Do You Need Some Convincing?

And when he is come, he will reprove…of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more.
— John 16:8,10

Have you ever complimented someone who responded by arguing with you — rejecting your compliment and essentially questioning your judgment in the matter? For example, after you told someone that he looked as if he had lost weight, did he respond by telling you how fat he is rather than by thanking you for the compliment? “Well, I’ve gained a lot of weight,” the person may have said, “and I look so fat now. I wish you could have seen me three months ago when I really looked good! I don’t look as good now.”

This is the equivalent of throwing the compliment back in your face. It would have been far more polite and gracious to say, “Thank you. I’m so glad you noticed. I appreciate you telling me that I look better.”

Here is another example that I think will make the point. A person stands before the church and sings a beautiful solo that deeply stirs your heart. At the end of the service, you make your way through the congregation to find the soloist because you want to express how much his singing moved you. After opening your heart and thanking him for allowing God to use him, the soloist responds to your compliment by saying, “Thanks for the compliment, but I thought I did a hor-rible job tonight. I can’t believe I sang so badly. I don’t know how you got anything out of it.”

It’s rude to respond like this to someone who is trying to thank you for being a blessing. Although you are probably not deliberately intending to be ill-mannered, your response is still equivalent to a rejection of the love, admiration, and appreciation God is expressing through someone else to you. It’s the same as saying, “I appreciate the fact that you gave me that compliment, but we both know it isn’t true, so you don’t have to say it.” In effect, you are calling the person a liar!

We sometimes respond this way to one another, not meaning to be rude. But did you know that we also do this to God almost every day? Consider, for example, what Second Corinthians 5:21 declares: “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

This verse says that God sent Jesus to the Cross to take upon Himself our sin, to die in our place, and to give us His standing of righteousness in God’s sight. Yet if there is any subject about which Christians will get bent out of shape, it is this question of their being “righteous.” Most believers are so conscious of their old sinful nature that they can’t embrace the truth that they’ve been declared righteous! Tell them that they are righteous before God, and they will respond by telling you how bad they are.

Sinful nature always clings to the worst and to what is most negative. It will always gravitate downward, never upward. That is the nature of the mind that is not under the control of the Holy Spirit. If abandoned to your flesh, you’ll never believe a good report; you’ll never believe God is doing a good work in you; and you’ll certainly never believe that you have been made “the righteousness of God in him.”

Negative, base, sinful thinking has been a part of humanity for so long that it requires some special convincing to make us realize what God has done inside us. For us to really believe that we have rightstanding with God, it will take the work of the Holy Spirit to convince us! Otherwise, when God says, “You’re My child. I have made you righteous. You are beautiful to Me,” our negatively charged minds and emotions will retort, “It’s not so! I’m unworthy. I’m unholy. I’m so pitiful!”

But here is the good news: Just as the Holy Spirit convicts a sinner of his sin, He is also sent to convince believers of their new rightstanding with God! Jesus told us this about the Holy Spirit: “And when he is come, he will reprove…of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more” (John 16:8,10).

The word “reprove” is the Greek word elegcho. It means to expose or to convict, such as to convict someone of a crime or a sin. This word was used to describe legal proceedings during which a person was examined and cross-examined in a court of law until the court issued a final ruling. If the person was deemed guilty, he was unmistakably convicted of his crime. In this sense, the word elegcho describes the work of the Spirit to completely and thoroughly convict a sinner of his sin. When the Holy Spirit is finished opening the eyes of a person to his sin, that person knows he is a sinner. There is no escaping the truth for the unbeliever once the Holy Spirit has revealed truth to his heart!

But the word “reprove” is also used in a positive sense to convince someone of something positive. Again in a legal sense, it was used to denote lawyers who worked very diligently to convince people of a new way of thinking or a new way of seeing things. Perhaps they were entrenched in a wrong mindset or had a distorted perception, so the attorneys would go to work to change their opinion. In this case, they weren’t trying to convict someone; they were working to convince someone!

Referring to the Holy Spirit, Jesus said, “And when he is come, he will reprove…of righteousness…” (John 16:8). After the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin and God declares us righteous, it takes a supernatural work of God to make us comprehend our new condition in Jesus Christ. This realization is just as supernatural as the moment we recognized we were lost. Only this time, we are being supernaturally awakened to the fact that we are righteous!

I can remember when I woke up to this truth many years ago. I was driving down the street, feeling totally unrighteous while listening to a teaching tape on the subject of righteousness. Suddenly my mind began to grasp what I was hearing. It was as if someone took blinders off my eyes and earplugs out of my ears! For the first time, I was seeing and hearing the truth about my new righteousness in Christ Jesus.

This truth was going straight to my heart by the power of the Holy Spirit! I not only heard the words, but I also understood them. My inward man leaped for joy when the Spirit of God illumined my understanding about righteousness. He convinced me of the truth, and I was set free!

If you struggle with a poor self-image and a constant feeling of condemnation, you need the Holy Spirit to do His convincing work in your life. Only He can open your eyes to see who you have become in Jesus Christ. Once your eyes have been opened and you understand you are righteous, you will never again throw the truth back in God’s face and argue with Him. When the Holy Spirit reminds you that you have been declared righteous, you will cry out with joy, “Thank you! That’s exactly who I am!”

This means you don’t have to be negative about yourself all the time. You don’t have to beat yourself over the head, constantly reminding yourself of how unworthy you are, because Jesus made you worthy! He made you righteous!

On the other hand, if you don’t have a grasp of this God-given righteousness, a negative self-image will most likely rule your life, inhibiting your ability to pray with the confident trust that God will answer your prayer. That sense of unworthiness will cause a cloud of heaviness to hang over your life, hindering your ability to walk in the joy and victory of the Lord.

So don’t you think it’s time to let the Holy Spirit open your eyes and ears to see and hear the truth about who God has made you to be? It may seem hard to believe that you’re righteous, and it may take a lot of convincing for you to finally believe it. But the Holy Spirit was sent to be the Great Convincer! He is on the job and is ready right now to start convincing you of the truth regarding who you are in Christ!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I need the Holy Spirit to open my eyes and convince me that I’ve become righteous through the blood of Jesus Christ. I’ve read and heard this truth, and I know it intellectually, but I need a revelation of it in my heart. So Holy Spirit, go to work in my heart. Open the eyes and ears of my spirit to see and to hear that I am the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ. Free me from religious thinking that holds me in bondage to feelings of unworthiness. Please do it today!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ. Jesus became sin for me so I could become the righteousness of God in Him. The Holy Spirit is the Great Convincer, and He is busy convincing me that I am free from defects and from sin, no longer the person I used to be. Because Jesus’ blood touched, washed, and cleansed me, I am now free!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Are you consciously aware that you are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus?

2. Do you struggle with feelings of unworthiness, sinfulness, and shame, even though you are a child of God? If your answer is yes, what steps can you take to walk out of those lying emotions that try to hold you captive?

3. Can you remember an instance in your life when you suddenly and supernaturally were illuminated with the understanding that you had been declared the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus? When did that happen, and what was the immediate result of this revelation in your life?

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
— James 4:4

Up to this point, we have covered Jesus’ teaching on the ministry of the Holy Spirit in John 14, 15, and 16, and we’ve learned how to develop a more intimate and personal relationship with the Holy Spirit. Now we’re going to shift our focus to another vital aspect of the Holy Spirit’s ministry found in the New Testament.

As you will see in the days to come, the Holy Spirit lives within us like a Divine Lover. When believers allow the things of the world to usurp the place that should belong only to Him, the Holy Spirit — like a violated spouse — feels hurt and grief. It’s therefore vital that we gain a deeper understanding of how sin affects the indwelling Holy Spirit so we can purpose to change any permissive attitude toward sin that may linger in our lives and to live holier and more consecrated before Him in love.

In James 4:4 and 5, James referred to the nature of the believer’s relationship with Christ and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s heart. He wrote, “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”

Throughout the New Testament, believers are most often referred to as “brothers and sisters.” Yet here James referred to his readers as “adulterers” and “adulteresses.” Imagine if a great spiritual leader wrote to you and called you an adulterer or adulteress! This is especially strong language when you consider that James was writing to Jewish believers, who could have been stoned for committing adultery. In fact, James couldn’t have said anything more shocking or outrageous to his audience! However, this adultery he was referring to was not a physical act, but rather a spiritual adultery that they had committed by giving their hearts to things other than Jesus Christ.

The Greek word for “adultery” is moichalis, and it carries all kind of connotations. Unfaithfulness, impurity, and violating a commitment to marriage are just a few. This word paints the picture of a wounded spouse who feels rejected, betrayed, misled, and deceived because the sanctity of his or her marriage relationship was recklessly thrown away by the act of adultery. All of these ideas are embedded in the Greek word moichalis.

So what had these believers done to be addressed in such a way? James explained, “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye know not that friendship with the world is enmity with God…?”

To illustrate James’ point, let me share an example from my own life. In the early years of our marriage, Denise and I led a single-adult ministry in a large denominational church. During this time, we developed a program to help single adults who had recently gone through a divorce. As we listened to the concerns of these precious believers, we discovered that most of these people felt like they were outcasts from the Church. So we made it a point to open our hearts and emphasize “life after divorce” as a primary message of our ministry. Soon newly divorced people came to us from all over to receive ministry, love, acceptance, and healing. It was one of the most gratifying, yet troublesome, periods of ministry we had ever experienced.

It was gratifying to see people who had been so rejected and wounded being healed by the love of Jesus Christ. However, it was very troublesome to hear the pain many of these believers felt as a result of being betrayed by someone they loved and trusted. Day after day, we would sit and listen as each one shared his or her story. Out of approximately 100 cases, nearly all sounded similar — so similar, in fact, that eventually I could almost finish most of their stories for them.

Again and again, these emotionally bruised people lamented, “I just don’t understand how he could do that to me. After all these years of being faithful to him, raising our children together, and working to help him through school, I don’t understand how could hurt me like this.” Or, “How could she do this to me after I’ve given her so much? I gave her my love, my attention, all that I knew to do. How could she do this to me?”

These intense, painful emotions are exactly what Jesus felt toward the believers James addressed in James 4:4. After all that He had done for them, they had been unfaithful to their sacred relationship with Him as the Bride of Christ by embracing a sinful relationship with the world.

In tomorrow’s Sparkling Gem, I will explain in depth what the believers did to prompt James to refer to them as “adulteresses” so that you never have to cross that line yourself. But today, why don’t you take a moment to look inwardly and carefully examine your life. Do you see anything that would cause the Holy Spirit to feel violated by your actions? After all He has done for you — regenerating you, filling you, and sanctifying you — I know that you would never want to intentionally cause the Spirit of God pain and sorrow. So make sure that you are living in such a way that will always give Him pleasure, not grief!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Holy Spirit, I repent and ask You to forgive me for all the times I’ve walked too close to the world and violated Your holy indwelling presence by allowing sinful actions and attitudes to persist in my life. I am truly sorry, and today I repent before You. I ask You to strengthen me with Your mighty power to walk with a higher discernment and with the spiritual awareness to know when I am doing something that is grievous to You. I want to honor Your presence and honor You by the way I treat You with my life.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I live a life that is pleasing to the Holy Spirit. When I do something that hints of displeasure to Him, I quickly recognize it and repent of it. I do not permit wrong attitudes and actions to rule me. Instead, I surrender to the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and it produces the life and character of Christ in my own life. Day by day, I am becoming more sensitive and spiritually aware of the things that displease the Lord, and I am learning to walk a higher walk in Him.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Are there any areas of your life that are out of sync with the Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence? What are those areas? If you are aware of them, is there a reason you have tolerated them instead of repenting and getting your heart right with the Holy Spirit?
2. When the Holy Spirit is grieved because of our attitudes and actions, our own spirits are grieved as well. Have you felt grief and sorrow in your own heart when you did things that were displeasing to the Lord?
3. What are some of the areas in which you’ve made progress and no longer habitually repeat sins as you once did? If you’ve had victories, you need to remember them and thank God for them!

Isn’t It Time for You To Tell Your Flesh To Shut Up?

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
— Romans 6:11

Left unchecked, your flesh will try to run you over, take charge of your emotions, and promote laziness in your life. It will tell you that you’ve done too much; that you’ve already done more than anyone else; that you don’t need to do any more than you’ve already done; and that you’re not as appreciated as you ought to be. Your flesh will advise you to kick back, take it easy, and cut yourself some slack. It will scream that if anyone deserves to do nothing for a while, it’s you.

Your flesh always tries to take everything to an extreme. If you allow it to control you, it will carry you into a state of laziness that sedates your whole outlook and destroys your productivity. You’ll lose your joy, hope, victory — even your very reason for living. In the end, you’ll become weak, powerless, and devoid of the desire or energy to pursue anything, let alone the high calling God has for your life.

When your flesh rises up and tempts you to be slothful about your dream, your business, or your relationship with God, what should you do? Or when your flesh coaxes you into believing you are too poor, too stupid, too ugly, too uninteresting, or too “run of the mill” to be used by God, how should you respond?

Should you cry and complain that you’re just not as talented as others? Should you grieve that you’re not as skinny as someone else? Should you whimper that you weren’t born into a more prestigious family? Should you lament that you were never able to finish your education? Will your complaining put a degree on your wall?

It’s time to tell the flesh to shut its loud mouth! Then grab hold of the power of God to change you and the way you are thinking. As long as you allow that rank, stinking flesh to produce a “poor me” mentality, you will not make any significant contribution to the world. And that’s such a pity because God wants to use you! Instead of letting the flesh rule you, it is time for you to do as the apostle Paul ordered in Romans 6:11 when he said, “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

The word “reckon” comes from the Greek word logidzomai, which means to consider, to think, to deem, to regard, or to count something as done. This means the verse could be translated, “Once and for all, deem yourselves to be dead to sin.…” But it is important to note that the Greek tense means this reckoning must be done on a continual basis. With this in mind, it could be translated, “Once and for all, deem yourself dead to sin. After that, keep it up! Keep counting yourself as one who has died to sin….”

The word “dead” comes from the word nekros, which is the Greek word for a human corpse. It is the picture of an actual dead person, whose lifeless body has no heartbeat and no breath in his lungs. This person is declared clinically dead; he is now a corpse. By using the word nekros, Paul tells us that we are to deem ourselves as dead — non-responsive to sin. We are to be just as non-responsive to sin as a dead person is to life! Dead people don’t respond to anything because they are dead!

These powerful words in Romans 6:11 could be interpreted this way:

“Once and for all, deem yourself dead to sin. After that, keep it up! You have to keep counting yourself as one who has died to sin.…”

When I served as an assistant pastor in the Southern Baptist church, the senior pastor wanted to teach me how to conduct funerals, so he took me to funeral after funeral. He wanted me to learn how to conduct myself in delicate and difficult situations. One funeral I attended was an unforgettable experience. Even now I can vividly see it as I write about it. It was a funeral conducted for an unsaved family whose son had tragically died in an accident. The sorrow and remorse in that room was so thick, it could almost be cut with a knife.

Nothing is sadder than a funeral with a family of unbelievers. They have no faith and no hope. When they lose a loved one, it is truly a catastrophe because their lack of hope overwhelms them. But even worse than attending such a funeral is to be called upon to conduct one!

I watched as the mother approached the casket to tell her son good-bye one last time. She was so overwhelmed with grief that she crawled into the casket! She clutched and held tightly to her son’s dead body, pleading, “Talk to me! Talk to me! Don’t leave me like this!” Funeral-home workers had to pull the mother out of the coffin and escort her to the limousine that awaited to take her and the rest of the family to the cemetery for the burial.

That early experience is etched forever in my memory. I’ve never forgotten that pitiful sight as the mother gripped that dead body in her arms and begged it to speak to her one last time. But that body was not going to talk to her. It was dead.

The empty shell that lay in that casket was the deceased, expired, finished shadow of a young man who had once lived but was now gone. There was no heartbeat, no breath in his lungs, no pulse to feel in his wrists. The clock had quit running for that man’s life, and there was no turning back the clock to make it start ticking again. It was a “done deal.” This man’s life had expired. His body was mortified.

Well, your flesh needs to be mortified in the same way. As Paul says in Romans 6:11, it is time for you to reckon, deem, consider, regard, and count as a done fact that you are dead to sin and to its lying insinuations! To continually count yourself dead to sin, you may have to speak to yourself often and take authority over your flesh. Command your flesh to shut its mouth, and remind yourself that the flesh lost its power at the Cross and no longer has the right to rule and reign in your life!

You don’t have to allow the flesh to lord itself over you any longer. You don’t have to let your flesh and emotions give you the run-around. Instead of focusing on what you can’t do, it’s time to start thinking about what you can do when you become yielded to the Spirit of God.

That’s why Paul went on to say that you must now start looking at yourself as one who is “…alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” You see, sin is no longer your master; now you are the servant of Jesus Christ! When your body, mind, and emotions are submitted to Him, you cease to be a slave to your body and emotions. Instead, your body and emotions become your servant — instruments of righteousness to help you achieve the dreams God has put in your heart.

The only way you and I will ever accomplish what we were born to do is to put aside the lies of the enemy; tell our lazy, complaining flesh to keep its mouth shut; take charge of our emotions; and yield ourselves as instruments unto God. Then as we start speaking the truth of God’s Word, drawing upon His power that works in us and through us to do His will, we’ll start seeing supernatural results and achievements!

God has something awesome for you to do. Absolutely nothing can keep you from doing what He has put in your heart — not your education, status in society, political affiliation, or physical appearance. None of these factors will have any impact on God’s call on your life.

The one factor that does impact God’s ability to use you is your own obedience to Him. Your heart must be willing. You must take authority over the flesh that would take you down a lazy path. And you must yield your body to God’s Spirit as an instrument of righteousness. That’s when you’ll find yourself on the path that leads to being used by God!

 

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I reckon myself dead to sin! It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me! Since this is who You have made me to be, I ask You to help me say no to my flesh and to temptation and then to count myself alive unto You! Holy Spirit, energize me with Your strength and power to walk in the resurrection power of Jesus Christ!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I boldly declare that I reckon, deem, consider, regard, and count as a done fact that I am dead to sin! I take authority over the flesh and command it to shut its mouth, and I refuse to give it the right to rule and reign in my life! I am alive unto God through Jesus Christ. Sin is no longer my master; now I am the servant of Jesus Christ!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Are there areas in your life that you haven’t yet reckoned to be dead? What are those areas, and what are you going to do about them? Are you going to allow those unyielded areas to keep calling the shots, or are you going to count them as dead and powerless in your life?

2. Do you have any sinful habits that used to be non-active and non-responsive and are now trying to wake up again? If yes, what are you going to do to “remortify” those areas of your life so you can stay free?

3. In what area does your flesh try the hardest to speak to you and to rule over you?

He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
— John 16:14

Do you find the ability to express yourself in worship to God easy or difficult? Is it easy for you to lift your arms and audibly worship the Lord, or do you feel self-conscious and think about the possibility that people might be watching you? Do you hesitate to worship in the presence of others but find it easy to worship at home when no one is watching?

As Jesus prepared to depart from this world and sat in that upper room teaching His disciples about the Holy Spirit and His various roles, one of these roles He stressed that the Holy Spirit would carry out is the ministry of glorifying Jesus. Jesus said in John 16:14: “He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.”

The word “glorify” is the Greek word doxadzo, which can be translated in a variety of ways depending on its context. It can be rendered to extol, to praise, to magnify, to worship, to give honor, to give adulation, or to express one’s fame or repute, and in John 16:14, it actually encompasses the full range of these meanings.

Thus, when Jesus said, “He [the Holy Spirit] shall glorify me…,” He expressly meant that the Holy Spirit’s role is to extol, magnify, glorify, and worship Him. In fact, one of the Holy Spirit’s chief roles is to give adulation and fame to Jesus — to glorify that name that is exalted above every other name (see Philippians 2:9). The Spirit of God doesn’t seek to draw attention to Himself in any way. Rather, He points everyone toward Jesus and leads us in rapturous worship of our exalted Savior.

Because the Holy Spirit is an invisible, non-material Spirit Being, He cannot glorify Jesus in the way the Lord desires without using someone as a vessel through which to work. By now, I’m sure you can guess that the vessel He chooses is the one in which He lives — you! How does the Holy Spirit fulfill His responsibility to glorify Jesus through you? He heals the sick, casts out demons, leads lost people to a saving knowledge of Jesus, and so on. However, one of the most effective, magnificent avenues through which He glorifies Jesus is in those moments when your heart is full, your hands are raised, and your whole being is caught up in worshiping Jesus the Lord.

By His very nature, the Holy Spirit is a Glorifier and a Worshiper, and when He is free to work in your life as a believer, it’s very obvious because you will glorify Jesus. If you will allow the Holy Spirit to be loosed inside your life, you will find yourself wanting to throw your hands in the air, move your feet, and lift your voice to Heaven with praise and worship — completely oblivious to who might be watching or judging you. The Holy Spirit seeks to glorify Jesus in every aspect of your life, including your conversations, your behavior, and your relationships. He wants your lips to be filled with Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.

The Holy Spirit’s primary task is to reveal Jesus to you — and He’ll take you to Jesus on a level that you’ve never known before. He’s just waiting for you to surrender and to take the plunge into this spiritual experience. Believe me when I tell you that you’ll never be the same.

If you’ve had a hard time abandoning yourself in worship in the past, today is the day for you to begin. I urge you to take a moment right now and pray, “Holy Spirit, You are a Worshiper, so I yield to You. I ask You to help me remove all my inhibition as I do. I ask You not only to glorify Jesus in my behavior, my conversations, and my life, but right now in a time of worship, I ask You to glorify Jesus through me.”

If you prayed this prayer, just yield to the Holy Spirit and watch what He will do in you. Right now while no one is watching, lift your arms to Heaven and begin to express your thanksgiving to Jesus. Allow the Holy Spirit to fill you and take you into a realm of worship that you’ve never known before.

The Holy Spirit’s primary task is to reveal Jesus to you — and if you let Him, He’ll take you to Jesus on a level that you’ve never known before. He is there with you in this moment, and He’s just waiting for you to surrender and to take the plunge into this spiritual experience. The time and place for you to start is right now in the privacy of your own home. He’s waiting for you — so why not start today?

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I thank You that the Holy Spirit reveals Jesus — and I ask You to help me abandon my inhibitions and enter into the freedom of worship. I know that there are realms of worship that I have never experienced, but today I am opening myself to those realms and asking that the Holy Spirit unleash worship in me as never before. I surrender myself to be an instrument of worship and, Holy Spirit, I ask You to take me on an adventure as I learn to worship Jesus as You reveal Him to me on a level I’ve never experienced before.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I declare that my entire body — all that I am — is an instrument that the Holy Spirit uses to magnify and to exalt the name and Person of Jesus Christ. Inhibitions have no part in my worship. I am free to express my adoration and love for Jesus — the One who is higher than all others and whose name is more highly exalted than any other name. Inhibitions must go from me in Jesus’ name, for I am liberated to worship Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Has there been a moment when you threw off all restraint and worshiped Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit? When did that experience occur, and has anything stopped you from entering into that type of worship again?
2. What happened inside you when you threw off those restraints and fully entered into the worship of Jesus? What did the Holy Spirit do inside you that changed you forever?
3. What would you say to someone who has never experienced freedom in worship? What has it done for you, and what will it do for them?

God’s Delivering Power Is Yours!

For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead.
— 2 Corinthians 1:8,9

Everyone has had to endure hardness at some point in life, including the apostle Paul. He describes some of the hardships he endured in Asia in Second Corinthians 1:8,9: “For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead.”

Notice the first part of verse 8, where Paul says, “For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of the trouble which came unto us in Asia.…” The word “trouble” is the Greek word thlipsis, which was used to convey the idea of a heavy-pressure situation. In fact, at one point this word was used to depict a victim who was first tied up with rope and laid on his back; then a huge, heavy boulder was slowly lowered upon him until he was crushed! This, indeed, would be a very heavy situation for the man underneath the boulder! He would be in a tight place, under a heavy burden, or in a great squeeze.

By using this word, Paul is saying, “We were under a heavy load — an unbelievably heavy amount of stress and pressure! We were in very tight circumstances. Our minds were being ‘squeezed.’ It felt like our lives were being pushed right out of us!”

You might think Paul is referring to physical suffering. Of course, physical suffering is difficult, but the greatest suffering of all always occurs in the mind — mental suffering. A person can live with pain in his body if his mind is still in control. However, when the suffering begins to work on that person’s mind, both his body and his mind could eventually break and fold.

Paul’s greatest suffering was not physical, but mental. This is why he goes on to say, “…that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life” (v. 8). Particularly pay heed to that first phrase, “that we were pressed out of measure.” This is the Greek phrase kath huperbole, and it is extremely important in Paul’s testimony. It literally means to throw beyond, to excel, to exceed, or to go beyond anything normal or expected. It also describes something that is excessive and beyond the normal range of what most would experience.

By using this word, Paul says, “We were under an amount of pressure that is not normal. It was FAR BEYOND anything we had ever previously experienced. It was excessive, unbelievable, unbearable, and far too much for any one human being to endure.”

Paul goes on to tell us that this pressure was “above strength.” This word “above” is also important. It is the Greek word huper, which always conveys the idea of something excessive. In order to explain how bad his situation was, Paul is piling words on top of words, all of which accurately portray how terrifically bad the ordeal in Asia was for him and his traveling companions.

It is almost as though Paul is saying, “Normal human strength never would have been sufficient for this situation. The strength it required was far, far beyond human strength. This predicament required strength in a measure I had never previously needed. It was beyond me!”

Then Paul says, “…insomuch that we despaired even of life.…” The Greek word for “despaired” is the word exaporeomai. It was used in a technical sense to describe no way out. It is where we get our word exasperated, and it describes people who feel trapped, caught, up against the wall, pinned down, and utterly hopeless. Today we might say, “Sorry, but it looks like this is the end of the road for you!”

Then Paul continues in verse 9, “But we had the sentence of death in ourselves.…” The word “sentence” is the Greek word apokrima, which in this sense speaks of a final verdict. Paul is saying, “It looked to us like the verdict was in, and we were not going to survive.”

When all these different phrases and words are looked at together, it becomes very plain that Paul’s primary suffering at this moment was mental, not physical. He is describing mental agony on a measure that few of us have ever experienced.

Because of all these Greek words, the following could be taken as an interpretive translation of these verses:

“We would not, brethren, have you ignorant of the horribly tight, life-threatening squeeze that came to us in Asia. It was unbelievable! With all the things that we have been through, this was the worst of all. It felt like our lives were being crushed! It was so difficult that I didn’t know what to do. No experience I’ve ever been through required so much of me; in fact, I didn’t have enough strength to cope with it. Toward the end of this ordeal, I was so overwhelmed that I didn’t think we’d ever get out! I felt suffocated, trapped, and pinned against the wall. I really thought it was the end of the road for us! As far as we were concerned, the verdict was in, and the verdict said, ‘Death.’ But really, this was no great shock, because we were already feeling the effect of death and depression in our souls….”

Paul doesn’t tell us exactly what happened to him and his team when they were in Asia. But whatever it was, it was the most grueling experience they had ever been through until that time.

You may ask, “Why would Paul want us to know that he had been through such difficult times? Did he want us to feel sorry for him?” Absolutely not! Paul wanted us to know that everyone endures hardness from time to time. Even the greatest, most well-known, celebrated spiritual leaders are confronted with situations that are devastating or challenging.

You see, even with all his knowledge, revelation, and experience, Paul was still assaulted by the devil. That assault was so aggressive that Paul wrote “we despaired even of life,” describing the intense emotions he felt as he went through these extremely difficult circumstances.

But Paul didn’t break, and he didn’t die! Likewise, if you’ll hold on and fight right where you are, you also won’t break or be destroyed! Like Paul, you will win the victory. Then you’ll be able to say that the ordeal happened in order that you would not trust in yourself, “…but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver…” (2 Corinthians 1:9,10).

God’s delivering power is yours! He has rescued you in the past; He will rescue you now; and He will rescue you again and again in the future. All He asks is that you “stay put” right where He called you — refusing to move, rejecting every temptation to give up, and deciding never to give in to the pressure that the devil wants to pile on top of you. If you’ll be faithful and slug it out with the power and armor of God, you’ll discover that God will be with you all the way through to a successful conclusion!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, You have never abandoned me, and You never will! When the devil tries to crush me with stress, I throw the weight of my cares upon You. I can’t thank You enough for taking all those pressures off my shoulders and freeing me to walk in peace! My heart is simply overflowing with gratefulness for the strength and power You have released inside me. I know that with Your continued help, I shall be victorious, and these problems will flee!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that God’s delivering power is mine! He has rescued me before; He will rescue me now; and He will rescue me when I need His power again in the future. I am “staying put” right where God called me. I refuse to move; I reject every temptation to give up; and I will never give in to the pressures to stop doing what God has told me to do. I will be faithful, and God will empower me to make it all the way through to my place of victory!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Can you think of a time when you underwent circumstances so difficult that you wondered if you would survive the situation? You obviously survived, so what was the one thing that most helped you get through that ordeal?

2. As you think of others who are going through hard times right now, what is the most effective thing you could do to help them get past their difficult circumstances?

3. Why don’t you make a list of ten practical things you can do to encourage these people and to remind them that you are standing with them in faith until they come through this ordeal in victory?

Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
— John 16:13

There is no second-guessing when it comes to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. That’s what Jesus stressed as He continued teaching His disciples about the ministry of the Holy Spirit. In John 16:13, Jesus said, “Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of Truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come.”

The word “shew” in this verse is the Greek word anagello, which means to announce and describes a vivid showing or a pronouncing of events. So we see that part of the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to announce future events to us — and to show them to us with great clarity. The Holy Spirit does not portray a blurry picture of the future. If we listen to Him, He will vividly show us things to come so we can plan our lives according to His will.

This aspect of the Holy Spirit’s ministry is evident in nearly every book of the Bible. For example, when the apostle Paul described the events that will occur in society at the end of the age (see 2 Timothy 3), he was writing under the prophetic ministry of the Holy Spirit. Likewise, the Holy Spirit is the One who imparted the vivid details to the apostle John concerning endtime events recorded in the book of Revelation.

However, this “revealing” ministry of the Holy Spirit is not relegated to Scripture. Jesus was speaking to every believer when He spoke of the Holy Spirit showing us things to come. If what Jesus taught is true — and it is — a significant part of the Holy Spirit’s ministry is to reveal details about future events. He wants to prophetically speak to you and prepare you for your future. He wants to show you details about your future and the future of your family that He believes you need to know.

Open your heart today to the revealing work of the Holy Spirit. If anyone wants you to be prepared, it is the Holy Spirit, your Helper and Coach. He does not want you to be taken off guard by any situation you might encounter in life.

Simply avail yourself to Him by spending time in prayer every day without distraction. Linger in God’s presence long enough to get your mind quiet and your heart open to hear. Then ask Him, “Holy Spirit, show me things to come in my life, in my business, and in my family. Reveal to me what I need to know to navigate every future situation that I will face with Your wisdom. I purpose to follow Your leading every step of the way.”

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Holy Spirit, today I receive You as One who speaks into my life to show me things to come that I really need to know. I’ve tried hard to figure out things on my own. Forgive me for not developing my trust in You the way I should have in this area of my life. Starting right now, I ask You to fulfill the prophetic role of Your ministry in my life and to show me things to come. I know You want me to know how to plan my life, how to circumvent demonic attacks, and how to be prepared for every phase of my journey in You. Your Word promises that as I keep my spiritual ear tuned to You, You will show me exactly what I need to know about every step in front of me. I believe You and I gratefully receive Your ministry in my life day by day.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that my ears are open and that my spirit is attuned to the voice of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that He would show me things to come, and by faith, I embrace the prophetic ministry of the Holy Spirit in my life to show me everything I need to know about my future. I am not left to figure anything out on my own. The Holy Spirit speaks to my heart about things to come. I listen to His directions, and I make plans to do what He shows me. This spares me wasted time, helps me avoid mistakes, and puts me on a solid path that leads to His highest will for my life.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. One of the Holy Spirit’s roles is to show you things to come. Have you learned to let the Holy Spirit speak prophetically to you about your future, or have you just tried to figure it all out on your own?
2. Can you think of a time when the Holy Spirit did tell you something about your future and you believed Him — and as a result, it gave you direction and saved you lots of valuable time and effort?
3. Can you think of a time when the Holy Spirit clearly spoke to you, impressing your spirit with vital information, and you discounted and ignored it — only to understand later that it really was the Holy Spirit trying to show you something about your future that you really needed to know?

Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth….
— John 16:13

In most Middle Eastern countries, ancient ruins are scattered throughout the land, dating from biblical times. To visit these sites, it is required that a person be accompanied by an “official guide.” These guides are certified by the government and undergo a rigorous certification, which must be renewed annually. The process requires guides to receive ongoing education and training in a variety of subjects, such as history, art, and archeology, in addition to earning their initial degrees. Official guides are not simply individuals who snapped a “tour guide” badge on their shirt or jacket; they are highly trained specialists who invested years of study in order to obtain and maintain that hard-earned status.

To make a tour interesting for a group, a guide must know how to communicate effectively and give clear instructions concerning where to go, what to stay away from, and so on. Hiring good guides can be expensive because they have spent so many years studying and training. However, their expertise is invaluable. As they lead people through a site, tour guides impart information that can be obtained only through many years of studying — a commitment that most people obviously cannot make.

In many large, complex sites, such as the ancient ruins of Ephesus and Pergamum in modern-day Turkey, it would almost be foolish to try to see these sites without a certified guide. These sites are huge, and parts of the ancient roads are deteriorated, twisted, rocky, and potentially dangerous. In fact, there are so many paths to take that an uninformed person could easily get confused and lost along the way. However, with a good guide at your side, you can rest assured that you will not get hurt or lost as you explore, and you’ll conclude your experience with a wonderful memory of a trip well executed.

With this example in mind, let’s look at John 16:13, where Jesus told His disciples, “Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth.…” In this verse, Jesus used the example of a tour guide to describe the guiding ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Just as a guide leads a group through a historical site, the Holy Spirit wants to guide us through life.

The word “guide” in John 16:13 is the Greek word odega — a word that describes a tour guide or one who would lead you on an excursion. As we have seen, a tour guide is a professional who has gained an intimate knowledge of a site you want to see through years of dedication and experience. He knows all the shortcuts and all the points of interest, and he can relate its history in depth. Your willingness to allow the guide to lead and your willingness to follow his directions will save you from making mistakes and drawing incorrect conclusions about where you are, where you are headed, and what are you are seeing.

This Greek word odega describes the guiding ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Jesus was informing us that if we are willing to listen to the Holy Spirit and to follow His instructions, He will act as a Guide for our lives. Like the tour guides discussed in the example above, the Holy Spirit knows what lies ahead of us. He knows the obstacles we should avoid; He sees our ultimate destination; and He knows God’s plan for our lives down to the smallest detail. The Holy Spirit knows every route God desires for us to take — and if we are willing to follow the Spirit’s leading, He will give us a wonderful and memorable experience along the path of life.

My friend, I want to tell you that the Holy Spirit deeply desires to guide you in life. If you’ll let Him lead you, He will offer you sound guidance in every sphere of your life. If you listen to His voice, He will tell you the career you should choose, the person you should marry, and the place you should live. He is the only One who knows the future; therefore, He is the only One who is truly qualified to lead and guide you.

Divine guidance is one of the biggest challenges we face in the Christian life. However, Jesus explicitly said that the Holy Spirit is here to lead and guide us every step along the way. What a relief and security it affords us to know that God the Father has charged the Holy Spirit with the responsibility of leading and guiding us to the right place at the right time — every single time. And He also warns us away from certain people, places, and situations. This is His job! Without His direction, we are incapable of discerning where we should go in life, the people with whom we should surround ourselves, and the best timing for our endeavors.

However, in order for this to happen, we have to make an effort to listen to the Holy Spirit’s voice and be willing to follow His instruction. If we will do that, we’ll find that the Spirit of God is leading us, just as He did the apostles in the book of Acts!

Today I urge you to open your heart to the guiding ministry of the Holy Spirit. Trust that He is the Spirit of Truth who will not mislead you. “Take the hand” of the Holy Spirit and tell Him from your heart: “Holy Spirit, I trust You from this moment forward to be my Guide every step of the way!”

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Holy Spirit, I open my heart to Your leading and guiding in life. I repent for foolishly having tried to lead myself through difficult decisions and questions, when you were always right there, wanting to lead me along the way. You know the plan of God for me down to the smallest detail, and from this time forward, I will do my best to consult You and to yield to Your guidance for my life. You know everything about me, my future, and which steps I need to take next. Rather than try to figure it all out on my own, I entrust myself to you as my official Guide to lead me each step of the way!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I declare by faith that I am led by the Holy Spirit. He was sent to lead and direct me, and I am learning to hear His voice, to recognize His leading, and to allow Him to be the Senior Guide in my life. I know that as a result of being guided by the Spirit, my life is going to be more adventuresome and filled with less mistakes, for the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth, and He will never lead me down a wrong path. Holy Spirit, I’m ready — let’s get started today!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you think of a moment in your life when the Holy Spirit supernaturally led you through difficult decisions and questions? When was that experience, and have you ever shared it with anyone else?
2. How do you recognize the guidance of the Holy Spirit? If someone asked you to describe what it is like to be led by the Holy Spirit, how would you put it into words? Why don’t you practice describing it so you’ll be ready to help someone else understand what it is like to receive guidance from the Holy Spirit?
3. What situation are you facing right now that requires supernatural direction? How will you let the Holy Spirit guide you down the path that lies before you?

The Essential Attitude for Success!

Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
— 1 Corinthians 4:1

We live in a world that loves to take it easy. We want instant results — and we want them right now. Technology has made almost everything instantly accessible. Our entire Western lifestyle is centered around making things as easy, fast, effortless, and painless as possible.

The younger generation is so accustomed to getting everything they want that they don’t understand there is a price to pay for true success. But whether they like it or not, the fact remains: True greatness, great achievements, and real success won’t float to them on clouds that suddenly materialize above their heads. If anyone wants to achieve something great and significant, he or she will have to put a lot of hard work and effort into making it happen.

Let’s take the apostle Paul as an example. I recently read a report that made this claim: Apart from Jesus Christ, the apostle Paul more dramatically affected Western civilization than any other man in human history. Paul achieved incredible feats with his life. His epistles have impacted world history and leaders, and what he accomplished in his life and ministry remains legendary. So let’s look at this famous Christian leader and ask:

• How did Paul live his life?
• What kind of attitude did he possess regarding his life mission?
• What attitude did he possess that enabled him to dramatically affect his world?

In First Corinthians 4:1, Paul wrote, “Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.” I believe that some very important answers to the questions above are found in this interesting statement that Paul himself wrote.

In this verse, Paul calls himself a “minister.” This is the Greek word huperetas, a vivid term that conveys the essential attitude necessary to get a job done — especially the work of the ministry. However, this word doesn’t apply only to ministry. It also denotes the essential attitude a person must possess to become successful in any sphere of life.

Interestingly, this word huperetas, translated “ministers” here, was used in classical Greek society to describe low-class criminals. The first time I studied this Greek word, it seemed so odd that Paul would use this word to describe himself and his attitude toward the ministry. I wondered:

• Why would Paul use such a word?
• Is he using this word as a picture to make a point to us?

After a lot of digging into the original Greek, I found out exactly why Paul used this word. He was a successful man who understood what it took to get a job done — and no word more vividly explains this work ethic than the Greek word huperetas.

Originally this word described the very lowest class of criminals. These criminals were so low, so detestable, and so contemptible that they were outcast and removed from society. Often they were assigned to the bottom galleys of huge shipping vessels, where they literally became the engines of those huge ships.

And the harsh assignment given to these criminals wasn’t temporary either. They were sentenced to live the rest of their lives in the darkness below the deck — endlessly rowing, rowing, and rowing. Their entire existence was devoted to keeping that ship moving toward its ultimate destination! These huperetas were officially called “under-rowers” because they lived and rowed down in the bottom of the ship. Day after day, their job was to heave those massive oars forward and backward, pushing them through the water to make the ship move through the sea.

This is the same word the apostle Paul uses to describe the attitude that is necessary to do what God has called us to do! God has called us to take our place in His plan — to grab hold of an oar, so to speak, and begin to serve Him practically in some way. We are to keep rowing, rowing, rowing, and rowing, doing our part and fulfilling what He has asked us to do.

Some people tend to sit and watch as achievers reach out to do the impossible. But if you are going to join the ranks of those achievers, you’ll have to do more than just sit around and talk about it. You’ll need to say yes to what the Lord is urging you to do.

And remember, these huperetas who rowed the boat didn’t quickly finish their assignment of rowing; it was their responsibility for a lifetime. In the same way, we need to realize that the secret dream God has put in our hearts probably won’t be achieved quickly either. It may be an assignment that will last for the rest of our lives. It takes hard work and a lifelong commitment for us to achieve the great things that God wants to do through you and me!

I heartily recommend that you mentally prepare yourself for a long-term stint at doing what God is calling you to do. It will almost certainly take unbelievable strength and energy to move that vision from the realm of dreams to the realm of reality. So jump into the bottom of the boat; take your place on the rowers’ bench; and begin to row with all your might! With each step of obedience you take and each day of faithfulness you live, you will come closer to the desired destination — the ultimate fulfillment of God’s plans and purposes for your life.

We may live in a world that loves to take it easy and that delights in instant results. But in order to achieve the true greatness God desires for us, we will have to be determined, committed, and willing to do anything necessary to accomplish what He has for us.

No, real success doesn’t float to you on clouds that suddenly materialize above your head. Therefore, I encourage you to make the decision to start putting a lot of hard work and effort into making your assignment successful. It’s going to take every ounce of strength you have to make your dream come to pass, so you might as well resolve to get started today!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I am determining in my heart today to jump into the bottom of the boat, grab an oar, and start rowing with all my might. Doing the minimum is never going to get me where I need to go, so right now I am making the choice to put all my energies forward to achieve what You have planned for me. Help me to be faithful, steadfast, unmoving, and unflinching in the face of opposition. Help me to tell my flesh to be silent when it tries to scream out that I’m doing too much! I choose to crucify the flesh and press forward with all the strength You give me. As I do this, I believe that You will make my dreams come to pass!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I will see the fulfillment of the dream God has put in my heart. I am a hard worker, willing to do whatever it takes, and I have made a long-term commitment to achieve all that God wants to do through me! It will almost certainly take unbelievable strength and energy to move that vision from the realm of dreams to the realm of reality, but I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! With God’s Spirit working in me, I will see the fulfillment of my dreams!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. If you keep operating at your current level of production, will you reach the goals God has given for your life?

2. Be honest! Has your desire to have things “easy” been a hindrance to you? Has your desire for “creature comforts” overpowered your desire to reach your goal regardless of the price you must pay or how long it takes?

3. If you continue at your present momentum, will you dramatically affect your world and environment as the apostle Paul affected his? If not, what changes do you need to make in your thinking to become a great achiever?

And when he [the Holy Spirit] is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment…. Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
— John 16:8,11

Today I want to continue talking about the supernatural convincing work of the Holy Spirit. In the previous two days, we’ve seen how the Holy Spirit convicts the sinner of his sin — a supernatural work that cannot happen apart from the work of the Holy Spirit. We’ve also seen how the Holy Spirit convinces a Christian of his God-given righteousness — something that a believer will not completely comprehend until the Holy Spirit reveals it and brings that person to the undeniable fact that he has been made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.

But there is one more convincing work of the Holy Spirit mentioned in John 16:8,11. It says, “And when he [the Holy Spirit] is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment…. Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.” This describes the Holy Spirit’s work to convince and remind us that although Satan may seem to have free rein at the moment, his ultimate fate is settled and his doom is sealed. He is the loser at the end of the day.

If all we do is sit and listen to the news, it’s likely that it will leave us in a despondent state as we wonder what in the world is going to happen. Moral codes are changing; laws are changing; politics are changing — and it seems much of the Church itself is negatively changing. If we dwell on all these negative changes, we will soon become despondent with despair. But a glorious part of the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to convince us that the “prince of this world is judged” (see John 16:11). That means the devil isn’t going to win! His judgment has already been pronounced, and part of the Holy Spirit’s ministry is to remind us and convince us of this fact.

Let’s look at the terminology Jesus used when he called Satan “the prince of this world.” The word “prince” is the Greek word ho archon, a title used to describe a ruler in a particular realm that can be translated as the word “prince.” The word “world” is the Greek word kosmos, which emphatically does not describe the earth, universe, or planetary systems. Instead, it denotes culture, society, and the systems in which mankind lives and functions. It denotes systems, such as education, entertainment, government, and every human sphere, as the places — the kosmos — where Satan operates. The word kosmos is the identical word that the apostle Paul used in Second Corinthians 4:4 when he referred to Satan as the “god of this world.” It pictures Satan as being the ruler of the lost culture and lost systems that dominates every sphere of mankind. Those systems are where Satan temporarily operates and exercises his power. I say that he operates there temporarily because Jesus said his rule has been “judged.”

The word “judged” is the Greek word krino. The word krino was used in a judicial sense, even in a court of law, to mean the decision has already been weighed and decided. There is no more debating of this issue. The decision is made, and the case is closed. All that remains is pronouncement of the verdict, which is judgment. And Jesus said that part of the Holy Spirit’s ministry would be to convince you and me that Satan is condemned without the possibility of escape.

This means, my friend, that the bad news we see in the world today is temporary. Jesus is Lord, and everything we see around us won’t last very long. Christ completely and utterly defeated Satan through His death on the Cross and His resurrection. Now it’s only a matter of time until the clouds break and Jesus comes through the eastern sky — and everything changes!

When you’re tempted to despair because of what you hear and see, that is the moment you need to say, “Holy Spirit, please — remind me that the prince of this world is judged.” He will bring you to an absolute place of conviction that will put your feet on solid ground and cause you to know beyond any shadow of a doubt that the prince of this world is judged and that you really are on the winning side!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I thank You that Jesus conquered Satan through His death on the Cross and His resurrection and that Jesus is truly Lord over all! The ministry of the Holy Spirit in my life is a daily reminder to me of this glorious fact. Especially today, when it seems so many things are changing and it looks like evil is winning so many battles, I rely upon this special convincing ministry of the Holy Spirit that the prince of this world is judged — and from this condemnation he has no possibility of escape. Thank You, Holy Spirit, for keeping me in remembrance of the truth that Jesus is Lord now, that He is Lord tomorrow, and that He will always be Lord of all!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that Jesus is Lord over everything in this world. When I am tempted to fear or to give sway to the bad news that is going out over the airwaves all the time, I will stand tall, throw my shoulders back, hold my head high, and boldly declare that Jesus is Lord and Satan is the loser! I declare that the decision has already been made, the court is closed, and Satan’s doom is sealed. Jesus is coming back soon, and everything will change!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Have you ever had moments when it felt like the world was morally crumbling all around you and it made you feel hopeless? What do you say or think on to counteract the temptation to go down that dark road in your emotions?
2. What do you do when you hear other believers speak almost endlessly about how bad things are getting? Do you remind them that Satan’s doom is sealed and that things we see are only temporary? Or do you join in and begin complaining with them? What should you do in that case?
3. Have you ever heard the Holy Spirit speaking to you to take heart because the real truth is that Jesus is Lord and everything else is temporary? Is the Holy Spirit trying to assure you of this, but you keep getting caught up in the bad news you hear? What should you do differently to keep your focus on the winning side?

 

Has Satan Ever Tried To Use You As a Source of Strife?

But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
— James 3:14

Many years ago, I worked as an associate pastor in a large Southern Baptist church. The pastor I served was a wonderful man of God who taught me and gave his life to me unselfishly. I nearly adored this man — until one day, I became offended by something he did.

What this pastor did was very minor, and it shouldn’t have affected me at all. Nevertheless, at that moment I was weak and became an open door for the devil. It is amazing how quickly a dart of the enemy, thrown into our hearts, can change our perspective! In a matter of seconds, my whole view of this precious man changed for the worse. Although he was older and more spiritual than I was, I suddenly thought I could see the full picture of the church ministry more clearly than he could.

Soon I found myself in the position of a judge, thinking that I was more spiritual than he and therefore more qualified to discern the voice of God. Although my actions were ungodly and destructive, I really thought my motives were pure as the snow. My heart toward this dear pastor became hardened, and it wasn’t long until the devil was trying to use me as a source of strife in that congregation. The biggest obstacle in this situation was that I genuinely believed I was right! But in reality, I was acting in rebellion to authority, blinded to the ugliness that was raging in my soul.

The devil has always tried to use people to bring division into the church. There is nothing new about this problem. In fact, James addresses the issues of wrong attitudes and a spirit of strife in James 3:14. From the earliest inception of the New Testament church, church leaders have always had to correct people who acted just like I was acting toward my pastor. But thank God for His grace! Today that pastor is one of my dearest friends and one of my greatest mentors.

In respect to people being used by the devil to bring division, James 3:14 says, “But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.” The phrase “bitter envying” is very important. It is the Greek word zelos, which refers to a fierce desire to promote your own idea to the exclusion of others’ ideas. The word “strife” is the Greek word eritheia, which means rivalry or ambition. It can also be translated as a party spirit or a divisive spirit.           

This first part of James 3:14 could be translated:

“If you have a fierce desire to promote your own ideas to the exclusion of others’ ideas….”
“If you have a spirit of competition and rivalry….”
“If you’re full of selfish ambition….”
“If your actions are creating a party spirit in the church….”

In verse 15, James goes on to say, “This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.” The word “earthly” in Greek is the word epigeios. It describes something from an earthly dimension, not from a heavenly dimension. The Greek word for “sensual” is psuchikos, which means soulish. Then James says, “This wisdom is…devilish.” The word “devilish” comes from the Greek word daimoniodes, which is best translated demonized, depicting a person whose mind or emotions have come under the influence of demon spirits.

James is telling his readers:

“When a person behaves like this, it is obvious that his soul has come under the influence of demonic activity.”

Consider what James 3:15 means in light of the fact that I had become the source of strife in that pastor’s church. According to this scripture, I had fallen into a trap of the devil and didn’t even know it! What I did to that pastor was blatantly wrong, but at the particular moment it was happening, I really believed I was doing what was right. I had fallen into the same trap so many people have fallen into throughout two thousand years of Church history.

Let me assure you that anytime something small becomes a major issue, you need to back up and reexamine what you are thinking and feeling. The devil may be trying to work in your mind and imagination to divide you from people you both love and need. Do you want to let the devil build a wall between you and the people in your life over something that won’t even matter a year from now? Is that issue really so serious that you would break a long-term relationship over it? Is it possible that the devil is over-magnifying this problem in your mind and that you are getting a little out of focus over this issue?

As a result of this regretful experience that occurred so long ago, I learned to keep my heart free from all strife and offense. That is a lesson we all need to learn. If our hearts stay free of strife and offense, the door stays closed to the devil so he cannot disrupt our relationships. You need to know that when you allow a spirit of strife to operate inside you, inside your home, inside your business, or inside your church, it won’t be too long until people who used to love each other are standing in opposition to each other. That is the way the spirit of strife operates, and that is the fruit it produces.

If you have taken offense or feel even the smallest temptation to get in strife with someone in your life, I strongly advise you to get into the Presence of God and allow Him to help you see things from a clearer perspective. Let the Holy Spirit remove the blur of the disagreement and remind you of how much you love that other person. Take a few minutes to be with God and to let Him search your heart and show you the truth. As you do, you will stop the devil from using you as a source of strife today!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I never want to be a source of strife! Please help me keep my heart free of strife and my mind clear of accusations so I can have relationships that are pleasing to You. I want to be a blessing to people — never a vehicle the devil uses to bring confusion or hurt to anyone. I am so thankful Your love has touched me and now flows through me to others. I truly desire for Your love to flow freely through me and to bring peace where strife and chaos once reigned supreme.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that the devil doesn’t have the right to work in my mind and imagination. I refuse to permit him to divide me from the people I know, love, and need. My heart is free of strife and offense, and the door is closed to the devil so he cannot disrupt my relationships. When the devil does try to distract me with the temptation of strife, the Holy Spirit removes the blur of the disagreement and reminds me of how much I love and need that other person.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Has there ever been a time in your life when you got so upset about something that it blurred your ability to think clearly about that situation? Did you slow down and get into the Presence of God before taking further action, or did you act in that moment of emotion and let the devil use you to make the situation worse?

2. What have you learned about the value of keeping your mouth shut, letting your emotions subside, and waiting before you vocalize what is making your stomach churn with fretting and anxiety?

3. What practical steps can you take to prevent the devil from over-magnifying issues in your mind and imagination? Why don’t you really think about this question and then take some time to write down your preventative ideas?