Preparing the Troops For Battle!

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another….
— Hebrews 10:25

The word “exhorting” is a powerful little word! It’s the Greek word parakaleo, a compound of the words para and kaleo. Para means alongside and kaleo means to call, to beckon, or to speak to someone. When these two words are compounded together, it depicts someone who is right alongside of a person, urging him, beseeching him, begging him to make some kind of correct decision.

In the ancient Greek world, this word was often used by military leaders before they sent their troops into battle. Rather than hide from the painful reality of war, the leaders would summon their troops together and speak straightforwardly with them about the potential dangers of the battlefield. The leaders would also tell their troops about the glories of winning a major victory.

Rather than ignore the clear-cut dangers of battle, these officers came right alongside their troops and urged, exhorted, beseeched, begged, and pleaded with them to stand tall; throw their shoulders back; look the enemy straight on, eyeball to eyeball; and face their battles bravely.

Walking by faith and doing the will of God sometimes places us in the midst of spiritual battles. Sometimes these battles aren’t won quickly.

If you know someone who is discouraged because his fight isn’t won yet, speak to that person truthfully and in a straightforward manner the way a commanding officer would speak to his troops. Remind the person of others who have stood the test of time and won their battles. And be sure to remind him of the sweetness of victory when the battle is over. He needs to hear a passionate, heartfelt word of exhortation from you!

The word “exhort” in Hebrews 10:25 could mean:

“When you’re feeling down and out — like a failure who is falling behind everyone else — that isn’t the time for you to stay away from other believers, as some are in the habit of doing. That is the very time that you need to come together for the sake of encouragement so you can face your battles more bravely.…”

Do you know people who need some encouragement today? Instead of letting the day slip by before you know it, why not take the time right now to call those individuals and encourage them? If you can’t call them, how about writing them a note that will help them focus on victory?

Think back to all those moments in your own life when someone came alongside of you to encourage you. Didn’t it make a big difference in your life? Now it’s your turn to return this blessing to someone else.

So determine today to be a real comrade in the Lord to another Christian soldier. Make it your aim to speak words of encouragement to those around you today. If you see someone who is discouraged, or if you know someone who has been struggling in his or her faith, go out of your way to encourage the troops!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, today I want to be used by You to encourage someone! I ask You to lead me to those You want me to encourage. Show me what to say, how much to say, and when to say it. Teach me to recognize the needs in other people and not to focus only on my own needs.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am going to be a major blessing in someone’s life today. The Holy Spirit is going to open my eyes and show me exactly whom I am supposed to encourage. With the help of the Spirit, I will speak the right words at the right time, and I will say only as much as I need to say. When this day concludes, someone will thank God for the way I stepped into his or her life to be a source of encouragement!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Have you been so focused on your own challenges that you’ve failed to recognize the needs of others who are around you?

2. Can you think of some people in your life who need encouragement and extra strength today?

3.  Can you make a list of practical ways you can reach out to encourage these individuals and let them know you are thinking of them today?

Where Should You Go When You Get Discouraged?

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is….
— Hebrews 10:25

People tend to skip church and stay away from other believers when they get discouraged. Maybe you know someone who has done this. Maybe you’ve even done it yourself at a time in your life when you felt discouraged or depressed.

There are a myriad of reasons why people stay away from church when they are discouraged. Perhaps they’re embarrassed that their faith isn’t working as fast as they think it should. Perhaps they’re ashamed that they’re still struggling with problems they think should have been conquered long ago. They don’t want anyone to know they’re still wrestling with the same old problems, so they disappear from sight.

Don’t let embarrassment or discouragement keep you away from other believers. You need their strength! You need their testimony! You need their encouragement! You need to hear them say, “You can do it! You can make it!”

That’s why Hebrews 10:25 says, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is….” The word “forsaking” is taken from the Greek word egkataleipontes. It’s a compound of three different Greek words: eg, kata, and leipo. The first word, eg (actually from the Greek word ek), means out. Kata, the second part of the word, means down. The third word, leipo, means behind. These three words compounded together simply mean out, down, and behind.

These words describe someone who is extremely discouraged, defeated, and depressed. Maybe he feels depressed because it looks like everyone is succeeding but him. Or maybe this is someone who is simply weary from fighting a very long battle. Regardless of the reason why, this word describes a person who feels left out, down, depressed, and far behind everyone else.

The moment people begin to feel like they are failing or falling short of everyone else is often the moment when Satan tells them,“Oh, just stay home from church today. You don’t need to go down there with all those rejoicing people. You know that you don’t feel like being with them today, so why not just stay home by yourself? You don’t need them. You can just read the Bible at home!”

Satan knows that if he can get you to fall out of fellowship with other believers — at the very moment when you need fellowship and encouragement the most — then he can probably keep you down and defeated. Yes, it’s true that you can read the Bible at home by yourself, and you need to do this. But fellowship with other believers is essential for everyone, and that includes you! You receive encouragement from other believers that you can’t get anywhere else.

That is why church is the last place the devil wants you to go when you’re feeling low! He knows if you go to church, you will be touched by the Presence of the Lord; you will get encouraged by other believers; and in the end, you’ll crawl out of that hole the enemy has put you in and rise up to a place of heavenly victory!

The devil works overtime to try to tempt you to skip church, stay home, and do something else instead. But, friend, why isolate yourself when you are in the greatest need of encouragement?

Hebrews 10:25 could be translated:

“When you’re feeling down and depressed — like a failure who is falling behind everyone else — that isn’t the time to stay away from other believers, as some are in the habit of doing….”

Instead of letting the devil and your flesh get the best of you in moments of weakness, here’s my suggestion: In addition to praying and reading the Word at home when you’re feeling down and out, go find another believer or a group of believers who can build you up in faith and encourage you in the Lord. After fellowshipping with people of faith, you’ll feel recharged to go back and face those challenges with a winning attitude!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I ask You to help me push my flesh and my feelings aside when I am tempted to be down and depressed. Your Word promises that I’ll be encouraged if I fellowship with the saints, so I ask You to help me shove my lying emotions out of the way, get out of my house, and stop focusing on my defeat. Give me the strength of will to go attach myself to a band of believers who will encourage me to stand up, stand tall, and fight like someone who has the armor and the power of God working in my life!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I declare that Satan does not have the power to keep me down and depressed! When life comes against me and the devil tries to tell me that I have no hope of ever getting out of my problems, I run to people of faith so I can get encouraged! I don’t fall out of fellowship, and I don’t stay away from church. I am faithful in my church attendance, and I receive encouragement every time I get in God’s Presence and rub shoulders with the people of God!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. When you get discouraged, where do you go for help, strength, and encouragement?

2. Has the devil successfully tempted you to stay away from other believers?

3. How can you get more involved with a faith community that can give you needed encouragement to help you win the battles you’ve been waging?|

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And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
— Galatians 6:9

Today I am thinking about people who have sown their financial seed into the soil of their churches or of their good ministries. Or perhaps they have sown love, kindness, forgiveness, and patience into their relationships, and now they are waiting for a return or a harvest on what they have sown.

Maybe you have been trusting God for a desire of your heart to burst forth in your life, but have gotten discouraged during the time of waiting between the seed sown and the harvest reaped. I want to encourage you not to quit before you’ve received what you’ve been expecting. You can rest assured that if you won’t give up, God certainly won’t fail to perform His Word for you! In fact, Galatians 6:9 promises: “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

I want to talk to you about not being discouraged while you wait for your seed to grow and your harvest to be reaped. First I’ll tell you a story from my childhood. When I was a boy, I decided to grow corn, so I carefully measured the rows along the backside of my father’s garage, prepared the ground, and then meticulously planted the seeds. What a beautiful little garden it was, and I was so proud of it!

Every day before school, I’d run to that little patch to see if anything had pierced the soil during the night. When I got home from school, I’d run back to that garden to see if anything became visible while I was away for the day. Before I’d go to bed at night, I’d return to see if my seeds were producing anything I could visibly see. Finally, I got so impatient waiting to see results that I told myself, Nothing is happening with my seeds. I need to dig them up and see if they are defective.

So just as meticulously as I had planted the seeds, I began to dig them up one at a time to see if anything was happening below the surface. By the time I was done, there before my eyes, cupped in my hands, were all the seeds I’d planted, uprooted by my own doing. The little pile of seeds had a tangled mass of roots and little shoots that had begun to grow upward toward the surface of the soil. But because I became impatient waiting for the “due season” of my corn, I completely ruined my harvest. After all the hard work I’d done, I had dug up my seeds and ruined them.

The next year I decided to return to the patch behind the garage to do it again. But this time, I was determined that I would wait for those seeds to produce. I had learned not to dig up my seeds. Finally, the day came when I saw tiny green shoots pierce through the soil. Whew — I was so excited! Day after day I watched as the little shoots grew taller and taller. Everything was going great — until little Ricky Renner once again became impatient.

The cornstalks were tall, and ears of corn were already on the stalks. But it seemed like the ears of corn were taking too long to get bigger and to mature. I began to wonder, Is something wrong with this corn? Shouldn’t it be growing faster? I inwardly argued, Maybe insects are eating it below the husks, or maybe this corn is simply defective.

So instead of staying on track and being patient, I pulled every ear of corn off the stalks and peeled back the husks to see what was happening inside. There in front of my eyes were perfectly formed ears of corn with everything intact. But because I pulled them off the stalks too early, I destroyed my harvest again. If I had not given in to impatience, it wouldn’t have been much longer before I would have been eating fresh corn. It wasn’t insects, weather, or the devil that destroyed my harvest — it was me!

The seeds were working perfectly both times I ruined my harvest. With this thought in mind, let’s return to Paul’s admonition in Galatians 6:9 that says, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” None of us wants to lose our harvest, so I want to look at seven key words today: 1) “weary,” 2) “well,” 3) “doing,” 4) “due season,” 5) “reap,” 6) “if,” and 7) “faint.”

1. The word “weary” is the word egkakeo, a compound of the Greek words en and kakos. The word en in this case means to give in, and the word kakeo is a form of kakos, a word frequently used to denote something that is evil, destructive, or even unjust. But when these words are compounded, the new word depicts one who is tempted to give up because he feels accosted by an evil, destructive, or unjust person or circumstance. Have you ever tried hard to do what is right, but felt crushed or continually resisted by some circumstance or person? Has that opposition caused you to feel tempted to throw in the towel? In spite of the destructive forces that may have tried to rail against you or loom over your life, even if a truly unjust situation has reared its ugly head against you, God commands you to not surrender to the temptation to become weary and give up. He is the One who says, “Let us not be weary in well doing.…”
2. The word “well” is the Greek word kalos, which means good but would be better translated here as useful. The word “good” itself is too broad a term and leaves one wondering what is included. But when it is more accurately translated as the word “useful,” it gives clarity that a “good” work is a “useful” work. This suggests that there are “unuseful” works. Indeed, there is a lot of energy and time expended on things that have no benefit to anyone. But Paul’s use of the word kalos tells us that we must focus on those works that are “useful” with some type of measurable results. This tells us that what is sown is not only financial seeds, but also good deeds.
3. The word “doing” is from the Greek word poieo and refers to any type of activity. It can even carry the idea of creative doing when the action doesn’t come easily or naturally. In other words, if we can’t easily see a way to do something that is beneficial, it’s time for us to get creative! God is looking for us to be consistent and productive with useful works. It must be noted that this word, as used here, is also a participle. This means it is ongoing, uninterrupted action. In other words, the type of “well doing” that Paul described is not a one-time event, but an ongoing action. It is a lifestyle of sowing seeds and deeds.
4. Paul promised that “in due season,” we shall reap a harvest for our efforts. The words “due season” are idios and kairos. The word idios means its own. The word kairos refers to a set season. Thus, each seed has its own set season — a specific, individual time when it will produce a harvest. Even if many multiple seeds of different kinds are all planted at one time, each has its own season to be reaped, depending on the nature of the seed. One seed produces during one set season, while another seed is reaped during a different season. Thus, it is a mistake to judge our seed and its time of harvest by the harvest time of other seeds, because each seed has its unique set season to mature. We just need to remember God’s promise: If we are consistent — if we steadfastly keep sowing our seed into the ground and refuse to allow weariness to derail us — a time will come when we shall reap.
5. The words “shall reap” are from the word therismos, a word that describes the reaping or harvesting of crops. What is important to note is that the Greek tense describes a future, fixed event. Hence, the harvest is in the future, but it is fixed and guaranteed to happen — if we will do our part and stay on course. This is why Paul continued by saying, “…if we faint not.”
6. The word “if ” tells us that our actions have the power to disrupt a harvest — just as I twice disrupted the reaping of my corn crop! Paul added the word “if ” to help us understand that our consistency and refusal to surrender for any reason is vital in reaching the set season of our seed. If we “faint” at any point along the way, we can jeopardize the long-term harvest of what we have sown.
7. The word “faint” is the Greek word ekluo, a compound of the words ek and luo. The word ek means out, and the word luo means to loosen or to relax. When compounded, the new word means to loosen out. It is a relaxed mental state that results in loss. It pictures a person who has become so weary that he gives up and forfeits what he had long awaited and was so close to reaping. As a result, the person loses the desired outcome that was so near. Pressures applied against this person have unraveled him, causing his grip to slacken until the answer he was holding on to slips from his hands. The result is loss. In the case of Galatians 6:9, he has lost a harvest.

The most common factor that causes us to loosen our grip is when we become “weary.” Thus, Paul urges us not to give in and quit in times of spiritual, physical, or mental exhaustion.

It’s exciting to plant seeds of faith, and it’s really exciting when the harvest comes — that moment when your faith finally turns into sight! But in order to reach that point, you must hold tight to what God has told you and remember that your seed — whether it’s financial seed or seeds of uninterrupted, useful deeds toward others — has a set season when it will produce, if you do not disrupt the process. As long as you stay the course, it is guaranteed that you will reap what you have planted.

Many people have consistently sowed their finances or kind actions toward others. Often they are tempted to quit just because they become tired. Although they are trying to be obedient, they may feel unappreciated. Perhaps circumstances out of their control are coming against them, or someone is treating them unjustly.

Maybe you have experienced the temptation to give up. But Galatians 6:9 urges you not to loosen your grip on your future, fixed harvest! If you will remain steadfast, the time of waiting will eventually end and your harvest will come! It may not come at the time you were hoping it would — but regardless, don’t dig up your seed or pull the ears of corn off the stalks too early! The seeds you have sown have a set season, and God promises they will produce — if you don’t do something to disrupt the process!

I don’t know what you’re trusting God for in this present season of your life. We are all believing for something and sowing seeds toward it. Perhaps no one knows but you because you’ve kept it between you and the Lord. Maybe it’s a financial harvest, a breakthrough in a relationship, a physical healing, or a restoration in some other area. Maybe this harvest is taking longer than you had anticipated.

But I want to reassure you that God’s Word and His promises are eternal, and if you just won’t quit, it’s only a matter of time until your long-awaited blessing arrives. God’s Word is absolutely true, so I encourage you to remain steadfast and keep thanking Him for the harvest He has in store that’s been tailor-made just for you!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, I ask You to help me be patient as I wait for the seeds I’ve sown to grow and be multiplied back into my life. It seems like it has taken a long time, but I will not loosen my grip on the fixed, future harvest You have planned for me. You are the Lord of the harvest, so I fix my eyes on You and trust that You have set a season for my seeds and deeds to reach their full growth so I can enjoy the harvest of my endeavors. You are faithful; Your Word is true; and today I rest in those truths!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I boldly declare that I will continue to release my faith and believe for God to multiply the seeds and deeds I have sown in the past. At times, weariness has tried to attack me, injustice has been done to me, and other outside pressures have made me feel tempted to throw in the towel. But I will not surrender to any pressure to bend, break, or give up on God’s promise that I will enter a season of reaping a harvest from the good seed I have sown. The Holy Spirit will empower me to hold tight, hang on, and remain steady and steadfast until I reap my harvest and enjoy the fruit of my faith and labor!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Have you been tempted to become impatient as you wait for your seed to be multiplied back to you? Take the time to make a list of the ways you have already received a harvest on past seeds and deeds that you have sown. It will both surprise and encourage you to see how much of a harvest you have already reaped in your life from the seed you have sown in the past!
2. Seeds mature at varying speeds. Think about the fact that it just may not be time yet for some of the seeds you’ve sown to mature. If they’ve been in the soil a long time, it’s likely that your harvest is not far away.
3. Have you ever dug up your deeds and seeds sown and ruined a harvest? Have you ever been so impatient that you “pulled your ears of corn off the stalk, peeled back the husk,” and ruined a harvest all by yourself? What did you learn from that experience, and how did it affect your waiting for a harvest afterward?

A Unique Receptacle Specially Made for the Power of God!

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
— Ephesians 6:10

Could you use some extra strength today? I want to draw your attention to the word “strong” in Ephesians 6:10. It is the Greek word endunamao, a compound of the words en and dunamis. The word en means in. The word dunamis means explosive strength, ability, and power. It’s where we get the word dynamite.

Thus, this word endunamao presents the picture of an explosive power that is being deposited into some type of container, vessel, or other form of receptacle. The very nature of this word endunamao means that there necessarily must be some type of receiver for this power to be deposited into.

This is where we come into the picture! We are specially designed by God to be the receptacles of divine power. When Paul tells us to be strong in the Lord, he is essentially saying, “Receive a supernatural, strengthening, internal deposit of power into your inner man.” God is the Giver, and we are the receptacles into which this power is to be deposited.

Paul knew you and I would desperately need supernatural power in order to successfully combat the attacks the enemy would bring against us. That’s why he urges us to open our spirits, souls, and bodies to God so we can receive this supernatural strength.

Ephesians 6:10 could be translated to mean:

“…Be infused with supernatural strength and ability.…”
“…Be empowered with this special touch of God’s strength.…”
“…Receive this inner strengthening.…”

God wants you and me to have this supernatural strength and ability! We are the special receptacles or containers He created to possess this phenomenal power. Think of how wonderful it is that God specially fashioned you and me to be the containers for the power of God!

So if you’re feeling a need for extra strength today, open your heart right now and allow God to give you a fresh infilling of His explosive, Holy Spirit power!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, it is clear that You want me to be filled with Your power and strength today, so I open my heart right now and ask You to fill me with Your Spirit. Thank You for creating me to be the receptacle for this wonderful power — and by faith, I receive a fresh infilling of Your Spirit right now!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I declare by faith that I am filled with the Spirit of God. I am specially made by God to be the container of the Holy Spirit. He lives in me; He fills me; and He empowers me to conquer every attack that the devil tries to bring against me. God knew I needed this power and therefore gave it to me. I boldly confess that I am FILLED with the supernatural, wonder-working, and dynamic power of the Holy Spirit!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Do you feel a need for more strength and power in your life today?

2. Have you asked the Lord to refill you with the power of the Holy Spirit? Why don’t you take a few minutes right now to open your heart and let the Lord fill you with a new surge of divine power?

3. What steps can you take today to avail yourself to a special touch of the Holy Spirit’s strength?

Abstain from all appearance of evil.
— 1 Thessalonians 5:22

When I was getting started in the ministry, God blessed me with an opportunity to serve as associate pastor to an older man of God who taught me many important principles for my life and ministry. One of the most important principles he taught me — one that I now require of every leader who works in our ministry — is the necessity of abstaining from all appearance of evil.

When I first heard this pastor’s rules, I thought they were a little overboard. For instance, men on the pastoral staff could not meet alone with members of the opposite sex, counsel a woman alone behind closed doors, or ride alone in a car with a woman other than one’s wife. I thought these types of rules made life very inconvenient. But the pastor was very strong on never doing anything that gave a wrong impression or that opened a door for criticism or accusation.

I’ve been in the ministry many years and know of numerous times when pastors were accused of inappropriate behavior. The behavior was sometimes real and at other times imagined, but the opportunity for accusation was almost always the result of carelessness in keeping certain boundaries. So I now agree wholeheartedly that there is great wisdom in adhering to restrictions like the ones my senior pastor required in my early days of ministry. By taking this cautious approach, men and women of God are able to steer clear of insinuations and accusations. This, however, should apply not only to ministers of the Gospel, but to every believer who cares about the integrity of his or her witness.

The verse that my senior pastor used as the basis for his rules, and the verse I use in my own ministry to provide guidance to our team on such issues, was First Thessalonians 5:22. In this verse, the apostle Paul wrote, “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” Today I would like for us to take a deeper look to see what we can learn from this key verse in the Word of God.

Paul began by saying, “Abstain.…” The word “abstain” is from the Greek word apecho. This word means to deliberately withdraw from; to stay away from; to put distance between oneself and something else; or to intentionally abstain. The word apecho is also used in First Peter 2:11, where Peter wrote, “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.” In this case, the word “abstain” — apecho — means to deliberately refrain from something; hence, it could be translated, “…I urge you to refrain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.” The implication is that believers should put distance between themselves and temptations of the flesh and soul.

There are other examples of the word apecho in the New Testament that also demonstrate how this word depicts some type of distance between objects. For example:

• In Luke 7:6, the word apecho is used to describe the physical distance between Jesus and the house of the centurion.
• In Matthew 15:8 and Mark 7:6, the word apecho is used to describe human hearts that are hardened and therefore distant and far from God.
• In Acts 15:20, the word apecho is used when James, the leader of the Jerusalem church, gave instructions that the new Gentile believers should abstain from food offered to idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals, and from the consumption of raw blood. In that verse, the word apecho is so strong that it makes a demand on the new Gentile believers to withdraw from and permanently terminate their contact with these things. It is actually a command to refrain, to desist, to discontinue, and to terminate any further contact with them, and it calls for a permanent halt to the practice of allowing such contact.

Keeping this in mind, we know that when Paul told us, “Abstain from all appearance of evil,” he was strongly urging you and me to put distance between ourselves and any appearance of evil. This Greek word apecho demands that we do not allow even the smallest hint of inappropriate behavior or any act that could be misinterpreted or viewed as being immoral or unethical. There is no doubt about it — the word apecho calls for extreme caution and vigilance.

The word “from” is the Greek word apo, which means away. However, because the word apecho had already been used, meaning to put distance between yourself and some other thing, it means the word apo was really not needed — unless Paul intended to place very strong emphasis on this point. By adding the word apo, it makes the point abundantly clear that believers should not only put distance between themselves and what is obviously evil, but they must also put a great deal of distance between themselves and whatever fits this description, even in appearance.

The word “appearance” is the Greek is eidos, a word that is only used five times in the New Testament, but depicts an outward form, visible appearance, a likeness, or a resemblance of something. Therefore, Paul was telling us, “It doesn’t matter what you think or what you know to be true; what matters is what appears to be true in the eyes of others.” Even if there is a small chance that someone may mistake your actions as evil or if what you do even resembles something evil or wrong, you need to stay as far away from it as you possibly can.

What makes this even more serious is the fact that this word “evil,” the Greek word poneros, is often used in the Greek Septuagint version of the Old Testament to describe actions that are ultimately damaging to a person’s testimony and reputation (see Deuteronomy 22:14). There is no doubt that Paul was telling us that we must do everything in our ability to put a lot of distance between ourselves and anything that would bring harm or injury to our reputation or to our godly witness in front of other people.

Think about it! How many people do you know who did something that they “thought” was all right to do — but other people saw their action and misinterpreted it, and as a result, it stained their reputation? I’m talking about situations like pastors being accused of immoral behavior because they had close contact with a member of the opposite sex who wasn’t their spouse. Maybe nothing wrong occurred, but what people saw resembled something bad, and the pastor was therefore falsely accused. This is why it is a good rule never to counsel a member of the opposite sex alone! By using common sense and refraining from ever being in such a situation where you could be accused, you have put distance between yourself and potential accusations.

Have you ever heard a rumor about a preacher who wrongly used money that was intended for the work of the ministry? The truth may be that the minister never did anything wrong at all with those funds, but because his actions gave a wrong impression to people who were watching, what he did resulted in a damaged testimony. Preachers can avoid these types of accusations by determining never to touch ministry funds personally and by establishing a bookkeeping system that demands accountability. Just by using common sense and choosing to refrain from activities that might give a mistaken impression, those in the ministry can put great distance between themselves and suspicious-looking situations. In so doing, there will never be room for accusation that they misuse ministry funds or participate in any questionable activity or behavior.

As I said, this principle of refraining from every appearance of evil isn’t pertinent only to ministers. It applies to every believer who wants to maintain a godly reputation. The fact is, if your testimony in the eyes of others is important to you, you must make the decision to withdraw from, refrain from, desist from, discontinue, and permanently terminate any action that gives the appearance of evil. Although this may require a new set of rules for your life, you will be taking vital steps toward preserving your testimony and godly reputation.

How much is your reputation — and the reputation of the Holy One you represent — worth to you? If you want to maintain a good name and testimony in front of others, you must refrain from any action, language, or contact that gives the appearance of evil. And this is not just my suggestion — it is the commandment of God found in First Thessalonians 5:22.

By understanding the Greek words in this verse, we can interpret First Thessalonians 5:22 to read:

“You need to terminate contact with any place, action, language, or relationship that gives people the impression that you are doing something wrong. It doesn’t matter what you think is acceptable; what matters is what other people perceive. So put a great deal of distance between yourself and anything you are doing that people could misinterpret and that could thereby stain your reputation.”

So many people have forfeited their testimony because they didn’t use their heads and think about how their actions might be perceived by others! Perception is often reality in the eye of the beholder.

Even if you know that you’re doing nothing wrong at all, the fact remains that people don’t see your heart — they see your actions. If they see you do something that appears immoral or unethical, you will likely be judged by what they perceive.

If you’re like me, your highest desire is to glorify Jesus in this life in all you say and do. That’s why our hearts can agree with what Paul says in this verse — that it’s always best to “abstain from all appearance of evil” because we are His representatives on this earth!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, I understand that Your Word commands me to break off and desist from doing anything that would give the impression of evil to people who are looking at my life from the outside. Today I have a new and a fuller realization of the great impact my actions can have on my reputation and on other people. Please forgive me for doing things that could be misconstrued, misunderstood, or misinterpreted. I am truly sorry. Help me today to put safeguards in my life that will help me to abstain from all appearances of evil from this point forward.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I use common sense in the way that I conduct my life. I am thoughtful about my actions; I am careful to remember that people are watching me; and I am led by the Holy Spirit in how I conduct my life. Because I want to maintain a godly reputation, I care about what people think of me. I will not do anything that would cast a shadow on Jesus’ name, my name, or my testimony as a child of God. With God’s help, I will live a life that is free of accusation!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Have you ever known someone who stained his testimony because contact with a place, action, language, or relationship gave people the impression that he or she was doing something inappropriate?
2. As you look back on that particular situation now, what steps could that person have taken to circumvent the accusations and charges that were brought against him or her?
3. Are there any areas or actions in your life right now that others might perceive to be questionable? Be honest with yourself! What are those areas, and what steps should you begin to take to put distance between yourself and future accusation?

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit.…
— 1 Corinthians 2:9,10

Over the years, we have received millions of letters from viewers who have written in response to our TV programs. If I were to amass all of those letters and analyze the number-one need that people write to us about, I would have to say it is their desperate desire to know God’s will for their lives.

People struggle to know what is right or wrong, what jobs they should or shouldn’t take, what school they should attend for higher education, whom they should or should not marry, whether or not to go full time into the ministry — and on, on, and on. Often well-meaning, misinformed people have told them, “Well, you can’t always know God’s plan.” These misled people even quote First Corinthians 2:9 and use it as an excuse for ignorance. They say, “You know what the Bible says: ‘Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things that God hath prepared for them that love him.’ You see, even the Bible tells us we can’t always know what God has planned for us!”

However, that was not the point the apostle Paul was trying to make when he wrote this verse! We cannot use First Corinthians 2:9 as an excuse for ignorance. It’s true that there was a time long ago under the Old Covenant when it wasn’t possible to fully know God’s plan as we can know it today. Paul paraphrased from the Old Testament when he said, “…As it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them…” (see Isaiah 64:4). Isaiah was bemoaning the perplexing problem of man’s inability to know what God has planned for him. At that time, before the Holy Spirit came to indwell the hearts of people, it was difficult and often impossible to fully discern the things God had planned for each of His children.

Think about how perplexing this problem must have been! God meticulously prepared wonderful, prearranged blessings for His people, but they weren’t able to discern these things in advance! The word “prepared” is important in this text, for it is the Greek word etoimadzo, which carries the idea of a readiness or something that has been fully prepared. The use of this word in this verse alerts us to the fact that God has a divine plan for each of our lives and is ready to reveal it! How wonderful to realize that God’s plan for us is not happenstance, accidental, or a product of last-minute planning. He has been meticulously working out a plan for our lives since before the foundation of the world. He is the Great Planner!

Under the Old Covenant, however, the Holy Spirit didn’t reside in the human heart, so people struggled tremendously to find God’s predetermined plan for their lives. In their efforts to uncover His will, they sought special, divine signs and even visited prophets of the region in an attempt to find answers and gain God’s guidance and direction. Although God had prepared so much for His people, they were blind to much of what had been provided for them because they didn’t have the Great Revealer living in their hearts.

How I wish I could say that it was different today, but most modern Christians live their lives as if they were still living under the Old Covenant! This is especially sad when you consider that Christians have the Holy Spirit living inside their hearts and therefore have access to all the answers they could ever need. But because they have never developed a spiritual sensitivity or learned to recognize the voice of the Holy Spirit, they still live like Old Testament people, depending on special signs, divine signals, or advice from others.

This shouldn’t be the case! The Holy Spirit has come to tell you and me everything we need to know to walk in the fullness of God’s plan for our lives.

Because the Holy Spirit has come, the ignorance that once existed among God’s people has permanently been eliminated. No one can rightfully use First Corinthians 2:9 as an excuse for ignorance or for not knowing the will of God. People who use this verse in this way are sadly misinformed about its purpose. Taken in context with the following verse, this verse clearly reveals that God does not want His people to be ignorant about His purposes, blessings, promises, and provisions that He has so meticulously planned for their lives.

First Corinthians 2:10 continues to tell us, “But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit.…” What does the word “them” refer to? It refers to all the things that used to be hidden! The word “revealed” is the Greek word apokalupsis, a compound of the words apo and kalupsis. The word apo means away, and the word kalupsis is the Greek word for a veil, a curtain, or some type of covering. When compounded into the word apokalupsis, which is normally translated as the word “revelation,” it literally means to remove the veil or to remove the curtain so you can see what is on the other side.

This word apokalupsis plainly refers to something that was veiled or hidden for a long time and suddenly becomes clear and visible to the mind or eye. It is like pulling the curtains out of the way so you can see the scene outside your window. The view was always there for you to enjoy, but the curtains blocked your ability to see the real picture. Once the curtains are drawn apart, you suddenly behold what was previously hidden from your view. The moment you see beyond the curtain for the first time and observe what has been there all along but wasn’t evident to you — that is what the Bible calls a “revelation.”

Now apply this to First Corinthians 2:9,10. In verse 9, Paul indeed said that there was a time in the past when the eye could not see, the ear could not hear, nor could the heart begin to imagine all the amazing, wonderful things God had prepared for those who love Him. God had prepared those benefits according to His prearranged plan, but they were veiled — hidden to us, obscured from our sight. But when Jesus ascended, the Holy Spirit came, and one of His major works in our lives is to remove the veil that once obstructed our view so our eyes can see, our ears can hear, and our hearts can fully comprehend the specific, special plans that God has meticulously prepared for each of us!

So I want to tell you, if you’ve been using this verse to claim ignorance of God’s ways, it’s time for you to change your thinking and speaking about it! This verse doesn’t give us an excuse for ignorance. In fact, it says just the opposite! This verse declares the day of not knowing what God has prepared for us is gone forever! The Holy Spirit — the Great Revealer — now lives inside our hearts, and He wants to reveal God’s blessings, promises, provisions, and plans to you and to me!

Thank God, you no longer have to seek special signs or divine signals. You don’t have to seek out prophets as they did in the Old Testament. Right inside your heart is the greatest Source of revelation on planet earth — the Holy Spirit! If you’ll develop a spiritual sensitivity and learn to listen to His voice, He will reveal everything that God has meticulously planned for you so you can be all God has destined you to be.

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, I thank You for the presence and the ministry of the Holy Spirit in my life. Forgive me for the times I’ve ignored this precious Partner whom You have sent to instruct and lead me in all the affairs of life. I repent for trying to find my way in life without His counsel and assistance. I confess that I’ve often sought the advice of family, friends, counselors, pastors, books, and other sources more than I’ve sought the counsel of the Holy Spirit — yet He is the One who knows the end from the beginning. Father, I thank You for providing the greatest source of revelation inside my own heart through His presence within me. Starting today, I seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit for each and every decision I make in life. Father, since You have meticulously planned my life and have sent the Holy Spirit to reveal that plan to me, from this day onward I want to let the Holy Spirit provide the revelation I need to fulfill that plan!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I declare that I am led by the Holy Spirit and that He reveals to me the will of God for my life. I am not ignorant, and I am not left to find my way on my own. God loves me so much that He sent the Holy Spirit to dwell within me and to provide me with all the details of God’s awesome plan for my life. As I develop my spiritual sensitivity and listen to the Holy Spirit’s voice, I am enlightened step by step to what He wants me to do with every part of my life. Because the Holy Spirit dwells in me, my eyes see, my ears hear, and my heart is able to comprehend the things God has planned for me!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Do you know the overall framework of God’s plan for your life? If so, what is it? Could you clearly state God’s will and plan for your life if someone asked you to do it?
2. Are you spiritually developing so you can more and more easily perceive the voice of the Holy Spirit in your heart? What steps can you start taking to increase your level of spiritual sensitivity?
3. If someone were to ask you for help in determining God’s will for his life, what would you tell him to do?

When Your Attitude Stinks So Badly that It Affects Everyone Around You!

Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
— James 1:21

Today I want to speak to you from James 1:21. I want you to particularly look at the words “filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness.” Since James tells us that we must remove and discard from our lives whatever is meant by these two concepts, it is imperative that we understand exactly what he is talking about.

The Greek word for “filthiness” is the word raparian. This Greek word describes filth that is obnoxiously filthy. The man pictured in James 2:2 is described in this same way. In this verse, James described two categories of people who attended the Early Church — those who were nice in appearance and those who were filthy dirty. About these categories, James wrote, “For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, and in goodly apparel, and there come also a man in vile raiment.”

That word vile at the end of this verse and the word filthiness in James 1:21 come from the same Greek word. In James 2:2, the Greek word raparian portrays a man whose body and clothes are so encrusted with filth that he emits a disgusting odor to everyone nearby. Have you ever smelled a person who stank that badly? Take just one whiff of that kind of stench, and you’ll never want to smell it again!

This is the same Greek word James uses in James 1:21 when he describes believers who have bad attitudes! In other words, when a believer is being pessimistic, downbeat, negative, uncooperative, gloomy, cynical, or indifferent, it just flat stinks! Whew! Nothing stinks worse than an attitude of a grumpy and pessimistic person. In fact, a person with a bad attitude emits such a distasteful aroma that it will literally drive people away from him! This person has to make the decision to “lay apart all filthiness” — which in this case is not referring to dirty clothes, but the stinking and repulsive attitudes he carries in his life.

Because James uses the word raparian in James 1:21, the verse could be translated:

“In light of what I’ve told you, it’s time for you to remove those stinking, foul-smelling, putrid, rank garments.…”

When my wife and I were young in the ministry, a man attended our church who never learned proper hygiene when he was growing up. His hair was dirty; his face was unshaved; his skin was encrusted with dirt; and his clothes smelled like something had died in them.

Because we loved this man, we decided to take him into our home to teach him hygiene. We grabbed our noses, held our breath, and took him to our house so he could get cleaned up. I coaxed him into the shower, and afterwards he came out looking nice and clean. But then he reached over, picked up his same old, dirty clothes, and put them back on again!

As I watched this newly cleaned man put on his filthy clothes, I thought, That’s just what a lot of Christians do! Jesus’ blood washes and cleanses us, and God gives us a new robe of righteousness. But many people were reared in negative, faithless environments and were never taught God’s Word. These Christians have walked in these negative attitudes for so long that it has become a part of their thinking. Yes, Jesus has washed and cleansed them by His blood and showered them with His grace and power. But those wrong attitudes have been a part of their lives for so long that they are still tempted to reach down, pick them up again, put them on, snap them back in place, and keep acting the same old way they did before they were saved.

These people are inwardly changed, but their old thinking patterns have become a bad habit. Therefore, they still wear those old, filthy attitudes, even though those negative attitudes are no longer consistent with the clean, new condition of their inner man.

For people who fit this description, it will take a strong act of determination for them to stay free of those old encumbrances. That’s why it’s so important to understand the words “lay apart” (see January 6). In Greek, these words describe someone deliberately laying down wrong attitudes and then pushing them so far out of range that he isn’t able to reach down to pick them up again.

Before you get too busy today, why don’t you take a few minutes to ask the Holy Spirit to show you if there are any stinking attitudes from the past that you’re still carrying around in your life? I guarantee you that He will reveal them to you — and then He will give you the power to remove these foul-smelling, negative attitudes from your life!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I thank You for washing me with the blood of Jesus and for making me brand new. Forgive me for clinging to my old ways of thinking and of doing things. Today I ask You to help me drop those old habits and attitudes and to never pick them up again. By myself, this would be almost impossible, but I know that by Your power, I can walk free. Right now, I release those old attitudes and habits that I’ve been carrying around with me for so long. I ask You to help me think and behave in a way that’s consistent with the new creature in Jesus Christ You have made me to be!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I declare by faith that I am free from wrong habits and attitudes from my past. I have laid them down, and I am free of them forever. Now I have the mind of Christ, the power of the Spirit, and the fruit of Jesus Christ working inside my life.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. What attitudes have you been harboring that are repulsive or offensive to God and that you know need to change? Make a list so you can pray about these wrong attitudes.

2. What do you need to do to drop those foul-smelling attitudes from your life?

3. Is there a person you need to forgive or a past situation you need to forget in order to really be free? Be honest with yourself as you search your heart.

If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
— Romans 12:18

Do you know anyone who rubs you the wrong way so badly that when you walk away from that person you feel like you’re about to explode? Does it seem like that person always says something so rude, unkind, impolite, or derogatory that it nearly makes your blood boil when you are with him or her? Well, consider this: Have you ever had the thought that you may be rubbing that person the wrong way as well?

As I relate the following story to you, I am obligated by God to begin by telling you that, over the course of many years, the enemy I am about to describe became a friend. In fact, he is so dear to me today that I cherish every time I get to see and spend time with him. So I testify to you from the onset that the majority of horrible relational situations can be turned around if you will obey what Romans 12:18 tells you to do. That is what I want to talk to you about today.

Many years ago, I had to regularly deal with a pastor who was one of the rudest and most belittling people I had ever met in my life. But the man lived in the same city as I did, so I couldn’t avoid seeing him from time to time. Whenever he and I found ourselves in the same room, I was nearly always shocked at what came out of his mouth. He freely gossiped and spoke malicious things about other pastors and churches. Everyone was his target — including me!

Because he was a pastor in our same city, I tried very hard to get along with him. But he was one of those people who simply rubbed me the wrong way, and I just didn’t like him. And I definitely didn’t like being near him! I repeatedly asked the Lord to help me forgive the callous words he had spoken about me to other pastors and leaders. Because he and I were pastors of the two largest churches in that particular nation, I knew I had to get along with this man. Nevertheless, trying to draw close to him was like trying to hug a cactus. I got jabbed and stabbed every time I came close!

I tried to convince myself that my inner conflict with this pastor was the result of a wrong mix of personalities. But if that were the case, this man had a wrong personality mix with every pastor in our city! The truth was that he was simply an offensive person. He knew he was offensive; he enjoyed it; and he had no intention of changing. And the way he affected me was exactly the way every other pastor I knew felt as well.

After many years of struggling in my relationship with this man, I finally came to realize that although this man was mightily gifted as a public communicator, he had no people skills on a personal level. He really was ill-mannered. The problem truly was him. Because this pastor respected no one but himself and was not submitted to any spiritual authority, no one could find a way to speak into his life to help him.

So what was I to do in this situation? As I said, he and I were each pastors of the two largest churches in our city, so we were continually attending meetings in which both of us were expected to participate. Like it or not, I was going to regularly be in this man’s company. It was impossible for me to avoid the man, so I began to ask the Lord to help me know how to get along with him so I didn’t leave upset every time the two of us had to be at the same place.

The Holy Spirit led me to Romans 12:18. It says, “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” This verse gave me direction. It provided helpful answers that enabled me to deal successfully with this difficult situation. And I believe these answers will also help you know how to deal with that person who constantly rubs you the wrong way!

Notice that the apostle Paul began this verse by saying, “If it be possible.…” The fact that he began with the word “if ” — the Greek word ei, which is like an open question mark with no definitive answer — means there may be times when we run into a case where it is not possible to have peace with all men. As we are all well aware, it can be very difficult to be at peace with some people — not necessarily because we are so difficult, but because they are hard to get along with. But remember, they may think the same of us! But regardless of the difficulty of the task or the ugly behavior of those we encounter along the way in life, the command of God remains: To the best of our ability, we must give our best efforts to be at peace with all men.

The word “possible” comes from the Greek word dunaton. In this verse, it expresses the idea of something that is potentially difficult but nonetheless doable. But because this phrase begins with the word “if,” it casts a shadow on whether or not it is truly doable. Maybe peace is attainable; maybe it isn’t. But if it is doable, you are to give it your best shot. For this reason, this phrase could be translated: “If it is doable…”; “If it is feasible…”; or as the King James Version translates it, “If it is possible….”

Paul continued to say, “…As much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” The words “as much as lieth in you” come from a mixture of Greek words that means “as far as it depends on you.” This phrase points toward you and me, placing the responsibility of maintaining peace and a good attitude on us, not on the person we find to be so offensive. This clearly means that God is expecting us to do everything we can from our perspective and to give it our best to “live peaceably with all men.”

The words “live peaceably” are from the word eireneuo, a form of the word eirene, which means to live in peace or to possess peace. In Romans 12:18, it carries this idea: “Once you’ve finally obtained peace, you must determine that you are going to do your best to make sure it is maintained and kept.” In other words, instead of being a contributor to the problem, you are to do all you can to be a facilitator of peace!

And notice that Paul said we are to do this with “all men.” In my case, these words “all men” meant I had to live peaceably with the ill-mannered pastor who continually upset me with his offensive behavior. But the words the Holy Spirit used in this verse are unquestionable. The words “all men” is a translation of the words panton anthropon. The word panton is an all-encompassing word that means everyone. The word anthropon comes from anthropos, the Greek word that describes all of mankind, including every male and female of every race, nationality, language, religion, and skin color — no one excluded. There is no phrase in Greek that could be more all encompassing than panton anthropon. It literally embraces the entire human race. It does not say we have to agree with all people or condone their behavior — but as much as it depends on us, we are to be at peace with them.

At the very moment Paul wrote this verse, he and other Christians were facing horrible pagan and religious opposition from those who had no tolerance for “narrow-minded” believers. Yet it was at this same time that the Holy Spirit commanded them through this verse to do everything they could to get along with everyone.

And this same divine command is directed toward us. It doesn’t say to live peaceably only with friends, family, peers, or those who agree with us. It says that if it’s possible, we are to live at peace “with all men.” An interpretive version of Romans 12:18 could be rendered: “If it’s doable at all, then as much as depends on you, be at peace with everyone, no one excluded.”

This verse was so helpful to me when I was learning how to get along with that ill-mannered pastor. I understood that Jesus did not expect me to be his best friend, but Jesus did expect me to give it my best effort to live peacefully in that situation. If being at peace with him meant perhaps not engaging in a lengthy conversation with him, then whatever I had to do, I was determined not to live upset with this man who had been such a source of pain and irritation to me. I had to let it go, let God deal with him, and walk away from my hankering to fix or correct him. As much as it depended on me, from my side, I was going to do whatever was necessary to be at peace with him.

I know that you have relationships that trouble you, as this is true of everyone. If you’re tired of getting upset or being irritated or unsuccessfully trying to correct those individuals, perhaps you should choose the route of simply seeking to be at peace. Negotiation with a difficult person is not always possible, so sometimes the best option is simply doing whatever is necessary to be at peace. This was the message the Holy Spirit spoke to me, and I believe it is the message the Holy Spirit may be speaking to you right now as well.

So if you’re exhausted from trying to fix an unfixable relationship, and yet your contact with that person is inescapable, ask the Holy Spirit to help you deal with your own heart so that you can be at peace even with that person. That difficult relationship is part of the “all men” with whom the Holy Spirit commanded you to be at peace. As stated before, it doesn’t mean that you have to agree with that person, condone what he or she does, or discard your beliefs to obtain peace. It simply means you choose not to enter into the fray with that person any longer. You’ll be more at peace as a result, and you will be unmoved by the difficult people in your life because you have set yourself to be at peace with all men, regardless of what anyone says or does.

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, I thank You for speaking to my heart today. I repent for my carnal response toward certain people in my life. I confess that I have allowed myself to become irritated with them, and at times I have even been judgmental of them. Today I release forgiveness toward them, and I choose from this point onward to see myself as a force for peace. I purpose in my heart to exercise the patience that is a quality of Your love within me. I ask You for wisdom to know what to say and do and what not to say and do when I am in the presence of these individuals. Thank You for leading and guiding me in each contact I make with them.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I let the peace of God act as umpire continually in my heart, deciding and settling with finality all questions or concerns that arise in my mind. I refuse to be ruled by my emotions, and I am not moved by what I see, feel, or hear. I have the mind of Christ, and I hold the thoughts, feelings, and purposes of His heart. The wisdom of God determines my responses and reactions to those I consider ill-mannered or badly behaved who are not within my realm of authority to correct. I boldly declare that I will not live my life upset or bothered by something I cannot fix. Whatever is necessary to be at peace and to remain at peace is what I will do, as I have been commanded in Romans 12:18.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Have you ever considered that you may affect someone who rubs you the wrong way the same way that he or she affects you? Are you sure that you are not somehow contributing to the atmosphere you experience when you are with that person?
2. What do you need to do to eliminate the conflict between yourself and that individual? Since Romans 12:18 commands you to do everything from your side to be at peace, what steps do you need to take to obey that verse? Wouldn’t it be worth your time to think this through and perhaps write down a few thoughts about what you could change or do differently to have peace with that individual?
3. Is it possible that the person who irritates you is ignorant of his insensitivity or has just never awakened to the impact he is having on others? Why don’t you take a prayerful position for him and leave him in the hands of Jesus?

Learning to Follow the Leader

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
— Romans 8:14

When I was a small boy, my siblings and I used to play a game called “Follow the Leader.” I always wanted to be the leader, but my older sister always claimed that coveted leadership role. As leader, she had the right to tell us what to do, what games we would or would not play, who would clean the house, who would take out the trash, who would vacuum the carpets, and so on. No wonder my older sister always wanted to be the leader!

I always think of this when I read Romans 8:14. It says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” In Greek, the sentence structure is reversed so that it reads, “For as many as by the Spirit are being led, they are the sons of God.” This version puts the Holy Spirit at the first of the verse, and we are placed behind Him — just as children stay behind the leader as they play “Follow the Leader”!

The Greek word for “led” is the word ago, which simply means to lead. It was often used to depict animals that were led by a rope tied around their necks. Once tied to that rope, these animals willfully followed wherever their owner led them.

How interesting that Paul used this word! It tells us that we should be willing to let the Holy Spirit lead us in every part of our lives. We should be so surrendered to Him that wherever He tells us to go or whatever He tells us to do, we should simply be obedient and follow.

However, it must also be pointed out that this word ago is also the root for the Greek word agon, which is where we get the word agony. Even in Greek, the word agon describes an intense conflict, such as a struggle in a wrestling match or a struggle of the human will. This illustrates the fact that although the Holy Spirit wants to lead us, our human will doesn’t like the idea of being led. You see, it’s the nature of the flesh to want to go its own way, so when we choose to walk in the Spirit and let Him dictate our lives, His leadership over us creates a struggle between our will and our flesh.

Just for a moment, think of how many times a child is tempted to rebel against his parents. Or consider the many times our flesh has rebelled against exercise or a diet that we’ve imposed on ourselves. There’s no doubt about it — the human will and the flesh are strong. These parts of us have a very difficult time surrendering control to someone else — and that includes being led by the Holy Spirit!

When I was a child and we played “Follow the Leader,” I didn’t like being led by my sister and being told what to do. I wanted to be in charge myself so I could call the shots as I saw them! Maybe that’s how you’ve been feeling about your own life. But as a child of God, you have to learn to stay in your place — behind the Holy Spirit, following His lead.

Romans 8:14 really means:

“Those who follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit, they are the sons of God.”

However, because the word agonidzo is used, Romans 8:14 also carries this idea:

“Following the leadership of the Holy Spirit is one of the privileges of being a son of God, although it may be agonizing to learn how to defer to Him and to really let Him be your Leader.”

If you want to learn to live a Spirit-led life, there is no way around it — you have to deal with your flesh. The flesh wants control, so you must mortify or defeat the flesh and allow the Holy Spirit to have His way. The struggle may seem great, but it’s the only way to live a supernatural Christian life!

Make it your goal to learn how to discern the Holy Spirit’s leading. Become His constant “tag-along,” watching to see what He’s doing, where He’s going, and how He’s leading. Stay sensitive to Him so you can pick up His “nudge” in your heart. Then once you know what He wants you to do, just fall in step behind Him and “follow the Leader”!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I want to learn how to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. I know that You sent Him to be a Leader and a Guide for my life, so today I open my heart to Him. I ask You to help me learn to recognize the Holy Spirit’s voice and to know what He is leading me to do. With all my heart, I request that You help me become sensitive to Him so that He can lead me in all the paths You have designed for my life.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am spiritually sensitive and that the Holy Spirit is actively leading my life. I am His constant tag-along — watching what He’s doing, where He’s going, and how He’s leading. I am so sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading that I pick up every “nudge” He puts in my heart. He is my Leader, and I faithfully follow wherever He leads me to go.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Can you recall times in the past when you emphatically knew that the Holy Spirit was supernaturally leading you to do something?

2. What were you doing at that time in your spiritual life that made it easier for you to recognize and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit?

3. In order for you to be consistently led by the Holy Spirit, what actions do you need to take to keep yourself sensitive enough to hear His voice and to discern His leading?

Have You Said Thank You Today?

I cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers.
— Ephesians 1:16

When was the last time you gave thanks from your heart for the loved ones God has placed in your life? The phrase “give thanks” in Ephesians 1:16 comes from the Greek word eucharisteo, a compound of the words eu and charis. The word eu means good or well. It denotes a general good disposition or an overwhelmingly good feeling about something. The word charis is the Greek word for grace or freely granted favor.

When these two words are compounded into one, they form the word eucharisteo. This compound word describes an outpouring of grace and of wonderful feelings that freely flow from the heart in response to someone or something. This is the word Paul used when he “gave thanks” for the Ephesian church. In fact, in nearly all his epistles, Paul used eucharisteo when he “gave thanks” for people he loved.

For instance, Paul used this word in Ephesians 1:16 when he said, “[I] cease not to give thanks for you….” This means that when Paul thought of the Ephesian church, wonderful feelings of thankfulness would well up in his heart for them.

The Greek carries this idea in Ephesians 1:16:

“Thanking God for you is so easy — it just flows out of my heart every time I think of you. In fact, I never take a break from letting God know how I feel about you.”

In Colossians 1:3, Paul uses the same Greek word when he says, “We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you.” In First Thessalonians 1:2, he again uses the same Greek word when he prays similarly for the Thessalonian believers: “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers.” In Second Thessalonians 1:3, he uses this word again when he writes, “We are bound to thank God always for you….”

The fact that Paul used the word eucharisteo when he prayed for his dearest friends reminds us that we must be thankful for the relationships God has put in our lives. Whenever we think of our closest circle of friends, a deep sense of gratefulness, thankfulness, and appreciation should well up within us!

So when you’re praying for others, stop for a moment and reflect on all God has done in your life through those who are closest to you. When you realize how valuable those relationships have been to you, you’ll be able to freely, joyfully, and unreservedly thank God for such precious friends!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, You have blessed me with the most wonderful friends — and today I want to thank You for putting such great people in my life. Long-term, real friends are such a treasure, so I want to start this day by thanking You for these gifts of precious relationships. Help me never lose sight of how much I need these people. Help me also to never fail to show them how much I love and appreciate them!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I am thankful for the relationships God has placed in my life. They are a blessing to me, and I am a blessing to them. God brought us together, and Satan will not tear us apart. I will learn to love them more dearly, forgive them more quickly, and show them the same patience I want them to show me. I am richly blessed with some of the best friends I could ever ask for!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. How long has it been since you stopped to thank God for the people He has placed in your life?

2. When you pray, do you focus only on the “problem people” who bother you and steal your peace, or do you always make certain to take the time to thank God for the faithful ones?

3. Write down a list of all the people God has specially used to help you in life. Then stop to tell the Lord how grateful you are that He sent each one of them into your life.