Graced To Do God's Will

The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.” Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” -Acts 8:29‭-‬30 NLT

The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or someone else?” So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus. -Acts 8:34‭-‬35 NLT

We cannot earn a blessing from God. No matter how many church services we attend, how long we pray, and how distant we are from the world, we can’t earn a blessing. All of God’s blessings have been approved and made available for every believer through Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 1:20).

Although we can’t earn a blessing, we can position ourselves to receive a promise from God. We position ourselves by being led and obeying the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will tell us where to go to get approved for a loan. The Holy Spirit will tell us what to do to be healed of that pain in our back. The Holy Spirit will tell us how to be a blessing. If we’re not sensitive to or don’t obey His voice, we’ll miss what’s been made available through Christ.

God has made every need and desire available for us. Obedience positions us to receive what has already been promised and made available to us.

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.
1 Corinthians 13:5 NLT

Whether it’s a marriage, a friend, a child, or a coworker there are some of us who keep record of being wronged. We want to let them know how they hurt or disappointed us. Some harbor resentment for that person based on how they were treated. That’s not love.

Love is forgiving. We need to let things go and walk in freedom. We need to forgive them and move on with whatever God wants us to do.

Keeping record of being wronged adds unnecessary stress which lead to disease. Give your cares to God, forgive them, and trust that what was meant for evil will turn out for your good.

“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.
Luke 16:10 NLT

Some of us have big aspirations to be used by God. We want God to use us in a mighty way. We want to preach to thousands, feed millions, or be one of the biggest givers in the body of Christ. That’s good. Keep that energy.

Until God reveals that big way He wants to use us, be faithful in the little things He asks of us. Go to bed when He tells you to, encourage that friend He keeps putting on your mind, or start that small group that He’s been telling you to start for months.

If we do the little things He tells us to do, we display our faithfulness. That faithfulness qualifies us to do bigger things for the Kingdom and for people. Be faithful in little.

Psalms 119:93 NLT I will never forget your commandments, for by them you give me life.

Life is given when we follow God’s instructions. This is literal and figurative. Following God’s commands can literally be the difference between death and life. When we obey His voice or His word, we can avoid car crashes that could kill us or avoid going to parties where we could end up being shot.

Figuratively speaking, we get revived knowing we’re following God’s instructions. It revives us knowing we’re doing what God told us to do. What God tells us to do may be difficult to our flesh, but once we obey, it’s like accomplishing a goal and that accomplishment gives us life.

Never forget His word and you’ll experience abundant life.

Psalms 25:8 NLT The Lord is good and does what is right; He shows the proper path to those who go astray.

We may have gone astray or know people who have gone astray. Either way, we have a promise from God where He’ll show us the proper path to return to Him and His will. He’s doesn’t make us figure it out on our own as a punishment, but wherever we are, He’ll find us and show us the way.

Our going astray could have led us to being in debt, having a criminal record, or having broken relationships. When we surrender ourselves to God, He’ll lead us not only to Him, but He’ll show us how to get out of debt, work around our criminal record, and mend broken relationships.

For anyone who may have gone astray, return to the Lord and allow Him to show you the proper path to take.

Psalms 119:130 NLT The teaching of your word gives light, so even the simple can understand.

Light, clarity and understanding is given when God’s word is taught. We don’t have to make up meanings for the scriptures. We should let God’s word define itself. When healing, prosperity, righteousness, or deliverance is taught in context, understanding to receive in those areas is given.

As we listen to God’s word, we’ll receive understanding in areas of our lives that is irrelevant of what’s being taught. We may be listening to someone teach about healing, but the Holy Spirit may give us strategies on how to operate our business.

Listen to the word being taught on a daily basis and we’ll have more insight on who God is and what He’s done for us.

Psalms 119:165 NLT Those who love your instructions have great peace and do not stumble.

If you want peace in your life, follow God’s instructions. When we follow God’s instructions, we have peace in knowing we did what He said. We won’t have guilt and shame over our heads.

When we follow God’s instructions, we’ll have peace in knowing we won’t stumble. That means things will work out in our favor. Everyone else will have a fifty-fifty chance of stumbling or succeeding. For those who follow God’s instructions, we have a promise of not stumbling.

When we follow God’s instructions, we have peace in knowing we’re doing the will of God. We’re doing what He wants us to do for His Kingdom, for people, and for our own life.

Obtain and maintain peace by doing what He says.

Psalms 119:98‭-‬100 NLT
Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are my constant guide. Yes, I have more insight than my teachers, for I am always thinking of your laws. I am even wiser than my elders, for I have kept your commandments.

When we follow God’s commands and do what He says, we exercise wisdom. We become wiser than the people in the world and we become wiser than believers who don’t do what He says.

The wisdom we obtain by doing what He commands elevates us. It brings ideas, concepts, and inventions. This wisdom tells us when and where to invest. This wisdom provides solutions to the world’s problems. And this wisdom will show us how to maintain our bodies.

This wisdom is not from keeping the law of Moses, but from doing what the Father tells us to do. For us, the Father instructs us through His written word (in context) and through His Spirit (2 Tim. 3:16-17; John 14:26).

If we choose to obey His word and/or His Spirit, we’ll gain the wisdom needed to handle any situation AND stand out from the crowd. But, it’s up to us if we should obey God’s commands.

Philippians 4:19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

1 Peter 5:7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Psalm 20:7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.

In the natural, we take so much pride in being independent and doing things ourselves until it feels foreign to be taken care of. But that’s exactly what God, our Father, wants to do for us. He wants to take care of everything for us. Not just in one or two areas, but in every area of our lives.

God wants to do and be everything for us. He wants to be our only provider, our only protector, and the only source of our peace. He doesn’t want us looking to anyone or anything else. He only wants us looking to Him.

When we totally depend on God for everything, we’ll become privileged children. Anything we want and need, we can go to Him. That’s what God desires.

Stop trying to do things yourselves and let’s totally depend on God.

1 John 5:4 NLT For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.

Faith has two sides. On one side, faith is believing God will do what He said in His word. On the other side, faith is acting on His word. We increase or strengthen our faith by hearing the word of God (Rom. 10:17). The more word we hear and receive, the stronger our faith becomes.

1 John 5:4 tells us faith is what’s needed to defeat this evil world. It’s not our education, the amount of money we have, or our connections. Faith is what gives us the victory.

Faith is needed to experience divine health over sicknesses. Faith is what’s needed to get out of poverty. Faith is required to experience peace in our homes and countries. Faith is what’s needed to raise successful children. Whatever we need or want can be found in the word of God. When we believe what is said in God’s word and act on that belief, we’ll have victory in every area of our lives.

I weep with sorrow; encourage me by your word.
Psalms 119:28 NLT

When people want to be encouraged, they look for others to compliment or motivate them. But what if it’s the middle of the night and you’re feeling down and there’s no one around? Who do you call? Believers can call on the word.

The word is with us all the time. We don’t have to depend on people. We can depend on the word of God that’s available whenever we need it. It’s on our phones, in our computers, and still on paper.

The word tells us how we’ve already overcome through Christ (Rom. 8:37). The word informs us that God has a good plan for our lives (Jer. 29:11). The word tells us we’re already healed of that sickness (1 Pet. 2:24). The word tells us we’ll have a spouse, children, and a house, if that’s what we desire (Mark 11:24).

If we believe His word and don’t allow doubt to creep in, we’ll experience everything God says. If God’s word can’t encourage us, nothing else will.

Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord. Joyful are those who obey His laws and search for Him with all their hearts. -Psalms 119:1‭-‬2 NLT

When we obey the word of God and seek the Lord, we’ll have joy. To the natural mind, this seems foolish. How is obeying God’s word and seeking Him going to bring joy when problems, depression, and/or chaos are still present? It may not make sense to get joy this way, but that’s when we must trust the word.

It’s something supernatural that happens when we prioritize and obey God. It changes us, it changes our situation, and it changes our perspective.

If we find ourselves sad, depressed, or feeling low, we must ask ourselves how much word are we receiving and following? How diligently have we been searching the Lord? When we read about what God has done and talk to Him about His plans for our future, we’ll have joy. Don’t let the devil steal your joy. Get in that word to obtain and maintain joy.

Matthew 19:16‭-‬22 NLT Someone came to Jesus with this question: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” “Why ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.” “Which ones?” the man asked. And Jesus replied: “‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?” Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

He didn’t have great possessions. Great possessions had him.

If God gave you 4 million dollars, could you give it all away the same day? If He gave you a new car, debt-free, could you give it away within a week to the Kingdom of God? That new purse or outfit you just received on your birthday, could you give it to your friend as God leads?

These are the hard questions we must ask ourselves to determine if God means more to us than possessions. If we can’t follow God’s instructions and give something away, that possession has become our idol.

Some of us are believing God for certain things, but why would God give us something that would have us in bondage? Why would He give us something that means more to us than Him? We must spiritually mature in Him and make Him the priority over possessions.

When (not if) God instructs us to give something meaningful away, we have a promise. Whatever God instructs us to give will not only be given back to us, but it will be multiplied (read Luke 6:38).

Psalms 119:169 NLT O Lord, listen to my cry; give me the discerning mind You promised.

God promises us a discerning mind. Discernment means the ability to judge well.

Discernment helps us figure out if our children are lying, if the person we’re about give to is actually homeless, or if the business deal is legitimate. We may not have proof in front of us, but our discerning mind will inform us of the truth.

So, if you’re ever in a situation where you’re questioning the validity of something, by faith, receive the promise of discernment and God will reveal what needs to be revealed.

Romans 8:25 NLT But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.

We should all have a desire that we want from God. It could be healing in our bodies, increased wealth, new employment, a business, a better relationship with our family, or a dog. Whatever we’re believing God for will require patience and confidence until it comes.

Being patient means we’re not only waiting, but we’re waiting with a good attitude. We may be waiting on a new job to manifest, but at our current job, we should have a good attitude.

Patience also means we’re at rest (Heb. 4:11). We’re not anxious about when or how our desires are going to come. We’re patiently waiting on God’s perfect timing.

Simultaneously, while we wait, we should have confidence. Our confidence is knowing that God heard us the first time we prayed and since He heard us, we know we have whatever we asked for (1 John 5:15). There should be no doubt, skepticism, or unbelief while we wait. There should be a calm confidence knowing God is faithful and His word will not return to Him void (Isaiah 55:11).

Let’s be patient and confident knowing God will fulfill His word.

I remember the days of old. I ponder all Your great works and think about what You have done.
Psalms 143:5 NLT

It’s important to think back on all that God has done. Remembering the days of old does two things. It allows God to be honored for His wonderful works and it motivates us to trust Him again.

Once the miracle happens, we may praise Him for a week or so, but our praise starts to wane. Remembering what God has done reignites our appreciation for God.

Satan loves to discourage us and sometimes we fall for the bait. In so many words, he’ll let us know God can’t handle what we’re currently facing. Remembering the days of old reminds us of Satan’s tactics. He said God couldn’t handle the last problem, but He did. He said God wouldn’t provide, deliver, heal, or promote, but He did. So, remembering what God has done let’s us know how wrong Satan is and how awesome God is.

Take a moment to remember all that God has done and give Him praise. Praise Him for what He’s done and praise Him for what He’s about to do.

Colossians 3:13 NLT Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

Forgiveness is a big part of being a Christian. It separates the mature believers from the immature believers. Offenses will come. How we handle ourselves after the offense will determine where we are in our walk. Will we respond by doing the exact same thing that was done to us or will we forgive them and let it go?

We’ve offended God as a human race. He chose to forgive us through the sacrifice of His Son. We’ve offended others. If we’re honest with ourselves, we hope they forgave us. It’s only right that we should forgive others after they’ve wronged us.

As we forgive others, we grow in our maturity, we become better witnesses of Jesus Christ, and we bring a positive light into the world. Let offenses go and forgive.

Matthew 9:29 AMPC Then He touched their eyes, saying, According to your faith and trust and reliance [on the power invested in Me] be it done to you;

According to YOUR faith, whatever YOU’RE believing God for, it will be done unto YOU. It doesn’t matter if no one else can fathom what you’re believing God for, if YOU can believe God for it, it will be done unto YOU.

Some of the things that are hard for people to believe are, being healed of something they’ve had all their lives, buying a house with bad credit, getting a new car when they only have $1000 in the bank, or getting a particular career with little to no experience in that field. It’s not up to someone else’s faith to bring it to pass. Remember, if YOU can believe God for it, it will be done unto YOU.

Don’t let people or statistics talk you out of what you’re in faith for. According to YOUR faith, it will be done unto YOU.

Romans 5:17 NIV For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!

We’ve been given the ability to reign or rule in this life through Christ. Although this is a promise available to every believer, a lot of us don’t know how to reign.

We reign by exercising our faith in what Christ has done. God’s word says we’re healed by the stripes of Jesus Christ, so we believe that in the face of sickness. God’s word says we’ve been given peace by Jesus, so we remain in peace despite the calamity surrounding us.

Anything negative that’s in our way, Christ has taken care of it. When we believe in all that He’s accomplished for us, we’ll reign supreme over everything.

Romans 5:17 NIV For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!

To reign means to possess or exercise sovereign power or to rule. Here’s a promise from God where He’s given us the ability to rule in life through Jesus Christ. That means we have power over anything that comes across our path.

If it’s sickness, lack, unhappiness, learning disabilities, division, or confusion, through Christ, we have the ability to rule over it.

Don’t be a victim any longer to circumstances. Understand that through Christ, we can reign as kings over everything.

If we feed our natural bodies food every day, we should be feeding our spirits food every day. Our born-again spirits feed on the word of God. When we hear ourselves reading the word of God or listen to a minister we like, our spirits are being fed. We know this because it says in Romans 10:17, faith comes by hearing the word of God.

There are no excuses to not feeding our spirits. There are countless bible teaching ministers available to listen to for free on YouTube. There are numerous bible apps available on our phones. We can listen at home, at work, and in our cars. We don’t have to listen to the entire sermon every day, but we can listen to around 30 minutes of the message every day.

Feeding our spirits empowers us with God’s word to overcome any obstacle we may face. The more word we feed our spirits, the more our faith grows (Rom. 10:17). And according to 1 John 5:4 CEV it says, every child of God can defeat the world, and our faith is what gives us this victory.

Whether it’s poverty, sickness, lack, hurt, discontentment, or depression, if we consistently feed our spirits on a daily basis, we’ll have the faith to defeat anything. Don’t deny your spirit the word of God.

I will meditate on Your precepts, And contemplate Your ways. I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word. -Psalms 119:15‭-‬16 NKJV

Colossians 2:6 And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow Him.

Once we accept Christ as Lord, it doesn’t stop there. We must continue to follow Him. Before each of us come up with how we must follow Him, let’s allow the scriptures to tell us what it means to follow Him. Look at verse 7.

7 Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

Letting our roots grow down into Him is getting a deeper understanding of who Christ is and what He’s done. Christ is our wisdom, our sanctification, our righteousness, and more. Having an understanding of Christ allows our roots to grow down into Him.

Secondly, our lives must be built on Christ. It’s no longer what we can accomplish through our works or self-effort. Our lives are built on what Christ accomplished for us. We can try to be righteous by keeping the law or we can believe we’re made righteous through Christ (Rom. 3:22). We can attempt to gain wealth through toil or believe we’re made rich through Christ (2 Cor. 8:9).

Salvation is just the beginning. For the rest of our lives, we must grow in our understanding of who Christ is and continously build our lives on Him.

1 Thessalonians 5:8 NLT But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.

There are believers who are hoping, praying, and wishing they’re saved and they’ll go to heaven when they die. They’re unsure about their salvation based on various things they’ve heard or read out of context.

Some feel like they have to behave close to flawlessly to be saved. Others feel like a certain amount of good works will provide them with a ticket to heaven.

Here’s the truth: if we openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved (Romans 10:9). There’s nothing else to add. Ephesians 2:8 and 9 says, For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. Salvation is a gift from God. We can’t work for it or earn it. It’s a gift given by God through the sacrifice of Jesus.

Our confidence should be in our belief in what Jesus accomplished on the cross. If we believe that Jesus is the Son of God and He died for the sins of the world, we are saved. Be confident in your salvation, knowing you or any other believer will be in the presence of the Lord when we transition (2 Cor. 5:8).

When we’re in the waiting period between our prayer and the manifestation of our desires, it’s beneficial to meditate and confess God’s word.

When we meditate, we’re not humming to ourselves. Biblical meditation is seeing ourselves with the promise (Gen. 15:5). If it’s a house, see yourself driving up to it, walking through it, and going to sleep in it. If it’s overcoming pain in our bodies, imagine yourself doing the things you couldn’t do before the pain. We’re building an image in our minds to maintain and strengthen our faith.

Faith comes when we hear the word of God (Rom. 10:17). In that same waiting period, when we confess God’s word, we hear ourselves. When we hear ourselves speak God’s word, faith comes. We’re also imitating our Father by calling those things that are not yet manifested as though they were (Eph. 5:1; Rom. 4:17).

Confessions and meditation keep doubt and unbelief from contaminating our faith.

Genesis 15:5 NKJV Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”

Mark 11:23 NKJV For assuredly, I say to you, whoever SAYS to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he SAYS will be done, he will have whatever he SAYS.

Galatians 5:16 NLT So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.

Do you want to stop sinning? Let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Allow Him to be Lord instead of your flesh. Unfortunately, because of Adam’s sin our natural desire is to allow our flesh to have its way. But there are certain things we can do to overrule our flesh.

When the thought to sin enters our minds, we’ll always have another option in front of us. We can either agree with Satan and do things his way or agree with God or do things His way.

It takes effort to do things God’s way. To be successful in overcoming sin, we must be intentional about spending time with God. The more time we spend with Him, the clearer we’ll hear His voice to do things His way. He’ll tell us in advance to not watch a certain movie because He knows there’s a sex scene that will tempt us to lust and fall.

The more time we spend with Him, the more convinced we’ll become that His way is more beneficial. We’ll realize a successful healthy marriage is more important and impactful to the Kingdom of God than one night with him or her in a hotel.

The more time we spend with Him, the stronger we’ll become to resist sinful urges. We’ll be equipped with power from the Holy Spirit to put down that bottle, turn off porn, or control negative emotions (Acts 1:8).

We may not win all our battles, but don’t quit. Receive His forgiveness and get back in the fight.

Don’t let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self-denial or the worship of angels, saying they have had visions about these things. Their sinful minds have made them proud,
Colossians 2:18 NLT

Condemnation comes in many forms. One form of condemnation is through self-denial.

When some people get saved, they deny themselves of certain joys for the sake of “holiness.” They may deny themselves from having a large house, excess money, enjoying a movie, listening to secular music, eating certain foods, or going on lavish vacations. In their minds, they think God is pleased with them because they’re denying themselves of these things. They then condemn people who may have or do these things.

Don’t fall for this condemnation tactic. The bible doesn’t say we can’t have or enjoy certain things in this life. He doesn’t want those things controlling us, but we can enjoy certain things.

If you hear anyone boasting about what they deny themselves for the sake of Christ, they’re full of pride and need to discover their purpose in Christ.

Colossians 3:2 ESV Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

If we have a problem, we’ll never get an answer by focusing on, dwelling on, and talking about the problem. Our answer comes from focusing on the word of God.

If we don’t have enough money for this or that, focusing on our lack won’t change our problem. However, our answer will come if we focus on God will supply all our needs according to His riches in glory (Phil. 4:19).

If our health is under attack, telling everyone about our ailments is not beneficial. However, telling everyone about our Help is beneficial (Psalm 121:1).

Wherever our focus is, that’s going to determine if we wallow in our problems or receive deliverance from our problems.

1 Chronicles 16:42 NLT They used their trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments to accompany their songs of praise to God. And the sons of Jeduthun were appointed as gatekeepers.

We may not have musical instruments to praise God, but we do have other instruments we can use to praise God.

Whatever talent God has given us can be an instrument to praise God. Poetry, motivational speaking, little league coaching, dance, financial strategizing, cooking, etc. can all be used to praise and bring glory to God.

God gave all of us gifts and talents. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you on how to use your talents to bring God glory.

The main pressures we have is the pressures we place on ourselves. We’re anxious about receiving our desires, therefore we put pressure on ourselves to “act holy” to get our desires NOW.

Believers put pressure on themselves through works. We fast for so many days, pray for so many hours, and attend so many church services in order for God to bless us. We think the more we do, the faster we’ll get what we desire. That’s not faith. That’s attempting to earn a blessing through works.

Biblical faith is asking God for the desire, in faith, believing that He’ll bring it to pass. It may be a day, a month, or a year, but we must trust He’ll eventually bring it to pass.

Don’t be deceived into thinking that your works will speed up the response time of your desires. If God didn’t specifically give you a date, relax knowing your faith is at work and it will eventually bring it to pass.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
Philippians 4:6 NKJV

1 Chronicles 16:8‭-‬9 NLT Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. Sing to him; yes, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds.

Stop hiding your blessings. People hide their blessings for various reasons. They don’t want to offend people who are less fortunate, they don’t want to be seen as being boastful, or they want to be relatable.

Regardless of the reasons, this thought process is unscriptural. There are multiple scriptures instructing us to tell others about the wonderful things God has done (Ps. 105:1; Ps. 118:1). We’re not boasting and bragging on ourselves. We’re giving God 100% of the credit for what He’s done in our lives.

Satan puts these thoughts in our minds to keep us quiet, limit our praise, and minimize God’s glory. If we don’t tell people who blessed us, how will they know? Our testimony could be the trigger to encourage others to seek the Lord and rely on Him.

After all that God has done for you, publicly give God the glory by not hiding your blessings.

We’ll face challenges. To successfully make it through anything, we must depend on God. Our money, our health, and our relationships may all fluctuate. The only thing that stays constant in our lives is God.

God is the One who has and will always be faithful. He has never left our side. We may have ignored Him from time to time, but He has always been there, patiently waiting on us to acknowledge Him.

As we acknowledge Him, He will direct our path. He’ll tell us what to do, where to go, what to take when we’re not feeling well, and who’s a good friend. The same way we ask people questions and ask for their suggestions, we can ask God. No theatrics are needed.

Let’s depend on God and He’ll make everything work out for our good (Rom. 8:38).

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
Proverbs 3:5‭-‬6 NLT

John 12:42 – 43 NLT Many people did believe in Him, however, including some of the Jewish leaders. But they wouldn’t admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.

Back in the day, there were Jewish leaders who believed in Jesus. They knew He was the Christ, sent from God. However, they didn’t want to go public with their beliefs out of fear of losing their status, position, and friendships in the synagogue.

Sad to say, some believers are still doing similar things today. They’ve privately accepted Christ as Lord and Savior. However, they hold on to these friendships and lifestyles where they behave in a manner that doesn’t please God. They fear losing their status in the world instead of gaining praise from God.

We don’t have to disown people we’ve been close to all our lives. Instead, we should invite them up to where we are. Invite them to church, share the gospel of Jesus Christ with them, let them know what they’re missing out on being in the family of God.

Don’t try to straddle the fence by being a closet Christian. Be all in for God and if others follow you great, but if they don’t, it’s their loss.

Daniel 3:19 – 20 NIV Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.

When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to worship the golden image, Nebuchadnezzar was so furious until he used intimidation tactics to get them to reverse their confession and disobey God. Their confession was “if we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and He will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand.”

Nebuchadnezzar’s intimidation tactics were heating the fire seven times hotter and using the strongest soldiers to bind them up. His goal was to put enough pressure on them based on what they saw so they would reverse their confession and disobey God. They did not cave under the pressure and they experienced a miracle.

Satan is using this same tactic today. He’s attempting to intimidate us based on what we’re experiencing. We may be declaring and believing for a job. Satan will use the news mentioning mass layoffs to intimidate us to believe there are no jobs out there. If the intimidation works, we’ll say what the news says instead of saying what we’re in faith for. If we’re in faith for a spouse, Satan will attempt to intimidate us with conversations of divorce, infidelity, and drama to make us not want to be married.

The ultimate goal of Satan is to get us to stop believing God, reverse our faith-filled confession, and to say a negative confession. Our job is to believe God’s word in spite of what we’re experiencing. Don’t back off your confession or your belief in God’s word. Continue to believe and confess His word until His promise comes to pass.

John 11:40 NLT Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?”

Glory can be defined as high renown or honor won by notable achievements. The glory of God is the manifested victories of God.

Jesus tells us we’ll see God’s glory if we believe. When we believe in all the things that have been made available to us through Jesus Christ, we’ll see God’s glory in our lives. There’s no limitation on this glory. God’s glory can and will be seen in our homes, our marriages, on our jobs, in our fellowship with Him, and with our children.

There’s no place God’s glory can’t be experienced if we believe. Believing with an expectation is the key. Study and believe God’s word to experience His glory.

2 Corinthians 1:20 NLT For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.

All of God’s promises in God’s word have been approved. In Christ, God has already said yes to it.

Yes, healing has been made available by the stripes of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:24).

Yes, peace in the middle of any situation is there for the taking (John 14:27).

Yes, you can get the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4).

Yes, you can have a child (Exodus 23:26; Deut. 7:14).

Yes, you can have whatever you ask for in prayer if you believe (Mark 11:24).

These promises, along with countless others, belong to the family of God. We don’t have to work for it or earn it. It’s been made available through Christ if we believe.

To build and maintain our belief for these promises, study and meditate on the scriptures associated with these promises. Once we’re fully convinced they belong to us, it’s just a matter of time before they come to pass.

Galatians 5:4 NLT For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace.

Some people think that fallen from grace is when we backslide, publicly miss the mark, or have strayed from God. The biblical understanding of fallen from grace is when we attempt to be made right by keeping the law. Grace has been made available through Christ, but those who choose to reject it have fallen from grace.

Keeping the law doesn’t make us righteous or more righteous than those who don’t. We’re only made righteous by one thing: Our belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior who died on the cross for our sins makes us righteous.

If you’re keeping the law to earn righteousness, you have fallen away from God’s grace. Believe in the Lord Jesus and be made righteous through Him.

1 John 4:16‭-‬17 NLT We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in His love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face Him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.

There are a lot of people, Christians included, who are scared of judgment day. They think all their good deeds will be compared to their bad deeds. If their bad deeds outweigh their good deeds, they’ll end up in hell.

According to scripture, we new covenant believers no longer need to be afraid of judgment day. Everyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior has trusted in God’s love. And our living like Jesus doesn’t mean we live a perfect life, but we’ve made our home in Christ and Christ has made His home in us (Ephesians 3:17-19; 2 Corinthians 5:17).

Believing that Jesus paid for the punishment of our sin makes us right with God (Romans 3:22). Since we’re right with God, we can boldly be in the presence of God on the day of judgment. The only ones who should be afraid on judgment day are those who have not made Jesus Lord and Savior.

I encourage anyone who has not made Jesus Lord and Savior to make Him Lord and Savior. If you know anyone who has not made Jesus Lord and Savior, send this message to them (Romans 10:9).

Everyone, it’s time to make Jesus Lord and Savior.

Matthew 18:19 NLT “I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, My Father in heaven will do it for you.

The enemy knows that if we’re in agreement, there’s nothing he can do to stop us. That’s why he attempts to get us in strife with one another. If we’re in strife and there’s division among us, it makes it difficult for agreement to take place.

Satan has made it a point to cause division between race, religion, and gender. He continues to influence division within these categories. There are so many versions of Christianity until the church’s power is limited. The scriptures say “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand (Matthew 12:25).

Let’s do our part and get in agreement with each other and go to God. We can make real changes in society as long as we’re on one accord. Satan has already divided us enough. Lets not fall for his tricks any longer and let’s be in agreement, with our foundation being the word of God.

Hebrews 10:23 AMP Let us seize and hold tightly the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is reliable and trustworthy and faithful [to His word];

Confessing the word of God, regarding the promises of God, is easy and enjoyable. It’s empowering to say we’re healed, we’re a blessing, we’re loved, we’re wealthy, we’re bold, and we’re strong.

Wavering is where the challenge starts. When life contradicts our confession, we tend to say what we’re experiencing instead of what is written. When a person’s bank account is less than $100 and bills are due, some confess they’re broke. When coughing and sneezing, some say they’re sick. When facing challenges in life, some say they’re struggling.

When our words contradict what is written, we’re wavering. The key is to say what God says in the face of opposition. We’re not delusional. We’re agreeing with what God says about us. When we continue to say what God says about us in His word, what we’re currently experiencing will change to line up with His word. There’s enough power in God’s word to change any situation.

Psalms 18:32 NLT God arms me with strength, and He makes my way perfect.

Thoughts in Our Mind: If I do it this way, this may happen, but if I do it that way, that may happen. But I need to remember to do that, because if I don’t, that may happen.

There are times where we have to make a decision with more than one good option. Both options have their pros and cons. Of course, we want to make the best decision, but we can’t naturally determine which option is best.

With more than one good option, most people will “go with their gut.” The problem with making a gut decision is, it could work out well, but what if the other option was better? Or, what if the option we chose didn’t turn out as well as we thought?

When there’s more than one option, it’s best that we consult God on which option to choose. He’ll tell us the best path to choose. If we make a decision without consulting Him, don’t beat yourselves up about it. There’s grace available through Jesus Christ to make everything work out for our good. Go to God and He’ll make our way perfect.