“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9)

Your brain is engaged in conflict every single second of your existence

Right now, there’s a mental conflict going on! It might be a choice between what is good and what is bad, what is simple and what is difficult, or what is healthy and what is harmful. Your mind is where all of your personal battles begin. Stress, despair, anxiety, loneliness, fear, and jealousy are all negative emotions that you fight with mentally.

Evil desires at war within

“What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you?” (James 4:1)

“I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.” (Rom. 7:22-23)

“The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.” (Gal. 5:17 NLT)

“But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.” (James 1:14)

You have the Holy Spirit to help you!

As a follower of Jesus, the Holy Spirit is a part of your new self and there to help you. Satan cannot take control of your thoughts, but he can still make suggestions. The only power he possesses over a believer is the ability to implant ideas in their heads. He has the ability to grab your attention, which is a huge deal. Why? Because you become whatever captures your thoughts, what you think about and dwell on (Prov. 23:7). You must choose whether to accept or reject his suggestion once it has entered your thoughts. Your attitude and actions reflect all that is currently going on in your brain. Ask God’s for guidance to help you choose healthy over destructive, right over wrong, and God’s truth over the enemy’s falsehoods. Through the Holy Spirit, He is prepared to give you the strength you need!

“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” (2 Cor. 19:5)

Therefore

“Beloved, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which war against your soul.” (1 Pet. 2:11)

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” (Rev. 4:11 ESV)

Everywhere you look you see the glory of God

·      The heavens

“To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” (Psalm 19:1 ESV)

·      The animals, birds

“But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?” (Job 12:7-9)

·      Every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, and in the see

“And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” (Rev. 5:13 ESV)

All things were created by Him and for Him

“For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.” (Col. 1:16 ESV)

 Therefore

“For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” (Rom. 1:20 ESV)

“Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” (Jer. 32:17)

 Don’t limit God with your limited understanding

“Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.” (Psalm 147:5 ESV)

All things are possible with God

“But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’” (Matt. 19:26 ESV)

“For nothing will be impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37 ESV)

 Trust God, not your own understanding

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding,” (Prov. 3:5)

 Open the eyes of your heart

“I ask that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know the hope of His calling, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and the surpassing greatness of His power to us who believe. He displayed this power in the working of His mighty strength.” (Eph. 1:18-19)

Therefore

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,” (Eph. 3:20 ESV)

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:16-17 ESV)

 Achieving success in life

Everybody wants to be successful in what they do, especially our young people as they leave high school. But most don’t know what real success looks like or how to achieve it. So, they just head off to educational institutions, hoping that they will discover answers along the way. Millions are enrolled, but sadly, most don’t find it. Total U.S. College Enrollment Statistics In spring 2022, 17.9 million students were enrolled at a postsecondary institution. About 15 million students were enrolled in undergraduate programs. Roughly 3.1 million were enrolled in a graduate-level program. (Yes, that's over 17.9 million, and many of them go into tremendous debt as a result. And, most leave educational institutions still not knowing what they really want to do and cannot find jobs. It’s considered to be a national crisis. 

The answer is All Scripture  

The Bible tells you how to go about achieving success, how to be equipped for every good work, and how to be complete. It’s found in the above passage, which says the answer is to go into All Scripture, which is God-breathed, profitable, and will completely equip you for every good work.

All Scripture is Profitable for:

·      Teaching: “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” (Deut. 6:5-7 ESV)

·      Reproof: “Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence.” (Prov. 15:32 ESV)

·      Correction: “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” (Heb. 12:11 ESV)

·      Training in righteousness: “Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” (1 Tim. 4:7-8 ESV)

Therefore

The passage at top gives you the results: That the man of God will be complete, equipped for every good work!

“Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I should.”  (Eph. 6:20 CSB)

Feelings are interruptive

I think the hardest thing for most followers of Jesus to do is to be bold in sharing their faith. Maybe the main reason is just plain fear—fear of being rejected, feeling awkward, being unprepared, or just plain scared about what will happen if you speak up. But, all these feelings are just that—feelings! And feelings shouldn’t guide us or stop us from doing what we’re told to do as followers of Jesus Christ. We’re told to “be instant in season and out of season” (2 Tim. 4:2) and to “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone” (1 Pet. 3:15).

Ephesians 6:18-20 gives us some helpful instructions

·      Pray at all times in the Spirit

Verse18: “Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. 

·      Pray that God will give you bold words to say

Verse19: “Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. 

·      Remember you’re God’s ambassador and pray that you will be bold enough to speak

Verse 20: “For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I should.” (Eph. 6:17-20 CSB)

Therefore

“And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.” (Acts 4:31 ESV)

“Proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.” (Acts 28:31 ESV)

“The Lord is risen indeed,” (Luke 24:34 KJV)

A traditional Easter greeting in many churches, is the exclamation “He is risen!” and the traditional response is “He is risen, indeed!” We happily do this in the church I attend.

More than just a custom

Saying, “He has risen!” agrees with the angel at the tomb who said: “He is not here; he has risen!” (Luke 24:6-7).  Jesus had promised before his death: “I am the resurrection, and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” 

Christians rejoice

Easter is about God’s redemptive power for all of humanity. It not only honors the Resurrection of Jesus but also the triumph of life over death and the promise of eternal life. Jesus’ death atoned for humanity’s sins, and his resurrection symbolizes the hope that believers can have in their own resurrected selves. 

“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26 ESV)

Therefore

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” (1 Peter 1:3 ESV)

“So that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” (1 Cor. 2:5 ESV)

Worldly power

What is power, and why do so many people pursue it? In the dictionary, it’s defined as “the ability or right to control people or things through force or influence.” It’s to have control, dominion, sway, authority, reign, mastery, sovereignty, influence, grip, command, dominance, an arm, jurisdiction, clutch, privilege, leverage, clout, hold, or management over others. Power is intoxicating and dangerous, and someone said rightly, “Absolute power corrupts absolutely!” And there are countless examples demonstrating this statement is true.

But there is a different kind of power that comes from God. It’s not self-serving but is to equip the followers of God to be His ambassadors here on earth.  

God’s kind of Power

“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” (Acts 10:38 ESV)

“For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but in dealing with you we will live with him by the power of God.” (2 Cor. 13:4 ESV)

 You will receive power

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 ESV) 

“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Tim. 1:7 ESV)

The purpose of God’s power for you

“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,” (2 Pet. 1:3 ESV)

“Being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy;” (Col. 1:11 ESV)

“Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.” (Luke 10:19 ESV)

Therefore

“He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” (Isa. 49:29-31 ESV)

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Cor. 12:9 ESV)

And remember

“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Cor. 1:18 ESV)

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,” (Eph. 3.20 ESV)

“Keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” (Colossians 3:2)

I remember hearing someone criticize someone because they constantly talked about God and loved to talk about what it was going to be like in Heaven. The critic said, “That person is so heavenly minded they are of no earthly good!” That was too bad! Because the Bible says, “Keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” (Col. 3:2). Therefore, according to this passage, we’re supposed to be heavenly minded. So the correct thing to say to someone is: “work hard to be more heavenly minded so that you can achieve much earthly good!”

Focus on heavenly things

When Christians fix their minds on Christ, they gain an eternal perspective, and they are of great “earthly good” as their faith impacts their lives and the lives of others (Col. 3:2; Heb. 12:1–3).

“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 Cor. 4:18).

How to become more heavenly minded

The Apostle Paul in the book of Colossians explains how to live in a heavenly minded way.

• Put to death all that dishonors God and demeans others (Col. 3:5–9).

• Dress in the heavenly clothing of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience (Col. 3:12).

•  Speak the otherworldly language of forgiveness in a society of accusations and recriminations (Col. 3:13).

•  Walk under the reign of divine peace, which has established its throne on their hearts (Col. 3:15).

•  Speak and sing with the harmony of gratitude and grace (Col. 3:15–17; 4:6).

• Seek to show the glory of Jesus Christ In every relationship, in every word, in every deed. (Col. 3:17–4:1).

Therefore

Continue to become more heavenly minded in order to be more effective and productive in doing much earthly good for Jesus and His kingdom.

“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Phil. 2:5 ESV)

“Now when the Jewish leaders saw the boldness of Peter and John and found out that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and realized that they had been with Jesus.” (Acts  4:13)

Boldness of ordinary people

In the passage above, we see that the Jewish leaders were amazed by the boldness of ordinary people such as Peter and John and noted that they had been with Jesus; the normal and ordinary were transformed into the extraordinary!

Jesus transforms ordinary people into the extraordinary!

“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (2 Cor. 3.18 ESV)

Therefore

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Cor. 5:17 ESV)

“And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” (Col. 3:10 ESV)

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Rom. 12:2 ESV)