Archive for the ‘spiritual’ Category
February 10th, 2010 | 
Author: by Charles Stanley
The story of Gideon offers scriptural guidance for times when the odds are overwhelming and defeat seems imminent. No matter what your challenges are, the Lord is able to demonstrate His awesome power and deliver you.
God uses difficulty to build faith. Gideon was willing to believe God and go up against an army four times larger than his own. Trusting the Lord is a process which must be learned through experience.
At times God takes the people He uses and places them in impossible situations—in that way, they discover that He is faithful. We may prefer to acquire faith by reading a book, but the Lord knows that the best classroom is a place of utter helplessness.
God may require us to do what seems unreasonable. The Israelites were already outnumbered, but the Lord instructed Gideon to reduce the army to a mere 300 men. That made the odds 450 to one! Although God’s ways may seem illogical to us, His wisdom and power are far greater than ours, and His plan can be trusted.
God leads us to do that which brings Him glory. The army was now so small that its men could in no way take credit for the victory. The Lord delights in demonstrating His awesome power and glory through our weakness and inadequacy,
Consider life’s challenges as opportunities for the Lord to build your faith and prepare you for ministry. He uses those who are willing to obey Him even when the task seems illogical or impossible. And He takes pleasure in showing His faithfulness to those who trust in Him regardless of the situation.
“The golden rule for understanding in spiritual matters is not intellect, but obedience.” – Oswald Chambers
“I was not born to be free. I was born to adore and to obey.” – C. S. Lewis
“Nothing is really lost by a life of sacrifice; everything is lost by failure to obey God’s call.” – Henry P. Liddon
“You may as well quit reading and hearing the Word of God, and give it to the devil, if you do not desire to live according to it.” – Martin Luther
“When God gives a command or a vision of truth, it is never a question of what He will do, but what we will do.” – Henrietta Mears
“If two angels were to receive at the same moment a commission from God, one to go down and rule earth’s grandest empire, the other to go and sweep the streets of its meanest village, it would be a matter of entire indifference to each which service fell to his lot, the post of ruler or the post of scavenger; for the joy of the angels lies only in obedience to God’s will, and with equal joy they would lift a Lazarus in his rags to Abraham’s bosom, or be a chariot of fire to carry an Elijah home.” – John Newton
“Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.” – Charles F. Stanley
“It is much safer to obey than to govern.” – Thomas à Kempis
Posted in 
The Levels of Life
by Dr. Charles Stanley
Living accommodations vary widely in the physical world, ranging from mansions to crude shelters. In the same way, the spiritual realm also has different levels.
In our passage today, the Lord reveals three ranks of spiritual life:
1. The Natural Man—Everyone who has not accepted Christ as his Savior is in this category. Many in this group are capable of good deeds, but since their sins remain unforgiven, they are separated from the Lord. Because the Holy Spirit does not dwell within them, they cannot understand the things of God.
2. The Spiritual Man—This group is composed of Christians who are filled with the Spirit and surrendered to His control. Though they’re not perfect, they are quick to recognize transgression, confess sin, and genuinely repent by turning back to God. Because the Holy Spirit is ruling in their lives, He is able to guide them by offering wisdom and insight into spiritual things.
3. The Fleshly Man—This designation describes believers who are trying to live in two different worlds. At salvation, all Christians are given a new nature, but the old “flesh” patterns aren’t removed. By allowing residual sinful tendencies to dominate their lives, these people are quenching the Spirit within them.
You are in one of these three categories. Take some time to evaluate your life by asking, Where am I now? Where would I like to be? The Lord will help those who want to move closer to Him. Ask Him to work in your life to bring you to the place of the spiritual man.
by Bo Sanchez
One day, I was preaching about expressing our love more.
After the talk, two grey-haired gentlemen walked up to me.
The first man said, “Brother Bo, in all the years that I’ve been married, not once have I have ever told my wife that I loved her. I was never trained to be expressive.”
The other man added, “Bo, I don’t feel a need to say ‘I love you’ to my wife. What other proof does she need? I’m still here married to her, am I not? I guess I want my actions to speak more than my words.”
I studied the men in front of me. And I understood them.
Because I realized what epoch they came from. Let me give you an idea of how old they were: I was wondering if they were classmates of Jose Rizal or Emilio Aguinaldo.
Just kidding.
They were as old as my father.
And that’s why I understood them.
Because I understood my father.
Dad’s Favorite Word
I loved my father.
And I know that he loved me so much.
Everyday, he would spend time with me. He filled my heart with love.
But he wasn’t perfect.
Like those two older men, I remember how Dad didn’t speak much.
His favorite word was a grunt.
He had this special grunt language that I learned to decipher through the years.
Here’s a typical conversation I had with him as a boy…
Little Bo: “Hi Dad!”
Dad: “Mmm.” (Blank stare.)
Little Bo: “Where’s Mom, Dad?”
Dad: “Mmm.” (Slightly jerks his head towards the kitchen.)
Little Bo: “Can we go to the toy store this Saturday?”
Dad: “Mmm.” (Shrugs his shoulders.)
Little Bo: “Will you buy me a Voltes V robot?”
Dad: “Mmm.” (Frowns.)
Little Bo: “Can you explain the theory of Relativity?”
Dad: “Mmm.” (Blank stare.)
Little Bo: “Wow Dad, everything makes sense to me now.”
Dad: “Mmm.” (Blank stare again.)
Did They Teach This in Fatherhood 101?
I think Filipino fathers of that generation were trained in this special “grunt” language. When they took up Fatherhood 101, they were taught how to be strong, aloof, and stoic as a grey wall.
Don’t get me wrong. I repeat: My Dad loved me. Very much.
But he just wasn’t good with his words.
In my entire life, I don’t remember my father telling me, “I love you”. Not once did he tell me, “I’m proud of you” or “I’m happy that you’re my son.”
Looking back, I wish he said these words to me. My spirit hungered to receive that blessing from him.
If you’re a parent, don’t hold back simply because you’ve never done it before.
You might be saying, “But Bo, my kids are now adults. I guess it’s too late.”
No, it’s not. It’s never too late.
You can pick up the phone and tell them how much they mean to you. Honor them and give them the blessing.
Remember: You’re the only one who can do it. You’re the only one who can give them this special blessing.
As a parent. As a spouse. As a friend.
I know this from personal experience…
In His Strange Way, He Honored Me
I was eighteen and already preaching.
But I was receiving so many invitations to preach, I was turning them down.
So one day, Dad scolded me. He said, “Bo, you have a gift to preach! I don’t have that gift. I wish I had it. But I don’t. You do. If I were you, I’d say yes to every single invitation. Because you need to use your gift. If you won’t use it, God may take it away from you!”
There was anger in his voice. But in the process, words of honor slipped out of his lips. In a tangential way, he was praising me. And my spirit was rejoicing. Though he didn’t say it, I got an inkling of how proud my father was for me. Those words meant so much to me, because I still remember them today—after 20+ years!
A Deep Desire In Every Human Heart
There I was, getting applause from everyone in the planet.
My audience admired me. People were praising me.
But all that wasn’t enough. Deep inside, I still wanted my own father to praise me. I wanted my Dad to honor me.
I believe that in every human heart is a deep need to be honored by one’s parents. All of us want to hear these words: “I’m proud and happy that you’re my child.”
Friend, honor your loved ones today with your words!
Don’t say, “Oh Bo, I’m too old to learn.”
Don’t be stuck in your old ways. For the sake of the children, you can change. Use your words to bless others.
Remember: When you honor a person with your words, you’re not just making that person feel good. Because words have power. God has imbued our words with immense creative power. Your words can create life. Your words can perform miracles. Your words can heal wounds. Your words can refresh the spirit.
But I know some people do the very opposite: They use they’re incredible power to curse.
You Have The Power To Bless Or Curse
One day, a woman came up to me and asked for prayers. She said a mangkukulam cursed her. She’s been sick for a year, suffering terrible pains in her body, but doctors couldn’t find anything wrong with her.
It was probably true. Because when our prayer team prayed for her, the healing was instant. She never suffered pains again.
Mangkukulams are feared by everyone. Because these witches have the power to kill or harm simply by cursing their enemies.
Scary, right?
I’ve got news for you: You don’t have to be a mangkukulam to have this power. All of us have this power.
When Parents say, “Buwiset ka! Wala kang kuwentang anak! Ang tigas tigas ng ulo mo! Ang bobo mo!” (You’re worthless, You’re dumb), they’re cursing their kids. They’re prophesying doom to their children. They’re acting exactly like voodoo witches.
Yesterday, I was reading about J. Paul Getty. He was a billionaire. He owned 200+ companies. He was a total success in business but a total failure in family.
He was married five times and divorced five times. He had six sons. But he was so busy building his empire, he never really spent time with his children. He was also very critical.
For example, his son Paul Jr. would write letters to his father. The letters would come back with the spelling and grammatical errors corrected—but there was no reply from the father. Paul later became a heroin addict.
His other son, Gordon, dealt with his father only through the court, fighting over money.
His other son Ronald went into filmmaking, and his father ridiculed him.
Another son worked with the father in the family business. But he took his life, stabbing himself in the stomach and taking an overdose of pills.
In one sense, J. Paul Getty cursed his kids.
You too have the power to bless and curse people with the use of your words. The Bible says that life and death are in the power of the tongue.
Let me share a very weird story from the Bible.
A Very Weird Story
Isaac had twin sons—Jacob and Esau.
When some Filipinos hear “Esau”, they automatically get hungry. (Focus on the story, please.)
Isaac and his wife Rebecca played favorites. With disastrous results. Daddy Isaac favored Esau while Mommy Rebecca favored Jacob. (Parents, don’t play favorites. The Esau-Jacob conflict continues to this day in the Middle East, about 3000+ years later!)
When Isaac was old and blind, he called his son Esau and said, “I’m going to die soon. I want to give you my blessing. Go and hunt a wild animal for me, cook it the way I want it and serve it to me. Then I’ll give you my blessing.”
But Rebecca was outside the tent, eavesdropping.
Quickly, she cooked a goat from their flocks. She then told Jacob to bring the meal to his father and pretend that he was Esau, so he could get the blessing.
Isaac, being blind, was fooled. He thought Jacob was Esau and gave him his blessing. He said, “May you have abundance, may the nations serve you, may all those who bless you be blessed, and may all those who curse you be cursed.”
When Jacob left, his brother Esau came in. Isaac was so surprised. And he said, “Sorry Esau, I gave the blessing to Jacob. I can’t take it back anymore.”
What Were These Guys Fighting For?
What’s weird? The brothers weren’t fighting for their father’s gold, or their father’s cattle, or their father’s land.
They were fighting for their father’s words.
They were fighting for an old man’s blessing.
Why?
Because in Bible thinking, words aren’t just meaningless sounds. Words aren’t just noise. Words have creative power. Words define our reality.
When I tell my son, “I’m so happy that you’re my son. I know you’ll be very successful in all areas of life and everything you touch will prosper,” I’m not only honoring my son, I’m also giving him a supernatural blessing.
When I tell my wife, “I love you. You’re the best thing that ever happened to me,” I’m not only honoring her, I’m also giving her a supernatural blessing.
Part of this supernatural blessing is a prophecy…
People Will Rise To The Level Of What You Prophesy
You’re a prophet.
You can shape the destiny of your children, of your friends, of your loved ones by your words.
Here’s what I learned: People will rise to the level of what you prophesy. People will adjust to your prophecy.
Remember, if you don’t tell your kids who they are and what their destiny is, someone else will. The television will tell them. The internet will tell them. Bullies in school will tell them.
Don’t let that happen. Honor your kids!
This is the story of my life.
Once upon a time, I was 13 years old who was a poor student in school. I didn’t know what to do with my life.
But one day, this woman came up to me, prophesied to me and said, “Bo, you’ll receive the gift of wisdom. I believe in you. You’ll preach God’s Word to many people.” She then asked me to give a talk to our prayer group. She did it again and again.
From a nobody, I rose up to her prophecy.
“But Bo, My Parents Didn’t Honor Me!”
Perhaps your parents failed to give you the blessing.
Then here’s what you do.
Go to God and receive that blessing directly from Him.
When the Father introduced Jesus to the world, He said, “This is my son with whom I am well pleased.” What was the Father doing? He was honoring and blessing the Son.
I believe God says these same words to you. “This is my child whom I am well pleased!”
You may have a difficult time swallowing that. “No Bo, I’m a big sinner. I’ve failed God. I’m sure He won’t say that about me.”
But that’s Grace. When God looks at you, He doesn’t see your mistakes. He sees the goodness He created in you.
Last Thursday, I listened to Fr. Cantalamesa preach.
Who is he? Fr. Cantalamesa is the Retreat Master of the Pope. Whenever the Pope goes on retreat, he’s the guy who gives it. For 30 years, he’s been the Preacher to the Papal Household.
Fr. Cantalamesa said something that blew me away. He said he likes saying to God, “Father, look at me… and rejoice!”
Wow.
Friend, God delights in you.
He doesn’t only love you, He rejoices over you. When God sees you, I believe He’s so happy, He sings, jumps, and dances for joy.
What Do You See In The People Around You?
Once upon a time, I was a “negative” spiritual leader.
My most predominant question was, “What is wrong with my flock?” I focused on their faults. I looked at their weaknesses. I’d say, “They lack commitment,” and “They’re so hard headed…”
So I preached fear, hoping that people will get scared enough to change their lives. I looked down at my listeners. I told them to shape up or else…
But one day, my leadership changed.
Because I changed.
I believe I changed when I became a father.
Because I learned that focusing on my children’s weaknesses only multiplied them. I learned to focus on their strengths, and by doing so, their strengths increased. The good news? Their strengths spontaneously pushed out their weaknesses!
So I became a “positive” spiritual leader.
Now, when I look at my flock, I ask, “What’s wonderful about them?” Today, I’m amazed at how committed, generous, and loving they are. I can’t ask for a better spiritual family!
Today, I preach love. I can’t help it. God has filled my heart with so much love, it overflows.
Let me tell you my last story …
You Are My Sunshine
I love this story so much.
One day, 3-year old Michael wished for a baby sister.
So when his mother got pregnant with a baby girl, the little tyke was delighted. Everyday, he’d rub his mother’s tummy and sing to his baby sister, You are my sunshine, You are my sunshine, You make me happy, when stars are grey…
But when the baby was born, there were complications. The baby was in critical condition.
Little Michael waited at home, wondering why his mother and his baby sister weren’t coming home yet.
A few days later, the doctor told the mother that the baby may not last long. The mother decided to bring Michael to the ICU and see his baby sister before she died.
She knew it was against the ICU rules, but she knew she had to do it. She brought in little Michael and let him stand beside his very sick baby sister.
That was when the Head Nurse saw Michael and shouted, “Children are not allowed here!”
But before they could pull him out of the room, little Michael sang to his baby sister, You are my sunshine, You are my sunshine. You make me happy, when stars are grey, You never know dear, how much I love you, please don’t take my sunshine away…
Immediately, the baby grew calm. Her heart rate, which was abnormally fast, slowed down.
The Head Nurse noticed what was happening and said, “Little boy, whatever you’re doing, keep doing it. Something is happening to the baby!”
Michael kept singing to his sister. And everyday, she got better. Until she got totally well.
Because little Michael used words of honor to bless his sister.
Friend, you too can heal others.
You have the power of God in your tongue.
Use your words to bless others.
May your dreams come true,
Bo Sanchez
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
“But My servant Caleb, because he has had a different spirit and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land which he entered, and his descendants shall take possession of it” -Numbers 14:24, NAS
TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria
One time in Scripture, Moses sent twelve men to spy out the Promised Land. The people of Israel were camped right next door and excited about possessing the land. But after 40 days, ten of the men came back with a negative report. They said, “Moses, there are giants in the land, and we’ll never defeat them.” That negative report spread throughout the rest of the camp, and the people began to murmur and complain.
But one of the spies named Caleb said, “Moses, we are well able to defeat these people. Let us go up at once and take the land!”
It’s interesting that they all saw the same land, the same circumstances, yet they had totally different views. How could their reports be so opposite? Here’s how: Caleb had a different spirit. He saw things with a different perspective. Others were focused on the giants, but Caleb was focused on his God. The people who complained never actually made it into the Promised Land, but Caleb did. He accompanied a new generation that chose the blessing of God.
Today, choose to have a different spirit. Don’t listen to what everyone else says, listen to what God says. Choose to believe His Word, and He will carry you into your promised land!
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
“Father in heaven, today I choose to tune out the negative voices of the world. I choose to trust in You even when no one else will. I thank You for the good things You are doing in my life and trust that You will fulfill every promise You’ve made to me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. “
by Victoria Osteen
The Bible talks about joy and calls it “unspeakable and full of glory.” You know what that says to me? It says that joy is more than just a feeling. It’s more than just being happy. Joy is a supernatural force on the inside of you.
Joy is a deep abiding strength. It’s constantly there. It is a fruit, or offspring, of the Holy Spirit. It doesn’t come from your circumstances. The world can’t give it to you, and the world can’t take it away!
So how do you “get” joy today? The good news is that when you make Jesus your Lord and Savior, the Bible says that the Spirit of God makes His home inside of you. And if the Holy Spirit is on the inside of you, than so is joy! As believers, we already have joy! But we have to stir up what God has placed within us. We have to choose to access that joy by putting our trust in Almighty God.
It’s like receiving a present. Someone can give you the most wonderful gift wrapped in the most beautiful paper with a gorgeous bow. And you can have that present sitting on your table, admiring how nice it looks. You can be so thankful for that gift and appreciate that person so much.
Yes, that present is in your possession; it’s yours, but until you open it and take it out of the box, you won’t be able to experience that gift and all of its true benefits! In the same way, you have to take that step of faith to access what God has given you by His Spirit.
Today, open your heart and receive the joy God has for you. Focus on the fact that He’s got you in the palm of His hand. Trust that He is working all things out for your good. Dwell on the truth that if God is on your side, there’s no enemy that can stand against you! As you begin to meditate on His promises found in the Word of God, faith will come. Hope will come. It will be easier for you to cast your cares on Him because you trust Him.
Before you know it, you’ll feel that supernatural joy welling up in your heart and giving you strength! You’ll have an attitude that says, “I don’t know why I’m in this difficult situation. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I just have faith! I don’t why, but I just believe God’s going to get me out this!”
Other people will wonder why you have a smile on your face and a spring in your step, but you’ll know it’s because His joy is giving you the strength you need to push past the challenges of life so you can grab hold of the victory that God has in store for you!
by Victoria Osteen
Everywhere I go, I encounter so many people who have a misconception that God is always mad at them. When things don´t go well, the first thing they say is, “Well, God, You did it to me again!”
It´s as if they think God is just waiting for them to do something wrong so He can punish them and make their lives difficult. Let me assure you right now: that is the farthest thing from the truth! God is not mad at you; He is madly in love with you!
It doesn´t matter how many times you´ve made a mistake; it doesn´t matter how many times you´ve blown it. God is always ready to receive you with open, loving arms.
In fact, He´s already forgiven you for anything you´ve done in the past and anything you will do in the future. All you must do is accept it.
Imagine God in front of you right now with His arms outstretched, ready to welcome you. Don´t run away from Him; run toward Him. Simply take a step of faith and renounce your old ways so you can embrace His love and forgiveness.
Once you have received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, the Bible says God takes your sin and casts it as far as the East is from the West! He doesn´t see you as a sinner anymore; He sees you as His saint, His representative. He sees you cleansed by the blood of Jesus.
But it´s up to you to take hold of this by faith and allow the truth to change your thinking. The enemy doesn´t want you to see yourself as righteous; he wants you to see yourself as a sinner. He wants you to be down and defeated. He wants you to get up every day and think this is a hard life.
Don´t believe those lies because Jesus said, “I have come to give you life and life more abundantly.”
God is not in the business of condemning people; He´s in the business of improving and loving people. We have to be willing to see ourselves the way God sees us and dwell on His righteousness in order to be all that God has called us to be.
God is not in the business of condemning people; He´s in the business of improving and loving people. We have to be willing to see ourselves the way God sees us and dwell on His righteousness in order to be all that God has called us to be.
…to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints…grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.(I Corinthians 1:2-3, NKJ).
by Joel Osteen
One of the battles that everyone faces at some time or another is the battle of discouragement. Our dreams don’t always happen on our timetable. We go through disappointments and adversities. With so much coming against us, it can be easy to loose enthusiasm and zeal for life. It’s good to have family and friends who encourage you. It’s good to have a coach, a teacher, or a pastor to cheer you on.
But one thing I’ve learned is that other people cannot keep us encouraged. They may give us a boost. They may help us from time to time. But if you’re really going to live in victory, that encouragement has to come from the inside. You’ve got to learn to encourage yourself.
When times get tough and things aren’t going your way and you feel like giving up on your dreams, deep down in your spirit there has to be a resolve, strength on the inside that says, “I refuse to settle where I am. I know God has a great plan for my life, and I’m going to keep pressing forward to become everything that He’s created me to be.”
In the Bible, that’s what David had to do. At one point, he had suffered a major setback. It was one of the most difficult times of his life. His city had been destroyed, his family was kidnapped, and finally his own men turned against him. It looked like an impossible situation. David could have easily just given up and faded off into the sunset, defeated and depressed.
But the scripture says in I Samuel 3:6, “David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.” See, David wasn’t depending on his family, his friends, or his colleagues to get him through. He knew how to draw strength and encouragement from within. How did he do it?
He began to replay the victories that God gave him in the past. He remembered how God chose him from His other brothers when he was just a shepherd boy. He remembered how he killed a lion and a bear with his bare hands. He remembered how God helped him defeat Goliath and how He protected him when King Saul was trying to kill him.
As David rehearsed the goodness and faithfulness of God, strength began to fill his heart. He got a new vision of victory. As he thanked God for all that He had done, David went from being depressed and defeated to rising up with that warrior mentality!
Friend, sometimes when you need it the most, the people you’re counting on to cheer you up, unfortunately, won’t be there for you. That friend that normally calls is out of town. Your spouse is having a tough month. Your co–workers, your parents, they’re preoccupied with their own challenges. But when you learn to dig down deep and encourage yourself in the Lord, there is real freedom.
TODAY´S SCRIPTURE
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever” (Psalm 23:6, NKJ)
TODAY´S WORD from Joel and Victoria
As a believer in Jesus, did you know that goodness and mercy are following you? God´s grace and favor are chasing you down! But if you live with a cloud of condemnation over you, if you surround yourself with negativity, then you are putting a barrier between yourself and the blessings of God.
So many believers today miss out on what God has in store for them because they live like they´ve got a dark cloud over their heads. They´re always talking doom and gloom, living in condemnation. But when you open your heart to receive what God has for you, that cloud is lifted and all that´s left is His goodness and mercy!
Instead of living in guilt and shame, God desires that you walk in His love and forgiveness. Make the decision today to let go of condemnation, let go of the past through forgiveness, let go of self–defeating behaviors, and embrace His goodness and mercy! Let His favor surround you like a shield so you can live the life of victory He has in store for you!
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
“You crown the year with Your bounty and goodness…” (Psalm 65:11, AMP)
TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria
Are you seeing the goodness of God overflowing in your life today? If you´ll look with your eyes of faith, you´ll see that He´s already crowned your year with His goodness. In other words, you have been especially chosen; you are marked to receive His goodness.
And when God crowns you with His goodness, it doesn´t matter what´s going on around you. It doesn´t matter what´s happening in the economy, in the job market, or the housing market. God´s crown of favor and blessing cannot be moved. You are the head and not the tail; above only and not beneath.
Are you ready to receive His crown today? Are you ready to walk in the authority you´ve already been given? When you choose to receive and acknowledge His blessings by faith, you open the door for His bounty, His supernatural blessing to overwhelm you in every area of your life!
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
by Joel Osteen
Not long ago, a man was telling me about how he felt as if he had wasted the first forty years of his life. He had come from a good family. He was bright and had all kinds of opportunity in front of him, but he ended up a cocaine addict. He told me, “Joel, I don’t even really remember the first part of my life. I was so high and so messed up. I ruined my marriage. I blew my education.”
At one point, he thought his life was over, but today things are different. Now he’s in his early fifties, his family is back together, and he has a good job. In fact, he volunteers for us every weekend. He said, “I never dreamed God would give me another chance. I never dreamed I could be this fulfilled.”
As we approach the holiday weekend, a time when we celebrate our freedom in America, I want to remind you that no matter where you are in life or what has happened in your past, it’s never too late for God to set you free from any bondage that may be holding you back. It’s never too late for Him to turn things around. It’s never too late to break that addiction; never too late to have good relationships; never too late to fulfill your dreams.
The scripture says that as believers in Jesus, God is always at work in us. But it’s also up to us to “work out” our salvation. In other words, we have to take steps of faith to work with God in the process of our freedom. We work out what He works in. Keep believing, keep hoping, keep praying, keep attending church, keep forgiving, keep declaring His Word over your life. The more you take steps toward your spiritual development, the more of His strength and power you’ll see at work in your life.
If you feel like you’ve wasted years or lost opportunities, if you feel like there’s something holding you back, now is the time to experience the true freedom that Jesus came to give. Open your heart to Him in faith and ask Him to show you the path toward victory.
Put your hope and trust in Him. Believe that He will turn things around for your good and watch His freedom come to every area of your life!
