Tag: #naturephotography

The Sabbath: A Gift from God

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

“The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27, ESV, Emphasis added).

Have you taken time to ponder this? The Sabbath is a day of rest that God created as a gift for spiritual refreshment. It is a time to spend with God. God gave us a model for rest after He created EVERYTHING (Gen. 2:2-3). It symbolizes the Heavenly rest to come (Heb. 4:1-11). The day was created to glorify Himself.

There have been many debates over which day of the week is to be considered the “Sabbath” day for rest. Not only that, but Jesus was met with opposition over healing and harvesting food on the Sabbath (Mark 2:23-28; 3:1-6; Luke 13:10-17). Regulations that were not imposed by God but by religious leaders, who, according to The Holman Bible Dictionary, created their own laws and expanded prohibitions, such as banning the untying of knots, to the point that they lost their original spirit but satisfied legal requirements (Brand, 1396).

Jesus showed us that love for others was more important than the laws. He observed the day as a day of worship (Luke 4:16), but His failure to comply with the minute restrictions brought conflict. Jesus didn’t come to please man, but God.

The first Christians, as recorded in Acts 13:14, met on the first day of the week, which was also the Sabbath, to proclaim Christ on the day of His resurrection (Matt. 28:1; Acts 20:7). They viewed the Sabbath and other matters of the law as a shadow of which Christ is the substance (Col. 2:16-23). It meant more to Jesus to help someone in need than to hold by traditional restrictions, not created by God.

Following the establishment of Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire, Sunday was officially declared a day of rest. (Brand, 1027).

For many, Sunday is just another day, or just part of the weekend before they must return to work. For others, it is a holy day, set aside for God, and a day they attend church. Others recognize Saturday as the day of rest and worship.

I don’t think the specific day matters as much as the time set aside each week to rest in the presence of an almighty God, praise Him, find spiritual refreshment, and enjoy the gift in honor of Christ. Jesus often escaped the crowds to spend time alone with God.

That can look different for each person, but in my experience, the times I spend it in nature, enjoying God’s creation, are more peaceful and rewarding, bringing a deep sense of rest for body, mind, and spirit than vegging on the couch watching TV.

The challenge is to make an intentional choice to spend time with God, whether it’s in nature, through activities like running, walking, kayaking, hiking, or fishing, or simply sitting quietly in a favorite chair or rocker on the back porch; some may find rest in their garden, digging dirt, or mowing the lawn.

A while back, you may recall, I found my deep Sabbath rest floating in a kayak on a serene lake after a busy week. Whenever and wherever you find yours, the important thing is to escape the busyness of our daily lives and intentionally focus on God, our Creator, thanking Him for the gift of rest and refreshment. The point is that we all need a deep Sabbath rest that connects us to the Creator.

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31, Emphasis added). *This may be another message soon.

“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Ps. 118:24, Emphasis added).

Perseverance to Make it Home

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

I could excel on the hills when I ran races, picking up my pace. This burst of energy allowed me to catch up with others who slowed or stopped, which may have helped me place somewhere near the top in a few of them. I dug in my heels and pushed on when the race was more difficult.  That was my strength. A message was forming in my head as I reflected on this while running the other morning. When the path before us gets tough, we need to persevere and press on. That may be a theme, as I have overcome many obstacles.

This verse came to mind, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Heb. 12:1, ESV, Emphasis added).

It was a good day. I felt it in my bones that I would run the whole route without stopping. Over halfway there – just as I felt confident – I stepped on a rock, turned my ankle, and hit the pavement; my knee and hand getting the brunt of the road rash. Thankfully, not breaking any bones.

Was this part of the message? I believe so. Just as we begin to be confident in our walk with God, the enemy throws a stumbling block in our path to trip us up. With that in mind, I got up, kicked the rock off the road, did a brief mental scan of my injuries, and kept running all the way home.

When we know God is with us and hold to the straight and narrow path, “Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2, emphasis added), we can kick Satan out of the way and keep running, all the way home, to one day see Jesus where He is seated at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2).

Some messages are more painful than others, but God can use all of them for His good and glory. My life is full of painful messages, sharing them can help others, making it worth it.

To God be the Glory, forever and ever. Amen.

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

“For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matt. 7:14, emphasis added).

Run with Abandon

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

How do we get to the point that we can run with abandon – because we are always in step and never off track? This is the definition of sure-footedness, but how do we achieve it?

Habakkuk writes about having confidence in God and living at heights even in extreme circumstances (Hab. 3:19, ESV).  The same sentiment is written in 2 Samuel: “He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights” (2 Sam. 22:34, Emphasis added).

Amid life’s challenging mountains, we can still find a secure footing because of our confidence and trust in God. It starts with the fruit in our lives. If we are not bearing spiritual fruit, we will not be secure and are in danger.

Jesus demonstrated to the disciples with a fig tree what happens when we are not bearing fruit. From a distance, the tree looked fruitful; it had green leaves, indicating it should bear figs. Upon closer inspection, however, there was no fruit. Jesus cursed the tree, and it withered. This was indicative of the Jewish people of Jesus’ time who appeared to be bearing fruit but were not (Mark 11:12-14; 20). We can trust God to remove whatever is hindering us from bearing fruit. It begins in our hearts. Still, we must be willing to make the changes and allow God to work in our lives.

I remember years ago when I was miserable, mostly with myself, that I changed jobs to get a fresh start and escape some temptations. I did try to start over, but I was still the same inside, so the same problems presented themselves.

Wherever you go, there you are.

Real change can only happen inside our hearts, with God’s help. Only Jesus can truly change our character. We must want the change and ask for His help. Again, we are meant to eliminate what does not produce fruit. Only then can we run with abandon.

We can ask God to expand our hearts and help us perceive His truth (Psalm 119:32). The Psalmist speaks the language of one ravished with moral beauty – to which there is only one fitting response – to reproduce this beauty or attempt to – in one’s daily life. Not for perfection, but only a yearning, trust, and dependence on God (Ps. 119, ESV Study Bible notes).

I often ask God to reveal anything that needs to change or be removed in my heart to make more room for the Holy Spirit. This can be summed up as being God-inside-minded. It is about shifting our primary focus from the external world to the divine reality residing in believers, with a conscious connection with the Holy Spirit as a source of wisdom, love, and power.

It took me several years to figure out the root of my misery, but once the Holy Spirit transformed my heart, my life changed forever.

I don’t just want the outside to appear fruitful; I want the inside to match so that my life reflects my gratefulness for what Christ rescued me from. I finally removed my mask. That life is gone, and I want nothing to do with anything that resembles it. It was not bearing fruit and withered away at the mighty hand of Jesus upon my confession of faith (Rom. 1:16-17; Heb. 10:22-23).

Is there anything hindering you from bearing fruit? Ask God to reveal it to you and be willing to accept the change that will follow so you can run with abandon to the life God created for you. Take it from me: Wearing masks is a miserable existence. But running – that is where it’s at. Even though I don’t always get it right, I trust God to correct me and cut off anything in my life that is not bearing fruit for His Kingdom—everything for the Glory of God.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps. 119:105, emphasis added).

Who is Your Potter?

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

When God sent Jeremiah to the potter’s house – it wasn’t to select a lovely flower vase – he had a big lesson in mind. He wanted to remind him who was in control (Jere. 18:6. ESV).

How often do we forget that God is still in control? I struggled with that for years, trying to direct things my way instead of seeking God, which I didn’t know how to do until one day, on my knees, a broken mess in every sense of the word, I finally gave up and asked God what He wanted. The weight lifted immediately.

I had been carrying a heavy load on my shoulders that was intended only for God to carry. I didn’t realize the mass of it until God took it.

From that day forward, God began to shape me into the vessel He created me to be. It’s a process – He’s not finished yet. I am still learning to let go of temporary things, emotions, and anything that tries to steal my joy and peace. Sometimes, our image of God is too small. God is bigger than all our problems combined. God sees you and cares for you.

The potter and clay imagery continues in Isaiah, where God tells His people not to fear, for He has made them with a purpose and a promise (Isaiah 43:1). God remains with His people (Isaiah 41:10). We did not form ourselves – yet we often insist on trying to know what is best for ourselves. God sees the bigger picture. He knows best and wants the best for us. (God is the best, and He longs for you to come to Him). His timing is perfect. When we try to be the potter of ourselves, we often find heartache and misery.

God formed us, and we can trust in Him as a tree planted by the water – whose leaves remain green even in seasons of heat and drought (Jere. 17:7; Ps. 1:3), because we know who is in command, we can depend on Him to provide all we need (Matt. 6:33; Luke 12:24).

This analogy lends itself to concepts such as trust, obedience, surrender, humility, patience, and acceptance. These things are not always easy, but when we strive to be closer to Christ, there is peace in acknowledging that some things are beyond our immediate understanding. We recognize our limited knowledge of the grand scheme of things and embrace the gifts God gives us with gratitude – one day at a time – the pace of grace.

No one deserves salvation. It comes only from God’s mercy, grace, and love (Rom. 9:22-23). There is freedom in surrendering to God that surpasses all understanding.

“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Cor. 3:17, emphasis added).

The Importance of Repentance

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

Repentance is a crucial aspect of prayer, clearing the way for God’s will to be fulfilled in our lives. It makes more room in our hearts for His Spirit, which guides and comforts us. If we don’t know what we need to repent of, we can ask God to reveal anything that is hindering His presence in our lives.

In Psalm 51:10, David asks God to create in him a clean heart and renew the right spirit within him. This came after Nathan confronted him with his sin in his life. David’s sin was significant enough that others noticed and held him accountable for it.

Still, there are times when our sin is not as prominent, and we may not realize the need to take it to God and ask for forgiveness and help in changing. Spiritual maturity comes when we openly seek God to help us work on those character traits, emotional responses, and offenses that hold us hostage.

Nehemiah demonstrated a meaningful prayer life modeled after those of Ezra, which included confessing sin as he prayed for others (Neh. 1:4-11; Ezra 9:6-15, ESV). Nehemiah spent four months in intensive intercessory prayer, which provided the power to accomplish God’s will (Neh. 1:1; 2:1, NLT).

Jesus taught his disciples how to pray – not the verbatim words – but the structure that emphasizes how to pray, not what to say (Matt. 6:9, ESV). In verse 12, Matthew notes Jesus’ instruction to ask God to “Forgive us our debts” (Matt. 6:12, emphasis added). The ESV Study Bible notes that this does not mean believers need to ask daily for justification since they are justified forever from the moment of initial saving faith (Rom. 5:19; 8:1; 10:10, ESV).

The repentance I am talking about echoes this sentiment, in that we are not asking to be saved repeatedly; instead, we acknowledge our shortcomings and sinful nature, bringing them to God to restore fellowship with Him when it has been hindered, because we are cautioned not to grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:30).

Other aspects of the prayers modeled by these historical figures include our praise, thankfulness, and our unworthiness of Christ’s sacrifice. Intercessory prayer can involve asking for forgiveness on behalf of others (Ezra 9:5-6), depending on God to change people’s hearts.

God nailed our note of debt to the cross (John 19:19-22), and those who are recipients of such forgiveness are so moved with gratitude toward Christ that they are more apt to forgive others who have wronged them (Matt. 6:12), clearing their hearts of resentment and clutter that only harms us.

Taking the time to ask God to reveal our offenses and help us correct them will significantly improve our relationship with Him and with others, and, on top of that, it makes our day run more smoothly and with more joy.

“And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8, emphasis added).

Jesus’ Name is Everything

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

Anxiety has a way of creeping in. Sometimes, it catches me off guard and pounces like a squirrel that spots a vulnerable nut.

If I wake up a little later than usual or am dealing with a time change that can wreak havoc with my routine, time creeps up on me, and before I know it, I’ve not had my quiet moments with God to set my day off right before heading into a busy workday.

This is when the enemy finds a crack in my armor and slips in to yank my chain with subtle anxious thoughts or feelings. If not put in its place, it can spiral quickly.

My dear husband prays peace over me and reminds me of the pace of grace. I am reminded to breathe! I press pause and take five minutes with God to reset my intentions. I reaffirm my focus and claim the peace Jesus offers (John 14:27, ESV).

Jesus’ name is everything to me because it helps me stop spiraling. He is my peace and Waymaker, calm in the storm, and light in the dark (John 8:12). One whisper of His name settles my spirit and sends the enemy packing. Instead of anxiously striving, I find solace and joy that carries me through whatever the day holds.

Jesus is the living water for our dry, thirsty bones, which need refreshment in any season (John 4:14). I pray for a fresh encounter with the Holy Spirit that revitalizes and strengthens us to persevere until Jesus’ return. As Peter reminds us, God is not slow to fulfill His promise but is patiently giving others a chance at repentance, not wanting anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9).

Perhaps this should light a fire under us to share the Good News with more people. Paul says that everyone who calls on the name of God will be saved (Rom. 10:13). Still, he continues to ask, how will they call on God if they don’t believe, and how will they believe in God if they have never heard the Good News (Rom. 10:14)?  

With this series of questions, Paul highlights the chain of events necessary for salvation through Christ (Rom. 10:14-15). The ESV Study Bible notes the logic of Paul’s plea: People will call on Jesus to save them only if they believe he can do it; belief in Christ cannot happen without the knowledge of Him; one only hears about Christ when someone proclaims their testimony and saving message; the message cannot be declared unless God sends someone to do so.

Let us give hope and show others that Jesus Christ’s name has the power to save and is the weapon of choice against the enemy and darkness of this world.

“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns;” (Isa. 52:7; Rom. 10:15, emphasis added).

“Pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Matt. 9:38, emphasis added).

Take Heart

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

Jesus often tells His disciples (and us), “Take heart.” This is not a simple phrase to skip over. In the passages I read recently, the meaning is clear: He is telling us to feel encouraged, have courage, hope, and be determined (John 16:33; Matt. 14:27; Matt. 9:22; 9:2; Mark 10:49, ESV, HCSB). Messages in the Old Testament reflect the same sentiment—Psalms 27:14 and 31:24, to name a couple.

Not because of what we can do but because of what God has already done. The key is to look to Jesus Christ and focus on Him.

In reading the Jesus Calling Devotional this week, Sarah Young writes, “Wear my peace with regal dignity.” This reminded me of the Isaiah verse where God’s arm brought salvation – putting on the armor as Paul listed in Eph. 6, but catch this visual – “He wrapped Himself in zeal as a cloak” (Isa. 59:17, HCSB, emphasis added).

I frequently pray for each piece of armor and end my prayers with this verse to wrap myself in zeal as a cloak. “To put on the armor is to put on the Messiah Himself” (Isa. 11:5, ESV). Talk about the ultimate protection from the enemy!

Peter’s faith helped him take the first step to walk on water toward Jesus. But as soon as his eyes shifted to the storms around him, he began to sink and cried out to Jesus for help (Matt. 14:29-30, ESV). The disciples had been in the boat battling the storms for over nine hours. Sometimes, we wait until we are desperate and afraid before we call on Him to save us. Fear has a way of taking over at times. We forget to focus on Christ and feel like we are sinking into despair.

But don’t miss this next verse: As soon as Peter cried out, “Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him” (Matt. 14:31, ESV, emphasis added). Doubt and fear can work like an anvil – weighing us down. When we cry out, Jesus immediately answers our plea.

Recognizing God’s presence is the anecdote to fear.

Jesus’ invitation to “come” (v. 29) is a never-ending offer. He is our shelter from every storm (Psalm 46:1, ESV), but our faith wavers when we focus on the storms instead of God. How quickly do we forget that Jesus is the Son of God and His saving power?

If we go back to the passages just before Peter’s encounter with Jesus on the water, the disciples had just witnessed Jesus feeding over 5,000 people with two fish and five loaves.  They had just seen a miracle (Matt. 14:13-21), but they waited nine hours in the middle of the next storm and began to panic before calling on God to help. Then, when Jesus was there, they still had doubts, and as we see, Peter takes his eyes off Jesus for a moment, and that is all it took to bring the overwhelming fear back.

“The safest place to be is in God’s will” (Young, Jesus Calling).

The NLT Chronological Life Application Study Bible notes the best way to maintain faith in difficult situations is to focus on the power of Jesus rather than our inadequacies. We can reach out to the only One who can help in times of faltering faith.

Going back to Jesus feeding 5,000. It mentions they had leftovers: “They ate and were filled. Then they picked up 12 baskets of leftover pieces” (Matt. 14:20, HCSB, emphasis added)! Did you catch that? Not only did they feed a multitude with a small amount of food, and they were filled, but they also had leftovers – TWELVE BASKETS.

There is another lesson in the leftovers: God not only gives good gifts but also gives in abundance. He multiplies whatever small amount we can offer, whether our time, resources, or abilities, above our wildest expectations. If we take the first step in faith and make ourselves available to God, He will demonstrate how greatly He can use you to advance the work of the Kingdom (The NLT Chronological Life Application Study Bible).

I recently watched a sermon by Steven Furtick, who said Peter looked too far ahead instead of what was right in front of him. He demonstrated how we must take one step at a time with what we know today and not look too far into the future or at our past. Instead, we need to focus on each step we take with God at this moment and let Him lead us to His purpose and plan.

If we can manage this, God will show up abundantly and do immeasurably more than we can fathom. In our weakness, He is strong (2 Cor. 12:9, ESV).

Take heart. Jesus Christ is all-powerful and is for us (Rom. 8:31-32, ESV).

“Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us – to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Eph. 3:20-23, HCSB, emphasis added).

“But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me” (2 Cor. 12:9, HCSB, emphasis added).

Wrestling with God

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

After a long, brutal winter that didn’t allow for much running, I am finally happy to be back out there as the weather begins to change. Still, it doesn’t come without challenges, but it’s not my first experience in building up again. I know how to do it, but that’s not the challenging part; it’s doing it. It requires diligence, consistency, and intentional steps toward my goal. It also requires giving myself grace on difficult days.

Granted, in the beginning, it’s mostly walking, but the more consistent I am, the more I know I will eventually be able to rerun the whole route. As I mentioned in my blog, Childlike Wonder, last week, our relationship with God requires the same diligence, consistency, and intentional steps toward Him to illuminate our path and draw us closer to Christ. Even if we have experienced closeness to God, these areas can have challenging seasons.

Struggles with others marked Jacob’s life. He stole his twin brother’s birthright and received his father’s blessing, which was meant for Esau (Gen. 25:31). Years later, he was fearful when he was to reencounter his brother. Jacob is confronted by an angel of God, whom he believes to be God Himself. Wrestling with him all night, the angel rendered Jacob’s hip out of joint – and his name was changed to Israel – which means “he strives with God.” – Jacob realized the importance of God’s blessing and was the climax of a lifetime of battles with others (Gen. 25:22).

Jacob was a new man. When he met Esau, his attitude had changed, and he bowed down to him. Esau, like God, showed Jacob unmerited favor and embraced him. Jacob realized his weakness before God, and it taught him the value of continued prayer from one who is helpless. He emerged willing to let his life fall into God’s control (Brand, 849).

God’s blessing was upon Jacob, but He did not choose him because of what he was—He chose Jacob because of what he could become (Gen. 32:22-32; Hosea 12:3-4, ESV).

How often do we wrestle with God and fail to let Him lead our lives? Then, we wonder why we are fearful, worried, or doubting ourselves. These are real emotions, but they stem from the devil, who wants to emphasize our inabilities over faith and trusting God to help us become who He created us to be. Sometimes, our anxious striving keeps us from feeling God’s presence if we allow it to linger. Resting in the presence of God and whispering Jesus’ name helps us refocus.

Like running, my quiet time with God is intentionally dedicated to being still before Him and asking Him what He wants for my life. God gives me grace on days when my diligence is more challenged. But the more consistent we are in putting the devil behind us and allowing God to lead without wrestling with Him, the more blessed we are – not because of who we are – but because of who we can become with God’s help.

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea” (Ps. 46:1-2, emphasis added).

Childlike Wonder

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

A vibrant spiritual life stems from listening to God—not just with our ears but with our whole being—mind, body, spirit, and soul—without presumptions or expectations and being open to the Holy Spirit’s presence.

The more we abide in His presence, the more we realize our gifts. Then, our posture resembles Mary’s when she anointed Jesus’s feet (John 12:3, ESV), and our attitude is full of gratitude. All of this plays a vital role in our intimate relationship with God.

Do you grasp that God fully knows and loves you? To do so, we must take intentional steps toward God and fully engage in His presence, listening with our whole being and dedicating precious time to Him.

God leads us like a father caressing his child’s hand. He is always with us, whether through a meadow of vivid wildflowers or a treacherous valley. As a father lifts a child onto his shoulders to see over the crowds, our Father gently lifts us above our troubles, for an eternal view, to rise above them as He carries us on wings like eagles (Is. 40:31) and shelters us under His mighty wing (Ps. 91:4) when storms rise. From this perspective, we can persevere.

Watch for Him in every flower, storm, and face of others.  We can change that bad habit, attitude, and how we interact with others by recognizing our shortcomings and asking God for help as we approach Him in childlike wonder with open hearts and hands. God showers us with grace – as we take intentional steps toward Him, seeking to be more like Jesus.

When we genuinely seek and follow Christ, God rejoices over us with gladness and personally delights in us, bursting forth in joyful celebration, He exults over us with loud singing (Zeph. 3:17). Take a moment to think about this. What song do you think God sings over you? I think of Aaron’s prayer and song, The Blessing.

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace” (Numbers 6:24-26, emphasis added)—a long-time favorite of mine.

May we all look at God in awe daily, with childlike wonder, humility, and trust.

“Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 18:3-4, emphasis added).

“Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place – the Most High, who is my refuge – no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways (of obedience and service)” (Ps. 91:9-11, emphasis added).

Gratitude and Love = Obedience

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

Basic obedience to God’s Word provides access to the armor of God, which protects us from spiritual warfare. Paul metaphorically describes believers as soldiers in battle, wearing armor. The Lord does not leave us defenseless. In Christ, God gives us the spiritual resources to stand firm; precisely, truth, righteousness, gospel, faith, salvation, and the Word of God (Eph. 6:14-17, ESV) are all represented with each piece. Another vital part of the armor is prayer (Eph. 6:19).

The term obedient may seem harsh or turn some people off. However, according to The Holman Bible Dictionary, ‘obey’ is translated as ‘to hear’ in the Old Testament. The NT translation has several words to describe it: to hear or listen in a state of submission and to trust are among them. “A person’s obedient response to God’s Word is a response of trust or faith” (Brand, 1176).

Jesus taught that our love for God motivates us to obey Him (John 14:21, 23-24; 15:10). Our obedience springs from gratitude for grace (Rom. 12:2, Brand 1176). Obedience comes from a heart that trusts God and produces blessings that God yearns to give us (Brand, 1177). We obey when we listen to God’s Word and respond appropriately. This is why Jesus says anyone with ears should listen (Matt. 11:15).

The Holy Spirit gives our prayers power (Rom. 8:26-27; Gal. 4:6). Praying in Jesus’ name shows we seek God’s will (Brand, 1292). The indwelling Spirit enables a believer to call God Abba – prompting the believer to address God with a child’s confidence (Rom 8:14). This indicates an intimate relationship with God, our Father. It is a natural response when we ardently pursue communion with God through His Word, conversation (prayer), and listening (obedience).

Through the Holy Spirit, believers can access powerful weapons, protection, discernment, and a greater understanding of God’s will. The Holy Spirit within us is greater than the one who is in the world (I John 4:14). This refers to Satan (Brand, 1502).

 Satan would like to keep unbelievers in the dark by veiling their eyes and ears from hearing the gospel. Through faith in God, the veil is removed, and believers enjoy free access to God, who transforms their lives (Brand, 1627; 2 Cor. 3:15-18). This is a stunning process that saves us from the bondage of sin.

One of my favorite verses tells us that there is freedom where the Spirit of the Lord is (2 Cor. 3:17). When the Holy Spirit enters our hearts, we are free from our chains and our blindness to the gospel. Our minds, hearts, and ears are open to God. Our gratitude for His grace and forgiveness produces a deep love that we want to listen to and respond appropriately to God’s Word (obey), which leads to many blessings.  

I am grateful for my freedom in Christ and God’s many blessings. My love for God makes me want to be a better human, more like Jesus, with kindness and humility. Sometimes, that means I must use my weapons as protection against the enemy who wants the opposite. The power of the Holy Spirit and Jesus’ mighty name make the devil run every time, especially when you proclaim it out loud. Amen.

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Cor. 3:17, Emphasis added).