The steps of a good man are led by God and he is happy in His way; he can be happy whereas there is nothing to be happy about on the outside.

Why do many people today worry, complain and murmur everyday about their situations? They do so because their lives are centered on how they are doing, how they are feeling and how they are treated.

Psalm 91:14 says, “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him. I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.”

Tension arises not because we have taken any wrong step but because we live in a complex and contradictory world. Temptation to sin are the most grievous thorns, they are messengers of satan. What do I mean by messengers of satan? Temptation talks, and when it talks, if care is not taken, you will begin to act out of character and to react badly to the emotional weight. The situation of some people today has led them to do all sort of things that they would ordinarily not have in mind to do. Are you sick? Are you facing setback?

Be careful in entering temptation; if allowed by God, you should not think it strange and about your guard. Jesus is our guard. God uses our situation to humble us. Those whom Christ intend to honor, He first humbles, in order to prevent them from being conceited and proud when honor comes. If you have not tasted humiliation, you will not be able to manage honor when it finally comes. Daniel passed through the lion’s den before he became great. It was in the prison that Joseph encountered the link that ushered him to throne of Egypt. Hannah had to go through the pain of bareness before she gave birth to a great prophet, Samuel.

Whatever you are facing now as a Christian may be to humble you so that you can take your proper position and possession in Christ, to keep focused and identify your source. Apostle Paul gave an account of the method God took to keep him humble. Paul was afflicted with a thorn in his flesh. What is your thorn? Is it Poverty?

A man of faith is led by an indwelling spirit of grace, which is greater than he who dwells in the world. A man of faith does things out of peace of mind, not for money, not for popularity, not for fame. A man of faith believes he has what God says he has, he can do what God says he can do. A man of faith, when he is weak, then he is strong because there is no real evil in his weakness; his life is centered in Christ Jesus, while others’ lives are centered on how they are doing, how they are feeling and how they are treated. So, as a man of faith, be calm and determined when trouble comes.

The Principles is to hold fast to your confidence in God. Simply believe the words of God – that God will do exactly as He promised. Be fully persuaded by the words of God alone – not what you hear, what you see, what your situation looks like. Hold fast to your confidence in God’s word when your faith is tested. My confidence in God’s word is Jesus is the healer, whether He heals me or not. How does this confidence come? Through hearing the word, belief comes. Through believing the word, trust comes. Through trusting the word, confidence is established.

Confidence is established when the word is settled in our heart at the point of conviction. Then, the heart is grounded in the word and love. This process of hearing and obeying is not automatic but gradual. Those who refuse to take those tiny step steps cannot believe God and understand the basic truth about faith. If you must speak, think first. The word a man speaks creates the blessing or curses that come his way in life. Many of our troubles are tongue troubles. Your words control and dominate you because they express your thoughts, which are the seed of your life. You will not, you cannot rise above the level of your words. As long as you hold fast to the confession of fear, doubt, sickness and worry, you will still have them. When one is poor and he is thinking like a poor man, talking like a poor man and acting like a poor man and also moving with poor people – poverty would never leave him. If you find yourself in such a situation, it may be that your words need cleansing because your heart needs cleansing. How? Learn to focus on God.

Prayer changes us; faith changes things. Prayer changes our focus; faith causes things to happen i.e. faith changes situations by its transformative power. So, our heart is cleansed by focusing on God’s word. God’s word refreshes our mind by setting our focus on God’s will and sufficiency. So determine your focus. Your focus is your personal decision. Faith focuses on Jesus Christ and His sufficiency. How? Your spiritual eyes must be focused on God who is unseen by looking at His word. When a situation comes, think well by examining all things in the light of God’s word because it takes a reflective mind to discover God’s purpose behind that situation. Listen to the testimony of your conscience because your situation may point you to death but God’s word points you to life; it is the very life of God in that word that changes the situation from darkness to light.

God’s word is the final authority settling all questions and troubles. With the word of our testimony, we can resist satan. To resist the devil is to prevent him from having any influence on us. God’s word is integrity itself; it is steadfast; it is sure.Let someone say: I agree with God’s word. I disagree with any thought, condition and circumstances contrary to God’s word because I am what God says I am; I can move what God says I can move; I can achieve what God says I can achieve because my feet, steps and life are orders In the word. God’s word says, “Let the weak say I am strong; let the sick say I am healed; let the poor say I am blessed”. Whatever might have been bound in your life: be it in your business, be it in your health, be it in your family, will be loosed today, in Jesus’ name. SCOAN…. TBJ

Have a Blessed week.