“that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,” God can strengthen us with might through His Spirit. Our help from God comes from His investment in us. We are new creatures in Christ after the new birth experience. Once we are born again (become christians) our spirits are alive to God even though our minds are just as ignorant as before we got saved. The renewing of our minds is vital to be able to conform to God’s leadings more easily. The word of God we’ve learned will always agree with what the Spirit of God is saying to us. The more we believe and experience the Lord’s help for strength, or anything, the more victorious in life we’ll be. We have the power in us, we just need to know how to release it into our lives on a daily basis (2 Corinthians 4:7). You are a spirit, you have a soul, and you live in a body of flesh. Once we pass on to the next life, you the spirit (the inner man), will not cease to exist, only your physical body. Your soul is where your thinking processor is along with your emotions, it will continue after death with you. God deals with us spirit to spirit, not according to our feelings or emotions. Our help will always come through our human spirits where God strengthens us. And if your mind, your thinking processor doesn’t block it, the energy in your inner man will flow from God throughout your being. Confess the word of God out loud, and release the power!

“Therefore humble yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation] under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you,”. It’s ok to think of yourself highly but not more highly than you ought to. As we humble ourselves God won’t have to humble us (1Peter 5:6). Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall (Proverbs 16:18). Being humble can mean different things to different people. It may well be humility for a person with a strong personality to keep their silence in a heated discussion. Holding our peace when we’ve successfully gone through a difficulty while someone else is trying to tell us how to do it differently. Humility of the heart is the Lord’s idea of being humble. Humility and meekness are cousins to each other. The meek shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5). Since the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, God can cause us to eat the good of the land and have the best this world can offer. Staying humble can also be challenging. Without being consistent in the things of God, we can slip back into high levels of pride which can be detrimental to our humility. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so He won’t have to humble.

“O GIVE thanks unto the Lord, call upon His name, make known His doings among the peoples.” As we proclaim the Lord’s greatness of what He has done, we line up to receive blessings from Him. Doing the Lord’s work on the earth is one of our primary kingdom functions. Growing His family is very important to Him. Snatching as many people out of darkness as we can. Telling others about God is the only way people will know of His greatness. He’s God, He wants to be praised. Bowing down before Him is the posture of humility and submission. Once you are submitted to Him, the devil begins to lose his grip on your life. Satan cannot stand in the presence of God. As we proclaim God’s greatness His presence gets on us. The christian enemy (Satan) knows whether or not you are submitted to God. Demons and Angels alike know when a christian believer has the faith of God in them. Giving thanks to God says, you know God’s there, and that’s your faith speaking. And all things are possible for those who believe ( Mark 11:23). Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim His greatness.

“We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.” All things work together for good to those who love God. Without loving God, all things may not be working together on your behalf. We love God by keeping His commandments (John 14:21). We are called according to His design and purpose. The great plan of reconciliation is a plan to go out into all the world and preach, and teach the gospel. Our purpose should be in line with God’s purpose for our individual lives. It would behoove us to use our gifts and talents for God. As we use those gifts and talents for God, and not exclusively for the world’s sake alone, that’s the plan. God uses many situations and circumstances to shape and mould His people into mature faith believers. As we learn to walk by faith and not by sight alone, we build an invisible fence around us of God’s protection. All things will work together for our good as we stay in faith believing God. Our hope is in God our Savior the one who is everywhere at the same time (He is omnipresent).He is on top of each person’s situation. No storm, or great trouble is allowed to come to us until it has been approved by God. He knows our limits even though our minds say otherwise. These days are filled with evil, but Jesus has mastered and defeated evil long ago.

“THEREFORE BE imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father].” To be imitators of God we must know Him first. We want an informed opinion of the Lord for ourselves. It’s a personal relationship with God that matters most. In the gospels we can learn the ways of Jesus, how He dealt with the normal circumstances of life. Looking at how He responds to people and their mess. Follow His example of how He doesn’t compromise His calling. No matter the pressure, even up to the point of being crucified on the cross, He kept the faith and completed His God given purpose. To be imitators of God is to have our portion of troubles that go along with it. But the Lord has given us everything we need to be victorious. Our job is to find out what our God given purpose is, and by doing so we will be in training towards becoming imitators of God automatically. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you (Matthew 6:33). He takes care of that which concerns you. We can’t follow His example if we don’t know Him imitately. He wants all of you pursuing Him, spirit, soul and body. With all your mind, all of your will, and everything that is within you must go after Him. In thought purpose and action with a Christ centered mentality must we seek Him. By doing so, you will be an imitator of God.

“Blessed (happy, to be envied) is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive [the victor’s] crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him.” To stand the test and be approved gets us the victor’s crown of life. The victor’s crown of life is only given to those who stand their ground under pressure. To the ones who believe God’s promises, and act on them while under attack. Sometimes we have to go on the offensive with the word of the Lord to back down the enemy. Our armour is sure and trust worthy in battle (Ephesians 6:10-18). God has equiped us for battle with all that is necessary for victorious living. The purpose of trials is to gain stronger faith in God. Without trials and crisis, we would be prone to follow the temptations of our fleshy nature. Without the rain we’d never truly appreciate the sunshine. We are human and can be influenced by good or evil. Without making a conscious decision to follow Jesus as Lord over us, our old man (before you got saved attitude) will take your life down the wrong path. Without the restraining love of God that’s in us being in charge of our lives, this world’s demonic influences can rule us. Happy and to be envied is the man or woman who is patient under trial. To stand up under temptation in itself is a major accomplishment in the things of God. You can get there. Just do the work, and you’ll live above the evil in this world.

“Beloved, if God loved us so [very much], we also ought to love one another.” God has set the example for us to follow. He demonstrates His love for us by sending Jesus. Jesus, God’s only begotten Son died by way of crucifixion. He suffered on the cross without having ever sinned a day in His life. God so loved the whole world that He gave His only begotten Son (John 3:16). This level of showing love goes beyond any imagination of human thought. The love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts at the new birth. It must be cultivated, exercised and practiced over and over. The best way to cultivate this agape love in us, is by dealing with unlovely people. In the seed of love there is self-control, patience, and more to hold us down, and lift us up. This is a commandment from the Lord, not a suggestion. If we would simply do the work, and learn how to suffer for good, we’d be a walking tower of comfort for many. As we love one another, the love of God in us will grow. Distance yourself from unlovely people. Connect with positive folk of deep character and tried integrity. Surround yourself with the people of God who are on the move for the Kingdom of God. Our time here on earth is short. Let’s win as many people for the Lord as we can. Your love for God grows as we obey His teachings and precepts (1John 5:2-3).

“[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.” The Lord is at work in us willing and working to do His good pleasure in and through us. He delights in our progress in life. We were created for God’s good pleasure. Having been made in His image and likeness, we are like God. We are three part beings like God. We are spirit, soul, and body. God is, Father Son, and Holy Spirit. Our emotions, our free will, didn’t just happen. He created us to have expression and freedom of choice in everything to do. The idea is that we would use our free will and put our spirit, soul, and body into what He has called us to do in life. Fulfilling our purpose is going to be pleasing to God. He put purpose into every living thing, especially us as overseers of the earth. God’s good pleasure is satisfied when we, His children walk in our God given purpose. The Lord put purpose in us at creation. This world which is run by demonic influences, works against our God given purpose. It deceives us into a purpose conducive to this world’s detriment of mankind. Going against the grain of how things are done in this world, sets us apart. We are in this world, but not to be a part of its demonic ways, which are programmed to fail. God is at work in you. Let Him complete that work, and His face will smile upon you.

“Blessed be the Lord, Who bears our burdens and carries us day by day, even the God Who is our salvation! Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!” Whether we realize it or not, the Lord has been carrying us day by day. Our burdens get heavy at times so we need help before we cave in. God knows everyone’s breaking point. We’ve heard how the Lord won’t allow us to go through anything more than we can handle. We may think we can’t handle it, but the Lord has our growth potential in mind. Many times our bodies are screaming I can’t take it, but our spirits are in agreement with God. The spirt is willing, but the flesh is weak. Since God is love, and we are love children of a love God, there’s great potential in us. That potential must be exercised by crisis and daily burdens. There’s no other way to increase our faith in God. When things become too much the Lord will intervene on your behalf. We are always on God’s mind, and He’d like us to have Him on our minds. Staying Christ centered in our daily life is the good fight of faith. It’s a good fight because with God in the mix we always win our battles. Praise be to the Lord, our God our Savior, who daily takes care of that which concerns us (Psalm 138:8). We are the works of His hands, He will not forsake you.

“He who walks [as a companion] with wise men is wise, but he who associates with [self-confident] fools is [a fool himself and] shall smart for it.” We are all subject to being influenced. We must have a foundation of stability in God. Our associations can play a big part in who we are. Being around wise people that have good character and integrity, keeps us on the wisdom trail. Hanging around with a foolish person all the time brings unwanted realities of stupidity. We are like computers ready to be programmed. So program yourself with the word of God. God’s teachings and precepts keep us on the straight and narrow road of guaranteed victory over every storm of life. We have God’s word of safety. We have His word on His supplying our needs. Spend quality time with the Lord and you’ll be influenced in a way that only yields a victorious lifestyle. We walk by faith, not by sight, and to be led by our spirit and not our flesh keeps the door closed from unnecessary trouble. It is the fool that says in his heart there is no God (Psalm 14:1). Walk with the King and be a blessing.