Troubles are situations that can be very difficult to be in; they test our faith. When troubles arrives, we must realize that suffering for Christ gives examples of how He comes into our troubles and restores us and show us His glory while rescuing us; He does this in His time.

Being content within suffering is hard because it seems unbearable. Suffering can be unexplainable. 2 Timothy 2:3-5 KJV

Suffering allows God to display His glory. Suffering increases our faith and others’ faith. If we never had circumstances (troubles) where only God could get us out, we would never know His ability to deliver, to heal, to break chains, and to bring restoration.

The Apostle Paul realized that although he was in prison, for a time, He decided to still trust God and have faith. He accepted that God’s Will had to be done and that people’s faith would increase out of his example to continue to trust God.

Paul believed and expected that God would break him loose from prison, one day, in His timing. Paul maintained his position of faith in God and he was content in that He didn’t mind waiting on God. Paul was sure that God would keep His promises to him. The outcome was that God did rescue Paul. Being in prison didn’t mean that he had did something wrong.

Suffering can happen whether we did something to bring it on or we didn’t do anything to bring it on. Suffering forces us to make a decision to believe.

Lord, we have to wait on you, regardless of what it looks like. No matter how the suffering makes us feel. Lord, suffering can make us feel unsafe and like you’re not there, but, God You are always there. We know this because You have fixed our troubles; You solved them and brought relief. Help us where we lack faith and give us strength while waiting on you to fulfill Your promises to us. This prayer is signed, sealed, and delivered to You through Jesus Christ, Amen.

Today’s Scriptures:

Philippians 1:19, 29 NLT | New Living Translation

“For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance.

For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him.”

1 Peter 5:10 MSG| The Message Bible

“Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You’re not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It’s the same with Christians all over the world.

So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won’t last forever. It won’t be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does.”

Imagine where we would be if our faith were stronger. God does things for us irregardless if our lack of faith, because of His grace and mercy (G & M), but what if we fully trusted Him? What all could we accomplish?

Our experiences drive us to faith or the lack thereof. We have a choice to believe God’s unlimited ability. The more we depend on Him, through our trials, our hard times, the more our faith grows and develops. What will you do? Will you trust God with all you got or will you let your circumstances cause unbelief?

Hasn’t God provided for you? The answer is “Yes, God has made ways I didn’t think were possible!”

Today’s Scriptures:

Mark 9:23-24 CEB | Common English Bible

“Jesus said to him, “‘If you can do anything’? All things are possible for the one who has faith.” At that the boy’s father cried out, “I have faith; help my lack of faith!””

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• There’s power, authority, IN THE NAME OF JESUS!
• There’s safety IN THE NAME OF JESUS!
• There’s healing IN THE NAME OF JESUS!
• Burdens are to be released IN THE NAME OF JESUS!
• Strongholds are broken down IN THE NAME OF JESUS!

Won’t you call on THE NAME OF JESUS today?  You’ve got to SAY it to SEE it!

Today’s Scriptures:

Proverbs 18:10 KJV |King James Version

The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

Psalm 27:5 KJV |King James Version

5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NKJV |New King James Version

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not [a]carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

Matthew 11:28-30 NIV |New International Version

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Luke 10:19 GW |GOD’S WORD translation

19 I have given you the authority to trample snakes and scorpions and to destroy the enemy’s power. Nothing will hurt you.

Something About The Name Jesus – *LISTEN NOW*

GRACE & MERCY IS A PROVISION BUT IT DOESN’T GIVE PERMISSION TO THE POSSIBILITY TO KEEP SINNING.

“As a living sacrifice” suggests that turning away from our sinful ways is a daily purge, an indication that we are to be doing this every day, not just on Sundays & Wednesdays…breaking the curse not being bound in sin.

Today’s Scripture:

2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV | King James Version

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Asking requires you to be humble before God.  It requires submission to His Will for your life. God isn’t going to give you anything outside of His Will.

If you reject keeping His commandments and reject repentance why would you ask Him for anything, anyways if you are not willing to give up anything?

Repentance causes God to respond to your requests, but again, He will respond in accordance to His Will, not your will.  Sometimes what we “will” is not what’s best for us; this is the reason for asking God, “If it be thou will, ___________.” 

Submission involves sacrifice. 

What are you willing to give up for God to move, create miracles, in your lives?  If God says stop ___________, would you be willing?  Will your submission be temporary?

Remember, God weighs the heart.  In other words, God knows our motives behind or actions and our asking.

Thought: We are often confused, in a depressed state, when we choose what we want rather than what we really need.  For example, you might want someone in your life who means you no good just because they look good, smell good, and ‘talk a good talk,’ but in reality, they are out to disturb and distract you from getting to your NEXT level in God. Trying to keep someone in your life that shouldn’t be there, in the first place, causes us sleepless nights and feeds insecurities and false perceptions, thus creates a false reality.

8 Ingredients to Prayer:

1. Thank God for being God, for being Ruler above all rulers, divine, supreme, His sovereignty
2. Thank God for past victories (faith experiences — faith boosters), thank God for expected victories
3. Thank God for your friends and enemies
4. Thank God for His everlasting grace and mercy
5. Ask God for forgiveness (repentance), in sincerity
6. Ask God for purification, sanctification (renewed mind)
7. Ask God, “if it be Your Will, ________ (making your requests known)
8. Finally, seal your prayer with “In Jesus Name, Amen.” –Amen signifies that you have asked in the right motive(s) and you have been truthful.

A prayer with a purpose: If it be the Will of God.

Today’s Scriptures:

1 John 1:9 GW | God’s Word Translation

God is faithful and reliable. If we confess our sins, he forgives them and cleanses us from everything we’ve done wrong.

Luke 5:12-13 CEV |Contemporary English Version

Jesus came to a town where there was a man who had leprosy. When the man saw Jesus, he knelt down to the ground in front of Jesus and begged, “Lord, you have the power to make me well, if only you wanted to.” Jesus put his hand on him and said, “I want to! Now you are well.” At once the man’s leprosy disappeared.

Matthew 26:39 | New International Version (NIV)

Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

Stop letting the enemy get a free punch at you!  Stop giving life to confusion! Don’t let your current circumstances outweigh your faith in God. 

We control our mind (thoughts) by interjecting and purposefully replacing doubt with faith, anxiety/depression with faith, anger and frustration with grace, and weakness with strength that is wrapped up in the mercies of God.

God will do what He says! No demon can stop Him! What He has destined for our lives will be manifested in the Earth. 

I decree that you can rest, tonight, and that God blows your mind insomuch that He pours into you what you need to make it through this week! God hasn’t forgotten about you. He hears you and will come to your rescue!

Keep believing, regardless of what it seems like, regardless of this trouble you face, and despite the enemy trying to destroy your mind.

Our hearts and minds must agree.  When they don’t agree, we experience confusion and we struggle to believe in God.  The enemy banks on us losing hope but we declare In The Name of Jesus, that nothing will harm us and that He will fulfill His purpose in our lives!

Prayer for the Week

Lord, here we are, submitting and admitting to You, Oh Lord, that we have sinned before You; we have not always kept the faith because we were focused on our problems.  But you, Oh Lord, are strength in weakness because You are strong! We rest on Your Word that reminds us that You are with us.  God, we bask in Your presence! Your Divine Will be done in our lives!

Lord, we desperately need you.  Come and bring a fresh wind.  Come and bring restoration.  Come in with deliverance from destruction and disturb the enemy.  Our hearts love You. Help our minds to get to that place of agreement with our hearts that You are the way in, the way out, the way through, and the way to.

Keep protecting us; thank You for helping us to overcome; giving us overwhelming victory in Jesus The Christ.  God, this prayer is signed, sealed, and delivered to You, by way of Jesus The Christ, we say, Amen.

Today’s Scriptures:

Romans 8:37 NLT | New Living Translation

No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

Philippians 2:13 NLT | New Living Translation

For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

Philippians 1:6 NIV | New International Version

being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

John 7:38-39 MSG | The Message

^37-39 On the final and climactic day of the Feast, Jesus took his stand. He cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Rivers of living water will brim and spill out of the depths of anyone who believes in me this way, just as the Scripture says.” (He said this in regard to the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were about to receive. The Spirit had not yet been given because Jesus had not yet been glorified.)

Oftentimes, we take God for granted because we are doing well. Some of us don’t pray as much as we prayed before God changed our situation.  Some of us have stopped studying His Word because our situation has changed from dark to light.  Some of us are consumed by temporary things like money, cars, clothes, women, men, and fame.

Have you ever considered God saying “No?”

Why would He say “NO?”  The answer is simply the most important thing we forget: 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (King James Version, KJV), “Pray without ceasing.”  In other words, whatever we do, we are to continue in prayer.

What If God says, “NO” because of the following:

• We do not keep Him first in our lives? What If He was consumed, that is, busy helping everyone else and forgot about you?
• What If God did not provide for you?
• What If He said, “that’s enough, I’m not doing anything else for you because you are not grateful and have forgotten by commandments as well as you don’t praise me like you used to?

If God said “NO” because we stopped telling Him of how great He is and how worthy He is of our praise, even our sacrificial praise, and we stopped communicating with Him through prayer.  No matter if everything is going well or ‘all Hell is breaking loose,” we are supposed to give him praise and worship His name.”

We are to praise and worship Him because He is worthy of the praise, glory, and honor for being God – who is all-knowing “omniscient”, and is forever present “omnipresent,” and all-powerful “omnipotent.”

Moreover, we are to praise God (1) for being God (worship – worship can be because of His holiness, because He is The Supreme, Sovereign God) and (2) for what He has done (praise), and (3) for what He will do (waiting in expectation, exercising faith).

David makes sense when he writes in Psalm 103:1-6, 10, 17, which says the following: (KJV) –

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

6 The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.

10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

17 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children;

Practical Application: Making it Make Sense

Natural Sense: When one exercises, because they need to lose weight, they do it not just for that day, but they do it as often as 3 to 5 days per week.  They don’t stop exercising because it gets hard and they become tired and sore.  They condition exercising and are disciplined enough to make it a priority, all because they want to lose weight.

Spiritual Sense: We exercise faith through praise and worship.  We do this continually because we condition ourselves to follow God’s requirements (obedience).  We don’t stop our praise and worship, because we are expecting God to move because we know He is omnipotent.  We exercise our faith through continuous prayer to God.  We exercise it no matter the time of day and no matter the problems that rise.  We do it when everything is quiet and things are well. We do this because God fights for us.

Therefore, we increase our faith as we exercise, continually, just as people lose weight because they exercise, continually.

Oftentimes, we pray when something has gone wrong or we desperately want something. We must learn to ask God that we have wisdom to accept that His way is the only way to our destined place.

We also need to practice prayer, by which I mean that we must putting prayer into practice everyday, all day. Prayers in faith help us by relieving doubt and worry, helping us cope with situations we encounter, help us to think clearly, and help us in uncovering The Wisdom of God. 

Prayer disrupts the enemy’s plans to “kill, steal, and destroy.” Prayer is access to God’s ear. Prayer in practice teaches allows God to teach us how to pray.

Praying God’s Word, thus reminding Him in of His own Word, activates the manifestation of His promises in our lives.

Won’t you put prayer into practice so you can live the best Spiritual life that pours over into your physical life?

Today’s Scriptures:

1 Thessalonians 5:17–18 NLT | New Living Translation

“Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.“

Matthew 6:6 CEB | Common English Bible

 “But when you pray, go to your room, shut the door, and pray to your Father who is present in that secret place. Your Father who sees what you do in secret will reward you.”

Luke 11:1-2, 9-10 GW | God’s Word Translation

“Once Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he stopped praying, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray as John taught his disciples.” Jesus told them, “When you pray, say this: Father, let your name be kept holy. Let your kingdom come.“

“So I tell you to ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. Everyone who asks will receive. The one who searches will find, and for the person who knocks, the door will be opened.”