Family will be there when you need them.

In the kingdom of God, we are all related–sisters and brothers with one Father. We are meant to be connected to each other. That’s why we’re also referred to as a body. A body needs all its body parts in good working order. If a toe gets stubbed, there are body parts that know to take an aspirin and apply ice.

That’s the awesome part of being connected. When we work as a body, we are connected with people who know how to take care of us. And believe me, we will all need it. The first time you go through depression or discouragement, you’ll want someone around who knows how to break that off and bless you.

But you also have responsibilities as a family member. You need to ask for help when you need it. Don’t assume that everyone else is perfect and you’re the only one with a problem. Be honest and open. Connect with people who love you and support you. Allow them to do what they are good at.

And then be there for others. Friendships take time, and more. It will cost you to be connected in this family, but God will bless you for it. And you will always get more than you give.

Another post on the body of Christ: Don’t Isolate Yourself

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Your road is in front of you, not behind.

God will never make you feel badly about your past. Once He forgives you, He forgets. The only ones who remember your past are you and the enemy, and you have control over both.

Whenever you start to feel guilty about sin you’ve already confessed, rebuke the guilt and claim your peace. Thank God for His forgiveness and enjoy your freedom. The enemy will always try to drag you back and get your eyes off of your future, but you don’t have to fall for it. As long as you are looking back, you’re not paying attention to what God is doing for you now. You’re prevented from growing, and you need to grow.

Guilt isn’t the only thing making you look back. Fear is also a trick of the enemy. Maybe you feel that you’re not ready for whatever God is calling you to. Rebuke that. If God has called you, then He will equip you and you’ll be fine. There’s nothing in your past that’s any better than your future in the Lord.

You have a destiny and a hope that is extraordinary in the kingdom. God has blessed you with a future that He’s waiting for you to walk in, so get started!

Another post on destiny: What Will God Do With Your Tomorrow?

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The kingdom of God is all about loving each other.

When Jesus described the kingdom of God, He described people who supported each other in kindness and love—people who could live like that even toward their enemies. Give your enemy your coat and your sweater also. Walk the mile with them without complaining, and then go another mile. Be kind. If we should live like that with our enemies, imagine how we should live with people in our own “family”.

When kingdom people get together, the atmosphere is almost electric. There’s a shared excitement because everyone is hooked into the same joy. There’s every expectation that God will be awesome and everyone wants in on it.

If you don’t live in a community of kingdom people, find them online. I have regular pray calls on the phone with a group that just bless my socks off. Even over the internet, you can connect with like-minded people who will know how to pray for you and bless in ways you wouldn’t get otherwise.

We are here for each other, and it’s fun. It’s fun to see people being blessed. It’s fun to see them be healed and set free of depression and anxiety. It’s fun to pray with them and call down heaven. Joy is contagious and those who have it love to spread it.

Another post on loving each other: The Body Of Christ Is There To Help

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The loving gifts of God are powerful weapons.

So, here’s the thing. If you’re a Christian filled with the Spirit, then you are a target of the enemy. He hates all humans, but the ones marked by God are his special targets. You have to be armed and prepared for the assault on your life. How do you do that? You live in God’s Spirit, under the shadow of His wings.

When we live in the Spirit and are filled with His gifts, we have a natural defense against the enemy. Every good gift of God is a weapon of warfare—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control—these are all deadly against the demonic realms.

Practice kindness and you thwart enemy attack. Show mercy and grace, and you mow over jealousies and hate. Live in peace and you push back the boundaries of evil as you spread the kingdom. Every good work that you do establishes God’s presence and tears down the  works of darkness.

Sometimes we have to be aggressive in our stance, but more often than not, showing love can be totally disarming and far more effective. It may look warm and fuzzy from the outside, but the power of the kindness within you is more powerful than anything the enemy can throw at you.

Another post on living in the Spirit: Do You Have Anointing?

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If you’ve been robbed of joy, take it back.

Joy is the currency of heaven. You’re supposed to have it. For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Rom 14:16) To be in the kingdom without joy is like going into battle without armor. And the enemy knows this. He makes it his business to rob you whenever possible.

Our joy can disappear when life disrupts us suddenly or can slowly erode over time if we are not careful to protect it. If you realize that you are living outside of joy, take heart. There’s more where it came from. Make the decision to have joy. When the whispers from the enemy tell you that you don’t deserve it, tell him to shut up. Claim your position in the kingdom and take hold of joy with both hands.

Go to Galations 5:22. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit, and if you belong to God, then all the gifts are yours. Claim all of them while you’re at it. If the Holy Spirit is giving you insight into how your lost your joy, you may have to repent and change things so it won’t happen again. Tell God that you want His joy, then chose to be happy. Joy is yours. Take it back.

Another post on joy: Looking For Joy In The Wrong Places

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God called you to be different.

I really like the King James Version of 1Pet 2:9—But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light;

Other version say that we are God’s special people, but I like being called peculiar. Peculiar means strange or unusual. If we are God’s chosen, then we have to be unusual and a little strange. If we’re not any different from everyone else, then we have nothing to show for how amazing God is in our lives.

We need to be able to point to the miraculous and blessed. We need to have a testimony of goodness to back up our position of faith and salvation. Our testimony has to mean something. If people don’t know that you are a Christian by the way you live your life, then something’s not right. You’re not peculiar enough.

I’m not saying that you should stand on the street corner with a sign, but others should be impressed with your kindness and generosity, or the way you prayed and things happened. Your life should show the presence of God. If you live like everyone else, then I wonder if you really know Jesus.

Another post on being chosen: Be The Salt Of The  Earth

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God forgives and forgets.

When you confess your sin to God, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (IJhn 1:9) Essentially, God forgives and forgets. When you say, “Oh God, I did it again”, He says, “Did what?” His forgiveness cleans the slate, every time. So why do we continue to beat ourselves up over something that’s no longer there?

We have an enemy who knows how to manipulate us. Those whispers stir up old strife and make it feel new and current. It’s a lie. When God forgives, there’s nothing more to confess. Rebuke the lie. Confirm to yourself that you are forgiven and move on. Don’t allow the enemy to make you feel guilty for past wrongs that have been forgiven.

If you continue to sin in the same areas, then you need to allow God to change your heart. A true relationship with God will make you want to live honorably for Him, and He’ll help you do that. His conviction will prompt you to confess sin, but then you need to change what you’ve been doing. Be obedient to do the right thing and don’t beat yourself up. Remember to rebuke the lie when it comes up and thank God for His forgiveness.

Another post on repentance: How To Repent

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The kingdom of God is like a pearl of great price.

Jesus described the kingdom of heaven in some unusual ways. It’s like a man who sowed good seed in his field while the enemy sowed in weeds. It’s like a mustard seed. It’s like leaven which a woman put in her bread dough. It’s like a treasure hidden in field. It’s like a merchant looking for beautiful pearls. It’s like a fishing net that catches good fish and bad fish. It’s like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. It’s like a landowner who hired laborers for the day. It’s like ten virgin who lit their lamps for the bridegroom.

It’s like…what? Jesus, just tell us, what is the kingdom of heaven like! Well, He did. It’s not a kingdom like anyone expected. He didn’t build a castle and go to war. He offered Himself up to die. He didn’t create an empire where the haves rule over the have-nots. He put His Spirit inside us. He rules from within.

The kingdom of God is so unusual that it defies logic. How can a kingdom be inside of people? How can it be ten virgins who lite lamps for their wedding? Jesus told so many stories that seemed unrelated, but really described facets of the kingdom, like turning a diamond in the sun.

The kingdom of God looks insignificant because it’s not flashy. It’s plain and humble. And yet, when this humble kingdom is accepted, it grows roots and becomes huge and strong. It grows up and around everyone. Some are changed by it and some are not. There will be a time of weeding, but for now, the weeds left to grow as they will.

The pearl merchant is like the ones who are looking for more. Because they are hungry for the things of the Spirit, they will find great treasure. The five smart virgins are the ones who constantly keep their lamps filled, like those who seek God daily for more anointing. They will meet the Bridegroom in glory. The leaven is like the small acts of kindness and goodness that affect the lives of people who are hungry for truth.

The kingdom of God cannot be described easily, and yet it can be described simply. It is unassuming and yet powerful beyond belief. It is available to everyone, but only the wise will find it. It is free and of priceless worth. It is the peculiar plan of God to bring a people to Himself.

Another post on living in the kingdom: Sow Well For Wonderful Harvest

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Conviction helps us get closer to God.

It’s important to be sensitive to God’s Spirit so we hear Him when He tells us about things that need to be cleaned up in our lives. That’s called conviction. Conviction points to those areas of sin that we need to get rid of. We actually know about them. They’re usually not a big surprise, we just have to admit that we need to change. Conviction brings us closer to God as we clean out those bad areas.

However, the enemy loves to mess with us and whisper in our ears that our past sin is beyond redemption. He says that God is mad at us and would never forgive us for that. He brings condemnation to rub our nose in our failure. It’s the same sin that God convicts us of, but the enemy will make us feel terrible instead of bringing us closer to God. Condemnation makes us hide from God because we think that God is mad at us.

Nothing could be further from the truth. God loves us now, just as we are. The only reason He convicts us of sin is to draw us closer to Him so we receive more blessing. He doesn’t want to punish us. He wants to clean us up and give us peace. Conviction is a good thing.

Another post on conviction: Conviction Isn’t Guilt

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Grace is yours as a son or daughter of the King.

The common definition of grace is unmerited favor, or favor you don’t deserve. Favor is a privilege, something special that is given to an elect group, not everyone. So grace is something special given to you then you didn’t deserve. And as a son or daughter of the King, you are covered in grace. But grace is like all the gifts of the Spirit, if you don’t receive it, it won’t operate in your life.

Why do you need to ask for grace? Grace will cover you when you mess up. Grace will open doors that wouldn’t normally open for you. Grace will promote you earlier than expected. It’s not that you haven’t worked hard already, it’s that grace will give you an extra blessing on top of that. Your resume will be at the top of the pile. You work will be noticed and appreciated. The checkout line will move quickly when you have to be somewhere else.

Grace is not a magic wand. It’s not a trump card you pull out when you need it. It is a blessing from heaven that is available to us as sons and daughters of the King. God wants to bless us and give us favor. He wants to bless us with grace. It’s ok to ask for. And it’s fun to watch. God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. (Jam 4:6)

Another post on grace: Grace Protects Against Sin

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