Know the Word for Yourself

If you have been wondering why it always seems that you are under something—facing one problem or another—and don't have victory in your life, perhaps you need to spend more time abiding in the Word.

Many believers go to church every week to listen to someone else preach the Word to them, but they never know the Word for themselves. If you want to live in victory, you must give God's Word a place of priority in your everyday life. Practically speaking, this could mean that you confess the Word while you get ready in the morning. Maybe you could listen to teaching or worship music on the way to work. You may want to use your lunch hour to read the Word or walk outside and pray.

These are just a few ideas for integrating God's Word into your life. Just make sure you pursue His truth on a regular, ongoing basis. Giving His Word a place of top priority will change your life.

Prayer Starter: Lord, I want to fully integrate Your Word into my life. I don't just want to hear someone tell me the Word once a week, I want to know it for myself. Lead me and give me ideas to pursue Your Word consistently.

Dealing with Disappointment

Many Christians are lying along the roadside of life devastated because they have not learned how to deal with disappointment, but it’s not God's will for you to live a disappointed, devastated or oppressed life today—or any day.

Part of Jesus' earthly ministry was to go about in the anointing of the Holy Spirit and deliver all those who were oppressed by the devil. Disappointed people everywhere found new hope when they encountered the power of Jesus. This same power is available to us today.

Use that power to defend yourself against disappointment by focusing on God, meditating on His promises, confessing His Word, and submitting yourself and your situation to Him in prayer. Through Jesus, you can fight the enemy's attempts to weigh you down, rebuking him so that he can’t destroy you.

When the devil makes one move toward you, keep yourself so spiritually tuned in that you can discern what he is trying to do and then back him down. With the power Jesus made available to you, he has no choice but to run.

Prayer Starter: God, setbacks and discouraging things will come my way, but I will not remain disappointed. As I stay tuned in to You, I will fight off the devil and send him running every time.

Don’t Blend In Stand Out

It’s hard to turn on the TV, listen to the radio, open a newspaper or look on the Internet without coming face to face with the evil of this world. I don’t know if we’re living in the very “last days” before Jesus returns or not, but I’m certain that we’re a lot closer today than we were yesterday. A lot of Christians are interested in when Jesus is going to return, and I look forward to that day as well…but there’s a reason why God didn’t tell us when that day is coming. He doesn’t just want us to get ready for Jesus to come back. He wants us to live ready! The apostle Paul wrote to his young apprentice Timothy and described to him what the “last days” would look like. If you read through the list of characteristics found in 2 Timothy 3:1-5, it sounds like a description of the world we live in: greed, arrogance, slander, and no self-control. The list is pretty accurate. But in the next chapter, Paul gives Timothy specific instructions on how he is to handle these difficult times. He tells Timothy to “correct, rebuke and encourage” those around him (2 Timothy 4:1-5).

Now the encouraging part isn’t that difficult. I do a lot of that in my teaching and people accept it pretty well. But when I get into the “correct and rebuke” mode…that starts stepping on some toes. God’s calling on my life, as a teacher of His Word, is to help people grow up spiritually so they can have the abundant life Jesus died for them to have. That means I can’t just tell them what they want to hear. When I stand before God to give an account of what I’ve taught, I’ll be responsible for telling folks what they need to hear, not just what makes them feel good.

Your Life is a Sermon; “Now Joyce,” some of you are saying, “I’m not a preacher like you or Timothy. What does all this have to with me?” You are a preacher! Maybe not with your mouth all the time like me, but as a believer in Christ, your life is a living sermon. At work, at the grocery store, at school…your life should encourage others by showing them the love of God working in your life. And you don’t even have to open your mouth to do it! So what kind of life makes a good sermon? It’s the kind of life that reflects the fact that you are a child of God. That alone will stand out in this world.

For example, I John 4 says we can live without fear because of what God has done for us. God promises that He will take care of us, whatever our circumstances or what’s going on in the world around us. People today are scared. They’re scared of wars, the economy, the government…it seems the news is a constant fear-fest these days. We as Christians know that we are safe and secure in God’s arms and that He will always take care of us, even in the hardest of times. Our lives should reflect our faith in that Truth. That kind of living is what makes you “holy” or “set apart” from the world. The very fact that you can go out and live unafraid is a witness and a testimony to the world.

Prepare to Leave Your Comfort Zone; Safety doesn’t always equal comfort, though. Living in the world means we’re always going to see things and hear things that make us a little uncomfortable. And that’s OK. Sometimes God places us in situations where we’re uncomfortable just so we turn the light up a little bit brighter. To do this, we don’t have to get all “religious.” There’s no need for you to walk around with your six-pack of Bibles and covered head to toe with bumper stickers. All you need to do is let your light shine. Loving, calm, happy, gracious behavior will stand out. That will be a light in a dark place.In these tough times, we need God more than ever. And as we are the Body of Christ, God needs us to be acting on His behalf. He needs us to go out and shine His light into the darkness of the world. Believe today that in Christ, you have what it takes to not be afraid and to be a person that God can use to change people’s lives. 

Well Laid Plans

For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere.
—Ephesians 6:12

“How could you?” Helen screamed. “How could you ever do such a thing?” Tom stared helplessly at his wife. He had committed adultery, faced his sinful actions, and asked his wife to forgive him.

“But you knew it was wrong,” she said. “You knew that was the ultimate betrayal of our marriage.”

“I never planned for an affair to happen,” Tom said with tears in his eyes. Tom wasn’t lying. He knew he was making a few bad choices, but he hadn’t looked ahead at the consequences of his actions. After almost an hour of pleading, he said something that helped Helen begin to understand and eventually to forgive.

“I was unfaithful to you in hundreds of ways before I ever committed adultery.” He spoke of their being too busy to spend quality time together, his critical attitude, her occasional lack of emotional response, her not listening to him when he talked about problems at the office. “Just little things, always little things,” he said. “At least in the beginning they seemed that way.”

That’s exactly how Satan works in human lives. He begins by bombarding our minds with cleverly devised patterns of irritation, dissatisfaction, nagging thoughts, doubts, fears, and reasonings. He moves slowly and cautiously (after all, well-laid plans take time).

Tom said he began to doubt that Helen truly loved him. She didn’t listen, and she didn’t always respond to his amorous moods. He dwelt on those thoughts. Whenever she did anything he didn’t like, he kept track. He kept track by remembering and adding that to his list of dissatisfactions.

One of his coworkers listened, and she offered him sympathy. One time she said, “Helen doesn’t deserve a warm, caring man like you.” (Satan also worked in her.) Each time Tom took a tiny step off the right path, he justified his actions in his mind: If Helen won’t listen to me, there are people who will. Although he said the word people to himself, he really meant the woman in the next cubicle.

The coworker listened. Weeks later, he hugged her and as he did so, he wished he could feel that caring response from his wife. It was a harmless embrace—or so it seemed. Tom didn’t grasp that Satan is never in a hurry. He takes time to work out his plans. He doesn’t immediately overwhelm people with powerful desires. Instead, the enemy of our minds starts with little things—little dissatisfactions, small desires—and builds from there.

Tom’s story sounds much like that of a forty-two-year-old bookkeeper who was indicted for stealing nearly three million¬ dollars from her organization. She said, “The first time I took only twelve dollars. I needed that much to pay the minimum amount on my credit card. I planned to pay it back.” No one caught her, and two months later, she “borrowed” again.

By the time they caught her, the company teetered on the brink of bankruptcy. “I never meant to hurt anybody or do anything wrong,” she said. She never intended to do anything big—just to take small amounts. The prosecutor said she had been stealing from the company for almost twenty years.

That’s how Satan works—slowly, diligently, and in small ways. Rarely does he approach us through direct assault or frontal attacks. All Satan needs is an opening—an opportunity to inject unholy, self-centered thoughts into our heads. If we don’t kick them back out, they stay inside. And he can continue his evil, destructive plan.

We don’t have to allow those wrong thoughts to take up residence in our heads. The apostle Paul wrote, “For the weapons of our warfare are . . . mighty before God. . . . [We] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ . . .” (2 Corinthians 10:4–5).

Lord Jesus, in Your name, I cry out for victory. Enable me to bring every thought into obedience. Help me not to allow Satan’s words to stay in my mind and steal my victory. Amen.

The Blood of Jesus

The concept of Christ's blood confuses some people, but without a proper understanding of it, believers cannot appropriate its power.

When Adam sinned, his sin was passed down through his blood. David acknowledged this truth in Psalm 51:5: "Behold, I was brought forth in [a state of] iniquity; my mother was sinful who conceived me [and I too am sinful]."

Jesus came to redeem mankind, to purchase our freedom and to restore us to our original state. How could He possibly do that with sinful blood?

Jesus is referred to as the “last Adam” in 1 Corinthians 15:45. Because He was born of God, not man, there is life in the blood of Jesus, and when it is properly applied, the life in His blood will conquer and overcome the death that works in us through sin.

God wants to restore us to the place of authority that is ours. He has already made all the arrangements. We might say that He has "sealed the deal." The purchase price has been paid in full. We have been purchased with a price—the precious blood of Jesus.

Prayer Starter: God, I am redeemed and set free by the blood of Jesus. Even though I was born into sin, the blood of Jesus has cleansed me. Thank You, Lord!

Appreciate Honesty from Other People

Everyone loves compliments, but very few know how to handle constructive criticism. No one likes to be wrong, which makes it hard when people are uncomfortably honest with us.

But we need to be thankful for honesty in other people. I once heard someone say, "Only two people will tell you the truth about yourself: someone who is angry with you and someone who loves you very much." God uses both types in our lives, but He especially uses the honesty of friends and loved ones.

When someone can, in love, honestly show you how you can improve, the results will be so much more valuable than empty, ego-stroking compliments. It’s this kind of relationship that the Bible describes as “iron sharpening iron.”

I urge you to be thankful for people who tell you the truth about yourself, even if it's not what you want to hear.

When you hear the truth—especially something you weren’t aware of—you can change. Ultimately, their honesty will make you a better person.

Prayer Starter: Lord, thank You for placing truly honest people in my life. Their honesty may make me uncomfortable at times, but I know that when I listen to them, You can help me become a better person.

Notice the Little Things

One day as I was going into an office building, a man standing nearby opened the door for me. I thanked him and smiled.

"You're the fifth person I've held the door for," he said, "and you're the first one to smile and the second to thank me."

I thanked him a second time, with a smile on my face. Afterward, I thought how much we take others for granted, even in simple things, such as opening a door for a stranger.

We often commend people when they do big things for us, but how often do we appreciate the little things?

When a person does something nice for you and you thank them, it builds them up and encourages them. It means a lot to them, just like it did to the man at the office building.

Did your bus arrive on time today? If so, did you thank the driver? The last time you ate at a restaurant, did you thank the waiter for filling your coffee cup a second time without being asked? This is the point I want to make: Develop an attitude of gratitude toward the people in your life.

Prayer Starter: Lord, keep me aware so that I will notice the little, helpful things that people do for me. I don’t want to be ungrateful. Instead, I want to thank them and build them up.

Practicing Thankfulness

We all know that we should be grateful for our many blessings. God tells us in His Word to be thankful, and we know from our own experience that once we seriously start praising God, our burdens and troubles seem to weigh less heavily on our shoulders.

David said, "I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Many evils confront the [consistently] righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all" (Psalm 34:1,19 ).

That’s the power of thankfulness. Not only does it help set us free, but as we pause to give thanks to God for the blessings we enjoy in our lives, we actually begin to find more blessings—even more to be thankful for!

I encourage you to take time to practice being thankful. There is so much for us to be grateful for, and we need to focus on it—every single day. Keep in mind the admonition of the psalmist, "Be thankful and say so to Him, bless and affectionately praise His name!" (Psalm 100:4).

Prayer Starter: Dear God, the power of thankfulness is truly incredible. Thank You for blessing me daily and working in my life. I know that without You, I have nothing, so I thank You for the goodness that You have shown me.

God's Perfect Plan for You

"God has perfect a plan for your life!" We've all heard that phrase, but I don't think many of us really believe it. Maybe it's the word "perfect" that troubles us. For most of us, perfection isn't even remotely involved.

Perfection seems impossible. And guess what? It is!

God's plan isn't perfect because we're perfect. The plan is perfect because God is the One who designed it. The perfection comes from Him and Him alone. He knows us better than we know ourselves, and He has designed and set into action a plan specifically engineered for our lives.

Paul tells us in Philippians 1:6 that God saved us and started a good work in us, and His work in us will come to full completion.

As we think about God at work in us, we must remind ourselves that as imperfect as we are, God is perfection. Nothing we can ever do will be good enough to satisfy God's perfection. Only Jesus, the Perfect One, is good enough. And because we are in Christ, God’s perfect plan is possible for us!

Prayer Starter: Dear Lord, I know that I am not perfect, but thankfully Your plan for me depends on Your perfection, not mine. Thank You so much for developing a good work within me. I trust You to complete it.

Where You Are Weak, He Is Strong

Weak or strong? If you had to pick one of those words to describe yourself, which one would it be? I think most of us would probably say “weak.” But did you know that we don’t have to remain defeated by our weaknesses?

The only way to overcome your weakness is to rely on God’s strength. To do that, you have to stop focusing on your weaknesses. You cannot look at everything you are not. You must look at everything God is. Focus on His strength and all He is willing to do for you.

The weaknesses of the world are not your inheritance. Jesus did not come to earth, die on the cross, and rise again on the third day for you to be weak and defeated. He went through all that to give you an inheritance—authority in this life and His strength to rule over your circumstances.

In any area where you stumble, God is ready and willing to provide you with His strength. So the next time you find yourself confronted by your weakness, remember and declare that where you are weak, He is strong!

Prayer Starter: God, I declare and confess that where I am weak, You are strong. So I will not worry about, or remain defeated by, my weakness. Instead, I put my faith in Your strength. 

The Tremendous Power in the Name of Jesus

Many people—including Christians—don't have a clue about the tremendous power in the name of Jesus.

Have you ever thought about the importance of a name? A person's name represents and personifies his character, setting him apart from everyone else. When we call someone by name, we are declaring something about that person.

In the same way, when we say the name of Jesus, we are not just speaking a name. We are declaring a name that embodies power—not human power, but all the power and authority of God (see Colossians 2:9-10).

When we speak that name, we are describing the Person. Jesus means "Savior," and we are calling Him according to what He does for us—He saves us from sin, from our failures and from circumstances that are not in His will (see Matthew 1:21).

Many people want to experience spiritual power but they don't understand that in order to release it, they must speak the name of Jesus in faith. That wonderful name has been given to those who believe. As a child of God, speak His name in faith today.

Prayer Starter: Father God, over every circumstance in my life, I declare the name of Jesus in faith. Thank You for the saving power of Your Son.

Managing Your Emotions

Dealing with emotions is a fact of life. As long as we live, we will experience a variety of emotional feelings and reactions, and we must not deny their existence or feel guilty because of them.

However, we do need to learn to manage our emotions. This is easier when we understand that we cannot trust them. In fact, they can be our greatest enemy. Satan uses our emotions against us to keep us from walking in the Spirit.

It is so important to know that the Lord our God who resides within each of us is mighty. His might within us enables us to overcome our emotions and be led by His unchangeable Word and Spirit instead of our unstable feelings and emotions.

Spiritual stability and emotional maturity don’t come naturally. You must desire it with all your heart and be determined to get it. When you make emotional stability a priority, God is more than willing to help you manage your emotions.

I encourage you to pursue that today. Enjoy emotional stability and a joyful, victorious life!

Prayer Starter: God, I choose to pursue emotional stability. I don’t want to be controlled by my emotions, but I want to learn to manage them properly. Thank You for living in me and helping me with Your great strength.