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:

2 Corinthians 10:3
2026-10-01
2 Corinthians 10:3 The fact that we are living in a physical world in human bodies of flesh does not mean that we engage ourselves in a combat dictated to by the typical “tit-for-tat” strategies of the politics of the day. (TMB)
Are you still blaming people?
There are times when the intensity of the pain in your heart makes you forget you are not fighting against a person. You spend time wondering why he would do that. You question the quality of your friendship, and what she said puzzled you. Even though you tell yourself it’s not the person, why doesn’t it sink in? If you follow your present train of thought, the enemy has won. Not only has he gotten the victory by using the person who “hurt” you; he’s also gotten the victory in your life. When you’re in the battle, you have to stand on the word.
Luke 10:19 Look! I have given you the authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to destroy all the enemy’s power, and nothing will ever hurt you. (ISV)
Nothing means nothing, not a thing. If you believe the word, then why are you “hurt”?
James 4:1 What is the cause of your conflicts and quarrels with each other? Doesn’t the battle begin inside of you as you fight to have your own way and fulfill your own desires? (TPT)
You choose your response to every situation. Choose wisely.
Proverbs 29:11 The foolish one will bring forth all his spirit; and the wise one will restrain it back. (SLT)
You can’t allow your emotions and your intellect to dictate how you respond, no matter what you are going through.
Proverbs 25:28 If you live without restraint and are unable to control your temper, you’re as helpless as a city with broken-down defenses, open to attack. (TPT)
This takes practice to discipline your emotions. However, please acknowledge this truth; no one can “make” you do anything or feel anything. You choose how you respond every time. Stop rehearsing the interactions over and over in your mind.
2 Corinthians 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; (KJV)
Submit yourself to the Lord and you will learn it is not people, it’s you.
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, I thank You for reminding me I don’t wrestle with people. I repent for every time I chose to be “hurt” and acted like someone else was the blame. Thank You for not giving up on me. You kept reminding me and teaching me to stop rehearsing every incident. I now know I don’t have to understand why someone does or says something; often, they don’t even know. I just have to understand what You want from me. I have to see people as souls. They could be my Christian brother or sister or still waiting to accept Your invitation to salvation. I know the devil orchestrated whatever was said or whatever was done. It is not the person. The devil wants to hurt me, make me feel bad, or stop me in my tracks. Whatever he does, he does it with intentionality. This may be a gullible position to take, because there are evil people who have given themselves completely to the devil. Either way, it is the work of the enemy. He uses other people. If I am not careful, he will use me. I have to stay focused on the fact that I am in a war. The enemy is trying to win, at any cost and by any means necessary. Please continue showing me how to wage war and demonstrate the love You require. If I lose focus, my interactions and reactions become angry, back and forth, and tit-for-tat. All the while, the enemy is standing on the sidelines cheering. Help me stay engaged in spiritual warfare and disengaged from pettiness…

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

1 Peter 4:1
2026-10-02
1 Peter 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin. (KJV)
What is your fasting life like?
Is it hard for you to fast? Do you sometimes decide you’re going to fast and then you become overwhelmed with intense hunger? You are not alone. Fasting is not comfortable, which is why it seems as if you can’t do it. It is just as much mental as it is physical. The enemy will attack you just as he did Jesus.
There is nothing the devil hates more than when you do what is necessary to build your relationship with God and grow in your faith. When Jesus was about to begin His public ministry, the devil attacked Him during His time of fasting. However, the devil did not deter Jesus. When you begin your fast, the devil will attempt to sabotage and distract you. He does not want you to grow closer to God nor to expand the mission of Christ. You have done your reconnaissance. You know what devices he will use. There are two things you need to do.

Prepare to fast. Plan your success.

Fasting isn’t merely an act of self-deprivation, but a spiritual discipline for seeking more of God’s fullness. Which means we should have a plan for what positive pursuit to undertake in the time it normally takes to eat.
Luke 14:31 “Have you ever heard of a commander who goes out to war without first sitting down with strategic planning to determine the strength of his army to win the war against a stronger opponent?” (TPT)

Step 1: Set a Purpose for Your Fast.

Why are you fasting? Is it for spiritual renewal, for guidance, for healing, to resolve problems, for special grace to handle a difficult situation? Ask the Holy Spirit to clarify what He wants you to take away from this time. This will enable you to pray more specifically and strategically.

Step 2: Commit to Your Fast.

Pray about these questions:

How long will you fast, one meal, one day, a week, several weeks, forty days? (Start slowly and build up to longer fasts.)
What type of fast is God calling you to, such as water only, water and juices, withdrawing from certain foods, social activities, and/or physical activities?
How much time each day you will devote to prayer and God’s Word.

Step 3: Prepare Yourself Spiritually.

The foundation of fasting and prayer is repentance. Unconfessed sin will hinder your prayers. Here are several things you can do to prepare your heart:

Confess your sins, ask God to cover those you know about and those you don’t know about and accept God’s forgiveness (1 John 1:9).
Seek forgiveness from anyone you have offended and forgive anyone who has hurt you (Mark 11:25; Luke 11:4; 17:3-4).
Surrender your life fully to Jesus Christ as your Lord and Master and refuse to obey your worldly nature (Romans 12:1-2).
Begin your time of fasting and prayer with an expectant heart (Hebrews 11:6).
Do not underestimate spiritual opposition. The devil sometimes intensifies the natural battle between body and spirit (Galatians 5:16-17).
Step 4: Prepare Yourself Physically.

Fasting requires reasonable precautions. Ask God first and consult your physician, especially if you take prescription medication or have a chronic ailment. God will not lead you where His grace will not keep you.

Step 5: Create a Schedule.

For maximum spiritual benefit, set aside ample time to be alone with the Lord. Listen for His leading. The more time you spend with Him, the more meaningful your fast will be.

Prepare for his attack and do not let him defeat you. You are a triune being. He will attack your mind, body, and spirit.

Mind -He whispers lies into your spiritual ears to get you to quit the fast. Telling you how hard it is and how fasting is not really necessary.

1 Peter 1:13 So then, prepare your hearts and minds for action! Stay alert and fix your hope firmly on the marvelous grace that is coming to you. For when Jesus Christ is unveiled, a greater measure of grace will be released to you. (TPT)

Body – He attacks your body with discomfort and challenges, causing you to want to stop following the fasting guidelines. Your head begins to hurt, your blood pressure goes up, your sugar levels go down.

Galatians 5:24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus (the Messiah) have crucified the flesh (the godless human nature) with its passions and appetites and desires. (AMPC)

Spirit – He will push those buttons he knows will cause you discouragement. You won’t “feel” as if fasting is working. You have not noticed the spiritual change you were expecting.

Joshua 1:9 This is My command: be strong and courageous. Never be afraid or discouraged because I am your God, the Eternal One, and I will remain with you wherever you go. (TVT)
The benefits of fasting far outweigh the sacrifice. Fasting crucifies the flesh, releases you from the control of the enemy, eases the heavy burdens you carry in this warfare, removes the oppression inflicted by satan, and breaks every yoke. It is through fasting you can hear what God is saying to you clearly. It doesn’t inspire or provoke God to do what you want Him to do. It inspires and provokes you to do what God wants. This is the life Jesus led, and this is the life God is calling you to lead.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, I know I need to fast. I repent for every time I allowed my flesh to rule over me, for the times I would think about food and eating instead of praying, for the times I justified eating because of health reasons, and especially for the times I just don’t want to. Thank You for giving me understanding. Fasting is not just going without eating, it is submitting myself to You. Thank You for calling me to fast and giving me the strength to do what You have called me to do. Thank You for showing me fasting allows me to put aside what I want emotionally, naturally and physically. I can then seek what You want from me emotionally, naturally, physically, and, all importantly, spiritually. When I fast, I can hear You which such clarity I make choices that give You glory. I grow and become more powerful and stronger in my faith. I draw closer to You. I can take Your authority in Christ. I submit all of who I am to all of who You are as I dedicate myself to You.
Help me live a lifestyle of fasting…
Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:

Romans 8:13
2026-10-03
Romans 8:13 In the light of all this, to now continue to live under the sinful influences of the senses is to reinstate the dominion of spiritual death. Instead, we are indebted to now exhibit the highest expression of life inspired by the Spirit. This life demonstrates zero tolerance to the habits and sinful patterns of the flesh. (TMB)
Have you accessed your new normal?
A licensed marriage and family therapist provided some identifiable characteristics for a person who has been battered.

Though they don’t like the environment, they live in; they understand it; they have adjusted to it and are “comfortable”.
They are familiar with the emotions associated with interacting with someone who batters them. That is their normal life.
Statistically, if they can end the relationship; they get into another relationship where those emotions are similar. Maybe the new person does not beat them. However, they find someone who is emotionally abusive or has abusive tendencies.
If they can find someone who is not abusive, they struggle with the relationship because the emotions are unknown.
For the most part, a battered person continues to return to what’s familiar. They are forever a victim.

It takes something radical to happen for a battered person to get free and stay free. Whether you realize it before salvation, the devil battered you. Give praise to the Lord for the radical thing that happened for you. Jesus died and on the third day, rose again.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (KJV)
In order to walk in your new normal, you have to see yourself the way you were and know what Jesus died for you to be.

You had no peace, and did not see a way out. Though your life was exhausting, and you did not want to live the way you were living; you had settled for it and accepted it.
Then you met the Lord. You are no longer comfortable in an environment you don’t like; you don’t have to understand nor adjust.
Psalm 91:14-16 For here is what the Lord has spoken to me: “Because you loved me, delighted in me, and have been loyal to my name, I will greatly protect you. 15 I will answer your cry for help every time you pray, and you will feel my presence in your time of trouble. I will deliver you and bring you honor. 16 I will satisfy you with a full life and with all that I do for you. For you will enjoy the fullness of my salvation!” (TPT)
You were used to being sad, depressed, destitute, and all the other familiar emotions associated with living a life without Christ. That was your normal life.

Those old emotions are a thing of the past, not your present, and certainly not your future. You no longer associate with the enemy and all the negativity he brought into your life. You have a new normal life.
Revelation 21:4 God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more, neither shall there be anguish (sorrow and mourning) nor grief nor pain any more, for the old conditions and the former order of things have passed away. (AMPC)

How many times did you go through the motions? How many self-help books did you buy? How many psychiatrists, therapists, and counselors did you see trying to get out of the life you were living. How many times did you get out and go right back?

You got out of the revolving door. You no longer want was familiar to you or what was comfortable because you are used to it. You want what the Lord provides.
Romans 7:21-25 21 Here’s an important principle I’ve discovered: regardless of my desire to do the right thing, it is clear that evil is never far away. 22 For deep down I am in happy agreement with God’s law; 23 but the rest of me does not concur. I see a very different principle at work in my bodily members, and it is at war with my mind; I have become a prisoner in this war to the rule of sin in my body. 24 I am absolutely miserable! Is there anyone who can free me from this body where sin and death reign so supremely? 25 I am thankful to God for the freedom that comes through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One! So on the one hand, I devotedly serve God’s law with my mind; but on the other hand, with my flesh, I serve the principle of sin. (TVT)

The Lord continued to call you and you answered. This was unfamiliar to you. You did not understand how to accept His love. You wanted to turn the Lord into the same task master you have always lived with.

Because of Christ, you stop reaching for what used to be like the children of Israel. You allowed the Lord to love you. You allowed Him to teach you how to love and show you what to desire.
Isaiah 58:14 “Then you will find the joy that comes from serving me. I will make you honored all over the world, and you will enjoy the land I gave to your ancestor, Jacob. I, the Lord, have spoken.” (GNT)

You continued to do what you had always done and continued to get what you had always gotten. You woke up to the same day and same life, day after day. Forever a victim.

Through Christ you are no longer a victim; you walk in the victory He bought with His life.
2 Corinthians 2:14-16 Yet I am so thankful to God, who always marches us to victory under the banner of the Anointed One; and through us He spreads the beautiful fragrance of His knowledge to every corner of the earth. 15 In a turbulent world where people are either dying or being rescued, we are the sweet smell of the Anointed to God our Father. (TVT)

Salvation set you free from the influence of sin. There is no reason to return to that bondage. The time spent with the Lord will change what is comfortable for you. God will create a “new normal” for you.
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 my new normal. Hallelujah! You set me free and transformed me from victim to victor! I thank You because I am no longer tossed back and forth by the bondage of sin. I thank You because the things I used to do; I don’t do anymore. The way I used to respond; I don’t respond anymore. The places I used to go; I don’t go anymore. Not that I can’t do, go, and respond like I used to. I choose not to because You have given me a new way of living. I have a new life in You. You put all the old things away. I repent for every time I allowed circumstances, situations, family, friends, anything or anyone else to pull me back into the old way of doing things. When in the middle of a tough situation, I can remember saying, “If you don’t know, you better ask somebody.” I knew what “somebody” was going to say. “Somebody” would have given a warning about what unpleasant thing I would do or say next. Please keep transforming me; I want to walk in and celebrate my new normal. I might make that statement again. If I do, I want “somebody” to say, “I know who she used to be; now she has changed. Today she walks in the image and likeness of the Lord who created her” Thank You…

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

Galatians 2:20
2026-10-04
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (KJV)
Are you walking by faith?
Do you think about what Jesus did on the cross? Do you realize God gave you the same power through salvation? How does this make you feel? Energized? Encouraged? If you are walking by faith, you understand:

The life you live is not by your power.

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)

You live by faith.

Romans 1:17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith [disclosed in a way that awakens more faith]. As it is written and forever remains written, “The just and upright shall live by faith.” (AMP)

Because of your relationship with God Almighty, greater works will you do.

John 14:12 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, anyone who believes in Me [as Savior] will also do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these [in extent and outreach], because I am going to the Father. (AMP)
It’s important to remember these truths as you live your life each day and as you are engaged in spiritual warfare. Jesus didn’t die for you to be knocked around by the enemy. He died for you to have victory and to walk in authority and power.
1 John 5:4 For everyone born of God is victorious and overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has conquered and overcome the world—our [continuing, persistent] faith [in Jesus the Son of God]. (AMP)
Don’t confuse victory in Christ with getting whatever you want. Victory in Christ is the power to say no to temptation, the power to praise in the midst of storms, the power to love the unlovely, etc. Walk worthy of the price that was paid for you to have the power of God. 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, I have heard believers say, “we walk by faith and not by sight” all my life. So often it seemed like a mantra instead of a way of life. I repent for every time I made that statement because I was waiting to get something I wanted for myself. It could have been accomplishing a task or achieving a goal. Sadly, it didn’t matter if I believed You wanted it for me. Now, I understand my faith walk is an everyday activity, not a slogan. It is not about accomplishing a particular thing. It’s about standing strong. It’s about seeking You and believing Your promises. It is about not being distraught and dismayed when things don’t go my way. It is about believing that You are also Lord of over the uncomfortable things that happen in my life, not just the things that make me smile. I have to believe the thoughts You have for me are good. I have to believe there is a plan for my life. When I can believe those things, I can walk by faith…

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

1 Timothy 1:18
2026-10-05
1 Timothy 1:18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare. (KJV)
What are you doing with the prophecies spoken over you?
Have you ever had someone prophesy greatness over you? Did you believe it? If you believed it, you probably stopped and thought about it. If you didn’t believe it, you probably disregarded it or put it “on the shelf”. Either way, you probably prayed about it. Maybe you even considered the days or the times when you talked to God about the very thing that was spoken to you. There are some things you can do to remember what God spoke.

Make sure the word is from God.

1 John 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit [speaking through a self-proclaimed prophet]; instead test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets and teachers have gone out into the world. (AMP)

If you determine it is not of God, throw it out.

1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 On the other hand, don’t be gullible. Check out everything, and keep only what’s good. Throw out anything tainted with evil. (MSG)

When you confirm the word is from God, receive it.

Matthew 10:41 Whoever receives a prophet because he is God’s messenger will share a prophet’s reward. And whoever welcomes a righteous person because he follows me will also share in his reward. (TPT)

Pay attention to the prophetic call to action.

2 Peter 1:19-21 So we regard the words of the prophets as confirmed beyond all doubt. You’re doing well by paying attention to their words. Continue to pay attention as you would to a light that shines in a dark place as you wait for day to come and the morning star to rise in your hearts. (GWT)

Apply your faith to the prophecy.

Matthew 18:18 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, whatever you bind [forbid, declare to be improper and unlawful] on earth shall have [already] been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose [permit, declare lawful] on earth shall have [already] been loosed in heaven. (AMP)
Prophecy comes to confirm what God has already said. Fight for what God has spoken, as Paul told Timothy, and hold your head a little higher. Use the word to take a few more blows, to re-energize you and keep you fighting. “Hold on and see what the end is gonna be,” like the old folks used to say.
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 every word You have spoken over my life. I repent for all the times when I wasn’t listening, and I thank You for loving me enough to send someone to confirm the word You had already given me. Even those times when the things spoken seemed impossible to me, You kept confirming Your word and Your will. Thank You for discernment. I know when You are speaking and when You are not. I should have come to You for clarity. I repent for thinking You didn’t know the right time or the season for me to hear it; I was just being stubborn. Because of my stubbornness, You had to send a prophetic word. You spoke it to me before they did; I was just not listening. Thank You for the men and women of faith who share what they believe You were saying. Their obedience leads me into Your presence. The prophetic word strengthens me, encourages me, gives me ammunition, and helps me stand as I engage the enemy. I thank You and give You glory for Your word, for Your truth, and for Your power to bring it to pass in my life. Father I ask You to stir up what You have spoken in my life. Stir up the answers to the prayers I have prayed, and I knew I received confirmation from You. Help me to walk like I know Your word is true, no matter what I see and no matter what I hear. I want to walk like I have faith and believe. I know Your word teaches, what You have begun, You will complete…
Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:

1 Peter 4:2
2026-10-06
1 Peter 4:2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. (KJV)
Do you want happiness or joy?
You are in a war. You cannot allow what you want to rule you. Being happy should not be your goal. You base happiness on what is happening in your life at that current moment. Therefore, when the moment changes, how you feel changes. That is not effective nor affective warfare.
Philippians 4:11-12 Not that I speak from [any personal] need, for I have learned to be content [and self-sufficient through Christ, satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or uneasy] regardless of my circumstances. 12 I know how to get along and live humbly [in difficult times], and I also know how to enjoy abundance and live in prosperity. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret [of facing life], whether well-fed or going hungry, whether having an abundance or being in need. (AMP)
When you run after happiness, you cater to the whims of human beings, including yourself. Because all humans are forever changing, it is like you are on a roller coaster. Self-condemnation and envy plague you as you compare yourself to others. You live like you have not been delivered from your old life and you have no joy.
1 Peter 1:14-15 As God’s obedient children, never again shape your lives by the desires that you followed when you didn’t know better. 15 Instead, shape your lives to become like the Holy One who called you. (TPT)
The pursuit of happiness keeps you in competition for positions of importance, whether it is at work, at church, or even at home.
Philippians 2:3-4 Don’t let selfishness and prideful agendas take over. Embrace true humility, and lift your heads to extend love to others. 4 Get beyond yourselves and protecting your own interests; be sincere, and secure your neighbors’ interests first. (TVT)
You don’t have a servant’s attitude because you are too busy complaining about your situation. You cannot honor anyone else because you are too busy putting others down in order to feel better about yourself.
Philippians 2:14-15 Do all things without complaining or bickering with each other, 15 so you will be found innocent and blameless; you are God’s children called to live without a single stain on your reputations among this perverted and crooked generation. Shine like stars across the land. (TVT)
Get off the carnival ride. Allow God to dictate your life.
Psalm 16:11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore. (AMP)
You don’t want fleeting happiness. You want to live in the strength of the Lord (Nehemiah 8:10). He will give you contentment and joy!
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, I know I am an emotional person. Some have even said overly dramatic. I see that as a blessing; however, it can cause me problems. Please keep me. I don’t want to allow my emotions to govern how I respond to life. I repent for the times I allowed myself to be carried away by my thoughts and my desires. I don’t what to be motivated by what I want; what I believe I should have or by what someone else thinks I should or should not have. I want to live my life according to Your will. I want joy that’s full of Your glory. I want to see myself as You see me and be excited. Nothing else matters, nothing else is more important…

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

2 Timothy 2:3
2026-10-07
2 Timothy 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. (KJV)
Are you a good soldier?
Here is an excerpt from a great poem, The Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred Lord Tennyson.
“Forward, the Light Brigade!”
Was there a man dismay’d?
Not tho’ the soldier knew
Someone had blunder’d:
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
Sounds like the army Gideon gathered (Judges 7). There is an attitude you must have as a soldier in war, no excuses, no whining and no complaining. You have to realize you may die on the battlefield, your leader may make a mistake that wounds you, there may be nights when you don’t sleep, you may see friends and love ones wounded or even die. What are attributes of godly soldiers (2 Timothy 2:3-4, 4:7)?
They endure hardship and do not quit.
The troubles along the way do not detour them.
They understand pain is often part of the Christian experience (John 16:33).
They face life with patience (Hebrews 12:1).
Their trials and the things they suffer do not move them from their deliberate purpose, loyalty, faith, and reverence.
God is not just looking for you to say yes when He calls. He’s looking for you to still say yes when the going gets tough; to still say yes as tears roll down your face; to still say yes, even if you cannot see all the fruits of your labor.
2 Timothy 1:12 The confidence of my calling enables me to overcome every difficulty without shame, for I have an intimate revelation of this God. And my faith in him convinces me that he is more than able to keep all that I’ve placed in his hands safe and secure until the fullness of his appearing. (TPT)
This is the attitude of a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father God, I want to be a good soldier. I don’t want to always question why I have to do what You have called me to do. I repent for all the time I spent worrying, whining, murmuring, and complaining about the difficulties. I will no longer come to You to tell You I feel like I am all by myself; or there is no one who understands me or all of the other things I used to come to You whining and complaining about. I wasn’t the best soldier I could be then. I am getting better every day; on the battlefield and I will fight to the death. When You call me home, I want You to say, “Well done!”. Whatever You need to do in me, expose those frailties, erase the doubts, etc. Get rid of anything causing me to hesitate or waiver at Your commands. Make me a good soldier…

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

Acts 5:4
2026-10-08
Acts 5:4 “Didn’t the land belong to you before it was sold? After it was sold, you could have used the money as you wished. What made you think of doing such a thing? You haven’t lied just to people. You’ve also lied to God.” (KJV)
Are you keeping part of you to yourself?
Money is a strategic weapon. You can use it to accomplish great things. However, the enemy can use it against you.
1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money—and what it can buy—is the root of all sorts of evil. Some already have wandered away from the true faith because they craved what it had to offer; but when reaching for the prize, they found their hands and hearts pierced with many sorrows. (TVT)
Read the entire story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1-11. They had an opportunity to be a blessing. The enemy used money as a weapon against them. They passed on the blessing to keep money that was already theirs. In the movie “Ghost”, there is a scene where Whoopi Goldberg has to give a check to a nun. She was being forced by Patrick Swayze to be a blessing to the church. As Whoopi was giving it to the nun, she still had a tight grip on it. Her heart was not in it.
2 Corinthians 9:7 Let each one give [thoughtfully and with purpose] just as he has decided in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver [and delights in the one whose heart is in his gift]. (AMP)
Money is your weapon against the enemy when you give unto the Lord, as long as you give it cheerfully, wholly, and completely. If you don’t give with the heart God requires, you jeopardize your effectiveness and you cut off your blessings. You cannot waiver.
Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. (KJV)
You can’t receive anything from the Lord when you are not willing to give. What is causing your reluctance? Do you actually think you can do more with your money if you don’t give? You can’t. Do you actually think you can do more for yourself than God can? You can’t. Don’t allow money to be your goal.
Matthew 6:21 Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (KJV)
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, I’ve sung the song, “I Give Myself Away”, more times than I can count. When I began to sing that song, I did not take the time to dig below the surface to understand what I was singing. I repent for holding on while I was giving myself away. I was giving, yet sometimes I was thinking about what I could have done with the money. I was calculating to the penny what the tithe should be. I have learned to give my time, talent, tithe, offering, goods, and services. I have learned to give my all. I give according to Your plans, not mine. I give to meet Your goals, not mine. I can’t wait to give. I give with joy and hope. Please do whatever You need to do in my life, through my life, and with my life. Now that I truly understand what it means to give to my life to You, I give all of who I am, with my whole heart withholding nothing…

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

Matthew 12:20
2026-10-09
Matthew 12:20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. (KJV)
Are you stifling someone’s liberty?
Mark 9:38-39 Now John answered Him, saying, “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me.” (NKJV)
Do you understand why there was no need for the disciples to worry? If the work being done was of God, it would stand. If not, the Lord would judge it. Don’t think everyone has to agree with you. It makes you seem insecure or arrogant. Don’t let it bother you when someone says something that is contrary to what you believe. If you are in a position of authority, you may try to exercise undue influence.
Acts 5:38 So here’s my advice: in this case, just let these men go. Ignore them. If this is just another movement arising from human enthusiasm, it will die out soon enough. (TVT)
However, here are some questions you should ask yourself:

Is he/she wrong or do I just think so?
Is the Lord calling me to address this, or is it my pride?
Should this be my concern, or should I my focus be elsewhere?
Isn’t God able to stop this if He wanted to?

Acts 5:39 But if it is of God, you will not be able to stop or overthrow or destroy them; you might even be found fighting against God! (AMPC)
Just walk in love and the truth you know. If God gives you an open door, share it. You will know that God opened the door because he/she will receive you with gladness. Don’t be a warden. Christianity is not a jail. Allow every Christian to come into the knowledge of the truth as God reigns sovereign over their lives.
Ephesians 4:13 [That it might develop] until we all attain oneness in the faith and in the comprehension of the [full and accurate] knowledge of the Son of God, that [we might arrive] at really mature manhood (the completeness of personality which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ’s own perfection), the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ and the completeness found in Him. (AMPC)
God is continually talking to everyone who will listen. In His timing, He will bring clarity.
Revelation 2:29 He who is able to hear, let him listen to and heed what the [Holy] Spirit says to the assemblies (churches). (AMPC)
Maybe you will share a revelation, or maybe you need to hear a revelation. Maybe you are not the one God will use. Maybe it is you who need to stop and listen more closely. Whatever the case, you don’t have to destroy a person just because they do not agree with you. Let the Holy Spirit do His job and recognize God is in control.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, I am grateful You provide protection for Your word and Your commands. There were times when there were disagreements about Your word and what You wanted. I repent if I was ever a voice that was stifling and controlling. Though I may have gotten it right sometimes, there were also times when I did not. I repent for not studying to be quiet and allowing Your Spirit to lead instead of me. The problem is, I was not listening to You. I am Your sheep. I should seek You first, I should seek You always, and I must follow Your voice. Thank You for keeping me from being destroyed, and I pray I did not inadvertently destroy someone else. The path I take and the people I encountered should always bring me directly into Your presence. Even when I stumble; You never cast me away. Continue to beckon me and counsel me. Prepare me to be used by You to counsel someone else. I thank You. I bless Your name. As I listen to You now, my prayer is that You will ordain the words I speak and provide the open door to speak them…

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

Luke 22:38
2026-10-10
Luke 22:38 And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough. (KJV)
Are you hearing with spiritual ears?
Jesus and the disciples were going to travel after the Passover. They knew the road they would travel on could be dangerous because of robbers and wild animals. Jesus said two swords would be enough. For the disciples, two probably did not seem to be enough at all. Maybe they had a memory lapse and forgot all the miracles Jesus performed. This could be a wonderful theological discussion. However, the point here is Jesus was all they needed. The sword was for Peter in the garden, not to protect them along the way.
When the Lord speaks to you, you have to understand the spiritual in order to act in the natural. If you don’t recognize the spiritual aspect, you can run into problems because you try to process what He said from a natural perspective.
Mark 15:29-32 And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30 save Yourself, and come down from the cross!” 31 Likewise the chief priests also, mocking among themselves with the scribes, said, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. 32 Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Even those who were crucified with Him reviled Him. (NKJV)
Jesus made what seemed to be an outrageous claim; at least to those who weren’t listening with spiritual ears. His claim that He could rebuild the temple in three days referred to His death and resurrection (John 2:20-22).
In your life, is it possible you heard a word from the Lord, and it is not being fulfilled in the way you thought it would? If so, open your spiritual ears and ask Him to let you hear the spiritual reality.
1 Corinthians 2:12-13 Now we have not received the spirit [that belongs to] the world, but the [Holy] Spirit Who is from God, [given to us] that we might realize and comprehend and appreciate the gifts [of divine favor and blessing so freely and lavishly] bestowed on us by God. 13 And we are setting these truths forth in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the [Holy] Spirit, combining and interpreting spiritual truths with spiritual language [to those who possess the Holy Spirit]. (AMPC)
God loves you enough to deal with from a place you can understand; just as Jesus taught through parables. When the Lord speaks, however He chooses to speak; take the time to go back to Him for clarity.
1 Corinthians 2:14-15a But the natural, nonspiritual man does not accept or welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly (meaningless nonsense) to him; and he is incapable of knowing them [of progressively recognizing, understanding, and becoming better acquainted with them] because they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated. 15 But the spiritual man tries all things [he examines, investigates, inquires into, questions, and discerns all things]. (AMPC)
When you take the time to ask the Lord, you keep yourself from missing what He is doing in your life. Time spend in prayer and meditation will settle your heart and mind. You will have a sense of peace about what He wants you to do; how He wants you to do it; and most importantly, when He wants you to do it. When you are sure, remember you don’t have to fight. What He has spoken is already done.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, there have been times when I heard You and mishandled Your intentions. I repent for running with what I heard before I took the time to get clarity from You. When I remember those events, I’m grateful for every moment I spend building my relationship with You now. I know I have to meet with You in prayer, meditation and worship, in order to be directed by You. You continue to teach me based on who You are, who I am, what I’ve experienced, and what I’ve learned. The clarity comes from being in Your presence. Help me not to move, speak or do anything because I think I heard from You; until I come back to You to get instruction on what to do with the word You spoke. When I know how to respond to Your direction, You can use me. When I wait for Your guidance, I receive power that will break yokes in my life and in the lives of those You have assigned to me. When I move without clarity, I make a mess. Thank You for clarity…

Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:
John 4:11

2 Timothy 2:4
2026-10-11
2 Timothy 2:4 A soldier does not get himself distracted by civilian pursuits; he fully engages himself with the job at hand. (TMB)
What kind of soldier are you?
When you are at war, emotional entanglements can pull your focus. You will always have distractions in your life. The devil will see to it. You have to learn to allow God to show you how to manage them. Distractions arise from various places everyday: job, career, spouse, children, church, etc. You often have to make some tough decisions, some of which may cause you to disappoint someone. There are demands for your attention coming from every direction, and sometimes feelings come into play. You get the point? Submit the circumstances of everyday life to God. Allow Him to direct how much time and energy you will spend, which will also allow Him to use them to grow you up.
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (KJV)
You can’t separate “spiritual activities” from “everyday activities.” Even if you thought you had enough time, you don’t have the wisdom. You are a soldier in the army of the Lord, all day, every day. He uses every encounter as needed to help you become useful as a tool in His hands. Evaluate what kind of soldier you are every day.

Do you recognize the sound of your commander’s voice?

John 10:3b-5 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him; the sheep hear his voice as he calls his own sheep by name, and he leads them out. 4 When he has brought them out, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice. 5 They will not follow someone else; instead, they will run away from such a person, because they do not know his voice. (GNT)
Get more familiar with the Lord’s voice by spending more time listening to it in prayer, worship, and especially by reading and studying the Bible.

Do you know how to use the weapons He gave?

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the full armor of God [for His precepts are like the splendid armor of a heavily-armed soldier], so that you may be able to [successfully] stand up against all the schemes and the strategies and the deceits of the devil. (AMP)
Always keep in mind that you are engaged in spiritual warfare. The only way to succeed in the fight is to be proficient in using spiritual weaponry.

Do you understand the strategy of the enemy?

2 Corinthians 11:14 And it is no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light; (AMPC)
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)
Make sure you have done your reconnaissance. The enemy is always on his job, and he never rests. Be as shrewd as he is. Study the methods he uses to exploit your weaknesses. Arm yourself knowing the Lord will never leave you (Hebrews 13:5), the Lord has made a way of escape for you (1 Corinthians 10:13), and you are greater because He is in you (1 John 4:4).
It may seem as if your time is all used up as you live your life. However, there are choices you must make if you are to be a good soldier. You need to include, in your way of life, designated time you will spend in the presence of the Father without distractions.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, life brings with it drama, circumstances, decisions, the need to care for loved ones and much more. This is not just my reality, it is everyone’s. I repent for thinking I am a good soldier because I whisper prayers throughout the day and when I encounter life’s challenges. I know I have to dedicate time to spend with You. Only in Your presence can You develop my character and strengthen the inner me. Some things have to wait, and You are not one of them. I may have to pass up that conversation on the phone. I may have to miss the movies with my friends. I may have to decide not to go on that outing. Those decisions could cause the people in my life to feel rejected or hurt. As I pray right now, please cover them and the choices I have to make. Allow them to they know me by my spirit and hear You when I speak. Show me what I need to do to help them understand my desire is to be used by You as a blessing to them, not to hurt or reject them…

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

2 Timothy 4:7
2026-10-12
2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: (KJV)
How are you fighting?
You’re in a war, a soldier in God’s army. How do you fight the good fight?

Remember who you are fighting against. It’s the devil and not people (Ephesians 6:12).
Remember, the devil’s job is to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10).
Know yourself and you will be confident you are doing your best (2 Corinthians 13:5).
Know the weapons God has given you, and you will fight victoriously (2 Corinthians 10:4).
Know how the devil works (1 Peter 5:8).
Don’t focus on what the devil is doing and become fearful (2 Timothy 1:7).
Focus on what you are going to do (Ephesians 6:10-11).
Continue to build your faith. (Jude 1:20).
Get to the place where whatever the devil does won’t matter (2 Corinthians 4:8-10).
Believe in the victory God has won and continue to celebrate it (1 Chronicles 29:11).
Thank God in, for, and through every situation you encounter (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
You speak the word, out loud, over your life every day. Faith comes by hearing (Romans 10:17).
The battlefield is in the mind, don’t get pulled out by the devil’s mental games (2 Corinthians 10:5).
Keep your mind on the Lord and maintain your peace (Isaiah 26:3).
Allow the mind of Christ to be in you (Philippians 2:5).
You could find that you like what you are doing even if you don’t think this is what God called you to.

Please keep in mind, as you fight, all the trials, tests, and traps are the devil’s strategies. They are just a way to get you off balance and keep you looking at your circumstances. Don’t turn your focus from God. What the devil means for evil, God can use to produce strength in your life and be glorified by. The devil knows the end of the story, don’t you ?
Revelation 12:12 “Therefore rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them [in the presence of God]. 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)
Act like you know the end of the story, be the soldier God called you to be, know the word and celebrate the victory over the enemy at all times.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, I am a soldier in Your army. Because of You, I am fighting stronger and better every day. Thank You. I repent for every time I was moved or shaken when the enemy shows up in my life. I know he is always on his job. I also know You are there. You promised never to leave me or forsake me and You keep Your promises. You lift up a standard against him. I don’t have to back down. I don’t have to believe the reports the enemy brings. I don’t have to walk in fear. All I have to do is trust You. You are Jehovah God, the Almighty, the all-powerful, the all-knowing, Lord of my life. I will fight with knowledge, with understanding, and with revelation. I will no longer worry about what the enemy could do to me. I know he will set traps and throw darts. It does not matter because knowing will not cause me to give up my joy or put my life on hold. I will speak Your word over my life in every situation. The more I hear Your word, the more I will believe it. Thank You for the peace and the strength I get because I focus on You. Thank You for victory every day…

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

1 Corinthians 1:17
2026-10-13
1 Corinthians 1:17 My mandate was not about winning members for some ‘Christian club’ through baptism! I am commissioned to declare the good news without any strings attached; nothing to distract from the powerful effect of the revelation of the cross of Christ. (TMB)
Whose call are you answering?
In the military, the last line of the position description says, “And whatever other duties as assigned.” It is a failsafe. That keeps you from complaining when your superior asks you to do something you thought you did not or should not have to do. This can be a good and a bad thing. The reason your superior assigned you the task will vary depending on who you are and who your superior is.

You may have shown yourself as an asset your command would not want to do without.
Though you feel overwhelmed because you don’t have the same confidence in you that your superior has, you still try.
Your superior may see a way to shift responsibility to you and take a break.
Your superior may be completely unfamiliar with who you are and what you can do. However, a job needs to be done and you are available.

Believe it or not, this same thing can also happen in Christendom. Each person has a call on his/her life. Each believer has a task. It is important to know what your calling is and what it entails.
2 Peter 1:10 Therefore, believers, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you [be sure that your behavior reflects and confirms your relationship with God]; for by doing these things [actively developing these virtues], you will never stumble [in your spiritual growth and will live a life that leads others away from sin]. (AMP)
You may have several talents in addition to the gifts God has given you. If you add those talents to your spiritual gifting, your ministry leader may ask you to serve in some capacity in the ministry.
Proverbs 18:16 A man’s gift [given in love or courtesy] makes room for him and brings him before great men. (AMP)
It most probably will be work that needs to be done to support the vision of the ministry. Very often, your ministry leader will lead you to read this scripture as validation for the request.
Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going. (NKJV)
What do you do if the ministry leader asks you to function outside of what you believe God called you to do? First, you have to know what God called you to do. Have you spent enough time in prayer, in study, in worship, even doing whatever your hands could find to do? This is an important test to pass. If you believe the Lord placed you in the ministry, then you also believe God knows the ministry leader was going to make this request? Before you say “yes” or “no”, go to the Lord in prayer. You want your answer to strengthen you and strengthen the leader. You also want to do what honors God. You don’t want to say yes simply because your leader asked you to do it. If you do, one of these could happen:

You could very well show yourself as an asset your ministry leader would not want to do without, giving you a promotion and possibly even fame.
You could find that you like what you are doing even if you don’t think this is what God called you to.
The task could overwhelm you because you don’t have the same confidence in you that your leader has.
You could do just enough to get by and make sure your leader does not ask again you.
You could completely fail because your heart is not in it, and you believe someone else should do it.

Always keep in mind the work that you do represents the God your serve.
Colossians 3:23-24 So no matter what your task is, work hard. Always do your best as the Lord’s servant, not as man’s, 24 because you know your reward is the Lord’s inheritance. You serve the Lord, the Anointed One (TVT)
Jesus’ victory on the cross paid for the anointing on your life. It also gave you the power to fulfill the call of God on your life. As you continue to spend time with the Lord, you will see the liberty, Jesus died for, and walk in it as well. Just be careful the “work your hands have found, or that someone has found for you” does not stop you from doing your “God assigned work”.
Psalm 32:8-9 I hear the Lord saying, “I will stay close to you, instructing and guiding you along the pathway for your life. I will advise you along the way and lead you forth with my eyes as your guide. So don’t make it difficult; don’t be stubborn when I take you where you’ve not been before. Don’t make me tug you and pull you along. Just come with me!” (TPT)
The Lord will show you if the work is a pathway, a detour, or a roadblock.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, I have lived my life with a desire to serve You. I have always wanted to be a blessing and tried to do whatever my hands could find to do. I’m grateful for every experience. As I spent more and more time with You, I realized sometimes I was being pulled away from the thing You purposed for me to do. As I reflect, I also have to repent. There were times I chose a task myself or I allowed someone else to choose for me. I may have told myself I couldn’t say no. Really, I didn’t want to say no. I wanted to be a blessing. I wanted to please. I wanted approval and validation. The problem is, I focused on all the things I wanted. I wasn’t making sure I was doing what You wanted. I also repent for convincing myself You were pleased just because I was working in a ministry. This was not a trick of the enemy alone. I played my part as well. The devil barely had time to fool me. I was too busy fooling myself. I am grateful You still chose to get glory out of my life. I would say I am amazed, yet why would I be? You are God; there is no lack or waste in You. I’m sorry I made people my focus and not You. I repent for thinking I could please You without talking to You myself. l still want to be a blessing to the body of Christ and to the world. Now I will wait for You to show me where I should go; what I should do; and how You will use me. I have such peace…

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

We must be dedicated:

We are called to be good soldiers for Jesus Christ. Those around us should have no question about our loyalty or commitment as a soldier in God’s army.

We must be Durable:

A good soldier does not think about quitting.
Joshua 1:9, Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous, don’t be frightened and
do not be dismayed, for the Lord God is with you wherever you go.

Be Deliberate: A good soldier is not distracted by all of the things that are going on in his/her life.

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

Be Delightful: God is pleased when we follow orders, we are in this fight to win and to be

steadfast at all times.

Psalms 110:2
2026-10-14
Psalms 110:2 The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. (KJV)
Are you confident God will work it out?
Do you sometimes sit and think about your life? Assessing what you are doing, looking at your accomplishments and wondering when all the prophesies spoken over you will come to pass. You don’t cease to be who God created you to be simply because the devil seems to be winning. You continue to believe because God’s word is true.
1 Thessalonians 2:13 And we also [especially] thank God continually for this, that when you received the message of God [which you heard] from us, you welcomed it not as the word of [mere] men, but as it truly is, the Word of God, which is effectually at work in you who believe [exercising its superhuman power in those who adhere to and trust in and rely on it]. (AMPC)
You may even go to God with questions about your current situation. To add insult to injury, it may even “seem” to you those who do not know the Lord at all are having outstanding success.
Psalm 37:1-3 Don’t follow after the wicked ones or be jealous of their wealth. Don’t think for a moment they’re better off than you. 2 They and their short-lived success will soon shrivel up and quickly fade away, like grass clippings in the hot sun. 3 Keep trusting in the Lord and do what is right in his eyes. Fix your heart on the promises of God, and you will dwell in the land, feasting on his faithfulness. (TPT)
You may even have a tinge of jealousy because the babes in Christ are more excited than you are. At this point, the devil is really having a field day. He is not winning. However, he has a smoke screen hiding your victory. What is your response? It is time to worship.
Isaiah 6:2-3 Above Him stood the seraphim; each had six wings: with two [each] covered his [own] face, and with two [each] covered his feet, and with two [each] flew. 3 And one cried to another and said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory! And one cried to another and said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory! 4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who cried, and the house was filled with smoke. (AMPC)

Worship clarifies your vision of who God is.

Isaiah 6:1In the year that King Uzziah died, [in a vision] I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and the skirts of His train filled the [most holy part of the] temple. (AMPC)

Worship shows you who you are.

Isaiah 6: 5 Then said I, Woe is me! For I am undone and ruined, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts! (AMPC)

Worship cleanses you and makes you bold.

Isaiah 6:7-8 And with it he touched my mouth and said, Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity and guilt are taken away, and your sin is completely atoned for and forgiven. 8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send? And who will go for Us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. (AMPC)

Worship brings you into the presence of God.

Psalm 100:2 Worship Yahweh with gladness. Sing your way into his presence with joy! (TPT)

Worship reminds you of all God has done for you and strengthens you.

Psalm 103:3-5 You kissed my heart with forgiveness, in spite of all I’ve done. You’ve healed me inside and out from every disease. 4 You’ve rescued me from hell and saved my life. You’ve crowned me with love and mercy. 5 You satisfy my every desire with good things. You’ve supercharged my life so that I soar again like a flying eagle in the sky! (TPT)

Worship reassures you of your place with God.

Psalm 95:6-7a O come, let us worship and bow down, Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker [in reverent praise and prayer]. 7 For He is our God And we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand.
(AMPC)

Worship produces joy.

Malachi 4:2 But for you who worshipfully fear My name [with awe-filled reverence] the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go forward and leap [joyfully] like calves [released] from the stall. (AMP, edited)
In the timing of the Lord, not necessarily when you want to see it happen; God will do what He has promised. There is no door that can be closed when the Lord has opened it. You will experience a “suddenly” moment. When did the Lord plan this job? When was my promotion orchestrated? Though the enemy will try to keep you from accomplishing God’s ordained will, he cannot; his tricks will become the steppingstones and launching pads to your success (2 Corinthians 4:16-17). As he turns up the heat, know that your blessing is on the way.
Psalm 84:6 Even when their paths wind through the dark valley of tears, they dig deep to find a pleasant pool where others find only pain. He gives to them a brook of blessing filled from the rain of an outpouring. (TPT)
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, Your word says the enemy is cunning, and he is. I repent for all the times I fell victim to his words and images in my head of failure and despair. He continually tries to make me believe there is no victory for me. He’s been successful plenty of times. I am grateful You are God. So many times, the enemy used people to speak words to stop my forward movement. I’m grateful because those same people have stood back in amazement at Your work in and through my life, time and time again. I’m grateful You changed the picture and shut down the words. You have the last word in my life. I have to keep saying it, not just to the devil, I have to say it to myself. There is a saying in the world, “It is not what you know, it’s who you know”. The world does not really understand; Who I know and What I know is the same. You are Your word, and Your word is You. Who I know is YOU! I don’t just know about You. I know You. What I know is You are able to do exceedingly and abundantly above anything I can ask or think. All I have to do is believe Your word, and I do; trust You, and I do, and wait for the victory…

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

2 Corinthians 12:16
2026-10-15
2 Corinthians 12:16 But granting that I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by deceit. (ESV)
Are you testing the spirits whether they are of God?
Did you have skepticism for all preachers, evangelists, prophets, etc. because of an unpleasant experience you had with one? If so, you could miss out on the opportunity to be blessed. It is true, there are those who use the work of the Lord as a gimmick and scheme to get money.
Jeremiah 23:16 These are the words of the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies. Eternal One: When these prophets “prophesy” to you, filling you with empty hopes, do not listen to one word! They do not speak for Me. They speak of visions they have only imagined. (TVT)
There are those who want to pull you away from the Lord, so you will follow them.
Matthew 24:24 For there will be imposters falsely claiming to be God’s ‘Anointed One,’ and false prophets will arise to perform miracle signs to lead astray, if possible, those God has chosen to be his. (TPT)
There are those who don’t have to pull you away because they simply tell you want you want to hear.
2 Timothy 4:3 For the time is coming when they will no longer listen and respond to the healing words of truth because they will become selfish and proud. They will seek out teachers with soothing words that line up with their desires, saying just what they want to hear. (TPT)
There is nothing you can or should do about them unless God directs you to. Make sure you are hearing Him clearly and you are not just acting out of emotions. What you can do is, deal with you. Ask the Lord to increase your discernment.
Hebrews 5:14 But solid food is for the mature, whose spiritual senses perceive heavenly matters. And they have been adequately trained by what they’ve experienced to discern and emerge with understanding of the difference between what is truly excellent and what is evil and harmful. (TPT, edited)
Then ask Him to help you discern who is working for the kingdom and who is working for themselves.
1 John 4:2-3 By this you may know (perceive and recognize) the Spirit of God: every spirit which acknowledges and confesses [the fact] that Jesus Christ (the Messiah) [actually] has become man and has come in the flesh is of God [has God for its source]; 3 And every spirit which does not acknowledge and confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh [but would annul, destroy, sever, disunite Him] is not of God [does not proceed from Him]. This [nonconfession] is the [spirit] of the antichrist, [of] which you heard that it was coming, and now it is already in the world. (AMPC)
Finally, trust the Spirit of God within you.
1 John 2:27 But the wonderful anointing you have received from God is so much greater than their deception and now lives in you. There’s no need for anyone to keep teaching you. His anointing teaches you all that you need to know, for it will lead you into truth, not a counterfeit. So just as the anointing has taught you, remain in him. (TPT)
Be a blessing and receive your blessings as the Lord leads you. There is a saying, “Don’t throw out the baby with the bath water.” Do not discard something valuable in your eagerness to get rid of some useless thing associated with it. Sometimes you are sincere, however, you are sincerely wrong. Would you want all Christians to be judged by a mistake you made?
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, I’m grateful for every experience I have had with the men and women of God. There have been times when some experiences were not as good as all the rest. I have even taken a break, a time or two, yet I never gave up. I repent for purposing in my heart to take one terrible encounter and throw everything away. Thank You for keeping me. Thank You for leading me to think about each situation. Thank You for showing me the lessons I needed to learn. Either I had the experience because it was on the path You set for me or because I wandered off and chose to be there. Whichever is true, Your power brought victory out of what seemed to me to be defeat. Thank You for increasing my relationship with You and intensifying my discernment. I have learned and continue to learn from each encounter. Each time, You give me instruction. You tell me what to do or what not to do, what to believe and what to discard, what is meat and what are bones. You are in control; I repent for the times when I forget. Thank You for being there. Thank You for reminding me. I am so glad You order my footsteps…

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

2 Corinthians 13:4
2026-10-16
2 Corinthians 13:4 It seems such a paradox when one considers the frailty of Christ’s frame, how he suffered such a cruel and despicable death on the cross, compared to the power of God so evident in him as his life source. Our own lives often show the same contrasting paradox that we have witnessed in Christ, yet our times of weakness become such a platform for the power of God to be displayed! (TMB)
Are you willing to allow God to use your weaknesses?
2 Corinthians 12:9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (NKJV)
In your weakness, God has strength, if you let go. God will amaze you at what He can and will do with your life. You simply have to be available. Whatever your weakness is; you are who you are until God changes you.
2 Corinthians 4: 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. (NKJV)
Sometimes you are on point and sometimes you are not.
Romans 7:15 What I don’t understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. (MSG)
Allow God to get glory out of both times. Sure, you want the Father to use your successes as examples. Don’t you know your failures can be just as useful to Him. There are things that have happened and things you have done in your life. Some of those experiences would have made someone else throw in the towel. When you didn’t.
2 Corinthians 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (NKJV)
Instead, you allowed the power of the Almighty to be demonstrated in your life and you got a testimony.
Revelation 12:11 And they overcame and conquered him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, for they did not love their life and renounce their faith even when faced with death. (AMP)
You know what else? Your life glorified God and it will continue to bring glory to His name as long as you keep walking with Him. It is not over. As long as you live, opportunities to be used by God will continue to come, both because of your strengths as well as your weaknesses.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, I wonder if my life is funny to You. I think it is. It certainly has its hilarious moments for me. I look at my life and there are parts of it that can be used to write a book entitled “What not to do.” Other times I look at my life and I believe it could be used to help someone find You. I am sorry I divided my life into a matter of my perspective. This gives the enemy so much ammunition. Father, I am incredibly grateful I don’t decide how You will use my life; You do. There are things about me You will use to keep someone from falling. There are things You will use to guide someone to victory. I repent for only wanting You to use what I consider to be the good things. Thank You for not cherry picking my life. Thank You for accepting all of who I am, the good, the bad, the up, the down, the bitter and the sweet. You want all of me, not just the part that I consider praiseworthy. I can never thank You enough for that…

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

Joshua 6:20
2026-10-17
Joshua 6:20 So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. (KJV)
What is your “waiting life” like?
Have you prayed and waited for the Lord to answer? What did you do while you were waiting? Do you remember this passage?
Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. (NKJV)
How many times would you have walked around the walls before you started complaining? Waiting on God to move miraculously in your life can be the most challenging thing you have to do.
Psalm 27:14 Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord! (NKJV)
You have instructions for victory in your life while you wait.
Lamentations 3:25 The Lord is good to those who wait [confidently] for Him, To those who seek Him [on the authority of God’s word]. (AMP)
It is in the waiting where true spiritual growth and maturation occur.
James 5:7 For this reason, my brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the return of the Lord. Look! The farmer knows how to wait patiently for the land to produce vegetables and fruits. He cannot harvest a freshly planted seed. Instead, he waits for the early and the late showers to nourish the soil. (TVT)
Waiting is when you remember what God has already done; deepen your prayer life and relationship with the Lord and spend time in worship.
Isaiah 40:31 But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired. (AMPC)
As you meditate on the Lord, your waiting will become easier. His presence will keep you as you wait.
Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (NKJV)
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, I have sung the song “I Don’t Mind Waiting”. There came a day when I really thought about what those words meant. I had to repent right then. When I thought I needed You to move, I wanted You to move right then. I realized; I did mind waiting. I needed to stop singing that song for a while. I realized I needed some adjustments made inside me. I needed to allow You to fix me; that way, when I sang that song, it would be true. You taught me there are blessings for me when I learned how to wait. If I wait with anticipation and not anxiety; You give me increased knowledge of You; You strengthened my heart; You test and increase my faith, and You teach me how to trust You completely. There is power in waiting. When I get wobbly, You keep me from giving up. Thank You for creating a time for me to wait. Now I can sing that song with conviction. I don’t mind waiting because I am waiting for You…

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

2 Corinthians 3:5
2026-10-18, 2026-10-22
2 Corinthians 3:5 We have not reached this conclusion by any merit of our own! Of God’s doing are we made competent! (TMB)
Are you in control of your ego?
Daniel 4:30 Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor. (NLT)
What was King Nebuchadnezzar thinking? The prophet had already warned him. Because of his arrogance and because he did not give God the credit He was due; the king spent seven years living like a wild animal. That is not something you would want to happen to you; or has it already happened, and you don’t realize it? Not physically, because you would know that. However, are you running around doing anything and everything you want to do without regard to how you are representing the Lord and without His anointing on you.
Judges 16:20 She said, The Philistines are upon you, Samson! And he awoke out of his sleep and said, I will go out as I have time after time and shake myself free. For Samson did not know that the Lord had departed from him. (AMPC)
There could very well be a powerful anointing on your life. You could walk in a demon-destroying, sick-healing, dead-raising anointing, just like Jesus had. Make sure you give God the glory, just as Jesus did.
John 14:10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in Me? What I am telling you I do not say on My own authority and of My own accord; but the Father Who lives continually in Me does the (His) works (His own miracles, deeds of power). (AMPC)
Continue to remind yourself it is not you; it is the Lord working through you.
John 5:19 So Jesus answered them by saying, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, the Son is able to do nothing of Himself (of His own accord); but He is able to do only what He sees the Father doing, for whatever the Father does is what the Son does in the same way [in His turn]. (AMPC)
Please don’t start believing the news articles, Facebook likes, tweets and retweets about you.
Isaiah 14:12 My, how you’ve fallen from the heights of heaven! O morning star, son of the dawn! What a star you were, as you menaced and weakened the nations, but now you’ve been cut down, fallen to earth. (TVT)
Don’t begin to honor the anointing and leave out the One who anoints. Nothing good will come of it.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, I asked You to use me, use me in Your service, use me for Your glory, use me in the midst of Your people. Thank You for challenging me. Thank You for requiring me to make sure my heart was pure, and my motive was to bring You glory. You told me a self-serving motive would cause me to end up like King Nebuchadnezzar. You told me how the enemy would try to convince me the anointing on my life is mine. You reminded me of the times when people would thank me and clap. The most important thing You told me was I have to remain humble and rooted in You. If I do, the accolades and gratitude will not change me. I repent for saying I could never do what the King did. Instead, I want to believe I wouldn’t. What I will ask is that You keep me close to You, and I will always acknowledge You and give You the credit that is Yours already. I will tell the world that I thank You and they should thank You, not me, for loving them enough to send a song that inspired them. I will to tell the world to praise You, not me, for sending a word that brought correction and encouragement. Please Father, don’t let me, for one second, pull the attention from You and accept it for me…
Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:

1 Timothy 6:12
2026-10-19
1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. (KJV)
Are you living in God’s will for your life?
Abraham demonstrated faith because he was willing to sacrifice his son. Do you think this is a choice he would have made on his own? Look at some of his choices. His choice was to lie and tell the king that his wife was his sister (Genesis 20:2). His choice was to take Lot when God called him to go alone (Genesis 12:1-4). Based on those choices, do you think he would have chosen to kill Isaac? Not to throw shade, just making a point. One is the will of God, and the others are not. When you walk in the will of God, you have His provision and protection.
Psalm 1:1-3 What delight comes to the one who follows God’s ways! He won’t walk in step with the wicked, nor share the sinner’s way, nor be found sitting in the scorner’s seat. 2 His passion is to remain true to the Word of “I AM,” meditating day and night on the true revelation of light. 3 He will be standing firm like a flourishing tree planted by God’s design, deeply rooted by the brooks of bliss, bearing fruit in every season of life. He is never dry, never fainting, ever blessed, ever prosperous. (TPT)
Otherwise, you make your own decisions and attach God’s name to them. What you are really doing is creating a mess for Him to clean up.
Proverbs 14:12 You can rationalize it all you want and justify the path of error you have chosen, but you’ll find out in the end that you took the road to destruction. (TPT)
You need faith to walk in the will of God. Faith will cause you to believe God and wait for His decisions and plan.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]. (AMPC)
Faith will cause God to count you as righteous.
James 2:23 And [so] the Scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed in (adhered to, trusted in, and relied on) God, and this was accounted to him as righteousness (as conformity to God’s will in thought and deed), and he was called God’s friend. (AMPC)
As God’s plan unfolds in your life, only God can complete it. You don’t have the power on your own.
Philippians 1:6 And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you. (AMPC)
Every day of your life can be a testimony to the will of God. Though it may not always be comfortable, it will always be blessed.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, I remember, coming across the words “the permissive will of God”, as I was growing in my understanding of You. I thought that was the most valuable revelation I could have gotten. I repent for using those words to convince myself and justify my choices. I actually thought those words meant I was walking in a lesser form of Your will and it was alright because it was still Your will. You showed me it was not that simple. Thank You for growing me up. Thank You for an even deeper revelation and understanding. I don’t want to justify my behavior by calling it Your permissive will. That is just a religious way of saying I did what I wanted and expected or hoped You would stop me or bless what I was doing. You gave me free will, and I can choose. You want my service, my obedience and my worship to be my choice. As I have walked along this journey, I can honestly say I want Your will for my life to be done; that was not always the case. I submit; not because You force me to. I submit because I choose to. I have found what You want for me far exceeds what I could ever want for myself…

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

Zechariah 4:6
2026-10-20
Zechariah 4:6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. (KJV)
Do you believe you can win?
How do you win against the devil? The battle is not yours it is the Lord’s. He wins through you.
2 Chronicles 20:15,17 He said, “Listen carefully, all [you people of] Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat. The Lord says this to you: ‘Be not afraid or dismayed at this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 17 You need not fight in this battle; take your positions, stand and witness the salvation of the Lord who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.’” (AMP)
The devil’s tactics are to steal, kill, and destroy.
John 10:10a The thief has only one thing in mind—he wants to steal, slaughter (kill), and destroy. (TPT, edited)
The Spirit and the love of the Lord stop the enemy’s plans.
John 10:10b But I have come to give you everything in abundance, more than you expect—life in its fullness until you overflow! (TPT)
Because of God’s love, the enemy can no longer steal what belongs to you. Your joy, your blessings, and your peace are always available to you. The devil can’t kill what is alive in you. The devil cannot take away what God has called and empowered you to do. The adversary cannot destroy the salvation power God sent to raise you and keep you. He tried it and failed.
Romans 8:35,37-39 Who could ever divorce us from the endless love of God’s Anointed One? Absolutely no one! For nothing in the universe has the power to diminish his love toward us. Troubles, pressures, and problems are unable to come between us and heaven’s love. What about persecutions, deprivations, dangers, and death threats? No, for they are all impotent to hinder omnipotent love, 37 Yet even in the midst of all these things, we triumph over them all, for God has made us to be more than conquerors, and his demonstrated love is our glorious victory over everything! 38 So now I live with the confidence that there is nothing in the universe with the power to separate us from God’s love. I’m convinced that his love will triumph over death, life’s troubles, fallen angels, or dark rulers in the heavens. There is nothing in our present or future circumstances that can weaken his love. 39 There is no power above us or beneath us—no power that could ever be found in the universe that can distance us from God’s passionate love, which is lavished upon us through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One! (TPT)
Jesus got up on the third day. Because Jesus got up, you have God-given faith. It can be indestructible, just as God is, if you continue to build it up.
Jude 20 But you, beloved, build yourselves up [founded] on your most holy faith [make progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], praying in the Holy Spirit. (AMPC)
You are more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37) and your faith is stronger than you think. Look back over your life. See what the Lord has done. You will see you have been battle-tested, and you are war-ready.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, as I take stock of the things I have experienced throughout my life, I thank You. I give You praise and glory. I repent for those times when I listened to the enemy, when he tried to convince me, he could steal what You destined for my life. Also, when he tried to convince me to give up on Your love for me, by telling me I was not lovable and not worthy. And when he tried to cause me to waiver in my faith in Your power to deliver me. You were my God then and You are my God, now. You held me in Your arms and sustained me. Thank You. Now I know You carry me. You protect me from the enemy and You protect me from myself. You taught me there is nothing the enemy can take from me; I have to give it to him. I have to allow him to have what he was trying to get. By Your Spirit, the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, I stand. He is still trying to use the same tricks and tactics today that he used in my past. I am ready to do battle and to see You get the victory…

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

1 Corinthians 1:18
2026-10-21
1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. (KJV)
Are you testifying to the power of God?
Agnostics claim either it is not possible to have absolute or certain knowledge of God, or they do not know of a supreme being. Atheists don’t believe in the Lord God or any other god. Sinners, if they don’t fall into either of those two categories, simply have not yet come to know the Lord for themselves. What do all three have in common? They are all perishing.
2 Corinthians 4:3-4 But even if our Gospel (the glad tidings) also be hidden (obscured and covered up with a veil that hinders the knowledge of God), it is hidden [only] to those who are perishing and obscured [only] to those who are spiritually dying and veiled [only] to those who are lost. 4 For the god of this world has blinded the unbelievers’ minds [that they should not discern the truth], preventing them from seeing the illuminating light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ (the Messiah), Who is the Image and Likeness of God. (AMPC)
As you live your life, you may have the opportunity to witness to a person in one or all three categories. An agnostic is a person who believes that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God. An atheist is a person who disbelieves or lacks belief in the existence of God. For both of them, if there were no God, neither of them would have a definition for their lives. The existence of God gives their lives description and foundation. Tell her, if there was no God, there would be no need for her to profess what she does not believe or recognize as true. Let him know it is not a matter of what he thinks. It’s not a matter of how she feels, nor what she can prove. It is a matter of faith. Explain to him, he exercises faith all day, every day. The only difference and benefit is with this leap of faith, she gains the source of all knowledge and the love and power of God.
Jeremiah 33:3 Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, fenced in and hidden, which you do not know (do not distinguish and recognize, have knowledge of and understand). (AMPC)
To the unsaved, remind him of the love and power of God which God provides through salvation. Tell her it is available, right now.
John 3:16 For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. (AMPC)
As you are talking, the Holy Spirit will remind you it is the same love and power that transformed Jesus from the Son of God into the son of man. The same love and power that allowed Him to be crucified in order to take the keys to hell, death, and the grave. The same love and power that gave Jesus victory on the third day when He rose and set the captives free. The Holy Spirit is empowering you to give them your testimony. Tell her who you were, what God did for you, and who you are now. Tell him that same God is waiting to transform his life as well.
Mark 5:19 Stay here; I want you to go back home to your own people and let them see what the Lord has done—how He has had mercy on you. (TVT)
John 4:39 Many from the Samaritan village became believers in Jesus because of the woman’s testimony: “He told me everything I ever did!” (TPT)
The transformation in your life acknowledges the power of God and gives place to their transformation as well.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, when I look at me, I know You are the only God, You are my God, and my God is God. Only You could save me. Only You could transform me, mind, body, and spirit. Only You, God, could create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit in me. I repent for passing on the opportunity to be a living testimony to the truth of Your existence and Your power. With each new chance You give me to witness, please help me not to debate. Help me give my testimony simply, and therefore, powerfully. Help me tell who I once was, how You changed me, and who I am today. Help me talk about Your goodness, Your mercy and Your lovingkindness. Help me speak according to Your word, which says, if You be lifted up, You’ll draw all men unto You…

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

Exodus 9:16
2026-10-23
Exodus 9:16 But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth. (NKJV)
Are you the nail?
Do you take for granted your contribution to the war against the enemy? Every kind word you speak, every sacrifice you make, is important.
“For the want of a nail the shoe was lost,
For the want of a shoe the horse was lost,
For the want of a horse the rider was lost,
For the want of a rider the battle was lost,
For the want of a battle the kingdom was lost,
And all for the want of a horseshoe-nail.”
(For Want of a Nail, Benjamin Franklin)
Don’t down play your importance in the kingdom and the difference you make.

You make a difference because you are in the world and the world needs to know what to believe. You preach the gospel with your life.

Romans 10:14 But how can people call on him for help if they’ve not yet believed? And how can they believe in one they’ve not yet heard of? And how can they hear the message of life if there is no one there to proclaim it? (TPT)

You make a difference because you are making disciples of those who watch what you do and why you do it.

Matthew 28:19a Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples. (GNT)

You make a difference because people look at you to know who God is, who Jesus is, what God wants etc., and they find Him.

Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your moral excellence and your praiseworthy, noble, and good deeds and recognize and honor and praise and glorify your Father Who is in heaven. (AMPC)

You make a difference because you worship Christ as Lord of your life and you are always ready to explain if someone asks about your hope as a believer.

1 Peter 3:15 But in your hearts set Christ apart [as holy—acknowledging Him, giving Him first place in your lives] as Lord. Always be ready to give a [logical] defense to anyone who asks you to account for the hope and confident assurance [elicited by faith] that is within you, yet [do it] with gentleness and respect. (AMP)

You make a difference because you represent God by working to reconciling people to Him.

2 Corinthians 5:20 We are ambassadors of the Anointed One who carry the message of Christ to the world, as though God were tenderly pleading with them directly through our lips. So we tenderly plead with you on Christ’s behalf, “Turn back to God and be reconciled to him.” (TPT)
It is typical for you to think that it is only those in Christian leadership preach the word of God. Most people do. However, you are a critical component in God’s desire for all to be saved.
1 Timothy 2:4 It is God, who wishes all men to be saved and [increasingly] to perceive and recognize and discern and know precisely and correctly the [divine] Truth. (AMPC, edited)
Please know, you and all you do; your successes and what you think are your failures are important in the kingdom.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father God, thank You for touching my heart. Thank You for letting me know any work You call me to do is important. I repent for minimizing or even dismissing my assignment. Comparison is a trap of the enemy. It is a very effective tool that he has used against me more than once. I am so sorry he has also got what he wanted more than once. I repent for comparing what You called me to do with what someone else was doing and how they were doing it. I don’t want to miss the opportunity to serve You. Whether the service is for a small matter or a large one; I want to take advantage of every opportunity to be used by You. It is not about all the lives I might touch. It’s about that one life. I often think about Billy Graham. I don’t know the name of the person who witnessed to him. He may not have realized, at the time, the magnitude of the impact he was making on the Kingdom. He was changing the life of someone who would change the lives of thousands upon thousands of people. What if he had decided it doesn’t matter if he shared the gospel or not? Thank You Father, every assignment matters…

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

1 Peter 1:2
2026-10-24
1 Peter 1:2 Your original identity is defined by what God, the Father of humanity has always cherished about you; how your pre-Adamic innocence would be preserved in the prophetic word, and redeemed through the obedience of Jesus Christ, and the effect of the sprinkling of his blood. Realizing his grace and peace exceeds any definition of contradiction or reward. (TMB)
Who are you?
In the movie “300”, the fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers reared the Spartan boys to be warriors from birth. They ate, drank and slept battle. They taught them battle like you would teach your child to walk, think, and live. King Leonidas was preparing to go to war. His friend, Daxos, came to support him in the battle. This is the script from the scene.
Daxos says, “ I see I was wrong to expect Sparta’s commitment to at least match our own”.
King Leonidas replied, “Doesn’t it?” He points to an Arcadian soldier behind Daxos and says, “You there. What is your profession?” The Arcadian soldier was a potter, and he replied, “ I am a potter…sir.”
King Leonidas points to another soldier and says, “And you, Arcadian, what is your profession?” That Arcadian soldier was a sculptor, and he replied, “ I am a sculptor, sir.”
King Leonidas: Says, “Sculptor”. Then he turns to a third soldier and says, “You?” The third Arcadian soldier was a blacksmith, and he replied, “ blacksmith.”
King Leonidas turns around and shouts, “SPARTANS! What is YOUR profession?” The Spartans shouted back, “HA-OOH! HA-OOH! HA-OOH!”
King Leonidas turn back to Daxos and says, “You see, old friend? I brought more soldiers than you did!”
As you stand on the spiritual battlefield, wearing full armor and ready for war; who are you and how did you get to this place?

God formed you and breathed life into you.

Genesis 2:7 Then the Lord God formed [that is, created the body of] man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being [an individual complete in body and spirit]. (AMPC)

God made the blueprint for your life.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. (AMPC)

God chose you before the foundation of the world.

Ephesians 1:4 Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love. (AMPC)

God knew you would need redemption.

Romans 7:21-24 Through my experience of this principle, I discover that even when I want to do good, evil is ready to sabotage me. 22 Truly, deep within my true identity, I love to do what pleases God. 23 But I discern another power operating in my humanity, waging a war against the moral principles of my conscience and bringing me into captivity as a prisoner to the “law” of sin—this unwelcome intruder in my humanity. 24 What an agonizing situation I am in! So who has the power to rescue this miserable man from the unwelcome intruder of sin and death? (TPT)

God made the provision for your salvation through Jesus, His son.

Romans 8:3 For what the Law could not do [that is, overcome sin and remove its penalty, its power] being weakened by the flesh [man’s nature without the Holy Spirit], God did: He sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful man as an offering for sin. And He condemned sin in the flesh [subdued it and overcame it in the person of His own Son]. (AMP)

God established a Passover forever more. Jesus’ death covered you in His blood just as they placed blood on the doorposts in Egypt.

Romans 3:25 Whom God displayed publicly [before the eyes of the world] as a [life-giving] sacrifice of atonement and reconciliation (propitiation) by His blood [to be received] through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness [which demands punishment for sin], because in His forbearance [His deliberate restraint] He passed over the sins previously committed [before Jesus’ crucifixion] without punishment. (AMP, edited)
You are not a teacher, doctor, lawyer, homemaker, preacher, minister, prophet, etc. who also happens to be a Christian. You are a child of God who uses your profession as teacher, doctor, lawyer, homemaker, preacher, minister, prophet, etc. to glorify God! HOO-RAH!!!
1 Timothy 6:12 So fight with faith for the winner’s prize! Lay your hands upon eternal life, to which you were called and about which you made the good confession before the multitude of witnesses! (TPT)
You are a soldier in the army of the Lord.
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,” (declares) says the Lord. (AMP, edited)
Stand and fight like it!
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 showing me who I am. I am Your child. I am heir to Your throne. That means something. No matter what career path I take or profession I have; I am not a someone who has a particular job and also believes in You. I am a child of God who just happens to have whatever job I am currently working on. This is such a slight difference in semantics, such an enormous difference in the spiritual scheme of things. I repent for getting the difference confused. I have it straight now. I am sorry when I neglected to mention Your name when celebrating a success. I am Your child. You chose me, formed me, trained me and made me the person I am. I have no success without You and anyone who knows me will know that as well. I thank You for the good thoughts You have for me. Thank You for the amazing and expected end You planned for me. Because I received Your revelation, I changed how I see myself, which changed how I carry myself and, therefore, changed how I fight. Now I fight with confidence because You have already won the victory…

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

1 Corinthians 2:5
2026-10-25
1 Corinthians 2:5 Man’s wise schemes of influence could never match the power of God as reference to your faith. (TMB)
Are you being tricked?
In the Bible, there are stories of men who got monetary gain by fooling the people into believing in them instead of in God.
Acts 16:16 Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. (NKJV)
Unfortunately, that behavior still exists today. There are those who use their position, charisma, cunning and even authority to manipulate brothers and sisters in the faith into giving. They orchestrate fifty-dollar lines, one hundred-dollar lines, prophesies for special people only, etc. God loves a cheerful giver, not one tricked, coerced or berated into giving.
2 Corinthians 9:7 Let giving flow from your heart, not from a sense of religious duty. Let it spring up freely from the joy of giving—all because God loves hilarious generosity! (TPT)
God loves and will provide for the giver whose heart is in his giving. This does not just apply to money. You should also give your time, talent, resources, etc. to the kingdom; and you should do it cheerfully.
Proverbs 3:9-10 Glorify God with all your wealth, honoring him with your firstfruits, with every increase that comes to you. 10 Then every dimension of your life will overflow with blessings from an uncontainable source of inner joy! (TPT)
You have to be connected to God. If you are, He will speak to you about your giving and make you aware of what is going on.
1 John 2:20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One [you have been set apart, specially gifted and prepared by the Holy Spirit], and all of you know [the truth because He teaches us, illuminates our minds, and guards us from error]. (AMP)
You don’t have to barter with men to receive what God has for you. He will give it to you freely.
Revelation 22:17 The [Holy] Spirit and the bride (the church, the true Christians) say, Come! And let him who is listening say, Come! And let everyone come who is thirsty [who is painfully conscious of his need of those things by which the soul is refreshed, supported, and strengthened]; and whoever [earnestly] desires to do it, let him come, take, appropriate, and drink the water of Life without cost. (AMPC)
Your relationship with the Lord makes His will available to you. Your faith gives you the power to access 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 giving me the wisdom and revelation. I repent for all the times I allowed anyone to fool or trick me into serving You or giving. You have made it possible for me to come to You and hear You speak to my heart. You will tell me what You want me to know. You will tell me when to give and what to give. I thank You Father, because spending time with You creates a heart that cheerfully gives. That is a blessing all by itself. Your word says, if I give, You promise to give back to me; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over. You have given me two additional revelations about this verse. I am not to give just so I can get, and this verse is not only about money. All giving is also about learning from You and being used by You. I don’t give because of Your promise. I give because You have mandated me to. Your promise is just a bonus You made available for me. It is an additional blessing if I am faithful and obedient to Your commands. You made the path to being blessed by You so clear. I can live to receive the many blessings You have for me. If I do, You will bless me even more. Your word is ever before me, even in my heart. If I have faith in You, I will believe in Your power and see it manifested in my life. No one will trick me into serving or giving. Please increase my faith and I will give all of who I am as You lead me to…

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

1 Thessalonians 5:22
2026-10-26
1 Thessalonians 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil. (KJV)
Do you know what evil looks like?
Do you know the things that fall into the category of evil? If not, here is a list, it is not all-encompassing. However, it is a pretty good one:
Galatians 5:19-21 The behavior of the self-life is obvious: Sexual immorality, lustful thoughts, pornography, 20 chasing after things instead of God, manipulating others, hatred of those who get in your way, senseless arguments, resentment when others are favored, temper tantrums, angry quarrels, only thinking of yourself, being in love with your own opinions, 21 being envious of the blessings of others, murder, uncontrolled addictions, wild parties, and all other similar behavior. Haven’t I already warned you that those who use their “freedom” for these things will not inherit the kingdom realm of God! (TPT)
The thing is, you have to be on the lookout because sometimes evil is not as obvious as you might think. Evil does not always look the way we think “evil” should look.
Proverbs 14:12-13 There’s a way of life that looks harmless enough; look again—it leads straight to hell. Sure, those people appear to be having a good time, but all that laughter will end in heartbreak. (MSG)
The movie “Needful Things” tells the story of a shop that opened in a small, picture-perfect town. The proprietor always seemed to have an item in stock that was perfectly suited to any customer who came through his doors. The thing is, the item was not just a want. Somehow it was a “need”. It was something the customer believed he or she could not live without. They would do anything to get the item they “needed.” The prices were negotiable, because money was not the only currency used. The proprietor would choose someone the customer would have to play a “trick” on and/or allow the customer to trade favors. The proprietor somehow knew about the long-standing desires, private grudges, arguments, and feuds between the various townspeople. The pranks were his means of forcing them to escalate until the whole town was eventually caught up in madness and violence.
The movie was extreme in its delivery, but the Lord was and is still speaking. Do you understand the difference between a need and a want? What is a need? A need is something that is necessary for the survival, urgency, life or death outcome. Emergency should come to mind.
Acts 17:27-28 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ (NIV)
What is a want? A want is something that you wish for and/or desire. The desire can be really intense and you may even feel you will die if you don’t get it. However, will you die if you don’t get it? The answer is no.
James 4:2-3 You want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. You lust for what you don’t have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn’t yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it. 2-3 You wouldn’t think of just asking God for it, would you? And why not? Because you know you’d be asking for what you have no right to. You’re spoiled children, each wanting your own way.
When you don’t know the difference between what you want and what you need, you are a target for the adversary. The devil always pays up front; he just holds back the consequences until you are all-in. Your relationship with the Father gives you the edge you need to resist the devil and he will flee.
Psalm 37:4-5 Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. (NKJV)
Keep these concepts in mind. First, you have to delight yourself in the Lord. Make Him your joy, your delight, and your true pleasure. Then He is free to give you the desires of your heart. He will tell you what to desire. You don’t have the wisdom to know. This is where you confuse what you want with what you need. However, He knows. Finally, don’t meddle in the situation. Don’t try to help God work it out. He will bring it to pass.
James 4:7 So submit to [the authority of] God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him] and he will flee from you. (AMP)
Make sure you don’t miss the appearance of evil.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, first thank You for being my God, my covering, my keeper, and my deliverer. I repent for all the times in my life when I chose what I thought something was a good thing, when really it wasn’t. I know every one of those times; I made the choice without acknowledging You first. I will no longer give You a quick prayer. I will inquire of You. I will sit at Your feet and wait for Your leading. I have to suffer the fall-out for my actions and own my part in it. There are consequences when I don’t seek You. There are consequences when I don’t acknowledge You in all my choices. Sometimes I am confident about the decision I am about to make and I get through it untarnished. A good deal of the time, I don’t. I am getting rid of the times when I take risks by using my intelligence and gut instincts; I will use spiritual discernment. What I hear will not sway me; whether it is the enemy whispering, any other person speaking, or my thoughts someone. I want to be led by the Spirit…

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

1 Peter 1:22
2026-10-27
1 Peter 1:22 You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart. (NLT)
What kind of love do you have?
John 3:16 For here is the way God loved the world—he gave his only, unique Son as a gift. So now everyone who believes in him will never perish but experience everlasting life. (TPT)
Love is a word that is passed around as often as the word friend. Often people use it because it is soft and sounds nice, not because it is true. Sometimes it simply a warmer way of saying, “I think you are nice.” Often used instead of saying “thank you”, for a kindness that is exchanged between two people. Family members, both close and distant, say it. As you progress in the things of God, you learn there the difference in the love you will display when referring to your interpersonal relationships. Growing in God should also give you the liberty to change the way you love. Here are some examples of love.

Eros—Romantic Love.

Eros is an intense sexual desire for someone. Usually, it is so passionate and overwhelming that the Greeks often thought it would cause someone to lose control of their words or actions. Today, we might call it lust. Samson slept with harlots (Judges 16:1), Samson met Delilah (Judges 16), King David toward Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11).
Ezekiel 23:20a “She was filled with lust for oversexed men.” (GNT)

Philia—Affectionate Love.

All love is affectionate in some manner, but philia love is one that doesn’t involve any passion or sexual impulse. It’s more like love between good friends or goodwill between you and someone you respect or admire.
1 John 3:16,18 By this we know love because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. (NKJV)

Storge—Familiar Love.

Though people confuse storge with philia (love among friends), it has more to do with the love a family feels for each other. It is most recognized as the love a parent has for his or her child. It’s a powerful bond that is not easily broken.
Mark 5:23 He pleaded with Jesus, saying over and over, “Please come with me! My little daughter is at the point of death, and she’s only twelve years old! Come and lay your hands on her and heal her and she will live!” (TPT)

Pragma—Enduring Love.

Those married for a while know that there comes a time when the honeymoon is over. The eros you both had has added to it storge and philia and life goes merrily along. However, if you last long enough, eventually you have pragma, an enduring love. It is love that stands the test of time. It’s the kind of love a husband and wife have after fifty years of marriage, and they still want to kiss and hold hands. As the opposite of eros, where the passion burns white hot and fades quickly, pragma matures and grows over time into something truly special. Abraham was 50 and Sarah was 40 when they got married. They were married for 77 years when Sarah died.
Genesis 23:2 So Sarah died in Kirjath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. (NKJV)

Philautia—Self-Love/Care.

You learned the dangers of ego on September 20 and October 23. However, philautia love refers to a healthy self-esteem. It is your emotional appraisal of your own worth, how you think, feel, and act. It also reflects and determines how you relate to yourself, to others, and to the world. You can also think of philautia as how you take care of yourself, in that you try to eat healthy food, get enough sleep, and exercise. If you don’t care for yourself, you won’t have philautia.
Daniel 1:8, 12-13, 15, 17 But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile (taint, dishonor) himself with the king’s finest food or with the wine which the king drank; so he asked the commander of the officials that he might [be excused so that he would] not defile himself. 12 “Please, test your servants for ten days, and let us be given some vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our appearance and the appearance of the young men who eat the king’s finest food be observed and compared by you, and deal with your servants in accordance with what you see.” 15 At the end of ten days it seemed that they were looking better and healthier than all the young men who ate the king’s finest food. 17 As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all kinds of literature and wisdom; Daniel also understood all kinds of visions and dreams. (AMP)

Ludas—Playful Love.

If you’ve ever been in love, you have no doubt felt ludas . It’s the butterflies in your stomach, the quickened heartbeat, the anxiety you feel when you’re waiting for your love interest to walk through the door. It’s the flirting and teasing and playing you do in the early stages of dating. The focus is usually more on fun rather than building a relationship.
Song of Solomon 1:4a “Draw me away with you and let us run together!” (AMP)

Agape—Unconditional Love.

Agape love is by far the most special, most respectful of all the types of love. It is the kind Jesus refers to again and again throughout His ministry and is the one the Christian faith encompasses. Agape love is a universal, unconditional, selfless love for others. It involves being altruistic and caring more for others than for yourself. Jesus perfectly exemplified agape love when He died on the cross to save us from sin and death. He suffered so He could set us free.
Romans 5:8 But Christ proved God’s passionate love for us by dying in our place while we were still lost and ungodly! (TPT)
Matthew 22:37-39 Jesus answered him, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with every passion of your heart, with all the energy of your being, and with every thought that is within you.’ 38 This is the great and supreme commandment. 39 And the second is like it in importance: ‘You must love your friend in the same way you love yourself.’ (TPT)
The love God requires of you is agape love. The love He has for you represents it. It does not change depending on the person. It is sacrificial. Love is caring in action. Love isn’t what we feel, it’s what we do.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. (NKJV)
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 love. I repent for not loving the same way You do at all times. I am often overwhelmed at the magnitude of Your love. It is unconditional; thank You that there are no strings attached, no hoops to jump through. I have never had to and will never have to work for Your love. Though You have expectations for me, You continue to love me even when I don’t fulfill them. It is not an easy to love Your way and completely impossible without You. Yet, I know I can do it if I take myself out of the equation. I have to allow Your love to flow through me. When I do, I can expect to help someone else experience Your love. My only goal is to be submitted to You to the extent You can and will use me to show Your love. It is more than turning the other cheek. It is stepping into a completely different place where my actions can transform a person’s life. It is being a conduit where someone can come in contact with genuine love. Thank You for the opportunity to show Your love as I live on this earth…

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

Romans 8:5
2026-10-28
Romans 8:5 Sin’s symptoms are sponsored by the senses, a mind dominated by the sensual. Thoughts betray source; spirit life attracts spirit thoughts. (TMB)
How are you making your choices?
Some sources suggest that the average person makes 35,000 choices per day. Let’s break this down. If you sleep the recommended eight hours per day, that means you make 2,187.5 decisions per hour, approximately 36.5 decisions per minute, and roughly .6 decisions every second. What happens when you make decisions in your daily life based on how you feel, whether they are good or bad?
2 Corinthians 1:17 Was I vacillating when I wanted to do this? Do I make my plans according to the flesh, ready to say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time? (ESV)
How does that compare to the times when you make your decision based on the Word of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit?
Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him] be the controlling factor in your hearts [deciding and settling questions that arise]. To this peace indeed you were called as members in one body [of believers]. And be thankful [to God always]. (AMP)
When you are emotional, you don’t think about why you are making the choice, you just do what you want. Also, emotional decisions rob you of the time you need to take to reflect on how your choice will affect you and/or others, both in the decision moment and in the future. When you make an emotional decision, you don’t want to be questioned. Why? Because you know you don’t have a God-ordained or prudent reason for the choice. When you let your flesh dictate your choices, you fail to acknowledge God and often you make a mess.
Proverbs 16:2 All the ways of a man are clean and innocent in his own eyes [and he may see nothing wrong with his actions], But the Lord weighs and examines the motives and intents [of the heart and knows the truth]. (AMP)
Always step away from the situation in order for God to center you and guide you.
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord completely, and do not rely on your own opinions. With all your heart rely on him to guide you, and he will lead you in every decision you make. 6 Become intimate with him in whatever you do, and he will lead you wherever you go. (TPT)
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father God, though it is easy to make a decision when I am emotional, I know I shouldn’t. I repent for the times when I tried to justify the decisions I made because I just didn’t want to admit I made the wrong one. Though You have grown me up to an almost unrecognizable place, I know there is still much more for You to do. I realize emotional decisions can be negative as well as positive. They are negative when fueled by anger and/or pain. They are positive when influenced by excitement, happiness, and even love. Either way, an emotional decision is not Your best for me. If I do not submit my decisions to You first; I will not make decisions that will please and honor You, the ones You want me to make. I want Your peace to abide within me. Then Your presence will be evident in the choices I make; in the words I speak and the actions I take. I thank You for Your peace…
Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here:

Colossians 2:20
2026-10-29
Colossians 2:20 If it is true that you were included in Christ’s death, then the religious systems of this world with its rules and regulations no longer apply to you. What further relevance would there be for you to continue to live under the influence of man’s doctrines and ideas? (TMB)
Are you religious or spiritual?
To be religious is to adhere to a fundamental set of beliefs and practices, no matter what. Sometimes you don’t even know why you are complying. Often, these beliefs involve devotional and ritual observances. They can also contain a moral code governing the conduct of your life. The strict adherence to the code can produce a feeling of bondage. When you do things simply to keep traditions or earn favor, you are living like a Pharisee and not walking in the freedom. Religion is the law, and it kills. Being spiritual requires the manifestation of the Spirit of God and that brings life (2 Corinthians 3:6).

If you are religious, you blindly follow rituals and formality.

If you are spiritual, you want guidance gained by communion with the Father.

Isaiah 29:13 And the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near Me with their mouth and honor Me with their lips but remove their hearts and minds far from Me, and their fear and reverence for Me are a commandment of men that is learned by repetition [without any thought as to the meaning]. (AMPC)

If you are religious, you submit to the demands of and yield complete control to man.
If you are spiritual, you listen for and obey the voice of God.

Colossians 2:8-10 Watch out for people who try to dazzle you with big words and intellectual double-talk. They want to drag you off into endless arguments that never amount to anything. They spread their ideas through the empty traditions of human beings and the empty superstitions of spirit beings. But that’s not the way of Christ. Everything of God gets expressed in him, so you can see and hear him clearly. You don’t need a telescope, a microscope, or a horoscope to realize the fullness of Christ, and the emptiness of the universe without him. When you come to him, that fullness comes together for you, too. His power extends over everything. (MSG)

If you are religious, you speak of sin and of fault.
If you are spiritual, you speak of repentance and forgiveness.

John 3:17 For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him. (AMPC)

If you are religious, you care about how people see you on the outside.
If you are spiritual, you care about what is in your heart.

Matthew 23:27-28 “You’re hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You’re like manicured grave plots, grass clipped and the flowers bright, but six feet down it’s all rotting bones and worm-eaten flesh. People look at you and think you’re saints, but beneath the skin you’re total frauds. (MSG)

If you are religious, you focus on what “to do”.
If you are spiritual, you focus on who “to BE”.

Ephesians 6:6-7 Not in the way of eye-service [as if they were watching you] and only to please men, but as servants (slaves) of Christ, doing the will of God heartily and with your whole soul; 7 Rendering service readily with goodwill, as to the Lord and not to men. (AMPC)
Please know, keeping traditions won’t make you holy or give you everlasting life. Jesus died to make it possible to have a spiritual relationship with the Father, not a religious one.
Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:
Father, You are The almighty, all loving God. I don’t want to be religious in my interaction with You. I repent for allowing my Christianity and tradition to govern me with rules and regulations. Blindly following what everyone else was doing or what I was told to do with no understanding of why. I no longer pray because I’ve been told I should pray. I no longer fast because it’s the third day of the week. I do not love You out of obligation. I love You because of my relationship with You. Your word says You are Spirit and my interaction with You must be in spirit and in truth. I spend time with You because want to. I submit to Your leading and Your presence in order for our time to be rich and full of Your glory. There is no obligation. There is no banner to wave that says I prayed for an hour. I just want to be with You. Just to know we have a covenant relationship. I no longer want to be called Your servant; I want to be Your friend…

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