“And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.” (Rom. 8:11 NIV)

God has poured out His Holy Spirit on you abundantly! 

“God poured out the Holy Spirit abundantly on us through Jesus Christ our Savior.” (Titus 3:6)

The Spirit brings life and peace!

“The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” (Rom. 8:6 NIV)

The Holy Spirit teaches you!

“The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and make you remember all that I have told you.” (John 14:26)

The Holy Spirit helps you proclaim His message boldly,

“When they finished praying, the place where they were meeting was shaken. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to proclaim God’s message with boldness.” (Acts 4:31)

The Spirit’s presence in you is for the good of all! 

“The Spirit’s presence is shown in some way in each person for the good of all.” (1 Corinthians 12:7)

The Spirit helps you to pray with power

“In the same way the Spirit also comes to help us, weak as we are. For we do not know how we ought to pray; the Spirit himself pleads with God for us in groans that words cannot express.” (Romans 8:26)

Therefore

“But you, my friends, keep on building yourselves up on your most sacred faith. Pray in the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Jude 1:20)

“Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.” (Gal. 6:1 NLT)

Christian should NOT be devouring one another!

It breaks my heart to observe often that those who call themselves fellow Christians, attack another brother or sister in Christ who may have publicly failed in some way, or who they simply disagree with theologically. It shouldn't be that way.

“But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.” (Gal. 5:15 ESV)

No one is perfect

All stumble and do “fall short.” (Rom. 3:23).  Therefore, always be kind, tender hearted and forgiving!

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Eph. 4:32 ESV)

Outdo one with genuine love!

“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.” (Rom. 12:9-13 ESV)

Have sympathy,  brotherly love  and a tender heart!

“Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing. For the Scriptures say, ‘If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it. The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.’”

“Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven." (Matt. 9:2 NIV)

Most Christians are missing out!

Many of God’s followers have never had the joy of leading someone to Christ. There are many reasons for this. Some are simply oblivious to their responsibility to share the Good News. Others would do so, but they do not know how, so they don’t even try, although many clear opportunities may come their way. Some believe it is the exclusive responsibility of the clergy, not them. Then, there are those who are simply afraid to share their faith with anyone at all, like my friend Mary Beth. She attended my soul winner’s class at her church as something to do because she attends everything the church presents, no matter what. I taught the group how to use a little booklet to lead someone to Christ. It has Scripture verses and steps they could use to share Jesus with any interested person, and it even has a little prayer they could pray with anyone who wishes to invite Jesus into their life. It is a simple step-by-step tool. Anyone could easily use it to bring someone to Jesus… accept Mary Beth, as she exclaimed very sincerely. She told me she simply couldn't and wouldn't, because she was too shy, was an introvert, and, quite frankly, was just too afraid to do it, period! I told her that once she knew how to bring someone to Jesus, He would provide the opportunity for her to do it. She just shook her head, laughed, and said, “Mike, you're wonderful! You can easily share with anyone. That’s your personality, but it's not mine. I will never be able to do that.”

About a month later I saw Mary Beth at the county fair

She was sitting next to another woman, and they were watching our Gospel Music Show. I was the MC of the program made up of individuals and groups who were taking turns singing gospel songs. One of the singers was a black woman named Mildred Wynette. She had just finished a rousing version of the song, “Jesus got a hold of my life, and He won't let me go!” Her presentation was lively, animated, and enthusiastic. After she finished the song, Mary Beth came up to me and said, “I just can't believe it! I was sitting next to a lady over there on the bench, and we were both tapping our feet to the music in enjoyment. The woman said, ‘Wow, you can sure feel the Lord’s presence when that lady sings!’ And I said, ‘Yes, you can. Are you a Christian, too?” And she said, “No, I'm not! I don't know how to become a Christian. I don't go to church, and no one has ever explained what I should do to become a Christian.” And I said to her, ‘Oh, it's so easy to become a Christian! Let me show you this little booklet I just got at my church that explains it so clearly. I then took the booklet out of my purse and shared the simple steps with her. At the end of the booklet was the little prayer, and she gladly prayed it with me! She invited Jesus to be her personal savior right then and there! I just can't believe it; I just led someone to Jesus!” I said, “Mary Beth, you’re wonderful!”

Be prepared to share!

Mary Beth thought she could never share Christ because she was shy. But she was mistaken! Once she knew how, God set up the opportunity for her to use what she knew. The main reason most people don't share Jesus is because they wouldn't know what to say if they were asked directly by someone who wanted to know. Don't let that happen to you!

“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” (1 Peter 3:15 NIV)

“Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4 ESV)

When I first saw the above verse in the Bible, I was shocked at what it said. That you would get the desires of your heart by simply delighting yourself in God. I thought, “What if my desires are selfish? What if I want something sinful? Would God still give it to me?” Then, I discovered something very surprising about this promise. When you truly delight yourself in God, something miraculous happens. God changes your desires, and you end up wanting what He wants for you. It is a wonderful process. 

It's an often-mentioned subject

The Bible has a lot to say about delighting and pleasing God. According to Baker’s Bible dictionary the idea of delight occurs approximately 110 times in Scripture in various forms. The related concept of "please" occurs about 350 times.

Jesus, as our supreme example

He took immense pleasure in honoring and obeying his father.

“The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him." (John 8:29 NIV)

And what pleases (delights) Him, should delight us as well!

“So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.” (3 Cor. 5:9 NIV)

And it makes us joyful!

Therefore

“Praise the LORD! How joyful are those who fear the LORD and delight in obeying his commands.” (Psalm 112:1 NLT)

“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?” (Psalm 139:7 NASB)

Practice the presence of God

The Practice of the Presence of God is a book of collected teachings of Brother Lawrence (born Nicholas Herman), a 17th-century Carmelite monk. He did not do all the normal religious things most monks did but instead practiced thinking about God and including Him in all the trivial things he did. He realized the simple truth that God is always present, and you should look for and recognize Him everywhere.

God is continually present

He is always with you whether you realize it or not. The Bible says so! 

“I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matt. 28:20 NASB)

“I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Heb. 13:5 ESV)

Therefore

“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” (Psalms 139:7-10 NIV)

“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” (John 15:7)

Abide defined: Accept or act in accordance with. Comply with, obey, observe, follow, keep to, hold to, conform to, adhere to, stick to, stand by, act in accordance with, uphold, heed, accept, go along with.

Abide in Jesus

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. ‘I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.’”  (John 15:4-5)

“Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.” (1 John 2:28)

“The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.” (1 John 3:24)

Abide in Christ’s teaching

“Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.” (2 John 1:9)

Abide in His love

“If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.” (John 15:10)

“The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.” (1 John 2:6)

“As for you, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.” (1 John 2:24)

(2 Corinthians 9:6) “He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.”

You must sow seed and do it bountifully if you expect to get an abundant crop

What would you think of a farmer who said, "I'm not going to plant any corn seeds this year. When God gives me some corn, then I'll plant some seeds." So, every day he is out there in the field checking it out for corn. “Hey God, where’s my corn?” That guy's never going to get any corn. Sowing comes first, then you reap. 

God does supply seed

“Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.” (2 Cor. 9:10)

God causes what you have planted to grow

“I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.” (1 Cor. 3:6-7) 

You get what you plant so sow good things!

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.” (Gal 6:7-9)

“Sow with a view to righteousness, Reap in accordance with kindness; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the LORD Until He comes to rain righteousness on you.” (Hosea 10:12)

“Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you For the LORD is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him!” (Isaiah 30:18)

Gracious because of His covenant

“But the LORD was gracious to them and had compassion on them and turned to them because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them or cast them from His presence until now.” (2 Kings 13:23)

Gracious and slow to anger 

“The LORD is gracious and merciful; Slow to anger and great in lovingkindness.” (Psalm 145:8) 

Gracious and righteous

“Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; Yes, our God is compassionate.” (Psalm 116:5)

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Rom. 8:37)

Sometimes, when going through life’s challenges, things look bad and it's difficult to feel victorious. But, we are victorious because God said so, and that settles it, no matter how things may appear.

The Battle of Waterloo 

The news of the result of the Battle of Waterloo was eagerly awaited by the people of Great Britain because so much depended on it. Unfortunately, somehow or other, the message arrived to the people of Great Britain with one word short, and only two words arrived —'Wellington defeated'. The country was plunged into great despair and mourning, until the mistake was discovered, and the omitted third word arrived—`Napoleon —so that it read 'Wellington defeated Napoleon'. Their sorrow was suddenly turned into joy.

We won!

I have a friend who likes to say, “Hey, I have looked at the end of the book, and we won!” Of course he is referring to the book of Revelation in the Bible. He has discovered the secret of seeing the big and complete picture. God does and will work out everything for the good, no matter how it may look! (Romans 8:28)

God has made you victorious! Period! 

“For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.” (Deut. 29:4) 

“But  thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1Cor. 15:57)

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.” (2 Cor. 2:14)

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Rom. 8:28)

“Any victory that does not more than conquer is just an imitation victory. While we are suppressing and wrestling, we are only imitating victory. If Christ lives in us, we will rejoice in everything, and we will thank and praise the Lord. We will say, ‘Hallelujah! Praise the Lord’ forever.” – Watchman Nee