Devotional Fuel to Reboot Your Mind

James 1:22-24, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.”

What do you see when you look at yourself in the mirror? Do you see peaceful thoughts and joy reflected in your face? Or is there an inward brow raise or biting your lip indicating insecurity and fear or worry? The question is, what is God saying to you, that you need to do today as you look intently into His spiritual mirror? That is a question I must ask myself every time I read or hear the Word of God. Then doing what it says will result in a blessing from obedience in receiving instruction, guidance, conviction, comfort, wisdom, and protection for the decisions and situations that come my way. “Jesus used this same point to conclude His great Sermon on the Mount. He said that the one who heard the word without doing it was like a man who built his house on the sand, but the one who heard God’s word and did it was like a man whose house was built on a rock. The one who both heard and did God’s word could withstand the inevitable storms of life and the judgment of eternity (Matthew 7:24-27).” David Guzik Blue Letter Bible Commentary.

Think about the word you chose for this year. Mine was endurance which takes perseverance and then results in patience. It all flows together. But it takes me doing what I hear and read in God’s Word, not just hearing about it. For example, verse 25 further goes on to say, “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.“ NIV says, “. . . does not keep a tight rein on his tongue he deceives himself and is religion is worthless.” This involves endurance and persevering with self-control. I get opportunities to put this into practice every day. How about you? Too often, I share everything on my mind and say more than I should. Afterward, my brain doesn’t stop thinking, and I regret what I had said all night long. Everyone has regrets, but with God’s grace and mercy, we, I, can do better at applying God’s Word and not merely just reading over a verse of instruction and teaching and then forgetting it.

So I have several important things to do on my to-do list today:

• Bridle my tongue. Keep a tight rein on it. James 1:19 & 26.
• Quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger. James 1:19.
• Remaining steadfast – endurance, perseverance, resulting in patience when received with faith while I wait for God to act. Hearing God’s voice in each trial. James 1:12.
• Asking for wisdom and for God’s thoughts to be mine. James 1:5-6.
• Today’s problem is temporary. Satan wants to wipe us out. Don’t give the enemy a seat at my table. Under pressure, my faith life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. God wants to show how faithful and real He is because Christ died for me. James 1:2-4.

What did you see in your God given mirror from His Word this past week? What is now on your to-do list for today besides the normal tasks? The Message version says it this way, “Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don’t act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like.”

Listen to Phil Wickham – This Is Our God (Official Lyric Video) (came out 2 weeks ago).

James 1:19, “Know this my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”

James 1:19 was timely for me in what God was showing me to do in a meeting I had this week in my job. I needed to let Him do the talking to me first, and then I proceeded to attempt to “be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.” I realized it is OK if I don’t know what to say right away and reminded myself to smile. When the ego is triggered, how often doesn’t anger become festered? Pursuing righteousness isn’t always reached for first. “Unrighteousness is the enemy’s invitation. Righteousness is upright living that aligns with the expectations of God.” Priscilla Shirer, The Armor of God. The Breastplate of Righteousness. If I, if we, listened more first, arrogance wouldn’t be as likely to come out and those words and that tone of voice needs to be put in the garbage can.
Being a good listener shows others that their opinions matter as much as yours. Asking more questions will help to show you want to understand, yet don’t act like an interrogator. That will put people in a defensive mode.

Words of wisdom are found in the book of Proverbs regarding the need to use gracious words when reacting to difficult types of people. Proverbs 29:11 is one answer, “A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.” Then Proverbs 22:11 states, “He who loves purity of heart, and whose speech is gracious, will have the king as his friend.” Do I rest in God’s promises when triggered? Not always, but I need to do that more consistently instead of lashing out. I need gracious words to be on the tip of my tongue, due to my faith, hope, and love God has shown to me. 2 Timothy 1:7 declares, “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” This is where being slow to speak comes in, which James is teaching about in James 1.

David Guzik’s Blue Letter Commentary states: “In light of the nature of temptation and the goodness of God, we must take special care to be slow to wrath, because our wrath does not accomplish the righteousness of God. Our wrath almost always simply defends or promotes our own agenda.” There is a lot of truth in that statement.

So, when you don’t know exactly what to say in a tense conversation with someone, they may just like hearing their own voice talk and not want to listen to what you have to say. It is OK. Let them have their agenda. Yours is to seek Jesus in all things, listen to His voice, and give Him glory. The Message says James 1:19-21 this way, “Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. God’s righteousness doesn’t grow from human anger. So throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage. In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation garden of your life.”

Listen to Phil Wickham official lyric video Worthy of My Song.

James 1:12, “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those that love him.”

During 2022 my word for that year was “gentleness.” I consistently kept seeing verses on that virtue and was given many instances to develop that quality and fruit of the spirit, though not always successfully executed. Now it is 2023 and the importance of “endurance” is what is before me in this new year. Another word for this is “perseverance.” What would be your word for 2023?

The quality of perseverance endurance and patience is consistently grown and needed during any trial. James keeps emphasizing this throughout James 1. I think it is easier to gauge my keeping on keeping on, after a trial, than in the heated middle of it. My prayer time is also expanded while I am experiencing a problem in comparison to when I am not.

I don’t always remember a trial is temporary. I don’t always think about the resulting blessing when going through a trial or about receiving the crown of life when I seek the Lord’s wisdom in the difficulty I am experiencing, do you? Crowns are associated with royalty. The crown of life is mentioned in James 1:12 and promised as a reward of eternal life – living with God forever. That flight will never be grounded due to bad weather or the FAA!

Galatians 5:22-23 states, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” The test is how can we model the fruit of the Spirit when going through a trial? I often find that to be a challenge. How can I display Christ-like attitudes over my emotions during those instances? It goes back to being forced to mature in those qualities when under pressure, with endurance. There is that word again.

“The crown of life is one of three spiritual crowns specifically mentioned in the New Testament. The crown of life is the most significant . . .” Evengelicaloutreach.org. The crown of life is specifically for those who have remained faithful to the Lord despite trials or temptations. It takes humility. It takes spending time in prayer with God seeking His wisdom and guidance and direction.

• Are you able to withstand a trial without receiving a miracle? No one wants to be in the situation where you need one.
• How is your ability to have more compassion from undergoing a trial?
• “God never calls us to do something we’re capable of. God calls us to do things that are beyond our ability, so He gets all the credit.” Mark Batterson.
• Could it be that what you are enduring right now, God wants to accomplish for your good and His glory? Read over James 1 for review.

Remember, God knows your name (Isaiah 43:3). God goes before you (Deut. 31:8). You are a child of God (Romans 8:16) and you, as a child of God, belong to royalty. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you (Ephe. 1:18-20). Remain steadfast because you have the crown of life awaiting you for all eternity. Focus today on who God is and thank Him for all He has done in your life and helped you realign your life in His hands. What blessing will you receive from your painful experience? Ask to see things through God’s eyes as you are in His presence. He has eternal blessings planned for you. James 1:12 says, “A man who endures trials is blessed, because when he passes the test he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.” HCSB.

Listen to Brandon Heath – Give Me Your Eyes (Official Music Video)

James 1:5-6, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

Have you had some struggles already into the new year of 2023? Do you feel like you have been earning yet another badge of courage? In what areas have you needed wisdom from God this past week? Trials come in many shapes and sizes and not one answer fits them all. I like the HCSB version of James 1:5-6 as it stands out to me even more, “Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind.” I need God’s wisdom when handling a crisis because I know He has a lesson for me of endurance and growing spiritually, but I don’t always see it as an opportunity to do that or even want it. Do you? I want it over. I want the ending. I want the hurt to be stopped and go away quickly. But that doesn’t always happen in my timeline.

It takes using the knowledge we have acquired along with the wisdom we have gained in putting things together in figuring out solutions. But are we asking God, when we pray, for God to be glorified first versus, “God, I need . . . ” Don’t know how to put your burden into words in your prayer? Read through the Psalms. Find one that speaks to what you need and pray those words. Psalms 138:7 states, “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me.” Psalm 34:19 says, “A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all.” That has been my prayer this past week.

“Knowing God’s generosity – that He never despises or resents us for asking for wisdom – should encourage us to ask Him often for wisdom. We understand that He is the God of the open hand, not the God of the clenched fist.” David Guzik, Blue Letter Bible Commentary. Be specific in your needs to God. “Lord, this is specifically what I think I want, and I ask this of thee believing that thou canst give it to me.” Spurgeon. Lay it all out as you would to your closest friend.

A fitting example of James 1:6, regarding asking in faith with no doubts whatsoever, being like a “wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind” would be like having Vertigo. That condition messes up your balance and makes you feel like you are being rolled and tossed around in a spinning sensation, causing dizziness. Being out on the ocean and getting sea sickness from the waves is similar. Both produce severe nausea. Don’t let unnecessary doubts and lack of faith erode and toss you around with the “what ifs” in your mind. Stay steadfast; stand firmly grounded in God’s Word. Psalm 119:130 states, “The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.”

Have you ever been criticized for something you didn’t understand? God won’t ever make anyone feel stupid for seeking out and asking for His wisdom in growing your faith through a trial. Ask, in faith, for God to give you strength and insight, and thank Him for exposing your weaknesses as you realize your dependence upon God is what is needed. Ask Him when you need to know what to do and how to respond. Complete understanding may come in the middle or at the end of the trial. You will come out with more than what you started having in your character and integrity. Remember, this is temporary. Keep your perspective on the kingdom and your future destiny because of Christ. God’s gifts of wisdom will protect you as Proverbs 2:7 declares, “He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity.” Ask Him in faith for the wisdom you need in the trial He is walking with you through. Embrace the truth of God’s promises despite the challenging circumstances. Battles are inevitable and unavoidable. The enemy wants discord and wants to rob you of having joy and peace. Don’t let your emotions, doubts, and fears pull you down. Speak truth to the battle going on in your mind. “Prayer releases all your eternal resources.” Priscilla Shirer, The Armor of God. Throughout your day today, ask God what He is doing in your life. Thank Him for what He has done in the past when you had uncertainty.

I just had a customer of mine call me, that has been out since October, from major heart surgery. He said he could hear in my voice something was wrong. This man is not a Christian. He told me, “I know you are a woman of faith. You have a co-signer on your life. Remember that.” That was a precious moment and I pray that God uses this in turn on his life, for God’s glory, from the seeds previously planted, as it has done on mine in our time of need.

Listen to Shoulders by King & Country Lyric Video

James 1:2-4, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

Trials in life are inevitable. Pastor Todd often says, “You are either coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial.” People in the medical field see this firsthand every day in making needed diagnoses that can be good news or bad news to the recipient. Tests in life are humbling. They test our faith. It is a time to seek God’s wisdom in prayer. If you were writing a letter to your children or grandchildren, leaving them your words of wisdom, what would you write on this theme, on handling the problems they may face? What scripture verses would you include that spoke to you during those opportunities of various trials that encouraged you to keep on keeping on in the marathon of life? Next, think about what blessings did you receive after the problem passed? Are you able to look back and see them as providing opportunities for personal growth that God taught you and brought you through? Food for thought.

The most important lesson I have gained this past year in acquiring perseverance, steadfastness, and patience is the fact that our world is temporary. This problem I am facing is temporary. Our 2022 is about to end, and 2023 will take its place. The occurrence of 1 Thessalonians 4:17 is closer today than yesterday, as it declares, “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” This fact has given me peace in knowing that God is sufficient and that Christ’s return for us is getting closer every day. This problem I am facing today, or this week is temporary. I live at a brief address because this world is not my home. I am just passing through to my eternal home in heaven.

“Patience is the ancient Greek word huponome. This word does not describe a passive waiting but an active endurance. It isn’t so much the quality that helps you sit quietly in the doctor’s waiting room, as it is the quality that helps you finish a marathon . . . Trials don’t produce faith, but when trials are received with faith, it produces patience. Yet patience is not inevitably produced in times of trial. If difficulties are received in unbelief and grumbling, trials can produce bitterness and discouragement. This is why James exhorted us to count it all joy. Counting it all joy is faith’s response to a time of trial.” David Guzik, Commentary, Blue Letter Bible. Notice that James does not say feel it all joy. There is a vast difference.

There is no escaping being distressed when going through an unfortunate predicament, what we refer to as a trial. David in Psalm 116, said in verse one, “I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.” David’s love for the Lord had grown because he saw his prayers answered when he appealed to the LORD for mercy when his life was threatened and slandered by his enemies. In Ps. 120:1, David declares, “In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me.” Notice the words in Ps. 130:1, “Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD! O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy!” There are tears of grief and there are tears of thankfulness. I have had both.

God is writing your story of His mighty work in your life. Gene Getz in his Life Essentials Study Bible, HCSG, states on James 1:2-4, A Principle to Live By – Persecution and Trials (See Deut. #14: Wilderness Experiences on page 234) “We are to view difficult experiences in our lives as opportunities to grow and mature in our faith. The Lord had two primary purposes for humbling and testing the children of Israel in their wilderness experience (taken from Deut. 8):

1. To discover what was in their hearts. Would they be motivated to obey God’s commands when they faced difficult circumstances (v.2)?
2. To discover if they could handle prosperity. Would they honor and glorify God rather than taking credit themselves (vv. 16-17)?

James reminded us in the New Testament that God has special purposes in allowing difficult experiences to come into our own lives.”

The MSG says it this way, James 1:2-4, “Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.” I now realize God has given me gifts I hadn’t realized I had that came through various trials that have produced endurance’s complete work and I sit here in awe.

I wrote most of this right before needing to call 911 for a medical emergency my husband had this week. The ambulance arrived within minutes and took Steve to ER at our hospital which is only about four blocks away. He was kept in isolation within the ambulance due to the high number of very sick people waiting to be seen by the ER medical staff. The EMT person kept him in there and watched over him until an ER bed was available (which took several hours), due to his condition. The staff took excellent care of Steve, once a bed was available. The final diagnosis was eventually reached after seeing the prescribed medicine administered to him was working. We were fortunate to have Steve released to go home to recuperate and instructed to get plenty of rest (sleep) to help heal his body from a very bad case of Vertigo, that thankfully appeared to not lead to anything else. But if he had any reoccurrence in the next few days, to come back to ER immediately. OK, 2023, come what may. God intends them for His divine purpose that we (I) “may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

Listen to King & Country Lyric Video, Cheering You On. March 17, 2022.

Hebrews 13:14-15, “For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.”

We have been studying Revelation in our Small Group these past few months. It has been a good reminder of this very verse in Hebrews 13:14, “For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.” The LSB version says, “For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.” When I read various news updates on our economy, political disagreements, the recent Russian prisoner swap, the stock market, etc., I must remind myself that this world is not my permanent address. It is temporary. Heaven is my destination and future eternal address that is to come. Philippians 3:20 states, “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Revelation 21:21b states, “the great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass.” John describes in this chapter a city, the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:1-2), that will have a street of pure gold, and the entire city will be made of gold that has been refined, unlike what we have seen before. Jon Courson’s Application Commentary has a point, “So highly valued is gold on earth that throughout history, man has lived by the golden rule: He who has gold rules. Such is not the case in heaven, where gold is used as casually as asphalt.” I like that.

Therefore, as Hebrews 13:15 declares, we are to give praise to God “continually.” The Greek word here is dia pantos, meaning always – constant. Praising God may not always be convenient. But it is a sacrifice that pleases Him. Often songs of praise speak to my soul and mind deeply that I can sing from my heart. David did that throughout the book of Psalms. For example, Psalm 32 is a gathering and a dialogue between choirs, each singing a different section. The last two verses crescendo: “Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts the LORD. Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!”

Offer a sacrifice of praise to God when you get up in the morning. Then pause during your lunch break (I know many of us work through our lunch) and praise God. Then as your business day winds down, praise God for being present throughout your day and then again before you go to sleep at night. Tony Evans’s book, Praying Through The Names Of God is a great help in this area, in praying God’s name and giving Him praise. Here are a few examples from his book to illustrate with verses:

• Pelah Yo’Etz – Wonderful Counselor – Your wisdom gives life. Isaiah 9:6
• Immanuel – God with us – Isaiah 7:14
• Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh – The eternal all-sufficient God. Exodus 3:14
• Jehovah Chereb – The Lord, the sword. You are my shield. Deuteronomy 33:29
• Jehovah Maginnenu – The Lord our defense. Ready to stand in defense. Psalm 89:18.
• Jehovah El Emeth – Lord God of truth and is the presence and essence of truth. Psalm 31:5.
• Jehovah Elohim Yeshua – Lord God of my salvation. You rescue those in need and bind up the brokenhearted. Psalm 88:1.
• Elohei Mikkarov – God who is near. I am not to be dismayed. Where I am, you are. Jeremiah 23:23.
• Elohim Chasdi – God of lovingkindness. Compassionate and gracious and slow to anger and abounding in love. Psalm 59:17.
• Jehovah Hashopet – The Lord, the judge. Offended by evil and wholly devoted to justice. Judges 11:27.

Experience God’s counsel and wisdom. Acknowledge God is with you. Trust in God’s sufficiency. Depend on God’s shield of protection and who is ready to defend you. Have peace in knowing the Lord God of truth who will rescue you in times of need and heal your broken heart. Bask in God’s presence and be free of discouragement because God is near. The lovingkindness of God is like no other. Lastly, take comfort in knowing the Lord is offended by evil and the ultimate judge. Give Him your continual sacrifice of praise! We, as born-again Christians, reside in a temporary address. Your current problems really are temporary, although unpleasant. Better days are ahead. Seek the one to come. Praise God!

Listen to Shane and Shane Psalm 145 lyric video, August 13, 2020.

Hebrews 13:5-6, “Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we confidently say, The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

How would you rate your portion of “contentment” currently? Reviewing your purpose – are you doing what you were made to do? What about the people you work with and your family? How about where you live? What about how is your physical health situation? Lastly, do you feel good about what you are earning? These areas have been associated with one’s “Peace Index,” but I see a correlation with contentment. So, considering Hebrews 13:5-6 are you content with what you have? For me it seems to fluctuate with various circumstances of frustrations around me, much to my dismay. However, Matthew 6:33, declares, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added onto you (what we eat, or drink, or wear, vs. 31).”

My screen saver on my iPhone has a picture of a large hill, green pasture, and a few sheep and has the verse, “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.” Psalm 23:1 NLT. The older I become, the more I value and see the need for being “content with what you have.” Sometimes in today’s culture, greed is excused and looked at as ambition. The “love of money” often dictates ambition. Most of us, I think, think more about being content with what we have financially than what we are on the inside. I must ask myself whether I trust in God to provide for all of my monetary and emotional needs today. All means all. I have needed that applied this past week. How are you doing in this area?

Moses declared to the Israelites in Deuteronomy 31:6, “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” This is the foundation of obtaining contentment. God is the Helper of His saints (An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words. W.E. Vine). The NAS version says, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid.” The word “helper” in the Greek in Hebrews 13:6 is boethos, which means come to the aid of, assistant, aide. A helper brings the right aid in time to meet an urgent, real need (Strong’s Concordance). As Psalm 117:7 declares, “For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD!”

In Psalm 56:11, David proclaimed, when the Philistines seized him in Gath, “In God I trust; I shall not be afraid, what can man do to me?” Psalm 118:6 declares, “The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” The author of Hebrews quoted these two verses in Psalms to point out that the Lord is our helper, defender, protector, helper, and personal aide.

“You see the degree to which I realize the Lord is with me, the degree to which I enjoy His fellowship intimately is the degree to which I will be content continually . . . If I’m in love with the Lord, I will not covet. I will be content with whatever I have simply because He is with me.” Jon Courson’s Application Commentary New Testament.

So, God is telling you today, I am your helper. I am your full-time aide that is ready to help when going through adversity and toxic personalities you encounter. “Don’t be obsessed with getting more material things. Be relaxed with what you have. Since God assured us, “I’ll never let you down, never walk off and leave you,” we can boldly quote, God is there, ready to help; I’m fearless no matter what. Who or what can get to me?” Heb. 13:5-6 MSG. You have a powerful full-time aide you can confidently say, God is on my side. Wrap that around your mind in taking control of what you think about. Trust Him to see you through whatever comes your way.

Listen to Matt Maher – Run To The Father (The Chosen Mix) May 20, 2021.

Hebrews 12:12-14, “Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for our feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.”

How is your race in life going right now? Do you feel like you are falling behind and others are passing you in the marathon of life, next to your lane, because your knees are weak from the stress? That word endurance – you are not sure you have any more. Or are you excelling in finishing in the lead? The Hebrews author says to get back, don’t give up, and start running again. To remember your athletic training from the peaceful fruit of righteousness and peace, Heb. 12:11b. The saying, “Without pain there is no gain” can be applied here. It is said that the production of lactic acid actually creates more blood flow to the muscles, so you gain more strength and endurance next time. I have needed some of that this week.

Think about what thoughts enter your mind when you are discouraged. When you can’t see any good coming out of a problem you are going through. Are there feelings of guilt, shame, frustration, and failure? So, whose weapons are those? Satan will play havoc in your life, and they are his weapons of temptation. Jesus fought back with Scripture – with the Word of God is how He dealt with temptation. Jesus used Matthew 4:3-4, Deuteronomy 8:3, Matthew 4:5-7, Deuteronomy 6:16, Matthew 4:8-10, and the last one was “You shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.” Deuteronomy 6:13.

Think about the steps that lead you to discouragement. Have you had enough sleep? Have you gotten exercise into your daily routine to enable your brain to be alert and sharp and help alleviate stress? Have you fought back with the promises of God to lift you out of the trap of feeling defeated? Every two to three people you encounter have no hope in their turmoil. You, as a believer, do because God’s presence is right there with you. You have influence. Don’t give up being a peacemaker and holiness. People will learn from your actions (John 13:17). Keep looking straight ahead. Stay focused on magnifying God and giving praise to Him.

“Almost like a coach or a military officer, the author told his fellow followers of Jesus to take courage and be active. He gave exhaustive reasons to be strong in the Lord and to put off discouragement, the time had now come to do it. The pictures here (strengthened hands and knees, “straight paths for our feet”) speak of readiness to work and move for Jesus and His kingdom. This readiness is first to go when one surrenders to discouragement.” David Guzik Commentary. That is so true.

Need some tools to fight discouragement with strength? Here are some things to remember:

• Circumstances are not our identity.
• Leaders do not have to be heroes.
• “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all I need.” Psalm 23:1 NLT.

“Discouragement makes us sloppy and unconcerned with holiness and personal relationships. Regarding holiness, we are told, without which no one will see the Lord. A lack of holiness is a critical obstacle to a close relationship with God.” David Guzik’s Commentary.

Commit to rest in the reassurance that God will protect you and shield you from harm. He has a plan that you do not see the outcome of yet. Remember that David did not know about a giant he would face named Goliath when he was a young boy tending the sheep. His training ground was experiencing dangerous encounters with the bear and the lion while caring for his father’s sheep. He didn’t run away; instead, he killed them to protect the flock of sheep due to his faith that God was with him. That developed courage, endurance, and bravery due to his faith in God’s power and protection.

“God has ways of shaking the world when He is at work. He literally caused the ground to quake when Jesus died on the cross.” Charles Stanley.

God is with you. Don’t surrender to discouragement. Pursue peace with all men and holiness with God. You have complete accessibility to God’s sufficient grace. Revelation 14:12 states, “Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.” There is a coming reward and rest for your labors. You are good to go!

Listen to Phil Wickham – Battle Belongs (Official Lyric Video)

Hebrews 12:1, “Therefore since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the founder and perfector of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

We all have struggles and challenges in our lives in one form or another. Mine seems to center on conflict, and unfulfilled expectations, in light of Hebrews 12:1. What would be yours? Do you feel frustrated? Know that you are not alone. We must continually redirect our thoughts to God’s truths and promises to conquer discouragement in the race of faith to see things through. It takes “endurance.” Merriam-Webster’s definition of endurance states “endurance is the ability to withstand hardship or adversity. The ability to sustain a prolonged stressful effort or activity.” I must admit I have felt weary when undergoing a trial and wanting the ending to appear quickly. Going through the “prolonged” part is what often gets me.

The heroes of the Hall of Fame of Faith were listed in Hebrews 11. The author of Hebrews pictured these and others using the phrase “a cloud of witnesses.” This was a figure of speech indicating a large group of people and were examples of living and applying their faith with endurance. We need some Abrahams, Sarahs, and Noahs today. Daniel’s faith stopped the mouths of lions. Oh, that I would have faith like these heroes of the OT.

What are the things that so quickly ensare you and are sins or weights that hold you down? The Greek word euperistaton, stands for “clings so closely.” The NLT version says, “especially the sin that so easily trips us up.” It can be translated four ways (David Guzik’s Blue Letter Bible Commentary): “easily avoided,” “admired,” ensnaring” or “dangerous.” What often trips you up?

“Endurance is needed to run that race. Endurance translates the ancient Greek word hupomone (hoop-om-on-ay’), “which does not mean the patience which sits down and accepts things but the patience which masters them. . . It is a determination, unhurrying and yet undelaying, which goes steadily on and refuses to be deflected.” (Barkley). We have to stay focused on the root of the problem, seeing it through, and not get distracted from the goal and long-term purpose in our Christian walk.

Today determine not to be defeated – don’t quit in the lane you are running your race in life. In Acts 20:24, Paul stated: “But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” God calls us (me) to finish with joy which only can happen with endurance, testifying to the grace of God in one’s life.

“Every morning lay it all out to God – all of your weaknesses, burdens, frustrations, etc. Seek His approval. Then lay down your will and be quiet before the Lord. You will receive God’s sufficient grace and mercy for the day. The deepest struggles of our souls are just as great victories as any miracles found in the Bible. When we can control our temper, love others that have wronged us, having peace in the middle of a crisis, showing kindness without retaliation, having self-control with our mouth, all of these are just as great a victory as David slaying Goliath.” Linda Killian, Eliminating The Greener Grass Trap. Quitting The Habit Of Comparisons, 2020, page 149.

Need a shot of adrenaline today? Review Hebrews 12:1 and what Jesus has done for you. The Message states Hebrews 12:2-3 this way: “Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!”

Listen to Phil Wichkam’s Lyric Video Heart Full of Praise