Apicontent

What is the most important thing that has ever happened to you? If you are a Christian, it was when you decided to receive Christ into your life as your personal Savior! And this is good news to share with others! As followers of Jesus, we have the privilege and responsibility of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with those around us! When you “witness” about Jesus, you are telling about who He is and what He has done for you.

Think for a moment about the people you know and interact with on a regular basis who don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

In Acts 1:8 Jesus said: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts of the earth.”

This verse is for all believers! You are a unique person with a unique sphere of influence no one else has.

A witness is someone who tells what he or she knows about a given situation. When you “witness” about Jesus, you are telling about who He is and what He has done for you. 

You are a unique person with a sphere of influence no one else has. As you ask the Holy Spirit to direct you, you will find opportunities to “witness” everywhere!

Peter wrote these words in the New Testament:

“But set Christ apart as Lord in your hearts and always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks about the hope you possess.” —1 Peter 3:15

You don’t have to make a complete presentation of the Gospel to make an impact for Jesus Christ. The key to sharing your relationship with Jesus is to be available. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you to someone who is open to hearing more about Christ. If you sense that person is open to hearing about Jesus, but may not be ready for a real conversation about Him, you can:

• Invite them to attend church with you or to visit a study group you are part of.
• Ask them to join you at a Christian event.
• Introduce them to other Christians.
• Give them a Christian book or tract along with an invitation to discuss it with you after they finish reading it. Start out with an easy question to get you into a spiritual conversation.

If the Holy Spirit is directing you to have a conversation with someone, you can start out with an easy question to get you into a spiritual conversation. Here are a few ideas:

“Do you think about God very often?”

“Have you ever read the Bible?”

“What is your purpose in life? Why are you here?”

One of the greatest problems we all face is the problem of getting started. This is a great barrier to communication of the good news of Jesus Christ. The great evangelist Bill Bright once said, “Successful witnessing is simply taking the initiative to share Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit—and leaving the results to God.”

Do not wait for people to come to you. Go to them with the good news! Be friendly. Focus the conversation on Jesus Christ. Ask God for wisdom as you talk. God loves this person. You don’t need to be pushy or preachy or combative. Expect results. When you are under the Holy Spirit’s control and you talk about Jesus, you can expect results … not on the basis of positive thinking but because of your confidence in God and His love for people! Expect people to respond because Jesus himself has commissioned us to go into all the world and spread the good news!

Most people reject Christianity because they really don’t understand what it is all about, or they misunderstand and think it is just “religion.” They don’t realize being a Christian means having a relationship with God through Jesus Christ!

The best way to witness … so that people really understand what the Bible says … is to stick to the facts of who Jesus is. For this reason, it can be very helpful to use a good Gospel tract, such as Would You Like to Know God Personally by Cru or The Bridge to Life by The Navigators.

This JO App also has several articles (“Evangelistic Articles”) and videos (“Evangelistic Videos”) you can share with others. Explore “Share Jesus” from the main menu.

If you are really ambitious, you can memorize this information during your daily time with God and then you’ll have it available to you whenever you want to share it! Many times it can be helpful to share your personal testimony. Your “testimony” is when you “testify” as to what God is doing in your life. Your testimony should be short—less than 5 minutes—and should focus on how Christ has changed your life … and how much He means to you. Be enthusiastic … but not phony. Be transparent. As you think about your testimony consider these three questions:

“What was my life like before I had a relationship with Jesus Christ?”

“When did I begin my relationship with Jesus Christ?”

“What has God been doing in my life since I began my relationship with Jesus Christ?”

Take time to write out your testimony. Share it with a trusted friend and get some feedback. Keep your sharing short and to the point. Stay Focused! You fight a spiritual battle when you share Christ with an unbeliever.

There may be unusual interruptions …or the person might try to evade the real issues and get you off track. Focus on Christ’s love and his death on the cross. Emphasize how important that person is to God. At some point in the conversation, as the Holy Spirit leads, ask for a decision. Expect God to be working in their heart. Ask one of the following questions:

“Does this make sense to you?”

“Would you like to have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ?”

“Would you like to ask Jesus to be a part of your life?”

Finally, if they are ready to receive Christ, pray with them, using the prayer in your tract (or go back to lesson 3 at the beginning of all of this study!). Encourage them to find a church or another Christian to help them grown in their relationship with God.

When you wake up each morning, thank the Lord Jesus that He lives within you, tell Him that you are available, and stay alert so He can use you to speak of His love and forgiveness at every opportunity throughout the whole day.

Application

Ask God to bring someone into your life whom you can introduce to Jesus!

Prayer is talking with God: asking Him for guidance, praising Him for His goodness, sharing with Him the needs of ourselves and others, and knowing by faith that He hears and will grant our requests.” The important thing is to take time to be still with God. The big question is … how?

Bill Bright once wrote, “Prayer is the most intimate communication ever devised. It is heart to heart, spirit to Spirit communication between creation and Creator. Enjoy His presence.”

We can pray in many ways! In this lesson, we will discuss a couple of different ideas and approaches that will help you to actually pray!

Be Still

Allow God to speak quietly to you. First of all, take time to be still! The great theologian, A.W. Tozer, once said, “More spiritual progress can be made in one short moment of speechless silence in the awesome presence of God than in years of mere study.” This can be a frightening concept in a world of constant activity! But take the time each day to stop and be still with God. Let the Holy Spirit fill you.

Psalm 46:10 says, “Stop your striving and recognize that I am God! I will be exalted over the nations! I will be exalted over the earth!”

Choose a Specific Time to Meet with God Every Day

If you want your relationship with Christ to grow, plan to meet with Him every day! Many Christians find that morning works best before the busyness of the day sets in. But everyone is different! Choose a time that really works for you!

Prayer Notebook or Journal

Many people find it helpful to keep a prayer notebook or journal. You can actually combine this with a study journal or notebook where you record all of your thoughts and anything that you are learning about your walk with God. Simply record your requests and how and when God answers them. A prayer notebook can be especially helpful when you feel that God is far away. As you review the times and places when you have experienced his specific answers to your prayers you will be encouraged by His faithfulness to you!

Claim God’s Promises

Apply the truth of God’s Word to each day and claim His promises by praying verses of scripture. Here’s a great verse to get you started:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding. Acknowledge him in all your ways, and he will make your paths straight.” —Proverbs 3:5–6

Pray: “Lord, today, I am going to trust You with all my heart. Help me not to depend on my own understanding, but to seek Your will for my life in each situation. Help me to trust that You will show me throughout the day which path to take.” 

The ACTS Approach to Prayer

Rather than simply rambling all over the place when you pray, you can try to be more focused by using the acrostic ACTS. ACTS stands for four points: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. It’s a great way to center your thoughts on what you are talking to God about.

Adoration

Adoration of God involves acknowledging His character and reflecting on His power, majesty, and holiness with humble praise and worship. Worship is a part of adoration. Confession is only possible for a person who is willing to submit to God.

Worship is not a fuzzy feeling brought on by soft lighting and music, nor is it limited to a place such as a church building. It does not consist simply of religious duty, listening to a great sermon, or hearing the choir. Singing hymns may not be worship if our hearts are not in the right place, and even prayer can be from purely selfish motives and therefore not worship. True worship is “in Spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).

One of the ways to worship and adore God is to use scripture. Pray a passage or use keywords to help you express your love and admiration for God.

As you read Psalm 145:1–6, look for keywords and phrases of worship …

“I will extol you, my God, O king! I will praise your name continually! Every day I will praise you! I will praise your name continually! The LORD is great and certainly worthy of praise! No one can fathom his greatness! One generation will praise your deeds to another, and tell about your mighty acts! I will focus on your honor and majestic splendor, and your amazing deeds! They will proclaim the power of your awesome acts!”

Worship is our response to God. It is what happens in our hearts when we know God well, and love Him deeply. This response comes from an intimate relationship with Him and is enabled by the Holy Spirit. Our worship includes praise, thankfulness, wonder, joy, delight, trust, obedience, awe, and reverence. 

Worship is recognizing God’s majesty, glory, honor, power, wisdom, love, and justice. It is finding God to be of infinite worth! Worship is when we are overwhelmed by God’s sovereignty, person, and works. Express gratitude for all your blessings and privileges, as well as your trials and troubles!

Confession

When you sin and feel like no one cares about you, run to your Heavenly Father’s waiting arms. He will gladly welcome you! To restore fellowship with God, simply tell Him that you have sinned (name it), ask for His forgiveness, and then choose to let the Holy Spirit control your life. First John 1:9 promises, “But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness.”

Confession is only possible for a person who is willing to submit to God. You cannot spend your day being angry, deceitful, selfish, lustful, or proud, and then decide to “worship” God. Confess your sin to God and restore your relationship with Him! 

Thanksgiving

This part of your prayer involves expressing gratitude for all your blessings and privileges, as well as your trials and troubles! A thankful spirit is very pleasing to God.

“Always giving thanks to God the Father for each other in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” —Ephesians 5:20

Take time to thank God for all He is and does for you! Think about his love and grace. If you are having a hard time thanking Him, read the Psalms, and as you read the many praises, stop and make them your own. Think about God’s greatness and his great love for you!

Supplication (Request)

God wants you to bring your requests to Him! By approaching Him through adoration, confession, and thanksgiving, you will often find that you are more in tune with Him as you present your requests to Him. Know that God delights in your requests! Never stop asking Him for things that are Biblical and within His will. He promises to answer those prayers … in His time! Ask God to supply your needs, making special requests and desires known to Him. Don’t hesitate to pray for the needs and desires of others. As you read God’s Word and allow the Holy Spirit to control your life, you will find yourself naturally talking with God more.

The important thing here is to take the time to pray! Don’t get stuck on one type of approach. Keep your conversations with God alive! Pray with others, pray alone, pray any time!

Here is a helpful and concise resource in PDF: The Navigators “How to Have a Daily Quiet Time” [external link]

Application

For the next 30 days start a prayer list. Add to it each day. Record how and when God responds:

• Ways you are growing in your relationship with God
• Specific issues regarding your family and friends
• Non-Christians you desire to know Christ
• Other Christians you can help in some way: physically, emotionally, or spiritually
• Other requests

We serve a great God! And that great God loves us unconditionally and wants what is best for us! As you learn more about the faithfulness of God and His Word, the more you will trust Him; and the more you trust Him, the more you will enjoy talking with Him. God is your perfect Heavenly Father and you can pray with confidence knowing that He is listening and will answer your prayers!

Why can you pray with confidence? God’s Word gives many reasons, here are a few:

Because you belong to Christ. Many people pray instinctively, even if they do not have a relationship with God. However, it because you have a relationship with God through Christ that God your heavenly Father hears your prayers! It is important that you remember that you pray to the only true God, our Creator, and heavenly Father. 

In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Praying in His name means far more than just adding those words as a sort of good-luck charm to the end of your prayer. It means you speak to your Father with all the authority of Christ! It is like placing a draft on the bank of heaven with the check signed by Jesus Christ! Asking in His name means on the basis of who He is. Many people today think that Jesus Christ doesn’t really matter … God will hear whoever calls out to him.

But the Bible is clear that it is through Jesus Christ alone that we come to God! It means you speak to your Father with all the authority of Christ!

When you have a clean heart. Psalm 66:18–20 says, “If I had harbored sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. However, God heard; he listened to my prayer. God deserves praise, for he did not reject my prayer or abandon his love for me!”

Jesus paid for your sin on the cross, but you need to confess that sin to God!

When you have a forgiving spirit. An unforgiving spirit is a terrible roadblock to your fellowship with God. If you hold anything against anyone, take care of it at once!

Mark 11:25–26 tells us, “Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven will also forgive you your sins.”

You can be confident that God will answer any prayer that is according to His perfect will.

When you come in faith. You must have a believing heart if you are to communicate with your Father.

James 1:6 says, “But he must ask in faith without doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed around by the wind.”

Ask God today to help you to embrace his design for having a right relationship with Him. 

“Dear friends, if our conscience does not condemn us, we have confidence in the presence of God, and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing to him. Now this is his commandment: that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he gave us the commandment. And the person who keeps his commandments resides in God, and God in him. Now by this we know that God resides in us: by the Spirit he has given us.” —1 John 3.21–24

God’s Word tells us that as his children we are always welcome in his presence!

Hebrews 4:16 explains, “Therefore let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace whenever we need help.”

God answers the prayers of his children! John 15:7 says, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you.”

“And this is the confidence that we have before him: that whenever we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” —1 John 5:14

You can be confident that God will answer any prayer that is according to His perfect will. Don’t give up on prayers that don’t get answered right away. Countless Christians will tell you stories of God’s faithfulness in answering prayers after many years of continual prayer. It is important to focus on God rather than on your requests when you pray. He already knows what you are praying about and His answer to your situation. 

Trust His heart, His answers, and His timing.

Application

Commit yourself to whatever it is you have chosen to do … and ask God for the strength and discipline to do it!

Have you ever thought about the very real presence of “evil” in our world? Sometimes it’s hard to imagine … and other times it is not! The truth is that evil is in our world and does surround us. There are places in the world where it may be more or less pervasive, but Satan is working throughout the world and in the lives of all believers. His ultimate goal is to persuade people to leave behind the relationship with God that defines them! A distorted, inaccurate view of God will result in a distorted, inaccurate response to Him.

Be assured that Satan will choose a precise weakness for his attack. If your marriage is not strong, that is the place where he will surely try to break through your lines of defense. If you struggle with honesty, he will throw a temptation at you that will compromise your ability to be truthful. If you struggle with your self-image, Satan will find a way for you to question God’s great love for you. A distorted, inaccurate view of God will result in a distorted, inaccurate response to Him!

God has given us a way to not only resist temptation but to also overcome evil! Ephesians 6 reveals that we have spiritual weaponry for fighting our spiritual battles! We need to be prepared!

“Finally, be strengthened in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. For this reason, take up the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand your ground on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand. Stand firm therefore, by fastening the belt of truth around your waist, by putting on the breastplate of righteousness, by fitting your feet with the preparation that comes from the good news of peace, and in all of this, by taking up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit (which is the word of God).” —Ephesians 6:10–17

Faith, salvation, truth, the Spirit … we seldom think of these as protection—but that is exactly what they are!

The Belt of Truth

Satan likes to interfere in our perceptions of reality through deception. The bottom line is that he doesn’t want us to know the truth. God’s truth shows us the way things really are—and His truth is the real truth! Each one of us must ground our lives on the truth of God’s Word so that misguided ideas will not get in the way of our living for God.

Your thoughts, values, decisions, beliefs, fears, joys, emotions, and attitudes are all by-products of what is in your mind!

If we fill our minds with God’s Word and instruction, our decisions and behavior will reflect that.

A distorted, inaccurate view of God will result in a distorted, inaccurate response to Him.

The Breastplate of Righteousness:

We have been made righteous through Jesus Christ’s death on the cross … and nothing can change that! Satan wants us to believe that God sees us as failures and he will try to degrade our sense of worth through false guilt and accusations. God’s righteousness, given to us through faith in Christ, protects our spiritual self-image!

The Shoes of Peace

Peace protects the well-being and effectiveness of the body of Christ—it protects our unity and the shoes of peace help us to spread God’s peace to others.

The Shield of Faith

A shield is a protective piece of armor! The shield of faith protects us from Satan’s flaming arrows of temptation and doubt. We hold on to our trust in God and His ability to not only protect us but also empower us!

The Helmet of Salvation

The helmet of salvation protects us against Satan’s efforts to fill our minds with whatever will draw us away from God. He wants us to be self-centered. The helmet of salvation keeps our minds on Christ!

The Sword of the Spirit

The sword is the only offensive weapon on the list of spiritual armor. The Holy Spirit will give us wisdom for each tempting situation that confronts us. The Spirit is our source of power!

Make sure you are wearing all the protection God gives for spiritual safety!

What you put into your mind influences your behavior! Fill your mind with God’s Word! Everything a person puts into their mind, sticks—every word, every image, every idea.

What is in your mind comes out in your behavior! Satan will try to attack you through a “chink” in your “armor.”

Make sure you are wearing all the protection God gives for spiritual safety!

Sometimes the whole idea of aggressively fighting against Satan can be overwhelming, but it’s important to remember that God is infinitely greater than anything Satan can throw at us. First John 4:4 says, “You are from God, little children, and have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”

Application

Memorize Ephesians 6:10–17, really! This is quite a long passage, but by memorizing it, you will be reminded at critical times of God’s ability and availability to help you when you need it most!

There are days when it seems that the enticement of sin is everywhere! Advanced by the media, promoted on the Internet, endorsed by friends and/or acquaintances, sometimes simply presented at an unexpected moment, the temptation to do something that dishonors God is all places! As Christians, what are we to do with this onslaught of temptation? It is only through the Holy Spirit’s power that we can resist temptation and live victorious for Christ! 

The truth is that we all face numerous temptations daily. And it is important to remember that being tempted is not a sin; it is normal! However, when we are tempted, there is a choice to be made: give in or to trust God. Giving in to temptation is what results in sin, and when we sin, we break our fellowship with God.

“No trial has overtaken you that is not faced by others. And God is faithful: He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear, but with the trial will also provide a way out so that you may be able to endure it.” —1 Corinthians 10:13

In this verse, God tells us how to overcome temptation! First of all, trust God …temptation is normal! Secondly, trust God … the Holy Spirit will give us the ability to withstand temptation! Finally, trust God … He will give us a “way out.”

One of the ways that the Holy Spirit empowers us to resist temptation is by helping us to be aware of it ahead of time! Believers face three main “attackers” when it comes to temptation: Satan, the “world”, and what we call “fleshly desires.” These three attackers can present themselves to us individually or they can interact with one another. 

Satan

Satan is a vicious enemy whose primary goal is to destroy you and your relationship with Christ. In 1 Peter 5:8 the Bible calls him a “roaring lion” who is always looking to destroy believers. His biggest desire is to keep you away from God’s Word … and your dependency on Christ. He uses his weapons of doubt and discouragement to accomplish that goal. You don’t need to fear him! He can only defeat you if you let him. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you His wisdom to know when Satan is attacking you and seeking to distract you from your goal of loving God! Satan wants to destroy you and your relationship with Christ.

The “World”

In the Bible, the “world” is a term that refers to the ordered, arranged system of physical reality. Although there is nothing wrong with money or material success, it is very easy to get so focused on possessions and success, that God becomes secondary to personal goals, dreams, and ambitions. God wants to be your first and highest focus in life … and you will only be truly satisfied when you give Him his rightful place.

Matthew 6:33 is a great verse to memorize and to hold on to when faced with temptation from the “world”: “But above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

“Fleshly Desires”

The “flesh” is the earthly part of man with its lusts and desires. We all are assaulted daily by images and desires that are outside the will of God. This includes temptations such as sex outside of marriage, gossip, anger, addictions, and other destructive behavior. When we ignore the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we are certain to live in the flesh and will make ourselves miserable. 

Here are some ways that temptation can subtly present itself to you. Remember, Satan will try to control your perspective, manipulate your thinking, and exploit your foundational desires. God wants to be your first and highest focus in life.

Deception

Deception is hard to discern because it is often cleverly disguised. It can be total lies that have been dressed up to look like the truth, lies that have been mixed in with the truth, or misrepresentations of truth taken out of context.

Worldly Gratification

There is nothing wrong with enjoying God’s gifts to you! However, when those gifts become consuming or become distorted they can present a major temptation in life! This can come in the form (but is not limited to) sensual pleasure, money and possessions, and/or fame and power.

Accusation

This is one of Satan’s favorite tricks! If he can get you to believe that you are not worthy of God’s love, or that you don’t truly have a relationship with Him, he has gained a foothold in drawing you away from God. Satan’s tactics in this arena include condemning you of past sins that have already been confessed to God and forgiven, or creating false guilt about things for which God does not hold you responsible.

Distraction

Temptation also can come in the form of distraction! If you can be sidetracked from staying focused on your purpose of living for God, Satan can keep you from growing in your relationship with Him. Distraction presents itself to different people in different ways! For some, distraction can come in the form of entertaining diversions, or relationships, or work. For others, distraction may come from a crisis of some kind—either professionally, relationally, or spiritually. Satan will try to control your perspective, manipulate your thinking, and exploit your foundational desires.

Affliction

Suffering, hardship, and pain can present temptation to us! Satan can use any kind of mental or emotional torment or physical illness or disease to tempt us to question God’s great love for us. It is during these times that we must hold on to what we know about God’s greatness to sustain us and hold us close to Him!

Discouragement

Think about how discouragement can be a temptation. When we are discouraged, we often feel hopelessness, or loneliness, or despair. It is during these times when we are especially vulnerable to temptation. We often will do anything to feel better!

Doubt

Here again, doubt is not sin! Doubting, when dealt with appropriately can lead us to a deeper understanding and experience of God! However, doubt can also lead us away from God when we question His motives and character and search for the answers in places other than His Word.

Division

Oh, what an ugly word for God’s people! When we are tempted to be divided with God’s children, we focus on differences in others, or we are suspicious of the motivations of others.

Intimidation

A key component of intimidation is fear. And we are often afraid—and when we are afraid, we can be tempted to do all kinds of things! We are afraid of failure, rejection, the unknown, persecution.

As you mature in Christ and learn to depend on the Holy Spirit’s guidance, you will become more and more sensitive to the times temptation is before you. When you are tempted, don’t say, “The temptation is too strong,” and give in to it. If you are abiding in God, the Holy Spirit has promised to give you the power to withstand temptation. Ask for His help!

Darrel’s Story

I had been dating Tori for two years and we were involved sexually. I attended a Christian youth camp and gave me life to Jesus. When I got home, I wanted to please my Savior, but when it came to my sexual relationship with Tori, I rationalized my behavior—wanting God to approve. I thought He would understand my “needs” as a guy. But, because I wanted to please Christ, I kept reading the Bible and I realized that it said I needed to have sexual purity. I realized that this was actually an act of obedience to Christ, and that sex outside of marriage was wrong. I knew though, that I didn’t have the strength to break off my relationship with Tori. 

So, by faith, I asked for the Holy Spirit to empower me to obey Him and help me to do what I knew I needed to do. The temptation to have sex with Tori was so strong that I realized we needed to quit seeing each other. 

When I chose to obey God and broke off my relationship with Tori, the Holy Spirit gave me tremendous peace and joy. Since that decision, my life has been truly awesome! Darrel took God seriously, and “ran” from the temptation that could have entrapped him and hindered his walk with Christ. By faith, Darrel chose to obey God.

If you are involved in a battle over temptation, sin, or addiction to a substance or lifestyle, the power of the Holy Spirit is able to lift you out and give you total victory. Choose to trust Him! Focus on your relationship with God, who He is, what He is doing in your life!

2 Thessalonians 3:3 assures us, “But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.”

James 4:7 promises, “So submit to God. But resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

Memorize scripture, ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit’s wisdom, hold on to God’s faithfulness … the Holy Spirit will help you resist the temptation!

Application

Choose one of the verses presented in this lesson to memorize and focus on it the next time you are tempted.

Experience God’s transformation is through “Spiritual Breathing”.

“Exhale”—by confession—sin

“Inhale”—by faith—the Holy Spirit’s control

Being controlled by the Holy Spirit is a moment-by-moment decision. There are going to be times when you are totally Spirit-controlled and then there will also be times when you are self-controlled. Every believer sins and breaks fellowship with the Holy Spirit at times. Broken fellowship does not mean your sins aren’t forgiven. Jesus paid for all your sins on the cross, once and for all—past, present, and future. Broken fellowship means that you are not abiding in Christ, and therefore are not experiencing God’s supernatural power for a life of purpose and joy. When we are in step with the Holy Spirit, our life results in purpose, power, peace, and hope. These are times when we are walking in the Spirit. 

Being controlled by the Holy Spirit is a moment-by-moment decision. Unfortunately, the sinful part of you will always want your own way … the self-controlled way. A self-controlled life usually achieves short-term pleasures, but more often than not the end result is quite often fear, emptiness, loneliness, and eventually despair.

Romans 12:2 encourages us with these words: “Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God—what is good and well-pleasing and perfect.”

Walking in step with the Spirit results in purpose, power, peace, and hope.

One of the ways you can experience God’s transformation is through a spiritual discipline called “Spiritual Breathing.” A spiritual discipline is a habit or regular pattern in your life that brings you back to God and opens you up to what the Holy Spirit is saying to you.

Years ago, the founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, Bill Bright, compared walking in the Spirit on a moment-by-moment basis to breathing. When you breathe, you exhale impurities, and inhale pure air and oxygen. In “spiritual breathing,” you “exhale”—by confession—sin, and “inhale”—by faith—the Holy Spirit’s control. 

Exhale: confess your sin—agree with God concerning your sin and thank Him for His forgiveness of it. Confession involves repentance—a change in attitude and behavior.

Inhale: by faith, surrender the control of your life to the Holy Spirit. Trust that He now directs and empowers you.

Jennifer’s Story

It was Labor Day 1972. I had had it! This time I left Jeff for good. I was miserable and in tears as I drove down Roscoe Boulevard on a sunny day in southern California. I needed to talk with someone—anyone who would understand and give me sympathy. Jeff just didn’t understand me. He was oblivious to my needs. So many times I had tried to communicate with him—but he was too busy watching football, or thinking about his career, or just spending time with other people, especially his family.

The tears were streaming down my face as I pulled into the parking lot at Grace Community Church. We had been attending this church for over a year, and had heard the Bible taught by John MacArthur. I had accepted Christ years earlier and had even been door-to-door witnessing—but the reality of Christ in my life was missing. Jeff had actually prayed with me, and talked about Christian things, but I didn’t understand them, nor could I understand him. If Christ was real in his life, why didn’t he pay more attention to my needs and show more love to me?

The fall leaves were blowing around as I pulled my green Volkswagen into a parking space. The church was large and always had a lot of people and staff around. But on that day, as I looked around for someone, I saw no one; not a car, not a person. It was Labor Day and everyone had taken the day off. My tears flowed openly now. Who was I going to get help from? I thought about leaving—and reached for my keys. But then I decided to read a little booklet someone had given me that was sitting on the floor of my car! This little booklet, entitled How to be Filled by the Holy Spirit by Bill Bright, explained how Christ gives us a new nature which is like Him, loving, humble, non-judgmental, patient, and kind. I read the verse that said, “The Lord will fight your battles.” I had always fought my own battles, and I had been battling Jeff. In the midst of my tears, I cried out to God to forgive me for my sins and fill me with his Holy Spirit. In the middle of that prayer an amazing peace overcame me. My tears of sadness and self-pity were replaced with tears of joy and gratitude.

It was in that parking lot on a hot sunny day in southern California that I met my Savior and Lord. I then read in that little pamphlet how I could not just be controlled by the Holy Spirit, but that I could stay controlled on a moment-by-moment basis. The little section in the booklet called “Spiritual Breathing” taught me to “exhale” (or confess) any known sin in my life when I became aware of it, and “inhale” (renew the Spirit’s control) in my life simply by asking. I was a new person! I no longer looked to Jeff as my source of strength and contentment. In fact, he became incidental to my own walk and wonderful new relationship with Christ. Nearly 29 years later, our marriage has blossomed. Jeff saw the change in me and God dealt with him about his need to surrender his life to Christ and yield his life to the Holy Spirit. Now we are actively teaching others how Christ can give them victory in their lives and marriages. Confession involves repentance—a change in attitude and behavior. By faith, surrender the control of your life to the Holy Spirit.

Another Story … from Matt

Although I was a worship leader in my church, I led a double life. I became addicted to pornography at eleven years of age. As my addiction grew, my cravings became more vile and ugly. Soon I was having all-night pornography sessions on the Internet, and even fantasizing about rape. I was out of control. When a godly man told me about the Holy Spirit’s power to break my addiction, I began looking into God’s Word and memorizing its promises. I discovered God’s awesome power to overcome my addiction. My breakthrough came when I began believing and claiming God’s promises.

Now, whenever I am tempted, I think about a promise in God’s Word that applies to that particular temptation. I then simply focus on His Word, and pray for the Holy Spirit to give me strength to overcome. There are really four keys to my victory over the bondage of sin. First, I needed to take the time to memorize and meditate on God’s promises. Second, I confess my sins whenever my thoughts are wrong which is the “Exhale” part of Spiritual Breathing. Third, I surrender my thoughts and actions to the Holy Spirit by telling Him I want to please Him which is the “Inhale” of Spiritual Breathing. Finally, I spend time with my mentor and other Christians who hold me accountable and encourage me in my walk with Christ.

As I’ve applied God’s Word to all areas of my life, I have been free from bondage to sin and addiction. God has blessed me with a wonderful Christian wife and family. My wife and I are now teaching others how memorizing God’s promises can help overcome sin and addiction. I feel so free and joyful now that I have turned my life completely over to the Holy Spirit’s control.

First John 1:9 says, “But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness.”

Take some time to watch the four-part video series, “Walk in the Spirit” and read “How to Walk in the Spirit” both available on this App. 

Application

Do you ever find yourself making a choice that you know in your heart is not God-honoring, but that you decide to pursue anyway? Even when you’ve committed your life to Christ, you may not always be living the way God wants you to live. The Bible describes two types of Christians: self-controlled and Spirit-controlled.

Self-controlled

You’ve given your heart to Jesus, but you still make decisions that reflect what you want, not necessarily what God wants? This is a time when you are acting in a self-controlled way, rather than in a Spirit-controlled way.

Spirit-controlled

Being Spirit-controlled requires allowing the Holy Spirit to control your life. It is a decision, a free choice for you to make. Self-controlled behavior is caused by a lack of surrender to Jesus. When we act in a self-controlled way, we are trusting in our own efforts to live the Christian life. It is only through the Holy Spirit that we can truly experience God’s best for us and can accomplish His work.

The two thrones below illustrate these two types of individuals. 

The throne on the left illustrates a Christian who has given his/her life to Christ but has chosen to continue to rule his/her own life.

The illustration below depicts a Christian who has put Jesus on the throne of his or her life and is allowing the Holy Spirit to control their choices and behaviors.

When you are SELF-CONTROLLED, all your activities, interests, desires, and choices are dictated by self, leading to a life of frustration and defeat (represented by the arrows going every which way).

Galatians 5:19–21 describes the Christian who has self at the center of his life: “Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, depravity, idolatry, sorcery, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions, factions, envying, murder, drunkenness, carousing, and similar things. I am warning you, as I had warned you before: Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God!”

When you are SPIRIT-CONTROLLED, all your activities, interests, desires, and choices are directed by Jesus resulting in harmony with God’s plan, (represented by the uniformity of the arrows). This is the abiding life, a life controlled by the Holy Spirit, which results from being obedient to the Word of God.

Galatians 5:22–23 describes a person who is Spirit-controlled: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

Todd’s Story

“For three years I had been consumed with the desire to join the elite drinking club for ‘cool’ guys in my high school … the ‘Mavericks.’ Before coming to Christ, I would have ‘sold my soul’ to have been asked to join. Even though I was now a Christian, I thought it would still be okay to join …I could still follow Christ and belong to this exclusive club. I began to seriously consider going all out for Christ and what it might mean to put aside all the things in my life that were self-destructive. As I was trying to make this decision, I got asked to join the Mavericks! I immediately knew that the stakes were high and that Satan was trying to derail my decision for Christ. I didn’t give him the pleasure: I turned my life completely over to God … and God gave me true freedom … and an awesome life!”

As Romans 12:1 says, “Therefore I exhort you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice—alive, holy, and pleasing to God—which is your reasonable service.”

Take some time to watch the four-part video series “Be Filled With the Holy Spirit” and read “How to Be Filled with the Holy Spirit“. Giving your life to the Holy Spirit is a decision … a free choice for you to make. It is done by simply putting your life into the hands of a trustworthy God. Just as you came to Christ by faith for the forgiveness of your sins, you must by faith ask the Holy Spirit to control your life. If you desire for the Holy Spirit to be in control of your life, simply pray the following:

“Heavenly Father, I want You to change my life from being self-controlled into one that is Spirit-controlled. I confess my selfish thoughts and actions, and give You, Holy Spirit, control of my life right now.”

Application

Take some time right now to sit in God’s presence. Ask Him to fill the empty places in your life with Himself. Ask Him to allow you to experience His love and for the Holy Spirit to control you completely.

The moment you surrender your life to Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes in … even if you don’t feel anything. He is there, waiting for you to yield to His power. The Holy Spirit gives us the ability and power to live life the way God wants us to.

However, many believers have mistaken the Holy Spirit’s power for an emotional feeling or euphoria. Sadly, when the emotions and feelings depart … or even fail to materialize in some grand way, they think they have lost the Holy Spirit’s power. They don’t believe God’s promise of Hebrews 13:5: “Never will I leave you; never will I abandon you.”

The power the Holy Spirit brings to you is much more than emotions or feelings … although they may be part of how you experience Him. It is through the Holy Spirit that we receive the ability and power to live life the way God wants us to. When you become a Christian, Jesus does not give you a list of rules to follow. Rather, He empowers you by the Holy Spirit to live an intimate life with Him. Every moment of your life, the Holy Spirit is waiting to guide you into a life of significance for God. He will empower you to abide in Christ, love others, overcome trials and temptation and sin, and live for Him. Every moment of your life, the Holy Spirit is waiting to guide you into a life of significance for God.

The Holy Spirit’s empowers you to:

• abide in Christ
• love others
• overcome trials and sin
• live for Jesus

But … He always allows you free choice. How you act and behave is motivated by what you think. Many people fill their lives by chasing after money, sex, or toys and possessions, thinking it will bring them happiness. And, as a result, they waste their lives. Other people leave God out of their lives because they believe life will be boring. They believe God is against fun … and that He doesn’t care about their dreams. They don’t want to trust Him with their future.

What will you choose?

The Bible tells us that God loves us so much that He desires and plans the very best for our future. In Psalm 37:4 we read, “Then you will take delight in the Lord, and he will answer your prayers.”

If you accept God’s Word as truth, you will give all your plans and dreams to God. Then, as He transforms your heart, your purified desires will become compatible with God’s desires for you.

Romans 8:32 says, “Indeed, he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, freely give us all things?”

God desires and plans the very best for your future.

Joni’s Story

Joni Eareckson was an attractive, athletic teenager who had everything going her way in life—until she dove head first into a shallow lake and broke her neck. Joni had trusted Christ for salvation in Young Life, but at the time of her accident, she was living for self-fulfillment. Suddenly her world fell apart. She would never walk or be able to use her hands again! Joni’s faith was shaken. Joni says, “In those first few months after my injury, the promises of God seemed anything but true … How could I be expected to believe in God when everything inside and outside of me screamed just the opposite?” Joni struggled greatly until a friend from Young Life named Steve Estes encouraged her to trust God. Through time, and as she listened to God’s Word, Joni began to believe God’s promises. She overcame her despair … by faith … and today runs an international ministry, Joni and Friends, which shares Christ’s love with disabled people all over the world. “Today as I look back, I am convinced that the whole ordeal of my paralysis was inspired by God’s love. I wasn’t the brunt of some cruel divine joke. God had reasons behind my suffering, and learning some of them has made all the difference in the world.” —Joni, A Step Further

The Bible tells us that it is possible to live a life of incredible influence. What might that look like? Hebrews chapter 11 gives us examples of men and women who trusted God in spite of great adversity and opposition. Living a life of faith pleases God and results in a life of power and victory over our circumstances. Living a life of faith comes from the Holy Spirit’s power.

In the Old Testament of the Bible, when God rescued the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, He performed many miracles, including drying up the Red Sea so they could escape the armies of Pharaoh. The people of Israel saw God’s mighty hand at work, but soon forgot and began to doubt his promise to provide for their basic needs. As God transforms your heart, your purified desires will become compatible with God’s desires for you. Living a life of faith pleases God. It results in a life of power and victory over our circumstances.

God told the people through Moses that He had a place of rest for them to dwell in, called the Promised Land, “a land flowing with milk and honey.” But all they did was complain and doubt God’s promise. (This story is found in the Bible in Exodus chapters 3 through 20.)

The Israelites sent twelve spies to scout out the land and discovered it to be a paradise “flowing with milk and honey.” But there were also giants there. When the spies came back and reported their findings, only Joshua and Caleb were willing to trust God and face the giants. The other ten scouts were afraid and convinced the doubting Israelites they were unable to overcome the giants. For the next 40 years, they wandered in the wilderness because of their unwillingness to trust God. (Read chapters 13 and 14 in the book of Numbers.)

Read Hebrews chapter 11 in the New Testament of the Bible and write down your thoughts about these men and women who had faith and what you can learn from them.

Application

Take a moment to confess your fear and your lack of trust in God. Ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit and empower you to face your giants!

Have you ever thought about what life is really all about? What you have been created for? Why you are where you are? Does it seem possible to you that God loves you and has a purpose for your life?

Your life matters!

Your life is not an accident! 

Psalm 139:13–18 says: “Certainly you made my mind and heart; you wove me together in my mother’s womb. I will give you thanks because your deeds are awesome and amazing. You knew me thoroughly; my bones were not hidden from you, when I was made in secret and sewed together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw me when I was inside the womb. All the days ordained for me were recorded in your scroll before one of them came into existence. How difficult it is for me to fathom your thoughts about me, O God! How vast is their sum total! If I tried to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. Even if I finished counting them, I would still have to contend with you.”

Imagine, God’s thoughts toward you outnumber the grains of sand on earth! He cares deeply about you! He planned for you to be here!

However … it’s not all about you! What? 

The Bible teaches that God has a specific plan for you … but that plan is specifically tied to how you fit into His eternal master plan. God has given you the freedom to choose His plan or your own plan. To choose wisely, you must understand how life fits into the big picture of God’s eternal master plan, and you must learn from the choices others have made. It’s important to remember that you have the freedom to choose, but not freedom from the consequences of your choices.

All of creation and history exist for the glory of God. Ultimately, we have been created to know God, to appreciate his divine qualities, and to give ourselves to God in worship and service. The value of our existence is derived from our knowing God and pleasing Him with our lives.

God is your loving Father and He planned and designed you to be His child for all eternity. Ephesians 1:3–6 tells us: “Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ. For he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him in love. He did this by predestining us to adoption as his legal heirs through Jesus Christ, according to the pleasure of his will—to the praise of the glory of his grace that he has freely bestowed on us in his dearly loved Son.”

You are free to choose God’s plan or your own plan.

The Bible is filled with promises from God about His plans for us. God’s purpose for your life is for you to live as His child! John 1:12 says, “But to all who have received him, to those who believe in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”

As God’s child, He will always love you!

We often do not realize that the Bible is filled with promises from God about His plans for us. Here are just two scriptures that tell us about God’s design for our lives.

Ephesians 2:10 encourages us with these words, “For we are his creative work, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we can do them.”

Ephesians 4:11–16 teaches: “And he himself gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, that is, to build up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God—a mature person, attaining to the measure of Christ’s full stature. So we are no longer to be children, tossed back and forth by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching by the trickery of people who craftily carry out their deceitful schemes. But practicing the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ, who is the head. From him the whole body grows, fitted and held together through every supporting ligament. As each one does its part, the body builds itself up in love.”

God wants you to live in such a way that you will experience His best, which He has planned for all eternity.

God has a specific job for you to do. He wants your life to fit in with His master plan. He wants you to advance His purposes. God wants you to live in such a way that you will experience His best, which He has planned for all eternity. Whatever your situation, your choice matters. God wants you to submit to His plan for your life.

Second Corinthians 5:17 reminds us, “So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away—look, what is new has come!”

In Jeremiah 29:11 we are told, “For I know what I have planned for you,” says the Lord. “I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope.”

Application

God loves you. Did you know that? Plain and simple. Right to the point. God loves you! And He wants to have a relationship with you! 

It’s hard to imagine that the God of the universe cares about each one of us individually, but it’s true! God’s love extends to each and every person … and that includes you! There may be times when you don’t feel like God loves you, or when the circumstances of your life are overwhelming and it seems as if God doesn’t care, but the fact remains that God’s love extends beyond all of our circumstances.

God made you in his image—you are His highest creative work! Genesis 1:27 tells us, “God created humankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” You are precious to Him. Luke 12:7 says, “Even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not be afraid; you are more valuable than many sparrows.” And God is going to love you forever! Psalm 13:5 declares, “I trust in your faithfulness. May I rejoice because of your deliverance!”

God’s love for you isn’t dependent upon your performance for Him. God’s love for you flows out of His very nature. Psalm 119:76 says, “May your loyal love console me, as you promised your servant.” Jeremiah 31:3 reminds us, “In a far-off land the Lord will manifest himself to them. He will say to them, ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love.’”

God is love. God’s love is so great that He gave his only Son to bring us into a relationship with Him. God’s love not only encompasses the world, but embraces each of us personally and intimately.

First John 4:9–10 explains: “By this the love of God is revealed in us: that God has sent his one and only Son into the world so that we may live through him. In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.”

In The Nature of God’s Great Love, Robert Wells writes, “The sad truth is that even though many people today have heard that God loves them, they simply don’t believe it. They just cannot understand or comprehend the reality of God’s love in their lives. They can’t grasp something they cannot see. They haven’t learned how to recognize it and experience it and therefore they don’t know how to embrace it, nurture it, grow in it, or truly enjoy it. And without knowing and realizing that God loves us we cannot possibly have hope in our lives. We will not be aware of the purpose or the meaning that God wants us to have concerning our lives. God wants us to know a lot about him, but the most important thing that he wants us to know about him is the tremendous and awesome love that he has for each and every one of us. That is why the apostle John could write in 1 John 4:8, ‘The person who does not love does not know God, because God is love’” (http://robertwells.tripod.com/godislove.html). 

God’s love is not based upon attraction or performance. It is totally sacrificial and unselfish.

Are you measuring God’s love for you by your present circumstances—either good or bad? The truth is your circumstances are always changing because of daily experiences, relationships, and choices. Maybe you feel as though God is not answering your prayers. God is answering your prayers, but in His way and in His time. His great love for you sees the big picture of your life. You can’t do anything to get God to stop loving you!

Not one of us knows why God loves us. We just can see that God’s love is radically different from ours. It is not based upon attraction or performance. It is totally sacrificial and unselfish. Jesus compared God’s love with the love of a perfect father. A good father wants the best for his children, sacrifices for them, and provides for them. And, in their best interests, he also disciplines them. John 1:12 tells us, “But to all who have received him—those who believe in his name—he has given the right to become God’s children.” God created you to have life that is flooded with meaning and purpose.

You may be thinking, “Yes, I know that God is love, and that I am his creation, but my sin is too great, I’ve failed God too many times. I’ve broken too promises. I’ve made too many poor choices. I’ve walked away from God more times than I can count.” But the good news is that God never says, “That’s it, no more love! I’ve had it with you!” God’s everlasting love means that you can’t do anything to get God to stop loving you!

Robert Wells puts it this way, “God hates our sin, but even as we are sinning he still loves us with that perfect unconditional love. It is a love that is simply beyond the comprehension of the human mind.”

Man’s inability to understand God’s great love is probably best described by Paul in Ephesians 3:19, “a love which surpasses all knowledge.”

In Romans 8:38–39, Paul tells us, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels nor heavenly rulers, nor things that are present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Experiencing God’s love requires that you place your life in God’s hands. You need to ask forgiveness of your sins and then ask God to come into your life. If you truly ask God to come into your life and give you guidance, He will! Ask Him to show you the path that He wants you to take and ask Him to help you get started.

Tell Him that you want to trust Him completely with your life and that you want Him to take the lead as you live your life.

Are there times when your life just feels empty? Nothing you have tried satisfies the inner void you feel? God can fill that void and change you in a moment. He created you to have life that is flooded with meaning and purpose. 

Jesus said: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come so that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.” —John 10:10.

Perhaps things are going well for you in life, but you are restless or lack peace. You realize that you are separated from God’s love and forgiveness and you fear His judgment.

Jesus also said: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; I do not give it to you as the world does. Do not let your hearts be distressed or lacking in courage.” —John 14:27.

So whether you are simply tired of a life of empty pursuits or are troubled by a lack of peace, the answer still comes down to having a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

When you put your trust in Jesus Christ, God will forgive you of all your sins—past, present, and future. You will become His child. He will give you purpose and meaning in life on earth. All of God’s children have the promise of eternal life with Him. God’s love is not based on how good you are or how you feel, it is grounded in His nature of love. His love is part of who He is.

Application

Take some time right now to sit in God’s presence. Ask Him to fill the empty places in your life with Himself. Ask Him to allow you to experience His love.