God is the Resolution

As a new year is beckoning us one can’t help but ponder the challenges, obstacles, twisting and winding roads that have met us. Some are still paralyzed perhaps, by this past year’s events. Maybe you have experienced a personal loss; whether it was the loss of a loved one, career, home or quite simply…hope. You may be tempted to carry into the new year the burdens of yesterday; a quite heavy load that oft times seem impossible to carry. Sometimes even wondering where was God through those sleepless nights and unbearable days.

According to Matthew 28:20 God says “…Lo I am with you always.” He was right there by your side! So I ask you, my brothers and sisters to perhaps think about your situations from a different perspective. Was there a common theme related to the pain, struggle, and hardship you endured this past year? Perhaps there was an area in your life God needed to bring to your attention. Maybe God allowed it to prune, refine, and complete you.

The theme that was a constant challenge in my life this past year was in the area of relationships. It seemed like I was being attacked on every side and in every aspect of my relationships; whether personal, family, or professional. After tirelessly, and frustratingly trying to work things out in my own strength I was humbled to my knees in prayer. God began to show me things about myself that I had not submitted to His will. In each relationship God used the other person to show me a mirror reflection of myself! The traits that I often had problems with in others were some of the same traits God was trying to perfect in me. Wow! And, on the other hand, I also struggled with character traits in others that were the extreme opposite of mine! Nonetheless, I could see how God allowed those situations to make me aware of my own behavior. When I realized the things that I was doing out of habit, stubbornness, or selfishness it was truly a wake up call! It wasn’t comfortable going through that season but I’m glad that I did! I learned a lot from those experiences and am very thankful God showed me what was in my own heart!

So I now ask you to revisit your trials and tests from the previous year. Now that you are looking at them through spiritual glasses, were there trying areas in your life where maybe God was building your character or maturing you spiritually? Spiritual growth often comes in the form of pain. It’s in those tough times that you learn how to depend on God. You strengthen your faith muscle when God delivers you out of trial after trial! Hallelujah! That’s how you get your spiritual wings and begin to fly! The more trials overcome, the closer you are to being free. Let’s go into the new year soaring!

~HaPpy NeW YeAr!

Prayer: Your Spiritual Sword

The fighting is intense. Warfare is heavy on both sides. In the midst of battle you gaze around only to see your allies succumbing to their injuries. The enemy is relentless, taking no prisoners. You struggle to maintain your defense as your adversary encroaches your territory. Suddenly you are standing face to face with your foe. You study each other meticulously, your eyes are intently gazed on your opponent; you wait for a slight move to go in for the kill. Methodically, you reach down to pull out your sword. Your hand settles upon an empty holster and you realize it’s not there, in panic you struggle to find a displaced weapon. The enemy, seeing your vulnerability smirks at your unpreparedness and pushes his dagger through your heart, rendering you spiritually dead.

Though the aforementioned seems to tell of a gruesome scene from a Hollywood movie, unfortunately it is the fate we suffer when we don’t arm ourselves with prayer. The devil rages a formidable battle against us when we don’t go to God and allow Him to defend us against the pestilence that walks in darkness. 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour.” As Christians, prayer is our weapon of artillery against the powers of darkness. In Romans 8:36, Paul admonishes, “…For your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Beloved, when we don’t spend the necessary time in prayer, we are blindly walking into defeat, persecution, and spiritual attacks unequipped.

There is a war raging around us everyday in the spirit realm and we must go to the battlefield suited up. Ephesians 6:11-18 tells us to, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may 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 all 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, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.”

Furthermore, when we accepted Jesus Christ as our savior, we entered into a covenant relationship with Him. A relationship requires effective communication from both parties in order to grow and become a successful, healthy union. A relationship with God can be thought of as a relationship with a spouse or significant other. When you are in love, you are concerned about the welfare of the person, you think about them every minute. You want to talk to them everyday and can’t wait to see them. Our relationship with Christ should be the same way. We say we love God, but yet most Christians go days, weeks some even months without humbling themselves on their knees and reverencing God as the Lord of their life. God desires to commune with us; He desires us to come to him with our cares, concerns and the matters of our heart. Unfortunately, many Christians neglect this most important part of their Christian walk, delegating it only to a tragedy or personal loss. Many flock to church Sunday after Sunday awaiting a word regarding God’s direction for their lives. They then return back to the monotony of a prayer less, defeated life, acceding to attacks, torment, and mental bondage. While God does speak through pastors, He desires a personal relationship with us. The only way you will ever know God’s will and desire for your life is to get to know him intimately. How do you do that? Pray. We must get into the habit of praying daily, disciplining ourselves to set a time everyday to communicate with God. Beloved, if we are to be victorious as Christians we have to get our prayer life in order. If we are to conquer the demons of depression, stress, anxiety and worry we must take a stand this day and commit to prayer. It is a sacrifice. Many have families, children, work, and/or school responsibilities that may impede their time. It will require diligence in getting up earlier or staying up later to pray; it’s ideal to wake up early in the morning before everyone awakes or late at night while everyone is sleeping so there will be no interruption. More so, other areas of your lives may have to be compromised i.e. sleeping less, or less time at the gym, or hanging out with friends. In my personal experience when I seek the Lord before I start my day, I am able to handle stressful situations more readily, I’m not as easily agitated, and there’s a lasting peace that resides in my soul when I come out of the prayer closet. It’s only a joy that God can give you! On the contrary when I don’t cover my day with prayer I’m easily agitated, feel exposed, and quite simply, just don’t have the same measure of contentment. Communing with God in the morning is the best time to pray because it sets the tone for the day.

As Christians it should be our desire to want to know the heart of God and to be able to discern His voice when He speaks to us. Beloved, if we are to train our ear to become sensitive to the Holy Spirit, we must establish a consistent prayer life.

Moreover, when you pray you are standing in proxy for your sisters and brothers around the world. This is not only our personal battle; it’s a Holy war! When we pray we are stopping the hand of murder, violence, war, preventing an unforeseen accident, sending aide to the less fortunate, and saving the lives of our brethren that are being persecuted for the Gospel’s sake. I implore you, pick up your sword, bend your knee and let’s get ready to battle!

By Puja Nagual

Your worst enemy

It’s six am, the alarm clock, blaring, starts the tone of the day. You jump up disoriented, heart racing, and dash out of bed to shower before stumbling over piles of clothes strewn over the floor. Little Johnny starts screaming at the top of his lungs. “Where is that baby sitter?! She’s usually here by …” before you can complete the sentence the phone rings and you hear a quaint voice on the answering machine, “Hello…aah… hi Ms. Outtaorder, I’m not going to be able to come in today, something came up.” “The nerve of that little wench! She’s supposed to be here already!” you quip.  You sprint out of the shower, rummage through the accumulated junk compiled in your room that hasn’t been cleaned in two weeks, and find your phone book nestled underneath a plate of half-eaten, rotten Chinese food that exposed the deathly odor you had been trying to pin point. You scramble through the phone book leaving messages out of desperation to every relative, church member, ex-boyfriend, ex-boyfriend’s girlfriend trying to find a replacement sitter. “If you come to work late one more time, it will result in your termination!” your cantankerous boss’ voice resonates in the back of your mind. After leaving a barrage of messages as a result of unanswered calls, you hang up the phone in despair; hair dripping wet, car keys in hand, and little Johnny straddled across your hip. Tears start to stream down your face as scenes of a crumbling life play out in your mind’s eye. You plop down on the bed and begin to question God: “Lord my life is a mess! My husband left me, I don’t know how I’m going to pay the mortgage this month, and how am I going to raise this son that you have given me? ‘Lord, I don’t understand, I walked away from the world and gave my life to you and accepted you as my Savior, since then everything has gone wrong in my life!”

This is cry of many hearts today. You thought you had your life all figured out. You had dreams, goals and a clear direction for your life. But yet along the way you have faced nothing but wrong turns, disappointment, and despair. When you were younger you had so much zest and zeal and you started out with great enthusiasm. You may have spent years trying to climb the proverbial corporate ladder, chase a childhood dream, or start your own business only to have been faced with closed doors, rejection, discrimination, or could only go so far in your company. Ten or more so years later you find yourself at the end of own strength. You have allowed anger, bitterness, and despondency to become the lord of your life. Although you may have accepted Christ into your life you are still not walking in the fullness of His power. Every area of your life is broken and you have come to the realization that you are the common denominator. You have let years of discouragement, failure, and defeat beat down your door. Maybe you have lost all hope and cannot possibly fathom a better life for yourself.  Perhaps God has bought you to your end so He can give you a new beginning. Perhaps He is directing your steps so you could have a full life in Him. Beloved, this cross roads is where many of us make the wrong turn and walk out of Jesus’ path.

In the book of Acts in the New Testament, after God convicted Paul because of his persecution of the Christian church, God gave Ananias a vision and sent him to Paul (then named Saul) to speak the word of the Lord concerning Paul’s life (Acts 9:10-18 NKJV).  In Vs13, Ananias answered, “Lord I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem.” The Bible says that the Lord told Ananias that Paul is a choosen vessel and that he will bear “My name.”  Moreover the Lord professed, “For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” After Ananias laid hands on Paul the scales fell off  his eyes and he was filled with the Holy Spirit. Beloved, God opened Paul’s spiritual eyes and set his soul afire for the word of the Lord.  So much so that Paul traveled from the road of Damascus to as far as Thessalonia to establish the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  It was out of Paul’s own oppression and reports of Christian persecution of established churches that the letter to the Thessalonian church was written.  In Thessalonians 3:3 Paul tells the church, “ that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed for this.” Paul reminds the church that when he was with them before, how he told them Christians will have to suffer tribulation.

When God called Paul out of a sinful and rebellious life, He clearly told him that he would have to endure many hardships on this journey. However, when Paul accepted God’s invitation to be filled with the Holy Spirit that allotted him boldness and courage to defeat his enemies. Many of us may have started out like Paul on the road to Damascus: full of hate, judgment, bitterness, and autonomy. You may have let wrong thinking direct your life and because of it you have become your own worst enemy. Many people are living powerless and defeated simply because they have not accepted Christ, and/or asked the Holy Spirit to come into their lives. Paul’s letters still apply to us today, he warns us that as Christians we will be afflicted for the gospel’s sake, but saints it’s the Holy Spirit that will give us the strength to overcome any trial we face.

Repeat this prayer: “Holy spirit, I ask you to come into my heart and lead me. I release the spirit of negative thinking, anger, and bitterness right now. Direct my thoughts and my actions everyday, and help me to walk in a spirit of love towards myself as well as others, in Jesus’ name. Amen!”

Beloved, if we are to be triumphant in this Christian walk it will require diligently guarding our minds. In her book “Battlefield of the mind,” Joyce Meyer emphatically states that our mind is the battlefield. To proclaim victory over any area of our life we must first win the battle in our mind! We must renew our thinking! Whatever darts satan throw at us we can render them powerless by edifying ourselves daily in the word.

2 Corinthians 10:5 teaches us how to stand against the war that rages in the mind by “casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”

Moreover, Ephesians 4:31 admonishes us to “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.” Many people, unmindful, speak death over their lives by their words (Proverbs 18:21). I cannot tell you how many Christians make the mistake of speaking pessimistically regarding the affairs of their lives. Words flow out of the abundance of the heart (Luke 6:45)! Saints, we must get in the habit of speaking, in the name of Jesus, blessings over our lives no matter what it looks like in the physical realm. Lastly, along with renewing our mind, and guarding our tongue must ask God to purify our hearts. (Psalm 51:10).