Take Advantage Of All Kinds of Prayer

Praying always with all prayer….
— Ephesians 6:18

If you want to grow in your spiritual walk, you need to make prayer a central part of your life. But in order for prayer to be the great adventure God wants it to be in your life, you must understand that there are all kinds of ways to pray. Don’t get stuck with just one form of prayer! The Bible tells us that there are several kinds of prayer, and you need to learn to use every kind of prayer that’s available to you.

Ephesians 6:18 says, “Praying always with all prayer.…” The first thing I want you to notice is that this verse commands us to pray “always.” As noted in the Sparkling Gem for January 4, the word “always” is taken from the Greek phrase en panti kairo. The word en would be better translated at. The word panti means each and every.

You could say that this word panti is an all-encompassing word that embraces everything, including the smallest and most minute of details. The last word in this Greek phrase is the word kairo, the Greek word for times or seasons. When all three of these words are used together in one phrase (en panti kairo) as in Ephesians 6:18, they could be more accurately translated at each and every occasion.

But I want you to notice that this verse goes on to say that you are to pray “with all prayer.” This phrase is taken from the Greek phrase dia pases proseuches and would be better translated “with all kinds of prayer.” To assist the Church in maintaining a victorious position in life, God has given His people various kinds of powerful prayer.

Other translations of Ephesians 6:18 include:

“Use every kind of prayer….” (Goodspeed)
“Pray…with all manner of prayer….” (AMP)
“Pray…with all kinds of prayers….” (NIV)
“Pray…with all kinds of prayers that are available for you to use….” (REV)

Most people don’t realize there are different kinds of prayer. But according to this verse, God has actually made many forms of prayer available to us to use as needed, such as the prayer of faith, the prayer of intercession, the prayer of consecration, and the prayer of agreement.

Sometimes life can be difficult and challenging. For one thing, the devil doesn’t want you to be blessed or successful in your endeavors. So in order to face the inevitable attacks that arise against your marriage, finances, body, job, and career, you must come to realize that prayer is indispensable. You cannot succeed as a Christian without an active and effective prayer life.

No matter how anointed, skilled, or gifted you may be or how bold and courageous you think you are, you simply cannot maintain a victorious position in life apart from prayer. Without prayer, you can be sure of absolute and total defeat. But as you develop a lifestyle of prayer, taking advantage of every form of prayer available to you, you will find that victory is yours in the midst of every challenge!

The various kinds of prayer have all been given to you for your benefit and spiritual growth. So take the time to study the Word and learn how to pray with “all kinds of prayer.” Don’t let this day go by without spending quality time in prayer with the Heavenly Father. There is victory waiting on the other side!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, forgive me for the times I get so busy that I neglect my prayer life. I really want this inconsistency in my life to be broken; I want my prayer life to get stronger and more stable. I realize that when I don’t spend time alone with You, I make it difficult for You to tell me what You want me to know. Inconsistency is a work of the flesh, so I am asking You to help me break this pattern and learn how to make prayer one of the most important pillars of my life.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I declare by faith that prayer is a central and significant part of my life. God has great spiritual adventures planned for me, and He wants to reveal them to me during my time of prayer. I am steadfast, immovable, and consistent in my time with God. Nothing is as important to me as those moments I enjoy with Him. As I spend time with Him each day, He refreshes my spirit and enlightens my mind with the knowledge that He wants me to know. My prayer time is a key to the success God is giving me in my life.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Do you find yourself praying “at each and every occasion” during the day?

2. How can you remind yourself to pray throughout the day?

3. In what types of situations would it be appropriate to pray the following kinds of prayers: the prayer of faith for your own life, the prayer of thanksgiving, the prayer of intercession, and the prayer of worship?

You Are a Shrine For the Holy Spirit

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
— 1 Corinthians 6:19,20

Russia is a nation with more than one thousand years of Russian Orthodox religious history. One of the greatest signs of this religious history is located right in the heart of Moscow — a gigantic white marble cathedral with golden domes that is called “Christ the Savior.” I’ve traveled the world and seen a lot in my life, but when it comes to decorative architecture, this building is by far one of the most splendid I’ve ever seen. Its interior is highly adorned with ornamentations of gold, silver, and precious stones. It is embellished like no other building I’ve ever seen anywhere else.

When we hear the word “shrine,” this is normally the type of image that passes through our minds. We see arched and vaulted ceilings, marble, granite, gold, silver, hand-carved etchings, and lots and lots of smoke from incense being burned as a part of worship. Shrines are not comfortable places where we’d want to live, but their ornamentation is certainly impressive. A shrine is a beautiful place to visit, but we wouldn’t want to live there!

The Greek word naos is the word for a temple or a highly decorated shrine, like the one illustrated in the story above. This Greek word is the very word the apostle Paul used when he told the Corinthians, “…Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you…?” (1 Corinthians 6:19).

Because the Corinthians were Greek and had grown up in a classical Greek culture, they had seen temples their entire lives. So when Paul used this word naos, it would have been natural for images like the ones above to flash through their minds. They knew that the word naos always depicted a highly decorated shrine. The temples of their times were beautiful buildings with tall, vaulted ceilings, marble columns, granite floors, hand-carved woodwork overlaid with gold and silver, and burning incense billowing into the air around the front of the altar.

Shrines like the one I described above are imposing and impressive; however, they’re not comfortable. But when the Holy Spirit came into your heart, He made a home that was so comfortable, He was actually happy to come live inside you! He moved in, settled down, and permanently took up residency in your heart — His new home!

You see, when you got saved, the ultimate miracle was performed inside your heart. The Holy Spirit took your spirit, which had been dead in trespasses and sin, and raised it to new life. His work inside you was so glorious that when it was all finished, He declared you to be His own workmanship (Ephesians 2:10). At that moment, your spirit became a marvelous temple of God!

What does all this mean?

When we were born again, we were inwardly created to become a dwelling place of God.
Our bodies are not mere shacks or mud huts; rather, we are inwardly fashioned to be magnificent dwelling places for the Spirit of God.
Because the fruit of the Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit, and the grace of God are working inside us, we are inwardly embellished with rich spiritual ornamentation.
Our inner man is now a temple that is so marvelous, no human eye has ever seen anything like it!

If you’ve been dealing with a poor self-image, grab hold of this truth, because this is the greatest self-image booster that exists! Inwardly you are so beautiful and magnificent that Almighty God wanted to live inside you! What kind of home do you think God would require? A shabby shack made of dirt and sticks? No! He has built for Himself a beautiful temple within your heart — and that is who you are right now! Now live like the magnificently decorated cathedral of God’s Spirit that you are!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I am so excited to think that You made my heart Your home. It is so overwhelming to think that You want to live inside me. Help me see myself as Your dwelling place and to honor Your Presence inside me by the kind of life I lead. I want to bless You and honor You, so please help me do the right things that bring You the greatest pleasure and joy.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I gratefully acknowledge that my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Yes, the Holy Spirit lives inside me. My heart is not a hotel where He occasionally visits; rather, my heart has become His home. He has invested His power, His gifts, His fruit, and the life of Jesus Christ in me. Inwardly I am highly adorned with the goodness of God. My spirit is so marvelously created in Christ Jesus that God Himself is comfortable to live inside me!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Are you living like the magnificently decorated cathedral of God’s Spirit that you are?

2. How can you make use of the rich ornamentation you have on the inside of you: the fruit of the Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit, and the grace of God?

3. How would you behave differently if you truly believed that the Holy Spirit has permanently moved into your life and redecorated the place?

It’s Time for You To Lay Aside Every Unnecessary Weight

Wherefore seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight.…
— Hebrews 12:1

What is it that keeps hindering you from living a life of obedience? Do you struggle with a particular sin, habit, attitude, or fear that keeps you from running your race of faith the way you ought? If so, you probably already know what it is, and I’d guess that you’ve already prayed, prayed, and prayed for victory in overcoming that problem because you really do want to please God.

Every now and then, we all tolerate things in our lives that make it difficult for us to please God. And when we know we’re not pleasing God, we typically aren’t happy with ourselves either. This is one reason that Hebrews 12:1 tells us to “…lay aside every weight….”

The words “lay aside” are taken from the Greek word apotithimi, a compound of the words apo and tithimi. As noted in the Sparkling Gem for January 6, the word apo means away and the word tithimi means to place or to lay something down. When these two words are compounded together, it gives a picture of someone who is laying something down while at the same time he is pushing it far away from himself. It means to lay something down and to push it far away and beyond reach. Thus, this word implies a deliberate decision to make a permanent change of attitude and behavior.

Removing wrong attitudes and actions from our lives will not occur accidentally. We must decide to change — to remove, to lay aside, and to put away attitudes and actions that don’t please God and adversely affect our walk of faith.

Hebrews 12:1 refers to these incorrect attitudes and actions as “weights.” The word “weight” is from the Greek word ogkos — a word that describes a burden or something so heavy and cumbersome that it impedes a runner from running his race as he should.

This word was particularly used in the athletic world to signify the actions of an athlete who would deliberately strip himself of excess weight before participating in a competition. This stripping process included the loss of excess flesh through dieting and exercise. Then on the day of the actual competition, he stripped off nearly all his clothes so no extra weight would slow him down. He had his eye on the prize, so he was determined to strip off all “weight” that might potentially keep him from being the best athlete he could be.

This sends a strong message to us! If we want to please God, satisfy ourselves, and do something significant with our lives, we have to choose to remove anything from our lives that would hinder those objectives.

The athlete of the ancient world didn’t become “unweighted” by accident. He dropped all excess weight on purpose. He dieted; he exercised; and he shed every other unnecessary weight he could find to shed. This stripping process demanded his attention, his decision, and his devotion. It wasn’t going to happen by accident, so he had to initiate the process of removal.

What if those athletes had tried to run their race with loads of extra weight? They certainly wouldn’t have been able to run very far! This is exactly what sinful habits and attitudes do to your walk with the Lord. If you don’t remove them, they will eventually weigh you down and knock you out of your race of faith!

The Holy Spirit is urging you and me to take a good look at our lives and then remove everything that weighs us down and keeps us from a life of obedience. We must be honest with ourselves and with God.

Do you have a habit or a wrong attitude that binds you? Are you plagued by a fear that weighs you down and keeps you from fulfilling your potential in Christ? Make a rock-solid, quality decision today to grab hold of those unnecessary burdens and remove, lay aside, and permanently put them away from your life.

Once you make that decision, you’ll find yourself running your race of faith with much more ease as you press on to victory!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I know that You’re on my side and that You want to help me. So today I’m asking You to help me lay aside the attitudes, negative thought patterns, and bad habits that keep pulling me back down into miserable defeat. I’m exhausted from trying to live for You while dragging along these old weights behind me at the same time. I need to drop them and leave them behind! So today I am asking You to help me make the big break. Help me make this the day I permanently drop all the unnecessary weights that hinder me and walk away from them forever!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I live a life of obedience! Sin, bad habits, negative attitudes, and fear have no influence in my life. Because I am free of these things, I am able to run my race of faith without any hindrances caused by my own actions. Because I want to please God, I do not tolerate things in my life that make it difficult for me to walk by faith or to please God. Absolutely nothing is more important to me than knowing God’s will and doing it in a way that brings pleasure to the Lord!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a “weight” that has been keeping you from running your race with grace and ease lately?

2. How can you strip yourself today of that “weight” so you can stay in the race to win God’s prize for your life?

3. Write down three ways you can please God, satisfy yourself, and do something significant in your life this week.

The Holy Spirit Wants To Take Responsibility For You in This Life

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.
— 2 Corinthians 13:14

Most all of us would say we want to live a victorious Christian life. But without daily communion with the Holy Spirit, it’s impossible to attain that goal. Communion with the Holy Spirit is the launching pad for a life of supernatural power and consistency.

In Second Corinthians 13:14, Paul says, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.” I want you to notice the word “communion” in this verse, because communion with the Spirit is what we are talking about today. The word “communion” is the Greek word koinonia, a word that has a whole flavor of meanings, but one primary meaning is that of partnership.

An example of koinonia conveying the idea of partnership can be found in Luke 5:7 after Jesus supplied a miraculous catch of fish. After the fishermen had fished all night and caught nothing, Jesus told them to cast their nets on the other side. When they obeyed, they caught such a massive amount of fish that the nets began to break!

Peter knew he couldn’t handle this miraculous catch by himself, so he called to other fishermen in nearby boats to come and assist him. Luke 5:7 says, “And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.”

Do you see the word “partners” in this verse? It is a form of this word koinonia. However, in Luke 5:7 it refers to real, legitimate business partners. One scholar says that this word used in this context lets us know that Peter was no small-time fisherman. He owned an entire fishing enterprise, and those men in the other boats were his business associates or his company partners. Whether these other fishermen were co-owners or employees who worked for Peter, they were all working together on the same job and were focused on a joint venture to catch and sell fish.

Keeping this in mind, Second Corinthians 13:14 could convey the following idea:

“…and the PARTNERSHIP of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”

If you stop and think about it, this really makes a lot of sense. When Jesus’ earthly ministry was in operation, He and the Holy Spirit always worked together. Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35); empowered by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:16); and led by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 4:1). Jesus also healed people by the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:38); cast out demons by the power of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:28); was resurrected from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:11); and was seated at God’s right hand in the heavenly places through the power of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:19,20).

Every time we see Jesus in the Gospels, He is working hand in hand with the Holy Spirit. In fact, Jesus even said He wouldn’t initiate anything by Himself, indicating His total dependence on the Spirit of God (John 5:30). Well, if Jesus needed this kind of ongoing partnership with the Holy Spirit in order to accomplish His divine role in the earth, we certainly have to have it as well!

But there is yet another idea conveyed by the word “communion” (koinonia) — that is, the idea of taking responsibility for someone. An example of this is found in Philippians 4:14, when Paul wrote to the Philippians and commended them for the generous gift they sent for his ministry. He told them, “Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction.” The word “communicate” here is another use of the word koinonia.

At the time Paul wrote the Philippian letter, he was in prison in Rome. Over the years, he had traveled and preached, raised up churches, worked with leaders, and given his life for the Church. But of all the churches Paul had poured his life into, none of them helped him financially the way they should have.

In order to cover his expenses, Paul worked as a tentmaker during the day; then he preached and trained leaders during the evenings. This wasn’t the best plan, but because no one would support him, it was what he had to do. He was pouring his heart and soul into churches that were not financially helping him bear his load.

Paul was in prison in Rome when he received a special delivery letter from the Philippians. In that package, he found a sizable offering that the Philippian church had sent to support him during his time of difficulty. In other words, the Philippian church didn’t just say, “We’ll pray for your situation, Brother,” and then forget about Paul. Instead, they understood their responsibility to help him, so they took up an offering to support him and to communicate their love for him. In other words, they took responsibility for him. Paul uses the Greek word koinonia to convey this meaning — the same word he uses in Second Corinthians 13:14 when he writes about the “communion of the Holy Spirit.”

Thus, Second Corinthians 13:14 could also be read this way:

“…and the RESPONSIBILITY of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”

This means that just as the Holy Spirit wants to become your Partner, He also wants to assume great responsibility for you in this world. If you wish, He’ll stand by and watch you try to do it all alone. But if you’ll open your heart to the Spirit of God, He will assume a more active role in your life. He wants you to know that you are not alone — and that He will take responsibility for you!

If the cry of your heart is to know the partnership and the responsibility of the Holy Spirit — not merely as mental doctrines, but as constant, daily realities in your life — then decide today to get to know the Holy Spirit as your intimate Friend. Make Him your Partner. Allow Him to help you fulfill the responsibilities of your calling in Christ.

Begin today to develop a walk of daily communion with the Greater One within. Let Him be all He wants to be in your life — your Source of wisdom, power, and strength to launch you forth into victory!

My Prayer for Today

Holy Spirit, I want to thank You for being my Partner in this world. I need Your partnership. I know that without You, I am so limited in what I am able to do. You see what I can’t see; You know what I don’t know; You have wisdom and insight that I don’t have. I simply must have Your help if I am going to do what God has asked me to do. I ask You to please forgive me for all the times I have gotten in such a hurry that I didn’t take time to fellowship with You. From this moment on, I promise I will do my best to consult You before I make a decision or take a single step!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am led by the Spirit of God. I am careful not to make big decisions without consulting Him first. The Holy Spirit is my Leader, my Teacher, and my Guide; therefore, I look to Him to help me make the right decisions and take the right actions in every sphere of my life — my family, my business, and my ministry. Every day I experience more and more victory because I allow the Holy Spirit to direct all my steps.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Have you asked the Spirit of God to be your Partner in life and to take responsibility for all your cares and concerns?

2. What can you do to make the Holy Spirit a closer, more active Partner in every area of life?

3. Have you spent quality time in communion with the Holy Spirit today, being still and simply knowing that He is your God?

You Have a Two-Edged Sword

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword.…
— Hebrews 4:12

What is the significance of the “two-edged sword” referred to in Hebrews 4:12? If you start looking, you’ll find out this phrase regarding a “two-edged sword” appears all over the New Testament, so it must be pretty important.

For instance, when the apostle John received his vision of Jesus on the isle of Patmos, he said, “And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength” (Revelation 1:16). Notice that this “two-edged sword” came out of Jesus’ mouth! Why would Jesus have a sword in His mouth? Shouldn’t the sword have been in His hand?

The phrase “two-edged” is taken from the Greek word distomos and is unquestionably one of the oddest words in the entire New Testament. Why is it so odd? Because it is a compound of the word di, meaning two, and the word stomos, which is the Greek word for one’s mouth. Thus, when these two words are compounded into one (distomos), they describe something that is two-mouthed! Don’t you agree that this seems a little strange? So why would the Bible refer to the Word of God repeatedly as a “two-edged sword” or, literally, a “two-mouthed sword”?

The Word of God is like a sword that has two edges, cutting both ways and doing terrible damage to an aggressor. Ephesians 6:17 calls it “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (see February 8). As noted, the term “word” is taken from the Greek word rhema, which describes something that is spoken clearly, vividly, in unmistakable terms and undeniable language. In the New Testament, the word rhema carries the idea of a quickened word.

Here’s an example of a rhema or a quickened word: You are praying about a situation, and suddenly a Bible verse rises up from inside your heart. At that moment, you are consciously aware that God has given you a verse to stand on and to claim for your situation. You’ve received a word that came right out of the mouth of God and dropped into your spirit! That word from God was so sharp that it cut right through your questions, intellect, and natural logic and lodged deep within your heart.

After you meditated on that rhema, or that quickened word from God, it suddenly began to release its power inside you. Soon you couldn’t contain it any longer! Everything within you wanted to declare what God had said to you. You wanted to say it. You want to release it out of your mouth! And when you did, those powerful words were sent forth like a mighty blade to drive back the forces of hell that had been marshaled against you, your family, your business, your ministry, your finances, your relationship, or your body.

First, that word came out of the mouth of God. Next, it came out of your mouth! When it came out of your mouth, it became a sharp, “two-edged” — or literally, a “two-mouthed” — sword. One edge of this sword came into existence when the Word initially proceeded out of God’s mouth. The second edge of this sword was added when the Word of God proceeded out of YOUR mouth!

The Word of God remains a one-bladed sword when it comes out of God’s mouth and drops into your heart but is never released from your own mouth by faith. That supernatural word simply lies dormant in your heart, never becoming the two-edged sword God designed it to be.

But something happens in the realm of the Spirit when you finally rise up and begin to speak forth that word. The moment it comes out of your mouth, a second edge is added to the blade! Nothing is more powerful than a word that comes first from God’s mouth and then from your mouth. You and God have come into agreement, and that agreement releases His mighty power into the situation at hand!

So begin to willfully take the Word into your spirit by meditating on it and giving it a place of top priority. This is how you take the first necessary step in giving the Word a “second edge” in your life. Then when you are confronted by a challenge from the demonic realm, the Holy Spirit will be able to reach down into the reservoir of God’s Word you have stored up on the inside of you and pull up the exact scripture you need for that moment.

As that quickened rhema word from God begins to first fill your heart and mind and then come out of your mouth, it becomes that “two-mouthed sword” described in the Scriptures. That’s when demons start to tremble in terror!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I know that Your Word has the power to defeat every adversary in my life. As I take it into my heart and get it deep into my soul, I know it will empower me to speak Your Word with mighty strength and authority. Forgive me for the times I have just skimmed over Your Word rather than planting it deep in my heart. I realize that the answers I seek are in Your Word — and that Your Word, when spoken from my mouth, releases authority against the devices the devil tries to use against me. So today, Lord, I make the decision to plant Your Word deep in my spirit man and then to speak it and release its power in my life!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that God’s Word is a mighty and sharp two-edged sword that releases His power when I speak it out of my mouth. I read the Word; I take it deeply into my heart; and then I release its power from my mouth to thwart the enemy’s strategies and bring victory into every situation I’m facing today!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Can you remember a time when a specific scripture suddenly sprang up from down deep inside you, causing you to feel super-charged and empowered by God’s Spirit?

2. When God speaks to you, do you first meditate on that rhema word and then let it come out of your mouth, or do you forget to speak that quickened word out loud and thus fail to release its power?

3. According to what you read today, what happens when you and God begin to speak the same thing?

Effective Spiritual Weapons Require Effective Spiritual Strategies

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.
— 2 Corinthians 10:4

In this powerful verse, Paul speaks to us about the subject of spiritual warfare. In fact, this is one of the foundational verses on this subject, so it is vital to understand what Paul is talking about. Today I want to especially draw your attention to three words in this power-packed scripture. Pay special attention to the words weapons, warfare, and carnal.

First, Paul tells us that we have “weapons.” These spiritual armaments have been provided by God and are at our disposal. They are both offensive and defensive weapons and can be found in Ephesians 6:13-18, where Paul lists them one by one and explains what each piece represents.

Second, Paul uses the word “warfare.” The word “warfare” is taken from the word stratos. By choosing to use this word, the Holy Spirit alerts us to some very important facts about spiritual warfare.

The word stratos is where we derive the word strategy. This informs us that spiritual warfare does not occur accidentally but is something that is strategically planned. Just as any army plans its line of attack before a battle begins, the devil plans a line of attack, decides which methods he will use, and chooses the approach he wants to take as he cautiously charts a well-thought-out assault.

But the word stratos doesn’t just describe the devil’s strategies. It also tells us that if we will listen to the Holy Spirit, He will give us a strategy that is superior to any schemes of the devil. The devil is not the only one with a strategy. The Holy Spirit always holds the key to every victory, and He wants to provide us with a divinely-inspired strategy that will render null and void the works of the devil every time!

The Old Testament is filled with examples of divinely-inspired strategies. Consider the case of Joshua and the children of Israel as they stood before the walls of Jericho (Joshua 6:1-27). What strategy did the Lord give them? They were to walk around the walls of Jericho once a day for six days and seven times on the seventh day. Then after the seventh time around the wall on the last day, they were to blow trumpets made of rams’ horns. None of this sounded “reasonable” to the natural mind, but the effects of that God-given strategy are still renowned today!

Or consider the time Jehoshaphat sent out a praise team before the army to sing and to worship the Lord (2 Chronicles 20:20-25). What army would send singers and musicians to the frontlines of battle in front of its armed soldiers? Yet as they sang praises to God and played their instruments, the Lord supernaturally set ambushments and the enemies were smitten.

That day the children of Israel walked away from the battle without losing a single fighter. Not only that, but they were also weighed down with gold, silver, jewels, and other riches in abundance! There was so much plunder that it took them three days to gather it! How did they win this famous battle? They received a strategy from the Lord and then followed it accurately. The results of that strategy are legendary.

In both of these cases, the line of attack made no sense to the natural mind, but it released so much power that it completely crushed the foe. So don’t be surprised if the Holy Spirit gives you a strategy that doesn’t make sense when you first hear it! Remember, He operates on a higher level than you, and He knows what you don’t know. Therefore, He may tell you to do something that seems odd to you at first. But you can be sure that Spirit-inspired strategies always work!

Imagine an army that is fully equipped with weapons of warfare but has no strategy about how to use those weapons against the enemy. Even with all those weapons and artillery at their disposal, an army in this condition would utterly fail.

Likewise, although it’s crucial that you put on the whole armor of God, that’s just the first step. You must then have a strategy on how to use those weapons and how to attack! Until you receive a strategy from the Lord on how to use your spiritual weapons, they will be of little help in driving back the forces of hell that have come against you.

This leads to the word “carnal.” In Greek, this word is sarkos, which describes anything that is of the flesh, fleshly made, or fleshly conjured up or anything that is natural or of an unspiritual nature. Paul uses this word when he writes, “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal….”

In effect, Paul is saying, “Don’t look to your flesh for the weapons or strategies I’m describing to you because they do not arise out of natural talent, mental exercises, or human efforts. These are spiritual weapons and spiritual strategies, and they come from the spiritual realm.”

When you put all these Greek words together, Second Corinthians 10:4 carries this idea:

“Our God-given weapons are to be used in connection with a divine strategy. But don’t look to the flesh to find that strategy, for the battle plan you need is not going to arise out of your own natural talent, mental exercises, or human effort.”

If you want to receive the strategy needed to assure your victory, you must turn your attention to the realm of the Spirit, for it is from this realm that you will hear from God. You must spend time praying in the Spirit and reading the Word. By yourself, you will never conceive a plan that will deliver you.

Just as spiritual weapons come from God, so do spiritual strategies. So use your head as much as you can, and think through every step. But as you seek God, stay open for Him to graciously give you a supernatural strategy for destroying the work of the devil. And don’t be surprised if God tells you to do something that seems a little odd. Since the beginning of time, God has been giving effective strategies that seem strange to the mind of man!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I know that today I’m going to need a supernatural strategy to do what I need to do. My own natural mind is working all the time to come up with solutions. I’m doing the best I can do, but now I need extra help. I need a divine strategy — a divine idea so powerful and effective that no force will be able to resist it! I know that these kinds of strategies are imparted by the Holy Spirit, so right now I open my heart wide to Him. Holy Spirit, I ask You to drop a supernatural idea into my spirit and soul. Please help me to properly discern it, understand it, and then follow through with obedience.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I declare by faith that the Holy Spirit gives me the strategies and ideas I need. I am willing and ready to do whatever He tells me to do. The Spirit of God was sent into this world to be my Helper and my Guide, and I know I can fully rely on Him. I must have His direction, or I won’t know what to do. So today He will speak to my heart; I will perceive what He tells me to do; and then I will obediently carry out His good plan for me!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Has the Holy Spirit ever told you to do something that seemed odd to your natural mind but resulted in His power being mightily demonstrated in a situation?

2. Have you found that your natural talent, mental reasonings, and human effort are helpless to win the battles you are facing today?

3. God is ready to give you the battle plan you need to have victory in your life. Are you willing to spend the time in prayer that is required for you to receive that plan?

How Do You Make A Dead Man See?

And when he [the Holy Spirit] is come, he will reprove the world of sin….
— John 16:8

Do you remember times as a child when you did something wrong and thought no one was watching — but then you got caught? Do you remember how it felt to realize that someone had been watching you all along? What horror and dread to be caught in the middle of the act!

You couldn’t lie your way out of such a situation, especially when someone was watching you the whole time. You were unmistakably guilty and couldn’t escape facing your sin. Can you remember what it was like to feel so exposed?

This is what a sinner feels like the first time the Holy Spirit convicts him of sin. Before that happens, it is amazing how long that same sinner can live without conviction or sorrow for his behavior, almost numb to any sense of the wrongness of his actions.

The Bible says that sin makes people hardhearted, spiritually blind, and past feeling (Ephesians 4:18,19). Add this to the fact that they are spiritually dead and therefore unable to respond to God, and you will better understand why lost people can do what they do over and over again.

But all these factors change instantaneously when the Holy Spirit touches the human soul and exposes its sinful condition. A sinner feels exposed, naked, embarrassed, and confronted when the Holy Spirit wakes him up to his real spiritual condition.

In John 16:8, Jesus spoke of this exposing work of the Holy Spirit. He told the disciples, “And when he [the Holy Spirit] is come, he will reprove the world of sin.…”

Notice that Jesus said the Holy Spirit would reprove the world of sin. The word “reprove” is the Greek word elegcho. It means to expose, to convict, or to cross-examine for the purpose of conviction, as when convicting a lawbreaker in a court of law. In this case, it is the image of a lawyer who brings forth evidence that is indisputable and undeniable. The accused person’s actions are irrefutably brought to light and, as a result, the offender is exposed and convicted.

This tells us that by the time the Holy Spirit is finished dealing with a lost, sinful soul, the unsaved person will feel exposed and convicted. As the Holy Spirit enables him to hear the Word of God for the first time, that Word is so razor sharp that it penetrates his soul until he feels as if he has been cross-examined on a witness stand. Finally, the court is adjourned, the verdict is announced, and he is declared guilty.

John 16:8 expresses this idea about the “convicting” work of the Holy Spirit:

“But when He [the Holy Spirit] is come, He will present such convincing evidence about the world’s sin that the entire world will stand guilty and convicted — so exposed that they will feel they have nowhere to hide from the facts.…”

A major part of the work of the Holy Spirit is to convict sinners of their lost condition. The whole world stands guilty before God (Romans 3:19), but until the Holy Spirit does His convicting work, the world doesn’t realize it is guilty. That is why this special “convicting” work of the Spirit is so essential. Without it, mankind would remain comfortable in his sin — but as the Holy Spirit convicts, man becomes aware of his sinful condition and his need for God.

Jesus taught, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him…” (John 6:44). No one argues that God draws us to Him through the work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus reminded us of this when He said, “And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin…” (John 16:8). It is just a fact that without the work of the Holy Spirit to expose our sinful condition, we would still be in darkness today, eternally lost and without God.

Let me give you an example of what I am talking about. Have you ever tried to share Christ with family members or friends and felt as if you were “hitting a brick wall”? You shared, talked, and pled with them to receive Christ; yet it seemed like they just couldn’t hear what you were saying. Even though they knew they were sinners, they didn’t seem to be convicted by this knowledge. Ignoring that horrible fact, they pressed on as though they were numb to or ignorant of the degree of spiritual decay in their lives.

The Bible says that the lost person is “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). How can you make a dead man see or feel? How can you convince a dead man that he needs to change? It is impossible for a dead man to respond because dead people don’t feel anything. They especially don’t feel the conviction of sin. It requires a special, supernatural work of the Holy Spirit to rouse the human consciousness to its sinful condition.

Thanks to the Holy Spirit’s call that touched our souls, we were awakened to our sinfulness. Once we were brought to this horrible place of undeniable conviction where we recognized that we were sinners, the Holy Spirit then beckoned us to come to Jesus. At that divine moment, our souls heard Him say, “…Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light” (Ephesians 5:14).

As you begin to share Christ with your family and friends, first stop and ask the Holy Spirit to go before you, to touch their hearts, and to open their eyes and ears to the truth so they might be supernaturally roused from the spiritual deadness that clutches their lives. Let the Holy Spirit be your Partner, for without His help, a sinner is unable to see the truth. But when the Holy Spirit’s convicting work begins, the sinner’s eyes are opened to his true spiritual condition, and he realizes that there is no escape from the facts. The only answer for a sinner in this case is to come to Jesus!

There is no greater miracle than a sinner who sees the light for the first time and then receives Jesus Christ as the Lord of his life. And there is no greater blessing than to know that, with the help of the Holy Spirit’s convicting power, you helped a dead man see!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, thank You for the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, for it was this act of the Spirit that first brought me to the place of my salvation. When I do wrong and the Holy Spirit convicts me of what I have done, help me be sensitive enough to recognize that He is pricking my heart to get my attention. Help me slow down to see what He is wanting to show me and to take the necessary time to properly repent and deal with the issues He is wanting me to change.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am sensitive to the Holy Spirit and live a life that pleases Him. But when I fail to do what is right, I am sensitive to His voice and quickly repent for the wrong I have done. My heart’s desire is to please Him, and I will do everything I can to live a life that honors His Presence inside me

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. How has the convicting power of the Holy Spirit transformed you since you first received Jesus as Lord?

2. Who are five people you can ask the Holy Spirit to touch today with His convicting power of repentance and salvation?

3. Have you thanked the Lord recently for the Holy Spirit’s work in your heart to convict you of sin and keep you pure and powerful for the Lord’s use?

Diligence Is Required For Success in God

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
— Hebrews 11:6

Some people are just lazy, which is why they never see anything accomplished with their lives. They blame their lack of success on this, that, and everything but themselves. But God is no respecter of persons. What He does for one, He will do for all. The key factors that make the difference are not about God, but about a person’s level of determination and his or her willingness to do whatever is necessary to achieve a goal.

It may be a hard fact to face, but ultimately we are all responsible for our success or our lack of success. We all possess the same promises, the same faith, the same power, the same Spirit, and the same Jesus who sits at the right hand of God to make intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25). The main thing that determines who succeeds and who doesn’t succeed is attitude.

You have to want success in order to get it. It doesn’t float on clouds, and it takes hard work to achieve it. Because most people are willing to do only average work, they reap average results. To achieve super results, one must do super work, be deeply committed to the task, and be willing to do whatever is necessary to realize goals and aspirations.

Hebrews 11:6 says that God “…is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” According to this verse, even God rewards diligence. In fact, He only rewards those who diligently seek Him, which means people with a lazy, lethargic, do-nothing, “take-it-easy” attitude will never be greatly rewarded by the Lord. This verse says that God rewards the diligent seeker.

Diligence is required for any success. The phrase “diligently seek” in Hebrews 11:6 is taken from the Greek word ekzeteo, and it carries an entire range of power-packed meanings. It means to zealously seek for something with all of one’s heart, strength, and might. It presents the picture of one who seeks something so passionately and determinedly that he literally exhausts all his power in his search.

Because the word ekzeteo portrays such an earnest effort, the idea of being hard-working, attentive, busy, constant, and persistent in one’s devotion to what he or she is doing is also included.

This tells us that Hebrews 11:6 means:

“God is a rewarder of those who put all their heart, strength, and might into seeking Him. Those who are so committed in their search that they are willing to exhaust all their natural powers in their search for Him — they are the ones who will find what they are seeking!”

You see, you have to be diligent to be rewarded by God, so it should be no surprise that diligence is going to be required in order for you to succeed in every sphere of life. It’s just a fact that a lazy, neglectful attitude will never get you where you need to go. If you take your life assignment lightly — if you approach it with a casual, easygoing, take-it-easy, relaxed attitude — you’ll never go far in the fulfillment of your call or dream. Live like a slug, and you’ll eat dirt the rest of your life!

If you’re serious about succeeding in life, you’ll have to adjust your level of commitment and give your full attention to what God has called you to do. Diligence cannot be a sideline issue. Your assigned task must have your full consideration, your undivided attention, and your mental and spiritual concentration. You must immerse yourself in faith, prayer, and meditation regarding God’s call on your life. Distractions are not allowed.

It takes hard work to achieve any goal, and complaining about that hard work won’t make it any easier. So be constant in your commitment. Refuse to relent! Stay stubborn and unbending even in the face of opposition until your objective is achieved. Your consistency and determination will push the powers of hell aside and obtain the victory you desire!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I ask You to please help me become more serious as I adjust my level of commitment to a higher level. Help me give full attention to what You have called me to do. I realize that diligence cannot be a sideline issue in my life. In order for me to succeed at what You have asked me to do, I must give it my full consideration, my undivided attention, and my mental and spiritual concentration. But I can only keep pressing toward this higher level of commitment if I have the divine energy of the Holy Spirit propelling me forward. As I reach upward to become all that You want me to be, I ask You for divine assistance.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I agree that God is no respecter of persons. What He does for one, He will do for all. Every believer possesses the same promises, the same faith, the same power, the same Spirit, and the same Jesus who sits at the right hand of God to make intercession for us. These promises belong to me today! Because I choose to put my whole heart into my assigned task and to do more than average work, I know I will reap more than average results! I am deeply committed to the task and willing to do whatever is necessary to realize the goals and aspirations God has given to me.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Do you believe you are diligently seeking after the Lord in a way that will bring success into every realm of your life?

2. As you honestly evaluate your life, what areas in your life need more diligence? Write them down and make them a matter of prayer.

3. Would other people say that you are determined and committed or that you only give half your heart to the projects assigned to you?

God Uses the Weak To Baffle the High and Mighty

…God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.
— 1 Corinthians 1:27

Consider for a moment just how incredible it was that God chose David to fight the giant Goliath. David was just a young boy when God called him. He was so young in age and immature in physical development that the Bible says, “And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance” (1 Samuel 17:42). Goliath took it as a joke when he saw who had been sent to fight with him. The giant laughed when he saw whom God had chosen!

First Samuel 17:43 tells us what Goliath said: “…Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.” Who would have ever dreamed that God would select a young, inexperienced boy like David to bring down this giant? It may have looked laughable in the eyes of the world, but this young boy who fearlessly faced Goliath in battle was the exact person God had chosen!

With that in mind, consider what Paul says in First Corinthians 1:27: “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.” The word “weak” is the Greek word asthene. It refers to something that is weak, base, feeble, puny, or powerless. This word asthene describes something that is so substandard, second-rate, low-grade and inferior that it’s almost laughable!

When Paul wrote this epistle, the Corinthian church was the laughingstock of the city. In fact, believers were viewed as the laughingstock of the entire Roman Empire. Governmental authorities considered Christians to be a weak, puny, pathetic, useless group of religious idiots. They were literally the butt of all the jokes and were viewed as societal rubbish.

Yet these same Christians turned the world upside down in their day and evangelized the Roman Empire! Through their steadfast endurance and commitment to Jesus Christ, they liberated Rome from pagan religion and paved the way for the Gospel to go into the whole world.

The unbelieving world today views the Church very much in the same way. You see, the devil fears believers because He knows the power and authority they possess. That’s why he uses the entertainment industry, educational institutions, and other human agencies to try to belittle the Church and make it look irrelevant, inconsequential, and trivial.

The enemy does everything he can to give the impression that we are minor-league players — a worthless waste of time. He knows the power God has placed at our disposal, so he attempts to discredit us in the eyes of the world. Therefore, if we perceive that the Church today is the butt of jokes and viewed in a derogatory fashion, we just need to realize that this perception is nothing new.

Paul told the Corinthians, “…God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.” The word “confound” is kataishuno, which means to put to shame, to embarrass, to confuse, to frustrate, or to baffle. The word “mighty” is the word dunatoi, describing people who have political power. When you keep in mind that the political arm of the Roman Empire was trying to wipe out the Early Church, it becomes clear that this verse packs a powerful message!

First Corinthians 1:27 communicates this message to us:

“…God has chosen those whom the world considers to be puny and powerless — even laughable. These are the very ones God will use to confuse, frustrate, and baffle the political powers of the world!”

It took awhile for the Church of Jesus Christ to put to shame all the evil forces that had come against it. But in the end, that’s what happened! The Church eventually emerged in power and changed the face of history. The common, regular, run-of-the-mill people whom God had chosen were so mighty and powerful in the Lord that they “conquered the world” for Christianity in their day!

So quit seeing yourself as someone who is substandard, second-rate, low-grade, or inferior. You are filled with the Spirit of God and have the call of God on your life! Who cares what the world thinks? Even if your gifts and talents seem small in comparison to what others possess, that doesn’t mean you’re eliminated from God’s list of candidates.

In fact, your feelings of weakness and inadequacy actually qualify you as a candidate in God’s service! God is looking for people just like you, because He knows He will receive the glory for what He does through you. You’re exactly the kind of person God wants to use!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, thank You for reminding me that I am not the first to walk by faith. Others have walked this walk before me, and they did it with power and with grace. If they were able to do it, I know I can do it too, but I must have Your assistance to make it all the way through. So today I look to You to give me everything I inwardly need to keep marching ahead in order to achieve the things You have ordained for me!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I can do whatever God asks me to do! He wouldn’t ask me if He didn’t think I could do it. Rather than doubt my abilities, I confess that His ability is working inside me. I lean on the Holy Spirit — His mind, His power, and His grace — and these divine forces enable me to successfully achieve the things He has designed for me to do today

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. How has your life changed since God spoke to you and gave you a specific assignment?

2. What should you do to stir yourself up and get encouraged when you are in the middle of a battle?

3. Who are your favorite Old Testament characters? Can you say why they are your favorites or why you find yourself relating to them so much?

A Great Cloud of Witnesses

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses.…
—Hebrews 12:1

Do you see the word “cloud” in the verse above? It is taken from the Greek word nephos. It describes clouds — just like the clouds you see in the sky. When most people read this verse, they imagine big, fluffy white clouds with Old Testament saints scattered mystically throughout the glorious white billows. But is this really the picture that Hebrews 12:1 means to convey to us?

The Greek word nephos, translated “clouds,” has an additional meaning that is very exciting when understood in this context. In ancient, classical Greek times, the word “clouds” was used to describe the highest seats in the bleachers of a stadium. The seats at the very top of the stadium were called the clouds because they were so high up in the air. If you had gone to a sports competition with a ticket for one of these seats, your usher might have said, “Your seat is in the clouds today.” This meant you’d be seated in the highest row available in the bleachers.

We have seen before (see January 24) that the phrase “compassed about” is taken from the word peikeimenai, which is a compound of the words peri and keimai. The word peri means around, as to be completely encircled by something. The second part of the word, keimai, means to lie down. When these two words are compounded into one word, they mean to lie around, as if something has been piled high and is lying all around you on every side. This portrays the idea of being completely encircled by something that is stacked high on every side.

Thus, this verse carries the following idea: “Wherefore seeing we have lying all around us on every side.…” or “Wherefore seeing these biblical examples who are piled up and lying all around us….” But to make this point even stronger, the Holy Spirit uses the word “clouds.” Why is this so vital?

In Hebrews 12:1, the Holy Spirit is emphasizing:

“You’re not alone! The grandstands of Heaven all the way up to the ‘clouds,’ the highest seats in the bleachers, are piled high with people who stood the test of time and eventually saw their faith manifested….”

Let me stress again that the Greek word nephos (“clouds”) depicted the highest seats in a sports stadium. This is a powerful image because it jogs our memory to the fact that our walk of faith will remove us from the spectator sections and will put us right in the middle of the fight!

The devil hates it when people take a stand of faith or when they do something that benefits the Kingdom of God and drives back darkness. Like an opponent would do in a natural fight, Satan may try to wrestle you, pin you down, or even try to knock you out of the race altogether.

So when you have become illuminated with direction for your life, business, family, or ministry, you need to know that the contest has just begun. You are on the field. All eyes are on you. The fight of faith is on! But if you’ll look up into the bleachers of Heaven for just a moment, you’ll see that they are stacked all the way to the “clouds” with people just like you!

Just as you are taking steps of obedience now, the bleachers of Heaven are filled with people who have already faced the enemy and won their fight. They faced the impossible; they accomplished the unthinkable; and they stand as proof that you can make it too. They’re all cheering you on to victory! Just listen with the ears of faith, and you’ll hear them saying, “Go for it! You can do it! Your faith will carry you through!”

My Prayer for Today

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. How has your life changed since God spoke to you and gave you a specific assignment?

2. What should you do to stir yourself up and get encouraged when you are in the middle of a battle?

3. Who are your favorite Old Testament characters? Can you say why they are your favorites or why you find yourself relating to them so much?