RHEMA From Heaven

One of the remarkable realities of the new creation, or the born-again Christian, is that they carry the power of God. Irrespective of age, gender, or race, one undeniable truth about every believer is the power of God at work within them.

It is important to constantly reflect on this truth. Know that as a Christian, you are not empty. Divinity is at work in you. To think that you are worthless or helpless is inconsistent with who and what God has made you.

Our opening text says God will do everything and even beyond what we ask or think, according to His power at work within us.
The power to change difficult situations and overcome challenges lies within you. This power is nothing less than the presence and work of the Holy Spirit. John 14:17 says, “Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”

Never for a moment think that something is beyond your reach. God’s power within you is sufficient to accomplish the unimaginable. From your spirit to your soul and body, God’s power can make things work well for you.

Do not live in fear or give up when faced with difficulties. Look within—into your spirit—and remind yourself, “He is able to do anything according to His power in me.”

Always put the power of God in you to work, and you will become the person God intends for you to be. Let the Greater One in you take charge forever.

Read: 1 John 4:4, NKJV “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

Prayer: Lord, I thank You that You live in me. You are greater than any challenge I face. Amen.

God’s Word admonishes believers to walk or live by faith. Living by faith demands that you set your gaze on God and His Word. When you walk in faith, you take hold of spiritual realities and make them your own.

Faith is spiritual. Thus, living by what you see with your eyes will hinder your faith. People who live by faith see unseen realities. They know how to take hold of every promise of God for their lives.

In the face of challenging issues, they still see God’s Word concerning the situation, declare it, and live by it—contrary to what others might claim.

As a believer, do not live solely by your natural senses. Those who live by their senses are limited by what they see, hear, or feel. Walk by faith—it is a higher way to live in this world, which has both spiritual and natural dimensions.

Christians who walk by faith overcome the limitations of this life. 1 John 5:4 says, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”

No matter what happens in life, be determined to live by faith. Anchor yourself in God’s Word. Believe it, speak it, and live it.

Read: 1 John 5:4 says, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”

Prayer: Father, I choose to walk by faith and not by sight. Help me to trust in Your promises even when circumstances seem impossible. Strengthen my faith, and let my life reflect Your power and victory. Amen.

It matters what you believe when walking with the Lord. As a Christian, your faith in the Lord and what He can do is key. What you receive—or do not receive—is often dependent on your faith.
In Mark 9:17-18, a man brought his son, who had a dumb spirit, to Jesus’ disciples. When they could not heal the boy, he brought him to Jesus. Before intervening, Jesus demanded the man’s faith, saying, “If you can believe.”
Often, people bring their challenges to the Lord but fail to accompany them with faith. They come believing nothing, and when nothing happens, they become disappointed in the Lord.

Know that no miracle or divine intervention happens without faith. You must engage your faith when seeking blessings or miracles from the Lord. Faith is the bargaining chip in tough and challenging times. Yes, your problem or challenge may be real, but what can you believe? Can you believe the Lord can turn things around? Can you believe that God has healed you? Can you believe that you can make it in life despite setbacks?

Many times, when faced with difficulties, we say, “That’s impossible,” and sadly, we surrender. But our opening text declares that all things—not some things—are possible to those who believe.

The child’s father’s response to Jesus was key to the miracle. Mark 9:24 says, “And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.”
Beloved, your situation may be critical, but believe the Lord. He can do more than you imagine.

Read: Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.”

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I believe that all things are possible with You. I declare victory and breakthroughs in every area of my life. Amen.

Obedience to the Lord cannot be replaced by any act or deed. Obedience must be absolute and unqualified.

Our opening text teaches this key principle of obedience. Anyone who wants to have a meaningful relationship with the Lord must prioritize obedience. You must do what the Lord requires of you or has commanded you to do.
Do not substitute obedience to the Lord with what you think is right.

King Saul, in 1 Samuel 15, was instructed by God to destroy the Amalekites and all their possessions. However, Saul spared King Agag and the best of the livestock, claiming he intended to sacrifice them to God. His actions were contrary to the instructions he received.
Instead of obeying the word of the Lord, Saul modified or added his own conditions. In other words, he had his own reservations about the Lord’s instructions.

You see, while the Bible teaches about giving and sacrificing to the Lord, these acts cannot replace obedience to a directive or instruction from the Lord. For instance, God’s Word teaches us to keep ourselves holy (1 Peter 1:16). In light of this instruction, you cannot live in immorality and claim to give offerings or tithes from that venture as a substitute.

Do not determine how you want to obey the Lord as a Christian. Never let others make you compromise on obeying the Lord. Remember, disobedience has dire consequences.

Read: 1 Samuel 15:22 “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.” (NKJV)

Prayer: Father, teach me to obey You fully and completely. Help me to prioritize Your Word above my own desires. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

God’s will of command is clear and explicit. It calls for obedience to a particular cause or action. As a Christian, the prescriptive instruction of what God wants you to do is His will for your life.

1 Thessalonians 4:3 says, “This is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality.” Here, we have a very specific instance of what God commands us: holiness, sanctification, and sexual purity. This is His will of command, and all it demands of you is obedience. Keeping yourself sexually pure is God’s will, not a restriction imposed by your pastor, as some might think.

Again, in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, the Bible says, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” This reveals another specific aspect of God’s will of command: thanksgiving in all situations.

Constantly immerse yourself in the written Word of God. Let it saturate your mind. This is how you can obey the will of God. Remember, you cannot obey a command you do not know.

Read: 1 John 2:17 says, “And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” Not all abide forever—some do, and some don’t. The difference? Some do the will of God, while others don’t. The will of God, in this sense, does not always happen.

Prayer: Lord, I choose to obey Your Word and align my life with Your will. Keep me from rebellion and selfishness. Amen.

God’s will is His eternal plan for all of creation. The “will of God” can be understood in two dimensions: God’s sovereign will and God’s will of command.
God’s Sovereign Will refers to God’s sovereign control over all things. It cannot be broken and always comes to pass.

Daniel 4:35 says, “He does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, ‘What have you done?’”
When we talk about God’s sovereign will, it involves His governance over all that comes to pass, extending to the smallest details of nature and human decisions.

God’s Will of Command is what He commands or desires us to do. Unlike His sovereign will, this can be disobeyed or neglected. For example, Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). Not everyone does the will of His Father, and Jesus makes this clear.

As a Christian, it is important to understand both dimensions of God’s will. This knowledge will help you appreciate and align with His sovereign will and take action to obey His will of command.

Read: Isaiah 53:10, ESV “Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.”

Pray: Father, help me to understand and align with Your sovereign will and obey Your will of command. May I walk in Your purpose and fulfill Your desires for my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

There are many ways by which we can exercise, both spiritual and physical. Each type of exercise has its own benefits and results. It is therefore important to know when and which type of exercise to engage in as a Christian at any given time.

Our opening text teaches that physical or bodily exercise is beneficial, and so is spiritual exercise. Mastering one to the neglect of the other will lead to a deficiency in your life.

You see, although many have mastered physical exercise or training while neglecting godliness, which is a spiritual exercise, it is essential to leverage spiritual exercise as well.

The Bible explains that spiritual exercise is beneficial both now and in eternity. Thus, if there is anything to prioritize, exercise yourself much in the things of God. Engage in prayer, soul-winning, and studying the Word. These activities, when carried out systematically—just as people attend gyms on a routine basis, yield eternal rewards.
Keep exercising in the Lord!

1 Timothy 4:8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.

Pray: Father, help me to prioritize spiritual exercises as much as I engage in physical pursuits. Help me to grow in prayer, evangelism, and studying Your Word. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

As human beings, we are daily faced with choices, often deciding between one course of action and another. One of these choices is whether to return good for good or to act otherwise.

Christians have a divine obligation to do good to those who have shown us kindness in life. God’s Word cautions that failing to return good for good invites evil into our homes.

It is essential for anyone who has received kindness or goodness to refrain from repaying it with evil. Returning good for good demonstrates gratitude and a heart aligned with God’s principles.

Our opening text in Proverbs 17:13 emphasizes that Christians are not permitted to repay evil to those who have shown them goodness. Moreover, if God commands us to do good even to those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44), how much more should we show gratitude and honor to those who have been kind to us?

Remember, the good you are called to do in return for kindness may not always be financial. It could be expressed through acts of good conduct, honor, or simply refraining from actions that might cause harm or disadvantage to those who have blessed your life.

Finally, keep it in your heart to maintain a positive and respectful relationship with those God has used—and continues to use—to bless you.

It is not love to be wicked towards people who have once sacrificed their comfort for your achievements in life. Whatever the situation may be, always have it at heart to “render good” for the good you have once enjoyed.

Read: Galatians 6:10
“So then, while we [as individual believers] have the opportunity, let us do good to all people [not only being helpful, but also doing that which promotes their spiritual well-being], and especially [be a blessing] to those of the household of faith (born-again believers).”

Prayer: Lord, help me to never repay evil to those who have done me good.

God’s Word prescribes how we are to treat or deal with people. One general principle is to treat people well, just as we also want to be treated by others.

As a Christian, don’t only expect people to treat you kindly; you must also be a light in other people’s lives. You see, you can’t treat people with disrespect and dishonor and expect otherwise in return.

Yes, people may have their own weaknesses and shortcomings but engage wisdom and love in dealing with them. Always be a blessing to the people around you. Show mercy and love when dealing with others. Don’t use their past to bring them down. Be empathetic toward people, never counting their sins against them, because we all belong to the Lord Jesus, being made new creatures.

This is how to touch lives in the world. Do good always.

Read: Galatians 6:9-10, NKJV “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

Pray: Lord, help me to treat others with kindness, mercy, and love. Amen.

It is important to take note of what you allow into your mind. While you are free to think about various things, it is in your best interest to focus on what is helpful.

What you think about greatly impacts all aspects of your life. It can influence your health, relationships, and results in life.
When you entertain positive thoughts, they build the right energy in you and inspire you to speak and act correctly.
On the contrary, negative thoughts can make you toxic and rob you of your joy in life.

As a Christian, you must let God’s Word dominate your heart and meditate on it daily. This will help you set your mind on the right things. Yes, the temptation to dwell on wrong thoughts may come, but be determined to resist it. Focus on things consistent with God’s Word and those that inspire hope. Avoid thoughts that lead to fear or depression.

Let God’s Word dominate your thoughts, and you will rise above limitations, impossibilities, and failure.

Read: Psalm 1:1-2 “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law, he meditates day and night.”

Prayer: Father, I thank You that my thoughts are fixed on Your Word. Help me to meditate on what is true, noble, just, pure, and praiseworthy. Let Your Word guide my actions and decisions, lifting me above every limitation. In Jesus’ name, Amen.