The Holy Spirit convicts Believers of righteousness

“And when He [the Holy Spirit] has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.”John 16:8–11

- FEBRUARY 28 -
THE HOLY SPIRIT CONVICTS BELIEVERS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

Are you among the many believers who wonder how to differentiate between the enemy’s condemnation and the Holy Spirit “convicting them of sin”? That is a question that confuses a lot of believers and the answer is really simple.

Now, pay attention to today’s scripture because it will liberate you. The bottom line is that the Holy Spirit never convicts a believer of his sins. He never comes to point out your faults. I challenge you to find a scripture in the Bible that tells you the Holy Spirit has come to convict believers of their sins. You won’t find any!

The body of Christ is living in defeat because many believers don’t understand that the Holy Spirit is actually in them to convict them of their righteousness in Christ. Even when you fail, He is ever present in you to remind you that the blood of Jesus has made you totally forgiven and eternally righteous. That’s the Holy Spirit.

Remember, it is important to always read Bible verses in their context. Many people end up misinterpreting Bible verses because they fail to do this. One way to read Bible verses in their context (and this is a key Bible interpretation principle) is to identify who the verses are talking about. So was Jesus talking about believers or unbelievers in John 16:8–11?

When Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would come to “convict the world of sin” because they do not believe in Him, it is clear that He was referring to unbelievers because they are of “the world.” And notice that the Holy Spirit does not convict the world of “sins” (plural). It is only one “sin” (singular) that the Holy Spirit convicts the world of, and that is the sin of unbelief, the sin of rejecting Jesus and not believing in His finished work.

But when people take John 16:8 out of its proper context, they start to believe erroneously that the Holy Spirit is here to convict believers of their sins. Jesus says that the Holy Spirit convicts you “of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more.”

Clearly, with the use of the second person pronoun “you,” Jesus was referring to His believers to whom He was talking. This tells us that the Holy Spirit was sent to convict believers of righteousness, not sin!

Now, are you made righteous by your works or by faith in Jesus? By now, you should know that you are made righteous by faith, for righteousness is not right doing, but right standing before God because of your right believing!

So when you miss it, the Holy Spirit comes to convict and remind you that you are the righteousness of God because of Jesus Christ. He is present to remind you of the main clause of the new covenant—that God will be merciful to your unrighteousness, and your sins and your lawless deeds, He will remember no more (Heb. 8:12).

Beloved, the Holy Spirit is your Helper (John 14:16). He was sent to live in you to help you, not to nag at you and point out all your faults. Nobody can live with a nag.

The Holy Spirit is not a nag. No, He was sent to help you by convicting you of your everlasting righteousness in Christ. God’s inexhaustible grace in your life and the power of the cross can only be understood by the revelation the Spirit brings.

Right now, you need Him to show you that even if you have just failed, you are still the righteousness of God in Christ. This is why the Holy Spirit is called the “Comforter” (John 14:26 KJV). He is here to comfort you and to point you back to the cross of Jesus every time you fail. The only thing that He will convict you of is your righteousness in Jesus Christ!

This devotional is taken from the book Reign in Life—90 Powerful Inspirations for Extraordinary Breakthroughs. Joseph Prince

Commandments lead to happiness

Commandments Lead To Happiness

February 27

Matthew 5:32, 'But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, save for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.'

MATTHEW 5:31-32

God's commandments are not intended to make us miserable--they're meant for our own happiness. Satan's lie in the Garden of Eden caused Eve to question God's motives behind His command (Genesis 3:5).

Malachi 2:15 says God hates divorce. God doesn't hate the people who divorce. He hates the act of divorce because of the damage it does to people. God loves people.

Today, people see divorce as an easy way out of marital problems. But this is based on the misconception that the mate is the problem--which is rarely the case.

People who blame their mate for their problems give in easily to divorce, thinking that a new partner will solve the situation. Yet second marriages have over twice the failure rate of first marriages. That's because we take ourselves and all our unresolved problems into the next marriage.

You can't control other people--not even your mate. But through obeying the Lord, you can control yourself and have fulness of joy. God's commands tell us what will produce true happiness for us. Andrew Womack

Forgiveness opens the door

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”1 Corinthians 2:9

- FEBRUARY 25 -
FORGIVENESS OPENS THE DOOR

Cruel words spoken in anger. A betrayal of trust. Promises broken. A destructive relationship you knew you should not have entered into.

Have you been down those dark paths before? There are so many people who are living in the shadow of guilt and condemnation. The mistakes of their past haunt them and it is a painfully lonely and arduous journey for them.

Perhaps the paralyzed man who was let down through the roof by his four faithful friends in the book of Mark understood a little of this. The Bible tells us he was paralyzed to the point where he could only lie on a mat, which was how his friends carried him to the house Jesus was in.

With the man lying inert on his mat, his four friends lowered him through the roof, right in front of Jesus—the only way they knew how to bring their crippled friend before Jesus and secure his healing. Scripture tells us that when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you” (Mark 2:5).

To all who were watching this scene unfold that day, that must have been a very strange thing for Jesus to say—“your sins are forgiven you.” The man was clearly paralyzed. He was obviously there for healing. What had forgiveness to do with his condition or healing?

But Jesus knew it was exactly what this poor man needed to hear for his healing to manifest. And indeed, at Jesus’ next words, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home,” the paralyzed man “jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers” (Mark 2:11–12 NLT).

What had transpired? Jesus saw, when no one else could, that the man needed to hear he was forgiven, that God was not condemning him. And those words opened the door to his healing and broke him loose from his paralysis.

No wonder the onlookers were stunned—the man went from being immobile and helpless to being active, strong, and completely whole right before their eyes!

My beloved friend, if you are paralyzed by a heavy sense of condemnation over something in your past, I want you to know beyond any doubt that God is not withholding your breakthrough from you. He loves you, understands your pain and suffering, and has forgiven you through the cross. He wants you to know that your past does not have to poison your future.

No matter how many dark days you have experienced, God has prepared many wonderful open doors of opportunity, favor, and good success for you to walk through in the days ahead. Your brightest and most glorious days are still ahead of you.

This devotional is taken from the book Glorious Grace—100 Daily Readings from Grace Revolution. Joseph Prince

Salt Shakers

Matthew 5:13, 'Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.'

MATTHEW 5:13-16

What is it that will be cast out and trodden under foot of men? Is it the salt, or is it possible that Jesus is speaking about the world? If we as believers lose our preserving influence, then there is no other way for the Lord to save the world. It will be dominated by men.

God flows through His people. It is not our own power that changes people. It's God's power in us. but God will not do it without us. It's a partnership.

Many people spend a lifetime praying for God to move, not understanding that He is going to flow through them. It is not God who is failing to intervene. It is God's people who are failing to cooperate and let Him flow through them.

Every Christian has God living in them. Therefore we are carrying around other people's miracles. If we fail to walk in the supernatural power of God, then somone will miss their miracle. We are God's salt to preserve this putrifying world. Today, get out of the shaker and let the life of God which is in you flow to someone in need. Andrew Womack

Waterfall of forgiveness

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.1 John 1:7

- FEBRUARY 23 -
THE WATERFALL OF FORGIVENESS

Let me tell you a story about a little boy who used to play in the woods just a short distance away from the dilapidated hut that he lived in. His parents were too poor to buy him any toys, so he had to make do with whatever he could find.

One day, he chanced upon a stone that was unlike any he had ever seen. The polished surface of the stone glistened in his hands and winked at him each time he turned it around in the sunlight. It was his very own treasure and he loved it.

The boy did not dare to bring it back to his home as there was nowhere in the hut he could hide it. He decided to dig a deep hole under some bushes and hide his precious possession there.

The next day, the boy couldn’t wait to retrieve his stone and ran to its hiding place as soon as the sun arose. But when his fingers finally found the stone in its muddy hideaway, it was all mud-caked and dull, without any of the luster that he loved so much.

The boy took the stone to the stream and carefully dipped it in, allowing the dirt to be washed away. Finally, it was clean again and the boy’s heart swelled with pride at his treasured find. But all too soon, the time came for the boy to head home and he had to return the stone to its hiding place.

Every day, the boy would rush to the spot where he had hidden the stone. And every day, he would find its shiny surface smeared with mud and he would trek to the river some distance away to wash it.

This happened for a while before he decided to solve the problem permanently. That day, when it was almost time for him to head home, the little boy took his stone to a small waterfall and wedged it carefully between two rocks, right in the middle of the steady flow of the waterfall.

That night, the stone experienced a continual washing. And that little boy never had to wash the stone again. Every time he retrieved it, it gleamed in his hands, completely cleansed.

Beloved, when you were born again, you became a living stone whom God placed right under the waterfall of His Son’s blood. And today’s scripture shows us the effect of that continual cleansing of Jesus’ blood—it keeps us walking in the realm of light that His death has translated us into.

If you were to dig deeper into the rich treasures of God’s Word, you will find that in the Greek, the tense for the word cleanse in 1 John 1:7 denotes a present and continuous action, which means that from the moment you receive Christ, the blood of Jesus keeps on cleansing you.

This is why believers who have been translated from darkness by Jesus’ death are kept walking in the light even when they miss it and fail. As a believer, you are truly under a perpetual waterfall of His blood that keeps on cleansing you from all your sins.

You know that negative thought that you had a few minutes ago? Well, that has been cleansed too! Every thought that is not right, every action that is not correct, is washed away! You are always kept clean and forgiven and always walking in His light because of the continuous cleansing of Jesus’ blood!

Beloved, believing that you need to confess your sins all the time to be right with God will only make you more sin-conscious. But knowing that you are constantly under Jesus’ waterfall of His cleansing blood will keep you forgiveness-conscious. And knowing that you are forgiven of all your sins will give you the power to reign over every destructive habit and live a life of victory!

This devotional is taken from the book Reign in Life—90 Powerful Inspirations for Extraordinary Breakthroughs. Joseph Prince

Only the hungry are fed

Matthew 5:6, 'Blessed [are] they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.'

MATTHEW 5:1-9

In the natural world, people eat even when they aren't hungry. Many of us can prove that by turning sideways and looking at ourselves in the mirror. But in the spiritual realm, only those who are hungry can get fed. One of the worst things that can happen to us is spiritual complacency.

Being hungry for the things of God is one of the best things that can happen to us. Most people don't feel that way. They would rather have the feeling of being full. But Jesus promised us that fullness would follow hunger. No hunger, no fullness.

Therefore, what many people hate is actually a sign of spiritual health. Longing for more of God is a healthy sign. No one hungers for God on their own. That is not the nature of man. No man hungers for God unless the Spirit of God is drawing him (Jn. 6:44).

Hungering for God doesn't cause God to move in our lives, but it is a sign that God is already at work in us. We should praise God for spiritual hunger and be encouraged. He doesn't make us hungry and then let us starve. He does so in order to fill us with His blessings and love. We need a hunger that will never be satisfied until the marriage supper of the Lamb. Andrew Womack

Jehovah Jireh

Abraham called the name of the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide [Jehovah Jireh].Genesis 22:14

- FEBRUARY 21 -
JEHOVAH JIREH

If you or your loved one has been diagnosed with a medical condition, chances are, you are also being confronted with mounting medical bills. Maybe your take-home pay is just enough to cover your monthly living expenses and what you have been diagnosed with has put a strain on your finances. You have maxed out your credit cards to pay for hospitalization, medication, and all the scans you had to undergo, and you are now mired in debt.

Perhaps you have no health insurance because you are between jobs and cannot afford it. And now, you have not seen a doctor as the potential cost of seeing one worries you even more than your condition.

Did you know the Bible records the story of a woman who found herself in a serious financial crisis because of her long-term health condition (Mark 5:25–34)? She suffered from a hemorrhage or “flow of blood” and had been constantly bleeding for twelve long years.

We also know she had gone to many doctors in her bid to be cured and had endured much suffering at their hands. Over the years, she spent everything she had to pay for her treatments, but her condition only grew worse.

As you read this, maybe you can identify with this woman’s predicament. Maybe you have been battling a medical condition for years, and your bank account has been completely depleted because of undergoing all the treatments the experts said would help you get better but haven’t.

Perhaps the ballooning debt has you discouraged to the point of giving up. Let me share with you a word about your finances to encourage you.

Beloved, do not be dismayed by all the accumulating bills. The Lord is not just Jehovah Rapha, the Lord your healer, He is also Jehovah Jireh, the Lord your provider. The Bible promises that He “will liberally supply (fill until full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19 AMP).

I pray that you will be so much more conscious of the abundance of His inexhaustible supply than of the demands on your finances. Don’t ever feel like you have to handle the pressures all by yourself and take care of all the medical bills while ensuring your family has food to eat.

Do not worry, for your heavenly Father knows you need all these things (Matt. 6:32). Let go of your worries and keep your eyes on Him. He will take care of you.

This devotional is taken from the book The Healing Power of the Holy Communion—A 90-Day Devotional. Joseph Prince

Drawn by His power

MK. 1:35-39; LK. 4:42-44

This is an amazing statement. Jesus' ministry was only a few months old and the masses of people were already seeking him out.

This is even more astonishing when you realize that Jesus had not used any of the conventional methods of publicity. In fact, Jesus had already rejected publicity during His first ministry in Jerusalem (Jn. 2:24-25). There was no natural explanation for Jesus' success.

God is the one who promoted Jesus. And He used supernatural means to do it. It was not the slick techniques of Madison Avenue that brought the crowds--it was the awesome manifestation of God's power.

Just the day before, Jesus had cast the demon out of a man at the synagogue in Capernaum (Mk. 1:21-28). This caused the whole city to gather at Peter's house and Jesus healed every one of them (Lk. 4:40).

Jesus' display of the miraculous power of God was the spark that the Holy Spirit used to light a fire in the hearts of these people. Jesus had this power because of His intimate relationship with His father. It is no accident that He was praying while all men were seeking Him.

As you seek to touch others with the new life that you've found in Christ, let God confirm His Word with the miraculous manifestations of His power through you. Andrew Womack

Ministry in action

MT. 8:14-17; MK. 1:29-34; LK. 4:38-41

How did Peter's mother-in-law minister unto Jesus and His disciples? Did she sit them down and preach to them? Certainly not. Yet sometimes people think the only way we can minister to another is to admonish them with the scriptures.

Peter's mother-in-law apparently ministered to them by serving them. The word translated 'minister' is the same word that was translated 'deacon' twice in the New Testament, and 'serve, served or serveth' eight times.

We can minister for the Lord by doing some of the menial tasks that many consider to be unimportant. Jesus said that even a cup of cold water given in His name would not go unrewarded (Matthew 10:42).

Many people are waiting for the important jobs to come along where they can make a big impact or receive a lot of recognition, while they pass by many lesser opportunities every day. But in the kingdom of God, we won't be given any great opportunities until we are proven faithful in the small things (Luke 16:10).

Today, ask the Lord to show you ways you can minister to others by serving them. Andrew Womack

Come under His wings

It is wonderful when the Lord delivers you from the snare of the fowler. But Psalm 91 tells us that God wants us to step into something even better. Verse 4 goes on to say, “He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge.” There are so many powerful truths hidden in this simple line!

The Old Testament was written predominantly to the Jewish people, who would understand words such as “His wings” and “feathers” as pointing to the ark of the covenant, namely the cherubim on top of the ark.

Of all the furniture pieces in the temple, the ark was the most holy. It was placed in the Holy of Holies and typifies our Lord Jesus Christ. It was made of incorruptible wood and overlaid with gold. The wood represents His incorruptible and sinless humanity, while the gold speaks of His perfect divinity and deity. Our Lord Jesus was one hundred percent man and yet one hundred percent God.

The lid of the ark of the covenant, where you find the cherubim, was hammered out of one solid piece of gold. It is called kapporeth in Hebrew and is usually translated as “mercy seat.” To understand the significance of the mercy seat, we have to understand the contents within the ark of the covenant.

Three items were placed inside the ark of the covenant: the stone tablets on which God had inscribed the Ten Commandments, a golden pot of manna, and Aaron’s rod that had budded. The three items typify man’s rebellion—man’s rejection of God’s holy standards, man’s rejection of God’s provision, and man’s rejection of God’s appointed leadership.

God took these symbols of man’s rebellion and failure, placed them in the ark of the covenant, and covered them with His mercy seat. It’s a beautiful picture of His unmerited favor over our lives, of how mercy triumphs over judgment.

This is the secret place where God wants you and me to live each day—not under the claws of judgment, punishment, and condemnation, but under His wings of mercy, grace, and favor. This is the place of intimacy with our Lord Jesus; this is the place of divine protection.

This devotional is taken from the book The Prayer of Protection Devotional—Daily Strategies for Living Fearlessly in Dangerous Times. Joseph Prince

The chosen ones

MT. 4:13-22; MK. 1:16-20; LK. 5:27; JN. 5:38

Jesus never chose an apostle from among the religious system. Every one of his twelve disciples were men that He chose from the secular world. It wasn't because God didn't have faith in those who were religious. It's just that most of those who were part of the religious system didn't have any faith in God.

One of the most common mistakes religious people make is to put faith in themselves. They think God will use them because of their great holiness or special abilities.

Paul said, 'But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, [yea], and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are' (1 Cor. 1:27-28).

People who recognize their own inabilities are of necessity more dependent on God. That is the way God wants it. The Lord is constantly searching for someone who recognizes they are nothing so He can do something through them (2 Ch. 16:9).

Instead of thinking of your responsibilities, just respond to His ability. Andrew Womack

True rest for the weary soul

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”Matthew 11:28–30

- FEBRUARY 16 -
TRUE REST FOR THE WEARY SOUL

Perhaps by now you are wondering whether the grace teaching you have been reading or hearing is doctrinally sound. Here’s the litmus test, my friend: the preaching of the new covenant of grace should always exalt Christ.

It should always reveal more and more of Jesus—His beauty and the perfection of His finished work on the cross. Jesus and what He has done are always glorified when true grace is taught.

There is no proper grace teaching without Jesus Christ. So ask yourself, have you been hearing about Jesus and what He has done, or have you been hearing about man and what he must do?

Now, what is the effect of hearing Jesus and His finished work exalted? It leads to a life of rest and good success, because His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Today’s scripture explains this very simply. Jesus was speaking to people who were weary and worn out by the requirements of the law of Moses.

The yoke of the law is hard and heavy. The yoke of grace is easy and light because it involves none of you and all of Christ. He has borne the burden of sin on your behalf. Under grace, your part is to only believe on Jesus Christ, and when you believe, you are made righteous and blessed!

I love this testimony from Nadia in South Africa that showcases the amazing grace that Jesus brings. This is the undeserved, unearned, and unmerited favor of God that leads to rest, joy, and true success for the weary soul:

Three years ago, I had a high-powered career with plenty of financial resources and a wonderful family. The flip side was constant exhaustion from a ridiculous schedule, guilt from not spending time with my young son and husband, and stress from trying to balance it all on my own. On top of everything, I had been taught that Jesus expected a perfect performance from me in order for His blessings to flow in my life. I was burned out and very deficient in many areas of my life, including joy.

As I read one of Pastor Prince’s books and listened to his CDs, I began to see how Jesus paid the price for my sins to give me His righteousness and freedom, and that it was His will for me to live an abundant life, full to the brim and overflowing. Very gently, Jesus began to move me away from the “success” that was making me so unhappy.

My husband and I made plans to change our circumstances so that I could be with my children on a more permanent basis. Despite the financial implications for our family, Jesus gave me such a shalom-peace about our decision. So I left my high-powered, financially stable job to begin my own consultancy. Jesus was amazing in providing for us throughout the year, not just financially, but also in quality time. I had time to draw infinitely closer to Him, time for my family, and even time for my hobbies, which included finishing the writing of my first novel.

However, being still involved with corporate life through my consultancy, I struggled to walk in the peace that Jesus promised us. The old habits I’d formed with regards to stress and worry still intruded into the new space Jesus had provided for me. Then, unexpectedly, the doors in my business began to close. Confused and uncertain, I felt as though I was in the middle of a hurricane as I tried to open the doors that would lead me deeper into corporate consulting. But through Pastor Prince’s sermon, “The Key of David—God Opens Doors That No One Can Shut,” Jesus reassured me that He was in control, and that I could trust Him because He loves me.

I stand in awe of Jesus because He has closed doors that weren’t good for me and opened doors beyond my grandest dreams. He opened the door to having my book published by one of the biggest international publishing houses in the world. In just five months, Jesus turned my situation around, giving me a new career in which I can reach and inspire many more people than I would ever have dreamed possible. He has provided me with family time and time to be with Him. I know from His Word that He will bring me good success. I now wake up looking forward to the day with such joy and expectation of His goodness—not because of anything I have done, but all because of Him!

When I look back on the journey Jesus has brought me through, I can see His grace at every turn. Jesus is so kind, magnificent, and altogether lovely! He has delivered me into a truly rich and bountiful life that is full of His joy and abundance!

That, my friend, is the grace of God. It provides rest and freedom from all your self-efforts. It is the unshakable basis on which you can expect God to provide for you and lead you to good success.

If you are weary and heavy laden, come to Jesus, the gracious one, and learn from Him all that He has done for you. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. By His grace, find rest, yes, true rest for your soul. Start receiving the treasures that were purchased for you by His blood and begin reigning in every area of life!

This devotional is taken from the book Reign in Life—90 Powerful Inspirations for Extraordinary Breakthroughs. Joseph Prince

Jesus is our jubilee

Luke 4:19, 'To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.'

LUKE 4:16-30

This scripture had been written prophetically by the prophet Isaiah about 650 years prior to this time. It was read in Jewish synagogues thousands of times. But the one this verse was speaking of had never spoken it before. With this pronouncement, Jesus began the year of Jubilee.

The Year of Jubilee was described in Leviticus 25. It was a year when everyone left their fields unworked and kept a sabbath unto the Lord. The Lord gave the people a miraculous provision the year before this jubilee started that sustained them for three years until their crops could once again be harvested.

This jubilee was different than the other sabbatical years in that every debt was cancelled. All property was returned to its original owner and anyone who had been sold into slavery was set free. It was a year of new beginnings.

Jesus proclaimed a spiritual jubilee. We now live in a time when all our debts to God have been cancelled and all the things the devil stole from us have been returned. Even our slavery to the devil has come to an end through the redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is a time for rejoicing.

Jesus is our jubilee. Andrew Womack

Start your day with Jesus

Do you know that God has promised that no weapon formed against you shall prosper (Isa. 54:17)? Now, He did not promise that weapons would not be formed against you. He promised that even if weapons were formed against you, they would not hurt or defeat you.

There are all kinds of weapons formed against humanity, especially in these last days. Just think of the many kinds of deadly viruses, sicknesses, and diseases in the world. When you turn on the television and watch the news, all you seem to hear about are wars, unrest, disasters, financial collapses, violence, unemployment, famines, and new strains of deadly viruses.

It is amazing how many people wake up in the morning and the first thing that they do is grab the newspapers and read bad news before heading to work. Then, just before they go to bed, they watch the news!

Now, please understand that I am not against reading the newspapers or watching the news, or watching television for that matter. But I want to encourage you to start your day with Jesus instead, practicing His presence, acknowledging Him, committing your plans to Him, and trusting Him for His unmerited favor, wisdom, and strength for the day.

Remember to be like Joseph in the Bible. The Lord was with Joseph and he was a successful man! Your success does not come as a result of you being updated about the latest virus or you being cued in to the latest disaster. No, your success will come as a result of your being tuned in to the presence of Jesus in your life!

There are many people in my church who start the day each morning by partaking of the holy Communion, not as a ritual, but as a time to remember Jesus and the power of His cross.

They look to Jesus for His strength, receiving His divine life for their physical bodies as they partake of the bread. They renew their consciousness of their free gift of righteousness purchased by the blood of Jesus on the cross as they partake of the cup. What a way to start the day!

I have also come to realize that the last thought before you go to sleep is very important. I have tried this before and you can try it too—go to bed thinking about Jesus, giving thanks to Him for the day.

You can also meditate on one of His promises, such as the one found in Isaiah 54:17. Just say, "Thank You, Father. Your Word declares that no weapon formed against me shall prosper!” Most times, I wake up feeling rejuvenated, energized, and refreshed even though I did not sleep for many hours.

Conversely, if I go to bed with what I have just heard on the news swirling in my mind, I could sleep many more hours than usual, but still wake up feeling fatigued. Sometimes I even get a headache. Have you been there before? Well, you don’t have to experience that again.

Sandwich your day with the presence of Jesus. Start the day with Him, enjoy Him during the day, and end the day with Him on your mind!

This devotional is taken from the book 100 Days of Favor—Daily Readings from Unmerited Favor. Joseph Prince

Spiritual food

John 4:32, 'But he saith unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.'

JOHN 4:27-46

Food is essential for life. Without it we couldn't grow. We get strength and vitality from food. Yet food can kill us. Improper diets kill more people than any disease.

Our soul needs nourishment too. The things we think on and the desires that we have are food to our souls. Jesus said, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God' (Mat. 4:4).

Jesus valued spiritual nourishment more than He valued physical nourishment. He was thrilled to see this woman and the people of this town respond to His gift of salvation. Likewise, we should set our desires on the things of God so that spiritual matters are more important to us than our physical food.

The wrong diet for our souls is the leading cause of failure and depression in Christians. Being spiritually minded produces life and peace. Being carnally minded produces death (Rom. 8:6).

In our health conscious society, many of us wouldn't dream of abusing our bodies with bad diets. Yet in our soulish area, we are killing ourselves by feeding on the wrong things. Treat yourself to a healthy spiritual meal today. Andrew Womack

The good Shepherd

If we’re honest, we all have some measure of wrong believing in our lives. Just ask yourself, “Have I often felt anxious, worried, or fearful that the worst would happen to me and my loved ones?” These negative, exhausting emotions are merely flags that indicate what we truly believe about ourselves, our lives, and God.

When we are fearful and worried all the time, we are living as if we don’t believe that we have a strong and able Shepherd who is tenderhearted toward us, who leads us to good places, who protects us and lovingly watches over us. So if worrying or being fearful seems to be your natural default mode, what you need to do is to keep hearing and learning about how much God loves you, and how precious you are to Him.

That is why the way out of constant worrying is not a matter of just thinking positively; it’s birthed out of knowing you have a personal and intimate relationship with a loving Savior who watches over your needs and tends to you as a loving Shepherd. The more strongly you believe that He is taking care of you, the more it will change your thoughts and feelings, and the less you will fall victim to unhealthy emotions and behaviors.

Today, if you need freedom from a bad situation, see Jesus, your good Shepherd, leading you out of it by His Word that brings life and illumination. The psalmist says it this way: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps. 119:105). In The Message translation, it says, “By your words I can see where I’m going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path.”

My friend, the Lord wants to throw a beam of light on your path today. Whatever you are struggling with presently, no matter how insurmountable your challenges appear, when you start believing right, things are going to start turning around for your good!

This devotional is taken from the book 100 Days of Right Believing—Daily Readings from The Power of Right Believing. Joseph Prince

Go for Jesus Himself

I love the fact that of all the words God could have chosen to call this beautiful meal, He chose the word Communion. It speaks of the relationship God wants to have with us, the closeness and intimacy He desires to have with us.

I know it can be easy to lose sight of that and even see the Communion as a means to an end, especially when you are battling symptoms in your body. But as you continue to come to the Lord’s Table, don’t just go after the healing and miss the One who prepared the table for you.

Pursue the healer and not just the healing. Pursue the blesser and not just the blessing. When you have Him, you have everything.

Today, I want to encourage you with one of my favorite stories in the New Testament. I pray that you do not go away with mere information about what the holy Communion is, but you experience what the two disciples did on the road to Emmaus when Jesus Himself drew near and walked with them.

That journey to Emmaus took place the same day our Lord Jesus rose bodily from the grave. What was so important to the Lord that He would do it on the day of His resurrection?

The resurrected Christ did this:

“And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.”

—Luke 24:27

Later the two disciples said to each other, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32).

As a pastor, that is what I endeavor to do every Sunday, and I pray that by the grace of God, you will see in the Scriptures, not a list of rules and regulations, not knowledge that puffs up the intellect, but things concerning Himself.

I pray that your heart burned within you as you see Jesus in the Scriptures and you experience His deep, personal love for you as never before. I pray that you will feel Jesus Himself drawing near to you, lavishing His love on you, and imparting to you all you need. And beyond what He can do for you or your loved one, beyond healing for that condition you might have been battling with, I pray that you have an encounter with the Lord Jesus Himself.

This devotional is taken from the book The Healing Power of the Holy Communion—A 90-Day Devotional. Joseph Prince

Grace opens your heart

You’ve got to love the story of short, little Zacchaeus, who had climbed a sycamore tree hoping to catch a glimpse of Jesus as He walked by (Luke 19:1–10). Zacchaeus was a corrupt tax collector, a rich sinner.

But when Jesus spoke to him, instead of giving him the Ten Commandments, Jesus showed him grace (undeserved favor) and invited Himself to Zacchaeus’ house. Of course, the religious people in the crowd were displeased and gossiped among themselves saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner” (Luke 19:7).

Now, observe what happened in Zacchaeus’ house. Before the dinner was over, Zacchaeus was giving his wealth away to the poor and making restitution to those whom he had wronged, and Jesus was proclaiming salvation over Zacchaeus’ house.

I believe that it was the Holy Spirit who put this story side by side with that of the rich young ruler in Luke 18. I don’t believe that the two stories in the Gospel of Luke happened chronologically. But I believe that the Holy Spirit placed them in this divine order to show us the contrasting effects of being under the covenant of law and being under the covenant of grace.

When the rich young ruler came boasting in his law keeping, Jesus answered with the law, and the young man walked away sorrowful (Matt. 19:22). But when Jesus gave no law and showed His grace, it not only opened Zacchaeus’ heart, but also the wallet of a once corrupt tax collector.

That’s truly the power of grace! It leads one to true repentance. You see, when you experience God’s grace, you can’t help but be generous.

After Jesus lavished His unconditional love and grace on Zacchaeus, his heart overflowed with the undeserved, unmerited, and unearned favor of God. Zacchaeus knew deep in his heart that as a sinner and corrupt tax collector, he did not deserve to have Jesus come to his house.

But God’s goodness far exceeded his expectations. And just as Peter was brought to his knees when he saw Jesus’ goodness, Zacchaeus was led to repentance when he experienced Jesus’ goodness.

Unlike the young ruler, Zacchaeus knew that he was undeserving and that is why Jesus was able to shower grace on him. You see, the role of the law is to bring you to a place where you know in no uncertain terms that you cannot do anything to deserve God’s salvation and blessings, and how you can only rely on His grace. His grace will give you all the blessings you need and transform your life.

My friend, our heavenly Father is waiting for us to give up on our own efforts. The moment you begin to repent from all the dead works that you have been doing to try to qualify for and deserve God’s acceptance and blessings, God will lavish on you His abundant grace—His undeserved, unearned, and unmerited favor.

Today, turn your eyes away from yourself and see yourself enjoying the undeserved favor of God under the new covenant of grace. See yourself forgiven and righteous with Jesus’ righteousness. Be occupied with Him and His grace, and like Zacchaeus, you will be transformed from the inside out.

This devotional is taken from the book Reign in Life—90 Powerful Inspirations for Extraordinary Breakthroughs. Joseph Prince

Authority over the enemy

Do you know that as a believer in Christ, you have authority over the enemy?

It is true that the devil is the god of this fallen world (2 Cor. 4:4 NASB), who “walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). But we, as believers, are not called to cower in fear like the people of the world, for God’s eternal Word proclaims that “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

In Christ, we have authority over the devil and all his cohorts. In Christ, we have authority to tread upon the lion and the cobra. The fowler’s snares shall be foiled and the hunter shall be the hunted. Our role in this increasingly dangerous world isn’t to be passive and indifferent, waiting to be devoured by the roaring lion. We are endued with power and authority to hunt down the roaring lion!

The Bible records the account of how Samson was in the vineyards of Timnah when suddenly “a young lion came roaring against him” (Judg. 14:5). Now, what would you do if you were suddenly ambushed by a lion?

Psychologists tell us that there are essentially three possible responses that are instinctively triggered when a person is unexpectedly thrust into an extremely dangerous situation—fight, take flight, or freeze. While most of us would probably either take flight or freeze, Samson instinctively rose to fight: “the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he tore the lion apart as one would have torn apart a young goat, though he had nothing in his hand” (Judg. 14:6). Now, that’s taking authority! The hunter came at Samson but found itself the hunted!

Sometime later, Samson passed by the lion’s carcass and saw a swarm of bees and some honey in it. So he scooped out some of the honey and ate it. It was from this experience that Samson came up with this riddle, “Out of the eater came something to eat, and out of the strong came something sweet” (Judg. 14:14).

There is a beautiful picture here for all of us. Instead of being eaten by the lion, Samson obtained something sweet to eat. What is the spiritual truth for us today? Out of every evil and negative thing the devil throws at you today, God will make something sweet for you. Your giants will be as bread to you. God will turn every bitter adversity into sweet honey for you!

This devotional is taken from the book The Prayer of Protection Devotional—Daily Strategies for Living Fearlessly in Dangerous Times. Joseph Prince

Come as you are to Jesus

My friend, you are favored and accepted by God today because of His unmerited favor. Even if your life is a mess, He can take your mess and make it into something beautiful. Come to Him just as you are.

Years ago, one of my church members suddenly stopped coming to church for a long time. I met up with him to find out how he was doing and to see if everything was alright. He was very honest with me and told me that he was going through a lot of problems in his marriage and that he was now addicted to alcohol. Then, he said this: "Let me get my life right, then I will come back to church.”

I smiled and asked him, “Do you clean yourself before you take a bath?” I could tell from his expression that he was taken aback by my question, so I told him, “Come as you are to the Lord. He is the bath. He will cleanse you. He will get your life in order for you and He will cause every addiction to lose its hold on you. You don’t have to use your own efforts to clean yourself before you take a bath!”

I am glad to share that this precious brother soon returned to church and Jesus turned his life around. Today, he is happily married, blessed with a beautiful family, and is one of my trusted, key leaders. That is what the Lord does when you come to Him as you are and allow Him to love you into wholeness. He will make all things beautiful in your life.

There are many people today who are like this brother. They want to get their lives together by themselves before they come to Jesus. They are under the impression that they need to make themselves holy before they can step into God’s holy presence. They feel like they are being hypocrites if they don't sort out their lives first before coming to church.

Nothing could be further from the truth. You will never be able to make yourself holy enough to qualify for God’s blessings. You are made holy, righteous, and clean by the blood of Jesus Christ, and it is His righteous standing that qualifies you—nothing more and nothing less.

So stop trying to clean yourself before you go to the Lord. Come to Jesus with all your mess, all your addictions, all your weaknesses, and all your failures. God loves you just as you are.

However, He also loves you too much to let you stay the same. My friend, when you come to Jesus, He becomes your “bath.” He will wash you clean, whiter than snow! Jump into the bath today and allow Jesus to make you perfect, righteous, and holy in God’s eyes!

This devotional is taken from the book 100 Days Of Favor—Daily Readings from Unmerited Favor. Joseph Prince