At God's Door Ministries

1 Peter 5:8
2026-09-01
1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (KJV)
Are you on watch?
As a Christian, what is your first thought when you hear about a problem in someone’s life, whether they are at home, work or church? Do you conclude it is the work of the devil? When you are going through, do you examine your life trying to see what the devil is trying to kill, steal, or destroy? In spiritual warfare, or any warfare for that matter, your effectiveness begins with you.
Luke 14:28 So don’t follow me without considering what it will cost you. For who would construct a house before first sitting down to estimate the cost to complete it? (TPT)
Through your times of study and prayer, and definitely since the start of this devotional, your understanding of how the enemy works has been enlightened. Make sure you understand how he works in your life. Even though you are saved, the devil can still influence you. Do you say, “The devil is not in control of my life. Salvation made Jesus my savior and my Lord”. If you are saved, you would be right. However, salvation does not stop the devil from talking to you. Ask Eve.
Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” (NKJV)
Eve did not know. That’s why the devil deceived her. He is tricky. Do you hear the devil asking you questions? Did God really say…? Is it really wrong to…? Maybe it is not the devil. Maybe you are asking yourself questions because you don’t know. To watch affectively, you must know what the word of God says. Study these other requirements, found in the Bible, as you watch.

Always be fully armed (Ephesians 6:11).
Know your weapons (2 Corinthians 10:3-4).
To take authority (Luke 10:19).
Be alert and observe everything that is going on around you (1 Peter 5:8).
Pray (1 Timothy 2:1).
Don’t abandon your responsibilities (Galatians 6:9).
Receive and obey the instructions of the Lord (Acts 5:29).
Do not get distracted (Joshua 1:7).
Seek the Lord when you don’t know what to do (Luke 11:9).
Be strong during times of testing (James 1:2-4).
Be thankful (Ephesians 5:20).

You cannot afford to give the devil an inch because you are not watching for him, not watching effectively, or you underestimated how cunning he is.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, in the name of Jesus, thank You for keeping me. Thank You for reminding me I should always be on watch. Thank You for helping me recognize when and where the enemy is at work in my life. You showed me it is not always an attack against me. Sometimes he tricks me into negatively affecting someone else’s life. I am so sorry. Thank You for teaching me what my responsibilities are. I have to keep in mind the devil is cunning. He comes as an angel of light, yet really, he is the prince of darkness and the father of lies. I continue to repent for every time I miss it; every time I say something, I think is right or do something for the right reason and it turns out to be wrong. Thank You for showing me when someone got hurt, or I caused a problem. That is never my desire. I am grateful You forgive me and You see my heart. Help me be more aware of what is going on, in the spiritual realm. Show me how the enemy is using demonic tactics to affect my natural life. Draw me closer and shine a light on me as You continue to teach me to watch. I depend on You and You alone…

Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:

Romans 13:11
2026-09-02
Romans 13:11You must understand the urgency and context of time; it is most certainly now the hour to wake up at once out of the hypnotic state of slumber and unbelief. Salvation has come. (TMB)
Are you taking advantage of the time?
Have you ever decided you were going to witness to a person and heard these or similar statements in your head: “I’ll do it later.”, “I don’t want to seem pushy.” Or “I have to get myself together first.”? What did you do? If you did nothing, then you know you were being disobedient, right?
James 4:17 So if you know of an opportunity to do the right thing today, yet you refrain from doing it, you’re guilty of sin. (TPT)
You may have called it procrastinating. Actually, you put off witnessing until a later time, as if time was in your hands. Maybe you didn’t obey because you didn’t feel comfortable, or you didn’t want to do it, or because you found something else to do, etc. The next time you have the chance to witness, here are some statements you might want to say to yourself, out loud, if necessary.

“Do I really want to disobey God?”
“I can’t act like time is on this person’s side.”
“The devil likes it when I fail to witness, another soul stays within his grasp longer.”
“I don’t want some dramatic event to happen before they cry out to the Lord.”
“God has a blessed life planned for them. I don’t want them to wait and possibly get saved in the last moments of their lives.”
“There is too much at stake. I need to tell them, the time is now.”
“What if someone had not witnessed to me?”

There is no guarantee the person you witness to will accept the Lord, however, you don’t want to miss the opportunity to share the gospel.
Ephesians 5:15-16 So be very careful how you live, not being like those with no understanding, but live honorably with true wisdom, for we are living in evil times. Take full advantage of every day as you spend your life for his purposes. (TPT)
Don’t wait; do it now.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, I thank You for this reminder. I know there are plenty of times I used an excuse instead of witnessing to someone. I repent for every witnessing opportunity I let pass by. I have often said, I will talk to anyone about the Lord who wants to talk. What if I am not approached? Help me be the one who approaches. I don’t want to pass up anyone in need of You. I want to take advantage of every opportunity You give me to lift Your name and to tell someone about You. Help me be strong in my determination to witness and let men see my passion for You. Use me, Father. Give me the words to create an understanding of need in the people I witness to. Help them see they don’t have as much time as they think. The strength of my conviction makes me willing to witness. I don’t want to die not having shared the good news with every person I could have shared it with…

Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:

1 Thessalonians 5:6
2026-09-03
1 Thessalonians 5:6 Live alert and you will not become intoxicated by the indifference of others. (TMB)
Does it take all that?
There is a story that has been told for a long time:
The Ant works hard performing his tasks all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The Grasshopper thinks he is a fool and laughs, dances and plays the summer away. Come winter, the Ant is warm and well fed. The Grasshopper has no food or shelter, so he dies out in the cold. (Aesop’s Fable)
You must live your life as God has commanded. It may seem foolish to others. You spend time in prayer instead of watching a movie. You worship instead of gossip. You choose to live your life for the Lord now instead of having fun and giving Him the scraps. You may be referred to as radical, extra, or over the top.
1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. (KJV)
If you are living as if Christianity is not fun, stop it.
John 10:10b I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). (AMPC)
The excitement about where you will be when winter comes should show in your life and in your worship. Don’t allow anyone to interfere with it. Your worship is not just how you respond to music in a church service; it is how you live your life. God created you to worship Him. It takes all you have to give and more.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, I thank You for leading me to recognize it takes all I have and more to live my life according to Your word and give You the worship You are due. I will continue to “do the most”. I repent when I allowed myself to be swayed by the conversation and commentary of others regarding my life. I will always stand up for my actions. It does not matter who thinks I do too much. I don’t care if I am seen as “way over the top”. I will say thank You when I am called a holy roller. I will live my life as directed by You, whatever it takes. If You require me to be “extra”, then I will be extra for You. I don’t want to be lukewarm; I will be hot…

Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:

Luke 21:8
2026-09-04
Luke 21:8 And he said, take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them. (KJV)
Are you one of the very elect?
Sometimes your desire to believe in someone clouds your judgement. They can entice you, have such an anointing, and manifest signs and wonders that you cannot deny.
Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. (KJV)
Sometime your emotions can cause you to agree to do things contrary to the will of God. This is most sad when the person, causing you to stumble, is someone you trust in for spiritual leadership.
2 Peter 2:1-2 Just as false prophets rose up in the past among God’s people, false teachers will rise up in the future among you. They will slip in with their destructive opinions, denying the very Master who bought their freedom and dooming themselves to destruction swiftly, 2 but not before they attract others by their unbridled and immoral behavior. Because of them and their ways, others will criticize and condemn the path of truth we walk as seedy and disreputable. (TVT)
The word says even the very elect would be deceived if it were possible. It is not possible because the very elect accepted that God chose them and they chose Him right back. They have a genuine relationship with Him and unwavering faith in Him.
John 15:16 You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed you [I have planted you], that you might go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit may be lasting [that it may remain, abide], so that whatever you ask the Father in My Name [as presenting all that I Am], He may give it to you. (AMPC)
You will not be deceived, and your fruit will remain when you know God for yourself. You have to read and study the word, spend time in prayer, dedicate yourself to worship, and meditate daily. That is how you develop a bond that will make you steadfast, strong, and unmovable. That is how you will be able to discern when you are being told something that is not true. That is how you will be rooted and grounded enough to resist.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, my desire is to be one of the very elect. Thank You for showing me I can. I want to be close enough to You to discern what is true no matter who is speaking. I don’t want to be caught up in cults, phoniness and things having a form of godliness, yet no power. I want to walk in Your power. I know the only way this can be true for me is to spend time with You. I repent for every shortcut I tried to take. Thank You for showing me I could only get so close if all I did was pray repetitious, quick prayers when I remembered to pray. I couldn’t build a relationship with You when I did all the talking. My prayer time had to be more than a laundry list of things I wanted You to do. Thank You for changing me. Now I don’t end our conversation without waiting to hear what You have to say. I spend dedicated time with You. I have learned to be still before You, to empty myself out, and wait for You to fill me. I was willing, and You met me at my level of expectancy and beyond. You helped me build a strong relationship with You and I thank You for it…

Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:

1 Peter 1:13
2026-09-05
1 Peter 1:13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (ESV)
What are you thinking about?
Make sure you are aware of the things you spend time thinking about. You are what you think.
Proverbs 23:7a For as he thinks within himself, so he is. (NASV)
This passage is about being aware of what a person offers to you. However, the heart of the matter is what the giver said does not line up with what he thought.
Our thoughts are the fuel for our mind. Our thoughts fuel our dreams and aspirations or they can bind us from
accomplishing them. A particular train of thought persisted in, be it good or bad, cannot fail to produce its results on the character and circumstances. A man cannot directly choose his circumstances, but he can choose his thoughts, and so indirectly, yet surely, shape his circumstances.
James Allen, author of As a Man Thinketh
The books you read, the movies you view, the songs you listen to, and the television programs you watch all affect what you think about. You probably realize you cannot control what enters your conscious thoughts. Well, that is also true for your subconscious thoughts. You must regulate what enters your conscious mind because your subconscious mind picks up and retains everything. Here is the progression that creates influence:

The gateways into your mind are your eyes and your ears. What you see and hear affects what you think about.

Matthew 13:15b Otherwise they would open their eyes to see, and open their ears to hear, and open their minds to understand. Then they would turn to me and I would instantly heal them. (TPT)

You talk about whatever is in your heart.

Luke 6:45 For the overflow of what has been stored in your heart will be seen by your fruit and will be heard in your words. (TPT)

Finally, you have what you say.

Mark 11:23 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea!’ and does not doubt in his heart [in God’s unlimited power], but believes that what he says is going to take place, it will be done for him [in accordance with God’s will]. (AMP)
Even if you are watching or listening to Christian programs. It is important that you examine the word that is being presented. Don’t use them as a substitute for getting your own revelations. Whatever you bring into your space the most will produce fruit. Your attitude, your thoughts about things, etc. will change. The changes can be so subtle you miss them. Sometimes that is good. Sometimes it is not so good. The Bible tells you what you should think about.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart]. (AMP)
How do you accomplish this with all that is going on in the world and in your life? You spend time in the presence of the Lord. You set aside private time with Him and allow Him to clean your conscious and your subconscious. He renews your mind in those moments you “dedicate” to Him. There, He shapes and reshapes what you think about. The thoughts you have in prayer and worship cause you to see everything in a different light. Those are the thoughts you want to govern your actions, attitude and response to all the world brings.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, I want to spend my time thinking about You. I repent for the hours I wasted and the negative influences I allowed into my conscious and, therefore, my subconscious. I repent for thinking church service was enough. I don’t want my thoughts to be what someone else thinks about You. I want my thoughts to be what You direct me to think about. I love being in Your presence. Then I think about You, our relationship, our conversations, what You share with me about who You are, and how I’ve experienced You in my life. I base my hope in You and what You share with me through our interactions. Thank You for prompting me when I muddle my mind with movies, songs, and television programs that don’t glorify You. Also, please continue to remind me I cannot satisfy the time You require of me by reading a Christian novel, watching a Christian movie, or listening to a sermon. I don’t want to be pacified by or live vicariously through somebody else’s relationship with You. I want a relationship with You that You created and designed for me. I want to be in Your presence. I want to learn about You, from You. If I am faithful to these things, I know my desire for You will grow and grow…

Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:

Acts 17:11
2026-09-06
Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. (KJV)
Are you searching the scriptures?
There was always a teacher in school the students really liked. It was because of the teaching method. He listened to the questions each student asked. She always said, “there are no stupid questions”. He explained things so clearly. Most students wanted her for every subject.
As a believer, you go to church, bible studies or any other venue where the word is taught and/or shared. Why do you go? What do you do with the information you get? Are you among those who write notes and never go back and read them? In situations where you can gain biblical knowledge, including this one, you have the responsibility to go to God for yourself.
James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom [to guide him through a decision or circumstance], he is to ask of [our benevolent] God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and it will be given to him. (AMP)
2 Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. New American Standard Bible NASV)
The Lord is better than the best teacher you have ever had. He knows you. He knows what you know. He knows what you don’t know. He knows how you learn. He knows what will trip you up and what He can tell you and you will understand immediately. Your desire for knowledge needs to be as passionate as His desire to teach you is.
Psalms 42:1-2 As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. 2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? (KJV)
Seek Him until you reach Him. Ask Him if there is a connection in your spirit. If there is, reach for more. If there is not, ask Him what you need to do to create one.
Matthew 5:6 “Blessed [joyful, nourished by God’s goodness] are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [those who actively seek right standing with God], for they will be [completely] satisfied”. (AMP)
Be the one who wants to know what is true for yourself. Be willing to search until you find it.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, whenever I hear Your word being shared, I want to know what You are speaking to me specifically. I repent for those times when I did not stop and seek You because I thought a connection was made in my spirit and because I was excited about what I was hearing. Though I could sense what I believed was Your presence. I should have prayed to make sure it was You and not my emotions. There are also times when I questioned what I heard. In those times, though skeptical, I repent for not coming to You for clarity. Now I come to You. I’m grateful I can. If there is an error in the presentation, You will show me where the error is. You have also shown me sometimes it is me who caused my confusion and kept the truth from being clear. I did not have understanding and/or I had drawn inaccurate conclusions. I submit myself to You. You give me clarity and remove the confusion. Thank You. I don’t have to follow, blindly and without questioning, what’s being given to me. It does not matter what position, what title, and/or how much respect I have for the person giving the presentation. I have You. You are the final word in every matter. No matter what I feel about what is being said, I am thankful I can come to You. Father, today is my birthday and I would be remiss if I did not thank You for my life and for the opportunity to write this devotional. May it continue to bless others as it has blessed me…

Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:

Zechariah 3:1
2026-09-07
Zechariah 3:1 And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. (KJV)
Are you winning or losing?
The enemy’s job is to keep you from accomplishing what God has intended. If you have read the book of Revelations, you know God has already won. That should be great consolation to you. However, what about in the meantime? Don’t you want to live your life in God’s promises and provisions?
Psalm 23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. (KJV)
Take time to reflect on your life. See where you have victories and where the enemy made you believe he defeated you. Ask God to show you what really happened. Is there something you could have done differently? Is there another perspective you could have or should have taken? What are you to do now and in the future?
Deuteronomy 4:9-10 Only take heed, and guard your life diligently, lest you forget the things which your eyes have seen and lest they depart from your [mind and] heart all the days of your life. Teach them to your children and your children’s children. (AMPC)
2 Peter 3:18 But grow in grace (undeserved favor, spiritual strength) and recognition and knowledge and understanding of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (the Messiah). To Him [be] glory (honor, majesty, and splendor) both now and to the day of eternity. Amen (so be it)! (AMPC)
Ask Him to expose whatever is in you, preventing you from standing against the enemy and winning. Submit everything God exposes to you back to Him.
Psalm 139:23 God, I invite your searching gaze into my heart. Examine me through and through; find out everything that may be hidden within me. Put me to the test and sift through all my anxious cares. (TPT)
When He shows you, ask for help, strength, more faith, deliverance or whatever is needed to get you from where you are to where you need to be.
Psalm 139:24 See if there is any path of pain I’m walking on, and lead me back to your glorious, everlasting way—the path that brings me back to you. (TPT)
What God reveals, He heals. You don’t have to live a defeated life waiting until the end. You can win now!
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, thank You for the life You created me to live. I understand the enemy desires for me to live beneath my privileges. He doesn’t want me to walk out the promises You have for me in this life. I also understand the only way the devil gets victory is because I allow him to. I should have asked You to show me what is in me that keeps me from winning all the time. I am sorry. I ask now and I will continue to ask until I walk in the complete victory Jesus died for. Please help me recognize when there is something within me, something the devil sees and is able to exploit. Help me use the weapons, You have provided for me, with the greatest effectiveness. Continue to change me from glory to glory until I have Your characteristics and I look just like You. I will no longer be a sure target and a casualty of war. I am no longer a victim; I am victorious. Continue to use my deficits, my lacks and my flaws as steppingstones as You transform them into sufficiency, abundance and perfection. Show me what I have to give up. Show me what I have to put to the side. Whether it’s an attitude, an opinion, or a relationship. Transform me. I want victory in my life. I know You can show me. I know You will heal what You reveal in me. I thank You in advance…

Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:

Luke 22:31
2026-09-08
Luke 22:31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: (KJV)
Do you have your dossier compiled?
When you are facing difficult situations, how do you view them? During those times, you may have felt you were under attack. You were, just like Peter was. Did you stop to think that with each attack, you have the opportunity to grow.
1 Peter 4:12-13 Friends, when life gets really difficult, don’t jump to the conclusion that God isn’t on the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner. (MSG)
Jesus is praying for you just as He prayed for Peter (Luke 22:32). Yes, the devil wants you. However, experience is a pretty good teacher. Take the time to compile a dossier on the devil; he certainly has one on you. (Job 1:7, 2:2) With each attack of the enemy, you can gain an understanding of the devil’s strengths and your weaknesses, the devil’s weaknesses and your strengths, and the devil’s strategic positioning regarding you. You know the enemy has three things he does.
John 10:10a The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. (KJV)
He wants to steal what the Father gave you, kill your joy, and destroy your faith. He has three ways he devised to accomplish his task.
1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh [craving for sensual gratification] and the lust of the eyes [greedy longings of the mind] and the pride of life [assurance in one’s own resources or in the stability of earthly things]—these do not come from the Father but are from the world [itself]. (AMPC)
He has been using these tactics since God kicked him out of heaven. He tried them with Jesus (Matthew 4:1-11). He will try them with you. Do some military intelligence gathering. Analyze how he draws you in, and see where the “little foxes” are in your life (Song of Solomon 2:15). Trust God completely and be willing to hear all He has to say about your life, the good and the bad. Then you will know what the enemy’s weapons are and how to combat them with the word, just as Jesus did.

When he encourages you to walk in the flesh, use 2 Corinthians 10:3-4.
When he wants you to fight against people, use Ephesians 6:12.
When he tells you not to be an efficient soldier, use 1 Timothy 6:12.
When he wants you to fold under the hardship, use 2 Timothy 2:3-4.
When he wants you to believe you are fighting alone, use Zechariah 10:5.
When he wants you to fight without armor, use Ephesians 6:13-18.

Say with passion and commitment:
Psalm 144:1 Blessed be the Lord, my Rock and my keen and firm Strength, Who teaches my hands to war and my fingers to fight. (AMPC)
Armed with the word and your declaration of strength, you win!
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, hear my petition and my cry. I know I have come and placed my cares at Your feet and then picked them back up again. I repent for doing that. I know You want me to stop. If I did, I wouldn’t keep making the same mess. I could also stop picking up the pieces after the enemy has attacked me the same way again. Though my actions don’t always show it, I want to understand how he attacks me and why he attacks me the way he does. Please help me evaluate those situations in my life. Help me see where the open doors are. Help me see where the cracks in the armor are. The enemy does not have to try anything new because he knows what way has worked in the past. Show me what is in me that makes his strategy work for him. Help me stop falling into the same trap that he has just disguised differently. I don’t want to be fooled. I don’t want to be drawn in by his tactics. Continue to help me analyze my attitude, thoughts and relationships and see where the problem areas are. Thank You for mending the fence You have placed around me. I want to win…

Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:

Matthew 4:1
2026-09-09
Matthew 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. (KJV)
Are you willing to be tested?
I am reminded of the story of Jonah and the big fish. There is one scripture that really stands out
Jonah 1:17Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. (KJV)
God was prepared for Jonah’s response because He is omniscient. He is also prepared for your responses. He made you and knows your thoughts. Nothing you do comes as a surprise to Him.
Psalm 139:1-4 O Lord, you have searched me [thoroughly] and have known me. 2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up [my entire life, everything I do]; You understand my thought from afar. 3 You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And You are intimately acquainted with all my ways. 4 Even before there is a word on my tongue [still unspoken], Behold, O Lord, You know it all. (Amplified Bible)
Because He loves you and has a plan for your life, He sets up trials you must face. If Jesus has to be tested, then why not you?
Hebrews 5:8 Although He was a Son [who had never been disobedient to the Father], He learned [active, special] obedience through what He suffered. (AMP)
Your desire may be to have a blessing filled life without hardship or issue. My Father used the phrase “living your life on flowery beds of ease”. You are not the only person who wants that life. However, because of Adam’s sin and Eve’s deception, life is not that way, even though it is how God designed it.
Job 14:1-2 “Man, who is born of a woman, Is short-lived and full of turmoil. 2 Like a flower he comes forth and withers; He also flees like a shadow and does not remain”. (AMP)
Armed with this knowledge, be ready for war. You also have to learn to be obedient through the things that you will suffer.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, I repent for taking so long to say these words, “Thank You for every opportunity You provided for me to grow.” Though I can say them now because You helped me understand I have to go to through some tough times; they are still hard words to say. I don’t want to go through even though I know it’s necessary. I have asked You several times, is there another way for me to learn this? Your word says whom You love, You chasten. You will chastise me because of the choices I make that do not please You. Those choices can be deliberate or innocent mistakes. Your chastising makes me better because Your word also says when the testing is done, I will be perfect, entire, and wanting nothing. One reason You keep me close is because You love me. I want to believe another reason is because I make You laugh as I try to come up with ways to escape my times of testing and the chastisement for my wrong choices. Thank You for loving me enough to chastise me. Thank You for not moving the mountains. Through Your chastisement, I gain the strength to climb them…

Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:

1 Thessalonians 5:7
2026-09-10
1 Thessalonians 5:7 Sleeping and drunkenness are typical things people do at night, but now the day of the Lord has dawned within us and has put an end to the slumbering effect and intoxication of the practices of darkness. (TMB)
What are you doing in the night?
What is it about the night that is incredibly inviting and exciting? Certain thoughts and behaviors comes to mind when you think about the night. It is when scary things are the scariest, where mischief and mayhem abound. It is a time when you think no one is watching and you can get away with almost anything. Probably because you tell yourself everyone is doing something and enjoying the night.
Luke 21:34-35 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth”. (NKJV)
You are a child of the light.
Ephesians 5:8 For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of Light [live as those who are native-born to the Light] (AMP)
You can use the word “night” metaphorically to mean the draw of the darkness of the world and the time when you know the enemy is working against you. You can also use the natural meaning of the word, which is the end of the day. If you do, you can use night for rest and meditation. Take time to ponder the questions of the day and the things that happened. Was God glorified? Did you take the opportunity to share Christ? Spend some moments reflecting on your life and purpose; spend some of your time in prayer and study. Seek the Lord for a clearer understanding of all you have encountered that day. Pray for His grace and mercy to complete what He has planned for your life.
Psalm 63:6-7 I lie awake each night thinking of you and reflecting on how you help me like a father. I sing through the night under your splendor-shadow, offering up to you my songs of delight and joy! (TPT)
It is time to put away the things you do when you think no one is watching, and live a life that can be watched.
Titus 2:7 And show your own self in all respects to be a pattern and a model of good deeds and works, teaching what is unadulterated, showing gravity [having the strictest regard for truth and purity of motive], with dignity and seriousness. (AMPC)
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, I thank You for calling me out of the darkness into Your marvelous light. I repent for making choices without regard to those who might be watching me. You require me to live a life that can be watched. I will not dip and dodge, slip and slide, peep and hide. I will not live the spy life; trying to keep someone from seeing my undercover activity. I thank You for delivering me. Thank You for creating in me the desire to be a light before men. Whether I want it to be or not, my life is being watched. I want whoever is watching to see You. Thank You for the Holy Spirit, who helps me govern my actions and my speech. I will submit to instruction. I don’t want to lead anyone astray…

Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:

Matthew 6:13
2026-09-11
Matthew 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. (KJV)
Do you still have doors open to the enemy?
Part of your assignment is to look for the enemy and learn how he works in your life. Matthew 6:13 is a God ordained request you should make every day. “Lord, lead me not into temptation and deliver me from the traps the devil has set”. There are traps the enemy sets to lure you in. Some of them you don’t have any knowledge of. There are also traps the enemy sets because you have given him and open door. You know God can deliver you from both because He is King of Kings and has all power. You just have to make sure you want to be delivered. Are you asking Him to deliver you because you know you should or is your request sincere? How do you know? You have to be willing to allow God to shine a light on your heart. You also have to be willing to allow Him to be Lord of your life, not just your savior and deliverer. When the traps are your pet peeves or favorite things to do; your response to the Lord must be, “Have Your way”. Don’t make excuses for yourself.
Romans 13:14 Instead, wrap yourselves in the Lord Jesus, God’s Anointed, and do not fuel your sinful imagination by indulging your self-seeking desire for the pleasures of the flesh. (TVT)
If you are unsure of the doors, you opened to the enemy, diligently seek the Lord, He will show them to you. Please remember, the devil uses the same tactics on you as he uses on everyone else.
1 Corinthians 10:13a No temptation [regardless of its source] has overtaken or enticed you that is not common to human experience [nor is any temptation unusual or beyond human resistance]. (AMP)
He just customizes them for you. However, there are certain behaviors that open a door for the enemy, no matter who you are.

Holding grudges

When you hold grudges, you justify and embrace sin; and you come into agreement with the devil.
Ephesians 4:26-27 Be angry [at sin—at immorality, at injustice, at ungodly behavior], yet do not sin; do not let your anger [cause you shame, nor allow it to] last until the sun goes down. 27 And do not give the devil an opportunity [to lead you into sin by holding a grudge, or nurturing anger, or harboring resentment, or cultivating bitterness]. (AMP)

Walking in unforgiveness

When you don’t forgive, you prevent your own forgiveness.
Mark 11:25 Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him [drop the issue, let it go], so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions and wrongdoings [against Him and others]. (AMP)

Being self-serving

When your goal is to get what you want, when you want, don’t compromise God’s standards in the process.
Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord].” (AMP)

Straddling the fence

When you are wishy-washy, you are of no use to the Father.
Revelation 3:15-16 I know all that you do, and I know that you are neither frozen in apathy nor fervent with passion. How I wish you were either one or the other! 16 But because you are neither cold nor hot, but lukewarm, I am about to spit you from my mouth. (TPT)
The Father will show you how to resist the temptations and/or how to move yourself out of the way.
1 Corinthians 10:13b But God is faithful [to His word—He is compassionate and trustworthy], and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability [to resist], but along with the temptation He [has in the past and is now and] will [always] provide the way out as well, so that you will be able to endure it [without yielding, and will overcome temptation with joy]. (AMP)
He wants to shut any open door. When He shuts them, be careful not to open new doors.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father God, I remember hearing the preacher talk about favorite sins. I realized I was making excuses so I could continue to do what I wanted to do. Thank You for leading me to a time of reflection and examination with You. You showed me my favorite sins, and the pathways and doorways I opened in my life. You showed me though I was praying for Your protection; I kept putting myself in harm’s way. Though I was asking You to deliver me; I kept bringing those same things back into my life. You love me so much. I remember, at that moment, I repented. That was the last time I needed to ask You to forgive me for and deliver me from those things. Thank You for revelation and understanding. Thank You for deliverance. As I continue to evaluate my life; I thank You in advance for deliverance when I need it. Thank You for closing every door I opened. Thank You for leading me away from temptation, and leaving the enemy without a new way in…

Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:

Romans 13:12
2026-09-12
Romans 13:12 It was night for long enough; the day has arrived. Cease immediately with any action associated with the darkness of ignorance. Clothe yourself in the radiance of light as a soldier would wear his full weaponry. (TMB)
Are you still making resolutions?
How many years have you made the same resolution January after January? This year, I am going to lose weight. This year, I am going to let go of the things I do that are not pleasing to God. This year I am going to eat right. This year I am going to pray and study more. This year I am going to work toward a promotion on my job. What prompted your resolution? Maybe you want to make more money. Maybe you received an unfavorable medical report. Maybe it is because you don’t want to buy more new clothes. Maybe you feal defeated in your walk with the Lord. You have to stop planning and stop talking about what you are “going” to do, and do it!! You might ask, is making a resolution a bad thing? That is something you will have to ask the Lord for yourself. However, here are two things to consider when you make resolutions.

Often resolutions are emotional and based on something that is currently going on for you personally. They can be a knee-jerk reaction instead of the result of time spent consulting God.

Proverbs 3:5-7 Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. 7 Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil. (NLT)
There is nothing wrong with setting goals. Wanting to spend more time with the Lord, wanting to lose weight, wanting to read the Bible more, wanting to make more money, etc. are good things. God is concerned with every aspect of your life. The question you should ask is, “Why do you want to accomplish your chosen goal, NOW?” Is it because it will make you spiritually stronger? If the goal is not spiritual, is it what God wants for you at this time? If it is what God wants, why do you need to make a resolution to do it? When you want to change, you don’t have to make a resolution. You can simply pray and ask God to change you. When you pray, ask the Lord what His will is for you. Ask Him what you need to fulfill His call on your life. Ask Him, “Will your desires bring Him glory?” Then ask Him to change you as He sees fit, and submit to His process.

Often the resolution is just talk. As Christians, because we belong to God and when we make a resolution, it is a vow to God. Keep these scriptures in mind.

Matthew 12:36 But I tell you, on the day of judgment men will have to give account for every idle (inoperative, nonworking) word they speak. (AMPC)
Ecclesiastes 5:4-6 When you tell God you’ll do something, do it—now. God takes no pleasure in foolish drivel. Vow it, then do it. Far better not to vow in the first place than to vow and not pay up. 6 Don’t let your mouth make a total sinner of you. When called to account, you won’t get by with “Sorry, I didn’t mean it.” Why risk provoking God to angry retaliation? (MSG)
Do you really want to promise God something on a whim? You don’t have to, there is a better way.

Align yourself with God’s purpose.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you”, says the Lord, “plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope”. (AMP)

Walk in His plan.

Philippians 1:6 I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus [the time of His return]. (AMP)

Allow God to unfold your life before you.

Psalm 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. (KJV)

Delight the Lord with your life.

Psalm 37:23 The steps of a [good] man are directed and established by the Lord when He delights in his way [and He busies Himself with his every step]. (AMPC)

Embrace the decisions God has already made.

Psalm 37:5, 7a Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. 7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; (NKJV)
You don’t need to make a resolution in January that you probably won’t fulfill and will abandon by February. Resolutions challenge you; the spirit of God flowing freely in your life changes you.

Get hungrier with desire for the Lord, EVERY DAY.
Look at how you spend your time and cut out those things keeping you from His presence, EVERY DAY.
Fall in love with the Lord, EVERY DAY.
Carve out time exclusively for the Lord, EVERY DAY.
Empty yourself of anything that is not like the Lord, EVERY DAY.
Release your ties to the world, EVERY DAY.
Become faithful and stop making excuses, EVERY DAY.
See the Lord beckoning you to Him, not demanding your time, EVERY DAY.

If you walk out your claim that Jesus is Lord of your life, EVERY DAY, you won’t need to make a resolution of any kind.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, I repent for every empty resolution I have made in my life. Thank You for stopping me from making and breaking vows to You. Thank You for showing me I should want to be in Your presence on purpose, not because You require it of me. I must create time. I can’t just fit You in. I can’t rush to be with You, for a few minutes here and a few minutes there, in between doing the “important” things in my life. I know that is not enough for me or for You. There are promises I can have if I acknowledge You and ask for Your guidance every day. You will release all fears and uncertainties I have about my life and my future. You will restore me to the place You ordained me to be before I veered off the path, making my own way. I won’t have to wait for the battle to be over; I can rejoice because I know I will win. I will always be radical in pursuing my relationship with You. You hold my life in Your hands. Thank You for knowing what’s in my heart. Thank You for showing me making resolutions is not the way. Because I am special to You and You are special to me, You require special time. Thank You for creating a relationship where You can nudge me and say, “It’s our time now.” I am overwhelmed and amazed at the work You’ve done in my life because of our time spent together. I want more. I don’t have to make a resolution, I have to submit…

Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:

Ephesians 4:27
2026-09-13
Ephesians 4:27 Any sin that you tolerate is an open invitation to the devil. Do not give him a platform to operate from. (TMB)
Do you have a virus?
There are signs when you have a virus on your computer: it runs slower; programs don’t function properly; the actions that are routinely performed don’t run as expected, etc. Most computers have anti-virus software on them. They designed those applications to search for, detect, remove, and even prevent computer viruses, other malicious attacks, and more. These tools are critical because a computer without anti-virus software can be infected within minutes of connecting to the internet. The bombardment is constant. To keep your computer running smoothly, you need to use the antivirus software. It is best to use it on a preventative or maintenance program that runs all the time and according to the schedule you set. It will clean the entire system continuously and completely.
You have an anti-virus program for your life. It is the Bible. If you allow it to, it will:

Prevent the devil from making you run slower than you should.

Isaiah 54:17 “No weapon that is formed against you will succeed; And every tongue that rises against you in judgment you will condemn. This [peace, righteousness, security, and triumph over opposition] is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And this is their vindication from Me,” says the Lord. (AMP)

Search for those things would cause you not to function properly.

Psalm 26:2 Examine me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and my mind. (AMP)

Detect what is causing you to no longer do what you know to do the right way.

Psalm 139:23-24a Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart; Test me and know my anxious thoughts; 24 And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me. (AMP)

Remove all traces of the devil and his destructive forces from your life.

Psalm 51:2, 7 Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness and guilt And cleanse me from my sin. 7 Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. (AMP)
The Bible is critical because the enemy began his attack before you were born.
Genesis 3:15 “I will make you and the woman hate each other; her offspring and yours will always be enemies. Her offspring will crush your head, and you will bite her offspring’s heel.” (GNT)
Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. (KJV)
The devil works to infect your life and damage your witness by influencing how you respond to your trials, temptations, hurts, cares of life, desire for worldly gain, and more. Without the Bible, you are slower to obey; you don’t live a life that brings light wherever you go; you respond out of your flesh instead of being led by the Spirit; and ultimately, you move away from the things of God. You have a maintenance program set up for your life that can run constantly and routinely. It will make sure it washes you from head to toe.
2 Corinthians 13:5 Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out. If you fail the test, do something about it. (MSG)
It is not enough for you to have the maintenance program available to you. Make sure you are using it.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, I thank You for Your Word. Thank You for this revelation today. I repent for those times I would go along, knowing something was not right and giving myself credit for soldiering on. Though I prayed about it, I did not stop long enough for You to do something about it. I never thought I was walking around with a virus that was affecting my witness. Thank You for reminding me I have the Bible in my life. It runs continuously in the background. It is my foundation and my instruction. I have the Holy Spirit in my life, Who brings the Bible to the foreground when needed. He gives me notifications and an unction that pops up when my thoughts don’t honor You and my actions don’t bring You glory. Help me do a virus scan, daily, for infections that have creeped in without me knowing it. I thank You for Your power; it’s able to wipe me clean and keep me protected. What a marvelous God You are. I don’t want to do things that draw me from You. I want to do things that bring me closer to You; I need You and I love You. Thank You for always being there and keeping me virus free…

Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:

2 Timothy 4:17
2026-09-14
2 Timothy 4:17 Throughout my trial, I was so aware of the Lord’s tangible presence; he strengthened me with dynamic boldness and assured me that my life will be an accurate conduit of the message articulated in its most complete context, for all the nations to hear! And I was snatched from the very jaws of the lion! (TMB)
Are you seeing with the eyes of God?
Your relationship with God provides you with the ability to have such strength. You can be calm and without worry in the midst of a trial. Those watching your life will see what has happened or is happening and count you out. They will not understand how you are not losing control. Because of God’s presence, not only can you maintain composure, you can have peace and be victorious.
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; My [perfect] peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. [Let My perfect peace calm you in every circumstance and give you courage and strength for every challenge.] (AMP)
Don’t you want this passage to be true for you? It can be. However, there are some things you need to consider. What governs your reactions? How do you make decisions? The people you spend most of your time with influence you. The conversations you have and the discussions about choices and decision making affect your perspective on life. When you have an encounter, you reflect on what they said. You react based on the information you gained.
Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens [and influences] another [through discussion]. (AMP)
The effect can be good. However, depending who your friends are, the effect can be detrimental to you if you are not careful.
1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be so deceived and misled! Evil companionships (communion, associations) corrupt and deprave good manners and morals and character. (AMPC)
The greatest transformation of your actions and thinking comes when you spend time with God.
Ephesians 1:17-18 [I always pray] that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may grant you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation [that gives you a deep and personal and intimate insight] into the true knowledge of Him [for we know the Father through the Son]. 18 And [I pray] that the eyes of your heart [the very center and core of your being] may be enlightened [flooded with light by the Holy Spirit], so that you will know and cherish the hope [the divine guarantee, the confident expectation] to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints (God’s people). (AMP)
He will enlighten you. You will see what He sees and react based on your knowledge of Him.
2 Kings 6:16-17 Elisha answered, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “Lord, please, open his eyes that he may see.” And the Lord opened the servants eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire surrounding Elisha. (AMP)
Elisha saw with God’s eyes. He prayed for the Lord to open the eyes of his fear-filled servant. The time you spend with God allows Him to open your eyes. You see every situation for what it is and how God will use it in your life. Then you will not respond with fear, confusion, or defeat. You will see your victory as you walk in faith.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, You made a way for me to see my life through Your eyes. Thank You. I repent for the times I allow my circumstances to rattle me. I am sorry when I get frazzled when things “seem” like they were going to the left. I thank You because I can talk to You about every situation. I don’t have to talk to You from a place of anxiety and stress. I can talk to You like a child talks to her father, already knowing that he is going to work it out. I can ask You to show me the situation from Your perspective. You can tell me what You want me to know about what’s going on in my life at any given moment. I am grateful for the time I spend with You. I realize it is not just for me to get answers and direction. During this time, I am showing You, You can trust me. If I continue to be faithful to our time, You will continue to open my eyes. I get excited when I think about it. I can have peace that surpasses man’s understanding, if I abide in You…

Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:

Mark 4:15
2026-09-15
Mark 4:15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. (KJV)
What is the status of your soil?
How do you know if you prepared the soil of your heart to receive the word? How do you know it will take root? Have you been in a service where you really felt the presence of the Lord and the word seemed to penetrate to the very depths of your soul? Did you cry? Did you rejoice? Did you go to the altar for prayer, desiring for the word to be sealed? What happened after the service? Did you make some changes in your life to comply with the word you received? When you continually till the soil of your heart (Hosea 10:12), the Father can plant His word and it will grow. Colossians 1:10 describes the rooted believer.
Colossians 1:10 So that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord [displaying admirable character, moral courage, and personal integrity], to [fully] please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing in the knowledge of God [with deeper faith, clearer insight and fervent love for His precepts]. (AMP)
When you are rooted, you hear the word, and you are changed, not just challenged.
Mark 4:20 “And those [in the last group] are the ones on whom seed was sown on the good soil; and they hear the word [of God, the good news regarding the way of salvation] and accept it and bear fruit—thirty, sixty, and a hundred times as much [as was sown].” (AMP)
However, if you have not prepared your heart, you hear the word of Lord and one of these things may happen.

You will not even remember what the word was because the enemy will come and steal it.
The word will immediately excite you for the moment. It will truly challenge you. However, the word will fade just as the joy fades.
You will not fully commit yourself to the word which will prevent it from sustaining you.
You will not want to be associated with Christianity any longer because the word offended or troubled you, and/or your professed belief in the word caused others to persecute you.
You will give up on the word and became despondent, convinced that God does not care because He did not do what you wanted Him to do, when you want Him to do it.
You will stop reading the word and take your eyes off the Lord. You will move your focus to your many worries and all the cares of the world.
Your desire for worldly pleasures; wealth; fame; your own sense of security, not God’s; and/or anything else that is self-fulfilling will be greater than your desire for God.

When the word is not rooted in you, you are just hanging out at the church. You have to till the soil of your heart and break up the fallow ground. Prepare it to receive the word. The preparation allows you to identify what is stopping the seed of the word from taking root and growing. God is faithful to show you where the problem areas are and do what is necessary to fix them.
Colossians 2:6-7 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in [union with] Him [reflecting His character in the things you do and say—living lives that lead others away from sin], 7 having been deeply rooted [in Him] and now being continually built up in Him and [becoming increasingly more] established in your faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing in it with gratitude. (AMP)
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, I repent for living my Christian life selfishly. Because I did, there were so many pebbles, stones, and hard soil keeping Your word from taking root. Even though some of them were huge rocks, You helped me dig them out. I am grateful You brought me from a place where I was just by the wayside. Thank You for showing me how to cultivate the soil of my heart. I asked You to show me what I needed to change. You showed me and changed me because I tilled the soil of my heart and broke up the fallow ground. Now You have planted the seed of Your word in good soil and I’m grateful. The seed is growing bigger and taller and stronger and deeper every day. Thank You! As Your word grows, every now and then, there’s another rock that has to be dug out. Thank You for continuing to show them to me and helping me dig them out. I accept whatever means You see fit. Though sometimes it’s painful, I yield to the work that must be done and I thank You for it. Make me Your ultimate farmer…

Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:

Job 2:3
2026-09-16
Job 2:3 And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. (KJV)
Has the Lord counted you worthy of an attack from the enemy?
In business, there is a term “the go-to guy”. This is a person known by superiors, peers and subordinates as the one to get advice from, get any project accomplished, and is indispensable. In the military, this person has the capability to accomplish the mission regardless of the obstacles. Your time spent with God creates these characteristics in you.
Psalm 18:29 For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall. (KJV)
Fellow believers can come to you and get spiritual wisdom, not fleshy advice.
Titus 2:1 But as for you, teach the things which are in agreement with sound doctrine [which produces men and women of good character whose lifestyle identifies them as true Christians].
2 Timothy 2:15 Study and do your best to present yourself to God approved, a workman [tested by trial] who has no reason to be ashamed, accurately handling and skillfully teaching the word of truth. (AMP)
God knows He can trust you to allow Him to finish the work He started in you, no matter the cost.
John 6:68-69 Peter replied, “Master, to whom would we go? You have the words of real life, eternal life. We’ve already committed ourselves, confident that you are the Holy One of God.” (MSG)
You offer what you have, and you inspire others.
2 Corinthians 9:12-13 The priestly ministry you are providing through your offering not only supplies what is lacking for God’s people, it inspires an outpouring of praises and thanksgiving to God himself. 13 For as your extremely generous offering meets the approval of those in Jerusalem, it will cause them to give glory to God—all because of your loyal support and allegiance to the gospel of Christ, as well as your generous-hearted partnership with them toward those in need. (TPT)
You allow your life and the things you go through to be used as inspiration for the body of Christ.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Therefore we do not become discouraged (utterly spiritless, exhausted, and wearied out through fear). Though our outer man is [progressively] decaying and wasting away, yet our inner self is being [progressively] renewed day after day. 17 For our light, momentary affliction (this slight distress of the passing hour) is ever more and more abundantly preparing and producing and achieving for us an everlasting weight of glory [beyond all measure, excessively surpassing all comparisons and all calculations, a vast and transcendent glory and blessedness never to cease!]. (AMPC)
The unbeliever cannot and will not deter you. However, you warn them and silence them by the way you live your life.
1 Peter 3:16-17 And see to it that your conscience is entirely clear, so that every time you are slandered or falsely accused, those who attack or disparage your good behavior in Christ will be shamed [by their own words]. 17 For it is better that you suffer [unjustly] for doing what is right, if that should be God’s will, than [to suffer justly] for doing wrong. (AMP)
It’s a tough job.
Romans 8:19 For [even the whole] creation (all nature) waits expectantly and longs earnestly for God’s children to be made known [waits for the revealing, the disclosing of their sonship]. (AMPC, edited)
Somebody has to do it, why not you?
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, I repent for those times I prayed and asked You to use me, the way I wanted it to be used. I wanted to do what I wanted to do, without regard for what You needed me to do. You did not give up on me. Thank You. Now I don’t count it strange to want to be someone who You can point out to the enemy. The funny thing is, You taught me it does not matter if my goal is to be an example You can use. The enemy is going to attack me, anyway. If setting me up for direct attack is part of the call on my life, then have Your way. Whether or not You decide to point me out specifically; I want the characteristics, You are proud of, in my life. Even as I am praying now, I sense You saying You don’t have to point me out to the enemy. He recognizes who I am. I give You praise. I thank You for developing tenacity in me. I will continue allowing You to create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit in me. I have gone through some tough, tough days. I know there will be more tough days in my present and in my future. I rejoice because You always give me a way of escape and I can bear what comes my way. Thank You for counting me worthy. I also know, with every tough day I gain victory over, I am strengthened to withstand the next one. Father, I give You glory…

Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:

Romans 13:13
2026-09-17
Romans 13:13 Our lives exhibit the kind of conduct consistent with the day, in contrast to the parade of the night of intoxicated licentiousness and lust, with all the quarrels and jealousy it ignites. (TMB)
Are you living the day life or the night life?
Ever been to Mardi Gras? Depending on where you are celebrating, there are continual days and nights of parties and celebrations. There are floats and parades. During the day, families with children take part in the celebrations and have fun. At night, the riotous activities begin, eating and drinking in excess, nudity, reckless behavior, etc. Half or fully drunken men and women fill the streets. They have thrown caution to the wind. Everyone is invited to indulge in the revelry. The devil is still sending out the invitation.
James 1:13-14 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God” [for temptation does not originate from God, but from our own flaws]; for God cannot be tempted by [what is] evil, and He Himself tempts no one. 14 But each one is tempted when he is dragged away, enticed and baited [to commit sin] by his own [worldly] desire (lust, passion). (AMP)
In the devotional on September 10, you explored night from the perspective of understanding the time you should spend with the Lord preparing yourself to be watched. Today, go deeper into your understanding of night life. You can also compare the night life to taking a vacation. When people take vacations, they get away from their jobs, their personal and professional worries, the weight of being in charge and responsible, etc. This is probably not you. However, some people go away and become someone else. They don’t act the way they normally and act. They feel they are free. They don’t know anyone where they are. No one knows them. The devil also tricks them into thinking whatever they do will stay secret. It is not true.
Luke 12:2-3 Everything hidden and covered up will soon be exposed. For the facade is falling down, and nothing will be kept secret for long. 3 Whatever you have spoken in private will be public knowledge, and what you have whispered secretly behind closed doors will be broadcast far and wide for all to hear. (TPT)
You want to make sure you realize there are no vacations from the Christian life. And you should not want one.

Do you want a vacation from the protection and provision of the Lord (Psalms 91)?
Do you want a vacation from the peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7)?
Do you want a vacation from your burden bearer and heavy load sharer? (Matthew 11:28-30)?
Do you want a vacation from your savior? (Acts 4:12)?

Christianity is not a job, a burden or a weight; it is a life choice. When your life is in Christ, and you are abiding in Him, you don’t need a vacation. Don’t let the enemy glorify one or two happy memories of what your life used to be like while excluding the pain. Focus on what your life in Christ is like.
Isaiah 58:11The Eternal One will never leave you; He will lead you in the way that you should go. When you feel dried up and worthless, God will nourish you and give you strength. And you will grow like a garden lovingly tended; you will be like a spring whose water never runs out. (TVT)
Your life in Christ should not be overwhelming, it should be a party every day. You should be having a ball! Don’t be like the children of Israel who wanted to go back to Egypt. Don’t be like Lot’s wife, who turned to remember Sodom. Let go of those distorted “what life could be like” images the enemy plants. If you are overwhelmed, you don’t need a vacation, you need is a revival (Psalm 51:12). You may decide a vacation and not a revival is what you need. You may even think, on your vacation, you have escaped the eyes of those who know you. However, do you want to take that risk?
Matthew 18:6 But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in and acknowledge and cleave to Me to stumble and sin [that is, who entices him or hinders him in right conduct or thought], it would be better (more expedient and profitable or advantageous) for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be sunk in the depth of the sea. (AMPC)
Your life has to be Christ centered and governed, at all times. You want everyone to enjoy and be blessed by how you live. It cannot be one way when people are watching (the day) and another way when you think they are not (the night). Always keep in mind, God is watching.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, I repent for wanting to go on vacation from the life You ordained for me to live. I want the day life. I know the nightlife is fleshly fun, however, there is a destined end for that life, and it is not You. I know if I am overwhelmed; I don’t need a vacation. I need You to restore the joy of Your salvation. I need You to remind me of Your awe-inspiring presence I felt as You picked me up and turned my life around. Though You will cover me, I won’t have Your presence if I’m on vacation from You. I want You. I want my life to be an example of what happens when a person spends time with You. I want those, whom You’ve placed in my path, to enjoy Your blessings through something I might say, a song I might sing, or just a smile on my face. I want You. I want a life that brings You glory and is the same in the nighttime as it is in the day. Please do what You need to do in me, in order for Your light to shine through me, 24/7…

Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:

Revelation 12:12
2026-09-18
Revelation 12:12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. (KJV)
Are you desperate?
Have you ever watched a sword fight or fencing duel? It’s like a dance with calculated and precise moves. For each step the challenger takes, there is a comparable step the defender has to take in order to stay safe. It is life or death, and both participants are aware. Just like the sword fight, any situation that may cost you your life makes you desperate. The devil wants your life. This makes you desperate as you battle with him. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Don’t let the devil catch you off guard; he is desperate as well.
Revelation 12:12b “Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you in great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time [remaining]!” (AMP)
Not only does he have a short amount of time, he knows he will not win.
Revelation 20:10 And the devil who had deceived them was hurled into the lake of fire and burning brimstone (sulfur), where the beast (Antichrist) and false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night, forever and ever. (AMP)
His strategy is to take as many with him as he can. He is unrelenting in his pursuit of you. Image yourself in a sword fight with him. He will attack, lunge, plot, plan, strategize, beat and graze. He wants to create what he hopes to be your demise. He has watched you and recorded your responses to difficult situations. He knows where your buttons are and strategically pushes them.
1 Peter 5:8b That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour. (AMP)
You have to be on a reconnaissance mission continually; know the enemy’s position before he is upon you.
1 Peter 5:8a Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. (AMP)
Be as desperate as he is.
Luke 21:36 “But keep alert at all times [be attentive and ready], praying that you may have the strength and ability [to be found worthy and] to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand in the presence of the Son of Man [at His coming].” (AMP)
Be on guard.
1 Thessalonians 5:6 So then let us not sleep [in spiritual indifference] as the rest [of the world does], but let us keep wide awake [alert and cautious] and let us be sober [self-controlled, calm, and wise]. (AMP)
Know your weak spots.
2 Corinthians 11:3-4 But now I’m afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s clever lies, your thoughts may be corrupted and you may lose your single-hearted devotion and pure love for Christ. 4 For you seem to gladly tolerate anyone who comes to you preaching a pseudo-Jesus, not the Jesus we have preached. You have accepted a spirit and gospel that is false, rather than the Spirit and gospel you once embraced. How tolerant you have become of these imposters! (TPT)
Don’t move your buttons, turn them off. Ask God to help you stand as He deals with your weak spots. See yourself in a duel for your life. When he thrusts, you parry and riposte.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, I want to be passionate in my pursuit of You at all times. I repent for only being desperate when I am in the midst of what I perceive to be an overwhelming situation. I should be desperate every day. I want my unrelenting pursuit of You to cause me to see the enemy coming before he gets close. You have taught me, in order to increase my hunger for You, I must discipline myself to fast and pray at all times. I see what my obedience to Your instruction has done in my life so far. I will continue to do what is necessary. I want to see what the devil’s next trap is and where it’s located. Then I won’t step into it; I will dismantle it. I want to fend off the attacks of the enemy without missing a beat. I want to put the enemy on guard for me. Though these are not simple tasks, I know You can transform me. I believe You want transformation for me, and every believer. Thank You for shaping us into the image You had for us all before the foundation of the world…

Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:

2 Corinthians 1:24
2026-09-19
2 Corinthians 1:24 But that does not mean we want to dominate you by telling you how to put your faith into practice. We want to work together with you so you will be full of joy, for it is by your own faith that you stand firm. (NLT)
Is your development arrested?
Arrested development is an abnormal state in which maturity has stopped prematurely. In the normal maturation process, there are age-related tasks and fundamental achievements that a person should accomplish at each stage of life. Successful attainment, at each stage, leads to a healthy self-image and success with later tasks. Failure to achieve the tasks at one stage leads to unhappiness in the individual, disapproval of society, and difficulty in accomplishing later developmental tasks.
This is also true for you as you develop in the Lord. There are experiences or tasks that come at or near critical stages in your spiritual maturity. Events happen designed for you to learn who God is in your life.
Hebrews 5:12-14 By this time you ought to be teachers yourselves, yet here I find you need someone to sit down with you and go over the basics on God again, starting from square one—baby’s milk, when you should have been on solid food long ago! Milk is for beginners, inexperienced in God’s ways; solid food is for the mature, who have some practice in telling right from wrong. (MSG)
The Holy Spirit will keep you from stagnation in your development if you allow Him to.
Deuteronomy 13:4 You are to follow only God, your God, hold him in deep reverence, keep his commandments, listen obediently to what he says, serve him—hold on to him for dear life! (MSG)
However, when you seek the approval of man, you release control over your growth to someone other than God. Like the children of Israel, you set a king over your life. You may not have chosen the king because you want to be like everybody else. Maybe you chose the king because influences and pressures made you think that was the right thing to do. Maybe you chose the king because it was your pastor, mentor, spouse, coach, or someone who you believe is more spiritually mature than you. You thought you were going to the best person for guidance. It is a good thing to have someone to help you process your thoughts and get input from. However, your final instruction on all things should come from the Lord.
1 John 2:27 But as for you, the anointing (the sacred appointment, the unction) which you received from Him abides [permanently] in you; [so] then you have no need that anyone should instruct you. But just as His anointing teaches you concerning everything and is true and is no falsehood, so you must abide in (live in, never depart from) Him [being rooted in Him, knit to Him], just as [His anointing] has taught you [to do]. (AMPC)
When you place someone between you and the Lord, when you choose a king, this what happens?

Your king will take your inheritance from the Lord and use it for his benefit, diminishing your ability to progress in your fight against the enemy (1 Samuel 8:11).
Your king will put you in forced labor, working for her dreams, vision and goals, leaving you with no time to work on your own (1 Samuel 8:12).
Your king will treat your children worse than he is treating you (1 Samuel 8:13).
Your king will profit from the gifts and talents God has given you to create wealth and leave you without wealth (1 Samuel 8:14).
Your king will charge you for the benefit of using the resources you helped her establish (1 Samuel 8:15).
Your king with take credit for your work and use it for his benefit as if it is his own (1 Samuel 8:16).
You king will make it, so you end up no better than a slave (1 Samuel 8:17).
Your king will treat you so harshly that you will finally cry out to the Lord for deliverance (1 Samuel 8:18).

The children of Israel were told when they cried out, the Lord would not answer them “on that day” because they rejected Him as King. The person you choose to make your king, instead of God, may handle you this way deliberately or without thought. However, these consequences result from your choice. Because of these consequences, you will not grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ because of the arrested development in your spiritual life. You need to experience God for yourself and learn from healthy interactions with Him and others as He desired. As you make mistakes and celebrate your victories, you create a relationship with the Lord. Though the Lord will not deliver you on the same day you cry out, He will deliver you.
Colossians 1:9-10 Since the day we got this good news about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We ask: Father, may they clearly know Your will and achieve the height and depth of spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 May their lives be a credit to You, Lord; and what’s more, may they continue to delight You by doing every good work and growing in the true knowledge that comes from being close to You. (TVT)
You want people in your life who will lead and counsel, not control. Those who will rejoice when you rejoice, weep when you weep and be with you every step of the way.
Hebrews 6:1 So come on, let’s leave the preschool fingerpainting exercises on Christ and get on with the grand work of art. Grow up in Christ. The basic foundational truths are in place: turning your back on “salvation by self-help” and turning in trust toward God; (MSG)
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, I thank You for the strength to depend on You for guidance. You know, my dad raised me to trust him as my pastor and to trust those he placed in my life to guide me. I was a daddy’s girl and a babe. I was alright with that. I thought it was a good thing. As I grew up in You, I did not agree with everything I was told. I apologized more and more and tried to conform to what I was being told, almost commanded to do. Now I know, my reluctance was not because I was not sure if what I was being told was true; it was because I did not know for myself. I repent for not recognizing You were calling me to a deeper place in You. As I continued to grow, I faced that same struggle. Was I willing to be called rebellious, brash, etc.? Sometimes what I wanted to do was right and sometimes I was wrong. Was I going to listen to the king I placed in control or seek You for myself? So many times, I listen to and obeyed the king because I was not sure if I was right and it was hard to break free. Thank You for Jesus. Because He was continually interceding for me, it was no longer just You reaching for me. I reached for You at a deeper level. You broke me free. Thank You! Now I had to deal with feeling alone, feeling wrong, and thinking I had to have a church home and a pastor if I was truly a Christian. I would select another king and You would have to break me free, over and over until I finally got it. I learned, and I am continuing to learn, who You are and who You have to be in my life. I repent choosing kings, for giving them control, and especially for the messes I made for them and for me. Now I understand why You required me to go back and apologize to each of them. You taught me where I made mistakes and cleaned me up, as well as my messes. I grew. I am Your sheep, and I hear Your voice and follow You. Today I weep because I realize I did not have to go through all that. I just needed to cultivate my relationship with You…
Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:

Romans 12:3
2026-09-20
Romans 12:3 Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. (NLT)
Ego or humility?
The Ego is a powerful energy. It often binds to negative qualities like pride and selfishness. However, it does not have to. To remedy that problem, you might think it would be better to shut it down. However, you cannot shut it down entirely; it would not be beneficial. The ego is a necessary part of your psyche. You are a human being. You are born with a sense of “self”. Your parents, teachers, mentors, pastors, etc. encourage you to have self-esteem and self-worth. This is not wrong, nor is it a weakness. A person’s sense of self drives a great deal of what he/she does in some way or another.
Because God anointed you, He uses you in powerful ways to bring blessings and deliverance. It is a natural instinct for a person, who is truly grateful, to thank the one God used. It is also natural for you to be proud of being used by God. This is where the danger can come in. This is when the enemy can take your ego and your sense of self and cause you to walk in pride if you are not careful. Keep these things in mind:

It is not your power; it is God’s power flowing through you.

2 Corinthians 3:5 Not that we are fit (qualified and sufficient in ability) in ourselves to claim or count anything as coming from us, but our power and ability and sufficiency are from God. (AMPC, edited)

You are simply being obedient to the will of God.

Mark 16:17-18 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. (KJV)

What happened in the person’s life had nothing to do with you.

Acts 3:12 And Peter, seeing this, said to the people, “You men of Israel, why are you amazed at this? Why are you staring at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?” (AMP)

The power to heal, deliver, save, etc. is God’s alone.

James 1:17 Every gift God freely gives us is good and perfect, streaming down from the Father of lights, who shines from the heavens with no hidden shadow or darkness and is never subject to change. (TPT)

It’s not you. God is working through you.

Philippians 2:13 [Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight. (AMPC)

You are not more special, above and beyond the specialness of every other child of God.

Romans 12:3 For by the grace [of God] given to me I say to everyone of you not to think more highly of himself [and of his importance and ability] than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has apportioned to each a degree of faith [and a purpose designed for service]. (AMP)
It is your responsibility to make sure you lead the ones, God blessed through you, to thank God and not you. Any other response causes you to begin to read your own headlines. Ego becomes pride. Then you begin to charge people to give them what God told you to give them for free. Now, no one can touch you, speak to you, etc. without an appointment.
Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. (KJV)
You can’t afford to let the lines get blurred. Read what happed to Herod in Acts 12:21-23.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
I repent, Father, I desire to walk in humility. I know people have often misconstrued my personality, the tone in my voice, my diction, and how I present myself as ego or arrogance. You made me the way I am. You specifically crafted me for the task You assigned. I repent for those times when I so desperately wanted to be accepted that I took Your praise for myself. Then and now, I’m grateful You know what’s in my heart. I always want to give You the glory for who I am and how You use me. I didn’t choose the tone of my voice. I didn’t choose anything about myself. I am Your design and creation. As You work in me and through me, my desire is to serve those who You assign me to serve with grace and humility. I will lift You up and not me. I will make sure the words I speak point to You and not to me. Thank You because You use me despite my individuality, or how I am perceived. I give You all the praise. I know You are the ultimate judge. You give me the liberty to be me. Thank You for holding the reins and reeling me in when You see me walking the way I think I should walk instead of being guided by Your strength and light…

Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:

Matthew 12:43
2026-09-21
Matthew 12:43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. (KJV)
Are you maintaining your deliverance?
What is “deliverance?” Most Christians often use it synonymously with “the casting out of demons.” That is why there is a negative connotation associated with it. However, deliverance has a much broader scope. As a Christian, demons cannot possess you because you belong to God and His Spirit is in you. However, the devil can attack you through depression, oppression, and torment. In those times, you need to be delivered from demonic influence and persecution. From a spiritual standpoint, deliverance is taking you from the place where you are and bringing you to a new place in God.
Psalms 34:17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. (NIV)
Your deliverance is the reason Jesus died.
Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon Me, because He has anointed Me [the Anointed One, the Messiah] to preach the good news (the Gospel) to the poor; He has sent Me to announce release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed [who are downtrodden, bruised, crushed, and broken down by calamity]. (AMPC)
Deliverance is a good and necessary thing in this walk. Don’t allow pride or ignorance to keep you from getting what you need. When you get rid of the habits and activities in your life you have done for a long time, that do not glorify God, you are being delivered. When you break free of the influences that cause you to feel worthless, to succumb to depression, and function with low self-esteem, you are being delivered. Keep in mind, deliverance creates a void; it is the empty place in your life that used to be filled with those habits and activities.
Luke 11:25-26 “When it doesn’t find anyone, it says, ‘I’ll go back to my old haunt.’ On return, it finds the person swept and dusted, but vacant. It then runs out and rounds up seven other spirits dirtier than itself and they all move in, whooping it up. That person ends up far worse than if he’d never gotten cleaned up in the first place.” (MSG)
What are you going to do with the free time you now have? You can’t leave it free. You have to fill the emptiness with the presence and power of God.

Invite the Lord to dwell within you every day.

Colossians 3:16a Let the [spoken] word of Christ have its home within you [dwelling in your heart and mind—permeating every aspect of your being]. (AMP)

Spend more time in prayer.

Psalm 55:17 Every evening I will explain my need to him. Every morning I will move my soul toward him. Every waking hour I will worship only him, and he will hear and respond to my cry. (TPT)

Use the time to study the word.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 God has transmitted his very substance into every Scripture, for it is God-breathed. It will empower you by its instruction and correction, giving you the strength to take the right direction and lead you deeper into the path of godliness. 17 Then you will be God’s servant, fully mature and perfectly prepared to fulfill any assignment God gives you. (TPT)

Ask the Lord what He wants you to do with the time.

Psalms 119:33 Give me revelation about the meaning of your ways so I can enjoy the reward of following them fully. (The Passion Translation TPT)

Continue to evaluate yourself to see when and where the enemy might have an inroad into your life.

Psalm 25:4-5 Direct me, Yahweh, throughout my journey so I can experience your plans for my life. Reveal the life-paths that are pleasing to you. 5 Escort me into your truth; take me by the hand and teach me. For you are the God of my salvation; I have wrapped my heart into yours all day long! (The Passion Translation TPT)
The devil does not want you to be delivered, and he certainly does not want you to stay delivered. Just as he went away, for a while, after tempting Jesus, he will return. Make sure there is no resting place in you when he comes back. If you have not filled the emptiness, he will bring back what you were delivered from and bring a lot more with it.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, I thank You for being my Constant Deliverer. I especially thank You for continuing to refill me. I repent for the things I used to do that didn’t bring You any glory. I justified my actions by telling myself I was not committing any sins. I was just wasted time, taking a break, etc. Whether it was a particular program, I had to watch on a designated day and time, some game on my computer or any other activity that was not edifying, just time-consuming. I didn’t realize some of those activities became habits. You delivered me from the need to do those things. You instructed me I had to do something else with the time You freed for me. You also let me know if I did not fill that time, I would go back to doing what I was doing. Thank You for helping me fill that time with You. Thank You for counting me worthy of new assignments. I dedicate that time to You…

Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:

Luke 12:37
2026-09-22
Luke 12:37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. (KJV)
Is your lamp lit?
There is a parable in the Bible of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1-13. In it, the virgins waited for the bridegroom to come. This parable emphasizes the importance of preparing for the second coming of Christ and being ready. The ten virgins represent all of those who profess faith in Jesus and who believe He is soon to return. The lamps they are holding represent the Word of God. And the oil in their lambs symbolizes the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 25:1-2 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins, who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish [thoughtless, silly, and careless], and five were wise [far-sighted, practical, and sensible]”. (AMP)
As you evaluate your life, what group do you fit into? Are you in the foolish group?
Matthew 25:3,8 For when the foolish took their lamps, they did not take any [extra] oil with them. 8 But the foolish virgins said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’ (AMP)
Could it be that you are in the wise group?
Matthew 25:4,9 But the wise took flasks of oil along with their lamps. 9 But the wise replied, ‘No, otherwise there will not be enough for us and for you, too; go instead to the dealers and buy oil for yourselves.’ (AMP)
Jesus is going to return.
Matthew 25:5 Now while the bridegroom was delayed, they all began to nod off, and they fell asleep. 6 But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! The bridegroom [is coming]! Go out to meet him.’ (AMP)
What are the lessons here?

You need to be ready, not getting ready.

Matthew 25:7, 10 Then all those virgins got up and put their own lamps in order [trimmed the wicks and added oil and lit them]. 10 But while they were going away to buy oil, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut and locked. (AMP)

Being ready gets you in. When you are unprepared, you get left out.

Matthew 25:11 Later the others also came, and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open [the door] for us.’ (AMP)

Don’t wait until you stand before God and have Him evaluate your relationship.

Matthew 25:12 But He replied, ‘I assure you and most solemnly say to you, I do not know you [we have no relationship].’ (AMP)

There is an appointed time.

Matthew 25:13 Therefore, be on the alert [be prepared and ready], for you do not know the day nor the hour [when the Son of Man will come]. (AMP)
You are the bride Jesus is coming for. Will you be trying to tie up loose ends or will you be ready?
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, I thank You for always prompting me to evaluate my life. I want to be ready when You return. I don’t want to live as if I’ve got time to get it together. I want to be watching, waiting, and anticipating Your return. I want plenty of oil in my lamp and extra oil to keep my lamp from going out. Fill me and fill me again and again. I recognize the oil I need is not the kind I can buy from the store. The Holy Spirit presses this oil from my life as He teaches me and guides me. Every situation that knocked me to my knees produced oil, temptations, oil, trials, more oil. Friends who are untrue, family challenges, anything sent by the enemy to pull me away from my covenant path, even more oil. My relationship with You and my love for You produces the sweetest smelling savor there is, as I burn my oil in worship. Continue to work in me and I will have oil to keep my lamp lit until Your return…

Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:

Hebrews 11:33
2026-09-23
Hebrews 11:33 These are they who conquered kingdoms by faith. They accomplished righteousness by that same faith and thus secured the promise [by faith and not by performance]. (TMB)
Does your story include Jesus?
If the Bible was still being written, would it include your life?
1 Corinthians 10:11 Now these things happened to them as an example and warning [to us]; they were written for our instruction [to admonish and equip us], upon whom the ends of the ages have come. (AMP)
If so, what would your chapter say? Would it speak of your relationship with Jesus and what you accomplished because of it? Take the time to read Hebrews 11 in its entirety. Would you overthrow kingdoms because of your faith? Would you be the one who laps water like a dog, to keep your eyes on the enemy. Will your faith cause you to stand even if you are standing alone? Could someone consider you to be a hero of the faith? Though the grand gestures are in Hebrews 11, there are so many more stories of faith that are recorded in other chapters and in other books all together. Your life may be the only bible some will read. At whatever point you accepted the Father’s invitation to make Jesus your lord, His story became your story.
1 Timothy 4:16 Give careful attention to your spiritual life and every cherished truth you teach, for living what you preach will release salvation inside you and to all those who listen to you. (TPT)
All the wrinkles in your brow, the lines in your face, the gray in your hair, etc., tell the story of who you are. They tell what you’ve been through and how you got to the place you are in now. Maybe your story would survive canonization and maybe it would not. If you are walking with God, you can rejoice.
Ephesians 3:15-19 And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God. (MSG)
Make sure when you tell your story, it includes Jesus and His part in it.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, I thank You for saving me. I thank You for being the lead character in my story. I repent for every time I tried to upstage You and/or write an episode without consulting You. Everything I’ve gone through; all I’ve learned and who I am today results from You being a part of my life. Even when I wasn’t saved; You were there, drawing me. After my salvation, You are still here, molding me, buffing out the rough places and polishing me. If my life is being read by someone who wants to know You; my prayer is for them to see You in me. I take no credit for what I have become. It all is because of You. My life may not look successful according to the world’s standards. I just want to be successful in You. I pray that my life is a roadmap, where the destination is You…

Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:

Luke 21:34
2026-09-24
Luke 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. (KJV)
What type of fun are you having?
“Go ahead, have a little fun, take a break, you’ve earned it.” Your life in Christ should be fun.
Ecclesiastes 3:12-13 I know there is nothing better for us than to be joyful and to do good throughout our lives; 13 to eat and drink and see the good in all of our hard work is a gift from God. (TVT)
Ephesians 5:19 And your hearts will overflow with a joyful song to the Lord. Keep speaking to each other with words of Scripture, singing the Psalms with praises and spontaneous songs given by the Spirit. (TPT)
God has given you liberty and free will. However, you would want the fun to be pure and holy.
1 Peter 2:16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover or pretext for evil, but [use it and live] as bond-servants of God. (AMP)
If you move from godly fun to fleshly fun, can you handle it? What if you can’t? You don’t know how you will react and if you might get addicted to the “ungodly or fleshly fun”. However, since you know there is a target on your back, make choices that eliminate the risks of addiction.
1 Peter 5:8 Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour. (AMPC)
When you hear about addiction, what comes to mind, drugs, alcohol, pornography? Those are just the ones everyone talks about. There are so many more. Addictions, of all kinds, don’t just happen. They sneak up on you, especially when you are not watching. The devil sends them in disguised as “fun”. You can read Galatians 5:19-21 for a list of self-serving behaviors that most probably will lead to an addiction of sort. Don’t use your “freedom” to do what you want.
Romans 13:14 But clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah), and make no provision for [indulging] the flesh [put a stop to thinking about the evil cravings of your physical nature] to [gratify its] desires (lusts). (AMPC)
If you choose to indulge in whatever activity is available, just know some of those activities are gateways to more dangerous “fun”. The will power and courage to recognize the risks involved help you make the best decisions. Warning comes before destruction. You want to assess yourself daily. You might find you need to be delivered. Yes, God can deliver you, wouldn’t you rather not need it? You don’t want to fool around until it is too late.
James 1:12, 14-15 Blessed [happy, spiritually prosperous, favored by God] is the man who is steadfast under trial and perseveres when tempted; for when he has passed the test and been approved, he will receive the [victor’s] crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 14 But each one is tempted when he is dragged away, enticed and baited [to commit sin] by his own [worldly] desire (lust, passion). 15 Then when the illicit desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin has run its course, it gives birth to death. (AMP)
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, I want to have Godly fun. I want to rejoice in You. I want to celebrate Your goodness and Your mercy. I want my breaks to bless Your name. I want to have praise breaks! I repent for not taking the time to evaluate me or the fun I was choosing. I didn’t take the time to think about or understand the risks. You kept a hedge of protection around me. Thank You, Father, for watching me, keeping me and delivering me. Though I wandered, You brought me back. I give You praise and glory for my deliverance. I know I have brothers and sisters who are still wandering and having fun. You are not a respecter of persons. What You did for me You can do for all. I pray for them now. As I pray, I also ask You to please continue to make sure every choice I make takes into consideration who the enemy is and how he works. He wants me destroyed. There is no fun worth risking my peace, my life, my sweet communion with You, or most importantly, my place in eternity with You…
Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:

Rom 13:14
2026-09-25
Rom 13:14 By being fully clothed in Christ makes it impossible for the flesh to even imagine how to find any further expression or fulfillment in lust. Jesus is Lord of your life. (TMB)
Your life: your way or God’s way?
“That’s just who I am.” Is this your response, when confronted, because your behavior is offensive or off-putting? If it is, you are making a way for you to continue to be who you choose to be. Now, your choice may not be a bad thing if you are acting like the person God created you to be. If you aren’t, the Bible calls it “making provision for your flesh,” the focus scripture of today Romans 13:14. You learned a bit about this yesterday and September 11. Why is this so important that it keeps coming up? Because you are in reconnaissance. Yes, you need to understand how the enemy works against you. You also need to understand why he uses specific tactics against you. It is important that you understand what characteristics you have that allow him to be successful.
Galatians 5:24 Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good—crucified. (MSG)
How do you know which way you are living your life? You have to spend time in the presence of the Almighty God, making sure you have not changed His original creation to accommodate some situation you were in. Look at what God created you for and make sure you have not allowed your personality to get in the way.

If you are living your life God’s way, you are a part of the whole (1 Corinthians 12:12).
If you are living your life God’s way, you put forth your best effort at all times (Colossians 3:23).
If you are living your life God’s way, you seek His kingdom first (Matthew 6:33).
If you are living your life God’s way, you make peace, not accommodate dysfunction by trying to “keep the peace” (Matthew 5:9).
If you are living your life God’s way, you are a light that points others back to Him (Matthew 5:14).
If you are living your life God’s way, you find your path in His presence (Psalms 16:11).
If you are living your life God’s way, you act like one who He adopted into His family (Ephesians 1:5).
If you are living your life God’s way, you act like He accepted you, despite you (Ephesians 1:6).
If you are living your life God’s way, you forgive as He forgave you (Ephesians 4:32).
If you are living your life God’s way, you act like you know him (John 17:3).
If you are living your life God’s way, you show Him you love Him. (Deuteronomy 6:5).
If you are living your life God’s way, you glorify Him with your life (Revelation 4:11).
If you are living your life God’s way, you enjoy the life you have in Him (Psalms 16:5-6).

If these statements are not true for you, you may need to rephrase your statement and say, “This is who I am now, not who God created me to be.” Here is some glorious news! You don’t have to keep the changes you made. Even if you don’t remember who you were before you started changing things. God does. He can show you who He created you to be; the life He made for you before the foundation of the world.
Isaiah 57:18a I have seen his [willful] ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him also and will recompense him and restore comfort to him. (AMPC)
He will also show you how to live. You have to be willing to ask God and allow Him to buff out the kinks and dents.
1 John 1:9 If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action]. (AMPC)
He does not need to make you over; the creation was perfect when He finished.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, I want to live my life Your way. I don’t want to justify my behavior. I want to stand in You. I appreciate there are strengths and weaknesses in me; I submit both to You. I don’t want my strengths to overcompensate for the things You need to correct. I also don’t want my weaknesses to shine brighter than my strengths. I repent for all the damage I did to Your creation. I repent for every change I tried to make moving me from Your original plan for my life as if I knew better and You had made a mistake. Thank You for repairing and restoring me. Most of all, thank You for forgiving me. I submit myself to You and I celebrate all You have done in me. Thank You for showing me who I am in You. Help me not to make any more changes to Your original work of art…

Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:

Matthew 13:25
2026-09-26
Matthew 13:25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. (KJV)
Do you need some weeding done?
Experienced gardeners occasionally have trouble distinguishing between an unfamiliar species of weed and useful plants. The gardener might have to inspect the plant more closely or even wait until it blooms to determine it is, in fact, a weed. The Father is sure. When He looks at you, what will He see? Where the world might see humility, will He see pride?
Isaiah 14:14 “I will rise past the tops of the clouds and rival the Most High God!” (TPT)
Where the world might see philanthropy; will He see your need for recognition and elevation above everyone else fuels your giving, not the desire to be charitable?
Isaiah 14:13a You said in your heart, “I will ascend into heaven and exalt my throne above the stars of God”.
(TPT)
Where the world might see a selfless minister in the faith, will He see the need for praised instead of the desire to serve?
Isaiah 14:13b I will rule on the mountain of the congregation, on the highest place of the sacred mountain.
(TPT)
You get the picture? What caused the change, or was Jesus never Lord.
Matthew 15:8 These people draw near Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts hold off and are far away from Me. (AMPC)
The right timing or situation will expose the “weeds” (the truth of what lies within you) or character flaws. The devil wants the most devastating damage done to you and those around you. He will strategically wait for the right time to reveal what is inside you. Don’t give him the victory. Go to God for yourself and ask him to save you or expose the weeds that need to be pulled from the garden of your heart.
Psalm 26:2-3 Examine me, God, from head to foot, order your battery of tests. Make sure I’m fit inside and out So I never lose sight of your love, But keep in step with you, never missing a beat. (MSG)
Always remember you are in God’s Garden, and He will remove the weeds.
Matthew 13:41-42 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (NIV)
Take a moment right now and ask yourself are you saved. Do you talk like Jesus instructed and commanded? Do you act like Jesus instructed and commanded? Is the Spirit of God evident in your life? This is a moment between you and God. No one else is listening. Honesty is critical. If you cannot say yes to all 3 questions, ask the Lord to save you right now.
Father, I thank You for orchestrating this moment. I am praying for the reader right now. Touch his heart. Save her. Deliver him. Set this captive free. I ask this in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.
If that moment was for you, give the Lord praise and hold on to what He did.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, please keep me close to You. Thank You for showing me every time You see a weed sprouting in the garden of my heart. I know the devil plants them to discredit my faith, cause me to stumble, damage my witness, and make me appear as a hypocrite. It is my job to submit every weed to You. I repent for making excuses. The only thing the excuses did was to let the weed grow and spread. Some of those weeds had been growing for a long time and I didn’t know it. Their roots were deep and painful to remove. Thank You for deliverance. Thank You for reminding me I am a plant in Your garden. You know the difference between what You planted and a weed. I don’t want to be a weed and I don’t want You to pull me out. Thank You for changing my perspective and my attitude. I come to You today and every day asking You to help me keep my garden weed free. I don’t want to get in Your way. Tie me to the altar of Your love and power. Don’t allow me to move until You remove any weed You see. I thank You for being my Constant Gardner…
Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:

1 Thessalonians 5:8
2026-09-27
1 Thessalonians 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. (KJV)
Do you have your armor on?
Paul continually stressed the need for armor because it is vital to your victory as you walk through life. The armor is available because of the love of God and His grace. There is nothing you can do, no work you can fulfill that earns it. God’s grace through faith in Jesus gives you authority over any situation.
Luke 10:19 Behold! I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and [physical and mental strength and ability] over all the power that the enemy [possesses]; and nothing shall in any way harm you. (AMPC)
Put on all the armor the Lord has given you.
Ephesians 6:13 Therefore, put on the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to [successfully] resist and stand your ground in the evil day [of danger], and having done everything [that the crisis demands], to stand firm [in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious]. (AMP)

You put on the belt of truth, the word of God, to protect you from the lies the devil tells you about you and about others.

Ephesians 6:14a So stand firm and hold your ground, having tightened the wide band of truth (personal integrity, moral courage). (AMP)

You put on the breastplate to guard your heart and to repel the fiery darts thrown by the devil.

Ephesians 6:14b Around your waist and having put on the breastplate of righteousness (an upright heart). (AMP)

You put on your gospel shoes, evangelizing as you go. Your life is a testimony of the saving power of God.

Ephesians 6:15 and having strapped on your feet the gospel of peace in preparation [to face the enemy with firm-footed stability and the readiness produced by the good news]. (AMP)

You put on the shield of faith; it is the only way you can please God. The devil wants to cause you to waiver in your faith and doubt the abundance of love found in The Father.

Ephesians 6:16 Above all, lift up the [protective] shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. (AMP)

You put on the helmet to shield your mind from any thought the devil would try to place there.

Ephesians 6:17a And take the helmet of salvation. (AMP)

You put on the word of God because it is the most powerful weapon. It is both an offensive and defensive weapon. You use it to attack the enemy, and also to defend yourself as he tries to attack you.

Ephesians 6:17b And the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. (AMP)
Once you put these pieces of armor on, they are on and should stay on. You cannot afford to “put your religion to the side” to take care of someone or something on your own. Also, you wouldn’t want to take off your armor to enjoy some fleshly intrigue; it’s an enormous risk and you will most probably get wounded. How do you put it on and keep in on?
Ephesians 6:18 With all prayer and petition pray [with specific requests] at all times [on every occasion and in every season] in the Spirit, and with this in view, stay alert with all perseverance and petition [interceding in prayer] for all God’s people. (AMP)
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, I can remember as a child hearing the women in the church say they had to put their religion to the side. They laughed. I repent because I grew up saying the same thing as a justification for my behavior. I realize now; the joke was really on me. It was the devil who was actually laughing. I had fallen into his trap. Thank You for forgiving me and enlightening me. I will walk in Your full armor, speaking of the truth of Your word at all times. I know You have made me righteous, and I stand covered under the blood of Jesus. I know You order my steps, and I will speak the good news of Jesus everywhere I am led. My faith is in You; I stand because of You; You are my shield and You sustain me in battle. I have on the helmet of Your salvation. I know I am saved or I am not; it is not something that comes and goes. I declare I am saved and my salvation is eternal. I will not go into battle without my equipment; I can’t afford to. Without my armor, my heart would be open to all types of damage. In the past, there were things I didn’t understand; they are becoming clearer now. Thank You for my weapons, for giving me the understanding that I must wear them at all times, and for giving me the clarity to use them…

Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:

1 Peter 4:18
2026-09-28
1 Peter 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? (KJV)
Is Jesus your Lord or just the Lord?
Once you are saved, do you think, “all you have left to do is shout”? If you truly believe salvation belongs to you, then you are almost right. If you are not careful, you may believe you have done all you need to do. You might take your salvation as liberty to do whatever else you want to because “when you die, you’re going to heaven.”
1 Corinthians 10:23 You say, “Under grace there are no rules and we’re free to do anything we please.” Not exactly. Because not everything promotes growth in others. Your slogan, “We’re allowed to do anything we choose,” may be true—but not everything causes the spiritual advancement of others. (TPT)
Because the promises, the plans, and the will of God are certain; you don’t have to worry. However, there are great difficulties and hard encounters along the way. You will go through trials, temptations, and tribulations.
2 Timothy 3:12 For all who choose to live godly as worshipers of Jesus, the Anointed One, will also experience persecution. (TPT)
You will war on the outside as well as on the inside.
Romans 7:21-24 It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God’s commands, but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge. 24 I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question? (MSG)
You will have fears, lusts and corruptions within that have to be worked out with fear and trembling.
Philippians 2:12 Therefore, my dear ones, as you have always obeyed [my suggestions], so now, not only [with the enthusiasm you would show] in my presence but much more because I am absent, work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete) your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling (self-distrust, with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ). (AMPC)
If Jesus is just one lord in your life, you will not allow Him to rule over what you say and how you act completely. He must be “the Lord” if you want Him to sow the word deep in you to make you rooted and grounded. Then and only then will you go through and yes, make it in. God does not give the race to the swift (Ecclesiastes 9:11), only the winner receives the prize (1 Corinthians 9:24). The winner is still standing at the end.
Matthew 24:13 But the one who endures and bears up [under suffering] to the end will be saved. (AMP)
It is very important for you to make sure you understand what happened in your encounter with the Lord.

It was salvation, which caused a transformation in your heart that keeps you longing for more of Him.
It was an emotional experience that made you feel good, maybe even cry. However, your heart was not changed, and the goose bumps wore off. Then you may or may not have continued to go through the motions, but you don’t have joy or a longing for the Lord.

Be sure and make your surrender complete.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, because I accepted Your invitation to salvation at such a young age, I was not in control of my life. I did what my parents told me to do. I did not understand I would have to make my own choices one day. When I got older, the choices I made caused me to evaluate whether I was really saved. I must have gotten baptized at least four times, thinking that baptism would validate my salvation. I knew something was not right. I repent for not seeking You instead of getting baptized again and again. I just didn’t take the time to find out what was wrong. Thank You for continually calling me to You. I finally took the time to be in Your presence, to worship You privately, and study. You showed me I needed to understand the difference between You being Lord and You being my Lord. I learned I have to do the things You say do, whether it’s what I want to do, like to do, or feel like doing. I will do if I am submitted to You, and I will learn to love doing them. It’s Your way or no way at all. The lessons have been difficult. Though they are getting easier, I am still learning. I will not get off the path because I will live my life according to what You dictate at all times, no matter how long it takes. In those times I do not obey; thank You for seeing my heart. You give me strength to fight the enemy when he comes to say I don’t love You or I’m not saved. Though I stumble, I get up again. I want to live my life Your way…

Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:

Luke 12:35
2026-09-29
Luke 12:35 “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning. (NIV)
Are you ready?
Your Lord and King is calling you to arms.
Ephesians 6:10 Now my beloved ones, I have saved these most important truths for last: Be supernaturally infused with strength through your life-union with the Lord Jesus. Stand victorious with the force of his explosive power flowing in and through you. (TPT)
Your Lord and King is admonishing you to be on alert for hostile forces.
Matthew 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until the present time, the kingdom of heaven has endured violent assault, and violent men seize it by force [as a precious prize—a share in the heavenly kingdom is sought with most ardent zeal and intense exertion]. (AMPC)
Your Lord and King is sending you an invitation and an appeal.
1 Peter 3:8-9 Finally, all [of you] should be of one and the same mind (united in spirit), sympathizing [with one another], loving [each other] as brethren [of one household], compassionate and courteous (tenderhearted and humble). 9 Never return evil for evil or insult for insult (scolding, tongue-lashing, berating), but on the contrary blessing [praying for their welfare, happiness, and protection, and truly pitying and loving them]. For know that to this you have been called, that you may yourselves inherit a blessing [from God—that you may obtain a blessing as heirs, bringing welfare and happiness and protection]. (AMPC)
If you are ready:
You will be prepared for any course of action set out by the word of God. This is the message to all who believe. There is no time to look in the Bible to see what scripture applies to your situation when you are in the middle of a fight.
Acts 8:34-35 The Ethiopian asked Philip, “Please, can you tell me who the prophet is speaking of? Is it himself or another man?” 35 Philip started with this passage and shared with him the wonderful message of Jesus. (TPT)
You will know what the word says.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us. (MSG)
You will stand, just as Jesus did when the devil came to tempt Him. You will say with authority “it is written”. Eve did not know what the Lord said, and the devil deceived her. If you are ready, you will not suffer her same plight.
Colossians 4:6 Let your speech at all times be gracious and pleasant, seasoned with salt, so that you will know how to answer each one [who questions you]. (AMP)
Know your environment, know your weapons, and know your God!
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, I want to be ready. I repent for the times I was not ready when the enemy came. Thank You for preparing me. I know if I fall prey to the enemy; it’s no one else’s fault, it’s mine. You gave me Your word. My job is to study it and know it for myself. You sent the Holy Spirit as my comfort and my guide. My job is to follow where He leads. You have given me all the armor I need. My job is to put it on and keep it on. It is my choice and my job to take advantage of all the tools You’ve given me. I can be ready if I want to be. It is simple, no one to blame, no excuses. I just need to walk in the examples You have set, adhere to the instructions You have given and worship You for the victory…

Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:

Matthew 20:22
2026-09-30
Matthew 20:22 But Jesus answered by saying to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?” “Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!” (NLT)
Are you weary?
There is a motto said by the 1st Infantry Division: “No Mission Too Difficult, No Sacrifice Too Great, Duty First” You are in a “whatever it takes moment” every day of your life. Here are some scriptures that describe that commitment.
Matthew 24:9 “Then they will hand you over to [endure] tribulation, and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.” (AMP)
Matthew 20:22 Jesus replied, “You don’t know what you are asking.” Then, looking in the eyes of Jacob and John, Jesus said, “Are you prepared to drink from the cup of suffering that I am about to drink? And are you able to endure the baptism into death that I am about to endure?” (TPT)
Can you drink of the cup that Jesus drank of and be baptized in His same baptism? The sons of thunder said that they were willing. Where were they after Jesus’ arrest?
Matthew 26:56b Then all the disciples deserted Him and fled. (AMP)
Why weren’t both of them there when the ones who wanted Jesus crucified drug Him from judgement hall to judgment hall.
John 18:15 Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. (AMP)
Why weren’t both of them at the cross?
John 19:26 So Jesus, seeing His mother, and the disciple whom He loved (esteemed) standing near, said to His mother, “[Dear] woman, look, [here is] your son!” (AMP)
In John 18:15 and John 19:26, the assumption is that the Apostle John was “the other disciple” and “the disciple who Jesus loved”. Not sure what happened to James, but this just to let you know being a follower of Jesus is more than a notion. The good thing is, you get all the information you need up front, no surprises. Men will hate you for Jesus’ name sake. People will persecute you and call you everything they can think of except a beloved child of God. Please:

Don’t give up when you are tired.

Matthew 11:28-30 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.] 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls. 30 For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good—not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne. (AMPC)

Keep trusting in the Lord when you are weak.

Isaiah 40:31 But those who trust in the Eternal One will regain their strength. They will soar on wings as eagles.
They will run—never winded, never weary. They will walk—never tired, never faint. (TVT)

Don’t be weary and think nothing will come of your work.

Galatians 6:9-10 And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint. 10 So then, as occasion and opportunity open up to us, let us do good [morally] to all people [not only being useful or profitable to them, but also doing what is for their spiritual good and advantage]. Be mindful to be a blessing, especially to those of the household of faith [those who belong to God’s family with you, the believers]. (AMPC)
When you love what you do, though it may test you, drain you, and sometimes frustrate you, you won’t give up.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, sometimes I get a little tired. When I do, You tell me time and time again, “if I’m tired, I’m not allowing You to do the work through me.” I repent for trying to do the work by myself. I don’t want to be weary. I don’t want to allow the weight of the things I experience to cause me to take back. I want to grow and learn from them. I want to be strengthened with every trial You help me get past. With every mountain, You help me climb; with every battle, You help me win; I have to remember it’s You, not me. I must remember, it is not about me, never has been and never will be. When I lose sight of that truth, waiting for my desired outcome makes me weary. Help me see each day is a new way to grow closer to You. Thank You for continuing to remind me I am just the pencil, not the author…

Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:
