This world is on a fast downward trajectory because it’s under the delusion that it doesn’t need God. But even if they acknowledge Him in some fashion, they feel He must conform to their ways—which will never happen. But because of this wrong ideology, God has allowed things to appear out of control—more wayward than I think the world bargained for; nonetheless, look at what they’ve crafted. I’m reminded of the old Frankenstein movies when the mad scientist created an uncontrollable monster.

God is a just judge, And God is angry with the wicked every day (Psalm 7:11 NKJV).

Consequently, people are taking sides and throwing blame at who’s responsible for this creature, but there’s no need to point fingers; there’s enough fault to go around; no side is exempt.

As a child, I heard adults say, “Don’t meddle in grown folks’ stuff.” But, unfortunately, now it looks like the kingdom of darkness have cajoled humankind into doing just that, meddling in God’s affairs, trying to replace Him with the most blatant sins that even shock the most fertile imaginations. But these things must occur as outlined in Matthew 24:3-31; 2 Timothy 3:1-5, the signs of the end times.

In the meantime, too many believers stand by, shaking their heads in disgust. At the same time, imposters take advantage of the silence and throw God’s name in their hateful, hypocritical rhetoric, giving a false impression of who He is.

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world (1 John 4:1 CSB).

Therefore, believers must speak up and not only talk the Word but exhibit Christ’s love through their actions, which will expose the pretenders’ charade.

Regrettably, everybody won’t be saved; nevertheless, our Christian job is to walk by faith and spread the Gospel within our area of influence. These are not the times to be lethargic when we could be a hell-bound victim’s last hope. Keep in mind faith without works is dead. (See James 2:14-26.)

Jesus’ final words have become known as the Great Commission, giving the church her marching orders:

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age (Matthew 28: 19-20 AMP).  

In the end, God Will Judge the World!

© 2023

See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

The best way to know God intimately is through His Word. And to do that, I personalize the scriptures where and when I deem appropriate. For example, I change second and third-person pronouns to the first person; I insert my name and others where suited, making the Word a personal conversation between the Lord and me.

Make it personal.

Here are a few samples:

Because [Paulette] has set [her] love upon Me, therefore I will deliver [her]; I will set [her] on high, because [she] has known My name. ¹⁵ [Paulette] shall call upon Me, and I will answer [her]; I will be with [her] in trouble; I will deliver [her] and honor [her]. (Psalm 14-15 NKJV)

Cast all your anxiety on [Me] because [I care] for you. (1 Peter 5:7 NIV)

Fear not [Paulette], for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10 NKJV)

For God has not given [me] a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV)

Trust in [Me] with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge [Me], And [I] shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV)

 

As a result of personalizing the scriptures, I feel closer to God; my faith strengthens; His presence is undeniable when I hear Him talking directly to me about the circumstances I present to Him.

Make It Personal!

© 2023

See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

Even if we are oblivious to its impact, it doesn’t change the fact that the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous stirs up a mighty force of power. From an earthly perspective, that amount of energy ignites and sets the law of cause and effect into motion, and on a spiritual level, it invokes faith. Therefore, our prayers have creative potential; however, the devil wants us to think they are of no effect—when they really availeth much.

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much (James 5:16b).

What happens when all that power is released?

After I finished praying the other day, the enemy came immediately to sprinkle doubt, but the Lord dropped this into my heart: When the righteous pray according to My will—it’s backed by My Word, and My Word will not return to Me void; it will accomplish what I please. (Paraphr. Isaiah 55:11.)

For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers:

(1 Peter 3:12a).

However, the devil will try and persuade you to doubt what God said as it applies to your circumstances; but when (not if) that happens, don’t think those negative thoughts through, but immediately fortify yourself in the Word; or if time is of the essence, just say: Lord, Help!

To the enemy’s dismay, God hears the prayers of the righteous, and their effectual fervent prayers availeth much, and there’s nothing the enemy can do to change that.

© 2023

See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

We are commanded to have unwavering faith, but how effective is our faith when the enemy floods our minds with fears and doubts leaving us not quite certain how things will turn out? Will uncertainty cause us to miss the mark entirely?

But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

⁷ For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord (James 1:6-7).

I asked God that question, and this is what He dropped into my spirit. He said it all boils down to trusting Him. When we genuinely trust God, the outcome doesn’t matter—whatever fears seize our minds, our certainty lies in His love and that He will do what is best on our behalf. It’s like signing a blank check over to Him, “Thou will be done.”

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).

Trust builds steadfast faith.

It’s improbable that we will trust a stranger with our valuable keepsakes. Therefore, developing an intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit is vital to building steadfast—unwavering trust. The more one-on-one time we spend in His presence and acknowledge Him in all our ways—the more we learn about His character and love for us. However, this won’t be accomplished overnight; forming this bond requires understanding God experientially through His faithfulness. Cultivating our relationship with the Holy Spirit shouldn’t be sporadic events but a way of life.

When I was a little girl, my father and I played a game where he would tell me to jump into his arms while I stood on a high surface. As scary as that was, it never crossed my mind he wouldn’t catch me. So likewise, with absolute certainty, we can jump into the arms of God—He will not let us fall. There’s no reason to be uncertain when we place our faith in the certainty of God.

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths (Proverbs 3:6)

 

© 2023

See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

Not saying it’s easy, but there’s no better test of our love for God than when we choose obedience over temptation. These temptations can range from flagrant egregious acts to subtleties like not spending one-on-one time with the Holy Spirit. However, we’ll never know if our love is absolute or conditional until it triumphs over our self-will.

Our love for God keeps our self-will in check.

Of course, the devil studies our moves; he knows how to tempt us by pressing certain impulse buttons and who to get to pull the triggers. His strongholds are vice-grips; he plays for keeps. But we mustn’t fall for his deceptive tactics as Eve did in the garden; news flash, he’s still serving the same menu—death.

But thank goodness, we don’t have to fight these battles alone. Instead, God has given us an Advocate—the Holy Spirit, to help us resist the enemy’s temptations, giving us the faith to say, “No, not my will, but thou will be done.”

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Does your love for God triumph over your self-will?

© 2023

See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

We’re in God’s purview, wherever we are and in whatever state of being we find ourselves. His range is absolute, which includes the scope of our hurts, cares, and failures. The LORD’s eyes are over the righteous, and His ears are opened unto their prayers (Psalm 34:15). He lifts His children when they fall; He’s there when they humbly seek His help.

Father, I stretch my hands to thee,
No other help I know;
If thou withdraw thyself from me,
Ah! whither shall I go?

                                                    -Charles Wesley

The other morning at about two o’clock, my sleep was interrupted by, you know who—the devil. It took me an hour to obey the Holy Spirit, who prompted me to get a pillow, get on my knees, and reach out to Him.

When I finally rolled out the bed, I started praying, did the ugly cry, and blew my nose profusely when I felt a release; something broke in the spiritual realm. I have no idea about the particulars of the matter; all I know is the heaviness I felt dissipated and was replaced with adulation.

Oh, what needless pain we bear.

However, waiting that hour before I obeyed the Spirit allowed the agony to continue and the joy and praise that comes when God reaches down—to be delayed. Oh, what needless pain we bear; lyrics taken from “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” by Joseph M. Scriven.                                                      

                                                        What a Friend we have in Jesus,
                                                         all our sins and griefs to bear!
                                                         What a privilege to carry
                                                         everything to God in prayer!

                                                          O what peace we often forfeit,
                                                          O what needless pain we bear—
                                                          All because we do not carry
                                                          everything to God in prayer.

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30).

^{Aah, When God Reaches Down!}

¹⁴ The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.

¹⁸ The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. (Psalm 145)

© 2023

See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

After you’ve done all God told you to do concerning your prayer request, watch what He will do on your behalf. That’s what the Holy Spirit whispered in my heart the other morning about a prayer I had been laboring over for years; He let me know—you’ve done all; now praise Me and get ready to see a demonstration of My power.

My all wasn’t perfect—but it was my best.

It’s not unusual to become weary and anxious when waiting to see even a glimpse of our long-awaited prayers coming to fruition. But we must know when our prayers are in God’s will, and we’ve done everything He asked us to do, not to find it strange that the validity of our faith will be tested—in the wait.

Prove your faith in God to the devil and yourself.

It’s easy to say we have faith when not being pushed into a corner of adversity. But when the devil takes advantage of our impatience and prods us into going on wild needless pursuits to make things happen on our own, we must stay the course, complete what the Lord instructed us to do concerning the matter, and continue to stand on His Word. Whenever we don’t respond to the enemy’s ploys, it strengthens our faith and brings our relationship with God closer.

Sure we get tired, but after done all—be still and let God take it from there.

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him (1 John 5:14-15).

© 2022     

   See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

It’s a privilege to bring your concerns, even your innermost secrets, to God—furthermore, you can tell Him stuff that’s hard to admit to yourself. It’s comforting to be able to confide in the omniscient One. So, be honest; bare your soul; lay it all out; your vulnerabilities are safe with God; after all—it’ll just be between you and Him.

One of the reasons I love talking to God is I don’t have to overly explain myself; He won’t misconstrue what I mean—He knows my intentions without me uttering a single explanation; He interprets silence and pinpoints the origin of my tears, then puts them into a bottle (see Psalm 56:8).

He’s always available; appointment isn’t necessary—walk-ins are welcomed. No preparation is needed; come as you are—it’ll just be between you and God.

Yeah, you can trust Him!

O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. ² You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.³ You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. ⁴ You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord (Psalm 139:1-4, NLT).

© 2022     

   See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

Does your faith have an expiration date of when doubt and unbelief will take over? Faith must undergo a battery of stress tests when you walk with God; it’s part of the course for you to run long laps—huffing and puffing. Therefore, if God inserted what you’re waiting for in your heart—keep running; it shall come to pass. In the meantime, praise and thank Him for what’s to come.

But me, I’m not giving up. I’m sticking around to see what God will do. I’m waiting for God to make things right. I’m counting on God to listen to me (Micah 7:7, MSG).

Nonetheless, we know it’s not easy to wait; even the disciples who witnessed Jesus performing miracles had doubting faith. So how do we achieve believability in God’s will for our lives when circumstances differ? The answer to that question is how serious we are about wanting steadfast faith. Are we willing to do what profound faith requires?

1. The more one-on-one time we spend with God, the more we learn about Him—forming a love relationship. Our faith develops further as we endure hardship and depend on Him to carry us through. We begin to confidently recognize God’s voice as we listen to, talk to, and obey His instructions throughout the day. Over time, trust solidifies, and faith grows.
2. Great faith doesn’t mean we are devoid of fear; on the contrary, strong faith believes what God whispers in our spirit despite the enemy’s screaming, ear-piercing lies.

Use your faith to believe God’s grace is sufficient (see 2 Corinthians 12:9) and that you have the help of the Holy Spirit to guide you through anything (see John 14:26).

Though it tarries, we are not alone as we wait.

For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry ( Habakkuk 2:3).

© 2022     

   See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

We often define evildoer with broad strokes: murderer, adulterer, kidnapper, extortioner, liar, and so on. But what about the subtle ills we unconsciously or consciously do to one another that don’t make the headlines—the small foxes that slither devastation into a person’s life? We can’t weigh the magnitude of sin on scales like vegetables in a supermarket; it doesn’t matter if it’s explicit, understated, or muted—it’s all evil in God’s sight.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness (Matthew 23:27).

The evildoer’s spirit is conniving as it slithers into vulnerable situations. For example, the world is split on many issues, and it’s okay to have differences of opinion; however, what’s not alright is how we dehumanize one another in the process of disagreeing. This dehumanization plays right into the devil’s hands. And we, as believers in Christ, must not be one of the characters in his plot to spread evil.

We’ve all watched movies and applauded when evildoers were finally captured; it’s part of our human nature to want to see justice served. But what if we’re the wrongdoer—do we still wish justice served? We’re often unaware of the evil we spurt onto others.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; ²⁴ And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting (Psalm 139:23-24, NKJV).

Anyone of us can be susceptible to this scheming spirit. Therefore, we must remain watchful for any signs of it influencing our hearts; we must stay prayerful and keep our minds on God’s righteous ways of doing things. And as impossible as it may sound, the best way to protect our hearts is to love one another.

Of course, that’s not always easy, but we can’t take the devil’s bait and say that’s impossible; God wouldn’t tell us to love everybody if it were impossible. So if you are having problems loving, ask for the Holy Spirit’s help, then do whatever He says.

In John 14:15, Jesus tells us if we love Him, we’ll keep His commandments. 1 John 4:20 says if a man says he loves God and hates his brother, he is a liar.

Will those Scriptures justify our explanation to mistreat and hate others?

So when the enemy uses people to spread division, injustice, bigotry, and other forms of hatred, by faith and our allegiance to our heavenly Father, hold up: LOVE.

Stay vigilant—the evildoer is slithering by.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (1 Peter 5:8)

© 2022      

   See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

How sincere is a believer’s allegiance to God if they reject His Word whenever it infringes upon their ideologies? Surely, they can’t expect to flourish when they cherry-pick the Truth.

Today, the world is bombarded with heated controversial issues that test our commitment to serving the Lord. It makes me wonder if He allows these intense disputes for our enlightenment; we need to know how strong our loyalty is to the truth of His Word when under pressure. For example, do you stand or fold when God said you are to love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, pray for those who mistreat you? (See Luke 6:27-28.)

The Bible addresses how we should handle conflicts and indifferences. Our tactic should come from love and unity, not hatred and division. Beware of people who use religious terminology, yet the content of their message promotes discord. We must read the Word and study how Jesus confronted conflicts.

Jesus included—not excluded.

• When the Jewish leaders and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery to Jesus, Jesus told them—he, without sin, cast the first stone. (See John 8:1-9.)
• Lepers were considered outcasts in Jesus’ day, but when a man with leprosy came to Him, He saw him as a human being needing to be healed. (See Matthew 8:1-4.)
• Tax collectors were despised, so when Jesus went to Levi’s house to dine, people didn’t understand. (See Mark 2:13-17).
• In Jesus’ day, Jews avoided Samaritans (like we shun those unlike us today). But Jesus didn’t ignore the Samaritan woman at the well. Instead, he talked to her and used her cup to drink. (See John 4:1-29.)
• When Jesus was on the cross, He asked His Father to forgive the people because they didn’t know what they were doing. (See Luke 23:34.)

Jesus’ stance was about love and compassion. He condemned the sin—not the sinner. We are to imitate Him. If we take any other approach, we are rejecting the TRUTH.

If anyone separates from me, he is thrown away like a useless branch, withers, and is gathered into a pile with all the others and burned (John 15:6, TLB).

If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. (See John 14:15.)

© 2022      

   See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

Staunch believers know to abide under the shadow of the Almighty; when His shadow moves, they move; when His shadow stops, they stop and remain under His sovereignty. But why do they trail the Shadow so closely? They follow God for various reasons; however, one is found in the beginning verses of Psalm 91.

The secret place!

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. ² I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

We are comforted by the divine protections in Psalm 91. But unfortunately, many overlook those blessings are contingent upon fulfilling the conditions of the first two verses. Although satisfying the psalm’s terms doesn’t mean we’ll be free from tribulations because troubling woes (like it or not) help grow our faith and mature us spiritually.

Nevertheless, when we adhere to those stipulations, we have an advantage over nonbelievers; we have God’s grace and mercy to guide and carry us through the persecutions we encounter. So, let’s take a closer look at those vital passages.

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Colloquially, dwelling in the secret place means hanging out with God. To dwell doesn’t mean to make short-pop visits only in times of need. Instead, people who have a close intimate relationship with God meet with Him one-on-one, face-to-face throughout the day.

Dwellers are not visitors.

I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. 

Our dependency upon God defines the strength of our faith; we are sheltered by a power no one on earth or in hell can come against. When we hang out with God, we get to know Him, and experiential revelation of His faithfulness brings unconditional love and trust; we aim to please Him in all our ways.

In closing:

Memorization doesn’t take the place of internalization.

Memorizing scriptures doesn’t mean you know them; you must digest them into your spirit and base your life upon them. If you need further enlightenment, ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom on making His Word applicable in your life. Then meditate on what He says until it internalizes in your being, no matter how long it takes—it’s worth the time to get it right.

Finally, remember to stay under the shadow of the Almighty 24/7; there’s no better place.

Psalm 91:

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

² I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

³ Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

⁴ He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

⁵ Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

⁶ Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

⁷ A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

⁸ Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

⁹ Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

¹⁰ There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

¹¹ For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

¹² They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

¹³ Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

¹⁴ Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

¹⁵ He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

¹⁶ With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

 © 2022

   See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

For our span in history, we have entered a new era on the spiritual timeline where the world’s wickedness has accelerated and intensified. But nothing is new; evil has been a part of us since the days of Adam and Eve. However, things just got real for us; with cell phones and social media outlets, it’s as if God unzipped the earth, revealing our egregious acts.

 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known

(Luke 12:2).

Do you like what you see?

Of course, multiple deeds of kindheartedness are taking place too, but much of which are overshadowed by hatred and malicious undertakings we see on the world stage. The disregard for humankind, the insatiable need for power and money, the flagrant lies, and the manipulation of God’s Word to justify selfish wants are unashamedly blatant. Do we like what we see? God is exposing it all.

Unzipped and exposed!

God is speaking to everyone; no one will miss His clarion call. The only time we have to right our wrongs is before our LORD”s unannounced return or our personal transitions from the earth—whichever comes first seals the deal.

Nonetheless, one would think that all the trauma we’ve been through over the last few years would have joined us on a common thread, but unfortunately, far too often, these situations have torn us apart, bringing out our ugliest instincts.

The end of our age is approaching, and God wants us to see who we are while there’s still time to make changes.

There’s no hiding place for sin—God has unzipped earth.

See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

  © 2022     

Of course, we wouldn’t think about leaving our homes unprotected for thieves to help themselves; we buy sophisticated gimmicks to safeguard our belongings and keep loved ones from harm. But as believers in Christ, do we put that same concentrated effort into barricading our peace of mind? Peace is our strength, making it one of Satan’s must-haves.

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (John 14:27).

When centered in Christ, we are surrounded by a heavenly host.

Today the world is overrun with ways to cause us anxiety; unfortunately, many of us attribute our loss of peace to people when it’s really Satan working behind the scenes. However, once we receive the revelation of his tactics, we begin to have a different perspective and direct our prayers accordingly.

We can’t afford to have a casual mindset that worry is just a part of life that we must endure. Perhaps that might be true for unbelievers, but our Lord gave us the peace of God that passes the knowledge of human understanding.

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7).

But how can we safeguard this precious gift? First, we secure it by knowing its intrinsic value. And secondly, by faith, stay within the realm of safety; turn away from gossip, faultfinding, judgmental spirits, and other ensnaring strategies of the enemy.

Barricade your peace:

• Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. (Psalm 34:14)
• Treat people the way you want to be treated; what goes around comes around. (Luke 6:31-36; Galatians 6:7)
• When angry, sin not. (Ephesians 4:26)
• Forgive others. (Matthew 6:14)
• Expect all things to work together for the good of those who love God. (Romans 8:28)
• Let the peace of God rule your heart. (Colossians 3:15)
• Storing heavenly treasures is a far better investment than accumulating earthly goods. (Matthew 6:19)
• Monitor your thoughts. (Philippians 4:8)
• Keep God your number one priority. (Matthew 6:33)
• Love the Lord with all your heart, mind, and soul. (Mark 12:30)

When we feel agitated or worried about anything, we must check our barricade to see if we left an opening for Satan to slitter through.

Jesus gave us His peace; however, it’s our responsibility to protect it from the enemy!

© 2022

   See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

Surely, God can exceed abundantly above all we can ask or think; however, the question is, does our lifestyle meet the requirements to receive all He can do?

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, (Ephesians 3:20)

Our hands are extended, but are we prepared to receive?

That familiar Scripture in Ephesians is favored, but the last part is essential and often overlooked: according to the power that worketh in us. There’s no doubt that God’s unlimited power is able to exceed our expectations, but do we have the spiritual maturity, the “stuff” to bring about that level of manifestation?

For the Ephesians, the apostle Paul prayed that they would be strengthened with spiritual power and that Christ would dwell in them as they are rooted in love. (See Ephesians 3 for Paul’s full prayer.) That same prayer should be our focus today.

Questions to ponder:

• Do we put God first in our lives?
• Do we love Him more than our prayer requests?
• Do we seek Him daily for no other reason but to be in His presence?
• Does Christ dwell in our hearts?
• Is our top priority to learn and grow spiritually in God?
• Is our aim to please Him?

We might have legitimate circumstances that we need God to address, but He wants us to want Him for Who He is.

Surely, God is able to do far more than we can ever imagine; but have we met the spiritual conditions to receive all He can do?

Surely He’s Able!

© 2022

   See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

A thief wouldn’t break into a house to steal merchandise he knows isn’t there. So the next time the devil attacks your mind with lies about inadequacies, insufficiencies, and other flaws, remember his strategy is to make you think you don’t possess what he’s after.

The thief knows you got the GOODS!

A thief in the natural world dismantles the security system leaving the structure vulnerable to his invasion. The same stands in the realm of darkness; the enemy comes to implant seeds of doubt to obstruct our confidence in God’s Word, resulting in him controlling our thoughts and actions. When the devil can exchange our faith for his fears, we are more likely to fall for his lies when he says things like:

• You can’t do anything right.
• You’re crazy.
• You’re stupid.
• You’re worthless.

The thief comes to weaken our faith’s immune system.

That negativity isn’t from God; the Lord builds us up; He doesn’t tear us down. Discouraging thoughts like those are confidence stealers; it weakens our faith’s immune system to ward off disbelief. God needs His people to immediately cast down the devil’s lies and walk in faith.

We are everything the devil tells us we’re not.

We can use the enemy’s lies to work against him and, at the same time, build our confidence—by knowing the thief only comes for what’s in our possession. Therefore, walk in boldness:

• We are the workmanship of God. (Ephesians 2:10)
• We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. (Philippians 4:13)
• We have been made righteous through Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
• We are loved by God. (John 3:16)
• and so on. . .

What could the thief be stealing that you didn’t realize you had?

© 2022

   See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

Will a God of love discipline His children when they disobey?

Yes—of course, and thank goodness He does. By in large, people are prideful, lustful, corruptible, and the list goes on. When ungodly characteristics shape behavior, our heavenly Father will do what needs to be done to make His point.

Would you rather face God’s firm discipline, Who loves you, or be destroyed by the devil, who hates you?

For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth  

 (Hebrews 12:6, KJV).

Tough love: experience is a powerful teacher.

I know the thought that a loving God will allow or cause hardship to discipline His children is controversial. But look at it as tough love. Allowing believers to experience the consequences of their sinful choices is a good deterrent when temptation comes knocking again.

I’m not saying all hardship results from disobedience; some adversities come basically to strengthen and test our faith. Those examinations are crucial for assessing faith development. But, on the other hand, when blatant, willful sin is the cause for our rebellion, our Father has no problem chastening us.

For instance, when the Israelites turned away from God and started worshiping other gods and idols, He allowed their enemy, the Babylonians, to enslave them for seventy years. After they repented, they were released, and God punished the Babylonians for their mistreatment. This is just one example of how our Lord uses our adversaries’ evilness to discipline. (See the book of Ezekiel.)

The best weapon against the devil is to be a broken, submissive vessel for God.

Contrary to the devil’s plans to keep us bound and convicted with guilt, God is forgiving, and His mercy offers ample chances for repentance. Therefore, there’s no condemnation for those in Christ (see Romans 8:1) because our Redeemer sacrificed His life and paid our sin bill on the Cross.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5, KJV).

When corrections come, submit and say:

Lord, even though my flesh will have a SCREAMING FIT—discipline me!

Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him (Job13:15).

 

© 2022

   See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

I don’t watch television without having the remote control close at hand so I can mute it as I please. So likewise, we believers in Christ can mute the nerve-shattering roars of the devil by putting our faith in the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, who resides within us (see John 14:16-17). Even though we can’t stop these frightening growls, it’s good to know there’s a safe, effective way to have them muted.

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world (1John 4:4).

The roar is worse than the bite.

The enemy has meticulously studied our vulnerabilities; he knows more about our frailties than we do. Like a maestro conducting a symphony, he knows the opportune time to strike the perfect pitch of resounding roars of worry.

The more we focus on problematic legal issues, failing health, broken families, rebellious children, and other dire circumstances, the louder the roars. Unfortunately, the world’s remedies for quieting the noise are more harmful than the roars.

If you despise the roars, personalize your relationship with the Holy Spirit—get to know Him Intimately!

Why should believers worry about roars when the Holy Spirit resides in them?

© 2022

   See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.