Do You Know What You Are Called To Do?

Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect…
— Philippians 3:12

I have no doubt as to what God has called me to do with my life. He has called me to preach the Gospel and to help establish the Church in regions of the world that are unstable, difficult, and unchurched. That is my calling, and I am very confident of this fact. But for me to fulfill this divine call on my life requires hard work, attention, and a determination to never stop until I have achieved exactly what Jesus intended for me to achieve with my life.

When you look at the life of the apostle Paul, you’ll find it very evident that he emphatically knew his calling. Furthermore, he was able to concretely express it and often wrote of it in his epistles. Over and over again, he wrote that he was an apostle to the Gentiles (Galatians 2:8). Paul lived, breathed, ate, and slept and awoke every day to the call of God that was on his life.

When Paul was in a Roman prison with the prospect of death staring him in the face, he never gave up because he knew he hadn’t yet fulfilled the entire plan God had revealed to him. I personally believe that reaching his God-given goal was in Paul’s mind when he wrote, “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect…” (Philippians 3:12).

The word “perfect” is the Greek word teleo. It refers to something that is ripe, mature, perfect, or complete. It suggests that Paul meant, “I have done a lot and accomplished much in comparison to others, but I haven’t yet brought my assignment to completion. The job is not finished. I have not yet completed what God has called me to do.”

During his multiple years of serving the Lord, Paul had achieved more than any other Christian leader of his time. He had preached on different continents, traveled to the countries of the Mediterranean Sea, and preached to governors and kings. Besides all these notable accomplishments, Paul had written the majority of the New Testament text! But none of this mattered to him because he knew he hadn’t yet “attained” that for which Jesus Christ had apprehended him.

Instead of relaxing and taking it easy at the end of his life, Paul therefore turned his attention to the dream — to the unfulfilled vision or assignment that was still before him. Because there was still so much left to do, he went on to say, “…I follow after….” This phrase comes from the Greek word dioko, which is the word that is usually translated to persecute. Let’s stop and talk about this for a moment so we can understand the full force of what Paul was writing in this verse.

The word dioko, translated as “I follow after,” is a fiercely aggressive word. In historic Greek literature, it means to hunt; to pursue; to chase; to track down and kill. It is the picture of an outdoorsman who is so determined to hunt down an animal that he will stop at nothing to pursue, chase, track down, and ultimately get his game!

Do hunters accidentally bag their game, or do they strategize in their plans to get a good one each hunting season? Hunters strategize! They dream! They talk to other hunters about the best places to hunt! They dress in camouflaged clothes; then they perch themselves high up on tree branches and wait for hours upon hours for an unlucky deer to walk into their trap. Once the deer comes in range, they shoot to kill! They hunt, hound, and stalk that animal until they finally kill it. Then they throw the big catch in the back of their truck and head home with their trophy — and the prospect of many good venison meals in their future! That is exactly what Paul means when he says, “I follow after.”

The apostle Paul strategized, planned, studied, and ardently followed after the call of God on his life. You could say that he hunted, hounded, and stalked the call of God with all his heart, never stopping until he could say, “I got my game!” When Paul’s job was finished, he gladly said, “…I have finished my course…” (2 Timothy 4:7). That’s when he packed it all up and went home to Heaven with his trophy — a crown of reward.

For you to achieve what God has planned for your life, it will likewise require a fierce determination to keep pressing ahead. You can never stop until every part of your God-given assignment has been fulfilled. Jogging along at a comfortable pace will never get you where you need to go. You must focus your attention on the goal and then strategize, plan, and work until you can confidently say, “I’ve done exactly what Jesus wanted me to do!” But be forewarned: Achieving this goal will demand your utmost concentration and undivided attention and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.

Do you know God’s plan for your life? Do you know the assignment He has designed just for you? Are you following after that divine call with all your heart? If not, today is the perfect time to start discovering and then following after God’s call on your life!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I am asking You to help me to really know my calling so I can ardently follow after it with all my might. Help me push all distractions out of my way and to put my sights on fulfilling the assignment You have designed for me. I know this is going to take the greatest concentration, so please help me to focus on Your plan and to refuse to allow anything to pull me away from reaching Your goal for my life!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I will achieve what God has planned for my life. I am fiercely determined to keep pressing ahead, and I will never stop until every part of my God-given assignment has been fulfilled. I have set my sights on reaching God’s plan — and I will not stop until I can confidently say, “I’ve done exactly what Jesus wanted me to do!” 

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Do you know what God has called you to do with your life? Are you really confident of your calling, or are you just taking a stab in the dark, hoping you are headed in the right direction?

2. If you keep pursuing God’s plan at the rate you are moving at right now, will you reach your God-ordained destination?

3. What changes do you need to make in order for you to reach the goal God has planned for your life? Why not make a list of ten things you need to do to streamline your life and help you stay more focused so you can successfully do what God has called you to do?

A Hard Lesson About Paying Attention!

After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.
— Acts 16:7

As I lay down on the hotel bed to take a one-hour nap before we left for a church service in a large Midwestern city, I kept feeling a “tug” in my heart to stay home from the meeting that night. But I wanted to go hear the special speaker that evening. Besides, many of our ministry friends were going to be there, and I wanted to tell them goodbye since this was to be our last night in the area.

As we walked out the door of the hotel room, I turned to Denise and said, “I don’t know why, Denise, but I think I’m going to let you go tonight, and I’m going to stay here.” As she walked out the door, however, I couldn’t bear the thought of missing a fantastic night at the meeting, so I headed downstairs to the car that waited to take us. I couldn’t figure out why I seemed impressed to stay in the room that night, so I overruled what my spirit was telling me and went on to church.

When the car pulled up to the church, I was overwhelmed with a “knowing” that I had to go back to the room. Once again, I told Denise, “I’m going to tell everyone goodbye right now before the meeting begins; then I’m going back to the room. I’ll see you when you get home from church tonight.” But as I went around telling people goodbye, I got involved in first one conversation, then another, and then another, until time began to slip away. Finally, the turmoil in my spirit became so strong that I asked the driver to take me right back to the hotel.

As I drove to the hotel, I kept thinking how irrational it was for me to feel like I needed to be at the hotel that night. Why would I need to be there? There was nothing urgent to do and no calls to make, so why did I have this incredible “urge” to get back to the hotel room? But when I opened the door to our room, I was stunned to see that the entire room had been ransacked.

• Suitcases were sprawled across the room.
• Clothes were hurled all over the place.
• Denise’s jewelry boxes were opened, empty, and scattered on the floor.
• My computer had been taken from the desk where it had been sitting.
• My briefcase that contained my tickets, my passport, and my visas was gone.

When I saw that my computer and briefcase were gone, I realized that whoever had done this hadn’t just stolen those two items. The information on my computer and in my briefcase included:

• Nine years of important study notes.
• My American passport.
• My Latvian residence visa.
• My brand-new Russian visa.
• All my international travel documents.
• All my credit cards.
• My birth certificate.
• My Daytimer that was filled with vital addresses and phone numbers.

I went straight to the hotel desk to inform them that we had been robbed. I called Denise home from the church meeting, and we spent the rest of the evening with a group of police, who searched for clues as to who might have done this to us. When Denise looked through those empty, scattered jewelry boxes, she discovered that many pieces of jewelry recently given to her by a relative were gone. These pieces weren’t worth a great deal monetarily, but they had great sentimental value.

I looked at Denise and said, “Now I know why I kept feeling a tug in my spirit to stay home from the meeting tonight. The Holy Spirit was trying to prevent this from happening. If I had obeyed that still, small voice in my heart and stayed home, that thief would have never entered this room.”

What was so maddening about this was that I had been diligently paying attention to even the most gentle leadings in my spirit for a solid month. In fact, I had ardently focused and concentrated on being “in tune” with the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit in my own heart during that month. Because of my sensitivity to the Spirit of God, it had been a month of supernatural intervention and intimate fellowship with Him.

But that night, I simply overruled that still, small voice I heard in my heart because I wanted to be in that meeting so much. After listening so carefully for the Holy Spirit’s leading for a full month, I didn’t pay attention to Him. The Spirit of God was blaring His warning in my heart, trying to keep us from being taken advantage of — but I missed it. Later as I looked around at our ransacked room, I was more upset with myself than I was with the thief who took our belongings!

We must all learn to put on the brakes, stop ourselves for a while, and listen carefully to what the Holy Spirit is speaking to our hearts. Although we may not immediately understand what He is telling us to do or why we should do it exactly the way He is leading us, the results of our obedience will be powerful and we will experience less defeat and fewer mishaps in our lives.

In Acts 16:7, Paul and his apostolic team were headed to Bithynia when suddenly, the Spirit of God impressed them to stay away from that region. The verse says, “After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.”

The word “assayed” tells us how badly Paul and his team wanted to go to Bithynia. The word “assayed” is the Greek word peiradzo, which means to attempt or to try. The Greek tense used in this particular verse indicates an incomplete action, which alerts us to the fact that Paul and his team actually tried to go to Bithynia but were unsuccessful in their attempt. How hard they tried is not clear, but the Greek word peiradzo implies that they tried very hard to go there.

Paul suffered many difficulties as he traveled to different regions, but it rarely stopped him from going where he had intended to go. The reason he and his ministry team didn’t press on in their efforts this time is that the Holy Spirit “suffered them not” to go to Bithynia. The phrase “suffered them not” comes from the Greek words ouk eiasen. The word ouk is a strong “No!” The word eiasen is from the Greek word eao, which means to allow or to permit. When these words become the phrase ouk eiasen, the new word means to not permit or to forbid.

That day, the apostle Paul and his team listened to the leading of the Spirit to stay out of the region of Bithynia. By staying away from Bithynia, they apparently circumvented some kind of disaster that awaited them there. We don’t know what devilish trap had been set for Paul if he had gone to that region, but we do know he avoided it by obeying the Holy Spirit’s instructions.

As children of God, we must learn to follow the Holy Spirit’s leadership, direction, and guidance. The vandalizing of our hotel room is a good reminder to all of us to stay sensitive to what the Holy Spirit is telling us to do, even if we can’t rationalize or figure out why He is telling us to do it.

If the Holy Spirit impresses you to stay home, then stay home. If He impresses you not to get on an airplane, then don’t get on that airplane. If He impresses you to give a special offering, then you need to sow that offering. Don’t learn the hard way how important it is to pay attention to the Holy Spirit. Whatever He impresses you to do is exactly what you need to do! 

My Prayer for Today

Lord, help me follow the Holy Spirit’s leading whenever He impresses me to do something. I know there have been moments in my life when the Spirit was leading me to do something. But because I didn’t understand it, I didn’t obey — and later I was always sorry. Please help me become more sensitive to the Holy Spirit and to trust Him when He speaks to my heart. I want to be obedient and to experience the supernatural life that He wants to give me!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Because I follow His leading, I am able to circumvent traps that the devil tries to set for me. If the Holy Spirit impresses me to stay home, I stay home. If He tells me not to get on an airplane, I don’t get on that airplane. If He nudges me to give a special offering, I sow that offering. Whatever the Spirit impresses me to do is exactly what I do!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Can you think of some instances in your life when the Holy Spirit tried to stop you from doing something, but because you didn’t understand or want to obey what He was saying, you ignored His leadership and did something you later regretted?

2. Can you think of several instances when the Holy Spirit told you to do something and you obeyed Him? What happened as a result of your doing exactly what the Spirit was telling you to do?

3. Is there anything the Spirit is leading you to do right now that you have been hesitant to do? What’s stopping you from obeying the Holy Spirit in this matter?

Confess Your Faults One to Another

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed….
— James 5:16

I remember how glad I was when I finally admitted that Satan was trying to drive a lie into my head! Even though I knew that the lie I was hearing was untrue, the devil wouldn’t let up. He just kept pounding my mind hard and fast, one blow after another, as he tried to batter his way into my head and take my thinking captive.

I was too embarrassed to share with anyone else the stupid thought that was trying to take me hostage, so I tried to handle it on my own for a long time. Finally, I thought I would break under the assault that was bombarding my mind and emotions. The lie was beginning to affect how I viewed myself, penetrating and manipulating my mind to think poorly of myself. So in obedience to James 5:16, I went to a friend and told him what the devil was trying to make me believe. The moment I confessed the lie, it was as if an over-inflated balloon had just popped. The power that lie had held in my mind simply dissipated once I admitted to a friend what I was hearing!

I’m not recommending that you go from person to person, blabbing about all your faults. But if you experience a time of real need in your life when the devil is assaulting your mind and emotions, you might need to go to your spouse, a good friend, a brother or sister in the Lord, your pastor, or your parent and confess: “I need someone to help me! I’m being attacked in my mind, and I need someone to speak to me and to tell me the truth!”

In James 5:16, the Bible commands us, “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed….” The word “confess” is the Greek word ekzomologeo, a word that means to declare, to say out loud, to exclaim, to divulge, or to blurt. I particularly like the last meaning — to blurt.

You see, sometimes it’s hard to confess the wrong thoughts that are rolling through your mind. Even though you know you need to confess and thus destroy what the devil is trying to tell you, it can be embarrassing and humiliating to be so honest. Perhaps you’ve tried to admit these things before to someone, but each time you retreat back into silence because you can’t bear the idea of anyone knowing that you ever entertained such foolish thoughts!

It’s time for you to get bold! Go find a friend in whom you can confide — one who will not repeat what you tell him or her. Tell that person you have something you need to confess. If you feel yourself pulling back, just go ahead and blurt it out! Once you say it, you’ll be done with it. Then the agony of telling someone will be over, and you’ll be on the road to freedom!

But what are the parameters of what we are to confess to each others? James 5:16 goes on to define what we are to confess. It says, “Confess your faults.…” The word “faults” is the Greek word paraptoma, which describes a falling in some area of one’s life. That “falling” may be an actual falling into sin, or it may be a tripping up in the way one thinks. Either way, this word refers to a person who has fallen, failed, erred, or made some kind of mistake. One Greek translator says it can also denote a person who has accidentally bumped into something or one who has accidentally swerved or turned amiss and has thus thought something or done something that is erroneous.

This perfectly describes what had happened to me that time when my mind was being harassed with those distracting thoughts. The devil was pounding away at my head, and I was starting to believe the lie! As a result, it was affecting me; I was even starting to produce failure in that part of my life. I had bumped into a mental lie that was about to knock me off my feet and cause me to make some very erroneous decisions in my life!

I think of others who were harassed in their minds and never confessed it to anyone. Because they were not able to conquer those lies by themselves and yet were too proud to confess it to anyone else, these people eventually became enslaved by the lie and ended up doing some very regrettable things. If only they had confessed their faults to a godly friend who loved them, they could have been liberated from the lie and the actions that followed.

When you blurt out those destructive lies to a trustworthy friend, your confession is often the very thing that throws that lying spirit off you. As long as you keep those lies secretly hidden away in your mind and soul, they will continue to have the power to hold you hostage. But the day you expose them to the light of day, those lies will begin to lose their power over you!

You may be afraid to confess what you’ve been experiencing because in the past, something you shared privately wasn’t held in confidence. That memory is Satan’s ploy to keep you all tied up. But you must forgive those who betrayed your confidence and go get the help you need right now. Get that lie out of the darkness! Bring it into the light so it can dissipate and lose its power over your mind and emotions.

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I thank You for speaking to my heart today about confessing the things that are secretly bothering me. It is no secret to You that I have been struggling with fear, insecurity, and temptation. You know that I desperately need someone to stand with me in faith and to assure me that everything is going to be all right. Help me to know exactly to whom I should go to discuss what is disturbing me — someone who will be faithful to hold what I say in confidence. Once I confess this burden and get it off my heart, please let this be the very act that sets in motion the power to liberate me!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I have friends who are trustworthy and in whom I can confide when Satan is trying to pound my mind with his lies. I do not fear that friends will laugh at me or repeat what I tell them. They will stand with me, speak the truth to me, and help me step out of the darkness and into the light. My confession will break Satan’s vice grip on my mind and bring wholeness and soundness of thinking to my soul!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Have you ever gone to someone and confessed something that was secretly bothering you? Once you finally blurted out to someone what you’d been struggling with, what effect did it have on you?

2. Are you the kind of person that people can confide in when they are being inwardly harassed? Do they consider you to be faithful and confidential, or would they be concerned that you might repeat what they told you?

3. Has the enemy been bombarding your mind with his lies lately? If so, who is the one person to whom you’d most like to confess this inward harassment?

Do You Esteem Others Better Than Yourself?

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
— Philippians 2:3

When I was a young university student, I attended a small church where many college students worshiped. One day while attending a leaders’ meeting where several issues were being discussed, I began to express my views about the subject under discussion. I didn’t realize how long I had been talking until a fellow leader, who was older than I was, stopped me and said, “Rick, would you please be quiet? No one else can get a word into this conversation because you have been talking nonstop. It may be hard for you to believe, but you are not the only person who has an opinion and who knows something. We all have ideas and opinions that are just as valuable as yours, and we’d like to express them.”

In my eagerness to provide input in the conversation, I didn’t realize that I had inadvertently dominated the entire meeting. Finally, this leader had heard enough of me and kindly spoke up, telling me to be quiet so other people could express themselves. When I looked around the room at the other leaders, I realized they were all breathing a sigh of relief that someone had finally told me to be quiet. I was so embarrassed!

In retrospect, I realize that because I was the youngest in the group, I was unconsciously trying to prove I had something to contribute that was as important as what everyone else had to say. But in my efforts to prove my worth in the sight of those other leaders, I nearly took over the discussion, making it appear as if I wanted to “hog” the whole conversation. Of course, this was not the greatest way to show that I had respect for other people! I didn’t intend to give this impression, but that was the impression I gave to the others in that group.

After that incident, I remember turning to Philippians 2:3 and reading the words of the apostle Paul. It says, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”

When I saw this verse in light of the stern rebuke I had just received, I decided I wanted to understand clearly what it meant  to “esteem” others  better than myself.  But first I decided to study those  words “strife” and “vainglory” so I could completely comprehend what Paul was referring to in this verse.

When Paul writes about “strife” and “vainglory,” he uses two very strategic Greek words. The word “strife” is the Greek word eritheia, which is the picture of a person who is jockeying for some kind of position. This is a person who is trying to make himself look powerful, insightful, or significant in the sight of other people. But Paul then mentions “vainglory,” which is the Greek word kenodoxia. This is an interesting Greek mixture of concepts that describes the utter futility of such jockeying and positioning. The word kenodoxia is a compound of the words kenos and doxas. Kenos describes something that is hollow or empty, and the word doxas is the word for glory. But when these two words are compounded together into one word as in this verse, it portrays a hollow or empty boasting — a kind of self-glory that echoes of self-promotion.

These words could thus be interpreted to mean:

“Do not jockey for position or try to prove your importance to others with a lot of hollow, empty boasting and self-promotion.…”

Paul says that instead of acting in this manner that is so wrong in God’s sight, we are to act in “lowliness of mind.” This phrase comes from the Greek word tapeinoprosune. The first part of the word is the Greek word tapeinos, which describes something that is lowly, humble, or base. It pictures the attitude of someone who is unassuming and not self-promoting. It suggests a person who is modest, unpretentious, and “without airs” about himself, even if he knows that he is more intelligent, gifted, or talented than others. The second part of the word is phronos, which means to think. When these two words are compounded together, the new word means to think lowly; to think in an unpretentious way about oneself; or to think modestly of oneself.

A person who fits this description doesn’t jockey for a position of importance, “hogging” every conversation and trying to prove how great he is. Instead, he has learned to “esteem others better than himself.” The word “esteem” comes from the Greek word hegeomai, which means to lead or to consider. This word and its related forms referred to outstanding and resplendent leaders who were worthy to be recognized and honored. These leaders held a noteworthy and superior position in the eyes of others, commanding people’s respect, honor, and silence when in their presence.

If you add these Greek word meanings to the interpretive translation above, the entire verse could be interpreted to mean:

“Do not jockey for position or try to prove your importance to others with a lot of hollow, empty boasting and self-promotion. Instead, have a modest opinion of yourself, and learn to recognize the outstanding contributions that others have to impart.”

By using this word, Paul is telling us that we must learn to quit promoting ourselves and  learn to respect the outstanding, resplendent gifts and ideas God has given to others. Rather than incessantly talk and “hog” every conversation, we must learn to make room for the gifts that lie resident in other people. Their talents and ideas are just as important as ours are. However, if we constantly demand everyone’s attention and never allow others to have an opportunity to express themselves or to use their gifts, we create a situation in which others go unrecognized and are thus dishonored.

When I was a university student, on fire for God and eager to fulfill God’s call on my life, I didn’t realize how self-consumed I was with my own vision and calling — so consumed that I ignored the outstanding gifts God had placed in the people around me. Although it was right for me to be completely committed to my calling, I had to be taught that it was wrong to be so self-projecting and negligent to recognize the gifts, callings, and dreams of others. In my youthful attempts to prove I had something valuable to contribute, I dishonored those who also had insights just as worthy as my own. I had to learn to think lowly of myself, to keep my mouth shut, and to recognize that I wasn’t the only one in any given setting who had something to say.

If you’ve inadvertently fallen into the habit of constantly talking and promoting yourself with a lot of vainglorious self-talk, it’s time for you to let the Holy Spirit teach you to respect and make room for the contributions of others in the group. If you’ll sincerely ask the Holy Spirit to help you, He will begin to teach you how to esteem others better than yourself!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, forgive me for the times I was so engrossed in my own ideas and convictions that I “hogged” entire conversations and didn’t give others an opportunity to express what was on their hearts. I am truly repentant for giving people the impression that I thought I was the only one in the group with something worthy to say. Forgive me for being so self-absorbed and for not recognizing the other outstanding people with gifts, talents, and ideas that were just as valuable as my own. Please help me learn to think more highly of others, to keep my mouth shut more often, and to genuinely appreciate the gifts, talents, and ideas You have placed in other people.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am very respectful of other people and that I recognize the gifts, talents, and ideas God has given them. I need the insights and gifts that God has put in other people. Because they are just as important as I am, I always give them time to express themselves and to let their gifts function as God intends. I am a part of a God-gifted group, and every member is filled with gifts and ideas that I need. Therefore, I make room for them to let those gifts and ideas flow!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Do you esteem others better than yourself? Do you treat people like they are valuable, unique creations of God who deserve the highest respect? Or have you inadvertently focused only on yourself, giving others the impression that you think you are the only one who has something to contribute?

2. Have you ever had to work with someone who “hogged” every conversation and didn’t give anyone else an opportunity to express himself? How did it make you feel toward that person?

3. What can you do to show others that you value them and their opinions? What visible actions can you take to demonstrate your appreciation for others in the group you belong to?

If You Give Mercy, You’ll Be Shown Mercy!

Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.
— Romans 15:7

Have you ever been taken totally off-guard by someone who behaved in a way that was far different from what you expected from him? When this occurred, did you walk in love and forgive that person for what he did?

I’ve learned through the years that most people who act offensively don’t do it on purpose. Sometimes they just inadvertently act in a way that gives a wrong impression to others. Often people who have done something offensive or hurtful to others aren’t even aware of how they are being perceived by others.

Think about it. Haven’t you had times when your actions were perceived differently than how you meant them to be perceived? Have you ever been misunderstood? Has anyone ever called your motives into question? Did it shock you to hear what others thought about you, especially when you knew your intentions were right? You may have meant one thing, but everyone seemed to perceive something totally different from what you intended. When you learn that others have misunderstood you, don’t you wish they would believe the best about you rather than rush to judgment and condemn you for something you never intended to project?

Just as you want others to believe the best about you, you also need to reverse that grace and believe the best about others. So consider this question: If someone does something offensive, do you rush to judgment, or do you assume that the other person would never deliberately intend to be offensive?

A good rule to live by is to give the same grace to others that you want them to extend to you. You’ll never go wrong by extending mercy to people. In fact, according to the law of sowing and reaping, if you give mercy to others, you are guaranteed to reap mercy from others when you need it the most.

So before your flesh becomes stirred up and upset the next time someone offends you, remember this: The chances are very good that you’ve done the very same thing to others that this person has done to you! That’s why you need to speak to your emotions when you are tempted to get offended or to get into strife. Remind yourself of the many times you’ve been loved, forgiven, and freely accepted in spite of something you’ve done.

 In Romans 15:7, the apostle Paul gave us a helpful word to assist us in our endeavor to walk in harmony and peace with other people. He said, “Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.” Do you see the word “receive” in this verse? It comes from the Greek word proslambano, a compound of the words pros and lambano. The word pros means toward and carries the idea of being close to something. The word lambano is the Greek word that means to take or to receive. When the two words are used together, the compound word means to receive closely. An even better rendering would be to receive with a welcoming attitude.

• Isn’t this how Jesus received you?
• Didn’t He take you just as you were at the time you came to Him?
• Didn’t He take you with all your attitude problems, defects, inconsistencies, and blemishes?

According to the meaning of the Greek word proslambano that is used in Romans 15:7, we are to receive each other with wide-open arms, just as Jesus Christ received us when we first came to Him. But for us to obey this divine command, we’ll have to do a lot of forgiving and overlooking in this life!

I strongly advise you to quit concentrating so fiercely on the faults and flaws of others and to start concentrating on how to be more forgiving and merciful. If you give mercy, you’ll be shown mercy. Take the route of mercy, and you’ll never be sorry. Believe it or not, there are times when you’re supposed to shut your eyes to what you see other people do and just let it go!

If you’ll take this approach to life, you’ll have far less emotional disappointments and problems with your nerves. So determine today to give people the same forgiveness and mercy you want others to extend to you!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, please forgive me for being so harsh and judgmental of other people when they make mistakes or behave in ways that shock me. I know I become judgmental when I forget the mercy and grace that has been extended to me through the years. Therefore, I ask You to help me walk in a constant awareness of all the times I’ve been loved, forgiven, and accepted in spite of my behavior. Holy Spirit, help me now to be an extension of this same mercy and grace to others who need it from me.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I walk in mercy and grace! I don’t rush to judgment when others do things that are less than what I expected of them. I realize that everyone makes mistakes and that no one who truly loves Jesus would intentionally do the offensive and hurtful things I’ve seen some people do. These people don’t realize how they are being perceived. I know they’re making these mistakes because they need to grow and mature. So rather than judge others for what they have said, done, or failed to do, I will walk in mercy, grace, and forgiveness toward them just as I would want others to do for me.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. How did Jesus receive you? Did He require perfection of you before He would accept you, or did He take you just as you were at the time you came to Him?

2. Since you started walking with the Lord, have you ever done anything to cause Jesus to turn His back on you? Or have you found Him to be completely committed to you regardless of your behavior?

3. Since this is how Jesus has accepted you, how should you respond to other people in your life who make mistakes and are less than perfect?

How To Respond To a Financial Attack

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

One area where many people struggle is in the realm of finances. Financial stress is one of the most difficult pressures that can be experienced in life. If you’ve ever experienced the stress that comes from financial pressure, you know how difficult it is when you are so strapped that you don’t have enough money to pay your bills.

But I want to tell you that God is always faithful! If you are living for God, walking in holiness, doing what the Holy Spirit has told you to do with your life, and sowing your financial seed into the soil of God’s Kingdom, then you are promised a harvest to meet the needs in your own life. Sowing and reaping is not a fantasy or a fairy tale. This is God’s promise to you, and it always works.

But what should you do when the devil is assailing your finances? I’m talking about those times when you’ve done everything you know to do, but you are still being financially hassled.

During those times when my family or our ministry experiences a financial shortage, we always evaluate several areas to see if we are doing anything that would hinder us from receiving the resources God wants to give us. In such moments, I always carefully examine my own heart, and I ask myself:

• Am I harboring any unforgiveness that would block me from receiving God’s blessings in my life?
• Am I walking in holiness before the Lord, or am I allowing any sinful thoughts or actions to have a place in me that would block me from receiving from the Lord?
• Am I doing what God has told me to do with my life, or am I disregarding His instructions and going my own way instead?
• Am I being faithful to sow my tithes and offerings into the Kingdom of God, or have I gotten behind in my giving or forgotten to sow a seed that the Spirit of God told me to sow?
• Am I under attack because the devil is against my dream or my mission and is therefore trying to turn off the valve of blessing so I become drained of what I need to fulfill the assignment God gave me?

If I am at peace and sure that I have done nothing to hinder God’s blessings from flowing into my life or ministry, I then proceed to deal with these shortfalls as devilish attacks. I take authority over the devil and tell him to take his hands off my finances. I press deep in prayer until I know inwardly that the blockage has been removed. Often I literally feel that barrier move out of the way as the Spirit of God shoves it aside and makes an avenue for His blessings to flow into my life and ministry. When this occurs, it is never long before my wife and I see a manifestation of God’s blessings.

As we are commanding the devil to move out of the way, God’s Spirit often speaks to our hearts and tells us that we need to sow an extra, sacrificial financial seed into someone else’s ministry in order to break the stranglehold the devil is trying to put on us. For instance, once when we needed a new building and were desperate to find the money to pay for it, the Holy Spirit instructed us to sow a seed into someone else’s building project. “If you have a need, sow a seed” is the message I always share with our congregation and partners.

Therefore, at the time of our own need, we knew it was time for us to sow an extra large gift into someone else’s building program. Although the amount of money was huge to us at the moment, we knew that sowing that seed was essential if we were going to experience the financial breakthrough we needed for our own building. After we sowed that seed, it wasn’t long before doors began to supernaturally open and the next facility we needed became available to us.

You see, sometimes you have to do something that requires extra faith in order to break the vice-like grip that the devil is trying to put on you. That extra sacrificial gift the Holy Spirit tells you to give may be the very act of faith that releases the power needed to rip the devil’s hands off your situation. Could it be that this is what you need to do right now in order to make a bold stand of faith?

In Galatians 6:9, the apostle Paul told us, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Do you see the word “weary” in this verse? It comes from the Greek work egkakao, which is a compound of the words en and kakos. The word en means in, and the word kakos describes something that is evil or bad. When these two words are used together, as in this verse, the new word means to grow weary; to give in to evil; or to let something bad defeat you. It gives the idea of surrendering or giving in to bad circumstances.

This means the apostle Paul was telling the Galatians:

“Don’t let evil get the best of you….”
“Don’t let the bad circumstances wear you down and wear you out….”
“Don’t give in to the evil that intends to defeat you….”

When hard financial times come, that isn’t the time for you to surrender to circumstances — it’s the time for you to put up a fight! Instead of giving in and surrendering to the attacks that are assailing you, you have to “put up your dukes,” heave backward with all your spiritual might, and throw a knockout punch at the face of the devil! Don’t shrink back in fear or worry; instead, make this a critical moment when you sow an extra financial seed! Do something bold that will break that stranglehold the devil has tried to put on you.

Could it be that this is one of those moments when you need to throw all your spiritual weight against the devil and show him that you’re not going to take any more flak from him by sowing an extra seed?

Do exactly what the Holy Spirit impresses you to do. Once you obey His leading, you must then use your God-given authority and command the devil to take his foul hands off your finances! Boldly declare by faith that God’s blessings are yours. You have every right to expect God’s blessings to come pouring into your life!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, thank You for showing me today how to respond to the financial attacks I am experiencing in my life. Please help me know where to sow an extra financial seed right now. Help me to sow it by faith, confidently expecting it to break the stranglehold that has been on my financial situation. Satan, I command you to take your hands off my finances! I am a giver and therefore a receiver of God’s promised blessings. You have no right to exercise any control over my money and possessions! I tell you to go in Jesus’ name! Father, I thank You for honoring Your Word and causing my situation to turn around. I thank You in advance for the abundance that is going to start flowing into my life!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am an overcomer! Difficult circumstances do not control my life or my obedience. Instead of surrendering to the attacks that are assailing my finances, I am going to throw a knockout punch at the face of the devil! At this critical moment, I am going to sow an extra financial seed that will break the devil’s stranglehold on my life. Once I obey what the Holy Spirit is telling me to do, I will boldly command the devil to take his foul hands off my finances! It won’t be long before the seed I sow is multiplied back into my life. Then I’ll stand in the manifestation of God’s blessings!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Can you think of a specific time in your life when you were under great financial stress and the Holy Spirit instructed you to sow an extra large, extra sacrificial gift into your church or into someone’s ministry?

2. What happened to your situation after you sowed that gift? Did you ultimately experience a turnaround in your situation? Did you attribute your financial breakthrough to your bold act of giving in a difficult moment?

3. If you are facing financial stress right now, could it be that you need to sow a special seed to break the stranglehold the devil is trying to force upon you?

Start Confessing ‘Good Things’ About Yourself!

That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
— Philemon 1:6

What kind of things do you say about yourself? Do you speak well of yourself, or are you hyper-critical of your appearance, your weight, your intelligence, your talents, your skills, and every other aspect of who you are as a person?

I used to be so hyper-critical of myself that one day the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said, “How dare you continually talk so badly about yourself after the good work I’ve done inside you. Don’t you know how marvelously I created you to be in Jesus Christ? Quit speaking so negatively of yourself, and start acknowledging every good thing that is in you.”

I didn’t realize how badly I was speaking of myself until the Holy Spirit brought it to my attention. But after He spoke to me, I started noticing every time something evil slipped out of my mouth about myself. I was stunned to see how many times I did it! I became painfully aware that my own mouth had become one of my greatest enemies. With the help of the Holy Spirit, I made a decision to quit speaking such foul things and to start aligning my mouth with what God’s Word declared me to be.

Paul said we need to speak good things about ourselves! In Philemon 1:6, he said, “That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.” Today I want to especially draw your attention to the part of the verse that says, “…May become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.”

Even though God has done great things in you and has planned a powerful future for you, it is up to you to activate His blessings in your life! This is why Paul says, “That the communication of thy faith may become effectual.…”

The word “effectual” is the Greek word energeo. It is where we get the word energy. However, in this verse, the word energeo carries the idea of something that has suddenly become energized or activated. Paul’s words could actually be rendered, “That the communication of your faith may become energized and activated.…”

Let me give you an example to help you understand what this word energeo means in the context of this verse. An automobile may be filled with enough fuel to drive a long distance, but it won’t go anywhere until someone puts the key into the ignition and then turns the key. The moment that key is turned, the spark plugs are sparked, which fires up the engine. Once the engine has been activated, the potential in that car is ready to be unleashed.

The car always has the capability of moving, but if it is never activated, it sits silently in the driveway. No matter how much fuel is in the tank or how much horsepower that car possesses, its power and potential will never be realized until someone turns the key in the ignition.

Now let’s apply this to you. In Philemon 1:6, the apostle Paul writes that “every good thing” has been placed in you by Jesus Christ. Think of it — He saved you, healed you, redeemed you, and protected you. He has given you a sound mind; He has given you the mind of Christ; He has imparted gifts and talents to you; and He has planned a future for your life that is simply glorious. You are loaded with phenomenal potential that is just waiting to be activated!

You may say, “Yes, well, I know that the Bible says I’ve been given all those good things, but I don’t feel like any of that is true about me! I feel so defeated. Even though the Word says I’m healed, the reality is that I feel sick. Even though God’s Word says I have a sound mind, I continually feel like I don’t have control of my thought life. And in spite of the fact the Bible says God has blessed me with gifts and talents, I feel like a dope who has nothing to offer to this world. There is a big gap between what the Bible says about me and what I feel about me!”

My friend, you are like a car that is loaded with enough fuel and horsepower to get anywhere you need to go. But for that potential in you to be released, you have to hold the right key in your hand.

Furthermore, it isn’t enough for you to just possess the key. You have to put that key into the “ignition” and turn it so the latent potential that resides inside you will be ignited. When you turn the key in the ignition, suddenly the potential you possess in Jesus Christ is supernaturally ignited, activated, energized, and released inside you!

• So what is the key that sparks all the good things God has placed inside you into becoming an outward reality?
• What is the key that causes all that God declares about you to become manifested in your life?
• How do you “turn the key in the ignition” so that the great work God has done inside you is activated and released?

Paul says, “That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.” The word “acknowledging” in this verse holds the answer to the questions above. This word is from the Greek word epignosis, which describes a well-instructed, intensive, deep knowledge of the facts.

The word epignosis pictures a person who knows his facts like a professional. This is a person so sure of his information that when he speaks, he does so with confidence and boldness. He has no reason to be ashamed or to fear that others may accuse him of being incorrect because he is well instructed and has an intensive, deep knowledge of the facts.

But how did he obtain such knowledge of the facts? No one becomes this knowledgeable accidentally.

For example, consider the book you hold in your hands. The information contained in this book didn’t come to me while I was sleeping. It is the result of many years of study and very hard work. I have passionately applied myself to understanding the Greek New Testament so I could share these truths confidently and boldly with others.

To become astute requires study, meditation, digging deep into truth, and applying oneself to know the facts inside and out. The result of this hard work is such a thorough knowledge of the facts that a person has a strong confidence regarding what he says or writes.

In my case, I am confident of what I have written in this book because I have put so much study into it. You could say that I have an epignosis of this information.

Now Paul uses this same idea when he says we are to “acknowledge” every good thing that has been placed in us by Christ Jesus. Of course, this means we are to confess the truth about ourselves — but before we can confess the truth, we must first know the truth!

Because the word epignosis depicts a well-instructed, intensive, deep knowledge of the facts, Paul is letting you know that it is essential for you to possess:

• a knowledge of exactly who you are in Jesus Christ.
• a knowledge of what Jesus has purchased in your redemption.
• a knowledge of every good thing that God has placed in you by Jesus Christ.
• a knowledge of all these truths that is so concrete and so unshakable that you are immovable in what you think and believe.

If you don’t know the facts of who you are in Jesus Christ, it’s time for you to get serious about digging into the Bible until you know these truths like a professional. The truth about who you are in Jesus Christ is the key to your victory. You should study, read, listen to teaching material — in other words, you should use every available resource to discover what God’s Word says you’ve been given in Jesus Christ. This knowledge is the key that will set you free. However, merely possessing the key won’t activate these realities in your life. You must put the key into the ignition and turn it, sparking these truths into manifestation in your life!

A key in the ignition switch does no good unless it is turned. Likewise, the truth in your life does no good until it is spoken! The moment you open your mouth and start confessing the good things that are in you by Jesus Christ, a supernatural connection is made between your faith and all that Jesus has deposited inside you. At that moment, the gifts and treasures God has placed inside you become supernaturally activated. The confession of your mouth — your acknowledgement of the truth — is what sparks these spiritual blessings and causes them to become operative, activated, and manifested realities.

Sadly, many people who know the truth remain in bondage because they never align their mouths with the truth. Instead of speaking what God says about them, they ridicule themselves, put themselves down, and speak badly of themselves. They possess all the potential that God has placed inside them, but they never experience that potential because their mouths have never sparked and activated those spiritual blessings into becoming manifested realities.

To make these truths real in your life, you have to put the key in the ignition switch.

• The key is the Word of God.
• The ignition is your mouth.
• The key is turned in the ignition when you open your mouth and start to speak the truth.
• The good things in you are activated the moment you start confessing the truth.
• The way to make these blessings real in your life is to: 1) thoroughly know them through diligent study; 2) put these truths into your mouth; and 3) speak them out loud!
• That is how you turn the key in your ignition and energize these truths until they begin to manifest in you!

You see, it’s time for you to stop speaking so badly about yourself. Instead, you need to open your mouth and start acknowledging who you are in Jesus Christ! By acknowledging the basic truths of what you have been given in Jesus, you will release so much divine energy that it will radically transform your life. The recognition of these spiritual treasures that reside within you will pick you up, lift you high, and carry you right over into the realm of victory you desire!

So quit talking negatively about yourself, and begin to bring the words of your mouth into agreement with the truths God has deposited in your life.

• God’s Word says you’re healed, so begin to say you’re healed.
• God’s Word says you have the mind of Christ, so begin to say you have the mind of Christ.
• God’s Word says you’re blessed, so begin to say you’re blessed.

You turn the key in the ignition by getting your mouth in agreement with God’s Word. And as you start speaking what God says about you, all your potential will start becoming a manifested reality!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I know I have been speaking badly about myself. When I hear my own words, even I can tell it’s wrong for me to speak so lowly about myself. You have done a great work in me, and I have kept myself bound by the words of my mouth. Forgive me for speaking so wrongly and for allowing myself to remain imprisoned in self-defeat. I am truly repentant for these actions, and I ask You to forgive me and to give me the power to change my behavior. Holy Spirit, I can only do this by Your power, so I am asking and expecting You to empower me to make these changes in my life and in my mouth!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I speak well of myself. I don’t batter myself with wrong or negative words. I agree with all that God’s Word declares me to be, and I speak these truths about myself. Every day I am getting more positive and more faith-filled, and my mouth is speaking what God says about me. As a result, I am getting better, freer, and I am stepping upward more boldly into the plan God has for me!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Do you speak well of yourself, or do you find that you constantly criticize yourself and continually point out all your flaws? If you were to ask your friends what they hear you saying about yourself, would they say you speak positively or negatively?

2. How much time do you spend meditating on truths about who you are in Jesus Christ? Do you regularly read and confess what the Word of God says about you?

3. What changes do you need to make in your life in order to change your confessions about yourself? For those changes to happen, what do you need to do differently in your life and your daily routine?

Five Important Steps to Move From Fear to Faith

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
— Philippians 4:6

I vividly remember a time in my life when I was very concerned about something that was about to occur. Although the challenge before me really wasn’t so life-shattering, at the moment it seemed huge and mountainous. Therefore, I was extremely concerned.

I’m sure you know what it’s like when worry tries to flood your mind. It has a way of magnifying issues to the point of being ridiculous, but when you’re in the midst of the situation, it seems so real. Only after the event has passed do you realize how silly it was to be so worried about something that was so non-eventful.

But at the time I’m telling you about right now, I was consumed with worry. I paced back and forth, fretting, thinking, and pondering, making myself even more nervous by my anxious behavior. I was nothing but a bag of nerves. Realizing how deeply I was sinking into worry, I reached for my Bible to try to find peace for my troubled soul. I opened it to Philippians 4:6, which says, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

I tried to push everything else out of my mind so I could concentrate on God’s words in this verse. Through Philippians 4:6, I could see that God was calling out to me and urging me to lay down my worries and come boldly before Him to make my requests known. As I focused on this verse, I suddenly saw something I had never seen before. I realized that this verse showed me step by step how to lay down my worries and boldly make my requests known to God. If I followed the steps laid out in this verse exactly as I understood them, I would be set free from worry and fear! I promptly followed these steps, and in a matter of minutes my worry was replaced with a thankful, praising, and peaceful heart!

As the years have passed, I have had many occasions when worry and fear have tried to plague my mind. It would be impossible to exaggerate the challenges my wife and I have faced as we’ve fulfilled our apostolic ministry overseas. At times, these challenges have simply been enormous.

This is the reason I so entirely identify with the apostle Paul as he describes the difficulties he encountered in his ministry. Just as Satan regularly tried to disrupt Paul’s ministry, the enemy has also attempted on many occasions to hinder our work and thwart the advancement of the Gospel. However, none of his attacks have ever succeeded, and the Gospel has gone forth in mighty power!

In moments when worry or fear is trying to wrap its life-draining tentacles around me, I rush back to the truths found in Philippians 4:6. Just as I followed the steps found in this verse so many years ago, I still carefully follow them whenever I start getting anxious. Every time I do, these steps lead me from worry and fear to a thankful, praising, and peaceful heart. In fact, I have learned that if I faithfully follow these steps, fear will always be eradicated and replaced with the wonderful, dominating peace of God (see January 1).

So don’t let worry wrap its tentacles around you. Instead, listen to Paul’s advice about how to deal with the problems and concerns that try to assail your mind. Let’s look once again at what he says in Philippians 4:6: “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

In this verse, Paul lays out five very important steps to move from fear to faith, from turmoil to peace, and from defeat to victory. We’ll look at five key words that tell us exactly what we must do when worry and concerns are trying to assail our minds: 1) prayer; 2) supplication; 3) thanksgiving; 4) requests; and 5) known.

When Paul uses the word “prayer” in this verse, it is the Greek word proseuche, which is the most commonly used word for prayer in the New Testament. This particular word and its various forms is used approximately 127 times in the New Testament. It is a compound of the words pros and euche. The word pros is a preposition that means toward, which can denote a sense of closeness. Nearly everywhere it is used in the New Testament, the word pros carries the meaning of close, up-front, intimate contact with someone else.

One scholar has noted that the word pros is used to portray the intimate relationship that exists between the members of the Godhead. John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God.…” The word “with” is taken from the word pros. By using this word to describe the relationship between the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit is telling us that theirs is an intimate relationship. One expositor has translated the verse, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was face-to-face with God.…”

The second part of the word proseuche is taken from the word euche. The word euche is an old Greek word that describes a wish, desire, prayer, or vow. It was originally used to depict a person who made some kind of vow to God because of a need or desire in his or her life. This individual would vow to give something of great value to God in exchange for a favorable answer to prayer. Thus, inherent in this word is the idea of an exchange — giving something to God in exchange for something wanted or desired.

So instead of carrying your worries and burdens, you are to take the first step Paul gives you in moving from a place of turmoil to peace: Come close to the Lord in prayer. Once you are in that intimate, face-to-face place with God, take that opportunity to give Him your worries, fears, and concerns. Then ask the Lord to give you something back in exchange for the worries you have given Him — ask Him for peace! You see, this is a part of the great exchange found in the Greek word proseuche. When you give God your problems, in return He gives you His peace.

Perhaps you’ve experienced this great exchange at some previous moment in your life. Can you think of a time when your mind was hassled with fears? Once you truly committed your problem to the Lord, did a supernatural peace flood your soul and relieve you from your anxieties? This is the first step that Paul urges you to take when worry, fear, and concerns are trying to take over your mind or emotions.

The second step Paul tells us to take is found in the word “supplication.” The word “supplication” in Greek is the word deisis, which depicts a person who has some type of lack in his life and therefore pleads strongly for his lack to be met. The word deisis is translated several ways in the King James Version, including to beseech, to beg, or to earnestly appeal. This word pictures a person in such great need that he feels compelled to push his pride out of the way so he can boldly, earnestly, strongly, and passionately cry out for someone to help or assist him.

One of the most powerful examples of the word deisis is found in James 5:16. In this famous verse of Scripture, the Bible says, “…The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” Here the word deisis is translated as “fervent prayer.” You see, deisis is a passionate, earnest, heartfelt, sincere prayer. It comes to God on the most serious terms, strongly beseeching Him to move and to meet a specific need that the person praying is facing in his life.

So when you are facing a problem that deeply concerns you, don’t be afraid to go to the Lord and earnestly beseech Him to meet your need. Paul’s use of this word means you can get very bold when you ask God to move on your behalf. There is no reason for you to be timid or mealy-mouthed when you pray. You can tell God exactly what you feel, what you’re facing, and what you want Him to do for you. This is what “supplication” is all about!

After mentioning “supplication,” Paul then gives us the third important step to take when giving our worries and concerns to the Lord. Paul tells us to make our requests known to God “…by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving.…”

God not only expects you to be bold; He also expects you to thank Him for being good to you! It simply isn’t right to ask boldly without expressing thanksgiving. If you’ve ever generously given to someone who never took the time to thank you for the sacrifice you made for him or her, you know how shocking ingratitude can be. In a similar way, you must be careful to thank God for being so good to you!

The word “thanksgiving” that Paul uses in this verse is the Greek word eucharistia, which is a compound of the words eu and charis. The word eu means good or well. It denotes a general good disposition or an overwhelmingly good feeling about something. The word charis is the Greek word for grace. When these two words are compounded into one, they form the word eucharistia. This compound word describes an outpouring of grace and of wonderful feelings that freely flow from the heart in response to someone or something.

By using this word, Paul teaches us that when we earnestly ask God to do something special for us, we must match it with an earnest outpouring of thanks. Although the request has only just been made and the manifestation isn’t evident yet, it is appropriate to thank God for doing what we have requested. Thanking Him in advance demonstrates faith.

So always make sure to follow up your earnest asking with earnest thanksgiving! Make it a goal to be just as passionate in your thanksgiving as you were when you made your request.

Paul then gives you the fourth step out of worry and anxiety when he tells you, “…Let your requests be made known unto God.” The word “requests” is the Greek word aitima, from the word aiteo. The Greek word “ask” destroys any religious suggestion that you are a lowly worm who has no right to come into the Presence of God. You see, the Greek word aiteo means to be adamant in requesting and demanding assistance to meet tangible needs, such as food, shelter, money, and so forth.

In fact, in the New Testament, the word aiteo is used to portray a person who insists or demands that a specific need be met after approaching and speaking to his superior with respect and honor. Additionally, it expresses the idea that one possesses a full expectation to receive what was firmly requested.

There is no doubt that this word describes someone who prays authoritatively, in a sense demanding something from God. This person knows what he needs and is so filled with faith that he isn’t afraid to boldly come into God’s Presence to ask and expect to receive what he has requested. (See March 23 for a fuller study of the Greek word aiteo.)

This means when you pray about a need that concerns you, it is right for you to pray authoritatively. As long as your prayer is based on the Word of God, you can have the assurance of God’s promise regarding the issue you are most concerned about. Furthermore, when you pray, it is spiritually appropriate for you to fully expect God to honor His Word and do what you have requested.

As a final, fifth point, Paul says “…let your requests be made known unto God.” The word “known” comes from the word gnoridzo, and it means to make a thing known; to declare something; to broadcast something; or to make something very evident. This plainly means that your asking can be extremely bold! Declare to God what you need; broadcast it so loudly that all of Heaven hears you when you pray. You can be exceptionally bold when you come before Jesus to make your requests known!

An expanded, interpretive translation of Philippians 4:6 could be rendered:

“Don’t worry about anything — and that means nothing at all! Instead, come before God and give Him the things that concern you so He can in exchange give you what you need or desire. Be bold to strongly, passionately, and fervently make your request known to God, making certain that an equal measure of thanksgiving goes along with your strong asking. You have every right to ask boldly, so go ahead and insist that God meet your need. When you pray, be so bold that there is no doubt your prayer was heard. Broadcast it! Declare it! Pray boldly until you have the assurance that God has heard your request!”

So in moments when worry or fear is trying to wrap its life-draining tentacles around you, rush to the truths found in Philippians 4:6. You don’t have to live subject to worry, concerns, and fears the rest of your life. If you follow these steps, worry and fear will always be replaced with a peaceful and praising heart!

Why don’t you take the time today to enter God’s Presence and walk through these five important steps? It’s time to move from fear to faith, from turmoil to peace, and from defeat to victory!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I thank You for allowing me to come boldly before You in prayer. I know that You love me and want to richly meet the needs I am facing in my life today. My temptation is to worry and fear, but I know that if I will trust You, everything I am concerned about will turn out all right. Right now I reject the temptation to worry, and I choose to come before You to boldly make my requests known. By faith I thank You in advance for acting to answer my requests!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am not ruled by worry, fear, or concerns. I go to God with those things that are on my heart, and I clearly articulate what I feel, what I need, and what I expect Heaven to do on my behalf. Because of the promises in God’s Word, I know exactly how to boldly make my requests. I always match my requests with thanksgiving, letting God know how grateful I am for everything He does in my life. Heaven is on my side; therefore, I know I will survive and victoriously overcome each and every attack that ever tries to come against my family, my relationships, my business, my finances, and my life.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. When worry, fears, and concerns try to overwhelm you, what do you do in response? Do you give in and allow worry and fretfulness to fill your mind, or do you run to the Lord and commit your problems to Him?

2. Can you recall times in your life when you gave an all-consuming worry to the Lord? In return, did He fill you with supernatural peace, enabling you to overcome the worries that were trying to devour you?

3. What new truth did you learn from today’s Sparkling Gem? If these truths were helpful to you, can you think of someone else you know who needs this same encouragement? If so, why don’t you contact that friend today to encourage him or her from the Word of God?

Are Worry and Anxiety Trying To Seize or Control You?

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
— Philippians 4:6

Do you ever have moments when anxiety tries to creep up on you and seize your heart? I’m talking about those times when you are thrown into a state of panic about things that concern you — such as your family, your friendships, your business, or your finances. Very often this state of panic is caused by the mere thought of a problem that doesn’t even exist and is unlikely ever to come to pass. Nevertheless, the mere thought of this non-existent problem troubles you deeply. Soon you find yourself sinking into such a strong state of worry and anxiety that it literally takes you emotionally hostage!

An example would be a wife or mother who worries endlessly about the health of her husband or children. Although in reality they are as healthy as can be, the devil constantly pounds the woman’s mind with fear-filled thoughts about her loved ones getting sick or dying prematurely. This fear acts like a stranglehold that gradually chokes off her life, paralyzing her until she can no longer function normally in her daily responsibilities.

Or have you ever known a successful businessman who lives in constant terror that he is going to lose his money? I’ve known many such men. Their businesses were blessed, stable, and even expanding. But because the devil struck their minds with worry and anxiety about losing it all, they weren’t able to enjoy the success God had given them. Instead of enjoying God’s goodness and His many blessings in their lives, they often lived like beggars, afraid that if they used what they had, they might lose it. This is a strangling, choking fear that steals people’s ability to enjoy what they possess.

Some people are so controlled by fear that they pray fretful prayers instead of faith-filled prayers. I must admit that I’ve had moments in my own life when I’ve prayed more out of fretfulness than out of faith. Have you ever had one of those times? Praying fretful prayers doesn’t get you anything. It is non-productive praying. God does not respond to fretfulness; He responds to faith.

In Philippians 4:6, Paul says, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Do you see the word “careful” in this verse? It is the Greek word merimnao, which means to be troubled; to be anxious; to be fretful; or to be worried about something.

In New Testament times, this word was primarily used in connection with worry about finances, hunger, or some other basic provision of life. It pictured a person who is fretful about paying his bills; a person who is worried he won’t have the money to purchase food and clothes for his family’s needs or pay his house payment or apartment rent on time; or a person who is anxious about his ability to cope with the daily necessities of life.

This is the same word used in Matthew 6:25, when Jesus says, “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink.…” The word “thought” is also the Greek word merimnao. But in this particular verse, the Greek New Testament also has the word me, which is a strong prohibition to stop something that is already in progress.

This strongly suggests that Jesus was speaking to worriers who were already filled with fret and anxiety. He was urging these people to stop worrying. The verse could be translated, “Stop worrying about your life.…” Then Jesus specifies that they were to stop worrying about “…what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink….” So again we see the word merimnao used to describe worry, fretfulness, and anxiety about obtaining the basic necessities of life.

We also find the word merimnao used in the parable of the sower and the seed. Matthew 13:22 says, “He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.” The word “care” is the Greek word merimnao, again connected to material worries and concerns.

Jesus says such worry “chokes” the Word. The word “choke” is the Greek word sumpnigo, which means to suffocate, to smother, to asphyxiate, to choke, or to throttle. You see, worry is so all-consuming in an individual’s mind that it literally chokes him. It is a suffocating, smothering force that throttles his whole life to a standstill.

In Luke 21:34, Jesus gives a special warning to people who live in the last days. He said, “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, so that day come upon you unawares.”

When Jesus mentions the “cares of this life,” the word “cares” is the Greek word merimna. This time, however, it is used in connection with the word “life,” which is the Greek word biotikos. This comes from the root word bios, the Greek word for life. It is where we get the word biology. But when it becomes the word biotikos, it describes the things of life — pertaining primarily to the events, incidents, and episodes that occur in one’s life.

Thus, this phrase could be understood to mean that we should not allow ourselves to worry and fret about the events, incidents, or episodes that occur in life. This is a particularly fitting message for people who live in the last days and who are confronted by the incidents and episodes that occur during this difficult time.

So when the apostle Paul writes in Philippians 4:6, “Be careful for nothing…,” he is pleading with us not to be worried about the basic needs and provisions required for life. Paul is also telling us not to let the events of life get to us and throw us into a state of anxiety or panic. To let us know how free of all worry we should be, Paul says we are to be “careful for nothing.” The word “nothing” is the Greek word meden, and it means absolutely nothing!

So this phrase in Philippians 4:6 could be translated:

“Don’t be worried about anything — and that means nothing at all!”

So what is bothering you today, friend? What is stealing your peace and joy? Is there one particular thing Satan keeps using to strike your mind with fear? Can you think of a single time when worry and fretfulness ever helped make a situation better? Doesn’t worry serve only to keep you emotionally torn up and in a state of panic?

I urge you to put an end to worry today, once and for all. If you let worry start operating in you even for a moment, it will try to become a habitual part of your thought life, turning you into a “worrier” who never knows a moment of peace.

Jesus is sitting at the right hand of the Father right now, interceding for you continually. Jesus understands every emotion, every frustration, and every temptation you could ever face (see Hebrews 2:18). So why not make a deliberate decision to turn over all your worries to Jesus today? Rather than try to manage those anxieties and needs all by yourself, go to Him and surrender everything into His loving, capable hands. Walk free of all those choking, paralyzing fears once and for all.

Jesus is waiting for you to cast all your cares upon Him, because He really does care for you (see 1 Peter 5:7). Then once you throw your worries and concerns on Him, He will help you experience the joy and peace He has designed for you to enjoy in life all along!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I admit that I’ve allowed fear, worry, fretfulness, and anxiety to play a role in my life. When these negative emotions operate in me, I lose my peace and my joy. I am tired of living in this continual state of worry and fear about bad things that might happen. Jesus, today I am making the choice to turn all these destructive thoughts over to You. I don’t want to live this way anymore. I know this isn’t Your plan for my life, so by faith, I cast all my concerns on You. I release them into Your hands, Lord, and ask You to take them right now!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am free from worry, fretfulness, and anxiety. These forces have no place in me. I have surrendered every care and concern to Jesus, and He has taken them from me. As a result, I am free of every burden, every weight, and every problem. Jesus is my great High Priest, and He is interceding for me right now. With God on my side, I can enjoy life as He intended for me to enjoy it. I boldly confess that I am fear-free and worry-free and that anxiety has no place in me!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. What is the one area in your life where Satan most often strikes your mind and emotions with fear, fretfulness, and anxiety? Do you know what triggers this attack of fear and worry?

2. For you to get out of fear and to walk in peace, what steps do you need to take in your life? In other words, what do you need to do differently than you are doing right now in order for you to move into a place of constant peace?

3. If you were going to counsel someone else who was being held hostage by worry, fretfulness, and anxiety, what would you tell that person to do to get free and to stay free?

Taken Captive by the Devil To Do the Devil’s Will!

And that they may recover themselves  out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
— 2 Timothy 2:26

Every once in a while in the local church, someone gets so bent out of shape and upset with the church leadership that he behaves in a way that is shocking to everyone. Often this person has served faithfully in the past; yet suddenly he becomes a raging torrent — accusing the pastor, getting upset with the pastoral staff, and trying to stir up as much trouble as possible. The amazing thing is that this person is usually blind to how ugly and ungodly his behavior really is. Often the person even thinks he’s doing the will of God by pointing out the flaws of the church leadership!

Timothy was having similar troubles with several people in his own congregation. Paul referred to this predicament when he wrote that some people in his church were “…taken captive by him [the devil] at his will” (2 Timothy 2:26).

The words “taken captive” are from the Greek word zoogreo, which means to take an animal alive. It is the picture of putting an animal in a cage or behind bars at the zoo. This means people who are behaving this way are themselves victims — somehow caught and trapped by the devil, caged in resentment or bitterness that drives them to act in a fashion that is inconsistent with who they really are!

When Paul says “taken captive by him [the devil] at his will,” it could be better rendered:

“…who are taken captive by him [the devil] to carry out the devil’s will.”

Here we see a picture of a believer whose emotions the devil has manipulated until the person himself becomes the source of strife, discord, and subversion in the church, all the while thinking that he is doing the will of God. This is a deceived believer, captured by the enemy and now working for the devil to disrupt the local church!

Offense is usually the entry point the devil uses to seduce a believer into this behavior. And it’s amazing just how quickly a dart of offense from the enemy can be thrown into a person’s heart. Equally amazing is the speed in which just one of his evil darts can change that person’s perspective of someone he used to honor and respect! In a matter of seconds, his entire view of that other person can become adversely affected.

Like the dripping of water, the devil begins to repeatedly strike a person’s mind with accusations against the one who was once so revered. Let’s say the one accused is the person’s pastor. The enemy might pound that person’s mind with false allegations such as these:

• He is so arrogant and proud!
• If other people saw what you see, no one would attend this church.
• He doesn’t appreciate you.
• He doesn’t deserve to have you serve on his staff. Leave him!
• The people in this city need a pastor who really loves them.
• It’s time for you to leave him and go start your own church!

When the enemy is attacking the mind and emotions in this way, the victim often doesn’t realize that deception is trying to creep into his heart. He is falling into the devil’s trap and doesn’t even know it! At the moment it is happening, the person really believes that what he is thinking and doing is right. This is a classic example of a believer taken captive by the devil to do the devil’s will. This believer truthfully believes he is acting in a right spirit and executing the will of God as he rebels against his God-ordained authority.

Thankfully, God can deal with that person’s heart and reveal how wrong he is, and his relationship with his authority can be completely restored. However, restoration in these kinds of cases is a rare occurrence. The damage is usually so severe that people are left deeply wounded — which is precisely the objective the devil wants to accomplish!

Let me give you this advice to help you avoid ever being caught in this devilish deception. Whenever something becomes a major issue between you and someone else, you would be wise to back up and reexamine what you are upset about. So often the person you are upset with is someone you love and need in your life. Therefore, ask yourself these questions:

• Do I want to let the devil build a wall between me and that other person over something that won’t even matter one or two years from now?
• Do I really think that person intended to hurt me?
• Wouldn’t it be better to forgive that person and preserve our relationship that has taken so long to build?
• Is what happened really so serious, or am I blowing the whole incident out of proportion?
• Have I ever been guilty of doing the same thing to someone else?

I have discovered from my own experience through the years that the devil is constantly seeking opportune moments to wedge bad feelings between people. He is a master at embellishing real or imagined offenses until they become inflated and larger than life. And he knows just when to “sock it to you”!

So slow down, calm down, and give yourself a little time to think and pray before you start accusing someone. It would be a good idea to find a friend who will be honest with you. Ask that friend to tell you the truth about what you are feeling and about how you are behaving. A good dose of honesty from a truthful friend might be exactly what you need to wake you up to what the devil is trying to do in you and through you!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, help me stick with the assignment You have given me for my life. I know that is where I am supposed to be — and I know that is what I am supposed to be doing. Forgive me for vacillating back and forth, in and out, backward and forward. I am asking You to help me become single-minded, concentrated, and focused in my determination never to move out of faith again. I want to live at the address of faith, for I know that is where I will please You the most. Holy Spirit, empower me to push aside every distraction of the devil and to remain fixed and focused on doing exactly what God has instructed me to do.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I live “in” faith. Although Satan tries to use situations to distract me and dissuade me from staying in faith, I have resolved that I am never moving from the place where God has called me to be. I will never relinquish the dream He has put in my heart. I will stay in this place; I will use my faith; I will be steadfast, unwavering, and committed to seeing His promises come to pass in my life. Because I have made this decision, I am a person who pleases God!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Are you living at the address of faith? Or have you moved out of faith and into the neighborhood of doubt and unbelief, where you know that you are no longer pleasing God?

2. How has the devil tried to distract and dissuade you from staying “in” faith? What people or situations has he used to try to pull you out of faith and into the territory of disobedience and unbelief?

3. What are you going to do to reinforce yourself spiritually so you can remain “in” faith until you see the full manifestation of what God has promised to you?