The Spirit of Power, Love, and Self-discipline!

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” - 2 Timothy 1:7 NLT

God who is our heavenly Father (Ephesians 4:6) has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power to overcome the world (2 Corinthians 12:9-10), for “we know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.” (1 John 5:19) Christ has already won the victory against the power of Satan, the devil (1 Corinthians 15:55-57) by crucifying Himself on the cross (Hebrews 2:14-15) However, Satan is still waiting for us to make a mistake of the love of God, so He could devour us and put us into death. Hence, we ought to stand firm in the faith of Christ Jesus, as this is the key of the victory against the world. Thus, we should keep remembering that we are the children of God, and we have the right and the power to overcome the world.

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.

In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. All power to him forever! Amen. (1 Peter 5:8-11)

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:1-5)

What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31-39)

Therefore, it is better to think that God is disciplining us by the love of Christ through situations or suffering—we never know. This is because the word of God declares:

In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. (Hebrews 12:4-13)

Secondly, the Holy Spirit whom our heavenly Father has poured into our hearts, has also given us a spirit to love God as well as others. We know this by the greatest commandments of God: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31) Furthermore, the word of God states:

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister [in Christ] is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister [in Christ]. (1 John 4:7-21)

There are two reasons that I put [in Christ] after “brother or/and sister” in 1 John 4:20-21. One is because of godly love fulfills the law of God. Another is that we are meant to stay in one body, which belongs to Jesus Christ. We can see these two reasons in Romans 13:8-10 and Romans 12:4-5:

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

Also, the word of God also states:

The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:12-13)

The Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ!

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” – Galatians 5:22-23 ESV

Galatians 5:22-23 simply means that the fruit of the Spirit is a combination of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There may be worldly laws against these things, but there aren’t any godly laws against such things. In other words, the fruit of the Spirit is basically a law that we have to follow, if we are followers of Jesus Christ. This is because He declares:

I am the true vine, and my Father takes care of the vineyard. He removes every one of my branches that doesn’t produce fruit. He also prunes every branch that does produce fruit to make it produce more fruit.

You are already clean because of what I have told you. Live in me, and I will live in you. A branch cannot produce any fruit by itself. It has to stay attached to the vine. In the same way, you cannot produce fruit unless you live in me.

I am the vine. You are the branches. Those who live in me while I live in them will produce a lot of fruit. But you can’t produce anything without me. Whoever doesn’t live in me is thrown away like a branch and dries up. Branches like this are gathered, thrown into a fire, and burned… You give glory to my Father when you produce a lot of fruit and therefore show that you are my disciples. (John 15:1-6,8)

 The characteristic virtues of the fruit of the Holy Spirit in biblical terms:

Love:

If we are devoted in God, then we have to love others as well. This is because 1 John 4:7-21 and Romans 13:8-10 states:

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister [in Christ] is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. (1 John 4:7-21)

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. (Romans 13:8-10)

Thus, Jesus gave these two greatest commandments: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31)

Joy:

If there is no joy in our lives, then our lives are going to be uninteresting and tiresome. However, God provided eternal life for us by sending His only beloved Son, Jesus Christ as an image of Himself (Colossians 1:15; John 1:14) into the world to crucify on the Cross as an atonement of our sins. (Colossians 2:13-15) “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) Thus, if we join Romans 15:13, John 17:3, and Romans 14:17 together, then it goes likes:

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. And this is eternal life, that they know… the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you [God] have sent. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Peace:

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace...” – Colossians 3:16

We should let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts. This is because by the peace, the Lord gives us strength and He blesses us (Psalm 29:11), for we are His children (1 John 3:1) – “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)

If we do not have the peace of Christ in our lives, then we are constantly at war with everything else even within ourselves, for “we know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.” (1 John 5:19) Also, obeying God becomes burden to us. However, He gave us the peace of God, which is different from the world’s. We know this, because we know that we have received the Holy Spirit from Him as our guidance/advocate/friend to help us to walk with God, who is our heavenly Father (Ephesians 4:6):

If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.  The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:15-17,26-27)

Furthermore, Philippians 4:7 and Romans 14:17 declare:

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Patience and Gentleness:

We ought to have patience and gentleness around everyone, for “the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.” (2 Timothy 2:24-26) This is because the Lord’s servant needs to be the same as His characteristic traits, for “whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.” Hence, patience and gentleness are huge parts that need to be within us, if we are followers of Jesus Christ. For according to the characteristics of God, patience and gentleness are the huge parts. This is because “the LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.” (Psalm 145:8) To be specific, if He is not patient and gentle at all, He would not had to send His only beloved Son to the cross as an atonement of our sins; for He knows that we are going to sin again. This means that we would already perish from the earth. “For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.” (Hebrews 10:26-27) Furthermore, we know that Jesus has lots of patience and gentleness, for He says:

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30)

Thus, He gives us spiritual strength to endure, for Isaiah 40:30-31 states:

Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Kindness and goodness:

As followers of Jesus Christ, kindness and goodness are necessary to have. “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10) This is because Colossians 3:12 declares:

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Moreover, we could influence others spiritually by being and showing goodness. This is because Matthew 5:14-16 states:

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Faithfulness:

If we have faithfulness to the Lord, we should have the same kind of faithfulness to others as well. This is because Proverbs 28:20 says, “A faithful person will be richly blessed…”

Moreover, Luke 16:10-12 states:

If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? And if you are not faithful with other people’s things, why should you be trusted with things of your own?

The “true riches,” that is stated in Luke 16:11 come from God—since He is the truth (John 14:6)

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. (Matthew 6:33, Philippians 4:19)

Thus, Jesus gives us the parable, which faithfulness is related to the kingdom of heaven in Matthew 25:14-30:

… God’s kingdom will also be like a man leaving home to travel to another place for a visit. Before he left, he talked with his servants. He told his servants to take care of his things while he was gone. He decided how much each servant would be able to care for. The man gave one servant five bags of money. He gave another servant two bags. And he gave a third servant one bag. Then he left. The servant who got five bags went quickly to invest the money. Those five bags of money earned five more. It was the same with the servant who had two bags. That servant invested the money and earned two more. But the servant who got one bag of money went away and dug a hole in the ground. Then he hid his master’s money in the hole.

After a long time the master came home. He asked the servants what they did with his money. The servant who got five bags brought that amount and five more bags of money to the master. The servant said, ‘Master, you trusted me to care for five bags of money. So I used them to earn five more.’

The master answered, ‘You did right. You are a good servant who can be trusted. You did well with that small amount of money. So I will let you care for much greater things. Come and share my happiness with me.’

Then the servant who got two bags of money came to the master. The servant said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of money to care for. So I used your two bags to earn two more.’

The master answered, ‘You did right. You are a good servant who can be trusted. You did well with a small amount of money. So I will let you care for much greater things. Come and share my happiness with me.’

Then the servant who got one bag of money came to the master. The servant said, ‘Master, I knew you were a very hard man. You harvest what you did not plant. You gather crops where you did not put any seed. So I was afraid. I went and hid your money in the ground. Here is the one bag of money you gave me.’

The master answered, ‘You are a bad and lazy servant! You say you knew that I harvest what I did not plant and that I gather crops where I did not put any seed. So you should have put my money in the bank. Then, when I came home, I would get my money back. And I would also get the interest that my money earned.’

So the master told his other servants, ‘Take the one bag of money from that servant and give it to the servant who has ten bags. Everyone who uses what they have will get more. They will have much more than they need. But people who do not use what they have will have everything taken away from them.’ Then the master said, ‘Throw that useless servant outside into the darkness, where people will cry and grind their teeth with pain.’

Self-control:

We know that self-control is part of being holiness and godliness. This is because 1 Peter 1:13-17 and 2 Peter 1:3-11 affirm:

Prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time here [on the earth] as “temporary residents.” (1 Peter 1:13-17)

His [Christ’s] divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:3-11)

Standing Firm in the Faith of Christ Jesus!

“Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.” “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.” - 1 Corinthians 16:13, 1 Peter 5:8-9 NLT

Because of the prince of this world who is Satan, the enemy of God (2 Corinthians 4:4), and that we are born as sinners from the beginning (Romans 3:23)—we ought to stay alert-minded in the faith of Christ Jesus, and wear the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) at all times. This is because Satan is waiting for us to make a foolish mistake of faith, so He could devour us from that time on. This is why the word of God says:

Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise… Then the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:8-9)

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16)

Since Satan longs us to depart away from the faith in Christ Jesus, and to destroy us in any way He can—we have to abide the word of God in full-devotion. This is because it is a greatest weapon against Satan. “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) Thus, the word of God is also known as “The Sword of the Spirit,” or “The Word of Life.”  For this reason, we should not be ‘ashamed of the gospel [word of God], for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes… For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”’ (Romans 1:16-17)

For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. As the Scriptures say, "People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. But the word of the Lord remains forever…"  (1 Peter 1:23-25)

Furthermore, with the word of God, we should spiritually encourage or influence one another—since we are members of one body, which is the Christ. (Romans 12:4-5) “The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:12-13) This is because 1 Peter 5:9 says, “… your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.”

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:19-25)

Now you non-Jewish people are not visitors or strangers, but you are citizens together with God’s holy people. You belong to God’s family. You believers are like a building that God owns. That building was built on the foundation that the apostles and prophets prepared. Christ Jesus himself is the most important stone in that building. The whole building is joined together in Christ, and he makes it grow and become a holy temple in the Lord. And in Christ you are being built together with his other people. You are being made into a place where God lives through the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:19-22)

The Good Fight in the Race of the Children of God!

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” -  2 Timothy 4:7-8 NIV

Every day is like war within us between the flesh and the Spirit, for the word of God states:

… Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. (Galatians 5:16-18)

Since every day is like war between our own desires of the flesh, and the desires of the Spirit, then why should we constantly battle within ourselves? Is not it better to give up the Spirit and to live a comfortable life? No, we should not give up the fight between them, for the word of God says,

Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. (Galatians 6:7-8)

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. (Matthew 6:33, Philippians 4:19)

“Everything” and “all your needs,” which are stated in Matthew 6:33, Philippians 4:19 do not mean the desires of the flesh. They mean the supplications of the righteousness, not according to our own standards, but according to the riches of God’s glory in Christ Jesus. This is because our mission is to be the righteousness of God; to get the crown of righteousness from the Lord. This is why we are in this world and why was Christ Jesus crucified, for 1 Peter 2:24-25 and 2 Corinthians 5:20-21 declare:

“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. (1 Peter 2:24-25)

We are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:20-21)

Hence, our first priority as being the righteousness of God should be becoming ambassadors of Christ, if we know that we are the children of God (1 John 3:1), and have committed our lives to Him. (Hebrews 10:39) This is because the word of God declares:

Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: “God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

In other words, if we believe that we are meant to be ambassadors of Christ and have continued living our life as His ambassadors until the end of age, as well as doing the will of God, which has been called through the Holy Spirit (John 14:15-17,26)—we can be confident to say: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:7-8)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

The God of Hope!

“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” – Isaiah 40:29-31 NIV

Our God is God of hope. This is because just like Isaiah 40:29 has stated, “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” This verse is same as what Isaiah 40:31 declares: “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.” Nevertheless, the “strength” is not talking about physical one, but the spiritual one. The spiritual strength comes from the Holy Spirit.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

He [Jesus Christ] said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10, Philippians 4:13)

Therefore, since Jesus says, “…The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak," we should keep that Spirit, and do everything with perseverance for the glory (Colossians 3:4, 1 Corinthians 10:31) and the kingdom of the God (Matthew 7:21) in full-devotion. This is because we are His followers, for the word of God states:

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds." (Matthew 16:24-27)

Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Galatians 6:8-10)

To be honest, I am like a young man who stumble and fall, but what I have is the hope in God. To be specific, my spiritual strength is like being renewed each time I write my devotional. This is because even though I find writing devotional each day difficult for me, due to weariness, but I still am willing to write it every day, for it’s my passion to influence others spiritually. However, I repent before the Lord every day for looking at my current circumstances rather than the glory (Colossians 3:4) and the kingdom of God (Matthew 7:21) This is because I know that my current gift from God is devotional-writing, since the Holy Spirit empowers me to do this. Therefore, since Jesus stated: “…The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak," I need to be content with time-management to be fully-devoted in writing. For this reason, my meditation would be Philippians 4:13, which says, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

'Blessed Are Those Who “Look to the Lord and His Strength; Seek His Face Always,” for Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.’

“Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.” – 1 Chronicles 16:11 NIV

There are many encouraging verses in the Bible like Lamentations 3:22-23 and Isaiah 41:10, which state:

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23)

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)

However, 1 Corinthians 16:11 is one of the most important verses in the Bible, which requires action for everyone rather than encouraging. This is because the word of God declares:

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. (1 John 4:1-3)

Therefore, while we are applying 1 Corinthians 16:11, we should overcome the world as well, for “we know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.” (1 John 5:19) We also can see that every followers of Jesus Christ overcomes the world in 1 John 5:1-5, which declares:

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

If we join Galatians 6:8 NLT and Romans 6:23 NLT together, then it goes like this: “Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” These verses mean that abiding the world leads us to death, but abiding the Spirit of God leads us to eternal life. Thus, we must not love the world, if we have committed our lives before Christ and want to gain the eternal life that those verses are talking about. The eternal should be our destiny, for our citizenship is in heaven! (Philippians 3:20-21, 2 Corinthians 5:1)

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. (1 John 2:15-17)

Since Matthew 25:31-34 declares: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world,”— we ought to seek God and concentrate on the eternal kingdom of heaven rather than the world; to do the will of God until the end of the age. This is because Matthew 7:21 says:

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

In other words, we could say, ‘blessed are those who “look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always,” for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’                                        

The Path and the Way of the Life!

“You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” – Psalm 16:11 NIV

First of all, we have to know that Jesus Christ is the way of the life (John 14:6), which leads us to the eternal kingdom of heaven. This is because our actual citizenship is in there, as Philippians 3:18-21, 2 Corinthians 5:1 states:

For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.

The reason that we belong to heaven is that we are the children of God. (1 John 3:1) However, we ought to not only believe about Him, but in Him, for the word of God declares:

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. (John 1:12-13)

Believing in Christ means that while we believe, we are doing the will of God in full-devotion that has been called to us by the Holy Spirit, “for we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10) Hence, we have to abide in the Holy Spirit (John 14:15-17,26-27) in whatever we do, if we committed our whole lives in Christ Jesus!

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. (Ephesians 5:15-18)

Secondly, God, our heavenly Father longs every one of us to come together to worship Him daily, since each one of us are temples of Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16) and members of Christ (Romans 12:4-5). This is why we go to church (Ephesians 2:20-22) and our great commission from Jesus (Matthew 28:18-20) is to evangelize Him by becoming ambassadors of Christ Jesus. (Matthew 5:14-16, 1 Peter 2:9, 2 Corinthians 5:20) Great example for this would be Apostle Paul:

Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness—the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord's people. (Colossians 1:24-26)

Even if we don’t suffer like Paul and we do not go to church daily—let’s glorify God in everything that we do. (1 Corinthians 10:31) In order to do this, we need to abide the Holy Spirit to do the will of God, since “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24)

Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith. (Galatians 6:7-10)

The Importance of the Word of God, the Prayer, and the Holy Spirit!

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.” – 1 John 1:8-10 NIV

First of all, we need to know that God is our heavenly Father (Ephesians 4:6) and we are sinners from the beginning, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) This is because this world is under the control of Satan, the evil one, who is also the enemy of God. The reason for this is in Romans 5:12, which states: “When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.” Thus, our heavenly Father sent His only beloved Son as an image of Himself (Colossians 1:15) into the world to crucify Himself on the cross as an atonement of our sin. (Colossians 2:13-15; Hebrews 2:14-15) He did this out of His abundant grace and mercy, because He wanted us to restart our lives, being the righteousness of God. We can see this in 2 Corinthians 5:21 and 1 Peter 2:24-25:

For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. (1 Peter 2:24-25)

Because we are sinners, God had appointed some specific people to write the Bible, which is the word of God that contains different gospels. In other words, the Bible was created for us to read daily, so we may not sin and start to live our lives as the righteousness of God.

For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Romans 1:17, Hebrews 4:12)

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him. (Philippians 1:27-29)

More than that, out of God’s abundant mercy, grace, and love, God gave us to confess our sins on Him and to ask Him to remove our unrighteousness; so that we may be healed and continue to be the righteousness of God. We can see this in 1 John 1:9-2:1, which declares:

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.

Lastly, our heavenly Father poured His Spirit into us to help us in the walking with Him. We can see this in John 14:15-17,26-27, which Jesus says:

If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you… The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. 

However, we need to abide in the Holy Spirit and the word of God to have relationship with our heavenly Father as well as walking in the truth with Him properly. We can see these in Ephesians 5:15-18 and 2 John 1:9:

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. (Ephesians 5:15-18)

Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. (2 John 1:9)

Commit to the Lord!

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” - Proverbs 16:3, Psalm 37:23, Matthew 6:34 NIV

If we are fully devoted and followers of Christ Jesus, then we know that He is going to establish our plans. This is because He is the Creator (Genesis 1:1,27; Romans 8:28) and is the way of the truth (John 14:6) Thus, this means that He is the planner of everything, for the word of God declares:

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

Therefore, since Proverb 3:5-6 states: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight”—we have to abide and trust the Holy Spirit with the peace of God (John 14:15-17,26-27) rather than our own conviction and understanding. This is because the word of God states:

The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. (Romans 8:6)

Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith. (Galatians 6:7-10)

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2)

Since Romans 12:2 starts off with “Do not conform to the pattern of this world,” we must overcome the world as well if we consider ourselves as a fully-devoted follower of Jesus Christ; for “we know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one,” (1 John 5:19) and our actual citizenship is in the heaven. (Philippians 3:18-21, 2 Corinthians 5:1)

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:1-5)

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. (Ephesians 5:15-16)

The Sabbath Day!

“Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.” – Genesis 2:3, Hebrews 4:9-10

On the Sabbath day which is Sundays for us, are supposed to be our resting day for us. This is because the word of God states:

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. (Exodus 20:8-11)

However, some of us have work during Sundays. Then how we can keep the Sabbath day holy, just like our heavenly father (Ephesians 4:6) has said? Do we suppose to quit the job for its sake? Yes and no. This is because it all depends on the will of the Lord. We should quit the job if we know that job does not match according to the will of God. This is quite understandable to true Christians, because they know that they are always living for the glory (Colossians 3:4) and the kingdom of God (Matthew 7:21), since their actual citizenship is in heaven. (Philippians 3:20-21, 2 Corinthians 5:1) Nevertheless, if the job that we are doing is according to the will of God, we should not quit it, just to keep the Sabbath. When this happens, we should think that every job that is on Sundays is more opportunities to serve the Lord, whether it is the Sabbath Day or not. We can see the reason for this in Ephesians 6:5-8:

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.

Second of all, the Sabbath is also the day of fellowshipping one another as members in Christ Jesus. Thus, Hebrews 4:9-10 declares: “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.” This is because Jesus says in Mark 2:27 and Matthew 18:20, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” These verses mean that each of us can gather in Christ’s name to talk and encourage one another spiritually. Thus, the word of God declares:

For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. (1 Thessalonians 5:9-11)

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:19-25)

Therefore, let’s keep the Sabbath holy, whether we are working on Sundays or not. However, I believe that we should not just make the Sabbath Day holy, but in other days as well especially who are true followers of Jesus Christ, since 1 Peter 1:13-16 states:

Prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

Overall, I believe two examples of describing what the Sabbath Day would be the resting-day, or the day of fellowship even though other days could be fellowshipping day as well. For these reasons, most of Christian churches do their Service on Sundays. However, the perfect vision of the church, which is us since we are members of Christ (Ephesians 2:20-22), would be:

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47)

The Source of the Spiritual Strength!

“Christ is the one who gives me the strength I need to do whatever I must do.” – Philippians 4:13 ERV

First of all, we need to know that Philippians 4:13 is not talking about the physical strength, but the spiritual one. This is because this verse starts off with “Christ is the one...” Most of us know that Jesus Christ is actually God in spiritual form, especially who are followers of Jesus. Thus, this verse can also state:

             God is the one who gives me the strength I need to do whatever I must do.

We also know that God is the Creator of everything, since the word of God states: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1) Hence, the Bible says, “Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” (Jeremiah 32:17) Thus, if we only believe in God, then we can do everything which is directed by the Holy Spirit.  However, we need to practice whatever we want to do as well, for Jesus says:

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. (Matthew 7:24-25)

Secondly, the spiritual strength could depend on the humilities that we have. This is because if we are so humbled to do whatever we need to do, then we are willing to do it whatever it takes, even if it is hard. One example of when I have spiritual strength would be when it is morning, even though I need to work on time-managing. This is because I write a devotional every day, and send it by e-mail and upload it into few social networking sites like e-blogger and Tumbler. The reason for writing a devotional every day is that I want to influence others spiritually. However, I am not writing it for my pride and glory, but I am doing this for the glory (Colossians 3:4) and the kingdom of God (Matthew 7:21) through others. Thus, those are my main focus; how I can glorify God through writing, and I believe that this is the work of the Holy Spirit within me. Because of this, I want to be a Christian Writer, Computer Pastor, or both. Nevertheless, my focus is on the glory and the kingdom of God, since I know that I am one of His children, and have my citizenship is heaven. (Philippians 3:20-21, 2 Corinthians 5:1) Thus, I am willing to follow the Holy Spirit, and to do whatever it leads me into.

Overall, the strength that Jesus Christ provides is not the physical one, but the spiritual one that depends on our humilities. In other words, spiritual-strength could basically be our confidence towards God, since “we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.” (Hebrews 10:39)

For the Eternal Kingdom of Heaven!

“I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” – Jeremiah 17:10, Matthew 24:42-44 NIV

 Since God who is our heavenly Father is watching us from the above, we have to be ready all the time. This does not mean that all of us have to become pastor or missionary to preach the gospel to everyone, although those ministry works are God’s call to some of us. It means that we have to be ready spiritually with our mindset as well as with deeds that are according to the will of God. This is why the word of God states:

… Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. (Philippians 4:8)

The word of God urges us to have positive mind about the Lord, because our minds are belong to the Lord, for the Bible declares: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge…” (Proverbs 1:7) Hence, Jesus declares the greatest commandment of the Lord in Matthew 22:37-38:

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.”

When we love the Lord with all of our hearts, souls, and minds, then we realize that there is the Holy Spirit inside of us which is the Spirit of God. Our heavenly Father poured His Spirit into us to help us in the walking with the Lord, as John 14:15-17,26-27 states:

If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you… The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Therefore, if we are true followers of Jesus Christ, then we must abide in the Holy Spirit to do the will of God, even if it is hard. We can see this reason in the verses of Galatians 6:8, Matthew 16:24-27, and 2 Peter 1:3-11:

Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. (Galatians 6:8)

Then Jesus said… “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds.” (Matthew 16:24-27)

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:3-11)

Overall, because of the eternal kingdom of heaven that is set out for us as our eternal home (Philippians 3:20-21, 2 Corinthians 5:1)—we ought to abide the Holy Spirit with full-devotion until the end of the age, for the word of God states:

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 7:21)