Category Archives: Spiritual Growth

Fear Not

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“Fear not; stand still and see the salvation of the Lord which He will work for you today…”  II Chronicles 20:17

Moses knew the Israelites were struggling with fear.  That is why he said, “Fear not!”  Once when they were fearful, the children of Israel said, “Just leave us alone” (Exodus 14:12).

When you have lived under bondage for a long time, as the children of Israel had, you don’t know how to live in freedom.  You can actually be fearful of the unknown.  Pharaoh had complete control over the children of Israel, which was bondage; but they had lived under his control for so long they were fearful of another way of life.

When someone has had control over you, and you step outside of their control, be aware you will feel different at first.  You may feel an apprehension of the unknown; so, be careful not to give in to the “fear of the unknown.”  The fear of living outside of that person’s influence is sometimes stronger than the fear of being controlled.  If someone has controlled you, your feelings, your decisions, and even dictated your choices, you won’t know how to stand on your own two feet.  If you give in to fear, you can begin to think it is better to be back under that person and submit to their lordship rather than to believe that you can trust the Lord, hear His voice, and make your own decisions.

If you have lived under fear of how someone will respond when you make your own decision, then you are allowing their emotional responses to control you.  I can just hear the children of Israel, “Oh, no, He is really mad now!  You know what happens when Pharaoh gets mad.”  My question to you today is this:  Do you find yourself saying something similar?  “I don’t want _________to get mad. Or, “I will do anything to keep him happy.”

Another fear is the “fear of punishment.”  We don’t live in Egypt under Pharaoh, but we can live in bondage to other people and be fearful of their punishment of rejection, which is a form of emotional abuse.  Many people who have an unmet need for acceptance are in bondage because of their need for acceptance and approval from others.

You will get a drop of approval from a person, but never get a full glass.  You then wait and wait for another drop, but it never comes.  That person is controlling you by that one drop they gave you.  Don’t be overcome by the “fear of rejection.”  That person will only continue to drag you along into their games of manipulation and control.  If they see you are beginning to falter, they will give you one more drop to keep you in their snare.

A person who keeps you in fear of being rejected is not being a true friend.  Fear is not a friend; fear is your enemy.  Draw nigh to God, resist the devil (fear) and he will flee from you (James 4:7).  The Word “resist” simply means:  stand firm, oppose, and refuse to go along with that person who is causing you to be in fear.

Are You Serious? Do You Want to Change

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If you are wanting to change your life, it’s time to take a serious look at the things that are hindering you.

Recently, we had ants in our kitchen. We were covered in ants even after we had our house exterminated three times. What we failed to do was find the main source they were coming from. Once we discovered it, our ant problem was solved. It’s the same with sin. Once we discover the hidden iniquity, the main source, then our sin problem can be solved.

If you are serious about getting rid of the annoying things in your life, you must find the source. In Nehemiah 9:2-3, Nehemiah told the people of his time that there was a direct correlation between their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.

“Then the Israelites separated themselves from all foreigners and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers” (Nehemiah 9:2).

Everyone knows to confess their sins, but that is not all that needs to be done. Sin is a representation of something much deeper; it represents an iniquity. We must dig deep to discover iniquities, which are the origin of sins. Satan wants the main source, the iniquity, to remain hidden. Iniquity is Satan’s access point to you and your entire family line.

When a sin is brought to your attention, confess the sin and the iniquity where it originated. “I acknowledge my sin unto thee and mine iniquity have I not hid…and thou forgave the iniquity of my sin” (Psalm 32:5).

Example: If you struggle with fudging and cheating, you may not think it is a big problem. However, when you realize the iniquity behind it correlates with one of the Ten Commandments: “Thou shalt not lie,” it is a big thing. Confess your sin and the iniquity.

Wait For The Lord

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Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord. Psalm 27:14

My hope is in you Lord!

Many times, the things that you are hoping for may require a time of waiting. Patiently waiting is a spiritual discipline.  This means it must be practiced in order for it to be established as a part of your nature.

By nature we are impatient and want things to happen quickly.  When you run ahead of the Lord instead of waiting patiently for Him, you will find yourself tired and weary.  When you wait until He releases you, then you will go forward in His strength and not your own.  The great reward for those who wait upon the Lord is their renewed strength.  You may be tired, weary, and need to stop to rest awhile.  If you are serving others, a time of rest is essential to wait on the Lord for the next step or the next assignment.

To wait does not mean you are inactive in your daily life, but means you are waiting for clear direction and renewed strength.

And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in thee. Psalm 39:7

An eagle will wait patiently on a mountain cliff until a warm, upward wind current comes and then he spreads his wings as he is lifted up into the heavens.  We, like an eagle, can enjoy the benefit of soaring high if we acquire the discipline of waiting.  Learning to wait only comes with faith and hope in the Lord.

He is the one who holds the world in His hands and He is the one who knows your next step.  If you will wait and listen, He will tell you when to jump in again.  Then, when your feet hit the ground, you will run and not grow weary.

Pray this prayer…Lord, I cannot see the next step. Take me up to the mountain and I will wait on you. As I wait, like an eagle waits, I ask you to renew my strength so that when you release me again I can soar effortlessly. Then, whether I walk or run, I will not grow weary.

The Path Of Life

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You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy.  At your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11

God wants to show you the path of life He has prepared for you.  He has a prepared a unique path for you and with just a few steps you can be on your way.  You will know you are on that path by the joy that floods your soul. All along the way if you listen closely, you will hear Him say, “This is the way, walk in it.” Staying on the path of life that God has prepared is one of the greatest joys a Christian can have because in his presence there is fullness of joy!

Today, if you are seeking to know the joy of being on the right path there are just two steps:  first listen for God’s voice.  Once your ear is tuned to hear His voice then you will know it is Him when He calls.  Jesus said “My sheep hear my voice.”

The next step is obedience.  Being obedient to what He says is actually how you stay on the right path.  Sometimes it is not easy to stay on the path because you don’t want to change your ways.  You may have been going the wrong way so long it will require a complete turn-around to get on the path of life.  This I know, the higher you go up a mountain path the more narrow it becomes and harder to climb.

Everyone at some point in their life wants to know where their particular path of life is.  I have found that when you ask God with a sincere heart, He will show you.  And just as climbing up a high mountain is not for amateurs; so it is with God’s calling.  If you know that you’re calling is great, then you must know that your path will be narrow.

If you are ready to get on the path of life, the path that leads to your destiny, ask the Lord to show you.  Spend quiet time with Him, read His word, and listen. Don’t give in to distractions, if you can’t hear Him, go to a quieter place.  Seek Him diligently and ask Him to show you the next step before you move forward.

We are living in the days when we must not take a step that is not prompted and directed by the Spirit of God.  Expect Him to guide you continually, and know that He will!

Resist the Snare

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”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

If you are aware of the plan of the enemy, you can choose to stay on the path God has set for you.  God has a great plan for your life and the way to get there.  It is a higher way than you have traveled in the past.

The Highway, like a major interstate, is a faster and smoother way.  The old way is like a back road, a gravel road with holes and traps to fall into.
Resist the fleeting thoughts:

Have you ever been driving down the interstate, and all of a sudden with one fleeting thought you decide to exit off and take the back road?  The back roads will slow you down and hinder you from getting to your desired destination.  So, we must all resist these thoughts.  Take every thought captive, especially those thoughts that lead you astray.  The thought may be as simple as, “I would rather take the scenic route,” but you fail to remember it was the scenic road that led you off course before.  We must learn from our mistakes so we don’t repeat them.  Once you are on the Highway, stay on it and resist fleeting thoughts that get you off track.  Stay on Isaiah 35:8, the Highway of Holiness.

A highway shall be there, and a road, and it shall be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall be for others. Whoever walks the road, although a fool, shall not go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast go up on it; it shall not be found there. But the redeemed shall walk there, and the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. Isaiah 35: 8-10