Inching through Life

We can ask God for what we want; and if He wants us to have it, He will give it to us (James 4:3). Yet, it is futile to waste time wanting what we do not have.

If we do, we are telling God that He is a poor provider and He does not have our best interest at heart (1 Peter 5:7). We are exhibiting a lack of faith in His faithfulness and exalting our self over Him.

We are also lacking in gratitude for all that He has already given to us (Philippians 4:6). We are keeping our focus on the temporal aspects of this life and functioning with human understanding.

Jesus died for us all, and rose again - giving us supernatural power so we will not live for our self, but for Him (John 3:16-18; 2 Corinthians 5:15). Jesus is the only way, truth and life; and no one comes to God except through Him (John 14:6).

Our Father God knows best. As we seek His Kingdom first, He provides us with everything we need for our spiritual, physical, emotional and mental well-being (Matthew 6:33). God also gives us wisdom as we ask for it, which guides us in our desires, thoughts and choices.

We stop inching through life as a caterpillar; and instead, we soar like a butterfly on the winds of adversity and trials. We mount up on wings like eagles (Isaiah 40:31); and rise above the earth as we glide on the air currents that God provides for us.

God gives us the wisdom we need to navigate through life, encourage the downtrodden, reject the devil's temptations to sin, and to make the decisions which affect the rest of our life.

Prayer:

Father God, we do not have to spend one moment longing for anything or anyone but You. We no longer love this world nor the things, which it offers us. If we really need something in our life, which we do not have, You will give it to us. You will move us to another state; or give us a different car, vocation or house; or provide us with a spouse or a child, if it is Your will for us.

Remind us to trust only in You and in Your provision and timing. You have a perfect plan for each one of us and living in the center of Your will is the happiest place on earth. We seek You with all of our heart and we rely on Your wisdom and grace to help us to navigate the decisions in our life.

Thought for the Day:

Jesus is our gift and reward in this life and the next, because He is our all in all. - Colossians 1:17

Invaded by God's Spirit

Read: Philippians 2:5-11

“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”
- 2 Corinthians 10: 5

God’s Spirit invades our lives like a conquering hero. He immediately begins His renovation process, gutting us like an old house and fashioning us according to His will and purpose for our lives. He does this through a three-stage process, which we call Justification, Sanctification and Glorification.

Justification takes place in our spirit in an instant. Our spirit, once dead in trespasses and sins, is born again. God fills us with His Holy Spirit, and we take in our first breath of the celestial air of eternal life. At this same instant, Jesus crosses the borders into our soul and the work of Sanctification begins.

Our soul – our mind, our will and our emotions – is where Sanctification takes place. It is a life-long process and requires much humility and surrender to the work of the Holy Spirit, as He perfects us from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18). The Holy Spirit purposely enters the cerebral territory within us and unseats Satan from his throne in our lives. Then He starts the process of vanquishing the carnal flesh’s hold on us (Romans 8:7). We mature in our spiritual walk day by day, as God’s Spirit turns our motivation and desires from earthly lusts to spiritual passions.

Thankfully, He continues to conquer every temporal area of our mind, bringing them all captive to the mind of Christ (Romans 8:6). He humbles our will and makes it submissive to His. Then He heals our emotions from wounds of the past and brings them under the control of the Spirit of God. 

One day, Glorification will occur. When Christ returns, we shall instantly exchange our earthly bodies for immortal ones and we shall be like Christ, because we shall see Him as He is (1 John 3:2).

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, helps us to step out of Your way and to allow Your Spirit complete reign in our lives. Make us more like You with each passing day and perfect us according to Your will.

Thought for the Day:
Christ came not to condemn us, but to give us life. We condemn ourselves by our unbelief (John 3: 17-18).