Category Archive

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.     

If we look at the accounts of what’s happening in society and the status of the world, none of this should surprise the Christian who actually reads and believes the Word of God.

God’s Word tells us what’s going to happen. It may not tell us when, but it does tell us what’s going to happen.

Matthew 24:7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.
-Pestilences means a fatal epidemic disease. If coronavirus is not considered pestilence, I don’t know what is.

Matthew 24:10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.
-Have you seen hate lately? If you turn on the news for two seconds, you’ll see someone hating someone else.

Luke 21:25-26 “And there will be strange signs in the sun, moon, and stars. And here on earth the nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides. People will be terrified at what they see coming upon the earth, for the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
-Natural disasters have increased. In fact, while hurricane Zeta was making landfall in Louisiana, an ice storm was impacting people next door in Texas.

People may think it’s all a coincidence, but God’s Word is clear. People want all the craziness in 2020 to calm down but honestly, this is just the beginning. This is not meant to scare the believer, but inform them. We don’t have to be afraid because when we submit to God and have faith in His Word, He promised to always protect, provide, and prosper us in any season (2 Tim. 4:18, Matt. 6:33, Ps. 1:1-3).

So, don’t be surprised or afraid about what you see. This has to happen.

1 Thessalonians 5:4-6 (NLT) But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded.

Jeremiah 8:12 Are they ashamed of these disgusting actions? Not at all—they don’t even know how to blush! Therefore, they will lie among the slaughtered. They will be brought down when I punish them, says the LORD.

VS.

Romans 4:8 Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”

There’s a big difference between the old covenant and new covenant in how God dealt with sin. In the old covenant, a person was punished for their sin, but in the new covenant, a person’s sin was not counted against them. Why is this? One word… JESUS.

Jesus took all the punishment for every past, present, or future sins (Rom. 3:23-26). People in the old covenant didn’t have that luxury. They either had to pay for their sin through the punishment of death or a priest had to sacrifice animals to cover their sins (Rom 6:23; Lev. 17:11).

Thank God for Jesus Who took our punishment so that we can live a life free of punishment, guilt, shame, or condemnation.   

Proverbs 17:9 (CSB) Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but whoever gossips about it separates friends.

It’s a choice to be offended by the actions or words of someone else. However, if someone does something so atrocious that we take offense, we are to go to them privately and point out the offense (Matt. 18:15).

It’s unfruitful to go to a million people and tell them what so and so did to us. It’s not helping the situation at all. In fact, it’s only shaping the way they think about the person who offended us.

If you’re offended by someone, go take your grievances to them. If they apologize, great. But if not, give it to God and move on. Don’t allow offense to keep you up at night, eating you up inside, and having you display a negative disposition.

Some people have literally allowed the horror stories of others to shape and direct their lives. They think they’re acting wisely, but they’re living in fear.

Some people are seriously not getting married because they know people who were cheated on by their spouses. How foolish is that? What does another person’s spouse have to do with them? There are people who won’t fly because they’ve heard about plane crashes. Some people are unwilling to try certain foods because they “heard” it didn’t taste good.

We can’t keep living our lives through the lenses of others. These horror stories are meant to paralyze us with fear. We have to open our minds, do what God tells us to do, and live our lives being led by the Spirit, not through the horror stories of someone else.

2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

We seem to do fine when it comes to pleasing God by putting God above, friends, coworkers, or random people we don’t know, but when it comes to mothers, spouses, or children, people have a hard time and tend to question some things.

Pleasing God means doing what He says (Heb. 13:20-21): what God says in His Word or through the Holy Spirit. So, when God’s Word says you should leave your mother and father and cleave to your spouse (Gen. 2:24), that’s not the time to ignore that verse because you feel like no one should come before mama. That also means we should put God first by spending time with Him before we spend time with our fun spouse. When God’s Word says to physically discipline our children (Prov. 23:13), that’s not the time to question the bible. It’s better to please God than temporarily hurt your child’s feelings. He’s smarter than us.

Our parents, spouses, or children should not come before God. They are people just like everyone else. Our job is to please God, not man.

Galatians 1:10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Isaiah 55:8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.

As we can see, God has plans to prosper us, but we can also see His ways are not our ways. So, whatever pathway to prosperity we think God should have for us will most likely be different. The goal of being prosperous in every area of our lives will still be the same, but how we get there will be different.

For example, we may think God should prosper us in our finances by allowing us to receive promotions every 3 to 5 years. But, God is smarter than us and He sees the big picture. God knows if we receive those promotions, we’ll have more responsibilities at work, which will take us from our families. We’ll be financially prosperous, but our family will suffer.

How we become prosperous is none of our business. That’s up to God. Once we’re convinced that God is smarter than us and He has better plans than we could imagine, the easier it becomes to accept whatever pathway He creates.

When we see a 2-hour movie, we’re seeing the final product of hundreds of hours’ worth of work. There are a lot of behind the scenes things we don’t see, that have been done over months.

There are a lot of behind the scene things people didn’t see for us to get to the place we are today. Most of our efforts are spiritually located, on the battleground of our minds. We had to continuously confess God’s Word despite what we see. We had to continue to believe even though what we’re experiencing contradicts what we believe. We had to continue to renew our minds even though thoughts contrary to God’s Word were bombarding our minds.

People see the final product (house, healthy, genuinely happy family), but they may not know the work that was put in for us to experience this abundant life Jesus provided. Let people know there’s some effort involved to experience God’s best. The devil is not just going to let us have what God has promised. We must resist him and claim what is ours (James 4:7).  

Ephesians 6:12 For we are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world, the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of this dark age.

Psalm 143:5 I remember the days of old. I ponder all your great works and think about what you have done.

The devil is constantly attacking our minds with thoughts contrary to God’s Word. He often likes to remind us of things we don’t have yet. His goal is to make us feel unloved by God and to make us believe God’s promises won’t come to pass.

Instead of dwelling on those thoughts, capture them, and replace them with the Word of God. So, if Satan tells us we’ll never have a certain career, we audibly declare “God gives me the desires of my heart (Psalm 37:4).” After declaring God’s Word, it’s beneficial to fill our minds with thoughts of thankfulness.

We think about all the things God has done in our lives. We think about how He healed us, how He provided for us, and how He did the miraculous. When we think about His wonderful works in our lives, we create a sense of gratitude and we can’t help but be thankful.

Don’t allow the devil to win by feeling sorry for yourself about things that haven’t happened yet. Be thankful for everything God has already done in your life.

John 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

Jesus said, His words are spirit and life. If Jesus, who operated in the earth as a man, said His words are spirit and life, then so are ours.

Our words are alive and depending on what we say, we can build up or tear down things in our lives (Prov. 18:21). If we declare we have joy, peace, and all our needs are taken care of by God, then that’s what we’ll have. On the other hand, if we say we’re stressed, worried, or broke (even jokingly), we’ll have what we say.

Some may not think our words have that much power but remember, the almighty God didn’t create the universe with only His mind. And He didn’t use His hands. He used words. If He used words, and we’re created in His likeness, our words have power too.

God wants us to enjoy this life. As we place and keep our faith in Him, He’s willing to pull off the miraculous just to see us smile. Unfortunately, we do certain things to tie up God’s hands. One of those things is allowing our logic or earthly wisdom to supersede God’s voice.

For instance, we may want another cookie for dessert. We hear God telling us “it’s okay.” However, our logic tells us we don’t need the calories and we deprive ourselves of something God has okayed. Or, we may want new clothes, but we don’t want to spend the money. God has approved us buying new clothes and He’s telling us to trust Him. We don’t buy the clothes because we feel it’s unwise to spend the money. We denied ourselves something God approved.
It’s all a lack of trust in God.

If we want something, it’s our responsibility to go to God and see what He says. If He temporarily denies it or tells us to wait, we should wait for His timing to get the item. If He approves, go get it and enjoy and trust that He knows what He’s doing. Don’t talk yourself out of something God is treating you to.

Psalm 35:27 Let them shout for joy and be glad, Who favor my righteous cause; And let them say continually, “Let the LORD be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”

It’s a blessing to know God is not keeping track of our sins, He’s forgiven and forgotten our sins, and He’s not punishing us for our sins (Hebrews 8:11; 2 Cor. 5:19; Rom. 3:21-31). God’s not punishing us for our sins, but sin has natural consequences.

For instance, gluttony is a sin (Prov. 23:20-21). God is not punishing us for overeating, however consistently overeating can cause us to have natural consequences of high blood pressure or high cholesterol, which can lead to a heart attack. God didn’t punish us with a heart attack, but a natural consequence of overeating caused us to have a heart attack. God has forgiven and forgotten all the times we’ve stolen something, but theft can cause us to have a natural consequence of a few years in prison.

Although God is not punishing us for our sin, sin has natural consequences which is why it’s in our best interest to make the effort to live a sin-free life.

Therefore do not let sin control your mortal body so that you obey its desires. -Romans 6:12

Psalm 103:10 He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. 11 For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.

This statement was made under the old covenant. Even under the old covenant, God wasn’t punishing us (mankind) for all our sins. His mercy and love stopped some of the punishment from devouring us.

Now, because of the sacrifice of Jesus for our sins, we’re under a new and better covenant (Heb. 8:6-13). Under the new covenant, God is merciful to our unrighteousness and our sins He’ll remember no more (Heb. 8:11). Under the new covenant, God is not keeping a record of our sins (Rom. 8:4).

2 Corinthians 5:19 that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s trespasses against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

If God is not remembering, keeping record of, or punishing us for our sins, we should let our sins go too. Beating ourselves up about sin is not bringing God any glory and it’s not showing God how sorry we are. We’re belittling the sacrifice of Jesus by saying, we don’t believe Jesus’ punishment was enough therefore, we need to suffer some more.

Receive God’s loving mercy and don’t be condemned by the mistakes we may make.

When people say spiritual warfare, some make it spooky as if the devil is possessing people’s bodies or homes and they need to remove him. That’s not spiritual warfare. Spiritual warfare is a mental battle between the devil and us. The devil is trying to make us doubt or not believe God’s Word and it’s our job to believe God’s Word despite what we see or experience.

EXAMPLE: John receives a negative report that he has cancer.
Satan: You know you have cancer.
John: No, God’s Word says, “I am healed” (Isaiah 53:5).
Satan: You heard the doctor. You have cancer.
John: No! I believe I’m healed of cancer.
Satan: What’s your family going to do when you die of cancer?
John: I shall live and not die (Psalm 118:17) because I believe I am healed of cancer.

This back and forth between us and Satan may go on for days, months, or years. It can center around our health, our marriage, our finances, the well-being of our children, our desires, etc.

It’s our job to equip ourselves for battle by knowing and believing God’s Word, spending time in praise as we thank God for the victory, and consulting with the Holy Spirit to see if there are any practical things we can do to manifest God’s promises.

Spiritual warfare is real, and it will happen for the rest of our lives. However, if we have the weapon of the Word, we’ll win every time.

Luke 4:1 Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 where for forty days He was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He was hungry. 3 The devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” 4 But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’”

Deuteronomy 2:30 But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass through, for the LORD your God had made his spirit stubborn and his heart obstinate, that He might deliver him into your hand, as is the case this day. 31 Then the LORD said to me, “See, I have begun to deliver Sihon and his land over to you. Now begin to conquer and possess his land.” 32 So Sihon and his whole army came out for battle against us at Jahaz. 33 And the LORD our God delivered him over to us, and we defeated him and his sons and his whole army.

A lot of us think when we get saved and start doing the right things we shouldn’t face opposition. We think that God’s promises and answered prayers should come with ease. That’s not always true.

Look at Moses and the Israelites. One might think that land that was promised for God’s people should be taken with ease. But it was just the opposite. The king’s heart was defiant, and the Israelites had to fight for what God had promised.

We may not have to physically fight for what God has promised, but we will have to fight the good fight of faith (1 Tim. 6:12). When we keep getting turned down for a promotion, we have to fight to continue to believe that promotion is for us. When we’re in our 40’s and we’re still not married or haven’t had children, we have to continue to believe that a spouse and children is God’s promise to us.

Opposition is not a sign that a particular desire is not meant to be. The fact that opposition is present may be proof that God’s promise is near.

Psalm 40:2 He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps. 3 He has put a new song in my mouth—Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, And will trust in the Lord.

We’ll all face trouble (John 16:33). If we handle our troubles appropriately (rely on God’s Word, don’t doubt what He said, and don’t be moved by what we see), we’ll mature spiritually (James 1:3-4). Not only will we mature, but other people who see us overcoming our troubles will put their trust in God also.

Other people include: our children, relatives, co-workers, and complete strangers. If our co-workers still see us smiling and having a positive attitude after taking a pay cut, how intrigued will they be to know what keeps us sane? That’s when we can tell them about our faith in God. If our children see us being kind, loving, and not be negative after going through a messy divorce, it’s more than likely they’ll handle their problems using the same method they’ve seen in us.

Just know, our deliverance is for more than us. People are watching to see how we “Christians” will respond to trials. By trusting in God through our problems, they’ll learn to trust in Him too.

We all have big desires we want God to fulfill like a house, a new car, a good job, etc. However, if we focus too much on those big desires, we may neglect the day to day goodness of God.

For instance, we’ll minimize the fact that God woke us up, we’re healthy, or we went throughout our day without getting into a serious car crash. Those are legitimate reason to sincerely thank God. If we solely focus on the big desires, the devil can use this to make us feel like God isn’t doing anything for us because big desires may take time.   

Let’s have a heart of gratitude and be grateful for EVERYTHING God has done in our lives.

Jonah 2:9 But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay Salvation is from the LORD.”

Psalm 22:1 To the Chief Musician. Set to “The Deer of the Dawn.” A Psalm of David. My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning?

From the death of a loved one to a layoff at work, people have their reasons for holding a grudge against God. God didn’t meet their expectations and now they’re mad.

A grudge comes from receiving and accepting the lies of Satan. He’ll say, if God really loved you, this wouldn’t have happened or if God really was a protector, He wouldn’t have let that happen. If we entertain and agree with those thoughts, it can turn into a grudge.

Satan uses these tactics to separate us from God. We’re not going to church, praying, or reading the bible anymore. He’s using all our anger and emotion to destroy our lives. Holding a grudge has us missing out on God’s favor, miracles, and blessings.

So, don’t fall into the trap of holding a grudge against God. Get down to the bottom of the situation by going to God. It’s okay to be angry but go to God with that anger and get answers. He’ll tell us why it happened and how to prevent it in the future. We may not always like the answer, but a reason was given. Receive God’s love, peace, and forgiveness and let go of the grudge.

Ephesians 4:31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.

1 Chronicles 16:11 Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face evermore!

Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Throughout the bible, we’ll see “seek the Lord.” This doesn’t mean seek Him as if He’s hiding from us and it’s our job to find Him. Seeking the Lord means communicating or consulting with Him about every decision we make.

Everything from what clothes to wear to what house to buy should all involve God. Some may think we’re going too far if we’re seeking God on seemingly minor decisions like what clothes to wear, what to order at a restaurant, or what lane to drive in, but we’re following His instructions. If we’re consulting God on minor things, we prepare ourselves to hear Him clearly on major decisions.

When we seek the Lord, there’s usually a beautiful promise attached, and we can all admit God is smarter than us. So, why wouldn’t we want to seek Him in everything?    

The world has corrupted the concept of giving. They’ve polluted people’s minds into thinking we should give without an expectation. Giving without an expectation is only partially true. When we give to a person, we shouldn’t expect a return from that person. However, when we give to a person or the Kingdom of God, we should expect something from God.

Expecting something from God is not a form of arrogance. We’re simply holding God to His Word.

Ephesians 6:8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free.

Luke 6:38 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”

Proverbs 17:19 Kindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD, and He will repay the lender.

Looking at these three scriptures above, we can clearly see God’s not going to be in debt to anyone. It would be foolish of us not to expect a return from God. If He said it, we should believe it, and expect it.

Just know, anytime we give, it’s not a loss. God guarantees a return on our gift and we should expect a return.  

When a farmer plants seeds, they know exactly what their harvest is going to be. If they plant tomatoes, they can expect a harvest of tomatoes. If they plant corn, they expect a harvest of corn. Whatever they’re planting, they expect that harvest.

Giving to the Kingdom of God is compared to planting a seed. Like the farmer, when we give to the Kingdom, we should expect to receive a harvest. Not only should we expect a harvest, we should expect to receive whatever we’ve planted. For instance, prior to giving, we can declare this seed is for revelation on our business. After our declaration and seed, we can be in expectation of a harvest of revelation. We can sow for a promotion, a new house, a job, or anything else we need or desire.

When we give to the Kingdom with an expectation to receive a harvest, we open another pathway for God to bless our lives.

2 Corinthians 9:10 (NLT) For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.

John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Some of y’all are okay with illnesses from time to time. Some of y’all are comfortable with experiencing heartache and heartbreak every so often. Some of y’all accept fights, arguments, and drama in your marriages. Some of y’all put up with disrespectful children. Some of y’all think it’s normal to struggle financially. Let’s be clear….. none of this is okay.

God didn’t send Jesus down here so that we can deal with sickness, drama, and the bare minimum. He sent His Son in order for us to thrive in this life. Some of y’all are waiting to experience wonderful living when we die, but Jesus said He came to give us the abundant life now.

So, stop putting up with things outside of the will of God. If God said we can have it then, by faith, receive it. If something’s not right, confess God’s Word over that situation until it changes. Receive ALL that God has promised you.

Daily confessions, studying the Word of God, fasting, praying, and combatting negative thoughts and replacing them with the Word of God.

These things feel tedious, but they’re so beneficial and the devil knows this. They’re so beneficial until he’ll give us every excuse as to why we shouldn’t do these things. He’ll tell us it doesn’t take all of that to get results, he’ll tell us to do it later, or we deserve to rest because we’ve worked all day.

It’s a fight to overcome our feelings and thoughts of procrastination, but when we see our prayers getting answered, good character being developed, and we become mentally and spiritually tougher, we’ll understand its purpose.

The devil will always bombard us with thoughts making us feel like the things of God are tedious, but as we override those thoughts and do what God says, we’ll experience positive results in our lives.

1 John 5:3 (ISV) For this demonstrates our love for God: We keep His commandments, and His commandments are not difficult, because everyone who is born from God has overcome the world. Our faith is the victory that overcomes the world.