Graced To Do God's Will

Psalms 126:2-3 Then our mouth was filled with laughter, And our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” The LORD has done great things for us, And we are glad.‭‭

If you’re reading this today, God has done some great things in your life. However, what is our response to those great things? Are we saying anything? Are we letting the world know how good God’s been to us or are we keeping it to ourselves?

Another trick of the enemy is to have us keep silent after we’ve been blessed by God. He’s made it seem as if it’s wrong or a form of boasting to speak on the goodness of the Lord. Unfortunately, the main people who adopted this philosophy are some members in the body of Christ.

When we speak on the goodness of the Lord, we’re not boasting. We’re giving credit, glory, and honor to God for all He has done. We are the only forms of advertisement for the Kingdom of God. How else do we think the lost will be attracted to the body of Christ? If we don’t let the world know about the goodness of God, who will?

From salvation to a new car, don’t ever be ashamed of what God has done for you.

Lamentations 3:22 Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.

God’s compassion never fails. Since we’re made in the image and likeness of God, we have the ability to be compassionate towards others for the rest of our lives. 

The enemy’s job is to magnify negative life experiences to remove our compassion towards mankind. The enemy will use racist individuals to make us less compassionate towards people of that race. The enemy will use radical religious extremists to make us less compassionate towards people of that religion. The enemy will use the emotional pain caused by a man or woman in a relationship to remove the thought of compassion towards anyone we get close to.

Don’t allow the enemy to remove God-like compassion from our lives. Be that person who prays over someone who is sick. Use that compassion to not only forgive that person who wronged us, but as the Spirit leads, continue to be a blessing in their lives. 
People of God, it’s time to let our God-like compassion shine brightly. 

We may know sweet devout believers who have served the Lord for many years. Every time we see them, they’re going to church, talking about the goodness of the Lord, or reading the Bible. If those people become sick, die suddenly, or something tragic happens in their lives, people around them question the existence of God, ask where was God, and how come.

Christ has made a great number of promises for us (healing, deliverance, etc.), however, if we don’t believe and receive those promises, we can never experience those promises on earth. 

Those sweet people mentioned above may have believed Jesus was the Son of God, but did they believe by His stripes they were healed? Or, did they believe whatever happens concerning their health (good or bad) is the will of God? If they believed the latter, they may be subjected to all sorts of diseases. Why? It’s according to their faith. Not God’s will, but their faith.

The same concept applies with protection, desires, or any other promise. Are we confidently believing we are protected and nothing shall hurt us (Luke 10:19) or are we fearfully hoping nothing bad happens? Are we believing to receive our desires the moment we ask in prayer (Mark 11:24) or are we accepting whatever life hands us? 

However we experience life, it’s going to be according to our faith. Don’t limit or reduce your faith to the standards of your logic. Raise them to expectation of the Word of God. 

Matthew 9:29 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.

Acts 20:2 “Now when he had gone over that region and encouraged them with many words, he came to Greece”‭‭

Paul encouraged his disciples. 

Living in this world as a believer is not always the easiest thing to do. We have people questioning the validity of our faith, people making a mockery of what we’re standing in faith for, and so called close friends leaving our lives as we mature in our relationship with God.

Understanding the Christian walk is not always easy; it’s important for us to encourage each other.

We must encourage each other to keep the faith even when it seems like nothing is working. We must encourage each other to walk in the ways of righteousness even though the world seems so enticing. We must encourage each other to know God loves us no matter what we’ve done wrong. 

As we seek God for ourselves and walk in our purpose, don’t forget to encourage someone else.

Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

The delays and detours in life rarely make sense in the moment, but as our patience is developed and our trust in God increases, we learn the meaning of Romans 8:28. 

 In hindsight God may provide revelation of the delay or detour and we get a hint at how well our Creator knows our hearts and how well He positioned us to receive the best instead of the mediocre we were once striving for. The best will include perfect timing and holistic betterment beyond just the object of desire. 

So be encouraged. Continue to seek and trust God. Remain in faith, holding on to the Truth of His Word and the promises there in. And, be assured that He loves us and has only the best for us, His children. 

James 1: 2My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials; 3Knowing this, that the trying of your faith works patience. 4But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing.

Salvation is free (Eph 2:8), but surrender costs. Salvation assures our position in heaven. Surrender gives us access to experiencing heaven on earth (Matt 6:10). Surrender will cost sacrifice for each of us: ideologies, acceptance from friends, career goals, familial relationships, sexual preferences, comforts, popularity, and more. This is where trusting God comes in. 

In the moment of surrender we must focus on God and not our loss. Because as we honor Him above ourselves, we have a guaranteed promise that we receive a hundred times better than what that surrender costs us both now and eternally. As believers, It’s time to stop denying the inner part of us that knows there’s more, and surrender ourselves to Christ (Phil 1:21). 

Mark 10: 28Peter began to say to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You.” 29Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, 30but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life.

2 Corinthians‬ ‭4:4‬ ‭AMP‬‬ “For the god of this world has blinded the unbelievers’ minds [that they should not discern the truth], preventing them from seeing the illuminating light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ (the Messiah), Who is the Image and Likeness of God.”‭‭

When Adam sinned in the Garden, Adam gave his dominion and authority to Satan, making Satan the god of this world. The death, destruction and chaos we see, are a direct result of Satan’s operations in this world. How do we know this? Because Satan’s only plans are to steal, kill, and to destroy (John 10:10). 

With this understanding, we can shift the blame for all the problems in the world back to Satan, instead of blaming God. 

Christ was sent to undo the works of Satan, taking back the authority for everyone who believes. Satan is still the god of this world but to everyone who believes in the finished works of Christ, we not only are protected from Satan’s plans, but through Christ, we have the authority to undo his plans. 

With this authority, begin to remove Satan’s influences from all terrorist organizations. Begin to speak peace in a chaotic atmosphere. Pray that the blinders be removed from people’s minds and they see Jesus Christ as Lord. 

This is the authority we have. Use it.  

Over the past decade or so, the term “generational curse” has infiltrated the body of Christ. It’s a term that represents sinful behavior throughout generations. If a person’s father and grandfather were alcoholics then, the generational curse would state, that person and their children have a high chance of being alcoholics unless, the curse is broken. 

The term generational curse derived from scriptures such as Exodus 20:5 which states, You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me. (Also see: Exodus 34:7; Deut. 5:9; Jer. 32:18)

The majority of these verses, if not all, are associated with the law of Moses. We are no longer under the law, but under grace. Under grace, every punishment of the law and sin has been poured out on Jesus. Christ rescued us from the curse of the law (Gal 3:13). Sin is not counted against us (Rom. 4:8). Christ freed us from the penalty to of sin (Rom. 3:24). 

With all that Christ has done for us, how can we still say there’s a generational curse? Christ redeemed us from every curse and there is nothing that can harm us. 

Romans 3:24 Yet God freely and graciously declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. 

Ephesians 5:22 Wives, place yourselves under your husbands’ authority as you have placed yourselves under the Lord’s authority.

In the first couple of years of our marriage, I realized that my lack of submission was because I had a lack of trust. I thought that I was not trusting Marvin to make the best decisions. But, God showed me it was a lack of trust in Him. God has told me to submit to my husband. So I trust God to bless my obedience to Him (Deuteronomy 28:1-14). 

Please note the following two points to Ephesians 5:22.

1.) Submission to God is first. If you refuse to submit to God you will not submit to your spouse. 

2.) And if your spouse wants to contradict God’s Word, your submission is always to God first. For example,

a) If one spouse wants to tithe and the other doesn’t. Tithe. God first. He has made a way for us to have access to ample promises in His Word, and not tithing would contradict your statement of trust and obedience to God and block the manifestation of those promises in your family’s lives. 

b) If deciding between making a right or left turn, submit to God. Don’t waste time arguing, or being disgruntled about his choice. And, if his choice led you into traffic, then don’t constantly remind him of how your route would have been better. Trust God when He said He will cause ALL things to work together for your good, even when it doesn’t look like it (Romans 8:28). That extra time in the car could lead to a great conversation, or that traffic may have diverted you from being in an accident, or you may show up right on time to get a perfect parking spot. Whatever the outcome, know that God blesses our obedience (Deuteronomy 11:8-15). 

Revelation 22:13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

God is the Alpha and Omega which means, He’s the beginning and the end. By God knowing the beginning and the end, He knows everything. He knows what’s good for us and He knows what’s bad for us. 

God said His plans are to prosper us, to give us hope, and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). Since God knows all and His plans are to give us the best in life, it’s just a matter of us trusting all that He knows and putting our lives in His hands.

We don’t know what tomorrow brings, but He knows the day we will leave this earth. We don’t know the traps the enemy set for our lives, but He knows our way of escape.

Trust in the Alpha and Omega in every area of our lives. 

There is a way to pray and get your prayers answered. Understanding how God wants us to petition Him and understanding all that He wants us to receive helps manifest our desires.

2.) Ask for what you want and believe you have received it.

John 14:13 whatsoever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.

When we pray a prayer of petition, the structure of our prayer should be: Father, I ask for… In Jesus’ Name. And I know I have it because Your Word says…

There is no need to ask repeatedly for the same thing. When the Word says pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17), that means we participate in an ongoing conversation with our Father as we go through our day. When it says ask and keep asking (Luke 11:9), it’s saying to continue bringing our different requests to the Father, not asking for the same thing repeatedly as if we don’t believe His Word is true when it says He hears our prayers or that we have what we’ve asked for (1 John 5:15). There’s no need to ask for it again because that would be like doubting (James 1:6).

Matthew 7:7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

~Inspired by the teachings of Dr. Frederick K.C. Price

Acts 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

In today’s society, the Holy Spirit gets an unfair assessment. He’s either considered spooky or He’s a joke. This is mainly because of a lack of understanding. Unfortunately, some believers in the body of Christ added fuel to the world’s thoughts of the Holy Spirit. 

As we can see from above, the initial outpouring of the Holy Spirit didn’t display some of the antics we see today. The disciples heard a sound of wind and they began to speak in other tongues or languages as the Spirit gave them utterance. The disciples were not convulsing on the ground with their eyes rolled back, they were not running into things, and they were not out of control. 

They were filled with the Holy Spirit for a purpose. That purpose was to fulfill the will of God in the earth. Don’t be afraid of the filling of the Holy Spirit and don’t think of Him as a joke. The Holy Spirit is real and He wants to lead and guide every part of our lives. 

Acts 11:12 “Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house.”‭

The number one job of the Holy Spirit is to give us something to do that aligns with the perfect will of God.

What has God told you? Did He tell you to start a business? Did He tell you to go back to school? How about ending that relationship with that man or woman? What about being positive instead of negative?

Whatever God instructs us to do through His Spirit, it’s for our good and for the glory of God. It may not be convenient, comfortable, or celebrated but when God’s desires come first, we’ll reap the reward in the end. 

Time continues for all of us. The older we get, the more we start to think about our past and the decisions we’ve made. Some of us thought we would be further along in life than where we are currently. We thought we would have a better career, have a spouse and children, or have finished our degree. The decisions we’ve made or didn’t make have caused us to be where we are. 

For all those who are not satisfied with where they are, there is hope. God knew the decisions we would make and if we would just trust Him, He will cause all things to work for our good (Rom. 8:28). Instead of living in regret, thinking certain promises have passed based on our age, understand that as long as there is breath in our bodies, every promise of God will come to pass if we believe. 

Abraham was 100 before he received his promise of a child (Gen. 21:5). Joseph was a slave before he received his promise to rule in Egypt (Gen. 41:41). Hezekiah received 15 years added to his life (Isaiah 38:5). 

God is waiting on us to look to Him, and not our past, to receive what He has to offer. 

Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 9:26 Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.

If we owe $10,000 for a loan we’ve taken out for a car, we are considered to be in debt. As long as there is a balance, debt will be attached to us, debt will show up on our credit report, and debt may affect future purchases. Once that loan is paid off, we are no longer considered to be in debt. Debt is not associated with our name and we are debt free. 

The same goes with sin. Sin was charged to our account because of the fall of Adam. Jesus took all sin and paid it with His life. For everyone who believes and receives this gift, we are no longer considered to be in sin. When God sees us, sin is not associated with our name and we are sin-free. 

Without sin being associated with our lives, we are righteous, perfect, and holy. Our behavior, at times, may not make us seem righteous or holy, but remember, Jesus took and paid for all of our sins. So, that lustful time we looked at that woman or man, Jesus paid for that sin. That person we cursed out, Jesus paid for that sin. That person we don’t give to in the future, Jesus paid for that too. 

Understand and recognize, for the believer, sin is not associated with our lives and it should be eliminated from our vocabulary.

Psalms 121:2 My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.

Making God our help requires total submission from us. It requires that we humble ourselves, letting everyone know, including ourselves, that we cannot handle a certain situation using our own knowledge, strength, and understanding. It requires that we rely on this invisible being who we hear about in the bible that can do anything.

Asking God for help may be difficult in the beginning. When we’re not used to relying on someone for help, it can make us feel vulnerable or inadequate when we do rely on someone. If we don’t keep our pride and ego in check, we can find ourselves trying to fix the very thing we gave God to handle.

Just remember, no solution we come up with will be better than God’s solution. It doesn’t matter how many times a solution worked in the past or how many times a solution worked for another person. If God is not involved, it has the potential to fail and put us in a worse situation than when we started.

Rely on God for help and no one else.

Psalms 121:2 “My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.”

Circumstances force everyone to make a critical decision. That decision is, where do we obtain our help. 

We have a number of options from where we can get help. We can get help from the amount of education we received. We can get help from our seemingly wise grandparents. We can even get help from TV hosts such as, Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz, and Steve Harvey. 

The wisest choice is to receive our help from the Lord. Why? Because He made heaven and earth. Since God made everything, He has a solution to every problem. 

He has a solution for that seemingly problematic relationship with our spouse. He has a solution for that anger provoking boss. He has a solution for that stubborn child. He even has a solution to that belly fat that won’t seem to go away no matter how hard we workout. 
Make the decision to allow God to be your only help. 

Psalms 119:68 “You are good, and do good; Teach me Your statutes.”

At some point in our lives, there should be this unction to want to do better, want to please God with our lives, or want to be a better Christian. Many of us start off well by attending church every Sunday, reading our Bible, and praying, however, there’s a time when our zeal leaves. This is the time when our tasks seem too difficult. Many of us quit during this time period or save our tasks for our New Year resolution.

Being a believer is not about completing so many tasks in a week. It’s about doing what God says. In order to do what God says on a daily basis, we have to initiate the quest to learn God’s ways. We have to be the ones going to God, asking Him to teach us His ways. Revelation and understanding is not going to download into our souls automatically. We have to desire to do His will.

It may seem difficult and our flesh won’t like the discipline, but learning the will of God and having the will of God being accomplished through us is exceptional in the eyes of God and improves the quality of our lives.

Mark 5: 25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

There are times in our lives where we have no other choice, but to trust God. We can either trust God or go insane, however, God doesn’t want to be the last resort. He wants us to trust Him from the start.

What if this woman would have trusted Jesus from the beginning? She would have been healed and she wouldn’t have had to spend all her money on doctors.

How much time, effort, and money would we save if we trusted God from the beginning? We can save our bodies the stress and worry about that sickness we were diagnosed with if we trust God that we’re healed. We can save money on “get rich quick” schemes and investments if we trust God to be our provider. We can have peace of mind about our health, without taking pills, vitamins, and herbal teas if we trust God.

Don’t waste time, money, and energy trying to figure life’s issues out on your own. Trust God from the beginning and live the abundant life.

Psalms 119:59 “I thought about my ways, And turned my feet to Your testimonies.”‭‭

Let’s take a moment to think about our ways…

Are we still living in a manner that displeases God? Are we still walking in fear, bitterness, and not forgiving those who hurt us? Are we still speaking death, destruction and hate into the atmosphere instead of life, health, and encouragement? If so, we need to turn ourselves towards the things of God. 

The only way our lives and the world around us is going to get any better is if we have people submitted to God. God has the power to fix anything in the world, but He does not have the authority. If God’s will is going to manifest itself in the earth, it’s going to be through us. Our submission gives Him the authority to operate in the earth. 

We all have something we can work on. Let’s turn ourselves to God in that area and allow Him to be the solution through us. 

We desire to please God and to do His will, however, to fully please God there are some things we know we have to give up. There are some people we know we have to forgive. There are some habits we know we have to break. There are some lifestyle choices we have to change.

Initially, we tend to change our behavior or lifestyle using willpower. That only works for a limited time. Eventually, we find ourselves going back to the same behavior.

God never intended for us to change our lives using our own willpower or strength. It’s only by the Holy Spirit’s help we’re going to change forever. The Holy Spirit will tell us when and how to forgive the person who wronged us. The Holy Spirit will give us the power to say “no” to the lustful desires in our flesh. The Holy Spirit will give us a long-term strategy to quit smoking or any other bad habit.

God gave us the Holy Spirit for a reason. Let’s rely on Him every step of the way in every area of our lives.

Zechariah 4:6 So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.

In most weddings, the minster ends the ceremony by saying “By the power vested in me by the state of ___________, I now pronounce you man and wife.” The word vested means fully and unconditionally guaranteed as a legal right, benefit, or privilege. The state has given an individual the power or legal right to make two souls one flesh. 

If a state can give an individual power to marry a couple, how much more power do we have through the Holy Spirit? The Spirit of God, which dwells in us and gives us power, is the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead. 

So, by the power vested in us by the Almighty God, through the Holy Spirit, we can positively change the world. The power vested in us gives the ability to raise the dead, control the weather, heal the sick, release protection, cause multiplication, and bind demonic forces in the earth. 
Recognize, activate, and utilize the power within us for the glory of God.

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Romans 8:11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

Matthew 6:27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

“Worrying is like sitting in a rocking chair. We’re doing a lot of moving, but we’re not going anywhere.” ~Joyce Meyer

It’s not the will of God for us to worry. Worrying lets God know we don’t believe what He says and we will handle the situation without any outside help. The problem with worrying is we to try to figure out solutions with a positive outcome without success.

To not have our lives consumed with worry, we must give the situation to God. We inform God we need His help and we can’t do it by ourselves. Secondly, we must believe God’s Word. We must believe He will take care of us (Psalms 55:22), all of our needs are met by God (Phil. 4:19), and God will protect us (Psalms 121:7).

The elimination of worry may be an ongoing process, but the results are a peaceful stress-free life.

Luke 8:41 Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house 42 because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying. As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. 43 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. 44 She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. 45“Who touched me?” Jesus asked.

As we mature in our relationship with God, we need to get to the point of being a blessing (Genesis 12:2). We need to lend a helping hand, lift someone up, or say an encouraging word. That helping hand or encouraging word may not always be convenient with our schedules. As we can see, Jesus was inconvenienced by the woman with the issue of blood.

We may have a friend who asks for a ride going northbound when we’re going southbound. We may have a family member who calls at 11:00pm with a problem when we have to be at work by 7:00am. There may be a stranger stuck on the side of the road and we simply don’t feel like stopping.

Although the time may be inconvenient for us, the help we provide may be the strand that keeps a person trusting in God. We may be the answer to someone’s prayers. We may have an opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Let’s not allow our temporary inconvenience to stop us from doing what God has called us to do.

We read and a get a good feeling from the following scriptures:

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Psalms 121:7 The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life;

Mark 11:24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

However, after reading any encouraging scripture, some of us forget to apply these scriptures in our daily lives. We tend to forget the most when life seems difficult.

Some of us tend to think or say “I hope I don’t get robbed” when walking in the dark by ourselves. We need to be saying, “praise God for keeping me from all harm.” Some of us begin to panic when we have an unmet need instead of being at peace because we know God supplies all our needs (Phil. 4:19).

In order to maximize on the promises God has given to us, we must apply these truths to our lives. We apply these truths by reading and believing what God’s Word says. These scriptures should be more than a good feeling. These are promises from God and our faith allows these promises to manifest themselves in the earth.

James 1:22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Genesis 19:6 Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him 7 and said, “No, my friends. Don’t do this wicked thing.

Lot protected two angels of the Lord from being raped by the evil and perverted men of Sodom and Gomorrah. As a result of Lot’s efforts to protect them, Lot received forewarning of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (v. 13), Lot’s request was granted (v. 21), and Lot and his family were saved from destruction (v. 23).

We never know how much helping an individual may benefit our lives. God may bring us someone or put someone on our hearts that is in need of help. God may have us babysit a couple’s child so that they can go on a romantic date, He may have us give a $20 tip on a $10 meal or, He may have us send an encouraging text message.

When we do whatever God places on our hearts, just know God has obligated Himself to bless us in return (Ephesians 6:8). Always remember, when we help someone, we’re showing the love of Christ, being lights of the world, and there is a benefit attached to our obedience.

James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

If submission to God causes the devil to flee, then the lack of submission to God keeps the devil present.

Any conflict within any type of relationship (marriage, parent/children, work) is due to a lack of submission to God by one or both individuals. Submission to God means committing to doing things His way.

Conflict in each situation varies. In a marriage, a man may not love his wife the way Christ loves the church and/or a woman may not be respecting her husband (Ephesians 5:25, 33). In a parent/child relationship, children may not be honoring or obeying their parents and/or parents may be provoking their children to anger (Ephesians 6:1-4). In a work relationship, an employee and a supervisor may not be respecting each other (Ephesians 6:5-9).

A solution to any conflict in any relationship is all individuals submitting to God. We cannot force an individual to submit to God, but we do possess power over the devil who influences a person to do things contrary to the will of God (Luke 10:19). So, if we’re in conflict with anyone, let’s submit ourselves to God, bind and rebuke the devil from influencing the mind of the person we’re in conflict with, and believe all conflict in any area of our lives must die.

1 Thessalonians 5:16 Rejoice at all times.

The definition of rejoice is to be glad or take delight. It’s easy to rejoice when everything is going well and we’re not facing issues. It’s a little more difficult to rejoice in trying times. In whatever situation we face and no matter what we go through, rejoice.

We’re not rejoicing because of the situation. We rejoice because we know the outcome of the situation. We’re rejoicing because all things are working for our good (Romans 8:28). We’re rejoicing because God always causes us to triumph (2 Corinthians 2:14). We’re rejoicing because in every test or trial, God provides a way to escape (1 Corinthians 10:13). We rejoice because in every situation, we win (1 Corinthians 15:57).

Wherever you are in life, rejoice!

John 16:23 “In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you. 24 “Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.

God wants us to ask Him for whatever we desire so that our joy can be made full. Would our joy be made full if we asked God for a red 2015 BMW 535i, but we received a 2005 Ford Escape? Would our joy be made full if we asked God for a $60,000 managerial career, but received a $30,000 entry-level job? The answer is no. We would feel bamboozled or duped.

Religious thinking will tell us we should just be happy with what God gave us, but that type of thinking makes God seem like He won’t fulfill His promise. The promise says anything we ask in His name, it shall be given to us. If we’re not specific, God is not obligated to give us exactly what we desire.

So, for those who are standing in faith for something, be specific, let God know exactly what you desire, so that your joy may be full.

~Inspired by the teachings of Apostle Price

Mark 11:24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

1 John 5:14 This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

Since we have our requests once we’ve prayed, it may be beneficial to write down what we have requested and the date of our requests. This is not a law or a rule to receive the manifestation of our requests, but writing down the date and what we’ve requested may keep some of us in faith. We can remind ourselves of when we received our requests. It strengthens our thanksgiving and our boldness to God.

For example: Father God, on September 16, 2015 I asked for employment that will fulfill my purpose in the earth. Since I asked, I know that You heard me and have fulfilled my request. I believe that I received my employment.

If we didn’t write down the date of our requests, we may forget when we received our desires. This may help some of us stay in faith. So, write down date of your requests to keep your desires organized.

Mark 11:24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

1 John 5:14 This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

After reading these scriptures, God is showing us, once we’ve made our requests to Him, it’s settled. By faith, we have whatever we requested because God heard us. It’s just a matter of time before what we’ve asked for manifests itself in the earth.

While we wait on that manifestation, we continue to believe that we’ve received it. We don’t continue to ask for the same thing. When we continually ask for the same thing, it displays our doubt. It lets God know we don’t believe He heard us or fulfilled our requests (1 John 5:14-15). If we’re in doubt, we can’t expect to receive anything from God (James 1:6-7).

Let’s stay in faith by knowing God heard us and fulfilled our requests the first time we prayed.

Titus 3:4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,

We can pray 5 times a day, go to church 4 days a week, fast 3 days a week, read the Word of God 2 hours each day and that still won’t get us to heaven or in right standing with God.

It’s ONLY by the grace and mercy of our God through Jesus Christ we are saved.

Does this mean we live like a hellion because we’re saved by grace? Of course not.

Our good behavior and works of righteousness are expressions of our gratitude towards the One who saved us. Think of it this way, if the richest person in the world paid all our bills, bought us a new house, bought us two cars, and gave us $5 million out of the kindness of their heart, would we disrespect them, make up excuses as to why we can’t spend time with them, make other plans when they say they need our help? Most of us would not. We would take every opportunity to show that we’re appreciative for all they’ve done.

Well, through Jesus we have the opportunity to obtain all the worldly possessions mentioned above, but He also saved us from eternal destruction. So, praise God for Jesus who alone saved us and blessed us with all blessings (Eph. 1:3).

Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus is our example of how we should live this life and He came to serve. If Jesus served, what make us think we’re too good to serve?

Throughout our day, there are so many areas where we can serve others. It doesn’t have to be a big, grand gesture like feeding the poor. We can serve in areas that may seem minor.

For example, by opening the door for someone when walking into a building, we’re serving someone else. We serve the janitors by picking up pieces of trash from the ground. By praying for a person with a disability, we’re serving someone else. By turning off lights when at a hotel or business, we’re serving the company by saving them money.

Don’t think our good deeds are going unnoticed. According to Ephesians 6:20 whatever good we do, the same shall we receive from the Lord. So, continue in the ways of Christ and serve.

There are individuals who spend countless hours shopping for the finest clothes. Their hair, car, and house are always pristine. They spend so much time and money on their appearance because their identity is based on their image and how people see them.

There are individuals who have a wealth of earthly knowledge. These are the people with two or three doctorates. They’re constantly studying and creating research projects for themselves. They spend a lot of their time studying because their identity is based on their education and the amount of knowledge they can acquire.

As believers, our identity needs to be Christ centered. There’s nothing wrong with having nice clothes and a great education, but our sole focus needs to be in Christ. People are lost and hurting, but an image conscience person is worrying about their clothes or car getting dirty. People need to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, but an education conscience person doesn’t have time because they’re consumed with their studies.

Let’s examine our lives to see what we’re focused on. Is our identity focused on ourselves or is it focused on fulfilling the will of God like our example Jesus?

Philippians 2:3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Psalms 127:3 “Children are a blessing and a gift from the Lord.”‭‭

Proverbs 10:22 The blessing of the LORD, it makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.

Disgruntled or tired parents may give others the “kids ain’t nothing but trouble” speech. Their intentions are to make us think twice before having or raising children. They want to let us know how tiresome and troubling raising children can be. This may be a fact for some, however, the Word of God declares children are a blessing from the Lord. The Word of God also declares the blessing of the Lord makes one rich and adds no sorrow. 

We don’t have to accept what certain parents have to say about parenting. It’s a choice to receive the negativity behind raising children. We can either accept the negativity of disgruntled parents or accept the truth from the Parent of us all.

If God says children are a blessing and His blessings are without sorrow, I choose to believe Him. Who do you believe? 

Psalms 8:2 Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.

When we go through difficult times in our lives, the enemy is always standing by, whispering negative thoughts of doubt, unbelief, and disparity. He lets us know we won’t get through this situation, we’ve failed in that area, and we’ve missed our blessing.

When those negative thoughts arise, begin to praise God. We may not feel like praising God during trying times, but our praise is very beneficial.

1. Our praise establishes a stronghold against the plans of the enemy. The traps that have been set by the enemy are dismantled when we praise.
2. Our praise silences the enemy. Those negative thoughts that enter our minds are silenced as we praise.

So, give God praise. Let Him know how wonderful He is. Get excited about His promises for our lives and don’t allow the enemy to win.

We all know individuals who are unsaved, not living a life pleasing to God, lost, or confused. We’ll pray or even talk to those individuals, however, if we don’t see immediate results, another trick of the enemy is to have us worry about those people. Our mind will be consumed with how we can fix it or what we can do to make it better.

Just like every other care or concern in the world, we have to give our cares or concerns to God. What will happen if we don’t is, we’ll spend our time, thought life, and energy worrying about another person’s life meanwhile, we’re delaying or even forsaking what God has called us to do. By worrying about another person’s life, the enemy kills two birds with one stone. The enemy stops the will of God from being manifested in the lost or confused person’s life and he stops the will of God from being manifested in the worrier’s life.

Let’s have faith, knowing our prayers for the lost will come to pass. Let’s fulfill the will of God by giving ALL cares and concerns to God and keeping them there.

Psalm 68:19 Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.

Matthew 16:16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

The rock Jesus was referring to was the rock of revelation about Him being the Christ. On the rock of Christ, Jesus will build His church and the gates of hell will not prevail against the church.

If the rock of Christ is what Jesus stood on for His church, how much more will the rock of Christ be beneficial in other areas of our lives?

By choosing to have Christ as the foundation in every area of our lives, the Word of God guarantees hell will not prevail against those areas. If we have Christ as the foundation of our marriage, hell won’t prevail against it. If we have Christ as the foundation of our children, hell won’t prevail against them. If we have Christ as the foundation of our attitude, speech, or in our daily operations, hell won’t prevail against them.

Let’s not live life using our own power or abilities. In whatever we do, let’s do it through Christ so that God is pleased, we are blessed, and hell can’t prevail against it.