Apicontent

In order to have a great relationship with God, you need to spend time with Him every day! Just like with your human relationships, the purpose of spending time with God is to get to know and understand Him better.

“I just want to make a difference!” How many times have you heard that … from others and also from yourself? Most people want to know that their lives are significant, that they matter, that they are important. Each one of our contributions to the world around us is different, but each one matters! For the Christian, a life of true significance begins with a close, personal relationship with God.

Everything we are and everything we do is grounded in the relationship that we have with our heavenly Father. The more time that we spend with God, the more we will know and understand His plan for our life. Consistency is critical. Just as plants grow well with daily sunlight and water, we too will grow well when we spend time daily in God’s Word. Plants don’t do well with gallons of water one day and then no water for an entire week. That is how it works for us in our relationship with God as well.

We can gain a lot by spending a lot of time in God’s Word … but then if we don’t spend any time with God for a week, we may find ourselves “wilting.” The bottom line is that in order to have a great relationship with God, we need to spend time with Him every day! Just like with our human relationships, the purpose of spending time with God is to get to know and understand Him better.

“Just as the Father has loved me, I have also loved you; remain in my love. If you obey my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.” —John 15:9–10

We’ve already spent a lot of time talking about the importance of hearing, reading, studying, meditating on, and memorizing God’s Word. We also discussed how taking time to pray makes a huge difference in our lives. So by now, you should be spending at least some time with God. Hopefully this is enjoyable for you! It may not always be easy, but as you develop a daily discipline of spending time with God, you will find yourself not only growing closer to Him, but also experiencing His power in new ways. 

When you spend time with God every day you will be more in tune with what He wants for your life. You will be able to get your mind off the world and worries around you and focus on His faithfulness to you. You will find it easier to worship Him and to experience His great love and power. 

Set reasonable goals for your time with God so that you can maintain spending time with Him every day. Maybe it’s only 15 minutes in the morning, or 20 minutes at lunch time. If you don’t have more time than that, don’t set a goal for 30 or 40 minutes … you will become discouraged and frustrated. Ask God to give you the desire and discipline to take that time with Him every day. Keep it simple. The goal of your time with God is to try to grow closer to Him. It’s not to check off your list. Don’t add extra burdens to this focus. “I have to make at least 15 observations.” “I have to write at least 5 pages in my journal.” “I have to pray for at least 45 minutes.” The goal is to spend time with God and to grow closer to Him.

Don’t be disappointed when progress in your Christian life doesn’t happen as quickly as you would like it to. Growing as a Christian is a lifelong process! God is patient, and He will never take His love away from you. Remember, the Holy Spirit will empower you when you choose to obey Him.

Your daily time with God is time to look to Him and listen to Him as He speaks to you through His Word. Plan a specific time and place the night before. Have your journal that you are using for Bible study and prayer ready. You don’t necessarily have to write something every day. There are no rules or pressure. Simply enjoy His presence and wait for His direction. 

When we spend time with God every day, we are able to experience His power. We are able to find His strength. When you take time out of your day to specifically spend time with God, you are intentionally acknowledging His presence in your life.

Ephesians 3:20 promises: “Now to him who by the power that is working within us is able to do far beyond all that we ask or think.”

Isaiah 40:31 says: “But those who wait for the Lord’s help find renewed strength; they rise up as if they had eagles’ wings, they run without growing weary, they walk without getting tired.”

God gives you this great promise that you can make yours every single day: “For God did not give us a Spirit of fear, but of power and love, and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7)

When we spend time with God every day, we are reminded of who He is and His great love for us. God is with you every moment of every day and night! When you finish your specific time with Him, ask the Lord to come with you wherever you are going next. Make it a definite invitation. “Lord, I’m going to go to work now. Would you please come with me?” Of course, He is going to be with you, but this will remind you of His very real presence.

Application

Pick a time that will work for you to spend time with God, and stick to it for the next week. Record the ways God directs and leads you during this time.

Blessing comes through obedience. There’s no other way to put it. It is only when we obey God and live life His way that we truly experience Him and all that He has to offer us.

Obedience is a key concept in how we relate to Almighty God. Our obedience comes out of our relationship with Him; we obey Him because we love Him!

“I pray that according to the wealth of his glory he will grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person, that Christ will dwell in your hearts through faith, so that, because you have been rooted and grounded in love, you will be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and thus to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you will be filled up to all the fullness of God.” —Ephesians 3:16–19

That’s what we all want … to experience God’s power, and His love, and His grace. But all of that blessing comes through obedience.

The entire Bible is full of evidence that God is serious about obedience. He wants us to obey Him. If you type “obey” into the keyword search on the online Bible reference Bible Gateway (www.biblegateway.com), you will come up with more than 200 references … here are just a few:

“Then Samuel said, ‘Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as he does in obedience? Certainly, obedience is better than sacrifice; paying attention is better than the fat of rams.’” —1 Samuel 15:22

“You must obey him and keep his commandments and statutes that I am giving you today.” —Deuteronomy 27:10

“Give me understanding so that I might observe your law, and keep it with all my heart.” —Psalm 119:34

“Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it!” —Luke 11:28

If we’re really honest, the main problem for us when it comes to our obedience of God is not ignorance, it is defiance …we don’t obey God because we don’t want to. That’s a tough admission. The Bible records a consistent recurring scenario: God’s people do not listen to Him, they do not take Him seriously, and they repeatedly disobey His commands. After a period of time God punishes them. And as a result, they experience terrible, serious, and painful consequences. This happens over and over and over. “They would not listen” is a tragic, common phrase in the Old Testament!

Are you serious about trusting and obeying our loving heavenly Father? Unfortunately, many Christians look, dress, act, talk, lie, cheat, and participate in the same godless activities as non-Christians, and therefore our ability to impact our hurting world is seriously compromised. The question is not “What does God want me to do?” but, “Am I willing to do what God wants me to do?” 

Never think that your relationship with God is a matter of Him saving you and then handing you a bunch of rules to obey! That is simply dead religion. A relationship with God brings about a changed life, a desire to do what He wants you to do that stems from your relationship with your heavenly Father! 

We cannot obey God in our own strength. It is because of our relationship with Jesus Christ that the Holy Spirit motivates and empowers us to obey Him! Our act of obedience is to surrender our lives to the Holy Spirit, and allow Him to make us Christ-like.

As an example, let’s consider love for a moment. On our own, it can be almost impossible sometimes to love others. But because of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is actively at work in giving us His supernatural love for others. God’s love is forgiving rather than judgmental, patient rather than irritable, and compassionate rather than easily angered and embittered towards others. We obey God’s command to love others through the Holy Spirit working in us.

Many Christians are able to put on a good front, which appears loving, while holding deep grudges and resentments inside. Christ’s love is totally different; it begins on the inside. When we confess our sin of resentment, God’s love takes over.

Galatians 2:20 explains it this way:

“I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Biblical obedience is be enabled when we surrender to the control of the Holy Spirit. It cannot be accomplished in any other way! 

Application

Choose one area where you are disobeying your heavenly Father and find a verse of scripture to memorize and apply to that area of your life. Thank God for the Holy Spirit’s power to help you become more obedient.

Additional Study

Soul Prescription: Experience True Healing and Freedom by Bill Bright & Henry Brandt. God longs to see you living in the joy and freedom that He promises in his Word, but sometimes we choose poorly and end up with destructive habits. This book presents a unique, methodical, and biblically based approach to eliminating sin habits so that you can live a victorious Christian life.

Grace Rules by Steve McVey. There’s a big difference between living by the rules and letting God’s grace rule you. If you’re living by the rules, you’ll always be exhausted. You’ll feel that you’re not doing enough for God and that if you don’t quite measure up, He will be displeased with you. But God never meant for the Christian life to be that way! His love for us isn’t based on how we perform for Him. He sent Christ to set us free from rules. He didn’t call us to serve Him in our own feeble power, but to let His power flow through us—a power that is without limit! What’s more, this power is already available to us right now. God has provided everything we need for a truly meaningful, joy-filled life here on earth—all because of His marvelous grace. Rest in God’s grace, and let Him live through you—because grace rules!

When you invited Jesus into your life, you became a part of God’s family! When we are joined together with other believers who are growing in Christ, we encourage one another and help one another stay focused on our mutual faith. It doesn’t matter what color your skin is; how smart you are; what kind of job you have; if you are a man, woman, teenager, or child; or how much money or stuff you have …you are part of the family of God. And you need to get to know the other members of your family!

“So then you are no longer foreigners and noncitizens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household, because you have been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” —Ephesians 2:19–22

You, along with all other Christians of all time, make up what is known as the body of Christ, the Church. Jesus made a promise to you and me. When we come together, with Him as our focus … He is there:

“For where two or three are assembled in my name, I am there among them.” —Matthew 18:20

Every part of the body of Christ is important. And every part is interrelated. A body isn’t just a single part blown up into something huge. It’s all the different-but-similar parts arranged and functioning together. One of the main reasons many Christians live defeated lives is that they have isolated themselves from other believers. They think they can go it alone. That they can stay connected to Christ without being connected to His body, which is made up of other believers. It is important that you find a church or some type of group of Christians to connect with in order to grow in your relationship with God. 

Throughout the New Testament of the Bible, Paul tells the early Christians that they are each vital “parts” of the “body of Christ.” The need to stay committed to God and to each other. The commitment of the early church was so strong, and their love for one another so great, that within three hundred years, Christianity spread throughout the entire Roman Empire. Those Christians truly changed their world for Christ!

Every part of the body of Christ is important. And every part is interrelated.  

Think about your personal, physical body for a moment … every part has an important function and every part is interconnected.

Likewise, the body of Christ is also interconnected. There is a very important passage in the Bible that talks about this interconnectedness of the body of Christ. Read this passage and then write down what the Holy Spirit puts on your heart.

“For in fact the body is not a single member, but many. If the foot says, ‘Since I am not a hand, I am not part of the body,’ it does not lose its membership in the body because of that. And if the ear says, ‘Since I am not an eye, I am not part of the body,’ it does not lose its membership in the body because of that. If the whole body were an eye, what part would do the hearing? If the whole were an ear, what part would exercise the sense of smell? But as a matter of fact, God has placed each of the members in the body just as he decided. If they were all the same member, where would the body be? So now there are many members, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I do not need you,’ nor in turn can the head say to the foot, ‘I do not need you.’ On the contrary, those members that seem to be weaker are essential, and those members we consider less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our unpresentable members are clothed with dignity, but our presentable members do not need this. Instead, God has blended together the body, giving greater honor to the lesser member, so that there may be no division in the body, but the members may have mutual concern for one another. If one member suffers, everyone suffers from it. If a member is honored, all rejoice with it. Now you are Christ’s body, and each of you is a member of it.” —1 Corinthians 12:14–27

Think about how this perspective keeps your significance from getting blown up into self-importance. No matter how significant you are, it is only because of what you are a part of. An enormous eye or a gigantic hand wouldn’t be a body, but a monster. What we have is one body with many parts, each its proper size and in its proper place. No part is important on its own. Can you imagine Eye telling Hand, “Get lost; I don’t need you”? Or, Head telling Foot, “You’re fired; your job has been phased out”? As a matter of fact, in practice it works the other way—the “lower” the part, the more basic, and therefore necessary. You can live without an eye, for instance, but not without a stomach. When it’s a part of your own body you are concerned with, it makes no difference whether the part is visible or clothed, higher or lower. You give it dignity and honor just as it is, without comparisons. If anything, you have more concern for the lower parts than the higher. If you had to choose, wouldn’t you prefer good digestion to full-bodied hair?

The way God designed our bodies is a model for understanding our lives together as a church: every part dependent on every other part, the parts we mention and the parts we don’t, the parts we see and the parts we don’t. If one part hurts, every other part is involved in the hurt, and in the healing. If one part flourishes, every other part enters into the exuberance. Our heavenly Father has given each one of us distinctive gifts that are needed in the body of Christ.

You are a part of Christ’s body—that’s who you are! You must never forget this! Only as you accept your part of that body does your “part” mean anything. Some of the “parts” that God has formed in his Church, which is his “body” are: apostles, prophets, teachers, miracle workers, healers, helpers, organizers, those who pray in tongues. But it’s obvious by now, isn’t it, that Christ’s church is a complete body and not a gigantic, unidimensional part? It’s not all Apostle, not all prophet, not all miracle workers, not all healers, not all prayer in tongues, not all interpreters of tongues. And yet some sometimes we want to compete for so-called “important” parts.

Coming together with other believers in Christ’s name is similar to hot coals, which keep each other hot when lumped together. However, a coal that is separated from the others will soon grow cold. Like logs burning in the fireplace when you separate them, the fire goes out. You need to be connected to other believers in order to be encouraged to continue your relationship with God and for you to encourage others! Each person is a unique creation of God. Our heavenly Father has given each one of us distinctive gifts that are needed in the body of Christ.  

Refer back to the 1 Corinthians passage above:

Satan is very clever in convincing many Christians that they are not important to Christ’s work on earth. Many leave the job of doing God’s work to those with gifts that are more obvious or appreciated. God’s Word is clear that each gift is vital to his kingdom!

Application

Additional Study

You Were Made for More by Jim Cymbala. This book will help you come to a deeper understanding of the nature and character of God and how He works in the lives of His children. Some relate to God as a stern judge instead of as a loving Father. Some struggle with the idea that growing in faith entails doing more—more studying, more serving, more Bible reading. All you really need is a closer relationship with God—He’ll do the rest!

In one way, your role in the church is similar to a player on a basketball, football, or soccer team. Unless each player uses his skill and talent to play, the game could be lost. To win, each player must do their own job well. As an important part of God’s team, you need to play the position He has gifted you to play!

Prayer is one of the most incredible privileges we have. We actually are invited to come directly into God’s presence and talk with Him about whatever is on our hearts and minds. And He promises to listen and respond! Prayer is the means God uses to give you what He wants for you. God does not just respond to your prayers; He responds to you as a person.

People “pray” all the time these days! But who are they praying to and what are they praying about? When you are praying, God is listening … and He will answer. Is it important to you? The dictionary actually defines prayer as, “An act of communion with God, or another object of worship, such as in devotion, confession, praise, or thanksgiving.” Hmm … does it seem to you that the people you know are “communing” with God? Are they praying with “devotion”? Prayer is when we take the time to talk with God! The God of the universe! The God who created you! The God who has all of the answers to all of life’s questions!

Suppose you were having lunch with a friend one day and your cell phone rang.

You answer and an unfamiliar voice calls out your name.

You ask, “Who is this?”

The response? “I’m your heavenly Father. I’m calling to talk with you because you’re my child … and I haven’t heard from you for a while!”

Prayer for the Christian is really a conversation with God!

But the “conversation” can be a little tricky, because sometimes it feels like a one-way deal: Us talking and God listening. It takes a measure of sensitivity to hear God’s responses back to us!

God wants you to know Him so well that you will always feel like talking to Him … even when you sin. Prayer is one of the most incredible privileges we have. We actually are invited to come directly into God’s presence and talk with Him about whatever is on our hearts. And He promises to listen!

Prayer is when we take the time to talk with God … the God who has all of the answers to all of life’s questions.

When you invited Jesus into your life, you began a relationship with God that is very personal and intimate. All relationships need good communication to be healthy. Jesus’ death for you on the cross made it possible for you to talk directly with your Father in heaven. Your Father wants you to seek His guidance, comfort, peace, and intimate companionship at all times … not just when you want things. He actually desires your companionship!

Dan DeHaan, in his book The God You Can Know, was hard at work in his office one day when his son opened the closed door, came in and sat down quietly. Dan asked, “What do you want?” The boy said “I didn’t want anything, I just wanted to be with you.” He didn’t want money, he didn’t want to go out that night, he didn’t want help with his homework. No, he said, “I just wanted to be with you.” Have you ever felt that way about God? We so often just barge into His presence, reel off our selfish list of wants and take off! God wants you to know Him so well that you will always feel like talking to Him … even when you sin.

Prayer is a dialogue between two persons who love each other. It is a means God uses to give you what He wants for you. God does not just respond to your prayers; He responds to you as a person. W. B. Hunter, in his book, The God Who Hears, said, “Prayer is not a blank check which can be cashed for anything we have enough faith for… we must learn to want what we get!”

All relationships need good communication to be healthy. Your Father wants you to seek His guidance, comfort, peace, and intimate companionship at all times … not just when you want things.

Why pray? The Bible is filled with reasons and promises regarding our conversation with God:

• God wants us to pray. “Be devoted to prayer.” —Colossians 4:2
• God is listening. “Come to me in prayer.” —Jeremiah 29:12
• God answers our prayers. “I will respond, I will hear.” —Isaiah 65:24
• God wants an intimate relationship with us. “Draw near to God.” —James 4:8
• God wants to bless us. “Your Father … gives good gifts.” —Matthew 7:11
• God wants to meet our needs. “Receive mercy and find grace.” —Hebrews 4:16
• God wants us to be protected. “Stay awake and pray.” —Matthew 26:41
• God wants to conform our perspectives, desires, and will to be like Jesus Christ. “Clothe yourself with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” —Colossians 3:12
• God’s kingdom is built through prayer. “Above all, pursue his kingdom and righteousness.” —Matthew 6:33

Prayer is sharing your heart with your heavenly Father, who desires a relationship with you.

Our relationship to God is as a child to a parent! The act of prayer is to have fellowship with our heavenly Father! Relating to God as your loving Father prevents legalism, fear, a critical spirit, or jealousy. An incorrect concept of God will bring forth an incorrect response to Him. It is important to see Him as He is! When you pray you have the incredible privilege of talking with the King of the Universe! You can actually know Him and have His guidance and protection made real to you. Our lack of influence and fruitfulness is primarily because we don’t really believe that God can and will act on our behalf!

Prayer is the natural result of meaningful time in the Scriptures where God reveals himself to us. It is there we learn that God wants us to think of Him as our Father. The term “Father” is applied to God 189 times in the Gospels (the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) alone! Prayer is one way God reveals His will to us, and where personal battles and battles for others are won.

“I, the LORD, do these things. I, the LORD, form the plan to bring them about. I am known as the LORD. I say to you, ‘Call on me in prayer and I will answer you. I will show you great and mysterious things which you still do not know about.’” —Jeremiah 33:2–3

James 4:2 tells us, “You do not have because you do not ask.”

Almighty God is our heavenly Father and He wants us to talk to Him. Prayer is not the end in itself, but the means used to know and develop intimate fellowship with God! The Holy Spirit helps us pray. Faith makes our prayers effective. God’s Word teaches us who God is and how to pray. Prayer is the means whereby God moves in the accomplishment of His mighty operations on the earth. We can’t fully understand this enormously important concept, but we can believe it.

The Bible records many specific, detailed examples of prayer making a difference in the real world. It is the major means of becoming a fruitful witness for Christ. Someone once said, “The divine order is first to talk to God about men, and then to talk to men about God.” When you are praying, God is listening … and He will answer.

Take time to listen for God’s response—through His Word, through other people, through an idea or thought brought to mind by the Holy Spirit. Pay attention to God’s answers!

Application

Additional Study

Author and speaker Evelyn Christenson was known for her passion for prayer and the gospel of Jesus Christ. She wrote many books; two great books to add to your collection of spiritual helps would be What Happens When Women Pray and What Happens When God Answers Prayer.

Related Lessons from Series Two: Empowered by Christ

Pray with Confidence

We serve a great God! And that great God loves us unconditionally and wants what is best for us! God is your perfect heavenly Father and you can pray with confidence knowing that He is listening and will answer your prayers!

(Go to lesson)

Different Ways to Pray

We can pray in many ways! The important thing is to take time to be still with God. Enjoy His presence. Allow Him to speak quietly to you. Let the Holy Spirit fill you. Take time to be with Him every day.

(Go to lesson)

This next series of lessons is about the Bible and the importance of using it to grow in your relationship with God.

Many Christians say they love God and want to know Him better, but they don’t do anything to actually learn more about Him. They say they want to serve God, but they don’t take the time to read His Word to find out just how to do that. Take time to read the Bible—it will encourage you every day and strengthen your relationship with God!

By taking the time to read God’s Word on a regular basis, you will grow spiritually and be able to stand firm when difficulties and deceptions come into your life. Every moment of every day your mind is flooded with information … most of it from the world’s viewpoint. The Bible is the primary way that God communicates his desires for His people to His people! The Bible is nothing less than the words God himself chose for us to hear! The Bible is God’s “Road Map” for your life. The Bible is your guide to righteousness peace and stability.

Your life and the decisions you make are greatly influenced by what goes into your mind and heart. In order for God’s viewpoint to prevail in your life, you must really study God’s Word … and not just for a few minutes each day. 

The Bible is not just one big book, but actually a collection of 66 smaller books written over a period of at least 1600 years by about 40 different authors. Everything the authors wrote was inspired by God.

God will not love you more because you read the Bible, but the Bible is His way of helping you to grow in your relationship with Him. Your relationship with God has been sealed by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ … now it’s time to learn more about God! By taking the time to read God’s Word on a regular basis, you will grow spiritually and be able to stand firm when difficulties and deceptions come into your life.

If you received a special letter or email from God … telling you how much He loves you … giving you guidance and direction for your daily issues … would you read it? Would you keep it, treasure it, memorize it, and continually think about it … like a letter you receive from one of your cherished friends? That’s exactly what the Bible is … God’s letter to you! 

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and exhorting one another with all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, all with grace in your hearts to God.” —Colossians 3:16

“Above all, you do well if you recognize this: No prophecy of scripture ever comes about by the prophet’s own imagination, for no prophecy was ever borne of human impulse; rather, men carried along by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” —2 Peter 1:20–21

“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart.” —Hebrews 4:12

In the early 1700s (!) author Matthew Henry said: “If you want to get close to God, you must study his Word.” The Bible is the primary means that you have to know God and what He wants for your life.

The whole Bible can be summed up in five words: Preparation, Presentation, Propagation, Explanation, and Consummation. As we look at all of scripture, we find that the whole Bible is about the Lord Jesus Christ.

Preparation—The entire Old Testament

Presentation to the world—The Gospels

Propagation to the world—Acts

Explanation of how to live for Him—The Epistles

Consummation of everything in Him—Revelation

The Bible is God’s “Road Map” for Your Life

If you were trying to drive to a distant small town you had never been to before … would you drive by your emotions and instincts … or would you look at a road map? While the road map won’t tell you what’s just around the curve, or how bumpy the road is … it will keep you from heading in the wrong direction, giving you guidance for your trip.

The Bible provides the “road map” for your journey with God. It gives you God’s wonderful promises for each step of the way.

“The road of life can be a baffling route indeed: smooth at times, but sometimes full of potholes…one day a well-marked expressway, the next a maze of detours. But your heavenly Father has provided a road map—the Bible—to keep you moving in the right direction.” —Closer Walk New Testament

Every day you do things out of habit. You get up, eat breakfast, shower, get dressed, go to school, go to work, etc. In order to make God’s Word part of your life—you need to make it one of your daily habits. Pick a time, then pick a quiet spot and spend time reading the Bible and thinking about how it applies to your life. Once you have done it for thirty days, you will have established a habit that will change your life!

God’s Viewpoint

The Bible gives you God’s answers to all of life’s most important questions regarding:

God’s Nature

Your Purpose

How to Grow in Christ

Moral Decisions

Relationships / Sex

Emotions / Comfort

Trials / Death

Henry Brandt and Kerry Skinner once wrote, “Your love for God is demonstrated by the place that His commandments occupy in your life. You must study His Word to learn what His commandments are.”

To follow God’s Word as life’s guidebook requires a familiarity with the commandments and a keen sense of the place that they have in God’s order. A serious study of the Bible will give you an understanding of what God requires of you and what you can expect from God … for it is the Bible that is the guide to righteousness, peace, and stability.

Application

Additional Study

You may find it helpful to obtain a copy of What the Bible Is All About by Henrietta Mears. Dr. Mears was one of the great Bible teachers of the 20th Century. As Christian Education Director at First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, she built one of the largest Sunday Schools in the world and wrote a curriculum that was in such high demand that to publish it she founded her own publishing company! Such notable Christian leaders as Richard C. Halverson, Luis Evans Jr., and Bill Bright were among her students. Dr. Billy Graham once said of her, “She is certainly one of the greatest Christians I have ever known.”

Have you ever thought about why you do the things you do? Where does your behavior come from? These questions may seem somewhat unimportant to you, but … the answers to these questions really are important! What you put into your mind influences your behavior! Everything a person puts into their mind, sticks—every word, every image, every idea.

The Bible tells us that what we believe (what is in our minds) determines what we do.

Proverbs 23:7 says, “For he is like someone who has calculated the cost in his mind. ‘Eat and drink,’ he says to you, but his heart is not with you.”

So, think about it—what is in your mind comes out in your behavior! Consider the enormous growing pool of information in your mind, much of which is subconscious. You have information coming to you from all kinds of sources. That subconscious information is influencing your behavior.

In the field of computer science, they use the phrase, “garbage in, garbage out.” This phrase is used primarily to call attention to the fact that computers will unquestioningly process the most nonsensical of input data (“garbage in”) and produce nonsensical output (“garbage out”). It was most popular in the early days of computing, but applies, even more, today, when powerful computers can spew out mountains of erroneous information in a short time. In other words, what you put in is what you are going to get out! What is in your mind comes out in your behavior!

Picture your mind as a huge “vat” with two big faucets pouring everything you hear, see, smell, read, and experience into that “vat.” One pipe is pumping in the world’s point of view, and the other pipe is pumping in God’s truths. You determine how much of each kind of information is coming into your vat!

Your thoughts, values, decisions, beliefs, fears, joys, emotions, and attitudes are all by-products of what is in your vat! The great theologian A. W. Tozer once said, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” Consider that truth for a moment: The most important thing about you is what you think when you think about God! What do you think about God? Is your information accurate? Is it based on the Bible … or on what you’ve simply “heard” about God? It’s important that you have correct information about God coming into your vat—and the most reliable source for that information is the Bible. Your thoughts, values, decisions, fears, joys, emotions, and attitudes are all by-products of what is in your mind!

Unfortunately, all of us “contaminate” our vat, which is similar to putting dirt in a glass of water! If you let the glass of water stand, the dirt might sink to the bottom … but it is still there! And it can still be stirred up to make the glass of water cloudy (and gross!). When it comes to your vat—and the information that is in your mind—you may have lots of good information in your mind about God and truth, and then someone tells you a dirty joke or you see something on the internet that is immoral. Now you have both kinds of information in your mind. You can let the ungodly “stuff” sink to the bottom, or you can “stir” it up and let it cloud your thinking. In any case, the “dirt” is still there.

If we fill our minds with God’s Word and instruction, our decisions and behavior will reflect that. God’s Word is the place to go to get the right information about God. What does God reveal about himself in the Bible? He is eternal; He had no beginning, and He has no end. Nothing existed before Him. No one created Him. Nothing is hard for Him. God created all of the universe with all its electrons, elements, and the laws that control it. He is everywhere all at once. He does not change, grow, develop, or learn; He is the same yesterday, today, and forever—not because He is arrogant or small-minded, but because He already knows all that can be known.

He hates sin and loves righteousness. He is never surprised, never asks questions, never discovers anything, does not seek information—because He already knows all there is to know … about the world and about each one of us. He has total knowledge, and infinite wisdom to apply it. He is absolutely holy. And in addition to all that, He is infinitely loving, kind, patient, and gracious! How’s that for some good stuff for your vat!

Consider someone who is becoming a doctor. It is critical that this person have accurate data in their vat. How do they accomplish this? Primarily by reading books about medicine and listening to experienced doctors. The practice of medicine is a matter of making many decisions, many of which are critical. These decisions are made on the basis of what one knows, what is in the vat. A doctor facing a medical decision cannot use what is not there! The more accurate information the medical student puts into the vat, the more resources they will have at their disposal when critical decisions needed to be made.

A distorted, inaccurate view of God will result in a distorted, inaccurate response to Him! When we are faced with important decisions—personal, moral, ethical, spiritual, relational—we can only draw on the information that is currently in the vat. If we fill our vat with God’s Word and instruction, our decisions and behavior will reflect that. As you study God’s Word, your vat will influence you to live in a way that not only glorifies God but also points others to Him.

Here are some principles from the Bible to get you started on having your vat filled with God:

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of respect, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if something is excellent or praiseworthy, think about these things.” —Philippians 4:8

“Jesus answered them, ‘You are deceived, because you don’t know the scriptures or the power of God.’” —Matthew 22:29

“Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work.” —2 Timothy 3:16–17

“So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away—look, what is new has come!” —2 Corinthians 5:17

“For the love of Christ controls us, since we have concluded this, that Christ died for all; therefore all have died. And he died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised.” —2 Corinthians 5:14–15

Being a Christian is all about having a relationship with Jesus Christ. It is a living faith in a living person, God himself. A distorted, inaccurate view of God will result in a distorted, inaccurate response to Him! What you think about God really does make a difference in how you act! Every day you will be faced with choices on what to allow into your vat … and what you are going to allow to influence your behavior. Choose wisely! Fill your mind with the things of God so that your life will reflect Him!

Application

Many people think of the Holy Spirit as a “what,” but in reality, the Holy Spirit is a “who”! The Holy Spirit is a real person. When you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, the Holy Spirit entered your life and He is enabling you to do God’s work! Without the Holy Spirit, living for Christ is impossible. With Him, you can do anything and everything!

The Bible teaches that God is actually “three-in-one”—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. God the Father created and sustains the world. Jesus, God the Son, came to earth in bodily form and saved all of humankind from their sin. And God the Holy Spirit actually lives in each believer helping them to accomplish all that God the Father has for them to do!

Jesus said: “I tell you the solemn truth, the slave is not greater than his master, nor is the one who is sent as a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you understand these things, you will be blessed if you do them” (John 13:16-17).

At the end of his earthly ministry, Jesus was giving His disciples final instructions before He went back to his Father. The disciples were all totally ready to follow Jesus after His resurrection … and ready to give up everything to follow Him.

But Jesus knew they were not ready. Even after three years of Jesus training them, the disciples still didn’t have the necessary strength to live the life Jesus had called them to live. He knew they would fail miserably if they tried to live for Him in their own strength! Jesus knew they needed His power. He told them:

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you” —Acts 1:8.

Jesus told his disciples to wait for the “promise” He would send them from his Father. In Luke 24:49, He said, “And look I am sending you what my Father promised. But stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

The Holy Spirit is called many things in the Bible, but his main role in your life is to be your “Encourager” and “Comforter” as you embark on your new journey with Christ.

When you invited Jesus Christ to be your personal Savior and Lord, the Holy Spirit actually entered your life—and He will be with you forever. Imagine that—the Spirit living inside you!

You will never be alone! Ephesians 3:16–17 tells us, “I pray that according to the wealth of his glory he will grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person, that Christ will dwell in your hearts through faith, so that, because you have been rooted and grounded in love. ”

The Holy Spirit is invisible, but He is a real person. In John 14:16–17, Jesus said, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept because it does not see him or know him. But you know him because he resides with you and will be in you.”

In My Heart, Christ’s Home, Robert Munger wrote about having Christ control each “room” of a person’s life. Envisioning what it would be like to have Jesus come to the home of our hearts, Munger goes from room to room considering what Christ desires for us. In the living room, we prepare to meet Christ daily. In the dining room, we examine what appetites should and should not control us. Mungar even helps us explore the closets in our lives that Christ can help us cleanout. Think about what it would mean to give Christ control over all of your life! As your invited guest and Lord, Jesus desires to “settle down” in each “room” of your “house.” Christ lives in you through the person of the Holy Spirit and He will take each area of your life which you commit to Him and help you to live for God.

Read the following verses to learn more about the Holy Spirit:

“Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.” —1 Corinthians 6:19–20

“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.” —Acts 1:8

“But I say, live by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.” —Galatians 5:16

The Holy Spirit is the one who directs and controls us. Each one of us is like a basketball player who voluntarily puts himself under the control of his coach. The basketball player listens to the coach so he can perform to the best of his ability. The player is not a robot, but he freely chooses to let his coach direct him because he wants to play well.

Application

Additional Study

Read the booklet, My Heart, Christ’s Home by Robert B. Munger. You can access this publication at http://navigatorsdetroit.com/MHCH.pdf.

God’s plan for you is to mold you into the image of Christ. This life-long process is the work of the Holy Spirit … as you allow Him to control your life. The Holy Spirit will gradually conform us into the image of Christ as we submit ourselves to Him. Second Corinthians 3:18 encourages us with these words, “And we all, with unveiled faces reflecting the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, which is from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

Related Lessons from Series Two: Empowered by Christ

Living “by the Spirit”

When you sincerely ask Jesus to come into your life, the Holy Spirit makes a home in your heart. The moment you surrender your life to Jesus, the Spirit comes in … even if you don’t feel anything. He is there, waiting for you to yield to His power. It is through the Holy Spirit that we receive the ability and power to live the way God wants us to.

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Spirit-Controlled vs. Self-Controlled

The Bible describes two types of Christians—those who are Spirit-controlled and those who are self-controlled. Being Spirit-controlled requires allowing the Holy Spirit to control your life. It 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.

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Spiritual Breathing

One of the ways you can experience God’s transformation is through a spiritual discipline called “Spiritual Breathing.” In “Spiritual Breathing”, you “exhale”—by confession—sin, and “inhale” —by faith—the Holy Spirit’s control.

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The Holy Spirit’s Power to Resist Temptation

It is only through the Holy Spirit’s power that we can resist temptation and live victorious for Christ! Trust God …temptation is normal! Trust God … the Holy Spirit will give you the ability to withstand temptation! Trust God … He will give you a “way out”!

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The Holy Spirit’s Power to Overcome Evil

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! Faith, salvation, truth, the Spirit … we seldom think of these as protection—but that is exactly what they are! Make sure you are wearing all the protection God gives for spiritual safety!

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When you made the decision to receive Jesus into your life, you began an exciting journey with Christ that will never end. God’s ultimate plan is to change you into Christ’s image! In order for Him to accomplish that, you will need to commit yourself to learning how to live for Christ.

“And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose, because those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.” —Romans 8:28–30

Think of this process life-changing process as a journey. It is somewhat like participating in a marathon. Marathon runners prepare for the long haul. The Christian life is not a sprint—it is a commitment you make for all of your life. 

At the beginning of a race, competitors always feel great and have lots of energy. However, as the race wears on, they can begin to feel tired … even exhausted. Right now you are feeling excited and ready to live for God, but the pressures of daily life are going to make you tired and possibly even discouraged.

Good marathon runners take a lot of time to train. And training time definitely pays off in helping a runner to run a better race. In order for you to run your best race for Christ, you also need to spend time in training. It takes daily discipline to put God into our days. It takes commitment to learn how to live for Christ. 

Jesus’ Spirit living in you has begun to bring about this change, and He will continue His work throughout your life. Philippians 1:6 tells us, “For I am sure of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus”. And Philippians 2:13 encourages us with these words: “The one bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort—for the sake of his good pleasure—is God.”

Once a space shuttle launches, it is too late to abort the mission without the potential of grave danger. Now that you have “launched” your life with Christ, you need to be aware of the danger of aborting your mission. The lure of life’s pleasures will tug at you. Your own desires will crave to be fulfilled. You will get tired, or bored, or disillusioned. It is important to remember in these moments that you must not abort your “mission” with Christ. When you live for Christ and trust Him, you will experience joy, peace, love, confidence, hope, and contentment as only God can give it. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to overcome trials and temptations. We must obediently surrender our lives to the Holy Spirit, and allow Him to make us Christ-like.

Paul 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?” —Romans 8:32

“For we are not like so many others, hucksters who peddle the word of God for profit, but we are speaking in Christ before God as persons of sincerity, as persons sent from God.” —2 Corinthians 2:17

In other words, our heavenly Father loves us so much that He delights in helping us to be all that He created us to be. If you live for Christ and trust Him, you will experience joy, peace, love, confidence, hope, and contentment as only God can give it.

A life that is like Christ is lived in obedience to Him based upon faith in His Word. You and I are totally unable to live the Christian life in our own strength. However, by faith in God’s promises, the Holy Spirit gives us the power to overcome trials and temptations. As we surrender our lives to Jesus Christ, He conforms us into his likeness.

“But, like the Holy One who called you, become holy yourselves in all of your conduct, for it is written, “You shall be holy, because I am holy.” —1 Peter 1:15–16

Nancy DeMoss writes, “True holiness starts on the inside—with our thoughts, attitudes, values, and motives—those innermost parts of our hearts that only God can see. It also affects our outward and visible behavior.”

“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.” —1 Corinthians 6:19–20

Since it is impossible for us to simply improve our sinful natures, we must obediently surrender our lives to the Holy Spirit, and allow Him to make us Christ-like. Many Christians are able to put on a good front, which appears Christ-like, while holding deep grudges and resentments inside. Christ’s love is totally different; it begins on the inside.

“For through the law I died to the law so that I may live to God. I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside God’s grace, because if righteousness could come through the law, then Christ died for nothing!” —Galatians 2:19–21

What does a Christ-centered life look like?

“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.” —Galatians 5:22–23

Application

A relationship with God? Really? Think about that for a moment! You actually have a relationship with the God of the universe! So what does that really mean? The word “relationship” implies a connection, bond, or involvement with someone. When you invited Jesus into your life, you initiated a “connection” with God. A connection that will have a daily impact on your life! This connection results in a relationship with God that is personal and intimate! When you invited Jesus into your life, you began a relationship with God that is very personal and intimate. Knowing about God is not the same as knowing Him personally and intimately. Many Christians find it hard to really trust God, because they don’t really know Him. When you know Him, you will be able to love and trust Him! Take a minute to consider your present relationship with God. 

Ashley’s Story

“I always put my friends above God. In fact, my life revolved around my friends so much that I began to get involved in reckless behavior just to seem cool to others. Pretty soon I got involved in drugs, sex, and alcohol. My life was out of control, and I felt worthless, with no purpose other than to get high. Then I even lost my friends. One day someone told me that Jesus Christ not only created me, but wanted to be my best friend. I couldn’t believe it at first. Later, I decided to ask Him into my life. Since then, God has given me a new purpose in life and helped me break my addictions. I now have many new friends, but the greatest friend of all is Jesus Christ. He accepts me for who I am, and tells me that ‘He will never leave you and I will never abandon you’ (Hebrews 13:5).”

The great theologian A. W. Tozer once said, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” And what you think about God will affect your relationship with Him! When you invited Jesus into your life, you initiated a “connection” with God. Consider the relationships that you have with the people in your life. Some of them are close, some on the surface, and some rather distant. It depends on how well you know someone and how much time you spend with them that determines the quality of your relationship. And a relationship with God is much the same … the more you get to know Him and the more time you spend with Him, the closer your relationship with Him will be.

Now is the time to develop your relationship with God by growing in your knowledge and experience of Him. Knowing about God is not the same as knowing Him personally and intimately. Many Christians find it hard to really trust God because they don’t really know Him. When you know Him, you will be able to love and trust Him!

This means it is really important that our ideas concerning God mirror what is, in reality, true about Him. Knowing God is critically important for living! If you do not truly know God, the world often becomes a strange, mad, painful place, and when life offers you disappointment—which it surely will—you will stumble and blunder with no sense of direction or meaning.

In his book, The God You Can Know, Dan DeHaan observes, “I have discovered a common weakness among the Christians of today, they are weak in their understanding of God and His character.” Ignorance of God and what He is like, results in a life of doubt and distrust. We need to really know God and not just have some sort of idea about who He is!

So how do we get to know God better? By reading His Word and allowing the Holy Spirit to reveal more of Him to us! We need to search God’s Word with the intent of getting to know and obey Him. 

“Stop your striving and recognize that I am God!” —Psalm 46:10

There is tremendous value in stepping aside from the rush of the day and taking time to quietly get to know God. Let Him renew your mind as you pray, read the Bible, and think.

Paul said, “My aim is to know him, to experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his sufferings, and to be like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.” —Philippians 3:10

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation, for all things in heaven and on earth were created in him—all things, whether visible or invisible, whether thrones or dominions, whether principalities or powers—all things were created through him and for him.” —Colossians 1:15–16

“The LORD says, ‘Wise people should not boast that they are wise. Powerful people should not boast that they are powerful. Rich people should not boast that they are rich. If people want to boast, they should boast about this: They should boast that they understand and know me. They should boast that they know and understand that I, the LORD, act out of faithfulness, fairness, and justice in the earth and that I desire people to do these things,’ says the LORD.” —Jeremiah 9:23–24

When you became a Christian, you did not sign up to become a part of some religious system. You decided to have a relationship with the God of the universe! This is a relationship that God initiated and maintains. Ignorance of God and what He is like, results in a life of doubt and distrust. Jesus died on the cross to restore the relationship that we are destined to have with God that has been broken by sin.

As Christians, we believe that we have been created specifically to have a relationship with God, but our sin separates us from Him. Jesus Christ walked this earth, fully God, and yet fully man. He died on the cross to restore the relationship that we are destined to have with God that has been broken by sin. After His death on the cross, Christ was buried; He rose again, and He now lives at the right hand of the Father God in heaven, making intercession for us forever.

The intimacy of this relationship is revealed to us in the Bible. Ephesians 1:4–5 says that we are now no longer seen as law-breakers, but we have been adopted into God’s own family as His children: “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.”

Application

Additional Study

Read The God You Can Know by Dan DeHaan (Moody Press, 1982). Take the time to write a summary of each chapter as you go along. As a personal goal, resolve to read one chapter per day or per week!

We learn about God’s character as we read the Bible. Knowing God’s true nature not only significantly increases our reverence for Him, it greatly decreases our dependence on our own power and strength. The better we understand who He really is, the easier it is to trust and rely upon Him. Hebrews 4:16 tells us that we are always welcome in his presence: “Therefore let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace whenever we need help.”

“Now without faith it is impossible to please him, for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” —Hebrews 11:6

Faith is personal reliance on a God known to be trustworthy.

During the terrible days of the Blitz during World War II, a father, holding his small son by the hand, ran from a building that had been struck by a bomb. In the front yard was a shell hole. Seeking shelter as quickly as possible, the father jumped into the hole and held up his arms for his son to follow. Terrified, yet hearing his father’s voice telling him to jump, the boy replied, “I can’t see you!”

The father, looking up against the sky tinted red by the burning buildings, called to the silhouette of his son, “But I can see you … jump!” The boy jumped … because he trusted his father. The Christian faith enables us to face life or meet death, not because we can see, but with the certainty that we are seen; not that we know all the answers, but that we are known.

We are emotional creatures by nature. Different personalities respond to God in different ways. One person may have a high emotional experience, while another may be calm and reserved. Faith is another word for trust and in many ways, trust is an emotion. Your faith must be placed in God and His Word, not in your emotions. Emotions can—and will—deceive you. God’s Word never will. Your faith must be placed in God and His Word, not in your emotions. Emotions can—and will—deceive you. God’s Word never will.

The Bible says, “Without faith it is impossible to please Him” (Hebrews 11:6). The assurance of our relationship with God is based on the authority of His Word. God loves you and you are His child. When you start to feel as if your relationship with God doesn’t exist, go to the facts of the Bible to reinforce your faith in God’s love for you. We live by faith in the trustworthiness of God, and His Word. Our faith is anchored in the truth of God’s Word, and in what we know about God’s character. 

When you ride in an airplane you are exercising faith in the laws of aerodynamics to overcome gravity. If you should, however somehow decide to step outside of the plane while you are in the air, you will find the law of gravity still in effect! It is not the amount or quality of your faith, but the object of your faith that matters! God and His Word are the objects of our faith. The better we know God, the more we feel we can trust Him, and the more we trust Him, the more we experience the reality of His love and power.

“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.” —Romans 8:38–39

Our faith is anchored in the truth of God’s Word, and in what we know about God’s character. The better we know God, the more we feel we can trust Him. . . the more we trust God, the more we experience the reality of His love and power.

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see.” —Hebrews 11:1

“Jesus said to them, ‘Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, if someone says to this mountain, “Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,” and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.’” —Mark 11:22–23

Faith is another word for trust. Faith must have an object. We do not have faith in faith. For example, a person could have great faith that the ice on a pond is thick enough to walk on. By faith then, he could boldly walk out on paper thin ice, and his faith would result in an ice water dunking! A person who has a very weak faith may very gingerly step slowly onto a pond of six-foot-thick ice. It is more than enough to support him. The key here is the object of his faith.

Oswald Chambers once said, “Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time.”

Faith is personal reliance on a God known to be trustworthy.

The great Bible teacher, Charles Stanley, has identified three levels of faith: Little Faith, Great Faith, and Perfect Faith.

Level 1—“Little Faith”

This kind of faith is characterized by struggling to believe God. We hope He’ll answer our prayer, but we’re just not really sure. Sometimes doubts creep in because we’re looking at the situation, not at the Lord and His Word. Or maybe our problem is that we just don’t know what God has said in the Bible, so we have nothing to anchor our faith. An example of someone with little faith is found in Mark 9 where a father who had come to Jesus in hope that Jesus will heal his son says:

“Immediately the father of the boy cried out and said, ‘I believe; help my unbelief!’” —Mark 9:24

Level 2—“Great Faith”

Dr. Stanley calls this phase “reaching faith” because it involves stretching to believe the Lord more and more. Christians at this level are beginning to stand on the truth of Scripture. When we let the Word of God shape our thinking and petitions, we can know that He will grant our requests. We find an example of this kind of faith in the story of a woman who Jesus healed who had been sick for many years (Mark 5:24–34). In verse 28 she says, “If only I can just touch his clothes, I will be healed.”

Level 3—“Perfect Faith”

Perfect faith is characterized as resting in the confidence that the Lord has already accomplished what we’ve asked. When our requests align with God’s will, it’s a “done deal.” Our job is simply to thank Him and watch His promise become a reality. Jesus said:

“Ask me for whatever you want, and I’ll give it to you.”  —Mark 6:22

Ask God to grow your faith!