“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world, ye will have tribulation: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
Our faith must be tested through trials to prove its genuineness. I have been guilty of turning away from God when trials come because I believed that He was punishing me and that I did something wrong, but that’s just not true. If I really lean on His word, I know these momentary troubles won’t last and not only that, but I can find joy in tests and tribulations.
“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James 1: 2-4
Many are called to come to Christ, but few are chosen because most people can’t handle the intense crushing that has to take place to remove all of our impurities. Just like when making a quality wine, the grapes must be crushed to get wine. Crushing is essential to preparing the wine. When people crush wine with their feet like in the old days rather than mechanically, they have the ability to control the tannin levels and influence the wine’s character. That is exactly what God is doing when He allows these trials in your life. He knows what He’s doing a lot better than we do. He crushes us to produce the fruit of the Spirit and draws out the impurities from our souls. He knows how to bring forth good wine/faith in all His children and it is not really our business to ask about His methods, but rather trust that He knows what He’s doing when He’s trying to shape you into the person He originally intended you to be.
Not only that, but the grapes then must be fermented then aged to bring about the perfect wine. The process of producing faith and the fruit of the Spirit is just like that. Faith gets stronger and better with age and increases even more when you start stepping out in faith. It is extremely important to trust in God and follow His directions and let Him lead you through the hard times. Just like wine, you must be crushed and purified to get to a state of total trust and dependence on the Vintner (winemaker) of your life. He says repeatedly, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9.
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6
When you doubt that God’s in control, worry and fear creeps in, which opens a doorway to the demonic to wreak havoc on your life. Faith is so important to our walk with Christ and is paramount to getting to the next level of your relationship with God. If you don’t step out in faith and trust, you can’t please God. During the time of crushing, God is molding you into who He originally intended you to be, and though it might take a while, after the process of making you into “new wine” is over, that is the time where your ministry can truly begin. It doesn’t matter if you want to be a pastor of a church. Not everyone is meant for that kind of ministry. Others are meant to work behind the scenes by praying in intercession, healing the sick, casting out demons, and most importantly, “putting on Christ” towards everyone they encounter. This can only be done properly when the purification and sanctification process is finished, or when God’s “winemaking process” is finished. I heard that if you still have wounds you haven’t dealt with and ongoing sin, you can’t help others and it’s true. Jesus Himself said this, “And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” Matthew 7:3-5.
God is the Ultimate Vintner (winemaker). Sometimes, the process of God making us into new wine can take a short time, or for others who rebel and/or led astray, it can take years. I used to think that I would always have to deal with offenses until one man, who had a very similar background to mine said that Jesus and His word have transformed his heart and mind so much that he has lived years without taking offense from anyone he has encountered. He couldn’t do it in his own strength but fully leaning on God’s word and getting the love of the Father in him, he came to a point where he could walk in love and live without offense. Isn’t that incredible?! I want to live from a place of pure love so much and now that I know it’s attainable, it has gotten me back into God’s word and seeking His face more. I just want people to know the love of God and I have been misrepresenting Him poorly, not because of anything He’s done but because of my stubbornness and unwillingness to strive for that relationship with Christ. My selfishness has kept me from experiencing the love of the Father, but I am working with God now more than ever to get to that state of being Christ-like.
“That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death… Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ.” Phillippians 3: 10, 12
“Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away…But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy received it; Yet hath he not root in himself but endured for a while: for when tribulation and persecution arises because of the word, by and by he is offended.”
Matthew 13: 5, 6, 20, 21
I have been trying to follow Christ (very poorly) for about 4 years now, but it’s time for a change. It is time to rise up out of the ashes of my mistakes and stop being afraid of what other people think of me or if God has my back or not. There are times when I feel so strong in the Lord and I’m full of joy because everything is going right. Then, there are other times when I am so depressed and angry because of Murphy’s Law of everything that can go wrong does go wrong in overdrive, but these bad things are trials sent to test my faith and I am just now seeing it crystal clear for the first time.
I am tired of the highs and lows because the bible says to “rejoice in tribulations” (Romans 5:3). I have yet to master that art because of the stony heart that I have grown accustomed to having, but that stops here. Rejoice also means glory in the King James Version and the definition of that means “to take great pride or pleasure in.” How can one take pleasure in pain? By focusing on the fact that God is testing you and shaping you more and more into His image and likeness.
“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brethren throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 5: 6-11
Peter really knew what he was talking about. It seems like every time I get through a trial or tribulation, I look back and realize why God did let these bad things happen. I need to have a better attitude from now on and trust God to see me through to the other side. I know now that the pain and trouble won’t last but like most people, it’s easy to get in our feelings and our flesh and become angry and offended that God would allow such horrible things to happen. But it’s for our good. ALL OF IT! “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28. Every single time, I have always felt bad for not trusting Him because He has always come in clutch for me. I have likened the breadcrumbs of His Presence and His Ways that He has left to be like puzzle pieces fitting together or a zipper zipping up with how precise and fitting all the bad things align up to bring out something good. I haven’t written in months because my tablet screen broke and then out of nowhere, my stepdad got a laptop because my daughter wanted one. God knew that I couldn’t afford one right away and made a way for me to start writing again.
“For I consider [from the standpoint of faith] that the sufferings of the present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us!” (Romans 8:18). We must stop thinking that God doesn’t have a plan for all the bad things that happen or for the intentional trials He puts us through to test our faith. Not only that, but sometimes, He will let it get bad to push you back towards something that He has been asking you to do all along, because He knows that you’ll find peace and joy in it, whether it be writing, seeking His face, reading His word, etc.
It’s time to take our stony hearts and let the Holy Spirit repurpose them into hearts of flesh that are full of the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, temperance. (Galatians 5: 22, 23)
“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall seek my judgements, and do them.” Ezekiel 36:26, 27
“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your anxiety upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little while, perfect, establish, strengthen and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” – 1 Peter 5:6-11
How do you humble yourself under the mighty hand of God and submit to His will? There are so many ways but one of the most effective ways is to sacrifice something that is dear to you and most people choose to fast from food for a time. I have noticed that fasting from food is by far the most effective way to hear from God. It is more mental than anything to stay away from food for a time, especially when its such a major habit in our daily lives. If you aren’t diabetic and don’t have any serious medical conditions, I strongly recommend doing a food fast to help you get closer to God and hear from Him. Pray about it!
Usually, the Holy Spirit Himself will lead you into a fast if you already have a relationship with Him. I have also heard stories of people fasting from food just to seek God and to know Him and towards the end of the fast, God reveals Himself in a very powerful, supernatural way. More often than not, most fasts are meant to abstain from food for a period of time for spiritual reasons, but some people choose to do a Daniel Fast or do some other kind of fast, like a social media fast.
I have heard a lot of testimonies about people in the New Age movement fast from food to get closer to Nirvana or receive enlightenment, but that truth is twisted with the lies of the enemy. Familiar spirits and ancestral spirits are nothing but demons pretending to be someone you knew or someone who relates to you and your vices. Don’t fast for them or for any kind of enlightenment but the Truth that proceeds from God. Fast for the ONE TRUE GOD who will save you from all the pain and trauma you have experienced in this life. He will give you real truth and enlightenment to live by. Horoscopes, astrology, tarot cards, crystals, voodoo, Santeria etc. are completely demonic and are not to be trusted to bring you happiness, only chaos, death and destruction.
Fasting for God doesn’t have to just be food. It can be other things too. Personally, I have observed that I am more spiritually sensitive to the Spirit of God when I fast from food as opposed to fasting from social media or abstaining from certain foods. Although, fasting from social media gives you more time to focus on things of the Spirit. It’s not necessarily fasting alone that brings results, but prayer in tandem with fasting, along with reading your Word. This causes you to have a hunger for God and to seek His face more. That is what brings true results. God is the one who gives the increase and the anointing, not the action itself. Fasting can break strongholds, deliver you from certain generational curses and certain demonic spirits, bad habits, addictions, and more. It can even show you if you have an unhealthy obsession with food, which is what a lot of people in America suffer from.
Surrendering your all to God is not easy. Jesus said this in Luke 9:23-25: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?” This truly means whatever thing God asks you to let go of needs to be surrendered to Him if you truly want to follow Him and keep His commandments. 10 times out of 10, what He is asking you to give up will benefit you so much more than keeping it. I have been walking with Him for 3 years now and the time has come to fully surrender my life to Jesus. I am still afraid to take that leap but after coming to know Jesus via the Holy Spirit, I know it will be so much better than I could ever imagine. “’Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”’ But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit…” 1 Corinthians 2:9, 10
Ecclesiastes 3:1: “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.”
Daniel 2:20-22: “Daniel answered and said, ‘Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are His: And He changes the times and the seasons: he removes kings, and sets up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding. He reveals deep secrets and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him.”
There is a time for everything. Everything moves by seasons and everything has a different timing. Your life moves in seasons and so does God. The place of God’s purpose is also the place of God’s power, purpose and provision. God had a purpose for you before you were created. Once you know why you were created and why you’re here, it will take you not only to the promises of your life but to the problems of your life as well. God is constantly moving. Most of us follow Him to the degree that we’re comfortable, but we all should start following Him to the point that we’re uncomfortable.
Ephesians 3:20: “Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.”
God is constantly trying to lead us into a place of purpose and trying to transition us into another season.
Psalm 66:12: “Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and throgh water: but you brought us out into a wealthy (abundant) place.”
A lot people are stuck in a process where they don’t want to move on to the next season.
1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation that has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
There is a difference in going through and coming out on the other side as opposed to just quitting. Church has preached people to the cross instead of through the cross. IF you come to the cross and don’t go into it, you will go back to what you knew before you knew Jesus.
God is the Ultimate Provider. Think about the Exodus. The Israelites were used to the certainty of being provided for in Egypt while they were slaves, but God would provide to the Israelites as He saw their need in the desert in a different way.
Our new life began at the cross. Most people’s life before the cross was a disaster. We have to make that decision to step into following Him into our purpose after the cross. After making that decision, there’s a dynamic change of who and what you’re supposed to be.
Matthew 16:25: “For whosoever will save His life shall lose it; and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.”
How do you move into your next season? Here are 4 Greek words that have to do with different aspects of time for context:
–Chronos is the passing of time. –Kairos is the appointed time, right, critical or opportune moment –Hora is the exact moment in time –Pleroma is the fullness of time; when it’s finished; completeness or perfection
Every season is a chronos. You need to prepare for the appointment, the time that the door is about to open, which is the kairos. Hora is the exact moment in time when your divine appointment is and when you should be ready to make the transition by stepping through the door. Pleroma or pleuros is the end result of stepping through the door and hopefully accomplishing what God wanted you to accomplish.
There’s gifts and things on the other side that you have no idea about. There are provisions provided to you that only God could provide. You sometimes have to go to a place where there’s less. The thing that’s the worst or hardest to come to terms with is this: after you’ve come to the end of the season, there’s a divine shift. There are things that used to work over here in the last season that won’t work anymore in the new season. It’s a divine shift. You have to go through transformation. The person you were in the last season is not the person you’ll be in the next season.
Jeremiah 18 is about “the potter and the clay.” The problem is when you’re being transformed by the Potter (God) you have to get the lumps (impurities) out. Removing the lumps is painful. Count it all joy when He gets the lumps out. You have to learn to forgive others. All of these trials and tribulations are necessary for what you need for your life and the purpose God has for you.
Jeremiah 29:11-13: “’For I know the thoughts I think toward you,’ says the Lord, ‘thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then you shall call upon me, and you shall go and pray to me, and I will hear you. And you shall seek me and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart.’”
Romans 12:2: “Do not be conformed to the patterns of this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
You can’t change your mind until you’re willing to tear down some stuff in your mind: old ways of thinking, old thought patterns, old actions and attitudes, etc.
What does it mean to really know God? Can you know Him like a friend or do you know Him like a celebrity only? One is to know Him intimately and have a real relationship with Him while the other is to know Him from a distance and know of the things He has done in other people’s lives. For instance, Moses knew of God’s ways while the children of Israel knew of His works only. A theologian can know the Bible better than you but you can know God better than the theologian. So how do you get to know God on a more personal, intimate level? Surrender.
When most people are first saved and come to Christ, most accept Christ as their Lord and Savior but few ever hear about the Holy Spirit, at least that’s how it was for me. I never knew of God being someone I could commune with and do life with via the Holy Spirit. God Himself introduced Himself to me and that is really upsetting that He had to introduce Himself rather than the church where I was baptized with water. I used to think only pastors had that access to talk to God. I felt like only people who read the Bible every day and prayed for hours on end had that access to God. Come to find out, that is a lie and God is constantly looking for a relationship with His long, lost children, which is all of us.
Jesus didn’t come for the religious leaders. He came for the lost, the hopeless, the sinful, and the outcasts. His sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection after 3 days made it possible for the Holy Spirit to be poured out on all men so that you and I could personally know Jesus.
“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.” Joel 2:28
If Jesus didn’t become the Ultimate Sacrifice, there wouldn’t be an atonement for all the sins of the world. If He didn’t die and wasn’t resurrected and then ascended to heaven, the Holy Spirit wouldn’t have the opportunity to be poured out on those who choose to seek a relationship with God. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross gave us access to the Father through the Holy Spirit.
“Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.” John 16:7
If you truly follow Christ and His ways, you must have the Holy Spirit to help you through your struggles and trials. You must crucify your flesh and follow Christ.
“Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” Matthew 16:24-26
I have struggled with addiction ALL of my adult life. From 18 to 33, I have struggled with various substances in one way or another. Even in my walk with Christ, the enemy or myself (not sure which, probably both) has deceived me into taking certain substances that I have had a struggle getting off of. Only the Holy Spirit has been able to help me stay sober for an extended period of time. Before that, the only time I didn’t get high before I knew God was when I didn’t have the money to get high. God has been the only answer in my struggle with addiction, despite the enemy hindering me on my walk with Christ. All in all, I’m not sure if I still have a spirit of addiction or if it’s just the flesh that still causes these cravings, but what I do know for sure that Christ has been with me the whole time and is the only reason why I am sober right now. If it wasn’t for ever knowing Him, I personally feel that I wouldn’t have a reason to ever get sober. My “need” to be numb is something I know was generational at least down to 3 generations on both my mom’s side and my dad’s side. It is something that has progressively gotten worse with each generation. Because of Christ, I now have the power to break this generational curse.
My point is, a lot of people know of Christ but I truly know Christ for myself via being filled with the Holy Spirit and I need Him daily to stay away from my cravings and desires. Without Him, I would be dead or living under a bridge. He helped me break the stronghold heroin and meth had over me years ago when I first met Him. He rescued me from hell and the grave. It wasn’t the Bible and Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount that saved me, but Christ Himself. I truly believe everyone needs to know Christ on a personal level along with reading the Bible. I have known Christ for 3 years and have yet to read the whole Bible because no one stressed how important it was for me to read it. In the beginning, Christ would always speak to my heart and point me to a Bible verse when I was struggling, but now it is time to mature in Christ and read the whole Bible for myself so that I will be filled with His Word and stop being deceived by the power and influence of the enemy.
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and the strength of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you might be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Ephesians 6:10-17
So for all of those who are struggling right now with various things and situations, turn towards Christ and He will help you overcome anything that is standing in your way of becoming the person whom Christ made you to be. God will not leave you nor forsake you. The plans He has for you are so much better than anything you could ever imagine. Don’t give up. Turn towards Jesus when your strength is running low and in every situation you face that is bigger than you.
What does it mean to suffer with Christ? Does that sound like something you would be willing to do for someone you don’t even have a relationship with? Probably not. Seeking a relationship with God is paramount to living a life full of purpose. James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you…” God yearns for a relationship with every single one of us. If you have a relationship with Him, there may come a time where you have to suffer for Him at some point when you defend His name and biblical principles.
For those of you who need a reminder, Jesus Christ was God in the flesh and died on a cross for ALL of our sins, every last one of them (past, present and future). He was the perfect sacrifice: unstained, unblemished, and without sin. He died so that we ALL could have the opportunity to be forgiven of our sins and live a holy life by having a relationship with God the Father through the Holy Spirit. Christ’s death was horrific. Not only did He have nails driven through His hands and feet and hang on a cross, but He was tortured with a cat of nine tails (whip with razor-like ends) and beaten. Because He did that, we should see just how much He loves us. That kind of sacrifice should make us want to seek a relationship with Him. If that relationship requires us at some point to suffer for righteousness on account of Him, so be it. “For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.” 1 Peter 3:17
There is coming a time as the end draws near and the thousand year reign begins where Christ followers are going to be persecuted more frequently and severely in America. They are already being persecuted, beaten and jailed in other countries like China, North Korea, and many African and European countries, etc. America will go from bad to worse as the years go on and the “woke” ideologies will become more prevalent. Then comes the Great Reset. My point is that you must be willing to suffer with Christ. “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed.” 1 Peter 4:12, 13. You would only suffer for someone if you loved them and had a relationship with them, right? I wouldn’t suffer for someone I didn’t know. I wouldn’t get tortured or jailed for someone I didn’t know. Would you? No. Absolutely not.
It is about time people start waking up to the One and only Truth and start seeking a relationship with Him: God Almighty. Stop living for yourself and start living to please Him. “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” Matthew 10:39. I promise you that you won’t regret knowing Christ. Those who have turned away from the faith never knew Christ and the ones who were willing to die and be persecuted for His names sake knew the King of the World. It sounds insane to suffer for someone you can’t see but yet, countless people in the past 2 millennia have suffered for the name of Jesus and His good news. Did they all have a mass psychosis?? Absolutely not. That must mean all the people who have died and the ones who continue to suffer and are persecuted all over the world must believe in something that is tangible and true: God is real, died for our sins and now pursue a relationship with Him no matter the cost. “And if children, then heirs – heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.” Romans 8:7
It is a wonderful thing to be in the presence of the Living God! It is the most incredible feeling in the world and take it from me, I have done so many drugs and have been so high but all of those feeling pale in comparison to being in the presence of my Lord and Savior. God saved me from hell and the grave and got me sober because He loves me! Without Him, I wouldn’t be in my daughter’s life and would be in prison or dead. He is the lover of my soul and the kindest and most compassionate person I have ever known and my message to you is that He will do the same for you if you let Him. All you have to do is seek Him and you will find Him. “You will seek Me and find Me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13. So if and when the time comes that you are called to suffer for Him, it won’t be as hard as you think when you have that relationship with Him. Without it, you will not endure to the end but with it, you can face anything.
“But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” Matthew 24:13
“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us His precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.” 2 Peter 1:3, 4
What does it mean to be a child of God? What is it that we possess that make us completely different from the rest of the world? What benefits might we have that come from being a child of the Most High? I’m going to name off some things I have found that might help those who have just started their walk with God or have been walking with God for some time now, but could still use some help with knowing just what it means to be a child of God.
Romans 8:15-17 says: “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons (and daughters), by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.” So, if you have the Holy Spirit, the still, small voice in your head, leading and guiding you in your day to day life, that makes you a child of God. The Holy Spirit is like a seal or a mark that God uses to claim you as His own. No one can take that away from you but your own free will can lead you away from the Holy Spirit. The devil will also continually try and lead you astray to follow after false doctrines, which is why it is crucial to stay in communion with the Holy Spirit and talk with Him daily. “…for He has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” Hebrews 13:5. There may be times when you get led astray for a time but He will never stop fighting to get you back to The Way as long as you are still seeking Him, looking for His truth, and seeking His presence.
Despite everything and anything that happens, God can and will use everything for good like it says in Romans 8:28. When people reject you, God will use that to draw you closer to Him. God will comfort you when you ask Him to and when you don’t ask Him to. God will point out things that you’ve been holding onto and help you to let go of those things, especially unforgiveness. The relationship you have with Him is meant to be more intimate than any other relationship you have with anyone on earth, including your spouse. I have never been married but I know that a marriage is a union that God created that is meant to last, not some temporary relationship when times get hard. It is meant to go through ups and downs, thick and thin, good and bad. That is exactly what it’s like to have a relationship with God and I also believe that a relationship with God can teach you how to have that intimate of a relationship with someone else, especially when you were never raised to endure and deal with a relationship that serious. I am a child of divorcees and never really understood what loyalty meant or what love was until I encountered God. I am still struggling with those concepts but God is renewing my mind daily and showing me daily how to love and be loved.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3, 4
Not only does God help comfort you, but He helps guide you in life too. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5, 6. There are some things I would never have been able to stop doing if God didn’t help me to stop doing, or even give me a desire to stop doing them. “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4. I would not be drug free or alcohol free right now if it wasn’t for Him. I have dabbled in alcohol here and there from times to time. I’m starting to feel like it’s just pointless and not worth my time anymore. Someone who used to be a hardcore alcoholic would never reach that point on their own if they started drinking again. It would most definitely turn into a binge. So why is it different for me? Because the Holy Spirit is renewing my mind daily and helping me see there is a better way to live. I have now delighted myself in the Lord and one of the desires of my heart is to be closer to Him more than anything now, not only that but to be a better person and heal from the trauma that made me want to drink and do drugs in the first place. God knows the way to your heart and how to give you a better life if you would only trust in Him!
When you start letting God take the wheel of your life, you will begin to see some things starting to grow, which is commonly known as the fruit of the Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Galatians 5:22-24 Sometimes in order for those fruits to grow, you have to go through some trials and tribulations. These things are meant to test you and cause you to break, but also cause you to draw closer to God as He helps you deal with these issues and brings you through them. Trials and tribulations are meant to refine you like gold in a fire to the point it takes all of the imperfections out of you, leaving no stain or blemish on your spirit. These things can be painful but they are necessary if you want to be transformed forever and be more like Christ than when you started your journey with God.
fruit of the Spirit
Being a child of God hasn’t been easy and there have been times that I have gotten off the path because I strayed away from prayer and being in constant contact with Him. I listened to other voices instead of His. I followed other teachings instead of His, teachings that are in the Bible but have been severely misinterpreted by man and twisted by the devil to get people off the path of The Way. But, I am back on this path and I strongly urge everyone who is on this path to resubmit themselves to Christ by making a commitment to be with Him daily, making it a habit to pray to Him and talk to Him daily. When it starts to feel too routine, shake it up a bit. Look at it as a relationship that is more vital than any other relationship, because it is. Being a child of God isn’t meant to be boring or get old: it’s a relationship that is meant to grow and not only last a lifetime, but an eternity.
“There is no greater danger than underestimating your opponent.” Lao Tzu.
The devil is a liar and isn’t very creative. However, he is extremely intelligent, proficient, highly analytical, and has had several millennia to study us and figure out how to corrupt us individually and as an entire human race… one of the most effective methods is through music. When Satan was the worship leader in heaven, he was connected to God, almost like we’re connected to God now through the Holy Spirit. That’s Who he got his creative power from while he was in heaven. When he got kicked out of heaven, he needed to be connected to people in order to tap into their creative power in order to write hypnotic and seductive music, the kind of music that causes people to rebel against God and seek after the things of this world: the lust of the eyes, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.
“For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.” 1 Peter 2:16 (NKJV)
Syncopation is a variety of rhythms played together to make a piece of music, making part or all of a tune or piece of music off-beat. Syncopation is very powerful at hypnotizing and manipulating people, whether it be for good or bad. Hearing a song over and over again in repetition is also very powerful. The devil knows this and uses it to his advantage. Countless artists and rappers in the music industry have been recruited by the devil, and this information is straight from most artists mouth. Countless people in Hollywood have admitted that they “sold their soul” for money, power and fame. After he recruits them, he has them use songs as a spell to control the masses. I don’t know about you but I used to listen to trap rap A LOT. I never cared for the words (especially when they were using vulgar words to describe women) but always LOVED the beat. That beat was what drew me in. Now, I can’t stand listening to it. It hurts my spiritual ears and even though I still love the beat, I won’t listen to it anymore. When I was weak-minded and didn’t have a stable foundation in Christ, I feel like trap rap and movies that were demonic had a profound impact on me. Since getting a stable foundation in Christ, the devil’s ability to impact me with music and movies is not nearly as powerful as it used to be.
“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!” Isaiah 14:12
The ONLY way we even have any way to fight the devil is through God and what Christ did for us on the cross. The devil and his demons are much too cunning and strong to fight in our own strength and power. We need that Holy Spirit power to break down strongholds in our mind, smash through addictions, and even help defeat principalities where we live that have been set up there to take down our neighborhoods and the cities we live in. Demons love cities because they have more people they can affect in a smaller radius. Cain, the very first murderer, was actually the very first person to build a city, which makes sense why demons still prefer cities to living in the country. I hate it when people say the devil is stupid and that demons are dumb, because guess what, they most certainly are not. God has told me repeatedly not to insult anyone, and demons aren’t any different. No demon can get through to us without God’s say so but just because we are covered by the blood doesn’t mean we need to insult our enemies or do things that open doors to them being able to wreak havoc on our lives. In fact, it means the opposite.
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NKJV)
How are we able to withstand the wiles of the devil? Ephesians 6:11 says, “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand against the wiles of the devil.” The devil is very crafty and has been from the very beginning when he convinced Adam and Eve to sin, otherwise we wouldn’t have been born into sin. “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” Psalm 51:5. What does being born into sin mean for us? It means that we are born spiritually dead, unlike Adam and Eve were in the beginning when God first created them. We must reconnect to God so that we can be reborn in the spirit and be renewed daily through Him in order to have the “delusion” of this world lifted from our eyes by God to see things the way they really are. “And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie.” 2 Thessalonians 2:11. Being renewed also means getting a stable foundation in Christ so that we can a “spirit of power, and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7) This helps us to be immune from mental attacks from the world and spiritual attacks from the enemy. It also helps us to draw closer to God more than anything and for Him to pour out Himself on us so that we can pour Him out onto other people. When I say “pour out” I mean His love. If we are full of Him, we automatically pour out His love onto other people.
“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time: casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.” 1 Peter 5:6-9
We must remain vigilant and aware of attacks from the enemy and how he can get into our heads. He will use our weaknesses to wear us down and will succeed if we are not constantly being renewed by God daily. That partly means reading His word but mostly means spending time alone with Him and going to the secret place to get renewed by Him. The deeper you go with the devil, the harder the enemy will fight to keep you that way. I have had to have God break off generational curses and twisted mindsets off of me that most of my Christian friends never knew about or struggled with, not to mention, the enemy had me convinced for so long that I wasn’t free that it didn’t matter if I was or not because as long as I thought I was still in bondage, I was. The mind is a very powerful thing and that is where we must gain control by letting the Holy Spirit show us how to take control and gain HIS MIND over the mind of this world.
“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:1, 2 (NLT)
“So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God chose you to be holy. For the scriptures say, ‘You must be holy because I am holy.’” 1 Peter 1:13-16
Rise Of The Pheonix 