Will power in Spirit

in my life time, i experience a lots of problem..
from the time when I am young, to now. problem i mean is problem that will cause trouble in feeling and emotion. maybe in spirit too?

i experience too much of problem until i cant really express it. of course it is not important anymore.

i discover two things that really give me a new life change and it is getting closer to my spiritual awakening, i guess.

• prayers
• spiritual consciousness/will

speak the prayer to the Lord and go ahead by action with faith
knowing that our God is the creator and is it hard for him to do what we have request? claim it by faith of action. your faith will actually decide your outcome. because that you doubt about what God have already prepare, and we cant see.. so we move backward. remember =) it is also a reminder for myself

our decision, our desire, our needs, our emotion, etc

anything that related to our-self is actually under our control and will. we can actually solve all the problem we encounter and all the problem that need to be solve. there should have no problem like i cant do it because our spirit will boost when our desire burst.

在这个世界上，是没有事我们是不能做的。

Zài zhège shìjiè shàng, shì méiyǒu shì wǒmen shì bùnéng zuò de

it is just our WILL in spiritual, wanted to do it or not. same to quitting something.
God given us strength, that is another special thing for believers

~DEVOTION~

things written, i believe everyone know that, but i am sure that some of people dont really motivate well, so lets get some devotion and let God shape us, sharpen us =)

4 ways to rely on God during tough times.

The world is full of opposition: Good vs. evil, happiness vs. sadness, joy vs. sorrow or pleasure vs. pain. No one on earth is immune from suffering some sort of trial in their life. However,no matter the trial, God has not left us alone if we will just rely on Him.

In a recent address, religious leader Neil Anderson, spoke about "spiritual whirlwinds." These whirlwinds are often the result of our own poor choices, but "some come because of the wrong choices of others, and some come just because this is mortality."

When we put our trust in God and rely on him, these challenges will strengthen our faith and build up our lives. Here are four ways to rely on God in the midst of the whirlwinds.

Make God the foundation for your life

Just as a home needs a firm foundation to last, the same goes for us. We need to be firmly planted on an unmovable source to outlast the storms of life.
God is unchanging and immovable. If we build our foundation upon Him, we too, can be immovable.

Stand up for what is right, even if you're alone

It can be difficult to remain true to what you know is right, especially when all of your friends share a different view. However,if we rely on God, we must stay true to His teachings even when they become unpopular. William Penn stated, "Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it." God remains unchanging in what is right or wrong, even when it seems the whole world has decided otherwise.Your faith in Him will strengthen as you recognize His supporting influence in your life.

Trust in God's teachings, His example and His commandments

The number one source for correct information is God. He is the author of truth. As you follow Him, you will understand more fully His plan for you on this earth. With this understanding, you will be strengthened and become more resolved to do what He has asked. God is able to help those who seek Him easier than those who don't. He is waiting to help, with hands outstretched, we just have to be willing to come to Him and use His help. Those who are following Him are more likely to seek His aid.

God's atonement is for every person on the earth

He is waiting to extend mercy to those that seek it. He wants us to feel His love that He has for each of us. In the times of spiritual whirlwinds, His offer is the same. Where there is sin, there is repentance. Where there is hurt, there is healing. Where there are trials, there is support. But, He can't give us help we are not willing to accept. Rely on God in your struggles,and He will sustain and support you. You will feel His love and know how to improve and heal. The atonement is the antidote to pain, suffering, hurts and sin.

We have many trials, temptations, life tests, difficulties and sorrows to help us grow and achieve our full potential. We can find the necessary strength to overcome anything by relying on God. As we seek Him, we can experience an increase in faith, hope and understanding. The "spiritual whirlwinds" cannot destroy us when our strength comes from God.

There's Nothing Too Hard For God

There's Nothing Too Hard For God

‘Ah, Lord God ! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You. (Jeremiah 32:17)

When we look at the world with all of its trials, troubles, tribulations and heartaches; we sometimes ask: "Where is God? Why doesn't He do something? Is it that God not able? Is the situation too large or too difficult for God?

The Majesty of God’s Limitless Power
God told Abraham that He was going to have a son in his old age, and Abraham was a little quizzical about it.In Genesis 18:14, God asked Abraham, "Is anything too hard for the LORD?" Later,Jeremiah gives the answer."There's nothing too hard for Thee."

There is no promise too hard for God to keep.
There are over thirty thousand promises in the Bible, and God will keep His Word. If God made the promise, He cannot lie.There is no promise too hard for God to keep.

There's no prayer too hard for God to answer.
Jesus said in Matthew 21:22, "And all things, whatsoever ye ask in prayer, believing ye shall receive." When you ask in prayer and believe you'll receive.

There's no problem too hard for God to solve.
God specializes in things that seem impossible.Now God may not solve the problem the way you want Him to, but there's no problem too hard for God to solve.

There's no person too hard for God to save.
God can save anyone if he'll come to Him.

The Mystery of Man's Limiting Power

Did you know that a puny man can limit Almighty God? There's nothing too hard for God, yet let me tell you how you can limit God and bind the hands that want to bless:

An unwilling spirit- There was a man who was sentenced to death.Some people went to the governor and pled for the man's life.The governor wrote a pardon. The man said," I will not accept it.
The high court adjudicated that pardon is rendered invalid and the man must be hanged if refuses the pardon.

You have the dubious privilege to say no to the Lord.If you're not willing, there are not enough angels to drag you to Jesus.

An unconcerned attitude- In Revelation 3:20, Jesus says,"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: If any man hear My voice, and openthe door,I will come to him... "He has limitless power.

Do you think there's any door that could keep out the glory of God if He wanted to open it? Yet, Jesus stands at the door knocking until someone decides to let Him in.

An unreasonable mindset- If you have an unreasonable mindset, you can use silly,superficial reasoning and say no to God. Some people say:

•" I will not go to church because my mother made me go to church."I imagine his mother made him take a bath also, so now he doesn't take a bath anymore?

•"Well, there are hypocrites in the church."Some lawyers are shysters; some doctors are quacks; and some is counterfeit.But, if you need a lawyer or a doctor, you will find one.And you've not yet burned all of your cash because money is fake.

•I'd like to be a Christian, but there's just so much to give up."Its like saying, "I'd like to be healed,but I don't want to give up my cancer."

The only things God asks you to give up are the things that will hurt you.

An uncleaned lifestyle- Did you know if you harbor sin in your heart,you have limited God and kept Him from answering your prayers (Isaiah 59:12)? Has God failed to answer prayer because He’s weak or can't hear you? No, He doesn't answer prayer because your sins have separated you from Him.

•An unbelieving heart- Now all sin is terrible, but the worst sin is unbelief. Unbelief is devastating (Matthew 13:58).Faith is the channel through which the risen Lord pours His life into you.If you refuse to believe, you refuse God’s entry.

There's nothing too hard for God, but we can and do limit God. Now think, folks, we're pretty foolish if we bind those blessed hands, the hands that want to bless.

GOD IS SPEAKING TO YOU.

Yesterday morning, God shared with me about Prophets and their messages of correction.

1. He said he uses Prophets to warn His children so they enjoy blessings and avoid suffering, but He also warns for His own personal reasons too. He has to warn because He loves. His loving heart cannot enjoy His luxurious home, knowing that He did not do all He could to help His children enjoy His luxuries with Him.

2. God also reminded me that He never sends correcting Prophets with warnings,unless it is very important and serious. God has a lot of patience, but when it is time that He sends a Prophet with a warning message of correction, it is both urgent and serious, because the time for Gods patience, is about to end, and the time for what is warned about, is about to commence.

3. God’s patience has been huge.. about 1800 years .. far bigger than ever before. Similarly, the coming corrections and refining horrors will far surpass all known before it.

4. Jesus describes in Matthew 25:5 that all the bridesmaids fell asleep. They all awoke, and the difference was that half had extra oil and half didnt. The oil is the Holy Spirit. Half had made a relationship with God, but half had not. There was not the time to develop spiritual intimacy with God; there was no time to develop a walking and talking relationship with Him. They were left behind.

5. Spiritual intimacy takes time and few will pay the lifestyle price to get it because we only love God halfway. God teaches in His prophecies about how to fix our relationship with Him, in the short time remaining.

6. Prophets are miserable and their message is about change and correction. People love to hear that everything is good,God is happy, and they are saved and going to heaven. Correcting Prophets bring bad news, their message is not popular, because God is not happy and there is much to change. A correcting Prophet’s message is not that it is time to party, but that it is time to repent and change.

7. The false teaching of man is a happy teaching, but leads to regret and suffering. The true teaching of God that comes from the correcting Prophet has many messages of correction and urgent warnings to change, but for those who heed the warnings of God, there is the party of all parties, the celebration of all celebrations .. joining Christ for the wedding feast.

Please listen to God’s warnings, escape the coming suffering, and prepare for the imminent eternal celebrations.

How You Can Be Filled with the Holy Spirit?

How You Can Be Filled with the Holy Spirit?

What does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit?

To be filled with the Holy Spirit is to be filled with Christ. The Holy Spirit came to glorify Christ. Therefore, if
I am filled with the Spirit, I am abiding in Christ. I am walking in the light as He is the light, and the blood of Jesus Christ will cleanse and keep on cleansing me from all unrighteousness.

I am controlled by Christ because the word "filling" means to be controlled. And if I am controlled -- not as a robot but as one who is led and empowered by the Spirit -- the Lord Jesus will walk around in my body and live His resurrection life in and through me.

This amazing fact that Christ lives in you and expresses His love through you is one of the most important truths in the Word of God. The standards of the Christian life are so high and so impossible to achieve, according to the Word of God, that only one person has been able to succeed.That person is Jesus Christ. Now, through His indwelling presence, He wants to enable all who place their trust in Him to live this same supernatural life.

Bearing Spiritual Fruit Because
of Christ Living in You

If you are willing for Jesus Christ to live His resurrection life in and through you, you will bear spiritual fruit as naturally as a healthy vine will bear an abundance of fruit.

Jesus said, "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples." You can be a great preacher, a Christian scholar, a deacon or elder, attend church meetings daily, live a clean, moral life, memorize hundreds of verses of Scripture, direct a church choir, and teach Sunday school,but if you are not bearing fruit in the sense that you are introducing others to Christ, you are not filled and controlled by the Holy Spirit according to the Word of God.

Some people say, "I witness for Christ by living a good life." But it is not enough to live a good life. Many non-Christians live fine, moral, ethical lives. According to the Lord Jesus, the only way to demonstrate that you are truly following Him is to produce fruit, which includes introducing others to our Savior as well as living holy lives. And the only way you can produce fruit is through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Some time ago I asked one of the leading theologians of our time, the dean of faculty for a famous theological seminary, if he felt that one could be a Spirit-filled person without sharing Christ as a way of life. His answer was an emphatic, "No!"

On what basis could he make such a strong statement? The answer is obvious. Our Savior came to "seek and to save the lost," and He has "chosen and ordained" you to share the good news of His love and forgiveness with everyone, everywhere.To fail to witness for Christ with your lips is to disobey this command just as much as to fail to witness for Him by living a holy life is to disobey His command. In neither case can the disobedient Christian expect God to control and empower his life, nor can he experience the reality of God's presence and blessing.

A very discouraged student came to me for counsel after one of my messages. For several months he had spent at least three hours each day reading his Bible, praying and sharing his faith with others. Yet, he had never introduced anyone to Christ. After a time of discussion, his problem became apparent -- he was not controlled and empowered by the Holy Spirit, although he wanted to be.

So we prayed together, and by faith he appropriated the power of the Holy Spirit on the authority of God's Word. His life was absolutely transformed. That very day he had his first experience of introducing a person to Christ. The next day he led another to Christ and, two days later, another. He has since introduced hundreds, if not thousands, of people to our Lord.

How the Holy Spirit Changes You from the Inside Out

Not only do you receive a supernatural power for witnessing when you are filled with the Spirit, but your personality also begins to change. As you continue to walk in the control and power of the Holy Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit becomes increasingly obvious in your life.

In Galatians 5:22, 23, Paul explains, "When the Holy Spirit controls our lives He will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace,patience, kindness, goodness,faithfulness, gentleness and self control..."

The Christian's relationship with the Holy Spirit is both critical and progressive: critical, in that one learns that the Christian life is a life of faith rather than a life of works and has no reference to emotions ("The just shall live by faith."); progressive, in that, as one walks consistently in the power and control of the Holy Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit will be produced in his life.

A word of caution is in order.Do not seek an emotional or mystical experience.Do not depend on mystical impressions. The Word of God must be the basis of your spiritual growth. There is an interesting parallel between Ephesians 5:18, which admonishes us to be constantly and continually directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit, and Colossians 3:16, which admonishes us to "let the Word of Christ richly dwell within you..."

The end result of both letting the Word of Christ dwell in you and being filled with the Holy Spirit will be that you will talk much about the Lord quoting psalms and hymns and making music in your heart to the Lord.

Distinguishing Between God's Word and God's Spirit

It is very important to recognize the importance of the balance between the Word of God and the Spirit of God. The Word of God is closed to our understanding and has little meaning to us apart from the illumination given by the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is hindered in speaking clear and life changing truth apart from the Word of God.

When the emphasis on the ministry of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God is in proper balance in your life, the result is a life of power and great fruitfulness in which our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, is wonderfully honored and glorified. As you continue then to allow the Holy Spirit to control and empower you, and as you meditate upon the Word of God, hiding it in your heart, your life expresses more and more the beauty of Christ and the fruit of the Spirit which Paul lists in Galatians 5:22, 23. These attributes of our Lord Jesus Himself, plus fruitful witnessing,indicate that the Lord is actually living His life in and through you!

Being filled with the Spirit results in an abundant and overflowing life. Jesus of Nazareth once cried out to the multitude, "If a man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." John adds, "By this He meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive."

Truly, this is "the abundant life," yet most Christians are experiencing little of it.

Our Great Physician

When Jesus heard it, He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."
—Mark 2:17


It's worth noting that every person Jesus had conversations or contact with was in a different situation, and He dealt with each one differently. This is because He recognized that even though we all share many of the same problems and basic needs, every man, woman, and child is a unique individual, with unique needs.

In His encounters with people, Jesus was like a physician. He basically said, "I want to let you know that I didn't come to bring the righteous to repentance, but I came to bring sinners because those who are whole don't need a physician."

I think the hard thing about being a doctor must be seeing people, for the most part, only when they are sick! They usually don't have their patients stop by and say, "Hey, Doc, I'm feeling good, and I just wanted to tell you that. Want to go to lunch?" You don't usually call your doctor when you're feeling at the top of your game. You call when you are feeling sick, and your doctor will have you come in to his or her office, examine you, and apply the specific remedy to the area of need.

Jesus is the Great Physician. He came to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, give sight to the blind, and freedom to the oppressed. He already has determined your precise areas of need, whatever they may be, and He will minister to you as an individual.

Free from Fear

DEVOTION

Free from Fear




You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

—Psalm 91:5–6

History tells of a courageous Christian who was standing before one of the Roman emperors who was persecuting the church. The emperor was demanding that Christians abandon their faith, deny the Lord, and declare Caesar as Lord. But this Christian refused. So the emperor threatened, "Give up Christ, or I will banish you."




The Christian said, "You can't banish me from Christ, for He has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' "




The emperor said, "I will confiscate all your property."




The believer replied, "My treasures are laid up in heaven. You can't touch them." The emperor said, "I will kill you."




The Christian said, "I have been dead to the world in Christ for forty years. My life is hid with Christ in God. You can't touch it."




The emperor then turned to the rest of his court and said, "What can you do with such a fanatic?"




That so-called fanatic knew something about God's protection. And that is something we all should know about in these frightening times in which we are living. There are so many things we can be afraid of, from getting on a plane to becoming a victim of violent crime to being diagnosed with a life-threatening disease.




It is great to know that God promises, "A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you" (Psalm 91:7). It isn't over until it's over. Until that time, we can go out with boldness, knowing that God is in control of our lives.

Path to Miracle: Goes Through Uncomfortable Territory by Rick Warren

“Then the LORD spoke his word to Elijah, ‘Go to Zarephath in Sidon and live there. I have commanded a widow there to take care of you.’ So Elijah went to Zarephath.” (1 Kings 17:8-10a NCV)

When you’re scared to death and vulnerable, you don’t know where you’re going, you don’t know how long it’s going to take, and you don’t know what’s going to happen when you get there, what do you do?

You remember that the path to a miracle is always through uncomfortable territory.

The Bible gives an illustration in 1 Kings 17:8-10: “Then the LORD spoke his word to Elijah, ‘Go to Zarephath in Sidon and live there. I have commanded a widow there to take care of you.’ So Elijah went to Zarephath” (NCV).

God told Elijah to walk more than 100 miles during a drought through dangerous territory, where everyone knew who he was, and everyone knew King Ahab had a price on Elijah’s head. When Elijah finally made it to Zarephath, he met a poor widow who was going to feed him, but how could she help defend or protect him from a pagan town full of people who wouldn’t hesitate to kill him?

Miracles don’t happen when things are comfortable. Miracles happen when things are uncomfortable. Elijah didn’t say, “God, there are three things wrong with this plan. One, you’re sending me in the wrong direction. Two, you’re sending me to the wrong location. And three, you’re sending me to the wrong protection.”

Elijah just obeyed.

The path to a miracle is always through uncomfortable territory.

For instance —
When Moses led the Israelites out of slavery to the Promised Land, they had to go through the Red Sea first.
Before David could slay Goliath, he had to walk onto the battlefield.
God told Jehoshaphat to put the choir before the army, and he’d win the victory. How much faith do you think that took?

Miracles never happen in your comfort zone, when everything’s great and convenient. You don’t need a miracle when everything is settled in your life. You only need a miracle when you’re on the edge, when you’re scared to death, when you’re insecure, when you can get hit at any angle.

Are you at a place right now in your life where things are a little uncomfortable — financially, emotionally, relationally, or physically? You’re a little nervous, a little on the edge, a little insecure. Congratulations. You’re on the path to a miracle!

Just like Elijah, God wants you to obey, so you can see his miracle at the end of the road.

Talk It Over
What is God asking you to do that makes you uncomfortable?
What do you want God to do in your life? How have you expressed your anticipation of his miracle in your life?
Who are the people who can encourage you on the uncomfortable road you may be walking right now?

LOOK UNTO JESUS

HEBREWS 12:2
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…

What does it mean to look unto Jesus? Well, we can think of it like this: If you are drowning and somebody walks past you, you do not look at him. You look unto him. When you look unto him, you are turning to him and expecting him to rescue you.


In the same manner, you look unto Jesus expecting Him to save, heal and protect you because you know His mighty power and sacrificial love for you. God’s Word says that we are to keep “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith”. That is how God wants us to live.


So if you have a recurring migraine, keep looking unto Jesus. See Him taking that migraine upon His body on the cross and say, “Lord, I thank You that by Your stripes I am healed.” (Isaiah 53:5) As you keep looking unto Jesus, your healer, that migraine will have to bow to His finished work!


If you have a financial lack in your life, just keep looking unto Jesus with confident expectation that He will provide for you and deliver you from your lack.


“But Pastor Prince, is it really so simple? All I have to do is look unto Jesus and He will bless me financially?”


Yes, it is that simple. The problem with us is that we tend to look unto ourselves. But we cannot save or deliver ourselves. Even the apostle Paul struggled when he depended on his self-effort. That is why he said, “For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.” (Romans 7:19) It was only when Paul looked away from himself and unto Jesus that he received his deliverance. (Romans 7:24–25)


My friend, if you have been looking unto yourself, it is time to start looking unto Jesus. Look unto Him, the author and finisher of your faith. And soon, you will be looking at your healing and provision!

A Woman's Walk

Sanctification

by Margaret D. Mitchell
Week of June 22, 2014





"Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth." -John 17:17 (KJB)


One day I attended a high school graduation party for a young friend. In a conversation with the child’s father—a professed Christian—about the gathering, he confessed that he doesn’t like people.


I was a bit taken aback and thought, “Well, so much for the Greatest Commandments and the Great Commission!”


Later, I pondered what this man said and how he seemed to get along well with people socially. And then I wondered…


·Do any of us in our carnal flesh really like others?


·Or have we just learned to do what’s socially required—get along topically—smile and nod and pretend to be interested.


·Do we make an authentic effort to love others?


·And if so, what does that look like?


·Where does it come from?





Authenticity


If there is anything authentic in us, it comes from our Helper, The Holy Spirit, who illuminates the truth of God’s Word (Jesus) and reveals God’s wisdom to us—beyond our own thoughts and imaginings.


Is it possible for us to love others God’s way but not like them initially? I believe so…when we actively do it by faith, believing His word, asking God to purify our hearts to catch up with His will.


Ezekiel 36:26-27 (NIV) tells us…


"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow My decrees and be careful to keep my laws."


And David reminds us in Psalm 51:10 (NLT) to pray…


"Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me."


The Spirit of The Lord impressed upon me one day that not all believers are followers. And not all followers follow Christ in every area of their lives.


Loving others God’s way requires an intentional choice of our humble submission to God’s will; and it has been my experience that when there’s full yieldingness, it doesn’t take long for a bumper crop of fruitfulness. God can cleanse a heart and renew a spirit in an instant.


When you meet someone you don’t like, do you submit your whole heart to God and sincerely ask Him to put more of His love in your heart so you can see them and love them His way?


Loving others isn’t an option. It’s God’s second greatest commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt 22:39).





Purpose


One of the purposes of loving others is to draw them nearer to Jesus. Another purpose is to do a work of sanctification in us. Sometimes, we have to be reminded that God often works in parallels. And sometimes, we have to be reminded to live holy lives, to be awakened to more humility and dependence on God as our source.


If you invite Jesus into your heart, He will do works of grace in you. His love will fill your heart to overflowing so you can love others His way.


Paul reminds us in Phil 2:12-13 (NASB)... "So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure."


Hindrances


·Envy… We may also want to ask ourselves why we don’t like someone. Is envy involved? That can be a big hindrance and even an enemy attack to try to get you off focus, off course and entangled in a stranglehold that can rob you of your blessings while cannibalizing someone else with words or actions.


·Lust… The idol of sinful lust, as in David’s case, can cause us to turn from loving other’s God’s way to seeing them in a perverted fashion. When we give way to carnal pleasures over God’s will, we can hinder God in our lives until we authentically repent.


· Insecurity… We must know who we are in Christ so we don’t perceive ourselves as unloved or unworthy. We cannot share what we do not realize Christ died to give us. It’s not easy to be happy for someone else when our wounded, deceived hearts perceive lack in our own lives.


· Indifference/Impatience… Do we really desire to spend the time that’s required to get to know someone and understand more about them, to lift them up, to disciple them? Do we perceive their value as God does?


· Hatred… Hatred is a soulful reaction that can be rooted in fear, lack of understanding, wrong teaching, wrong priority, etc., and it usually reacts in judgment and rejection. It’s important to remember that Jesus loves sinners and is merciful.


Bottom Line


It’s all about pleasing God, and loving others pleases God. He is big enough to do it through you.


"Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good" (Rom 12:9, NLT).

How to Overcome Being a People Pleaser by Joyce Meyer

There is only one remedy I know of to avoid being a people pleaser and that is learning to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in all we do. That is one of the most exciting things about being a Christian.

As believers, the Holy Spirit lives inside us. He desires to lead us in everything we do, from how we handle our finances, to the type of job we have, to the house we live in, to what we do or don’t do for others. He does not want to just be involved with the spiritual side of our lives; He wants to be involved with the natural side of our lives too.

I love what Romans 7:6 says: But now we are discharged from the Law and have terminated all intercourse with it, having died to what once restrained and held us captive. So now we serve not under [obedience to] the old code of written regulations, but [under obedience to the promptings] of the Spirit in newness [of life]. What Paul is saying is, when we follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit, we experience newness of life—peace, joy and contentment—that cannot be experienced when we live under the “shoulds,” the “oughts,” the obligations and the expectations of being a people pleaser.

It All Comes Down to One Thing…

Motives… Why are we doing (or not doing) something? Are we being motivated by fear, personal gain or a sense of obligation? Are we being motivated by a desire to be in control, accepted or seen? These are all the wrong reasons for doing something. Our motive for doing anything should always be because God has prompted us and we want to please Him. Following the leading of the Holy Spirit means we are motivated by the fruits of the Holy Spirit, such as love, kindness and goodness. What the Spirit leads us to do or not do, He will give us a peace about.

Remember, whatever you and I do, if we will do it as unto the Lord, our lives and the lives of others will be blessed. If you help a family member, do it as unto the Lord. If you visit with relatives, do it as unto the Lord. If you work in the nursery at church, do it as unto the Lord. If you are getting dressed, washing the dishes, driving to work, cutting the grass, or going to the grocery store, do it as unto the Lord.

In other words, with everything you do, do it with the motive of pleasing God. The result will be a new measure of joy and enthusiasm in your life—even in the everyday, ordinary things.

I encourage you to shake off the way people think or feel about you and just begin to do what you feel God wants you to do. If you need strength in this area, and I think we all do, pray and ask the Lord for His grace to follow after His voice instead of the pressures and demands of others. That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things…(Colossians 1:10).

The Power of Grateful Prayers by Rick Warren

“Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace.” (Philippians 4:6-7a NLT)


In Philippians 4:6-7 we find one of the most difficult verses in the entire Bible to obey: “Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace” (NLT).


It’s not easy to stop worrying about the often-scary, everyday parts of our lives, but God tells us how in the next part of the verse: “Pray about everything … and thank him for all he has done.” Grateful prayer brings peace. God says, when you start to worry, pray.


Parents understand the power of grateful prayers. Most parents wouldn’t appreciate their children always making requests without saying “thank you” for what they’ve already received. God sees it the same way. He wants us to ask him for what we need and want. More than 20 times in the New Testament, we’re told to “ask” him. But he wants us to ask with gratefulness.


The Bible urges us to be specific in our requests — and our praises. Instead of a simple “thank you for everything,” he wants us to tell him what we’re grateful for. When I say to my wife, “I'm so grateful for you,” she tells me to be specific. She likes to hear what I appreciate about her and what I'm grateful for about her. God does, too. So when you pray, tell God what you’re thankful for. Prayer is one of the most important ways we tell God “thank you.”


Thanking God in advance is a big step of faith. When we have the faith to thank God ahead of time, miracles happen. The more thankful we are, the more God works in our lives. The Bible says that God inhabits the praise of his people. He uses our thanksgiving as an instrument of power in our lives.


So, what are you thankful for?


Talk It Over

• Why do you think gratitude is so important for our spiritual lives? 
• Being as specific as possible, for what are you thankful to God? Spend some time in prayer thanking God for those things. 
• What are some ways you believe God will bless you in the future? Thank God for those things — even before they happen.

How to Prevent Slipping into Depression

Does your happiness depend on everything in your life being just right? If you think you can't be happy until all your circumstances are right, you will never be happy. We all experience times in life when we feel down for various reasons, but we can't allow our circumstances to control our emotions. Satan seeks to fill our minds with negative thoughts and emotions that cause us to feel down. He is a discourager, and he pulls us down emotionally, spiritually, financially, and in every way he can. But Jesus is our Encourager, and He came to lift us up. He came to give us righteousness, peace and joy, and all these things cause us to feel up!

Everyone experiences times of frustration and distress over unfulfilled hopes and dreams. When things don't go according to our plans, it is normal to feel disappointment. But we must be careful how we deal with that feeling, because disappointmentis the beginning stage of depression. If we remain in a state of disappointment for too long, it can turn into discouragement, despair, and finally depression.
Psalm 30:5 tells us that ...Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. Things may make us feel sad temporarily, but we must not stay sad. Just as we cannot afford to stay mad very long, neither can we stay sad very long. If we do, Satan takes advantage of the open door and pushes his way further into our lives, bringing more serious problems with him.

Don't Trust Your Thoughts and Feelings

Our number one enemy is emotions. We tend to be led by how we feel, but we must realize that feelings are fickle; they change from day to day! We should be careful not to follow every thought that comes to our mind because our thoughts and feelings don't dictate truth to us. For many years of my life, I experienced regular depression. I would awaken many mornings with a little voice in my head saying, "I feel depressed." I believed this was my own thought, not realizing that it was Satan making suggestions to me through my mind. Later, when God drew me into a closer walk with Him and I began seriously studying His Word, I learned that I didn't have to follow every feeling and thought that I had. I began to speak aloud and say, "I will not be depressed." I learned to put on the garment of praise spoken of in Isaiah 61:3 .
We may not always feel like praising,but a victorious person does not have the luxury of living by feelings.

I've learned that staying disappointed can cause me to start feeling discouraged, which is a deeper problem than disappointment. But I've also learned that you can't be hopeful and discouraged at the same time. So as soon as the devil attacks us with disappointment and we start feeling discouraged, we need to turn to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to fill us with hope. A brief period of discouragement may not have a devastating effect, but long-term discouragement can lead to depression—a very serious problem.

Resist the Devil and Rejoice in the Lord!

Depression is defined inpart as "a hollow; being in a low state; a state of sadness; dejection." The real cause of depression is not where we are, but our attitude about where we find ourselves. It is possible to learn to live on the other side of your feelings. We will always have feelings; they will never go away, but we can make our feelings line up with our decisions. That's why God gives us the fruit of self-control. James 4:7 tells us to resist the devil, and we must also resist depression, and anything that resembles it, because it is of the devil. Philippians 4:4 says, Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, gladden yourselves in Him]; again I say, Rejoice!

If we stay filled with the right thing, the wrong thing has no place.
If you don't let the devil impress you with what he does, then he can't oppress you; and if he can't oppress you, then he can't depress you. So choose to be led by the Holy Spirit and you can have victory over depression. We can choose to keep a hopeful attitude by renewing our minds with the promises found in God's Word. We can claim the promises as our own and stand in faith, believing God to help us overcome our feelings and move forward into better things. We can't control all of our circumstances, but we don't have to let what happens today ruin tomorrow. We can actually turn things around by making a decision to let go of the situations that caused the disappointment and discouragement, and move toward the good things God has planned for our future.

Many people are depressed because they can't face truth, but the Holy Spirit came to reveal truth to us. We can't get past depression until we quit making excuses and blaming everyone else. We must face the truth and take responsibility for our actions. When we do that and ask God to help us, the spirit of heaviness leaves us and we feel light and free. Jesus tells us in Matthew 11:30 , ...My burden is light and easy to be borne . Being depressed about circumstances does not change them, and it is a total waste of time and a thief of joy. So we must stop letting our feelings,mind, body, and past experiences rule us and allow God to give us a fresh plan, a new idea, a new goal! You can experience victory over your emotions by being led, guided,controlled, and ruled by the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus sent to us as our Comforter, Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener and Standby to remain with us forever (see John 14:16 ). Thank God, we don't have to be disappointed,discouraged, despondent, depressed or indespair. Jesus is not only the Way, but He is also the way out! Jesus is our healer, our glory, and the lifter of our heads.

By Joyce Meyer