Back when I was a toddler, I learned how to skillfully yank and pull folk’s strings to get what I wanted. Of course, I felt it was my duty to share this vital information with my peers so they could get unshackled from all the unjust “stop—NO—don’t do that” rules. For example, one day my mother overheard me giving my sister (who was two years older) some of my valuable advice on how to get whatever she wanted: CRY!

Strings—invaluable!

We might be able to put a spoiled-bratty kid in check, but what happens when we are being controlled subliminally? Who’s controlling those strings? Who bought those controlling rights? It’s no surprise the advertising industry invest million plus dollars to study subtle ways to dominate our actions and other factors to enrich their bottom line.

On the other hand, some of their techniques are overt; we know exactly what’s going on, but being controlled subconsciously have the most damaging lasting effects if coordinated by evil intentions. If we’re not paying attention, we can find ourselves acting in ways that’s against our convictions for no apparent reason. It makes one wonder: Are these my independent actions and thoughts, or am I being controlled by some unknown entity? Who or what influences are governing my behavior?

Manipulated?

The root of evil is not from those who selfishly compromise our well-being for their personal gain; for sure they play a part, but they’re not the root. The venom is being generated and pumped out of the principalities of darkness; underground worlds of wickedness as described in Ephesians 6:12.

Those who are unsuspicious, unaware, or don’t care that these principalities exist, make the best targets. I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase: “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” An unoccupied mind makes the perfect workstation for evil to set up shop. Left idly unattended, the enemy will wrap your strings around your throat and choke you to death.

Help cometh from the Lord!

We don’t have enough information on how these conspiracies work; and since wicked supernatural forces seek us, then by faith, we need to put our trust in the Supernatural Council of the Holy Spirit to guide us. In Proverbs 28:26 it says, He who leans on, trusts in, and is confident of his own mind and heart is a [self-confident] fool, but he who walks in skillful and godly Wisdom shall be delivered. (AMP)

Who legally purchased the rights to our strings?

Jesus Christ bought the rights to our strings when He gave His life so that we are not bound by the kingdom of darkness (see John 10:10-11). When Jesus gave His life on the cross, [God] disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over in Him and in it [the cross]. (Colossians 2:15, AMP)  

Ephesians 6:11 tells us to put on the complete armor of God; while Colossians 3:1-2 tells us how to stay safeguarded all the time against these evil forces.

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. ² Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Question: Who or what is controlling your strings?

© 2019                            See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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Whew! This is Paulette Talks Faith’s 312^th post; resulting in six Paulette Talks Faith books—five of which are published. I owe it all to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Without His help, I could not have written one single word—worth reading. He kept this blog going consecutively all these weeks in spite of a few: grammatical glitches, punctuation—Opps, a couple of meltdowns, and two computer crashes. Whew!

Get back to work!

If God inspired you to do something that you laid aside due to frustration, disappointment, or whatever—don’t you dare call it quits; dust off your faith, take a deep breath—splash some water on your face—and get back to work.

[You] can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth [you] (see Philippians 4:13).

It doesn’t matter what obstacles come your way; if God is the originator of your desires, He allowed the obstacles. He can turn it around for good if you love and trust Him (see Romans 8:28). However, you, have to actively use your faith and do whatever the Holy Spirit tells you to do. (See James 2:17.) Even if the enemy meant for those obstructions to stop you; let God use them to make you stronger and wiser.

As far as Paulette Talks Faith is concerned, I have no idea what plans God has for this blog as I finish book 6; I’m taking it week-by-week. In the meantime, in commemoration of the 312^th post, I would like you to visit excerpts from past writings:

Book 1: Devil, You Went Too Far—Now I Gotta′ Cut Cha!

Sometimes when the devil shows up in your life, he will do little pesky annoying things that will cause you some kind of inconvenience, like hiding your car keys. BUT THEN! There are those times when the predicaments you face can be catastrophic. What should you do when disaster knocks on your front door? What should you do when the enemy has your child by the throat? Just simply tell the Devil: You went too far—now I gotta′ cut cha! Cut him down with the Word of God. The Word is your Sword (Ephesians 6:17). The devil can walk around roaring like a lion (1 Peter 5:8). However, you have the Lion of Judah inside you. Sling the Sword; he can’t stand up against the Word when spoken in faith, by a believer.

Book 2: Return to Sender!

Suppose everyone in the world selfishly kept their gifts, talents, and blessings to themselves. If that were the case, there would be no art galleries to tour, no orchestras to hear, no books to read, no plays to enjoy, and no pretty smiles to inspire. God gave us these gifts so that we can bless others. Faith will help us to confidently walk in our call. God is the Sender. We return to Sender when we use our blessings to bless others.

Book 3: Trust God or Go Stone Crazy

Okay, here are the choices: We can either put our faith in God to lead, guide, and protect—or we can go absolutely stone-crazy with fear, worry, and anxiety. When we look at it that way, the only wise choice is to trust God.

Book 4: Guided by Circumstances and Situations

Since my prayers can’t override a person’s free will, I pray for God to arrange incidents, maneuver movements, control conditions, and synchronize episodes that will suggest the right path for them to take. Some of His guidance will come in the form of open and closed doors, favor, timing, and even dead ends. In other words, shine a super-natural light that overshadows all the confusion so they can see clearly. Now—it’s on them to make the right choice.

Book 5: Haters Need Prayer, Too

I know it’s not always easy to extend a helping hand to someone who just might bite it off—I get that. Nevertheless, there are people who are drowning in their own hateful ways. We could leave them out there to sink; after all, they’re getting what they deserve—right? But it’s the believers’ job to pray for the haters. They need God’s love, mercy, and grace, too. So, go ahead and throw them the Life Raft! 

_________________________

Until God says differently, it’s time for me to get back to work and start on Paulette Talks Faith Book 7.

I would like to take this time and give a heartfelt THANK YOU to all my faithful Readers!!!!! Your participation to read and share my post encourages me more than you could ever imagine.

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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I cannot recall a time when a rainbow was visible and no one pointed it out; its majestic splendor captures attention. I hope the attraction isn’t because of the connotation that the world has attached to it: leprechauns, four-leaf clovers, and big pots of gold. I like to think the attraction is because of the spiritual connection we have with God. His rainbow doesn’t offer meaningless platitudes of luck and fortune; instead, it’s a reminder of the covenant He made with Noah and to the generations that follow. I believe we can parallel that covenant to the promises He gives us when perilous times fog our lives.

I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: (Genesis 9:13-14)

God is in the storm

If you want to have a close intimate relationship with God—walk with Him through a personal storm. When you get tired of being hunted and chased by the devil’s hellhounds, and your response to the Holy Spirit is: “Yes, Lord,” trust me—you’ll get to know Him.

When we embrace the covenant of God through life’s storms, we are welcoming the Holy Spirit our: Comforter, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby (see John 14:26, AMP) to guide us through.

He knows everything there is to know about us and the smog we find ourselves in. If God is for us who can come against us? (See Romans 8:31; Psalm 118:6.) He has given His angels charge over us (see Psalm 91:11-12).

When we dwell with the Holy Spirit and obey His Word, we become sensitive to His nudges; we begin to recognize His voice when He speaks to our spirits.

Yes, storms are frightening; and yes, the enemy will bombard our minds with gloomy thoughts of hopelessness. That’s why it would be a foolish mistake to focus on the storm and miss the beautiful majestic splendor of God’s rainbow:

• God’s Rainbow of Comfort– Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me (Psalm 23-4, AMP).
• God’s Rainbow of Hope– May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peaceas you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13, NIV).
• God’s Rainbow of Peace– Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid (John 14:27, NIV).
• God’s Rainbow of War– For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, (2 Corinthians 10:4, AMP)
• God’s Rainbow of Rest– Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28, NIV).

It doesn’t matter how challenging things may be, view it with a positive eye of faith, and experience the  radiation of God’s Rainbow.

© 2019

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze (Isaiah 43:2, NIV).

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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The only way to cultivate your spiritual ear—is to use it! In other words, do as you are told. When the Holy Spirit prompts you with instructions, obey them. Sure, there will be times when you think He wants you to do this; when He really wants you to do that. But that’s how you learn—by trial and error. God needs His people to be able to discern His voice and obey His commands. The more you try to listen and obey—the more faith you’ll have in your ability to hear what He wants you to do.

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10, NIV).

God has a plan.

Since the fall of man, God has involved people in His restoration plan to restore mankind. Some declined, some wilted, and some fearfully stepped up to the challenge.

Apprehensive—but did as told.

God has always challenged His people to stretch beyond their apprehensiveness, and do as told.

• Moses’ lack of self-confidence was evident when God asked him to go before the Pharaoh on behalf of the Israelites. Moses responded: I don’t speak well.

However, he did as he was told.

• God asked Gideon to confront the Midianites. Gideon responded: I’m the weakest of my clan.

Nevertheless, he did as he was told.

• God anointed Jeremiah to be a spokesman before powerful leaders. Jeremiah responded: I’m too young for such a task.

Even so, he did as he was told.

Those were ordinary people who didn’t allow timidity or excuses stop them from doing extraordinary feats through the power of God. One thing is for sure, we all have a part in the plan.

What will be said about you?

Even still, ___________________ did as he/she was told.

 

God’s plan still unrolling . . .

It’s good we can read how those trailblazers’ faith overcame their insecurities; but now we have the baton; it’s our turn. For that reason, we should ask the Holy Spirit:

1. Where do I fit in the plan?
2. What’s at stake if I wilt or decline?
3. Am I doing what You told me to do?

Sometimes we are waiting for God to move in our lives, and His waiting for us to—

Do as We are Told!

  © 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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Are you, like many of us, waiting for God to answer your prayers? Have you been praying relentlessly for weeks, months, or perhaps even years about the same issues and concerns—never seeing any signs of a breakthrough? If you are walking in God’s will and doing your best to stay hopeful, then the only thing left for you to do is—Wait! God is secretly working on things you know nothing about.

Stay in faith—————————————————this might take a minute!

In our minds, our prayers are straightforward, but they could be more complex than we realize. For instance, when our prayers involve other people, a whole chapter in their life might have to be played out before we see any answers to our prayers. There could be lessons that they have to learn and experiences they must experience—first! These things take time.

The lessons and experiences could start an avalanche, a chain reaction in other people’s lives connected to the person we are praying for. The situation in those other lives might have to be dealt with, and so on, and so forth. (Excerpt from Paulette Talks Faith Book 1: “This—Might Take a Minute!)

Can you think of a better way for God to develop our faith than to make us wait?

God cares about our spiritual growth; therefore, sometimes a delayed prayer is more about: molding the fruit of the Spirit in our character (see Galatians 5:22-23); drawing us nearer to Him (see Matthew 6:33); transforming our desires to reflect His will (Psalm 37:4); and developing our faith to trust and obey (see Proverbs 3:5-6).

In the meantime, as we wait,  

• Look for unexpected answers and blessings along the way;
• View waiting as a time to grow spiritually;
• Meditate on a good outcome;
• Draw closer to God;
• Trust Him to do what’s best;
• Be kind and do good in other people’s lives; and
• Praise Him before you see anything.

God isn’t going to give us a play-by-play of His actions; we wouldn’t understand it even if He did (see Isaiah 55:8). We might not be able to trace His every step, but in the end, we’ll know—only God could have pulled it together so masterfully.

 “So, that’s why it took so long.”

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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God can do more than we can ever ask or think. What are you believing God for? Is the scope of your request smaller than what He wants to do in your life?

Disclaimer: I am not talking about serving God just to get everything we want like spoiled children; absolutely not. I’m talking about when we have a revelation that loving Him, obeying Him, and being in His presence are blessings by themselves; anything else—are added pluses. (See Psalm 27:4.)

I don’t want to miss out on anything that the Lord wants for me; or miss what He wants me to do for Him. Therefore, after I pray, I’ve learned to ask the Holy Spirit to pray for me. He knows the Father’s will; and if my prayers are too small for my earthly assignments, He will give me the desire to believe for more.

Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal:

• Are your requests in His will?
• How far is He willing to extend your request if you had the faith to believe for more?
• What does He want you to do with the blessings?

. . .We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. ²⁷ And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God (Romans 8:26-27, NIV).

There’s Kingdom work to be done!

God empowers and equips us to perform certain tasks. If our faith is too small to believe for more, we could possibly be limiting ourselves for His use. Think about the outcomes if Noah, Moses and others didn’t have the amount of faith that it took to do the jobs that were set before them?

I’ve heard people say they don’t want more faith because of the responsibilities attached. They’re right; much is given—much is required (see Luke 12:48.) But it’s not all about us. We have to get our minds off ourselves and allow the Holy Spirit to use our lives for His Kingdom. People are watching when God miraculously heals; supernaturally provides; and when He gives comfort during the worst of times. Let’s not limit the Creator of all creations with our lack of faith.

It’s our turn on earth; there’s a lot of work to be done and impacts to be made. Misusing our lives will have bitter results. On the other hand, when we walk in God’s will, the results are glorious and far reaching.

Do you have the faith—to have the faith to believe for more?

 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).

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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Our heavenly Father has put this world on notice: Come together and BEHAVE! Look around and see how far we have strayed from His Word. Do you honestly think God is pleased? He is especially displeased with how we treat one another. Some people treat their pets better than they treat human beings—you know I’m right. We can’t claim to love God who we have not seen, and mistreat our fellow man.

Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. ²¹ And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister (1 John 4:20-21, NIV).

You might disagree with my post this week; I might even lose a few followers; I do understand. But by faith, I write what the Holy Spirit gives me. And He is saying: Behave! On the other hand, if you agree with this message, please share for others to read.

God created people in all different shapes and sizes with varying degrees of intelligence. They have different likes and dislikes. Some people are full of love; some full of hate. Opposing ideologies will cross over into someone’s comfort zone. Diverse religious interpretations are as vast as the capacity to comprehend.

There are different races, customs, cultures, and social standings that give innumerable perspectives on how the world is seen. And what seems clearly simple to some is muddied and mysterious to others. The recognizable differences are far more than what I have just listed. Yet, with all the dissimilarities, God lumped us all together on earth and said: Love thy neighbor!

This directive digs deep into the depths of our hearts. It reveals everything the Holy Spirit needs to know about us. Though, many fail this test every day with prejudice, hate, greed, jealousy, and unforgiveness as they walk around with a false sense of superiority. Nevertheless, some will arrogantly argue that they are Christians—followers of Christ. (Excerpt from Paulette Talks Faith Book 3.)

We’re all connected!

Technology has connected the world; everyone is everybody’s neighbor. God has given man the skills to pull the inhabitants of this planet together—as one. Distance and language barriers can no longer separate us; the world is accessible for all to enjoy and share. No one is better than anyone else in the sight of God. Anyone who thinks differently, show your certified papers of pedigree bearing the seal of the Holy Spirit—signed by God stating: You are above His mandates. If you don’t have this document, then you must take the test and be judged like everybody else.

The test!

My background is in education. When I was a teacher, my students were tested on what was emphasized in class. Along that line of thinking, God put a lot of emphases on how we are to treat one another. It’s sad, but a lot of people have gotten side-tracked from their earthly mission in order to obtain temporal “things.”

We can get so attached to the “things” of this world that we forget we’re only here for a brief moment—just long enough to take God’s test; and loving our neighbor is a major part of the exam.

A well-constructed test will have a few brainteasers that will make the students stop and go—Hmmm! Brainteaser: Do you value your possessions, position, and money over people? If yes, how will you explain your answer to God?

What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? ²⁷ For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done (Matthew 16:26-27, NIV).

To ignore the poor, the sick, and hungry is to ignore God (see Matthew 25:34-40). Who are we to discriminate—if it hadn’t been for God’s grace on our side where would we be? (See 1 Corinthians 15:10.)

Our Father wants us to Behave!

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

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Everybody knows you can’t get rid of dandelions just by chopping off their yellow obnoxious heads; they’ll be right back with a vengeance. The only way you can fight this menace is to attack it at the root.

What works with plants—works with people. Hmmm!

There are people whose essence is drenched in negativity; everywhere they go they drag a vile stench of discord and hate. We know everybody isn’t going to be warm and fuzzy, and everybody isn’t obligated to like us; after all everybody didn’t like Jesus—still don’t. But the problem comes when these people occupy our space: supervisors, co-workers, family members, churchgoers, or a kid bullying children at school; the list can go on-and-on.

Don’t fan the flames!

What can be done when the situation becomes overwhelmingly problematic? I’ve learned not to fan the flames by snapping off at the mouth; that’s like snapping off the heads of dandelions. Also, I’ve learned tit-for-tat doesn’t work either; they’re resilient; they will be right back just like those dandelions.

Get to the root of the matter!

You have to deal with the underlying cause of the problem. And to do that, you need faith that God, through His Holy Spirit, will guide you and strengthen you. He will let you know the hate is stemming from the root—the devil. If your main focus is on what people are doing to you, then you have done nothing but cut off a few flower heads. Be opened to hear what the Spirit has to say about you; He’ll let you know if the enemy is using you to contribute to the dissension in any kind of way. You want to make sure you attack the entire root; no matter where pieces might be hiding.

Spirit vs. spirit!

This is a spiritual war that must be fought using spiritual means. It says in Ephesians 6:12 that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities in high places. The battle will take place in the root. Therefore, don’t be so concerned with what you see, the action is taking place where you can’t see.

When you are fed up, I mean—really fed up, you’ll stop cutting off the flowers and attack the root—the evil spirit inside that person. The enemy is counting on you to be too afraid to confront these spirits. Don’t be afraid, if you are a born-again Christian, the devil is more afraid of you than you are of Him. When you have a revelation of who you are in Christ, the Holy Spirit will fight for you; all you have to do is be obedient to His instructions.

How to remove unwanted roots:

1. Get to know God intimately; develop an ongoing personal loving relationship with Him. Spend quality (daily) time in His presence by reading His Word, praying, and listening to His instructions.
2. Not only listen to His instructions, but obey them! God speaks His instructions in many different ways including but not limited to: His Word, peace, an inner gut feeling/an inner knowing, other people, wisdom, and visions. If you’re having problems discerning His voice, ask for the Holy Spirit’s help.
3. If God so instructs, get a prayer group and form a spiritual invisible chain (see Matthew 18:18-20).
4. Submit your flesh under the obedience of the Holy Spirit; react and respond to this person the way the Spirit wants you to. The Fruit of the Spirit is a perfect guardrail. (See Galatians 5:22.)
5. Overcome evil with good (see Romans 12:21). Personally, I find this to be a whole lot of fun. The enemy doesn’t know how to respond to love; it makes him as helpless as a fish out of water.
6. DON’T LET UP!!!!
7. If the Lord so instructs, fast (see Matthew 17:14-21; Mark 9:16-29).

Since you turned the battle over to God, the next time you see this person smile and think:

 You have no idea!

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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You do know, there are people who don’t want to see others favored by the Lord. Sad to say, there are even church folks guilty of this. Their reasons can stem all the way from envy to—they feel the person doesn’t deserve to be blessed. Beware, not all smiling faces come from happy hearts; not all wishers are well-wishers. To put it bluntly: Haters simply don’t like others being favored over them.

Honey draws ants—favor draws haters.

If you are a recipient of God’s favor, people will wonder: Why do you always get the best jobs; make the best deals; and get the last turkey on sale? These are innocent questions that will intrigue the average person’s mind. On the other hand, if the person’s spirit is vexed, the devil will turn those harmless questions into something sinister. The enemy will draw these people to you, and use them to pull you away from your blessings.

Deception in plain view: The haters think you are their problem—when the devil is their problem.

Don’t trip on a hater’s hate!

Keep in mind—if you trip over their hatred by retaliating in an ungodly manner, you could miss what God has for you. Thank the Lord for His bountiful favor; and leave the haters scratching their heads in bewilderment.

If God be for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31b)

God’s ways and thoughts are higher than ours. (See Isaiah 55:9.)

Don’t waste your time trying to understand the omniscient mind of God. He chooses to favor whomever He wishes; whenever and how He pleases. Maybe a person is favored because they’re walking upright before God. Or, maybe He’s using favor to draw them closer to Him. Or, perhaps He wants others to see His goodness through them. Whatever His reasons are, they are His reasons; for His glorious plan.

God bestows favor for His purpose.

In Genesis 6:6-7, God said He regretted that He created humans because of their sinful ways; therefore, He decided to wipe them off the earth. But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord; as a result, Noah was used for God’s purpose. In Ruth 2:15, God favored Ruth, and led Boaz to her. God had a purpose because this union became a part of Jesus’ lineage.

When we are favored, we are to view the advantages it brings as tools to be used for God’s overall purpose. It will be to our detriment if we allow anyone to deter us from the mission that we have been assigned.

On the flip side . . .

However, we must make sure we’re not one of the ones doing the hating. No one is above being deceived by the enemy. We might think we don’t have a jealous bone in our bodies, but he will try us. Paul said when he wanted to do good, evil was always present (see Romans 7:19-21).

We have no control over evil thoughts zooming into our minds, but we do have control not to take them under consideration.

In closing, don’t take your blessings for granted. Instead, praise God, honor Him with your obedience; and use your faith to humbly accept the fact that you have been favored by the Holy One; and haters can’t do a thing about it.

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

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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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