At this point in my life, I don’t have time to miss my target goals by guessing and supposing; done with that! I want to be taken by the hand, and literally led to where I’m supposed to be at every pivotal juncture in my life’s journey. Now, when I said I wanted to be led, I didn’t mean with just anybody. Truth be told, this “anybody” person needs to be led, too. I want to be led by the One who custom designed the path that I should take; I’m talking about the omniscient Holy Spirit. The One who leads with precise precision; no mishaps, missteps, or wasted time. I want to reach my destinations, and accomplish all my remaining dreams; on time—every time.

Led by precise precision—can’t miss!

Before Jesus ascended to heaven, He promised all those who accepted Him as Savior, that the Holy Spirit would come to live inside of them. Even today, the Holy Spirit dwells in those who accept Christ. Though, it takes revelation knowledge to understand the awesome gift the Father has given to His children. Think about it, His Spirit, with all His power, wisdom, creativity, strength, and discernment, just to name a few attributes, abiding on the inside of every believer. Have you grasped what all that means? As for me, I’m still trying to take it all in; however, I am making tremendous progress.

How to get precisely from point A to point Z?

In John 16:7 (AMP), the Holy Spirit is described as: Comforter, Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, and Standby. Everything that we’ll need in order to navigate through life successfully is living inside us—all the time. There’s no reason for us to be confused or afraid about anything when we have the Spirit of God willing to lead and protect us. He knows precisely who we should trust—or not; He knows precisely what we should say—or not say; He knows precisely what’s behind doors 1, 2, 3. . .  He knows precisely where all the skeletons are buried, and who buried them.

Supernatural help available!

I can see cause for us to rely on each of the Holy Spirit’s characteristics all day—every day.

• Which ones did you rely on yesterday?
• Which ones are you relying on today?
• If you didn’t rely on the Spirit, then who did you rely on?

Jesus didn’t promise us a life without tribulations (see John 16:33). The roads along our journey will have bumps here and there, splits and snares, dark creepy valleys paved with clawing demons, but the Holy Spirit is not moved by any of it. He’ll interpret and console our moans and groans, all the while fighting our battles. If we keep in step; listen and obey His instructions, He’ll get us to where He wants us to be—every time—on time—hitting every target with precise precision.

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

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Are we walking in the certainty of faith or by the uncertainty of luck? Christians will tell you they don’t believe in luck; nevertheless, unconsciously they could be operating from a position of luck/chance more than they realize. The thought that the enemy could slyly infiltrate luck, happenstance into our belief system is controversial; however, it should not be shoved off as nonsense. If we are basing our faith on “how lucky we feel,” then that’s worthy of our attention. We might not use that expression per se, but still the thought of it could be a factor in our obedience to move forward in faith.

God might answer my prayer vs. God will answer my prayer

Recently, I did a post called: Possible! In that writing, I said I wanted to learn as much about faith as God would allow; I wanted to be able to do everything He said I can do through His Son—leaving no stones unturned. Well, the Holy Spirit heard my request; the almighty Teacher led me to read and study the book of Acts.

As I was reading, I couldn’t help but notice how the apostles spoke in the confidence of Jesus Christ. In Acts 3:6 when Peter and John were approached by a lame man asking for arms at the temple, Peter declared, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.” Peter spoke in a clear imperative voice. Nowhere, in his statement reflects the wavering sound of “by chance.”

When Peter spoke—Heaven responded!

While Paul was preaching in Lystra, he noticed a man who happened to be crippled. Paul said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on thou feet.” The man leaped and walked (see Acts 14:8-10). Think about the confidence Paul had to have had for him to be able to speak in a loud voice before witnesses. Paul didn’t base his assertion on luck, instead he spoke assuredly that the man would walk—and so he did.

Who wants to look foolishly if desired results are not produced?   

After completing the book of Acts, I asked the Holy Spirit why don’t we see more of these signs and wonders in the church today? In Mark 16:17-18, it says that these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

God has given us a measure of faith; plus, the backing of His Word to go forth!

According to Hebrews 11:1 (AMP), Faith is the assurance (confirmation) of things hoped for. The word assurance eliminates the notion of luck. First John 5:14-15 (AMP) tells us that the confidence we have in Him (God), gives us the privilege to ask anything according to His will, and He listens and hears us. And if we positively know that He listens, we know with settled and absolute knowledge that we have the requests made.

Is your faith built on the assured power of God?

The Holy Spirit revealed to me that those apostles were able to speak with such certainty because they were able to hear the Spirit; therefore, they were able to carry out His will. Their acute hearing was because of the close intimate relationship they had with the Father. God is no respecter of persons; just like with the apostles, we can have the same closeness if we so desire (see Psalm 145:18; James 4:8).

Self-analysis: Am I walking more by faith or by luck?

 

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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It’s ideal when you can have a car, a suit, or even a burger made according to your desired specifications—hold the pickles, grill the onions, bacon and tomatoes, please. But some things are already perfected—right off the showroom floor or straight off the rack; no addons or deletions necessary. Case in point—the Word of God!

Can’t edit what’s nonnegotiable.

The devil is more than pleased to oblige anyone with his made-to-order version of the “word.” His pliable adaptation fluidly fits into the lifestyles of those who are willing to substitute the Holy Spirit for a powerless shadow of godliness. You see, his translation cast heavy fog over the nonnegotiable conditions attached to God’s comforting promises. When those conditions are disregarded, we can forget about those blessings coming to pass.

The Sword

The adversary acknowledges the Sword—the unabridged Word. He knows the Sword is the weapon God gave His people to use against the corrupt kingdom of darkness (see Ephesians 6:17). That’s why he will cunningly take every opportunity to put a breach between us and what saith the Lord. He aggressively, yet sneakily, works to undermine our understanding of what’s written. He knows full-well the Word spoken in faith will pierce through wicked principalities and cancel out its plans.

Faith (accidently) compromised!

It’s easy to fall for this made-to-order counterfeit if we’re not paying attention; we can’t depend on the world (the enemy) to clarify the Word to us. Psalm 1:1 tells us not to take counsel from the ungodly. Ungodly interpretations will have a profound impact on our faith and on our relationship with the Holy Spirit. Before long, we’ll start thinking: “This faith stuff doesn’t work.” As I stated previously, it’s not going to work if the prerequisites of the Word aren’t met. Faith that is connected to the power of the Holy Spirit—Works!

Your faith attached to God’s power—Oh My Lord!

However, God’s power comes with a price tag: A surrendered-uncompromised life to Christ. The made-to-order edition accepts easy “do it your way” payments.

         The Word                                                          Made-to-order

• Keep My commandments                                 Up-to-date edition only
• Love                                                                   Only “certain” people
• Forgive                                                               Within limitations
• Vengeance is Mine                                             Payback!!!
• Humility                                                              Superiority
• Kindness                                                             Cruelty
• Give                                                                    Take

The Word—NOT made-to-order!

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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You would think I would have a pretty firm grip on faith since I write about it every week. But I already told you, I’m not a faith expert; I’m just someone who is humbly determined to learn as much about faith as God will allow. I want to be able to do everything He said I can do through His Son—leaving no stones unturned. It just so happens He’s teaching me on the world’s stage through a blog. But I don’t mind, as long as I’m learning how to maximize this amazing gift. Hopefully, what He’s teaching me, will help others. Let me share the latest revelation I received about a week ago.

“It’s” possible because “it” will be done supernaturally, by God. 

The Holy Spirit enlightened me that He knew I was trying to live my life by faith—which is good. But I was still depending too much on the mechanics; all the what’s, why’s, if’s, and wherefores had to be somewhat answered before I could believe. I wasn’t acting like I knew faith exceeds the limitations of man. Since I’m in this world but not of this world (see John 17:16), I should start thinking more supernaturally like the world I’m headed to.

God wants me to believe from a supernatural realm where faith isn’t dependent on the natural order of things. You see, subconsciously I ran everything through a logical filter: reasonableness, sensibleness, and soundness all of which can become—faith destroyers.

Believe in God’s ability—over yours.

Think about this: The miracles that were made possible in the Bible were done, by God, through ordinary people like you and me: Gideon’s clan was the weakest in Manasseh, and he was the least in his family (see Judges 6:15). Elijah was a man with a nature like ours (see James 5:17). Jeremiah was concerned that he was too young to be used by God (see Jeremiah 1:6-7).

God chooses the weak things of this world to confound the things which are mighty (see 1 Corinthians1:27). He receives all the glory when His power shines through frail vessels. But even though Heaven is fueling the power, we still have plenty of work to do:

1. Submit our lives over to God.
2. Develop an intimate relationship with Him.
3. Fight the good fight of faith by lifting the shield of faith when fears and doubts creep in; use the Word to slay anything contrary to what the Lord says. (See Ephesians 6:16-17.)
4. Stay encouraged and wait for His perfect timing to make it possible.

Now here’s the hardest part:

5. Ask God to help you accept His will if it differs from yours (see Luke 22:42). When you genuinely accept His plan, it frees you from the enemy’s torment.
6. When our prayers are in alignment with God’s will, all things are possible.

… With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).

Two closing remarks:

• The devil told me if I make any attempts to strengthen my faith, I’m asking for trouble because faith has to be tested. However, he left out one important detail; faith will be tested—developed or not. So, it’s best for me to have my arsenal pointing straight at him; fully powered up, and ready to fire—24/7.

• I had written another writing for this week, but at the last-minute God changed it to “Possible!” Is He sending you the message Possible for such a time as this?

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

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How absurd is it to jimmy a lock when you have the key in your hand? Here’s another absurdity, Christians who struggle with worries and fears when they have the Holy Spirit residing in them. There’s no rationale for Christians to be burnt-out when they have the third person of the Holy Trinity dwelling inside of them. Jesus told His disciples that it was good that He go away because the Father will send them the Holy Spirit.

. . . But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you (John 14:26, AMP).

Sometimes we might act like we have it “altogether” not wanting or needing God’s help. Many times, that’s not the case at all, it’s more about us not fully understanding the revelation of the awesome power within us. In 1 Peter 5:7, we are told to cast our cares. In John 14:27, Jesus said that He left His peace with us, and we shouldn’t be troubled neither afraid. Our job, however, is to purposefully fight the good fight of faith and receive the peace we have been given through Christ. (Also, see: Matthews 11:28-30; Psalms 23:4; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18.)

An unopened bottle of faith

Consequently, as soon as your spirit becomes agitated, it’s an indication to put your faith into action. Don’t wait until you have exhausted all your friends and self-help techniques before you call on the Holy Spirit’s help. Because when you do that, you have subconsciously relegated your relationship with Him to an after-thought—your plan Z. To prevent this from happening, get into the habit of calling on the Spirit throughout the day. Include Him in what you might consider “mundane” tasks. Go ahead ask Him; you know you wanna’ know: “Which watermelon is the sweetest?”

The more we practice involving the Holy Spirit in our everyday routines, the more faith we’ll have to avoid burnouts when trouble strikes. If we think grabbing an unopened bottle of faith off the shelf is going to move mountains—well, think again.

God’s Word is not plan Z; nor is His Spirit to be ignored. Joseph M. Scriven, author of the beloved hymn “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” summed it up when he wrote:

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

Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge;
take it to the Lord in prayer.

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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Imagine what would happen if the hate that is spewed out into the world today made an immediate U-turn back to its sender. Even though we reap what we sow (see Galatians 6:7), it’s hard for some to believe this goes for them, too. However, they might have a change of mind after a few immediate U-turns with life’s most persuasive teacher: Retribution! Sooner or later they’ll learn, “hate don’t love nobody—not even them.”

Instant backatcha´ is a blessing of mercy.

Of course, there are some whose very nature is to hate; I’m not talking about them; that’s a state of being that is beyond my understanding. I’m talking about those who are oblivious to the suffering they subject on others until it ricochets into their personal space. “What goes around—comes around” is painful when it’s a mirrored image of one’s own heartless acts. Nevertheless, it’s a blessing of mercy; a chance to change course.

Hate can be misleading!

Before any of us start thinking hate isn’t our problem, we should be cognizant of the fact hatred has many misleading disguises. The devil knows how to mask animosity, unforgiveness, revenge, greed, selfishness, and other forms of strife to be palatable enough for a “good” person to think they can swallow it and not choke. As a matter of fact, if we fall for it, the kingdom of darkness will have us think we’re doing the Lord a service.

Weigh the cost!

If we allow ourselves to be used to spread hate, eventually we’ll lose. But if we have the faith to do what Scriptures like the ones below command, not only will U-turns bring blessings instead of curses, but hell will be disarmed because it has no retaliatory comeback for love.

• Luke 6:31: So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 7:12, NIV).

• Mark 12:30-31: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these (Mark 12:30-31, NIV).

• Luke 6:35-36:  . . . love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful (Luke 6:35, NIV).

An added precaution:

We can’t be trusted to do a thorough unbiased search for hidden fragments of hate in our own hearts. We should follow David’s lead; he asked the only One who could see deep within the chambers of a man’s soul; he asked God to search his heart.

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting (Psalm 139:23-24).

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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In our “pushed into a corner—all is lost—what do I do, now” stories, we should somehow (not saying it’s going to be easy) find the faith to think beyond the hurt; see how God can be glorified in the mess. By transferring our attention to Him, it momentarily interrupts the ambush that’s trying to take over our emotions. Even though these pauses will probably last only a few minutes at a time, at least a different viewpoint would have been introduced.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

God’s glory is the passport out of the gory!

My son, Harry, came to me the other day with a situation; I told him to find the glory in the story. His initial response: What? I went on to explain that he should look for the blessings in the rubble. After careful inspection, we found three hidden in the heap. We then started talking more about the glory than the gory.

The way I see it, we have two options when we find ourselves in a fix. 1. We can go down the dead-end road the devil laid out, or 2. Think about the message the Holy Spirit wants to relay to us and through us as our stories unfold. We pretty much know the end results of the first option; however, the second option should be examined a little closer.

The movie vs. the book

People are more prone to watching the movie vs. reading the book. This is especially true when it comes to reading the Bible. Nonbelievers will be more intrigued when they observe believers who actually live their lives based on the Word, as oppose to believers reading the Word to them without any real-life, real-time testimonies to back up their claim. For instance, nonbelievers are checking to see how Christians react to everyday issues like adversity. Do they respond in line with their convictions, or are they overtaken by the gory like everybody else?

In a world where there’s so much skepticism concerning God’s existence, skeptics want to be convinced—before they sign on the dotted line.

But—it doesn’t stop there!

These sideliners aren’t the only ones paying attention to the movie; God is watching His people:

• appreciating His glory, and
• praising Him for His glory in the midst of their gory.

Can you spot God’s glory in your story?

I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. 2 My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. 3 O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together. 4 I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears (Psalm 34:1-4).

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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You have probably experienced times, I know I have, when you felt alone and needed God’s comfort; one word from Him would have carried you a long way. But you couldn’t sense His presence, so you began to wonder—Where are You, Lord? To the best of your knowledge and awareness, you tried to live obedient to His Word; you followed the guidelines of faith, but with all your good efforts you still thought—Where are You, Lord? You knew God said that He would never leave you; you knew the Holy spirit lives on the inside of you; nonetheless—like a child reaching out to its parent, you needed the assurance that your heavenly Father was there—but heaven was silent.

Why, LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
(Psalm 10:1, NIV)

Lord—where are You?

Matthew 28:20 says God will never leave us—that’s good to know during hard times. The fact that hell can’t make a move without heaven knowing about it should ease our minds, also. But as troubling as “trouble” can be, believe it or not, the trouble isn’t the main issue, because heaven is monitoring that crisis (see 1 Corinthians 10:13). God is more interested in how we perceive what’s going on; the substitutes we use to take His place when we can’t trace Him in the darkest of dark times.

Quiet—testing!

If you are a teacher, parent, coach or hold any position of instructing or training, you must at some point—test the students to see if they can apply what was taught. The same is true on a spiritual level. You won’t know the strength, or lack, of your faith if it’s never put through fiery tests. Without these tests, you might think you’re trusting God, only to find out you don’t have enough faith to blow out a candle.

I’m sure Peter was sincere when he told Jesus he would never deny Him, however, when he was faced with the possible consequences of that stance, Peter denied Jesus three times in one night (see Matthew 26:69-75). From Peter’s experience, we can see how easily it is to get caught up in the moment; we might think we’re functioning on a level in Christ that we’re not. The only way to put an end to this deceit is for our faith to be tested.

The test: The effectiveness of our faith to believe and apply Scriptures to our everyday challenges.

Test prep questions:

How intimate is my relationship with God? What should I do to become even closer to Him? How can I develop more trust and confidence in my own prayers? What must I do to exchange my fears, doubts, and worries for faith? How can I effectively use Scriptures in my everyday situations? Which Scripture(s) can help me with what I’m going through right now? How can I use these Scriptures as a sword against the enemy? What should I do to remain hopeful in the promises of God when I can’t sense His presence?

Helpful study tip:

Don’t wait until the day of the test to prepare.

We don’t necessarily have to pass the test with flying colors. Because each wobbly-rickety step of faith, is an accomplishment that will be credited towards our next trial as we go from faith to faith.

So, the next time you find yourself wondering: Where are You, Lord? Use your faith to hear Him say:

I’m Right Here!

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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There are no obstructions or legions pitched out of hell that can block the supremacy of God. Who dares to stand in defiance before the One who stretched out the heavens; laid the foundations of earth; lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters; and, makes the clouds His chariot? (Psalm 104:3-5) If your faith is speckled with doubts and marred by fear, check to see if you’re connected to limited man, or to the Unlimited God, the One who walks upon the wings of the wind.

If God is for us, what can the limitations of man do against us?

If God so sees fit, He’ll open doors that man has determined to keep shut, and He’ll shut doors that man, in all his strength and influence, can’t open. If hell hounds are clenching your heels, God will hide you in the safety of His pavilion. If there’s a “red sea” blocking you, He’ll command the winds to whoosh the water aside; My LORD!

For in time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock (Psalm 27:5).

Unlimited faith is not restricted to limited means!

Unlike man, God has no limitations; therefore, if our faith is linked to His unlimited power—the sky is NOT the limit. The miraculous might supersede man’s logical thinking; but that doesn’t mean it’s unachievable when God can create a way out of nothing. We can’t depend on our own intellect or the abilities of others to come up with the right answers, but we can rely completely on God’s wisdom. His unlimited resources will never diminish. Humans can only go so far in whatever there are trying to achieve, but with God…

However, if we try to put God’s means and methods in a conventional box, we might miss out. Instead, of Him entering in through the front door, He might seep in through the vents. We must put our trust in Him no matter how His blessings come; or whom He chooses to deliver them by. Sometimes it’s too much for our brains to imagine what the unlimited God can do.

“… I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:19)

I think we should spend more time praying for God to reveal His Majesty, and less time concentrating on what man can do against us. As we grow spiritually in our understanding of who God is, the clearer we’ll see people as lumps of animated clay—performing (for a short minute) on earth’s stage. Our faith should be in the One who made the clay.

Limited man vs. Unlimited God—No contest!

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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Breaking News!!! Evil-fiery darts headed in our direction; take cover in the secret place (see Psalm 91). And, fear not; God has given us everything we’ll need. However, even though we have angels guarding us, the Word equipping us, and the Holy Spirit leading and guiding us, we still have to exert our faith in order to get maximum results.

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy (1Peter 4:12-13).

Who’s the target?

When a fiery dart comes to interrupt our lives, we shouldn’t take it matter-of-factly with an attitude of: Oh well, that’s life. Darts hit for a reason. It’s important to identify the target, then if we can, find out what caused it in the first place. This will help us to strategize our counterattack. Think about it, we wouldn’t use the same type of brush to paint a house as we would to brush our teeth.

Darts aimed at us!

At the moment, I can think of two reasons (there are probably more) why darts would aim for us: 1. The consequences of our own making. 2. The enemy trying to kill, steal, and destroy us.

If the dart is because of our wrongdoings, and we’re not willing to repent, we can wield all the faith we have and stand in all the prayer lines in the world, but it won’t redirect that dart—

Bullseye!

But, if we have done wrong and we’re truly remorseful, God will forgive us. Subsequently, we might still have to bear the chastisement of our erroneous actions, but the good news is we have the power, love, and mercy of God to walk us through.

Quoting Scriptures not enough—DO the Scriptures!

Then there are those random darts of fear that will attack our minds; no fault of our own. When those strikes happen, we can’t just read or quote Scriptures; we have to do the Scriptures. For example, 1Timothy 6:12 tells us to fight the good fight of faith (action word: fight); Ephesians 6:13 tells us to put on the full armor of God (action: put on); verse 14 instructs us to put on the breastplate of righteousness and stand firm (action: put on and stand firm); verse 16 charges us to take up the shield of faith, and the sword of salvation (action: take up), and finally verse 18 directs us to pray always (action: pray).
We fight illegal suggestions (lies) that will attack our minds by exercising our faith. The devil hopes we’ll get tired of putting on the armor (suggestion: never take it off), but if we concede—he’ll take over our thoughts and control our lives.

Darts aimed at God!

A perfect example of innocent people who underwent fiery darts for our Savior is found in the second chapter of Matthew. In Bethlehem, King Herod ordered his soldiers to slaughter all male children under two years old in order to kill baby Jesus.

Today there are martyrs who are being persecuted; sparing not their own lives in order to spread the gospel to those living in restricted countries. There are people in our part of the world taking darts every day because of their love for God. You might be one of them who are ridiculed and hated because of your stance with Christ.

If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you (John15:18-19).

As life unfolds, there’s no way to avoid all the fiery darts; even if you live a life of compromises and negotiations; buddying up to the enemy—trying not to tick-him-off. The devil will still throw evil darts as if to say, “You knew I was a snake.”

Darts won’t stop coming; stay in the secret place; “Do” the Word of God!

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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If we think a few gestures, gimmicks, and fancy religious words will fool satan into thinking we’re somebody that we’re not, then we’re sadly mistaken. We might be able to deceive one another, even ourselves, but the devil, the master deceiver, can spot a pretender. The kingdom of darkness only respects the Word when it’s spoken in faith by someone who has the backing of the Holy Spirit. Someone who has a close personal relationship with God. The devil will test us to make sure we are—who we say we are. And, to do that, all he has to do is wink; then check to see who’s still standing on the Word of God.

[God] He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved
(Psalm 62:2).

The seven sons of Sceva in Acts 19:13-16 tried to cast out an evil spirit in a man when they said, “We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.” The enemy knew they didn’t have the authority to use the name of Jesus; therefore, the spirit looked at them and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” As a result, the evil spirit overcame them; they fled naked and wounded.

Our authenticity in Christ is our greatest weapon!

I don’t care how “smart” we think we are, as long as we’re in these human bodies we are subjected to deception. The Holy Spirit is the only One who can give us the wisdom to outsmart the deceiver. However, those of us who know God must be fully committed to His Word; then the enemy will recognize who we are in Christ.

Furthermore, we want him to know—that we know who we are in Christ. Also, we want him to know—that we know—we have been validated with the authorization to use the Lord’s name against the principalities of darkness.

Therefore: Through Christ—we can discern the evil devices and tactics in our lives. Through Christ—our steps are unimpeded, and when we run, we will not stumble (see Proverbs 4:12). Through Christ—we are able to walk by faith and not by sight (see 2 Corinthians 5:7).

We must stay prayed up, alert, and ready by faith to use our spiritual weapons; not as simulated mock-ups, but as genuine, undisputable children of God.

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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When it’s time to make decisions, we can read all the books; consult all the experts, re-research all the research, but it’s still incomplete, inadequate, piecemealed information without the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God is the only One who knows where the icebergs of our best laid plans are hidden.

Do we trust God’s insight?

We’ll never know everything about anything. That’s where are faith in God comes in. If we put our trust in the Lord, we don’t have to know everything—just Him. We run into problems when we want to take matters into our own hands and bypass the conditions that are required to walk by faith. It says in Proverbs 3:5-7 not to put our trust in ourselves.

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

Ponder this:

• Do I have faith in God’s insight to lead me down the right paths?
• How can I develop that level of trust in God?
• Can I let go of my wants and desires for His will?

Divine illumination

How wise is it to ignore God’s divine illuminating light shining on underlying factors? Our superficial understanding: will include people into our lives who we should exclude; will take the wrong job; marry the wrong person; buy the wrong house, only to leave us scratching our heads thinking—if the walls had only said something.

We know what we know, but is that enough? 

I’ve run into enough icebergs head-on to know not to make any choices on what I, or anybody else perceives to be true without the input of the Holy Spirit. My faith works best when I pray first; then wait to get clearance from God. Sometimes, however, I can’t discern His leading, but I’ve learned His silence is one of His techniques to develop my spiritual ear. Can I sense His Spirit by faith?

That’s when I slowly move in my desired direction knowing everything is going to be alright because I acknowledged and honored God before I ventured out. He will pull me back if I’m headed in the wrong direction if I’m paying attention; wanting nothing, but to please Him.

Would you rather hit an iceberg with or without God?

We won’t be able to circumvent every iceberg in our lives (see John 16:33; Psalm 34:19). Nonetheless, icebergs don’t have to take us down. God knows beforehand what’s ahead; nothing catches Him off guard. Therefore, when we depend on the Holy Spirit to walk us through; those hard-pressed encounters won’t destroy us, but will grow us.

God knows where the icebergs are—do you?

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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We routinely take the same route; red light stop—green light go; change lanes; turn right, turn left; go straight; more lights, and before we know it,

Tadaaahhh—we’re there!

When it’s time to leave, we robotically return home; stopping at the same lights and making the same turns. The brain automatically placed that boring commute into a human databank ready to perform on demand—great!

However, not so great when the brain automatically turns our praise and worship into a thoughtless religious-ritual. Even though we love the Lord, if we aren’t mindful of the enemy’s tactics, we could find ourselves worshipping from an archive of dead religious clichés.

It’s good to outsmart the brain, every now and then, so it won’t unexpectedly place our praise and worship into a powerless spiritual-database of routines. Our Lord deserves more than prefabricated praises.

Words without power equals no faith.

How can we tell if our praise has slipped into a mindless practice? We can tell because robotic spirituality lacks the power of the Holy Spirit. When the Spirit is a part of our worship, He brings healing, comfort, and other aspects of His love. Also, we can tell we’re not linked to the Source when our faith yields too easily to doubt and unbelief.

The idea of worshipping turning into a ritual came to my mind the other day when I deviated slightly from my usual morning routine with God. Instead of praying before sunrise, the sun had already risen, and I changed from praying first to reading Scriptures. That’s when the devil told me my prayer wasn’t effective because I didn’t follow my regular format.

Red flag moment!

What the enemy said was so ridiculous that it made me stop and think: Am I so dependent on a mindless rigid routine (churches can be guilty of this, too) that the Holy Spirit’s freedom of expression is smothered? Are my praises coming forth out of habit or from my heart?

Worshipping God is more than a ritual.

We must honor God’s spontaneity. If He wants us to sit in silence and listen with our spiritual ear, or sing a song, or read His Word, whatever He wants us to do, we should be willing to relinquish our routine, and allow His Spirit to direct our praise.

Almighty God deserves more than a routine praise.

Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comey (Psalm 147:1).

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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We are witnessing what happens when global warming is ignored; glaciers melting causing water levels to rise; arctic wildlife threatened with extinction; weather patterns gone haywire, and air pollution worsening are a few problems that have been emerging. But there’s another type of global warming that should get even more of our attention:

Hell fires!

These demonic fires are melting away (among other things) our decency; the moral values of this world. What used to be wrong is now acceptable; what used to be right is now outdated and old-fashioned. The Word of God warns us not to compromise (see Galatians 1:6-7; Matthew 6:24; James 4:4).

So, how can we slow this inferno down? Notice, I said slow down; I’m not naive enough to think we can stop it altogether; these roaring flames began simmering sometime in the beginning. . . However, just because it started once upon a time, doesn’t leave us blameless without anything to do.

Don’t get pulled into this molten world!

Pointing fingers is not what I call doing something; if the truth be told, we are all playing a part in this meltdown, either by passively surrendering our self-respect to a perverted world, or by being a direct or indirect contributor. To delete moral decency and think everything will be fine, is like trying to hold water in our bare hands—won’t work! We must not give way to this demolition of values.

Fight fire with the FIRE!

God is the all-consuming fire (see Hebrew12: 25-29). Jesus came to earth and modeled how we should hold our stance against this meltdown. His armor (see Ephesians 6:10-18) when put under the most extreme conditions—won’t melt.

Fight indecency with decency!

Our love for Christ will give us the passion and the faith to stand on the side of right. The world might be slowly melting, but God’s people are standing firmly on the solid Rock.

• Treat people the way you want to be treated (see Luke 6:31).
• Give mercy the way you want mercy given to you (see Matthew 5:7; James 2:13).
• Leave vengeance to the Lord (see Romans 12:19).
• Overcome evil with good (see Romans 12:21).

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14).

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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Water dissolves sugar; gasoline dissolves oil; vinegar dissolves calcium, and God dissolves confusion. So, if you find yourself confused, call on God to dissolve it. And, since He’s not the author of confusion (see 1 Corinthians 14:33) guess where it’s coming from?

Are you confused about anything?

I’m constantly learning about the benefits children of God have through Jesus Christ. But, many of us don’t use our faith to receive these privileges because of a lack of knowledge (see Hosea 4:6). God’s Word serves many purposes; however, I feel one of those functions is far too often overlooked. We see the Bible in its broader sense, but what about how it offers practical advice for everyday mundane situations like being confused about something. Do we tolerate this spirit of confusion thinking it’s just a part of life, or do we oppose it vigorously knowing it’s not from God?

As I’ve stated, I’m still learning about the privileges I have as a child of God. But one thing I have learned, and that is not to put up with confusion. Confusion is a red flag for me to stop and call on the Almighty. He knows the way I should go; so, why not ask Him? I would like to share two examples of how God dissolved confusion in my life.

Example #1: I was in a church committee meeting when we found ourselves in a ball of confusion trying to decide what to do and which way to go in a matter. Around and around, and around we went until God put this into my spirit: Ask Me what to do?

When I told the committee what God said, we stopped and prayed. In a couple of minutes, we noticed the Holy Spirit had filled the room with peace and we were able to think clearly.

God dissolved the confusion.

Example #2: Back when I was an elementary school principal, I can’t tell you how many heated disputes I witnessed between parents and teachers. When the battalions came to my office, they each told their side of the story.

As they vented, I would sit silently at my desk, with my eyes automatically shifting back and forth to the person speaking at that moment. Anyone would have thought, “She’s listening intensely to everything that I’m saying.” However, the truth of the matter, I wasn’t listening at all, but instead my spirit was bowed down to God pleading and crying: HELP!

God always heard my cry and calmed the situation by telling me the perfect thing to say. All those conferences, and I do mean ALL, ended with either a handshake or hug.

God dissolved the confusion.

The devil loves it when he sees us wasting time trying to untangle commotion he instigated; instead of entertaining him, we should use our faith and get help. We should never assume we can handle the enemy’s plots without the help of the Holy Spirit, because even small elements of confusion can mushroom into something greater if ignored or mishandled.

Children of the Most High don’t have to tolerate what is not of God. We have certain rights, privileges, and benefits through Jesus Christ our Lord. Therefore—

Ask God to dissolve any confusion in your life!

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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When life drains all your fight-back energy, it can leave you feeling despondent. Nevertheless, even though you’re beaten-down and cornered in, you manage to find a tiny seed of faith that you humbly exchange for an enormous miracle. It’s not easy to believe such a meager offering will be sufficient for God to bring “it” to pass. However, He knows when you’re doing your best to trust Him. He can interpret your heart’s intent, and turn your little faith into a gigantic miracle.

God knows a seed’s authenticity.

In Luke 17:6 it says, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.

If God said He will do it, then He will do it. If He spoke it, then it will come to pass (see Numbers 23:19). Unlike man, God can’t lie. He knows everything about the situation you’re facing; He knows what needs to be done, and He has the power to bring it to pass with your little, not quite sure, seed of faith.

That’s exactly the state I found myself in a few weeks ago when I was crying out for a miracle. As I was praying, the Holy Spirit brought Psalm 37:3-5 to my attention.

Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

Let me tell you, when God interrupts your prayer in order to give you a Scripture, you better pay strict attention, and do whatever it says for you to do. Hold on to that Word; it’s your confirmation that it will come to pass if you met the conditions. Every time doubt tried to creep in, I used those verses like a Sword and chopped the enemy down. You can’t receive anything better when you are believing for an answered prayer than to get a direct Word from the Most-High.

Watch Me bring it to pass!

The Holy Spirit spoke to me directly from His Word. Not only did He speak His Word, but He empowered it with revelation as it pertained to my circumstances; He put the following in my spirit from Psalm 37:

• Verse 3 says to trust God and do good. God let me know that being kind was not my problem, however, trusting Him was a different matter. He enlightened me that my trust wasn’t where it should be; that I still doubt and worry more than I should. But He knows I’m working diligently on it as demonstrated in verses 4 and 5.

• Verse 4 says to delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. God put in my spirit that I do delight myself in Him, because the quality time I spend with Him is increasing out of the mere fact I want to be with Him. I include Him in everything that I do, and wouldn’t think about making a decision without His directions. The Holy Spirit knows I have an insatiable appetite for the things concerning Him.

• Verse 5 says to commit your ways to Him and He shall bring it to pass. God let me know that I’m doing the best, in my flawed ways, to commit to Him, and since I’m meeting the conditions of these verses, in spite of my imperfect understanding, He knows I’m sincere. Therefore, when the devil comes with a lie, I should confidently tell him, “That’s not a desire of my heart.”

I shall bring the desires of your heart to pass!

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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We are lit to light. Here’s what I mean: Our encouraging words could light the fire that will inspire someone to go after their dreams. A smile given to a despondent stranger could be the light that says: You have value. Even the hardships we have gone through, empowered us with the sensitivity, wisdom, and understanding needed to ignite faith to those hurting. We are lit so we can light the light—in others.

We are lit to bless.

If God had wanted our lives to be lived in isolation, He wouldn’t have put so many of us, jammed packed, on earth. These living conditions causes us, like it or not, to inner act with one another. To say it differently, we need each other. While I’m lighting your fire, someone is lighting a fire in me. Consequently, the gifts, talents, and other attributes that we are blessed with are lights to be shared.

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house (Matthew 5:14-15).

We have no idea how many lives we are influencing.

But here’s the problem, the adversary doesn’t want us to share the blessings of God. Therefore, he will plant thoughts like jealousy, greed, and resentment. The devil doesn’t care what type or method of discord is used as long as it impedes our lights. Of course, we know these are not thoughts from the Holy Spirit; so, as soon as these ills are detected, we are to start pondering on godly things (see Philippians 4:8). And even if our hearts are pure from strife, the enemy will cause us to doubt that we have any lights to share.

Last week when I was volunteering at a food pantry, another volunteer spotted a client in distressed. The volunteer looked at me and said, “Somebody should see about her.” It struck me that the volunteer was the “somebody” with the light—it was her heart that was moved with compassion. How many times do we pass off our responsibilities to help when we are the somebodies with the light?

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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You’ll get no argument from me; I agree, there are some pretty scary stuff happening on this planet. There are bloodcurdling, run for your life, moments occurring somewhere all the time. It’s true, not every fear falls into the hair-raising category, however, they are still fears—no less.

Don’t fear the wrong fears!

As alarming as our personal everyday circumstances can be, many of those incidents don’t merit the caliber of fright we attach to them. Or, maybe I should state it this way: We allow the fears that are spawned from hell too much control over our lives. It tells us in Isaiah 14:12-17 that everyone will gaze upon satan and ask:

. . .Is this the man that made the earth tremble, that did shake kingdoms (vs. 16).

It sounds like he doesn’t deserve the respect of our fears. After all, he was thrown out of heaven; why would anybody be persuaded to follow him? The fears we validate the devil with are displaced! He doesn’t deserve our fright.

Be more afraid of what God will do when you disobey Him, than the devil.

And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him (Luke 12:4-5).

There’s nothing coming out of hell that a child of God should fear.

God has given His children the faith to be able to overcome anything discharged from the pit of hell (see Luke 10:19). The power we have shines light on the deceptive shadows of fear. What is there to fear if we have the faith to put on God’s armor? (See Ephesians 6:10-18.) You tell me, what demon can come against an angel of God? (See Exodus 15:6; Psalm 91:11-13.)

The other day when I was fearfully worried about something, God had me to remember an old familiar line parents used, and some are probably still saying:

“If you don’t stop crying, I’ll give you something to cry about!”

My heavenly Father’s message to me:

If you don’t stop worrying, I’ll allow something to worry about!

Whoa! I don’t have to tell you I straighten up—INSTANTLY. Fear and worry lost that round. As the Scripture in Luke warns: Fear the One who can cast you into hell.

Make sure your fears aren’t displaced!

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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