Two Kinds of Strongholds

(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations.…
— 2 Corinthians 10:4,5

If you want to be free from every stronghold of the enemy in your life, you have to understand that there are two kinds of strongholds: rational and irrational. The rational strongholds are the more difficult to deal with — because they usually make sense!

Paul refers to these rational strongholds when he says, “Casting down imaginations….” The word “imaginations” is taken from the Greek word logismos, which is where we get the word “logic,” as in “logical thinking.” Thank God for a good, sound mind, but even a sound mind must be submitted to the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. Otherwise, your mind will develop a stronghold of natural reasoning that starts to dictate all kinds of lies to your life. I call these rational strongholds.

The reason I call them rational strongholds is that they are strongholds in the mind that make sense! You see, your logical mind will always try to talk you out of obeying God. In fact, if you don’t take charge of your mind, it will begin to completely dominate and control your obedience to God. It will tell you that you can’t afford to obey the Lord and that it isn’t a good time to step out in faith. Your natural mind will come up with a whole host of logical reasons to explain why you shouldn’t do what the Spirit of God is telling you to do.

Second, there are irrational strongholds. These primarily have to do with completely unrealistic fears and worries, such as a fear of contracting a terminal disease, a fear of dying early in life, an abnormal fear of rejection, and so forth. These types of irrational strongholds in the mind, emotions, and imagination will normally play their course and then dissipate. But if harassing thoughts persist in your mind and insist on controlling you mentally and emotionally, you must deal with them straightforwardly with the Word of God.

In Second Corinthians 10:5, Paul says, “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” Notice that Paul doesn’t say one thing about bringing the devil into captivity. Rather, he tells you to take every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

The devil tries to invade your life through lies that he plants in your brain. If you don’t take your thoughts captive, it will be just a matter of time before the devil starts using those lies to create mental and emotional strongholds for the purpose of keeping you in bondage. But if you take your thoughts captive, then your thoughts cannot take you captive!

Whether those strongholds are rational or irrational, you can take authority over them and cast them down! So quit listening to every ol’ lie that devil tries to sink into your brain, and start taking those thoughts into captivity to the obedience of Christ! Pull down every mental or emotional stronghold in your life with the supernatural weapons of warfare God has given you!

sparking gems from the greek

My Prayer for Today

Lord, help me to see any area of my life that is dominated by rational or irrational strongholds. Forgive me for allowing the devil to sink his lies into my mind, and help me now to uproot and cast down every one of his lies. I know that Your Word will renew my mind to think in accordance with You, so I am asking You today to help me make Your Word a priority in my life!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

sparking gems from the greek

My Confession for Today

I boldly declare that my mind is free from the devil’s lies! I think God’s thoughts; I meditate on God’s Word; and my brain is spot-free from the rational and irrational strongholds that Satan would like to plant inside me. Because of God’s Word working in me, I am completely free!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

sparking gems from the greek

Questions to Answer

1. Can you think of three areas in which the devil has tried to penetrate your mind and take you captive with ridiculous, irrational lies?

2. Can you identify times in your life when the devil has tried to seize control of your mind with logical, rational strongholds in order to keep you from stepping out to do what God has asked you to do?

3. What steps can you start taking right now to cast these thoughts down so you can get free of these lies and move forward with God’s plan?

Again, I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
— Matthew 18:19

In the early 1990s, I was on a plane that was horribly overloaded with people, luggage, and boxes. So many air-safety rules were being violated on this particular flight! Pieces of luggage and boxes were strapped into the seats where people should have been sitting — and people were sitting on top of the boxes in the main aisle of the cabin. From my vantage point, I could see most of the plane’s interior. As I watched the debacle, I saw people literally pushing luggage and garment bags away because they were hanging in their faces from the overhead compartments. Yet even with all the excess bags, boxes, and luggage already on the plane, the crew just kept loading more and more into the airplane bay. In fact, it came to the point where they were filling the bathrooms with luggage and boxes, and there were even suitcases stacked in the cockpit! I had never seen anything like it.

I happened to be seated toward the front of the plane near the flight attendants, and I actually heard one flight attendant tell her colleague, “This plane is dangerously overloaded. I’m afraid that we are going to fall from the sky.” As I continued to listen, I heard one say that the pilot had taken a bribe from a company to transport a gigantic shipment of items to the destination city. He knew he was taking a risk, but he had already been paid and needed the money, so he chose to risk the lives of his passengers. It was all about a bribe to get as much freight on that plane as possible!

People on the plane reeked of fear because it was blatantly obvious that this plane was loaded beyond its weight limitations, and its maximum capacity was far exceeded. I could tell my traveling companion was also very uneasy about the situation. I turned to him and asked, “Do you think this plane is going to crash because it’s overloaded?” He answered, “Yes, seems to me that we’re headed for a crisis.”

I quietly asked my traveling companion to join hands with me and pray. We acknowledged that wherever two or three were gathered in Jesus’ name, He was there and that He would answer our prayers. So we prayed in the Spirit peacefully and confidently. We harmonized our hearts and spirits together — believing that if we were in any type of danger, God would do something to change the situation and protect us. We prayed according to Matthew 18:19, saying, “Lord, You say that if two or three of us would agree on earth as touching anything, you would hear us, and our Heavenly Father would do it. So Father, if this plane is in danger in any way, as I have heard this flight attendant say, then we ask You to please do something to change this situation and protect us from harm.”

Within minutes after our prayer, a flight attendant abruptly came on the sound system and hysterically announced the plane would be evacuated due to a phone call that said there was a bomb on board. She said, “There has been a phone call indicating that there is a bomb on this plane. So please… quietly, orderly…begin disembarking this airplane as quickly as possible. EVERYONE GET OFF THIS PLANE!”

The panic in her voice caused panic to hit the whole plane. Suddenly everyone was standing up in front of their seats, fighting, screaming, and trying to force their way to the airplane’s sole open exit. It was mass confusion! Because the plane was overloaded with luggage that was choking up the main aisle, people were jumping and leaping over boxes and bags as they fought each other to make their way toward the exit. Because of where I was seated, I couldn’t move — there were too many boxes stacked around me — so I decided to just sit back and watch the people wage war with each other to try to get off the plane quicker than all the others. The sight was like none I had ever seen. It was anything but quiet and orderly! In fact, people were actually injured as they fought with each other to be the first off the plane!

When everyone was finally off the plane and transported inside the terminal, an airline official met us and said we were to wait for directions regarding what we should do next. Hours passed, and as I looked out the terminal windows toward our evacuated plane, I could see people completely emptying the plane of all boxes and luggage that had been recklessly packed into every available space. Finally, the plane was completely emptied, and officials and bomb-searching dogs thoroughly searched it from top to bottom. However, when they had finished, an announcement was made in the terminal that said, “No bomb has been found, so we are now reboarding the aircraft. But this time, we have decided that no excess luggage will be allowed. Please use your same ticket and take your same seat.”

About an hour later, we were seated back in our same seats, and when the door closed for that flight to take off, it was a completely different scene. People were all seated in their ticketed seats; no luggage or boxes were in the aisles; and no excess bags or garments were dangling from the overhead compartments. It was like a totally different aircraft. The passengers on board were now quiet and peaceful because they, too, knew it was a safer situation than what had existed only a few hours prior to our reboarding. Decades have passed since this event occurred, but I still remember it as though it happened yesterday because events like that are not easily forgotten!

That day, my traveling companion and I prayed according to Matthew 18:19, which says, “Again, I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.” According to this verse, all that is required is two or three people who “agree” as touching anything that they ask, and it shall be done for them of our Heavenly Father.

Let’s take a closer look at this word “agree” to see exactly what Jesus meant when He made this declaration. The word “agree” is the Greek word sumphoneo, and it is a compound of sum and phoneo. The word sum means with, and the word phoneo means to make a sound. As you can imagine by simply looking at its two parts, this Greek word is where we get the word symphony. Thus, when we describe agreement in prayer, it is good to first think of a symphony, which is a musical piece made of different movements, instruments, and parts. The use of this word sumphoneo in the context of prayer is revealing, for it shows that when two or more believers get into agreement — each of them praying and adding their parts — it creates a supernatural movement that deeply touches the heart of the Father. This action is so powerful, in fact, that Jesus said it would result in the Father fulfilling any issue they addressed through prayer.

This is precisely what happened on the airplane that afternoon. In a moment of urgency, my traveling companion and I got into high-level spiritual agreement and prayed with such power and faith that a movement of prayer ascended from our seats to the Father’s ears. When God heard our unified prayer, He was blessed by our faith and genuine agreement, and He literally swung into action to evacuate an entire airplane in response.

When you find yourself in a dilemma and need help from Heaven, find another believer who can get into agreement with you. Take turns praying, and pray together in the Spirit, letting your spirits mix and mingle and harmonize as they ascend to the throne of God to produce a symphony of prayer. When God hears this, it’s only a matter of time until He begins to move Heaven and earth to answer your prayers!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY


Heavenly Father, I thank You for the tremendous power You have enabled us to tap into through unified prayer. When we come together in agreement with faith in Your Word, I am grateful that You not only hear us when we pray in accordance with Your will, but You also answer to perform Your will and purposes in our lives. It pleases and honors You when Your people take advantage of this powerful type of prayer that enables our spirits to harmonize in faith as we come before Your throne of grace (Hebrews 11:6; Matthew 18:19) with each one of us adding our parts. Father, You have instructed us to pray with all manner of prayer (Ephesians 6:18). I will, therefore, pay attention to engage this type of prayer with another believer when dilemmas arise so that Your power can be released.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

 

I confess that I deeply touch the heart of my Heavenly Father when I create a harmonious sound of faith by entering into faith-filled agreement with another believer in prayer. I do not fear when difficulties suddenly appear. Instead, I tap the power of agreement in prayer! As each of us add our part in a harmonious symphony of unified prayer, our agreement with God’s Word and with one another releases the supernatural power of God in our behalf.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

  1. Have you ever been in a desperate situation where you and a friend lifted your voices in powerful prayer and you saw almost immediate results? When was that experience? Is it something you could share with someone today to encourage someone else in his or her own experience with the Lord?
  2. Can you think of an emergency situation from your past in which your life was in danger, but you cried out in faith and God heard your prayer and rescued you?
  3. Have you ever experienced a moment of symphonized prayer — a supernatural moment when your voice was mixed and mingled together with another believer’s voice, and it released currents of power from Heaven?

Never Forget To Look At the Children!

One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity.
— 1 Timothy 3:4

Once while traveling on an airplane, I sat next to a lady who had taught public school for thirty-five years. I asked her, “What can you tell about a family by the way a child behaves in school?”

She answered, “Everything! I can usually tell by the way a child acts if his or her home is peaceful or tormented; if the parents pay attention to their kids or ignore them; and if the father and mother have a good relationship. Almost everything can be determined by watching a child’s behavior. It’s usually a mirror of what’s happening at home.”

Of course, I know there are unique situations in which parents do everything right in raising their child, yet the child still becomes indifferent toward God and develops a rebellious and disrespectful attitude toward others. But often rebellious children are a symptom of a deeper problem in the family. If only one of the children in a family is rebellious and unmanageable, you might be able to dismiss the situation as a freak development or an attack of the devil. But if every child exhibits the same disturbing behavioral problems, you can surmise that something is not right in that home.

Paul considered the condition of the home so important that he wrote that a leader must have “…his children in subjection with all gravity” (1 Timothy 3:4). This is important to understand, because what happens in a person’s home is usually the true picture about what kind of leader he is going to be. So when I personally look for new leaders or for people who will represent me and my ministry, I look at their children to see if they are respectful and understand authority. If the children aren’t being taught this at home, it may be a sign that this parent doesn’t value the things I count as important.

But what age of children are we talking about? The word “children” that Paul uses in First Timothy 3:4 is the Greek word tekna, the word used to describe children who are still under parental guidance at home. After a child grows into a young adult and leaves home, the parent is no longer responsible; however, as long as the child remains at home and under the authority of his or her parents, those parents have a God-given parental responsibility to teach that child how to live and how to act toward others.

Paul says in this verse that a leader’s children should have “gravity.” The word “gravity” is the Greek word semnotes. It presents the idea of a person who carries himself with dignity and treats other people with courtesy and respect.

Through the years, I’ve learned that the way a person’s children speak to each other and to others outside the home is very revealing about what’s really happening behind closed doors in that home. As noted above, children usually mirror the true situation in a home. In other words, how they speak, carry themselves, and treat others usually reflects the quality of relationships in their home.

If parents are constantly arguing and screaming at each other until it has become a pattern and a way of life, the children will usually speak to each other exactly the same way in that home. When siblings engage in chronic patterns of strife, name-calling, and mutual accusation, these destructive patterns probably exist in their parents’ marital relationship as well. Children repeat what they see their parents do.

I’ll never forget the time I was called upon to mediate a very difficult situation between a husband and wife whose marital problems could no longer be hidden. On the surface, they always smiled and acted deeply in love. However, the behavior of their children let me know that serious problems existed in that marital relationship.

Those kids frequently told each other:

It was very revealing to me that the children spoke so freely to each other like this and that no one at home stopped it. It told me that it was probably the kind of language spoken by everyone in the home — including Dad and Mom.

Then the true story came to light, and the facade of marital bliss this couple tried to project was removed. The truth was that this husband and wife fought like cats and dogs. He yelled and she screamed; he threatened and she threw objects. That house had been filled with strife, discord, quarreling, and squabbling for many years. This long-term destructive behavior was exactly what those kids mirrored in their own behavior and conversations with each other.

If a home is filled with love, respect, and teamwork, this is also evident in the way the children conduct themselves. For instance, just recently a leader and his family came to our home for dinner. I watched that leader’s children interact with each other all evening while they were at our home. By watching those children, I knew exactly what I needed to know about this family. Those children possessed a respect and courtesy for each other and for other people that had been passed down to them by their parents’ example.

When children are disrespectful toward authority and resentful when they’re asked to do something they think is too low for them to do, it usually means they come from a home where a servant mentality is nonexistent. If their parents were true servants, their children would reflect that servant mentality themselves. Leaders who are servants most often have children who are servants.

So if you’re looking for someone to serve in your church or to hire for a job, never forget to take a good look at the potential candidate’s children. If you see a house full of children who are content to sit and watch other people work, be careful. You may be inviting someone who lacks a servant’s heart into your team of leaders. Certainly there are exceptions to the rule, but you will most often find that what you see in the children is what you’ll experience with the parent as well.

I am certain this Sparkling Gem has raised questions for you. My prayer is that it raises a warning flag to make you think twice about your own children and to cause you to move more slowly when choosing a leader who has disrespectful children. I’m NOT saying that a potential leader whose children are rude and disorderly can’t be used. But you should enter that relationship with both eyes wide open.

If your own children are disrespectful toward each other and toward authority, maybe you need to ask the Lord to help you analyze the real situation in your life and your home so He can show you what is out of order. Then once He reveals it to you, determine to start taking the proper steps to put things in good shape!

sparking gems from the greek

My Prayer for Today

Lord, thank You for speaking to me through today’s Sparkling Gem. I ask You to help me truthfully evaluate the situation in my life and honestly analyze how I am doing at rearing my children. It is difficult for me to be honest with myself about my performance as a parent, so I need You to give me the grace to see the truth as You see it. After You show me where I have erred, please quickly teach me how to bring correction into the situation. I am willing to be corrected, and I am waiting for You to help me clearly see the situation. I determine this day to do whatever is required to put my home in good working order.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

sparking gems from the greek

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am growing and developing as a parent. My parental skills are getting better and better all the time. My home is filled with love; my children speak with kindness and respect; and I am rearing them to be godly leaders for the next generation. With God’s Word as my guide and the Holy Spirit as my Teacher, I am leading my family in a way that pleases God and that is an example to others.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

sparking gems from the greek

Questions to Answer

1. When considering the behavior of your children, would you say they are respectful or disrespectful toward authority?

2. Do your children play one parent against the other parent — going to the second parent to get approval for what they want to do after the other parent has already denied their request? If yes, what does this communicate to you?

3. Do your children speak kindly to each other and respectfully toward their parents? If the answer is no, what does this reveal about you as a parent?

The Shield of Faith!

Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
— Ephesians 6:16

When Paul wrote his letter to the church of Ephesus, he gave a full description of the spiritual weaponry God has provided for every believer. In Ephesians 6:16, he referred to the shield of faith. He said, “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”

With the imagery of a Roman soldier before him, Paul used the Roman soldier’s shield to illustrate the shield of faith that God has provided for you and me. The word “shield” is the Greek word thureos, which was used by the Greeks and Romans to depict an oblong door that was wide in width and long in length. The reason the Roman soldiers used this word to describe their battle shields was that the shields were door-shaped. They were wide in width and long in length; just like the door of a house.

Because it was wide and long, this shield completely covered the Roman soldier! This is why the Holy Spirit chose to use the word thureos as the illustration of faith. He is telling us that God has given us enough faith to make certain we are completely covered for every situation — just like the shield that completely covered a Roman soldier!

In Romans 12:3, Paul wrote, “…God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” How much faith has God given you? He has given you enough faith to make sure you are covered for any event that comes along in life!

So you don’t need to worry or fret that God has given more faith to others than He has given to you. Rest assured in the fact that God has imparted enough faith to you to make sure you are covered from head to toe! That faith, like a wide and long shield, is adequate to cover any need that will ever come along in your life!

In the majority of cases, the Roman soldier’s shield was composed of multiple layers of thick animal hide that had been tightly woven together. Usually six layers of animal hide were specially tanned and then woven together so tightly that they became nearly as strong as steel. One piece of leather is tough, but imagine how tough and durable six layers of leather would be! Because of how it was made, the shield of the Roman soldier was extremely tough and exceptionally durable!

However, the Roman soldier’s leather shield could become stiff and breakable over a period of time if it wasn’t properly taken care of. Therefore, it was necessary for him to know how to take care of it.

In order to keep those shields in good shape, the soldiers were given a daily schedule to maintain excellent condition of their shields. Each morning when the soldier was awakened, he would reach for a small vial of oil. After saturating a piece of cloth with oil, he would begin to rub, rub, and rub that heavy ointment into the leather portion of the shield to keep it soft, supple, and pliable.

Any soldier who neglected this daily application of oil and allowed his shield to go without the necessary care was in effect inviting certain death. If not correctly cared for and properly maintained, the leather portion of the shield would harden, crack when put under pressure, and finally fall to pieces. Therefore, the end result of a soldier’s failure to care for his shield was the loss of his own life.

Paul says that this shield is representative of our faith. This tells us that our faith, like the shield in Paul’s illustration, requires frequent anointings of the Holy Spirit. Without a fresh touch of God’s Spirit upon our lives, our faith will become hard, stiff, and brittle.

What happens when you ignore your faith and allow it to go undeveloped? What is the result of never seeking a fresh anointing of God’s Spirit to come upon your life? When a challenge comes your way, your faith won’t be soft, supple, and pliable enough to stand up under attack. A faith that is ignored nearly always breaks and falls to pieces in the midst of confrontation.

So don’t assume that your faith is always in top-notch shape! Instead, play it safe and assume that your faith always needs a fresh anointing. By taking this approach, you will always seek to do what is necessary to keep your faith alive, active, and well!

sparking gems from the greek

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I want to thank You for giving me spiritual weapons! Today I am especially grateful that You have equipped me with a shield of faith that covers me from head to toe. Because You have been so gracious to provide everything I need, there is never a reason that Satan’s fiery darts should get through to me. So I ask You to help me hold my faith up high, keep it out in front, and march forward without any fear of what Satan might try to do to me!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

sparking gems from the greek

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am dressed in the whole armor of God! There isn’t a part of me that hasn’t been covered by the spiritual weaponry God has placed at my disposal. My shield of faith is working fine! It is anointed; it is strong; it is ready for any confrontation; and it will cause any dart that the enemy tries to throw at me to ricochet off without doing harm!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

sparking gems from the greek

Questions to Answer

1. If you were really honest with God and yourself, how would you evaluate the way you maintain, develop, use, and grow in your faith? Are you using your faith as you once did, or have you slowly backed away from the strong stance of faith you once possessed?

2. When an attack comes against you, do you stand strong in the face of it, or do you tend to fall to pieces? If your answer is the latter, what does this tell you about the way you are maintaining your faith?

3. What do you think you need to do to keep your faith in top-notch shape?

“If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself… lay thine hand upon thy mouth.”
— Proverbs 30:32

Many years ago, Denise and I went on a cruise of the Caribbean Sea. We had never been on a cruise and didn’t know what to expect. When we arrived for dinner the first evening, we assumed we’d be seated alone, but the maître d’ seated us at a table with six young people in their early to mid-20s. Denise and I looked at each other and then at the six other people, and we realized we were the grandpa and grandma in the group. It wasn’t exactly the romantic setting we had in mind, but it was the seating given to us for the evening so we decided to enjoy an experience with this young group of people.

These were university students who had decided to take a cruise together. So rather than talk about ourselves, we decided to listen and see what we could learn from this younger generation. The young female seated next to Denise glowed as she chattered away. She told Denise that she was studying Classical Greek and that her dream was to become an expert, having already attained a measure of that expert status compared to other students back home at the university. She went on and on about the marvelous characteristics of Classical Greek — obviously trying to impress us with how smart she was.

Then the young man seated to my right side decided it was his turn to chime in, and he began to quite literally rave about how brilliant he was with the Russian language. Believe me, pride was not hidden at that table! These young people — according to themselves — were absolutely amazing in their respective abilities! The man next to me went on and on about how he had studied Russian at the university for two years and that he spoke Russian so flawlessly that even native Russians couldn’t even detect a foreign accent when he spoke! Denise and I looked at each other in amazement, but never uttered a word in response or gave a hint that we are both Russian-speakers.

Then a gorgeous young girl across the table spoke up: “Well, I guess it’s my turn to tell who I am and what I plan to do. I am a soprano, and I plan to sing professionally at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.” Oh my goodness, I thought I would fall off my chair any moment. Even if she was a good singer, she was sitting at the same table as my wife, who really had the opportunity to sing at the Metropolitan Opera but had given up the opportunity for the ministry. This gorgeous young girl had no idea what kind of real opera singer was sitting right in front of her as she exclaimed how many awards she had won and how gifted she was at singing.

After the young people had gone around the table and they had all finished “sharing” their areas of brilliance and expertise, they looked at Denise and me — almost as if to say, We know you are older and probably the least experienced, but… And they kindly asked us, “Now tell us — what has been your past area of expertise?”

Denise spoke up first and said, “Well, my husband is a Classical Greek expert and has written best-selling books on the subject.” The girl sitting next to Denise, who claimed such expertise at Classical Greek, nearly wilted. She said, “Well, I’m really not a real expert, like you are. Oh, how embarrassing.”

Then I turned to the overly confident Russian-student to my right and said, “My wife and I have lived in Russia for many years, and we speak Russian fluently. How about if you and I speak a little Russian together?” He leaned back from the table and said, “Oh, I really don’t speak that well. I feel a little put on the spot. I’d rather not speak in Russian right now.”

Then the gorgeous blonde soprano looked at Denise and said, “And what about you?” I interrupted and said, “May I answer that question, because my wife may be a little timid right now to tell you. But she is an opera singer who holds concerts all over the former USSR and who personally gave up a career at the Metropolitan Opera when we decided to get married.” The blonde’s mouth literally fell open, gaping in shock.

I didn’t want any of them to be embarrassed for grossly exaggerating the truth about themselves, but I felt a need to give a little advice about truthful presentations. Feeling they were all embarrassed, I said, “There’s no need to be embarrassed in front of us, but you need to be careful how highly you lift yourself up in front of others, because it could put you in very embarrassing situation. Speak well of yourself, but don’t stretch the truth.” Then I asked them to please pass the gravy, and we all moved on to other subjects. All in all, the evening turned out to be a wonderful time with a group of young, inexperienced university students.

When I read Proverbs 30:32, I remember that night. It says, “If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself…lay thine hand upon thy mouth.” God’s solution in such a moment is simple: “…lay thine hand upon thy mouth” — or in other words, shut your mouth when you are tempted to gloat about yourself.

In the Septuagint, the Greek version of the Old Testament, the word “foolishly” is the word euphrosune, and it pictures the abandonment of one to self-aggrandizing. Thus, it is translated as someone who acts foolishly. It is the extreme picture of one who speaks too highly about himself, one who revels in his own accomplishments, or one who is ridiculously self-congratulatory, which is why sometimes it is translated as mirth. It is the most extreme version of thinking too highly of oneself. The word “hand” is cheira, the normal word for a hand, but here it pictures a person putting his “hand” on his mouth!

Especially when I was younger, I felt the need to impress others because I wanted people to think highly of me. I was probably guilty of the same thing that I saw these young people do who were seated at the table with us that night. However, as I’ve grown older and become more secure in the Lord and who I am in Christ, the need to impress others has become less important to me — and my relationship with Jesus and how He perceives me has taken the place of greatest importance in my life. As I become more sensitive to the Holy Spirit, I become increasingly aware of how grieved He is when we embellish the truth.

During a time of self-examination years ago when I took an extended time to look back on my life, there were many words I wished I could retract, but it was too late and too many years had passed. So I made the decision to be very careful from that point onward to say only those things that were true and honoring to Jesus. Sometimes the best policy is to say nothing at all.

So today I want to ask you — are you guilty of embellishing the facts? If you’re still guilty of this sin of the mouth, Proverbs 30:32 may be the best advice for you: “If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself…lay thine hand upon thy mouth.” God’s solution is very simple. Whenever you are tempted to exaggerate the truth — or to exaggerate your own importance — put your hand over your mouth until it becomes a settled practice in your life to rest in who you are in Jesus. In time you will ensure that in all things and in every situation, Jesus alone gets all the glory and honor for whatever you accomplish in this life!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY


Heavenly Father, I repent for the times I have sought to impress people by inflating the facts rather than seeking to please You by simply telling the truth. To exaggerate my abilities or accomplishments is utterly foolish since people usually see right through it! I realize now that if I engage in self-aggrandizement, not only am I deceiving myself, but I am also attempting to manipulate others by controlling their perception of me through a lie. That is not the way I want to live! I now see that to blow things out of proportion in order to exalt myself before others is actually a symptom of fear, not confidence — and fear brings a snare. Holy Spirit, I ask You to forgive me for the times I’ve grieved You by exalting myself instead of exalting Jesus. I ask You to set a watch over my lips as I commit to place my hand on my mouth and to give all glory to the Lord Jesus Christ alone!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY


I confess that I choose to resist the temptation to exaggerate the truth and embellish the facts in an attempt to make myself seem more important or accomplished than I am. To safeguard against foolish speaking, I will put my hand over my mouth. I am complete in Christ, and my sense of security in Him continually increases as my identity in Him becomes more and more established.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

  1. Can you remember a moment when you embellished the truth to make yourself look more important in the eyes of others? When was that, and did you ever repent for embellishing the truth?
  2. What is most important in your life right now? Is it the opinions of what others or what Jesus thinks about you? Be honest, because Jesus already knows the truth anyway!
  3. Have you ever been astonished at someone’s willingness to exaggerate the truth in order to impress other people? If you hear someone embellishing the truth, what do you think is your responsibility? Should you simply be quiet and let it go or privately ask the person about it?

Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.
— Ephesians 4:25

I want to talk about the importance of honesty in relationships and the need to deal with past offenses or hurts before they take root in your heart and breed bitterness. I’ll warn you in advance that you will need to pray for wisdom after you read this.

Many times offense and hurt arise from moments when little problems get completely blown out of proportion. At the time, the issue seems so big and all-consuming, but deep down, you know in your heart that it’s stupid and not worth that kind of attention. How often do these little, nitpicky hang-ups steal our time, rob us of our joy, and separate us from others — whether for a few moments, or several hours, or days at a time, or even longer? It is important that we learn to identify and address these minor problems before they escalate into something bigger that ultimately steals our time, robs us of our peace, and separates us from those we love.

Let’s bring this a little closer to home. Is there anyone in your life right now with whom you’re having a hard time getting along? Perhaps you have a close friend who has disappointed you. Maybe a business acquaintance has rubbed you the wrong way. Or maybe there is someone at church you just can’t stand. You don’t know why you feel the way you do, but when you see them, you feel disgust and intolerance and want to turn the other direction. Perhaps someone has hurt you unintentionally by saying something that was thoughtless, or maybe their attack was entirely purposeful. Regardless of the motive, the person’s words went into your heart like a dagger that you’ve never been able to completely pull out. You still feel the hurt, the wound, and the pain of his or her thoughtless words, actions, and deeds.

As a Christian, you already know what you should do in all of these cases: Ask the Lord to forgive you for your wrong attitude and help you change the way you see the people who have hurt or offended you. You should overlook their weaknesses, forgive them for their wrongs, forget about their characteristics or hang-ups that irk you so much, and then move on as though nothing ever happened to ruffle your feathers. It’s also possible that you might need to prayerfully, honestly, and lovingly communicate with those people about what’s bothering you.

That’s what you should do. You know the Holy Spirit wants you to love them with the love of Jesus. However, the emotions you feel are so strong that you’d rather just look the other way and forget about those who have hurt you. Your flesh doesn’t want to take the time and energy required to forgive them, show God’s love to them, and do as much as you can to preserve or restore those relationships.

And have you noticed how your mind will constantly drift back to that moment when you were hurt, irked, or offended? Subconsciously, you keep rehearsing the whole event over and over again in your mind, examining every little point of what you said and what the other person said. It grates against you as if it just happened minutes ago, when in reality quite a space of time has elapsed and you should be well over it by now. But if the truth be told — you’re not!

If this describes a true scenario in your life, it’s time to let go of your hurt or offense and forgive the person who wronged you. Why is this so crucial? Because these attitudes left unchecked will form a root of bitterness that could eventually ruin your life (see Hebrews 12:15). But in order to free yourself from these destructive mindsets, you must first confront them head-on. You must be honest with yourself and with the person who wronged you.

Honesty is the name of the game when it comes to relationships. Learning to “speak every man truth with his neighbor” is a challenge for the most mature believer. Yet this is the mandate the apostle Paul gave us in Ephesians 4:25 when he said, “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.”

Paul said that God requires believers to “put away” lying in their relationships. These were mature believers Paul was addressing, so it is unlikely they were lying outright. The Greek word for “lying” is pseudos, which really means dishonesty. Maybe they weren’t outright lying. Maybe they just weren’t being truthful or didn’t know how to be truthful. Regardless of how the situation transpired, it had led to dishonesty. Paul called on them to learn how to speak the “truth” with one another. The word “truth” is alethosi. In this verse, it refers to truthfulness or honesty in relationships.

In spite of Paul’s exhortation for honesty between the members of the Body of Christ, the Church is full of actors who pretend like everything is good when inwardly they are hurt or offended by the words or actions of another believer. They aren’t trying to be dishonest; they’re trying to be mature. They think that by not discussing the issues that bother them, they are being “spiritual.” But this “silent spirituality” is not a sign of spiritual maturity. In fact, it often leads to the cultivation of hostile attitudes, resentment, and a hard heart toward the other party.

Most people choose to simply “grin and bear it” and think that by ignoring their hurt, it will somehow go away by itself. But it rarely happens this way. The hurt may hide itself deep inside the soul for a while, but the next time a similar situation happens with the same person, that old wound will start screaming again.

That’s your signal that you have never really dealt with your heart toward that other person! You never really got over it; you just covered up the hurt.

Honesty might be difficult, but it’s not more difficult than living with a bitter spirit and a bad attitude. Being honest with the one who hurt you may seem difficult at the moment, but when forgiveness clears the breach in the relationship, you are free. Holding on to silent resentment makes you a prisoner in your own mind and emotions.

Is the Holy Spirit speaking to you today about taking action to be honest with someone about a situation you’ve tried to ignore? Well, as I told you at the beginning of the Sparkling Gem, it may be time for you to pray for wisdom!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY


Father, I thank You for the Holy Spirit whom Jesus sent to help me in this life. He is the Spirit of Truth who alone can lead and guide me into all truth. I receive His counsel and help to open the eyes of my understanding and grant me revelation knowledge as I search my own heart in the light of Your Word. Help me discern the areas where I have become dishonest in my relationships in an attempt to deal with hurts and disappointments. I believe that I receive Your help today as I purpose to change!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY


Today I choose to yield to the love of God that is shed abroad in my heart so I can forgive and move forward with integrity and in truth. I recognize the importance of maintaining honesty in my relationships — and that it starts by first being honest with myself. I receive the help of the Holy Spirit, who teaches me how to speak the truth in love so that I may walk with integrity and that I may honor my Lord Jesus in all areas and relationships in my life.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

  1. Do you have a relationship that is dishonest because you do not know how to speak the truth to that other person? I’m sure you wouldn’t want to lie, but has your ignoring of the truth really emerged into a dishonest relationship?
  2. If you did what the Holy Spirit wanted you to do, what would it be? Do you think the Holy Spirit would tell you to ignore the situation or find a way to discuss it with that other person?
  3. What actions will you take as a result of reading today’s Sparkling Gem?

How Would You Like To Receive a Fresh Anointing?

…I shall be anointed with fresh oil.
— Psalm 92:10

How would you like to receive a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit on your life today? If your answer is yes, why don’t you go before the Great Anointer and allow Him to give you that fresh anointing? This is precisely what David was referring to when he said, “…I shall be anointed with fresh oil” (Psalm 92:10).

The word “anoint” that is used primarily in the Old Testament Septuagint and the Greek New Testament comes from the Greek word chrio. This word originally denoted the smearing or rubbing of oil or perfume upon an individual. For example, if a patient came to see his physician because he had sore muscles, the physician would pour oil upon his own hands; then he would begin to deeply rub that oil into the sore muscles of his patient. That penetrating application of oil would be denoted by the Greek word chrio. So technically speaking, the word “anoint” has to do with the rubbing or smearing of oil upon someone else.

When I hear the word “anoint,” I immediately think not only of the oil, but of the hands of the Anointer! Oil was very expensive in biblical times; therefore, rather than tip the bottle of oil downward and freely pour it upon the recipient, a person would first pour the oil into his hands and then apply it to the other person. For this reason, I refer to the anointing as a “hands-on” situation. It took someone’s hands to apply the oil.

Let’s consider this concept in the context of God anointing our lives. God Himself — the Great Anointer — filled His hands with the essence of the Spirit and then laid His mighty hands upon our lives, pressing the Spirit’s power and anointing ever deeper into us. So when we speak of a person who is anointed, we are actually acknowledging that the hand of God is on that person. The strong presence of the anointing that we see or feel is a signal to let us know that God’s hand is personally resting on that individual’s life.

Therefore, if you would like a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit upon your life, you must come before the Great Anointer! He alone can give you what you need. Open your heart to God, and allow Him to lay His hand upon your life in a new way. I guarantee you, a strong anointing will follow!

sparking gems from the greek

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I am asking You to lay Your hand upon me in a brand-new way today. Rub the oil of Your Spirit deep into my life — and let the powerful fragrance of the anointing be felt, sensed, and seen by others who are near me. I want to carry Your power and demonstrate the aroma of Your Presence, so please lay Your hand on me today and let the anointing deeply penetrate me!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

sparking gems from the greek

My Confession for Today

I confess that God’s hand is on my life. Because of this, the Spirit of the Lord rests mightily upon me. Just as He anointed Jesus, I am also anointed to preach the Gospel to the poor; to heal the brokenhearted; to preach deliverance to the captives; to give recovery of sight to the blind; and to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. I carry the power of Jesus Christ, and I give off the aroma of God’s Presence!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

sparking gems from the greek

Questions to Answer

1. Can you recall a moment when you really knew the hand of God came upon you? When that happened, what were the immediate results?

2. How long has it been since you experienced a fresh anointing of the Spirit? Where were you when God’s hand last came upon you in a dramatic and spectacular fashion?

3. If someone were to ask you to explain the anointing to them, what would you say? After thinking about this, try to write your answer down so you’ll be better prepared the next time someone asks you this question.

Don’t Hold Anything Back!

So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us. 
— 1 Thessalonians 2:8

One common failure among ministers is to teach people the Word yet neglect to model   the principles so the people will know how to live it in their personal lives. But true discipleship is not complete until there is an example to follow. When people receive the Word only as an intellectual exercise, their heads may become filled with knowledge, but that knowledge won’t become workable in their lives until they have access to someone who models the message before them.

For example, Jesus modeled His message before His disciples. He lived with them, walked with them, worked with them, traveled with them, and spent nearly every minute of three whole years with them. As a result of working with Jesus so closely, the disciples not only received Jesus’ message,  but they also saw the way He lived it as He modeled an example before them.

We know that modeling the Word was also a part of Paul’s teaching style. In First Thessalonians 2:8, the apostle Paul wrote, “…We were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls….” In this statement, Paul gave us the dynamic, life-changing principle that we must teach the Word and use our lives to model the message!

Certainly Paul taught publicly — and there was probably no better teacher than he in New Testament times. He was the “crème-de-la-crème” of New Testament theologians. Paul could have lectured for multiple hours from the vast wealth of information and revelation stored up in his incredible intellect — and I’m sure that from time to time he did this.

But Paul didn’t just lecture and preach. He gave the people not only the Gospel, but also his own soul. His “soul” was his life, his emotions, his view of things, his lifestyle. He lived so openly before the Church that he was able to model his message before them.

Paul even told the Thessalonians, “For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us…” (2 Thess­alonians 3:7). The words “ye ought” are taken from the Greek word dei — a strong word indicating the Thessalonians understood that Paul was giving them compelling advice they should obey. In other words, Paul’s readers understood that even though the apostle did not directly command them to obey, they were to strictly follow the advice he was giving them.

Paul continues to tell the Thessalonians, “…Ye ought to follow us.…” The word “follow” is the Greek word mimeomai, an old Greek word for an actor or a mimic. Therefore, Paul’s command to “follow” isn’t referring to a casual type of following; rather, it implies an intentional study of the life, deeds, actions, and thoughts of another person in an attempt to fully understand that person and then to replicate his attributes in one’s own life. This type of following enables one to think like his subject, walk like his subject, mimic his subject’s movements, make the vocal intonations of his subject, and to act like his subject in a masterful way. However, this can only be achieved by those seriously committed to the act of replication. Mimicking, replicating, and acting like another person are the results of true discipleship.

When you put all these words together, Second Thessalonians 3:7 could be translated:

“It would behoove you to follow our example — to imitate and mimic us with the goal of replicating what you observe in our lives….”

Paul was committed to sharing not only the Word, but his life with those to whom he ministered. He told the elders from Ephesus, “And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house” (Acts 20:20). From his testimony in this verse, we know that Paul publicly taught the Word; however, he also showed the people he taught how to live the Word! He gave them the entire package, which was the Word and his life combined together!

When the Word is packaged with a personal, living example, it is powerful! Nothing is more powerful than a message backed up by a person who applies that message to his daily life.

There is an unfortunate alarm among Christian leaders that if their followers become too familiar with them, the people will lose respect for them and their anointing. However, Jesus’ disciples were very familiar with His lifestyle, and it didn’t hurt their respect or honor for Him at all. Quite the contrary, Jesus’ life became the greatest message He ever preached to His disciples!

Paul also wasn’t fearful that the Thessalonians would lose respect by knowing him too well. Quite the contrary, he urged them to follow him and his lifestyle so closely that they would be able to duplicate his life themselves. The personal example of his own life showed them that they could walk in the power of the Word just as he was doing. Watching the Word work in Paul’s life only made the message that much more powerful to the Thessalonians.

As you work with new believers or people who are under your spiritual influence, be sure to let them get close enough to see that the Word you preach really works. It’s great to give them Bible lessons, but they need an example they can follow. If you are concerned that allowing people to get close to you will affect their respect for you, then you need to be honest about those areas of your life that you fear may discredit you in their eyes!

Ask the Holy Spirit to help you walk in the reality of what you preach and teach. Ask Him to give you the boldness, confidence, and grace to let the key leaders under your authority get close enough to see how the Word works in your own life. If you’re really walking in the reality of what you preach, allowing people to get close to you will only demonstrate that you are the real thing — and that will increase their level of respect for you!

sparking gems from the greek

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I thank You for placing me under people who helped me grow when I was a young Christian. Their influence was important in my spiritual development, so I thank You for them right now — for their patience, their love, their kindness, and their willingness to let me get close enough to really learn how to walk with You. Now it’s time for me to do this for someone else, so please lead me to a young disciple whom I can begin to show how to walk in the power and authority of Your Word.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

sparking gems from the greek

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am a good example to other believers. Because I walk in the truth of what I preach, my life makes the message even stronger. People need a good example they can follow, and that means they need me! The Holy Spirit empowers me to preach, to teach, and to boldly model my life before others with confidence and grace!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

sparking gems from the greek

Questions to Answer

1. When you first came to the Lord, who had the greatest personal impact on your spiritual development? What kind of access did you have to these individuals, and why was their influence so important to your growth?

2. Is there anyone you are helping by giving him or her this kind of access to your life right now? Since it was so effective for you, don’t you think you ought to return the favor by letting God use you this same way in someone else’s life?

3. Be honest! Is there any area of your life that you are afraid for people to know about? Does that out-of-order area cause you to keep people from getting too close to you?

But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
— James 1:6,7

It is no secret that the devil will try to knock you back from your stance of faith when you are facing a difficult challenge. However, in this pivotal moment when he is pushing his hardest, you must be aware that you stand at a crossroads. You have a crucial choice to make: You can give up, or you can stand your ground and boldly declare, “I refuse to be moved off my position of faith! The Word of God is true, and I’m not going to back off!”

If you’ve had trouble standing firm in your faith against the pressure of the enemy in the past, don’t feel condemned. Just receive this message as an encouragement from the Lord to get back on your feet and then go for it again! To experience a breakthrough regarding a difficult situation or a trap that you’ve struggled with for too long, you must take a bold stance of faith and then stand still.

Yes, it may take time for your answer to manifest. Just because your request is in accordance with God’s will, the answer doesn’t always come to pass quickly or without a hitch. There’s a devil out there that doesn’t want you to experience God’s will for your life. You also have your own flesh to deal with, and flesh loves comfort — it does not like a challenge. Your faith may need to grow. God wants you to come to a higher level in the process of receiving the answer to your prayer.

Faith knows what it wants. It doesn’t vacillate. It never moves. Faith stands still in one spot. So make your bold confession of faith: “God, this is what I want. This is Your will for my life, and I’m not moving until I receive the fulfillment of it!”

In James 1:6, James described the unwavering attitude a believer must have when he asks God for something in faith. It says, “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.”

First of all, James told us that we must “ask.” The word “ask” is the Greek word aiteo, which means to be firm or adamant in requesting assistance to meet tangible needs, such as food, shelter, money, and so forth. The petitioner is so sure that his request is correct that he asks boldly and with an expectation to receive what he is firmly requesting. This depicts a person who speaks up, speaks out, and prays boldly and authoritatively.

Second, James said that we must ask “in faith.” The Greek lays emphasis on the word “in” — as something that the person is locked into or as something that is immovable. In other words, this person is praying for a stable, immovable, decided position. He knows what he wants and isn’t going to budge. Faith knows what it wants, and faith stands still. Faith doesn’t waver.

Third, the verse says that we must ask in faith and not “doubt.” The word “doubt” in Greek is diakrinomai, which means to differ or to be at variance with one’s self. In other words, your mouth may be saying all the right words, but your heart is not really in agreement. It’s just a mouthful of correct, empty words. Until your heart and mouth get into agreement, you are not really asking in faith, so James told us that we must ask with hearts that are in agreement with our mouths.

Fourth, James said that if we are not asking in faith — that is, if we are not standing firm in our position of faith — we are like unto a “wave” of the sea. The word “wave” is the Greek word kludunai, and it describes the billowing sea, or one roll of waves after another, or the ever-changing sea. Waves may look impressive, but they don’t last long. And likewise, a person who doesn’t stand firm in faith may temporarily look or sound impressive when he prays, but like a wave of the sea, his prayers and desires are ever-changing; and therefore he is not standing firm in a position where he can be blessed. Faith stands still.

In verse 7, James continued to say, “Let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.” It’s not that God doesn’t want to bless this man; He can’t bless this man, because the man doesn’t stay in a position of faith long enough to receive an answer to his prayers. Like the waves of the sea, he is shifting all the time from one request to another about the same issue — and then when a little pressure is applied and he doubts, he shifts again.

Consider your own walk with God. Perhaps this is one reason a prayer request of yours hasn’t been answered. Maybe you’ve never locked in with your faith on that particular need. Regarding what you’ve asked God for, do you change your mind or waver in doubt every few days — or even every year? Sometimes it does take years for certain answers for prayer to manifest. That’s why it’s so important to focus and lock in with your faith. You have to say, “This is it!” and stand still.

I suggest you say out loud: “Faith stands still.” Say it again and again until that truth gets planted firmly in your heart. If you’re moving around and wavering in your faith all the time, you make it difficult for God to bless you. But when you determine, “I’m believing God for this answer to come to pass, and I’m not moving in my stance of faith about it!” — then you position yourself as someone God can bless.

So decide today what you want and need based on what God promises in His Word. Then pray a prayer of faith, and determine that you’re not going to move until you see that answer come into manifestation. Regardless of how long it takes or how difficult the process is, you are not moving again — because faith stands still !

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY


Father, I repent for the times I have made a declaration of sincere faith, but then allowed myself to waver because of something I saw or felt. I acknowledge that such vacillating is to be double-minded, and the double-minded person will not receive anything from the Lord. I acknowledge that without faith it impossible to please You. And I choose to please You, Father! Therefore, because I believe that You reward those who diligently seek You, I purpose in my heart to remain fixed and stable in my position of faith until Your reward is fully manifested in my life.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY


I confess that this is IT — today I focus, and I boldly REFUSE to move from my stance in faith! I let patience have its perfect work, and I do not vacillate! I am not tossed like a wave to and fro, but I stand firm in one spot — fixed, immovable, and determined. I am confident that I will see what I have believed because my faith is based upon God’s Word, and His Word is His will. Therefore, this day I confess that the will of God shall be manifested in my life!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

  1. Is it possible that your prayers haven’t been answered because you’ve changed your prayer request so many times? Be honest with yourself. If faith stands still until it receives what it has requested, has your behavior met the description of how faith behaves?
  2. What scriptures are you standing on for the things you are requesting from God? I advise you to write down the scripture references that back up what you are requesting from God. When the devil tempts you to back off or to think that God won’t answer, this will give you a foundation to stand on and repel his attacks.
  3. Have you ever known anyone who habitually changes his or her prayer requests, as James says, like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed? What would you advise that person after reading today’s Sparkling Gem?

It’s Wearisome To Work With the Dead!

This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
— 1 Timothy 3:1

One of the greatest frustrations I’ve experienced through the years is working with people who have great potential but are apathetic about life. It’s even more frustrating when these people grew up in Christian homes and should therefore have been taught to pursue a higher standard for life.

But many people weren’t raised according to a high standard of excellence as my parents raised me. Therefore, they don’t possess a deep desire to be excellent in everything they do. They grew up in an environment where low-level thinking was viewed as normal, so that’s the standard they’ve accepted for their own lives. However, a person who comes from a low-level background hurts only himself when he uses that as an excuse for staying mediocre.

It’s so frustrating when you give people the opportunity to learn, to adapt, and to better themselves, but they don’t take advantage of these opportunities and therefore never experience needed change. You can send them to school, educate them, and even pay for them to fly halfway around the world in order to learn new and better techniques. But if they don’t possess the inner drive to become better and more professional, it doesn’t matter how much time or money you throw at them. It’s all a waste unless they have desire.

This is the reason the apostle Paul put “desire” at the top of the list when he wrote to Timothy and instructed him on how to choose leaders for his church in Ephesus. In First Timothy 3:1, Paul said, “This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.” According to this verse, desire is not only an important quality to possess, it is a requirement for any believer who wants to fulfill God’s plan for his or her life!

The word “desire” comes from the Greek word orego, which means to stretch forward or to reach toward. It denotes the longing, cravings, urge, burning desire, or yearning ambition to achieve something or to become something. It portrays a person so fixed on the object of his desire that his whole being is stretched forward to take hold of that goal or object.

In other words, this word doesn’t portray a person who just “thinks” about becoming something; this is a person who is determined to become something! He has put his whole heart, soul, and body into his dream, and he won’t take no for an answer! He will do whatever is required; he will change anything in his character that needs to be changed and do anything he must do to achieve his goal.

It takes only a few personal experiences with desireless people to make it perfectly clear why Paul put this quality at the top of the list of character requirements for leaders. There is nothing more dreadful or irritating than to work with someone who is gifted and talented but who doesn’t even possess enough initiative to get up and do his job!

As I said, one of my greatest frustrations — and this is true of every leader — is in trying to help, nurture, and develop people who have great potential but are apathetic about life. Desireless people stroll through life at their own pace, accepting standards and practices that would never be accepted in the business or secular world. They are like dead people!

You push, shove, beg, plead, and pray for people that fit this description to get involved. Finally, they respond to your constant requests to do something at work or in the church. They even do it for a while — at least until they feel a little opposition or are just too tired! At that point, they give up. These people don’t have enough desire to make it through the obstacles they face along the way. This is another reason a potential leader must demonstrate this quality of strong inward desire.

Obstacles will come as you grow in the Lord. From time to time, hindrances will try to knock you out of your spiritual race. If you don’t have a strong desire to be used by God and to become someone important in the work of His Kingdom, it won’t take too many of these obstacles and hindrances to make you give up and back out of your commitments. That’s why it’s essential to develop an inner desire strong enough to overcome the forces that come against you along the way.

You need to know that even though every person has a dream for success, that doesn’t mean every person will attain it. It takes great effort and hard work to achieve success in any realm of life. Many people who dream of success will never experience it because they don’t desire it enough; therefore, they aren’t willing to put forth the effort to make it happen.

As a result, a large portion of the lost world looks at the Church as a pathetic entity made up of a bunch of nincompoops who aren’t serious about what they do or say. This lack of desire is the reason why so much of what is done in the Christian world is of such inferior quality. A person who is satisfied with little will never achieve much. On the other hand, a person who is full of desire for excellence will never be satisfied with a low-level performance in his or her life.

But how about you? Do you have enough desire to get up and do something with your life? Do your actions demonstrate that you are fixed on a goal God has given you? How much time do you waste watching television when you could be reading, studying, working, and developing yourself into someone better? You’ll never become someone great or achieve anything special by doing what everyone else does. If you want to stand above the rest of the crowd, you’ll have to do more than what others do. If you don’t have desire, you’ll never make it!

So ask the Holy Spirit to stir up strong desire in your heart to become all that God has called you to be and fulfill all that He has told you to do. Keep developing your desire until it’s strong enough to overcome the forces that come against you along the way. Stretch forward with your whole being and take hold of your goal!

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My Prayer for Today

Lord, thank You for speaking to me so strongly today about my personal level of desire. For me to be what You have called me to be, I know that I have to develop a stronger inner desire than I am demonstrating in my life at this moment. Holy Spirit, please stir my heart so fiercely that I won’t be satisfied with my current level of life. Please give me a godly discontentment with the level I’ve already achieved so I’ll be motivated to keep reaching for higher levels in my personal life!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

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My Confession for Today

I confess that I am filled with desire! I am fixed on the goal God has given me to achieve, and my actions demonstrate that I am committed to achieving God’s plan for my life. I read, study, work, and develop myself regularly so I can become better and achieve higher results. Because I will never become someone great or achieve anything special by doing what everyone else does, I do more than what others do. Because I have desire, I will make it!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

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Questions to Answer

1. What are you doing to develop yourself so you can reach the goal God has given you? Are you studying, reading, or serving and learning at the side of someone who is already doing what you want to do?

2. What will be required of you in order for you to see your dream come to pass?

3. If you keep doing exactly what you’re doing right now, what will be your status in life two years from now?