much God loves you. Even though you didn’t do all that Jesus did, He loves you and I just as much as He loves Jesus. Receive His love.
#God #loves #people
Jude 1:23 NLT Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.
Unfortunately, there are people who are still misrepresenting God. They’ll say, God hates homosexuals, God hates liars, God hates baby killers, or God hates adulterers. That’s NOT true. God hates sin, not the sinner.
God hates sin because He knows the destruction it causes. It destroys our lives, our mindsets, our marriages, and our families. God doesn’t hate the people committing the sin. He loves us. Notice I say “us” because we all sin and no sin is greater than another. He hates sin itself.
We’re instructed to hate sin as well. So much so until we become vessels for God, informing others of the damage it causes.
If you ever read an online post or a sign on the street that says, God hates the people committing a particular sin, understand that they’re misinformed. God hates sin, not the sinner.
#godloves #godislove #loved #by #god
Psalms 78:19-22 NLT They even spoke against God Himself, saying, “God can’t give us food in the wilderness. Yes, He can strike a rock so water gushes out, but He can’t give His people bread and meat.” When the Lord heard them, He was furious. The fire of His wrath burned against Jacob. Yes, His anger rose against Israel, for they did not believe God or trust Him to care for them.
How many times do you think we’ve angered God because of our unbelief? Like the children of Israel, some of us put God in a box.
We’ve told ourselves He can do this, but I don’t know if He can do that. He’s decreased the pain in my leg, but I don’t think the pain will completely go away. He’s provided me with a job, but I’ll never make over $100,000 annually. Thank God my child is no longer failing their classes, but I think my child will always be a “C” student.
Thoughts and statements like these have to frustrate God. The only thing stopping Him from doing what He really wants to do is our unbelief. We may not see or know how God can change the situation, but we don’t have to. Our responsibility is to believe.
Trust and believe that God can do the impossible and that He’ll take care of you. Even if it’s farfetched, our belief in His power can make it happen.
#trust #believe #relyon #God #anything #is #possible
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.
Graced To Do God's Will 