How To Strengthen Your Mind’s Defense System Against Spiritual Attacks

During the recent Israel-Hamas conflict, the Hamas militants used various missiles to attack cities and towns in Israel. However, Israel has a defense system called the Iron Dome that was able to stop and destroy many of these missiles. The Iron Dome uses special technology to track enemy missiles and shoot them down before they can cause harm. This helped protect the people of Israel and reduce the damage caused by the attacks.

As Christians, we are under constant spiritual attacks and it’s usually in the mind. Just as the Iron Dome defended Israel against hostile missiles, it’s important to have a spiritual defense system in our minds to combat tempting thoughts from the devil.

The Battle for the Mind
Our minds are often considered the battleground for the devil because they play a crucial role in our thoughts, beliefs, and decision-making processes. The mind is where our attitudes, desires, and intentions originate. It is the place where we process information, form opinions, and make choices. The devil knows that if he can influence our thoughts and beliefs, he can impact our actions and faith. That is why he and his minions are working overtime to weaken our minds with ungodly thoughts, doubts, fears, and sinful desires.

More than one church member shared with me about their backsliding experience. One sister said that even though at that time, she wore a necklace with a cross and attended church occasionally, she was committing fornication with different men. Another brother left the faith because he felt that God did not answer his prayer for a particular job position that he desired. Yet another brother said that he loved the wild parties and nightlife, so much so that he left the faith for almost 20 years. The testimonies of being tempted by the devil are many. Thankfully, all these believers were spiritually revived and today, serving faithfully in the Church.

Since we know that the mind is the battleground of the enemy, how are we going to fortify our minds against the attacks of the enemy?

How can we build a resilient spiritual “Iron Dome” to safeguard our thoughts and protect our spiritual well-being?

Let us explore how Satan tempts our minds, drawing insights from Scripture and stories that reveal his strategies:

The Power of Deception:
First, we have to acknowledge that the devil is the master of deception and a master deceiver, who seeks to distort truth and lead people astray. He has many ways to present temptations that may seem appealing or harmless at first, but ultimately lead to our spiritual harm and separation from God.

Here are some common tactics he uses:

Distorting And Misinterpreting: The devil twists the meaning of Scripture or promotes false ideas to confuse us and make us doubt what the Bible says. The devil distorted God’s words by asking Eve, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” (Genesis 3:1). This question falsely implied that God had forbidden them from eating any fruit in the garden, which was not the case.

Creating Doubt: The devil wants us to question whether we can trust God’s Word. He may make us doubt its accuracy, relevance, or consistency. The devil directly contradicted God’s command by saying to Eve, “You will not surely die” (Genesis 3:4). By denying the consequences of disobedience, the devil cast doubt on the truthfulness of God’s warning

Tempting Us To Disobey: The devil tries to make us ignore or go against what the Bible teaches. He may suggest other ideas or lifestyles that go against God’s Word, appealing to our desires and what seems popular.
The devil appealed to Eve’s desires and presented the forbidden fruit as something desirable and beneficial. He said, “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5). This subtle manipulation played on Eve’s curiosity and her longing for wisdom and power. The end result was that she and Adam were tempted to disobey God.

Persecution And Opposition: The devil may encourage others to treat us badly or oppose us when we follow God’s Word. This can include making fun of us, being mean, or even hurting us physically. There is an account in the New Testament of the apostle Paul being mocked for his faith. In Acts 17:16-34, Paul visited the city of Athens and engaged in discussions with various philosophers and intellectuals. When he preached about Jesus and the resurrection, some of the people mocked him, dismissing his teachings as foolishness. Paul, among many disciples who suffered for their faith, had to endure numerous hardships, including beatings, and imprisonments. Eventually, Paul was martyred, traditionally believed to have been beheaded in Rome.

Cultural Influences: The devil uses the ideas and beliefs of the world around us to make us question or reject what the Bible says. He may make popular ideas or ways of thinking seem more important than what God’s Word tells us. In 2 Timothy 4:10, the apostle Paul mentioned that Demas, who was previously a fellow worker had deserted him because he loved the present world. This suggests that Demas had fallen away from his commitment to the faith and was drawn to the cultural temptations of those days.

Equipping Ourselves with God’s Word
To begin strengthening our spiritual defense system, we have to equip ourselves with God’s Word. This is the most powerful and essential way to resist the deception and temptations of the devil. The Bible serves as a guide and a source of truth, providing us with wisdom, knowledge, and discernment. Here are a few reasons why relying on God’s Word is crucial in our spiritual battle:

Truth and Discernment: The Word of God is a reliable and unchanging source of truth. It helps us recognize and discern the lies and deceptions of the devil. By immersing ourselves in Scripture, we develop a solid foundation of truth that enables us to identify and reject false teachings or worldly ideologies.

Spiritual Armor: The apostle Paul describes the Word of God as part of the spiritual armor in Ephesians 6:17. Just as a soldier wears armor for protection, God’s Word provides us with spiritual protection against the schemes of the devil. It strengthens our faith, guards our hearts and minds, and helps us stand firm in times of temptation.

Guidance and Wisdom: The Bible offers guidance and wisdom for every aspect of life. It provides insights into God’s character, His will, and His ways. By studying Scripture, we gain understanding and discernment, enabling us to make wise decisions and navigate the challenges and temptations that come our way.

Jesus’ Example: When Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11), He countered each temptation with the Word of God. Jesus quoted Scripture to resist the devil’s lies and affirm God’s truth. His example shows us the power and effectiveness of using God’s Word as a weapon against deception and temptation.

Let Our Thoughts Be Under The Authority of Christ
Paul encourages us to capture our thoughts and bring them under the authority of Christ: “Our weapons are not physical, but they have divine power to destroy strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

By comparing Satan’s lies with God’s truth in the Bible, we can prevent them from taking hold in our minds and becoming strongholds. The truth of God’s Word serves as a powerful weapon to dismantle false arguments and align our thoughts with Christ.

Psalm 119:11 declares, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” By memorizing and meditating on Scripture, we can combat the enemy’s lies.

Seeking Accountability and Prayer
In the battle against temptation, we should not face it alone. It is crucial to surround ourselves with fellow believers who can hold us accountable and provide support. James 5:16 encourages us to confess our sins to one another and pray for each other, for prayer is a powerful tool in overcoming temptation and guarding our minds.

Summary
1. Understand that we’re in a spiritual battle, and the devil tries to tempt us.

2. Use God’s Word to protect our minds.

3. Ask God for help to understand how the enemy works.

4. Trust God’s wisdom to know what is true and what is not.

5. Equip ourselves with God’s armor. Read and study God’s Word for protection.

6. Through Christ, we gain strength to overcome difficulties.

Some Practical Ways To Make Purposeful Decisions In The New Year

As Christians, we need to develop the skill of purposeful decision-making with the help of the Holy Spirit. This is a continuous journey that demands a deep understanding of ourselves as being created by God. It is also a continual thoughtful contemplation of our present existence and a deliberate approach to living in the present reality. To foster this valuable skill, let us explore a few tangible strategies that can help us cultivate purposeful decision-making in our everyday lives.

Clarify your values and priorities: Invest the necessary time and effort to search your heart so as to identify and define your core values and priorities. God has given us assignments in our lives. Gain a deep understanding of what He wants you to do and be. What does He wants you to prioritize in your life? This clarity will serve as an invaluable compass, lighting the path as you navigate through life’s decisions.

Set meaningful goals: Write clear, measurable, and purposeful goals that resonate with your values and long-term vision. Ask the Lord to help you establish well-defined objectives. He will empower you to make decisions that consistently align with your desired outcomes and His will. Nothing is more tragic than achieving something that God has never intended you to achieve.

Seek wisdom and guidance: Embrace the wisdom of trusted mentors, advisors, or pastors, seeking their guidance and valuable insights. Their perspectives will enrich your decision-making process, offering diverse viewpoints and helping you consider a broader range of possibilities before making important choices.

Practice mindfulness and self-reflection: Nurture a regular practice of mindfulness and introspection. Create space to pause, carefully assess your options, and contemplate the potential outcomes of your decisions. During this reflective process, draw wisdom from God’s Word, allowing its teachings to shape your values and guide your goals. By attuning your mind and heart to the principles found in Scripture, you can find clarity and discernment as you navigate the decision-making process.

Consider long-term implications: When faced with decisions, carefully evaluate their potential long-term effects on multiple dimensions of your life. This will include relationships, career, health, and personal growth. What is God saying about this relationship? Is it glorifying His name or it will bring shame in the future? How about your career? How about your health and personal growth? Seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit in discerning the path before you. You have to always consider whether your decisions will bring honor or shame to God’s name. Reflect on how your choices align with your overarching vision and aspirations for the future. By adopting this comprehensive approach, you can make decisions that foster your overall well-being and align with your desired path, guided by the Lord.

Listen to the inner voice: If you have been receiving the Word of God, and walking in obedience, you can trust your gut instincts and listen to your intuition. The Holy Spirit uses your conscience or your inner voice to guide you toward decisions that align not only with your deepest desires and values but with the will of God. By cultivating a receptive heart, you can discern the path that aligns with your deepest desires while remaining attuned to the voice of God.

Evaluate pros and cons: Take a systematic approach by listing the pros and cons of each option. This exercise can help you weigh the potential benefits and drawbacks of different choices and make a more informed decision. Grounded in a solid biblical understanding of God’s will, you will be equipped to discern genuine benefits from superficial ones, ensuring that your decision aligns with His divine guidance.

Take small steps: Break down significant decisions into smaller, more manageable steps. This is so important because it will prevent you from being overwhelmed by the magnitude of the situation. By adopting this approach, you can evaluate the impact of each individual step. You can make necessary adjustments along the way. This method allows you to remain adaptable and responsive as you progress toward your ultimate goal.

Embrace learning from mistakes: Recognize that not all decisions will yield perfect outcomes. Embrace the valuable opportunity to learn from mistakes or missteps. See them as stepping stones towards your growth and improvement. Embrace a mindset that acknowledges the inherent value of learning through experience, even the negative ones. Use these lessons as invaluable insights for future decision-making. Making mistakes is a natural part of the human journey, and it is through learning from them that we can continue to evolve and make wiser choices. Anyway, God allows mistakes.

Trust in divine guidance: Place your unwavering trust in the guidance of the Holy Spirit, who is ever-present and ready to provide wisdom and direction. Cultivate a consistent practice of seeking the Lord’s guidance through prayer, meditation, and intentional moments of seeking God’s intervention. By opening your heart to the presence of the Lord, you invite His clarity and peace to illuminate your path as you navigate purposeful decision-making. Embrace the love and wisdom of God, knowing that the Holy Spirit’s guidance will lead you toward choices that will align with your highest good and God’s will for your life.

Embracing God’s Direction Instead of New Year’s Resolutions

For many years, I had tried to embark on a new year with New Year’s resolutions to better myself. To be honest, I failed in achieving many of those resolutions and along the way, brought a lot of guilt to myself. However, now I believe that as Christians, we have a unique perspective towards New Year’s resolutions. Rather than relying on our own strength and resolutions, we are called to seek the Lord and trust in His guidance. In this article, let’s explore three key reasons why seeking the Lord surpasses the need for New Year’s resolutions.

GOD’S GUIDANCE PROVIDES TRUE DIRECTION
Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.”

Entering the New Year is akin to God leading Abraham to the promised land of Canaan. Just as Abraham stepped into the unknown, leaving behind familiarity and comfort, we too are embarking on a journey of uncertainty in 2024.

Like Abraham, we are called to trust in God’s guidance, even when the path is unclear. As we surrender our plans and desires to Him, He leads us into new territories, blessings, and growth. Just as Canaan held a future of fulfillment for Abraham, the New Year holds endless possibilities for us. With faith and obedience, we can step into the year ahead, knowing that God will faithfully lead us to our own promised land of purpose and blessings.

Our human resolutions often come from our limited understanding, but seeking the Lord invites His divine wisdom and guidance. When we surrender our plans to Him and seek His will, He directs our paths in ways far beyond what we can imagine. Let us trust in His faithfulness and lean on His understanding rather than relying solely on our own efforts.

Practical Steps: Spend Quality Time in Prayer – Set aside dedicated time each day to communicate with God. Share your thoughts, emotions, and desires with Him. Do the Handing-over prayer and listen attentively for His voice. Prayer is a vital channel of connection and intimacy with God. If you want to know where to go, pause and ask the One who has already been there.

GOD’S TRANSFORMING POWER BRINGS LASTING CHANGE
When we are in Christ, we become new creations. Instead of relying on fleeting resolutions, we have the privilege of experiencing God’s transformative power in our lives. Through seeking the Lord, He works within us, renewing our minds, transforming our hearts, and empowering us to live out His purposes. Our focus shifts from self-improvement to becoming more like Christ. And that is when our purpose and goals are being established.

The transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly serves as a powerful illustration of the supernatural work of God in our lives. No matter how hard a caterpillar may strive, it cannot bring about such a remarkable metamorphosis on its own. It requires the mysterious and wondrous touch of God’s hand.

Similarly, when we seek the Lord and invite His guidance, He begins a transformative process within us. Through His grace and power, He works in the depths of our being, reshaping us from the inside out. Our own efforts and striving are insufficient to bring about the profound growth and flourishing that God intends for us.

Just as the caterpillar must surrender itself to the cocoon, we too must surrender ourselves to God’s transformative work. In His loving care, He shapes our character, renews our minds, and molds us into the image of Christ.

Practical Steps: Engage in Regular Bible Study: Through the study of His Word, and obedience to His commands, we participate in this divine transformation. Make studying and meditating on God’s Word a priority. Read the Bible daily, seeking to understand its teachings, principles, and stories. Reflect on how it applies to your life and ask the Holy Spirit for guidance and illumination.

As we yield to God’s guidance, we will experience a remarkable journey of spiritual growth. Like the emergence of a butterfly from its cocoon, we are transformed into something beautiful, vibrant, and free. We gain new perspectives, develop godly virtues, and bear the fruits of the Spirit. So, instead of trying to fulfill our New Year’s resolutions, we simply bear the fruit of the Spirit.

GOD’S PRESENCE SUSTAINS AND STRENGTHENS US
In the presence of the Lord, there is fullness of joy. Instead of striving to fulfill resolutions in our own strength, we can find true fulfillment and joy in God’s presence.

In Isaiah 40:31, we read, “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles.”

Eagles serve as a powerful symbol of strength and soaring above the earth. These majestic birds rely on the currents of the wind to effortlessly lift them high into the sky. Similarly, when we abide in the presence of the Holy Spirit, we discover a wellspring of renewed strength and the capacity to rise above our challenges. His presence becomes our source of sustenance, lifting us up when we feel weary and empowering us to navigate life’s difficulties with grace and resilience.

Life’s trials and tribulations can be overwhelming, but when we fix our gaze on God and abide in His presence, we gain a newfound perspective. We begin to see our challenges as opportunities for growth and transformation. We discover that even in the midst of difficulties, God’s sustaining presence lifts us up above the storms, granting us the ability to soar with wings like eagles.

Moreover, God’s presence empowers us to navigate life’s complexities with grace and resilience. In the New Year, as we dwell in His presence, we receive His wisdom, guidance, and inner fortitude. We find the strength to persevere, to make difficult decisions, and to press on in the face of adversity. His sustaining power equips us to overcome obstacles, endure hardships, and emerge victorious in the midst of life’s trials.

Practical Step: Cultivate a Lifestyle of Worship, Solitude, and Mindfulness of God’s Presence:

Build Up The Habit of Worship: Develop a habit of worshiping God not only during church services but also in your daily life. Offer Him praise, gratitude, and adoration throughout the day. Sing songs of worship, write your own songs and poems, or use creative expressions to worship Him.

Seek His Presence in Solitude: Set aside moments of solitude to be alone with God. Find a quiet place where you can disconnect from distractions and simply be in His presence. Use this time for listening, reflecting, meditating, and experiencing His peace.

Practice Mindfulness of God’s Presence: Throughout your day, practice being mindful of God’s presence with you. Remind yourself that He is always with you, guiding, comforting, and loving you. Constantly invite Him into your thoughts, decisions, and actions.

CONCLUSION
By seeking God’s guidance, we find true direction in life. His wisdom and guidance help us navigate the complexities of our journey in 2024, providing clarity and purpose. Through His transforming power, we experience lasting change. God’s love and grace mold us into the image of Christ, renewing our minds and transforming our character. And in His presence, we find sustenance and strength. God’s unwavering presence sustains us in times of trial, lifts us up when we are weary, and empowers us to overcome challenges with resilience. By embracing these truths, we can live a victorious life in 2024, marked by divine guidance, transformation, and the abiding presence of our Heavenly Father.

Why Do You Drink Poison And Expect Your Enemy To Die?

In the teaching of the New Testament, believers and bitterness are contradictory to each other. It’s like fire and water. They just cannot mix. A true believer cannot harbor bitterness in his or her heart. Paul the Apostle encourages every believer to “get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.” (Ephesians 4:31 NLT).

Jesus emphasized that “forgiveness” is part of the basic character of a true believer.
Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”
Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.”
Matthew 18:21-22

The rabbis of antiquity recommended the “three-strikes-and-you-are-out” approach in forgiving. A person is required to tolerate and pardon three offenses of his opponent. However, after that, he is allowed to retaliate or take revenge.

Peter was more magnanimous than the rabbis because he recommended forgiving the offender seven times. Jesus blew the concept of three and seven pardons out of the water with His “forgiveness” standard raised to “seventy times seven”. Jesus did not mean that we should only forgive 490 times. His answer to Peter set the biblical standard: as believers, as long as the person repents, you have to forgive that person. If he offended you again and again and repented, again and again, you will have to forgive Him. Yes, countless times. The apostles who were listening with Peter finally exclaimed to Jesus in full recognition of their weaknesses, “Increase our faith!” (Luke 17:3-5).

However, you may say that it is easy to say but the feeling of unforgiveness and bitterness is difficult to overcome. It is especially difficult when you have been hurt by those whom you least expected to do so. As time extends, such unresolved anger gradually turns into full-blown hatred and bitterness.

Many believers are stuck in this rut of bitterness and feel totally helpless in overcoming it. The worse thing for them to realize is that the people who hurt them do not even seem to care how they feel. In their deep anger, the devil is having a wonderful time manipulating them. He suggests many ideas of malice and revenge. And that is why bitterness and hatred inevitably become the sin of murder.

Some secretly wish that bad things will happen to the offender such as dying a gruesome death. Others curse these offenders under their breath. The more religious ones pray imprecatory prayers of judgment upon their adversaries even though the teaching in the New Testament does not encourage that. Instead, the Apostle Paul exhorts believers saying, “Bless those who persecute you; bless and curse not” (Romans 12:14).

If you can identify with these struggles, here are some helpful steps to help prevent you from poisoning yourself.

TELLING THE TRUE STORY TO JESUS
Stop and consider telling the most accurate story only to Jesus and yourself. Why? Because for too long now, you have created a story for others so as to justify your inner struggle, hurt, and pain. You also provide the reason why it is impossible to forgive the person or persons who hurt you.

Like a good detective, you may have to search through years of scattered memories and historical rubbles to determine the facts of the situations that caused you to retaliate in anger and hatred.

Is it what the person said or did, or is it being made to look ridiculous that offended you?

When I was around seven years old, I was “made a fool” by an uncle at one of our family gatherings. It was actually nothing – this uncle mimicked my childish voice when I addressed him. All my cousins laughed and I felt thoroughly embarrassed. Ever since that incident, I had a dislike for this uncle. It did not amount to hatred but at any family functions, I avoided him at all costs. It was not until I was 40 years old that I realized that it was that particular hurt that caused me to “dislike” this uncle. Thank God for revealing that to me. How did I resolve it?

The best approach to such a negative encounter is to confess, repent and hand the hurt feeling to the Lord in the Handing-over Prayer. That was what I did and I reconciled with this uncle socially and in my heart.

STOP TELLING YOUR STORY TO EVERYONE
One of the hurting people’s weaknesses is the desire to tell their negative stories to just about anyone. You can tell your story to a counselor or pastor so that you may receive helpful counsel and advice. However, if you repeatedly share your negative story with everybody you are keeping that painful memory alive.

When you prayed and surrendered that hurt to Jesus, He had begun the healing process in you. As you keep trusting and handing the struggle to Him, soon that inner wound will be healed.

Repeating your negative story is like digging into your old wound and making it all bloody again. Then Satan will control your life because he strives in conflict and pain. Unknowingly to you, the devil has shackled you with the chains of victimhood.

CHECK YOUR EXPECTATIONS
Another reason for the inner hurt may be that you have unrealistic expectations. Even though it is common for everyone to have certain unrealistic expectations, that does not mean that it is healthy.

An elderly missionary who returned alone to the USA from the mission field of Africa wanted to be treated with great honor and respect. However, the denomination did not really accord him the level of honor that he expected and according to his son, this missionary died an angry and bitter man.

A close relative had an adversarial marital relationship because she expected her husband to be able to read her mind and anticipate everything that she needed. She associated his inability to discern her needs as he did not love her enough. She was perpetually hurt despite the assurance from her husband.

Another friend expected her family members to respond in certain ways and when they did not, she was furious. For her entire life, the sad and often angry memories of her “uncaring” family members were repeated in endless narratives to others.

Unrealistic expectations are damaging because they are too complicated for any ordinary relationship to be established. These expectations are destined for failure. No amount of unforgiveness and bitterness will change your situation. By paying attention to why every unrealistic expectation ends up in failure or quarrel, we may become wiser and better at dealing with such disappointments.

TIME TO HAND OVER YOUR BURDENS

Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-29: “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
The Lord is definitely sympathetic to your hurts and brokenness. You can come to Him with your tale of sorrow, and He will not scorn you. You can cry upon His shoulders, and He will not push you away. In the deep silence, you will hear His voice of comfort and liberty. He will gently untangle your throbbing affliction and His peace will calm that stormy discrepancy.

Every hurting memory does not need to own or control you. Every flood of pain does not need to drown you. When all these come and they will come, all you need to do is to acknowledge each feeling of hurt and pain. Don’t fight it. Just acknowledge it, receive it, and then give it a shape and color in your mind.

For example, someone falsely accused me of something and I was hurt. The inner hurt continued to fester as long as I avoided it. When I took responsibility to acknowledge it. I gently received it and gave it the shape of a square and the color was green. Then what did I do with that angry feeling that had a shape and color? I gently handed it over to the Lord.

You may be wondering whether that painful thought ever come back and the answer is that it kept coming back. And I kept up with the same handing-over process. Then, one day, it just didn’t come back with that emotional baggage anymore. I recalled all the words of the false accusation, but they no longer carried that emotion of hurt, anger, and pain in them. I no longer disliked the person who said it. I was able to honestly pray for him and even fellowship with him without any hesitation in my spirit.

Jesus is not only most willing to give you rest but He assures that you will surely find rest in Him. When you trust Him with all your struggles, you will receive your spiritual refreshment. A strong dose of inner nourishment and deep peace will flow within when you hand every ugly thought and painful memory to Him.

As you hand over all to the Lord, you may want to enter into His service and bask in the light of His teaching. The first “rest” is while serving Him, you’ll find your purpose of being, and the second “rest” is found in His life-giving Word. You’ll discover daily purification from the filth of the world. Both are necessary for your spiritual refreshment and growth. And both these can only be found in Christ and Christ alone. May you refuse to poison your life and surrender everything to the Lord.

Here is the playlist of a compilation of Handing-over Prayer videos for you to listen to and share with others.
Playlist of Handing-over Prayer

From Rejected To Beloved

“Beloved” means to be dearly loved. No one loves us more than God and the sincerest expression of His love for us is by giving us His Son, Jesus. Yes, we are undeserving of His great love and sometimes, we live with this undeservedness in our minds. This sense of self-depreciation and self-rejection causes us to reject the extended hands of God’s love, grace, and mercy.

EARNING YOUR RIGHT?
God calls us His beloved children but are we willing to acknowledge Him as our beloved Father in heaven? For some people, their self-rejection does not allow them to accept God’s unconditional grace. In their minds, they are questioning, “How can God accept me? This is too good to be true!” They want His grace to be conditional so that they may have a chance to earn it. The compulsion is to prove themselves to God and also to others that they, by our own efforts, have become spiritual enough to earn the right to be the children of God.

Let’s look at Jesus – the beloved Son of God and see how He responded to His identity:

“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17)

When Jesus prayed, He was not trying to achieve spirituality. When He preached or taught, He was not trying to gain popularity. When He did miracles, He was not trying to impress anybody. He did all those things simply because of who He really was – the beloved Son of God. How about us? We are also God’s beloved – children of God.

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.” 1 John 3:1(ESV)

Once we fully surrender to God this erroneous idea of self-rejection that leads to self-condemnation, the shackles of guilt will fall off. The truth that we are the beloved children of the Most High God will descend upon our hearts. We have to embrace that truth. We have to cherish it like a priceless treasure. It is only then, we can be fully liberated to be used by the Lord to authentically share the Good News of this newfound liberation.

ACTIVITIES BECAUSE OF SPIRITUALITY
Claim your identity now and refuse to let anyone tells you that you need to earn your “worthiness” and “spirituality”. You no longer need to keep proving yourself to be worthy of God’s love. You can just be yourself as the beloved of God.

Let’s take the example of a newly wedded couple. They will never need to struggle hard to “get married” or even prove that they are married because they are already married. As a married couple, they set time aside every day to know each other better and love each other more. These activities must never be confused as activities to earn their marriage but rather activities that come out of their marriage. Similarly, you are already the beloved spiritual child of God, you set time aside each day to express your gratitude, joy, and service to the Lord. All these spiritual activities must never be confused as activities to gain spirituality but should be seen as activities because of your spirituality.

CLAIMING YOUR TRUE IDENTITY
By rejecting the wrong teaching of having to earn your “spirituality”, you are no longer condemned because there is “therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1 NKJV). It is my hope that you will treasure your true identity as a beloved child of God and dedicate yourself to spending more time with your heavenly Father. You will know Him better and will love Him for who He really is. You can now serve Him without ever having your identity falsely defined by the “misinformed” or the world. May the Lord, through the power of the Holy Spirit, bring to your remembrance that you are God’s beloved and His cherished child, purposed for all His blessings.
Here is a message that explains the Sanctifying Process from the position of a beloved child of God.

Why You Should Not Achieve “Spirituality” Anymore!

For many years, I longed to have that moment when I feel that I have achieved a certain sense of “spirituality”. I had read many books and articles about personal revival, listened to many sermons about this mysterious state of well-being or spirituality. How various “spiritual giants” attained their spiritual heights through intense discipline of long prayers and meditations. With my background in Buddhism and Chinese polytheism, the emphasis on self-discipline and self-attainment appealed to me. The image of me as a holy man sitting on a mountain top in deep meditation often came to mind. It was a funny image if it wasn’t for the fact that I took it so seriously at that time. However, little did I realise that I had mistaken the intimacy with the Lord to be an activity achievable by my own self-discipline. I had adopted the dangerous philosophy of asceticism – a belief that if I really wanted to have the fullness of the spiritual life in me, I had to deny the pleasures of my body since they were often the source of my temptation. That was why Christianity became such a struggle for me. At one time, I prayed for God to remove all the women from this world because I was often tempted by them.

WORKING HARD TO BE SPIRITUAL
You may be able to identify your experience with my struggle in the past. This compulsiveness may have given you a sense of direction and keep you busy. But after all these years, you may wonder whether you will ever reach this spiritual height or not. That is the reason why you tell the people around that you are far from reaching that mystical spiritual level and how you regret it. They applaud your sincere confession and humility. You feel kind of happy with your honesty and continue with your journey. However, I must burst your bubble because this self-made pilgrimage of yours will end in spiritual fatigue or burnout. You may not agree but allow me to explain.

Since the time of the early Church Fathers, many believers have sought monastic life so as to attain this mystical level of spirituality. Others have left the faith in order to try and find the answer through mystical religions. Rev. Dr. Rob Apgar-Taylor, the pastor of Grace United Church of Christ, is one of those who found his “deeper” spiritual experience in Tibetan buddhism which is taught in Kopan Monastery situated in Nepal. He said, “I have noticed a whole bunch of younger people, particularly LGBT folk but not even, also straight folk, young folk who say, ‘I used to be Christian. Now, I’m more Buddhist.’” (Source). Why is that so? Is it because the dependence of self-effort to achieve spiritual reality is more conducive than merely believing that Jesus has done it all for us? To many of us, ordinary folks, we are most probably throwing up our hands in frustration and say, “This is beyond me. I have tried my best.”

SPIRITUALITY IS NOT SOMETHING TO BE ATTAINED
The truth of the matter is there is no spiritual height to attain. As long as you are struggling to achieve, struggling to accomplish, struggling to be somebody spiritual, you will soon realise that innately, within your spirit, you will become anxious and restless. In your subconscious mind, you will always be comparing, evaluating and judging whether you are better than the other brothers and sisters. You will not be fulfilled because you know the truth about your own spiritual condition. No matter, how you justify your pursuit, whether you borrow the idea from another religion or develop the idea of spirituality through what you have read, you will never be fully satisfied.

This kind of “spiritual” quest also reveals a darker desire that is embedded in the carnal or soulish self. As you know, the soulish self is self-centred, self-promoting, self-asserting, self-willed and self-reliant. Such “spiritual pursuit” is a hidden form of “humanism” in spiritual garment that focuses on the human efforts. This approach reveals a mistaken notion that is rooted in the fallacy that one would be more lovable to God when more efforts are made in all these religious activities. This endeavour may look spiritual, sound spiritual, and even feel spiritual but it is a “religious facade”.

MY DISASTROUS “SPIRITUAL ACHIEVEMENT“
I experienced it myself – there was a time when through sheer discipline, I was able to consistently perform all the “required” routine of praying long hours, fasting for 40 days, reading 40 chapters of Bible every day, etc. All these were good if my motivation of doing them was in alignment with the Holy Spirit. However, the truth is that when I had “achieved” this perceived religious standard, I became “humbly” proud. I began to compare my “spiritual” standard with those of others by contrasting my own religious routines with theirs. Whenever I met another “spiritual” believer, I would immediately judge the person in my mind – How spiritual is this person? How many chapters of the bible has he read every day? How long has he prayed daily? How many days has he fasted? How much money did he give to the poor? How many orphans has he fed. How many ministries has he served, etc.?
All these revealed my deep insecurity that was further enhanced by my total misunderstanding of what praying, reading the bible and fasting are all about. At that time I really thought that I could earn spirituality and climb up to the spiritual height.

DOING VERSUS BEING
Well, thankfully, you and I can avoid all these pitfalls. You may have realized that what I really desired at that time was intimacy with God. What I have learned through all these years is that firstly, we have to realise that we do not need to exhaust ourselves by trying to BE spiritual when we are already BEINGS of spirituality.

There has been too much emphasis on “DOING” that we miss out on who we really are – our “BEING”. So what is the difference? Do we not do anything any more? The difference is this – you can DO without BEING but you cannot BE without DOING. For example, if your “being” is the sun, then naturally, your “doing” is shining. Once you focus on your BEING, you will find that your DOING is an expression of that innate realization.

As a young child, I was unhappy when my father asked me to help him at his chicken rice stall. When I reached 15 years old, I willingly went to help my dad. Before, that age, I was helping my father but reluctantly. Was I still his son? Yes, of course. But a very reluctant son. What happened at 15? I suddenly realised that my father had worked so hard for the family and I, being the eldest son, should be responsible in helping him. That realization of my BEING activated my DOING and changed my attitude, values, characteristics and behaviour towards my father and my family members.

Realization Makes The Difference
When you realise who you are in Christ and that you have been intimately loved by the Lord long before you have ever experienced any human love, that should blow you away. Especially when wave upon wave of love keeps coming in spite of all the sins and mistakes you have committed, then you know that you have encountered the unmerited favour of God. This grace of God, in the midst of total human failures, completely demolishes any human idea of meritocracy. Suddenly, counting your achievements and calculating your accomplishments become absolutely meaningless.

Intimacy is defined as having a close familiarity, emotional connection, experiential bonding and even a spiritual unity in a relationship. And the intimacy that all of us need is that wonderful closeness with God that is experienced only through God’s unfailing love. It is by grace alone. With God, we can be completely truthful and vulnerable. This is the truth that you and I must treasure in our hearts because it is the basis of our relationship with Him. By that same love, the Lord revealed Himself to us and became our Saviour. His “DOING” was by coming to earth, living an obedient life, dying on the cross, coming back to life through resurrection, so that we can have our “BEING’. This is our true identity as beloved children of God. Once we fully comprehend this truth, we will never need to strive to be “spiritual” but live out our “spirituality” as BELOVED CHILDREN OF GOD.

THE RESULT OF INTIMACY WITH GOD
The outcome is that my “DOING” is being poured out of my “BEING” – when I pray, it is because I enjoy talking to God. When I do my “handing-over prayer”, it is because I want to have an uninterrupted time with Jesus. And moreover, I can pray like this 24/7 (“Pray continually” -1 Thessalonians 5:17). I pray both in the Spirit and with understanding because I really enjoy the fellowship with God (“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” -Ephesians 6:18). I don’t feel guilty anymore if I were to spend a shorter time in prayer or pray later in the day. It is not a chore. It is a privilege. When I read my Bible, it’s because I enjoy reading His love letters. I have nobody to impress and no achievement to accomplish. When I preach a sermon, write an article or publish a book, they are all results of the intimacy that God has granted me. It is most comforting to know that I can come to God as I am, vulnerable and weak in many ways because He is my Father. And if you are a child of God then He is also your Father. You can trust Him.

Here is short video clip (8 minutes) on Handing-over prayer that dispels the myth that we need to be goal-oriented so as to achieve a certain spiritual height when we pray:

How To Stop Day-Dreaming And Live In The Moment

By Albert Kang

Don’t keep dreaming about the past because you don’t stay there anymore. Don’t spend a lot of time talking about the future and forget to live your life now. You can learn how to enjoy your God-given moments and live in the present.

I don’t know about you but at one time, I was wasting a lot of time day-dreaming. There were so many “monkeys” in my head that I could catch any one of them and idle my time away by day-dreaming. (I call the stray thoughts that jump into my head “monkeys”).

Since I was a little child, I was already in this regular day-dreaming mode. My parents suspected that it was due to my talents in art that day-dreaming was the result of that creative artistic process in my mind. They arrived at that conclusion was probably because of all the impressive pictures that I drew, as a toddler, on the walls of our house. To encourage me from using the wall as my canvas, they bought me many drawing blocks. Even though, I day-dreamed through all my school days, I still managed to win a couple of awards in various art competitions.

After hundreds of drawing blocks later, I grew up and the habit of day-dreaming followed me to my adulthood. Initially, day-dreaming became a means of escape for me when the workloads got overwhelming or when relationships became intense. However, the reality of life did not permit me to ignore the present moments- especially when I had a goal to pursue and a career to build. You may say that it was circumstances and my desire to excel that forced me out of day-dreaming to engage the present moments and put 100% of my focus on what I was doing at hand.

Then the call of God came. I left my career to attend Bible College. Those years were demanding at best. Once again, it was the desire to learn as much as I could and do the very best for the kingdom of God that forced me to focus upon the studies and the countless papers that I was writing. Being focus and living in the present was crucial for all these tasks to be accomplished effectively.

Then one day, I became a pastor, running my own church and learning to focus was to be a daily ritual. I could not afford to day-dream any more because there were too many things that demanded my 100% “in the moment” concentration. I do not really remember how I made that switch? It was probably at the time when I was entering into the workforce and realizing that to be competitive, I had to learn how to face reality and stay focused. Then the intense experience of studying in Bible College was also helpful.

In short, switching from day-dreaming to being in the moment is a lot easier than what most people think. Staying and living in the moment is not a cliché but something doable and enjoyable. I am doing what Joshua Becker suggested, “Soak in as much of today as you possibly can – the sights, the sounds, the smells, the emotions, the triumph, and the sorrow. These are in our daily lives, but we often forget to take them in and truly appreciate them.”

Just think about it – the past is gone and will not happen to you again. Someone points out that you can never put your feet in the same river. The water that flows now is not the same water that flowed pass your feet before. Reminiscence may be nice but too much of it will cause you to live in a standstill.

How about day-dreaming the future? Planning for the future is good. However, after you have planned, it is what you do in the present moment that propels you to your future and ultimately accomplishing your goal. You don’t plan and plan all the time. And since the future is yet to come it will be futile to spend your time just dreaming and procrastinating.

How to practice living in the moment? It is simply paying attention to what you do, why you do, how you do, where you are and who you are talking to. Nowadays, it is common to see people gazing at their mobile phones while eating their meals. I know that God has given us a mind that can multi-task but to do multi-task while eating may be a little inappropriate. I was also doing that type of multi-tasking while eating but I have since made a change. When I eat, I want to savor every morsel of food that goes into my mouth. I want to be thankful to God for the sight, smell, taste and texture of every bite.

Do I still day-dream now? Yes! Day-dreaming comes easily for me. If I allow a pleasant memory or future dream to float in, my subconscious mind would immediately create a mental movie. However, I have learned how to run out of the theatre really fast before the movie begins. I use Mel Robbin’s five-second rule. When I catch myself day-dreaming or procrastinating, I count backward, “5-4-3-2-1” and hey presto, I am back to do the task at hand. There is a science behind this little technique. When I count backward, I actually prevent my subconscious mind from taking charge and I get to stay in the moment.

Staying in the moment not only help you to get your job done but also create better relationships. For example. when I engage in a conversation, I make sure that I am giving the person a 100% percent attention. Previously, while the person was talking I was thinking about my own story to tell him. I was in my own world while my friend was fully detached from my attention. I was not in the moment with or for him.

Try being in the moment for your friends or loved ones and see how they endear themselves to you. Try staying in the moment, and reap the benefits of having a better understanding of yourself and also the joy of appreciating everything that God has blessed you with. Enjoy your moments.

For extra benefits about being in the moments and other related topics, please click below:

The Daily Routine And Your 24-Hour Masterpiece

Joe Louis, a US boxing champion, once said, “A champion doesn’t become a champion in the ring, he’s merely recognized in the ring. His ‘becoming’ happens during his daily routine.” I believe that all of us can fully concur with this statement because if we look around, we find what the majority of the successful and significant people have something in common is the tenacity and grit to work on their achievement day in and day out.

One of the persistent persons whom I admire is Evangelist Billy Graham (1918-2018). It is a well-known fact that this man of God spent hours in his younger days, perfecting his preaching style. After Graham graduated from Wheaton College, he had trained himself to preach with pure sincerity and energetic enthusiasm. He had decided that every message was to be simple, easy-to-grasp notion about sin and salvation. Reading was a part of Graham’s daily routine and he read a wide variety of subjects. Even though he was one of the best preachers in his time, he was still not satisfied with his progress. To his friends, he admitted varying weaknesses in his preaching style such as rambling and had made every effort to remove that habit. In spite of that, many people were blessed by his messages and not only that, many who heard them actually made a commitment to be disciples of Jesus Christ.

Well, do you like to know how effective he was? This amazing man preached to over 77 million people face-to-face in evangelistic rallies in 53 nations around the world. More than 215 million people in 185 nations received his messages through satellite feeds. And the best part is that more than three million souls responded to his altar call. Among those millions were some of my friends who went to the altar in response to his call for salvation in the evangelistic crusade that he conducted in 1978 in Singapore.

Your Daily Routine
The secret of these successful people is thus hidden in their daily routine – things that they do out of sight. The tenacious effort that they put in daily to make sure that their dream comes true. So, how are you going to begin this process of success in your life?

24-Hour Masterpiece
Begin by determining to make today into a masterpiece. Yes, start with today and do it immediately. Work on your 24-hour masterpiece – one day at a time. Do your very best and maximize the life that God has given you. Make every day count. A fruitful day will add up to become a fruitful week. A fruitful week will add to become a fruitful month and year and ultimately your life is a very fruitful one. This life is your masterpiece and you are the artist appointed to make sure that this masterpiece becomes a reality.

Staying In The Moment
One day, you will have to face God and He will ask you about what you have done with your life. You can prepare for that day with God by preparing to maximize your life today. Today is of paramount importance because you only live in the “todays”. Therefore learn how to focus upon the present moment instead of allowing your subconscious mind dragging you into a daydream. We all do some day-dreaming but too much of it will make us lethargic and non-productive. Thinking too much about the past or future is futile. The gold is found in the present moment because this is the only time that you have the fullest control.

Appreciate the fact that every moment is different. You will never get the same moment twice – similar maybe but never exactly the same. I believe God really wants you to appreciate your present moment. He has blessed you with eyes to see, ears to hear, tongue to taste, nose to smell and hands to touch – use them to enjoy all the people and things that God has given you. Take time to smell the flowers and listen to some really great music – I recommend worship songs. When you eat, focus on the food that you put in your mouth and you will be surprised how delicious your meal is. Let your physical senses be activated and present in the moment. Your soul and spirit will respond with gratitude and thanksgiving.

As the Bible says there is a time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). Time for achievement and time for relationship. When you fellowship with a person, give him or her 100% of your attention. That moment would be memorable both to you and your companion. When you do a task, give that your fullest attention at that moment. You will do a better job when you are 100% there to do it. If you catch yourself drifting into a daydream, snap out of it by counting backward – 5 to 1. And you will be back to do what is important for you at that moment.

The abundant life that Jesus talks about in John 10:10 can happen to your life. When you live intentionally, purposefully and deliberately, you will enjoy every moment of your day. The masterpiece would come forth at the end of every day. And one day, when you see God, you will have no regrets because you can happily tell Him that you have lived a fruitful life, and have maximized your time for His glory.

In the next blog, I like to give you some specifics to help you be a real success by becoming the person that God wants you to be. God bless!

You may like to watch this video and appreciate how you can work on your 24-hour Masterpiece every day.

How I Stop Smoking

I remember the day I put the first cigarette to my mouth. It was a cold stormy day at Changi Air Base in 1973. My nose was fighting a cold and the sneezing did not stop for the whole morning. A fellow soldier leaned forward and handed me a cigarette.

“This will stop your cold.” he said assuredly.

His kindness subsequently propelled me unto the road of becoming a smoker. Little did I realize the pleasure that nicotine could activate in my brain. The simple scientific explanation is that my brain and your brain has cell structures known receptors. Nicotine activates them to produce a brain chemical known as dopamine. And so after a puff, my whole being would dance to that song by James Brown – “Whoa! I feel good, I knew that I would, now!”

Before too long, I was carrying a pack of cigarettes in my shirt pocket. After breakfast or lunch, (not dinner, because I ate at home and my mother would kill me if she caught me smoking) my hand subconsciously reached for the pack, automatically took out the cigarette, tapped it a few times on the table top, placed it to my mouth, reached out for the lighter, puffed out the first cloud of smoke, and lazily gazed at the swilling fume as it caught the ray of sunlight shinning in to where I usually sat.

Every working day, that little canteen at our airbase was filled with cigarettes’ smoke from all the young soldiers who ate there instead of eating at the cookhouse. I found company and friendship among those fellow smokers. And so that added to the appeal to smoke because I was one of the crowd.

A year later, one of my subordinates led me to Christ. The Holy Spirit convicted me about my smoking habit and so I decided to stop. One day, in a spiritual bravado, I threw a new pack of cigarettes down and crushed it with my boot. I said, “In the name of Jesus, you are no longer a part of my life.” Half an hour later, after lunch, the urge to smoke drove me to pick up those crushed cigarettes and smoke again.

Little did I realize that, in such a short time, I had become addicted to smoking. The habit loop of “cue, routine and reward” within the brain had taken over my life. My Christian friends, who were ex-smokers, suggested replacing cigarettes with chewing gum, every time when the urge to smoke came. It worked for me – even though struggling with nicotine withdrawal was not easy.

What actually happened in my brain was that I had changed the “routine” part of the habit loop. The “cue” which was the after-lunch habit at the canteen continued to trigger the bodily desire for nicotine. So, what I did was to get out of the canteen as soon as I finished my meal and simultaneously, putting a chewing gum into my mouth. Then, to help myself further, I decided to stop eating at that canteen and got my driver to drive me to eat at the cookhouse where smoking was not allowed.

The law of displacement was really working for me. Of course, I prayed a lot too, especially when the urge to smoke became almost unbearable. And with the help of the Holy Spirit and the encouragements from my new Christian friends, the desire to smoke completely evaporated.

There is now a better method that you can use if you are fighting certain bad habits or smoking. This idea by Mel Robbins of counting backward, 5 to 1, really works for me. I wish I had learned this Five-Second Rule when I was struggling with my smoking habit. However, at this juncture, this Five-Second Rule is helping me now in overcoming my “addiction” to procrastination and laziness.

Now, let’s say, at this moment, you have the urge to smoke. You can intercept this urge immediately by counting backward 5 to 1. This is to prevent this thought of smoking to enter your subconscious mind which is in your basal ganglia. When your countdown hits “one”, immediately counter the “routine” with another activity such as putting a chewing gum or candy in your mouth or put on a nicotine patch.

It is worth trying out this Five-Second Rule. If the temptation comes back again, count backward again and go into a positive action. If it comes back ten times, count backward ten times. Your brain needs that regular interruptions so as to make the new routine a part of your subconscious mind. Keep doing this until you have victory.

I pray that you will succeed in using this approach to overcome all your bad habits and enjoy real freedom in your walk with Christ. If you want further information about how the Habit Loop works, please check the video below.

God bless.

#healingmiracles #elijahchallenge #healingencounterministry #smoking #albertkang #faithLine #stopsmoking #evangelism #church #christianministry #badhabits #smoke #faith #jesuschrist #christianity #bible #jesus #christ #faithlineinternational #god #prayer #holyspirit #godisgood #blessed #hope #smokefree #truth #believe #scripture #jesuslovesyou