Life will always have critics and naysayers, but It’s not what people say about you that affects your life, but it’s what you say and believe about yourself that really matters. Have the opinions of others caused you to water down or walk away from your dreams? One of the most important things you can learn is that other people don’t have to believe in you in order for your dreams to come to pass. Other people don’t set the limits for your life, you and God do.
Scripture say in Romans 3:3, “It doesn’t matter if other people don’t believe. Their unbelief is not going to keep me from believing in my dreams.” When God puts a promise in your heart, it’s not up to other people to bring it to pass; it’s up to you to believe God! You don’t need anyone to validate you. You have to follow the voice of God for yourself, and allow Him to keep His promises through you.
Today, God sees and knows the hidden treasures that’s buried inside of you. He wants to bring those treasures out and make your dreams a reality! As you get rid of old, defeated thoughts and people, and replace them with what God says about you, you will remove the limits in your life, and live the abundant productive life God has for you!
“What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness?” (Romans 3:3, NIV)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for another day where I can see Your awesomeness in my life. Father, help me to see myself the way You see me. Help me to take the limits off my mind and dreams. Help me to see the plans You have for me, so that I can be empowered by You to fulfil my destiny. God, please help me not to water down my dreams based on naysayers. I love You and bless You, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
Before the foundations of the world, God laid out an exact plan for your life. In this plan, He has placed life-changing moments in your life. These moments are not ordinary, they can even be moments of pain, they are destiny-altering moments. They are designed to thrust you years ahead into your God-given success.
In the book of Ecclesiastes, it says, that “time and chance come together for every person.” That means you’ll have opportunities to meet the right people, opportunities to advance in your career, and opportunities to fulfil your dreams.
Today and in your future, God has already arranged times of increase, blessing, and success. You may not see a lot of good breaks right now, but be encouraged because there are seasons of favor and increase marked for your life!
“ ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ ” (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for ordering my life. I look forward to increase and a brighter future. Father, thank You for making a way when there seems to be no way. God, I will step out today in faith and expectancy, knowing that You have placed special life-changing moments in my future for my good, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
With many of us distant from family and alone in this turbulent time, it would be nice to have someone put an arm around you just to let you know that they care, and that you are thought about. Showing the love of God, being hugged, prayed with and sang to, that is the kind of life-altering love that Christ showed as an example in the Bible.
Many of us use the word love to describe our affection for places and things, however biblical love is best exhibited when shown to people as Christ did. When we show the selfless love of God, this would let the world know that we belong to Him.
Today, let me remind you that love is a good word and action, so don’t be afraid to use it or show it. Christ said that more than anything else, love will be the way that the world knows the disciples of Christ. With loneliness on the rise this weekend, call an old friend, tell your family that you love them, or do something for someone to express the love that you have for them.
“Your love for one other will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” (John 13:35, NLT)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for loving me first. Father, please give me the strength to love others as You have loved me, and to display Your love for the world to see. God, please comfort those who are lonely and separated from family and friends, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
During these difficult times many people struggle with sleeping at night. They stay awake or get poor sleep because they are constantly focused on their problems, and worrying about tomorrow. But that’s not God’s plan! He wants you to enjoy your sleep as a time of blessing and refreshing.
Scripture reminds us that the Lord longs to pour out blessings on us even while we are sleeping! Understand that God has His hand on your life even in the midnight hour. He wants to speak to your heart and restore your dreams. He is taking care of those things that concern you.
Today, cast your cares on God and trust Him to work out every detail of your life, you’ll be able to enjoy that sweet sleep that He has promised even in these hard times. Make the decision today to enjoy the blessings of the Lord as you sleep tonight and always. Say a prayer before you go to bed and cast your cares, worries and stresses on God, let go of anger and wrath and rest in Him.
“…He gives [blessings] to His beloved in sleep.” (Psalm 127:2, AMP)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for Your promise of blessing me as I sleep. Father, I ask that You teach me how to receive Your blessing and refreshing while I sleep. God, I cast my cares worries and stresses on You, trusting that You will work all things for my good. Lord, thank You for watching over me and protecting me each night as I sleep, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.
I hear this question over and over these days – are we going to get through these difficult times? It’s easy to get discouraged during the tough times. Have you ever gone through something that felt like the valley of the shadow of death? But I love what it says in today’s verse, “though I walk through.” This phrase gives us hope.
I know these are hard times with sickness and bereavement at record rates, but know this – you are not alone, and you are just walking through. You don’t have to stop and live in the tough times! They are only temporary. Don’t allow fear to paralyse you in the middle of “the valley of the shadow of death.” God is with you. He is walking beside you. He is strengthening you. He is making a way of escape for you. He will carry you if He has to. He is lining up people and situations to bring you out of these tough places into a place of strength and victory!
Today, why don’t you get a vision of your life on the other side of that trial. See your life without the loss and bereavement of the pandemic more loving, more faithful, stronger and more blessed than before. Keep moving forward and keep walking through. Don’t stay in fear. Press forward in faith into the victory God has prepared for you!
“Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me…” (Psalm 23:4, NKJV)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for Your faithfulness in my life, I pray I will never take it for granted. Father, please continue to walk with me even in these hard times of sickness, death and uncertainty. God, I pray for a vision of the other side of this trial, trusting that You are taking me through my circumstances to a place of victory and strength, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
Many people miss out on the good things because they allow fear to distract them and hold them back. They say, “What if I fail?” “What if people don’t like me?” “What if I make a mistake?” However, “What if you do succeed?” “What if people do like you?” “What if you do it better than anyone else?” Let’s expect God’s goodness and favour, and not focus on the negative “what if’s.”
The Scripture talks about how time and chance will come together for every person. In other words, there are moments of favour that God has already released into your future. If you’ll let that sink down into your heart today, it will change your whole outlook on your future.
Today, go out with an attitude of faith and expectancy, you’ll see those good things He has in store, and not the negative fearful thinking the enemy wants you to have. Then you’ll walk into divine moments of favour, moments of blessing, moments of increase, and embrace all the good things God has in store for you!
“…time and chance happen to them all.” (Ecclesiastes 9:11, NIV)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for the good things You have planned for my future. Father, thank You for the positive expectations that Your Spirit brings which gives me daily peace, joy and protection. God, I choose to keep my heart and mind focused on the blessings in my future and not the negative fearful “what if’s,” in Christ’s Name! Amen
In these times people are standing up for all kinds of reasons – against racism, against the vaccine, against voter fraud and the list goes on. One of the reasons people take a stand is because of poor choices others have made but other times, people have to take a stand to protect what is right.
As you become convicted and you’re determined to fulfil your God-given destiny, and you’re taking steps to improve your life or make a difference in your family or community, don’t be surprised if you face opposition. The devil isn’t going to just roll out the red carpet and watch you fulfil your God-given destiny. He’ll do everything in his power to keep you from moving forward. The apostle Paul said this, “A wide door of opportunity is open for me and there are many adversaries.” I’ve found that anytime you try to go forward in life, anytime you try to make progress, there will be opposition.
Today, with God on your side, you can stand your ground against the adversary! For greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. So when you face opposition today and throughout this year, keep standing on God’s Word, keep believing in God’s promises, keep hoping in a brighter future. Don’t stop fighting the good fight of faith until you see the victory God has promised you!
“Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:13, NIV)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for Your promise of victory. Father, I have decided to take my eyes off my challenges and focus on You. God, thank You for equipping me with Your armour so that I can stand strong in this new year and beyond. Help me to keep on fighting, keep on hoping, and to stay in faith, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
As we enter the final day of this year, I urge you to let go of your past. All of those mistakes worries, stresses and fears. In the same way that faith opens the door for God to work in our lives, fear opens the door for the enemy to work in our lives. So leave it behind!
Scripture says that fear brings torment. Fear has no mercy. If you act on fear instead of acting on faith, it will keep you depressed, miserable and lonely. So many people today are missing out on God’s joy, peace and victory because they keep giving in to fear. They feed fear by what they watch on TV, or read in the news or on the internet. Don’t let that be you! How do you get faith? Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. I urge you in 2021 fill your heart and mind with God’s Word, and the stronger your faith will be so you can stand against the powers of darkness. Choose faith instead of fear this new year by choosing to spend time in God’s Word.
Today, on December 31st 2020, remember, the power that is in you through the Holy Spirit, is greater than the power of fear. When thoughts come that say, “you’re not able,” choose faith by saying, “I can do all things through Christ!” Choose faith, overcome fear and live in the freedom God has in store for you! Lets crossover by faith into 2021! Hallelujah!
“This is my command–be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9, NLT)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, on the final day of 2020, I receive Your Word which is life, health and strength to me. I choose to close the door on fear by guarding what I say, listen to and dwell on. God, fill me with Your love and faith, as I meditate on Your Word and crossover into a new year, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
The search for the last 11 months has been to find an antidote against the Covid-19 pandemic. In early December there were shouts of celebration when a vaccine was found, and fear began to dissipate and faith got stronger. Do you know we have a vaccine, an antidote against sin and fear? The first thing many people would say is faith; however, the Scripture tells us that it’s love, for perfect love is what drives out all fear. Hallelujah!
When we truly comprehend how much God loves us, what can we possibly be afraid of? For God is love. When we are one with God through a relationship with His Son, we are wrapped in perfect love where we can find strength and security. We can find peace. We can find refuge, provision, and hope in His love. His love knows no limits. It has no boundaries. His love never changes. There is nothing you can do to make Him love you any more or any less. So let’s celebrate this breaking news Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Today, open your heart and receive the vaccine of God’s love made at Calvary. Don’t go into 2021 without it, you will be vulnerable to the pandemic of sin. Daily meditate on His goodness and faithfulness. As you do, those old fears will melt away. Sin will cease, and you will move confidently into the life of victory He has prepared for you.
“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear…” (1 John 4:18, NIV)
Let’s Pray
Oh, Yahweh, I come before You with a humble heart, begging for the vaccine of Your love. Father, please show me Your love and fill me with Your peace and hope, and remove the pandemic of sin and fear. God, help me to be an example of Your love for the people I come into contact with. I bless Your Name today that I have the victory over sin through faith in You, not just now but forever, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
Growing up, I used to believe that weakness was as a result of continued sinning in one’s life. Sometimes, people get distracted by what they consider to be a disadvantage or weakness. It may be something about their personality or looks, maybe they’ve been through an unfair situation: a divorce, loss of a job, or just a bad break. We all have things that can feel like disadvantages, things that make life hard and difficult. It can even be a mental or physical disability.
In 2020 you may have been “disadvantaged.” However, just because you’ve been through a tough time, it doesn’t mean you’re supposed to sit back in 2021 and settle where you are.
Today and in this new year, God has something great for you to do! He wants to show Himself strong in your weakness. The Holy Spirit wants to help you when you feel weak and low. Stay strong in faith, and let God take what you see as a disadvantage and turn it around into an advantage, so you can move forward into the abundant life He has for you! Hallelujah!
“And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness…” (Romans 8:26, NLT)
Let’s Prayer
Yahweh, I give You all that I am – my weaknesses, my disadvantages, my emotional and physical pain. Father, I invite You into the weak places in my life so that You can make me strong. God, thank You for working in my life in 2020 despite my weakness, and using me for Your glory, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
As we reflect on 2020, so many people have missed out on God’s abundant life of joy, peace and victory because they have lived in a spirit of fear. They are afraid to make a decision, afraid to confront issues, afraid to step out, afraid of the past, afraid of the future, afraid of racism and afraid of the pandemic. But as believers, we don’t have to live that way. Fear is not from God. God hasn’t given you that spirit, He has given you power, love and a sound mind!
Today, in these last days of 2020, make the decision that you are not carrying the spirit of fear into 2021. Scripture says that perfect love casts out all fear. Ask God for a deep revelation of His love. Meditate on His Word and let it fill you with faith. Equip yourself spiritually to stand strong in the face of fear, knowing that God has good things in store for you in the year to come and beyond!
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7, NLT)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for giving me power to overcome the fears of 2020. Father, I receive Your love and choose to stand strong in faith. Almighty God, fill me with peace and joy as I end this year, please keep my mind stayed on You, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
As we approach the season of nativity, some still don’t believe in the hope of Christ. Have the opinions of others caused you to water down your belief and dreams? There will always be critics and naysayers in life. One of the most important things you can learn is that other people don’t have to believe in you in order for your dreams to come to pass. Other people don’t set the limits for your life–you do.
Today, remember it’s not what others say about you that affects your life, it’s what you say and believe about yourself. It doesn’t matter if other people don’t believe. Their unbelief is not going to keep me from believing in my hopes and dreams. When God puts a promise in your heart, it’s not up to other people to bring it to pass, it’s up to Him through you! You don’t need everyone to validate you. You have to follow the voice of God for yourself and allow Him to order your steps!
“What if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?” (Romans 3:3, KJV)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for another day to see Your goodness at work in my life. Father, help me to see myself the way You see me. Help me to see the plans You have for me, so that I can be empowered to fulfil my destiny. God, I love You and bless Your Name today and always, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
As we end our year and enter into another, based upon scripture, I believe that God wants to exceed our expectations! He has amazing things stored up for you in this coming year. He’ll take you places that you’ve never dreamed, and give you breaks that seemed impossible. His glory is rising upon His people.
Remember this, when hard times come, things are going to fall into place, so that you can accomplish what God has placed in your heart. Even the hidden dreams that you’ve given up on, God has not given up on. He is going to do exceedingly, abundantly above and beyond all you could ask, think, or imagine!
Today, your mind may try to talk you out of your dreams, but if you’ll listen with your heart, it will resonate on the inside of you. Don’t let discouragement hold you back or keep you down. It’s time for you to arise. It’s time for you to shine. Let that sink down into your spirit today, because it’s time for you to receive every spiritual blessing and move forward in the destiny God has prepared for you!
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.”
(Isaiah 60:1, NIV)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, I come to You today with an open and humble heart. Father, thank You for choosing me and preparing a bright future for me, filled with dreams and purpose. Almighty God, in this new year I will arise and shine and let everything I do bring honour to You, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
We all have our daily routines and habits – the time we wake up, the breakfast we eat, the way we put on our clothes, etc. What are some of the things you do each day? We are creatures of habit in one way or another. Like the Psalmist says, part of your daily routine should be to wait expectantly on God. Most people bring their requests each day but have no or low expectations; but really, the key to seeing God move in your life is found in “waiting expectantly” on Him.
Today, why not go out with an attitude of faith and expectancy, this will open the door for God’s moving on your behalf. You will be declaring with your actions that you trust Him. The more you spend time in His Word, the easier it is to trust Him because you know Him. Make time for Him; make time for His Word. Bring your requests and wait expectantly each and every day, and see great and wonderful things happen in your life!
“Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.” (Psalm 5:3, NLT)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, I dedicate this day to You. Father, thank You for all the blessings You have prepared for me. God, I wait expectantly on You, knowing that You are working behind the scenes on my behalf, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
When that guy cat-calls you just to get a reaction, what do you do? You ignore him and keep walking.
When that bully pushes all of your buttons just to make you mad, what do you do? you tune them out and move on.
When somebody tries to convince you of something you know 100% isn’t true, you don’t even give it a second thought before you dismiss the argument.
So why don’t we use this tactic against the father of all lies, a.k.a the enemy that is out to destroy your life? Just don’t engage. As soon as you do, he wins. He is cunning, crafty, and manipulative, and he’s only after your heart. He wants to crush it and mutate it and trample it underfoot until there’s nothing left for God to use.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…” John 10:10a
I know this isn’t easy. Trust me, I’m a thinker. Overthinking is my second nature, if not my first nature. I have to think through everything, especially when faced with a conflict. If somebody challenges my opinion, my first reaction is to analyze the entire argument…
What are they saying?
Do I agree or disagree? Why?
What do I think?
How does that compare to what they think?
What is true?
What evidence affirms/denies my argument?
Is there any way there is truth in both arguments?
Why do they think what they think?
Why do I think what I think?
And it goes on …
and on …
and on.
I think you get the idea. By the way, all of that overthinking happens in about 2 seconds. It’s an intense self-interrogation until I think my way into a solution that makes sense to me, so I can feel at peace with what I believe and move on.
Sometimes this is a really useful skill, but the enemy knows exactly how to use it for my deepest undoing. The problem with using the “overthinking tactic” against Satan is that he doesn’t care about logic. His goal is not to convince me that his argument makes more sense. In fact, he doesn’t even care about what he says. He doesn’t even believe the lies himself.
“You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that — and shudder.”
James 2:19
Satan knows God. He knows scripture. He knows what the truth is, and his goal is to keep you as far away from it as possible. He knows the power that God’s word can have in your life and that terrifies him. He will say whatever it takes to get you to question God and doubt His goodness, and the moment you try to reason with him, you’ve fallen into his trap.
I say all of this because I fall into the trap far too often. The devil uses people near and dear to me to convince me of his lies because he knows it works with almost 100% accuracy. Because their opinion matters so much to me, I will over-analyze their every word and body language to my own demise. Something they say – or don’t say – pricks one of my insecurities (unbeknownst to that person), and the trap has been set. Suddenly, I’m hit with an avalanche of thoughts like these:
“They just don’t care enough about you to ask about your day.”
“You’re stupid for thinking ______ would happen.”
“You’re too dramatic, emotional, etc.”
“It’s your fault that you can’t handle this feeling.”
The first step is to recognize the lie. Now, to do this, you have to know the Truth. No, that’s not a typo. I meant Truth with a capital “T” because you have to know God’s Word, and His word is Truth. Once you start to bury His word in your heart, and begin to recognize his voice, you can more easily discern truth from lies.
“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
Deuteronomy 6:6-7
But it doesn’t stop there! That’s where I made my mistake. I thought, “If I recognize the lie, it will become invalid and it won’t sting anymore.”
False.
Satan is more crafty than that, and he was already one step ahead of me. See, he recognized how I use my interrogation process to reconcile a contradicting thought, so he used it against me. He used it to blur the lines between lie and Truth. So he takes me down this rabbit hole to confuse me and muddle the words of God until I feel so lost, confused, and heartbroken that I can’t even remember what lie got the whole thing started to begin with. He knows how I look for the middle ground to make sense of things, but there is no middle ground between what the devil says and what God says.
So no, it CANNOT end with recognizing the lie. You have to take the next step and make the choice not to engage with the lie. Now, if you’re a thinker like me, this will be hard. Like really, really hard. But you have to choose to look the other way. Change your posture to look toward your loving, protective, jealous, Heavenly Father. Tell the enemy you don’t have time for his games. Don’t try to argue with him and tell him why his lie is a lie and why God’s Truth wins, because he already knows it, and he doesn’t care. He’ll just twist everything around until you find yourself lost in a muddy mess of nothing that makes any sense whatsoever.
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
2 Corinthians 4:18
To sum it up…
Study Truth, that is, the Word of God.
Recognize the lie, which is not the Word of God.
Don’t Engage. Choose to meditate on and dwell in the Word of God.
“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
Joshua 1:8
This is not something that my genius, overthinking brain came up with one day. This is something that the Holy Spirit whispered to me, and by God’s grace alone, I heard it. I was on the brink of yet another panic attack and fearful of going back down that dark road. I was on the brink of forming another unsuccessful argument for why the lie was a lie and trying to figure out a way to outsmart the devil this time, and the Holy Spirit simply said, “don’t engage with the lie.” Of course I tried to overthink and analyze again, but He didn’t relent. He just kept telling me, “Don’t engage with the lie. It’s not worth it. Just keep looking at Me. Lean on the love of your Father instead of your own knowledge for once.” Hey, that sounds familiar, right?
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
So go ahead. Give the enemy the cold shoulder. Hit him with the silent treatment. Then you will taste freedom. Remember the second half of John 10:10…
“…I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
John 10:10b
Go live in the abundant life Christ bought for you. The enemy’s lies are not worth your time, precious child of God.
People are difficult at times. Maybe it’s a colleague at work, a family member or spouse. Relationships are complicated at the best of times, but remember: love never fails. The Word of God clearly defines love in 1 Corinthians 13. It says that love is patient and kind. It doesn’t seek its own way. Love doesn’t keep a record of wrongs. And most importantly, love never fails.
Notice that this chapter doesn’t talk at all about how you feel. God’s love isn’t about feelings. It’s choice and principle. You can choose to be patient, even when you don’t feel like being patient. You can choose to be kind, even when you don’t feel like being kind.
Today, no matter what situation you find yourself in, you can choose love. You are never more like God than when you are walking in love. And when you are walking in love, you will never fail, because love never fails. Open your heart to God’s love today. Receive His love, and ask Him to show you how to love others better, because love never fails!
“Love never fails…” (1 Corinthians 13:8, NIV)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for Your love which never fails. Thank You for loving me so that I can be free to love others. Empower me, by Your Spirit, to walk in love no matter what I may face today, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
