Pastor Stephen Dedman

Tag: faith

The Help Of The Holy Spirit

Encouragement

The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him,
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.
Isaiah 11:2

Throughout Jesus’ earthly ministry, the Holy Spirit guided and directed Him as He made important decisions. (Mark 1:11) As we see in today’s verse, Isaiah described what the Spirit’s presence would mean for the Lord.

The Spirit gave Jesus the knowledge of the will of God the Father. The Spirit enabled Jesus to take the word of God and apply it to the specific areas that He encountered.

Do you need guidance and wisdom for a decision that you are facing? Are you in a position of great responsibility and feel overwhelmed by the decisions that you must make? Are you seeking the help of the Lord?

As a Christian, you have the same Spirit who lives inside of you. The Holy Spirit comes in wisdom and brings the understanding of God’s ways. The Holy Spirit guides and directs us as we make the difficult decisions of life.

The same Spirit who enabled Jesus to see through the deceptions of Satan will also guide you through the temptations that you face. When the Holy Spirit controls your heart and mind, you can make it through the tough decisions you make and you can live your life effectively.

Pray

Lord, fill me with Your Spirit to give me wisdom to understand the things that I am facing today. Help me to know Your will and way so that I may please You in every decision I make.

Every Word Of God

Encouragement

“Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭30:5‬

Reading and studying the Bible daily takes a real commitment. You must be intentional everyday. A careful plan will help you thoroughly read and apply the truth of God’s word.

When we allow other sources to dictate truth, we can easily be misled. Many things in our life compete with the Bible. The only way to know the real truth is to align our theology (what we believe to be true) with the Bible. Our lives should revolve around the Bible.

People are searching for the truth. With technology at our fingertips, we desire to know what is true and what is not.

However, the problem arises from the source of where the truth is searched. You can find all kinds of fascinating information on the internet, but it’s not all true.

We have full confidence and conviction through the Holy Spirit of God that the Bible is 100 percent true. God gives us the truth through His written word. God speaks life into us when we study and obey His commandments.

Do you turn to the Bible as your source of truth? Do you align your life according to His written commands?

Pray

Lord, help me to study and obey Your word. Give me knowledge and wisdom to understand Your principles. Thank you for giving me hope and joy.

Be Strong In The Lord

Encouragement

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
Ephesians 6:10

Sometimes life can be a real struggle. Reality can be obscured from a fantasy of what we watch in advertisements, in Hollywood, and what we see on social media.

While the battle itself is invisible, the battlefield is very much visible. Individuals fight, couples argue, families quarrel, and churches split. Add school shootings to the list as well. The struggles of our children are amongst the conflicts as well. Depression and anxiety added to the mix equates for a real messy situation. Life is a struggle.

The true reason of why we struggle in life is much deeper than we can imagine. What we commonly think is the source of our struggle is not seen. Paul says our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but an invisible battle between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan.

The good news is that we are strengthened and set free through Jesus Christ. Through Him we obtain strength and courage to endure any situation. The Lord helps us overcome any obstacle we face.

Satan doesn’t have any power over God’s children. When Jesus defeated Satan on the cross and defeated death on the third day when He arose. We who believe are set free to live an abundant life.

However, when we don’t rely on the strength of the Lord we become weak. Paul tells us to put on the whole armor of God. The struggle is real but the Lord is ready to deal with our struggles.

Armor up with the strength of the Lord through the truth of His word. Face your daily struggles with confidence and assurance of who you are in Christ. Don’t try to do life without Him!

Pray

Lord, I am powerless and need You. Strengthen me in the knowledge of Your truth and wisdom. Help me to understand that without Jesus I am nothing. Thank You, Lord.