Abandon Yourself to Your Guide

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“Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken” — Joshua21:45
The newly commissioned leader of Israel, Joshua had hundreds of thousands of Israelites looking to him to lead them. However, God didn’t give him a detailed script, He gave him the assurance that He would go with him.
God said “I will be with you. I will not leave you” (Josh1:5). God commanded Joshua to study and practice everything written in His Word (Josh1:7-8). Joshua responded with complete and surrender to His amazing Guide and “not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken” (Josh21:45).
We too ought to abandon ourselves to our amazing Guide, resting in His faithfulness. Oswald Chambers says “faith never knows where it is being led; it knows and loves the One who is leading”

He is Faithful

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“The Lord is good to those who wait for Him” — Lamentations3:25
Jeremiah witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem and saw his people carried into captivity. He wandered the streets of the city, overwhelmed by grief (Lam1:1-5).
Yet, in Jeremiah’s darkest hour, he said, “This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lam3:21-23).
Whether we suffer for our own choices or from those of others, despair may threaten to overwhelm us. When all seems lost, we can cling to the Lord’s faithfulness. ” ‘The Lord is my portion’ says my soul. ‘There I hope in Him’ “(v24)
The anchor of God’s faithfulness holds firm in the strongest storms.

Part of His Masterpiece

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“Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these things” — Isa40:26
God is doing something on a grander scale in the world. He’s the artist who sees the final picture. We’re his “fellow workers” (1Cor3:9) who are helping to make it a reality. Through the prophet Isaiah, God reminded His people that it is He who “sits above the circle of the earth” and “stretches out the heavens like a curtain” (Isa40:22). We cant see the final picture, but we continue on in faith, knowing that we’re part of an amazing work of art – one that is being created on earth but will be best seen from heaven.
God is using us to help create a masterpiece.

Reflect The Light of Jesus

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“Shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life” — Phil2:15-16
Paul explains that as believers we are to shine our lights in the world to show the way to those seeking God’s truth, redemption and spiritual liberation.
We live in a dark world that desperately needs to see the light of Jesus Christ. Our calling is to shine forth God’s trust so that others can be directed to the One who redeems and is the path to liberty and life. We point the way to Jesus, the One who is the way, the truth and the life (John14:6)
Dear Lord, thank you for redeeming me and giving me new life. Give me compassion for those who are still lost in spiritual darkness. Use me to be a light that points others to You, the Light of the world.
Light up your world by reflecting the light of Jesus

The World Shall See You Follow Him

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“Then Jesus said to them, ‘follow me'” — Matt4:19
When Jesus called His disciples to follow Him, it was an invitation to be changed by Him, to become like Him, and to share His passion for those who need a Saviour. The high honor of being His follower should show in our lives as well. We too have been called to catch the attention of the watching world as we talk, think and act just like Jesus – the teacher of our souls.
Thank you, Lord for the high honor of being called to follow You. May my life so imitate You that others will know that You are the pursuit of my life and the teacher of my soul.
Follow Jesus and let the world know He is your teacher.

Be Like The Samaritan

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In Luke 10:30-35, we read of a man who was attacked, robbed and left in a frail position. Jesus explained that a priest passed him, so did the Levite, who were both held in high esteem in society but a Samaritan, who’s the last person expected to help, stopped. This Samaritan showed mercy, placed the man on his donkey, took him to an Inn and covered the expenses.
Jesus explained that this is the way we ought to treat our neighbors. We are to be the Samaritan, being merciful and showing compassion. As we meet and interact with persons today, may God present opportunities for us to be the good Samaritan and may we respond in obedience.

Draw In Close

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“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me” — John 10:14
We should always come to God just as we are, giving our desperate, unworthy, yet wholly loved selves to our all-powerful, all-sustaining glorious, yet fully compassionate Father. And when we do, we find the overflowing cup of His strength, restoration, wisdom, peace, righteousness, and joy. In His presence is the abundant life. He is the Living Water and the Bread of Life.
When we pray, we should not only talk but also listen. Seek to hear and follow His good paths. Come rejoicing, come playful, come weary, come doubting or afraid. Come to Him in the midst of the valley of the shadow of death. Draw in close and listen to His comforting words of life and hope.

"The Balanced Approach to Spiritual Victory"

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“Be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God” (Eph. 6:10-11).
Spiritual victory is not passive; it involves the discipline of daily obedience to Christ and His Word.
When I was a child, my father and I watched a boxing match on television. After going through the ritual of punching the air, kicking his feet, and putting rosin on his shoes, one of the fighters knelt in the corner and crossed himself. I asked my dad if that helped. He said, “It does if he can punch. If he can’t punch, it doesn’t help at all.”
That illustrates a point we touched on yesterday and will explore further today: God’s part and our part in spiritual warfare. Many Christians believe that spiritual victory comes simply by surrendering more completely to God. They quote verses like 2 Chronicles 20:15 to support their view: “The battle is not yours but God’s.” “Stop struggling and striving,” they say. “Instead, yield and completely surrender yourself to God. He alone does the fighting and gives the victory.”
Such people are often called “Quietists” because they view the Christian’s role in spiritual warfare as passive or quiet. Their anthem is “Let go and let God.”
But Scripture gives a very different view of the believer’s role. It pictures the Christian life as a war, a race, and a fight. We depend on God’s energy, power, and strength, but are by no means passive. We’re commanded to apply ourselves to good deeds, resist the devil, bring our bodies under subjection, walk in wisdom, press toward the prize, cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, work out our salvation with fear and trembling, and perfect holiness in the fear of God. Those are calls to fervent action.
In Ephesians 6:10-11 Paul says, “Be strong in the . . . strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God.” That’s the balance. God supplies the resources; we supply the effort. (John MacArthur)

"Your Resources in Christ"

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“Be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil” (Eph. 6:10-11).
In Christ you have every resource necessary for spiritual victory.
Satan opposes God and wants to prevent believers from glorifying Him. One way he does that is by convincing them that he is either so formidable they could never defeat him, or so weak they can fight him on their own strength.
Second Corinthians 10:4 says, “The weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.” Human resources alone can never defeat a spiritual enemy, but divine resources can. That’s why it’s crucial to understand the resources you have in Christ that insure spiritual victory.
In Ephesians 1:3 Paul says you have received all the blessings of heaven through Christ. That includes being forgiven and redeemed (vv. 6-7), and receiving knowledge, understanding, and wisdom (vv. 17-18). Within you resides the Holy Spirit (v. 13), who strengthens you and accomplishes more than you can ask or think (3:16, 20).
Believers represent the awesome power of God in this world—the same power that raised Christ from the dead, seated Him at the right hand of the Father, and subjected all things under His feet (Eph. 1:19-22). He is the Sovereign Lord against whom no one can successfully stand. That’s why Paul exhorted us to “be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might” (Eph. 6:10, emphasis added). We find this strength by putting on the armor He has supplied: truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, the Word, and prayer. Then, no matter what direction the enemy approaches from, or how subtle his attacks may be, we’ll be able to stand firm.
Satan’s attacks are complex and subtle. His ways of working in this world are cunning and deceitful. Since it’s impossible to analyze and anticipate his every offense, focus on strengthening your defenses by understanding your spiritual resources and using them each day.

"Preparing for Battle"

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“Be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil” (Eph. 6:10-11).
Adequate preparation is the key to spiritual victory.
The Gulf War introduced some highly sophisticated weapons that had never been proven under live battle conditions. Most of the troops hadn’t experienced war either. Yet troops and machinery combined in a display of military conquest unparalleled in history.
Thorough preparation proved to be an indispensible element in that overwhelming victory. That included developing and testing high-tech weaponry, recruiting and training troops, and engaging in mock battles. Generals know that if they dare enter a battlefield ill-prepared, they’re destined for defeat. Consequently, they do everything possible to prepare their troops for victory.
Similarly, your success in spiritual warfare is directly proportional to your preparedness. You must “be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might” (Eph. 6:10), and also put on your armor (v. 11). God is your strength and source of victory, but you must trust Him and appropriate your spiritual resources. As Oliver Cromwell said, “Trust in God and keep your powder dry.”
If you delay preparation until the battle is upon you, then it’s too late. If your armor isn’t in place, you’re vulnerable to the arrows of the enemy. If you neglect prayer, worship, Bible study, accountability, and the other disciplines of faith, you can’t expect to prevail when spiritual skirmishes arise.
No soldier who values his own life would step onto a battlefield unprepared. How much more should soldiers of Christ prepare themselves to fight against Satan’s forces? Be diligent. Christ guarantees ultimate victory, but you can lose individual battles if you’re unprepared. It’s even possible to lapse into periods of spiritual lethargy, indifference, impotency, and ineffectiveness, but that’s utterly inconsistent with your mandate to fight the good fight (1 Tim. 1:18).
Don’t be caught off guard! Keep your armor on and remain alert to the advances of the enemy.