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How to Get Wisdom from God?

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Wisdom is the ability to make good decisions and sound judgments. Wisdom is knowing how to walk in the favor and will of God.

We all need wisdom, especially when we come to the crossroads of life.

“Which way should I go?”

“Should I take this job?”

“Is s/he the one for me?”

Wisdom protects us from making bad choices and ruining our lives. But where do we get wisdom?

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. (James 1:5)

The best source of wisdom is God himself. God knows the future and he can see the unfolding landscape of your whole life. You don’t know what’s coming around the bend, but he knows.

How do you get wisdom from God?

We get wisdom from God by asking. In the economy of grace, asking is how we receive.

“God gives generously” means God will never make you jump through hoops to earn his wisdom. Nor does he expect you to compensate him for his wisdom.

The One who gave us his Son will freely give you an abundance of whatever you need (Rom. 8:32). That includes your need for wisdom.

How do I ask for wisdom?

With confidence!

This is the confidence which we have before him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. (1 John 5:14)

It is God’s will for you to ask him for wisdom. It says so in the Bible.

In the old covenant, your best source of wisdom was wise friends (Pro. 15:22). Wise friends are a blessing, especially when they stop you from doing something stupid. You want to marry who?!

But the ultimate source of wisdom is the Spirit of wisdom – God himself. Asking the Lord for guidance is step 1 in learning how to walk in the spirit.

How do I know this wisdom is from the Lord?

Wisdom is only as good as the knowledge on which it is based which is why we can distinguish between earthly and heavenly wisdom.

Wisdom that comes from above is informed by the supernatural insight and revelation of the Holy Spirit (John 16:13). But earthly wisdom is natural and demonic (Jas. 3:15). It’s influenced by Satan rather than the Lord.

Natural wisdom is based on natural understanding and is limited to what we see, hear, and think. It is sensual (based on the five senses) rather than spiritual, and primarily concerned with the preservation and elevation of self.

In contrast, the wisdom from above is “pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, and without hypocrisy” (Jas 3:17).

Wisdom from above

The wisdom from above comes to us through our revelation knowledge of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 1:30). Everything you need for life and godliness is found in him. If you need wisdom for your marriage or business or church, your first and last port of call is a greater revelation of Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:17).

When we go through trials, it is easy to get disoriented and lose our way. The temptation is to take matters into our own hands and do what seems right in our own eyes, but that way lies death and disaster (Pro. 14:12).

A better option is to ask the Father for the wisdom that comes from above. His wisdom will release the righteousness and favor of heaven into your life.

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Do you know the eight characteristics of heavenly wisdom? Find out on the Grace Commentary.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined the Grace Commentary supporters’ team last week!

Find out what’s coming. Read my latest update for patrons and supporters.

How to Test the Spirits

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Spirit, soul, and body – do you know the difference?

Your spirit is that inner part of you that connects you to the spiritual world; your body or flesh is that external part of you that connects you to the physical world; and your soul is that part of you that chooses whether you are going to walk after the spirit or the flesh.

Walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7)

Faith is the means by which we live the spiritual life. Or to put it another way, you cannot live the spiritual life by relying on your natural senses and abilities.

And if you want to walk in newness of life, the spirit comes first. This is why it is helpful to think of the spirit as an antenna that connects us to the spiritual realm. The spirit receives signals from the spiritual realm (e.g., the Holy Spirit) which it transmits to the soul, and the soul exercises the body in response to the spirit’s instruction.

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. (1 John 4:1a)

Since our spirits can detect signals from any spiritual source, divine or demonic, we need to test the spirits to see if what we are hearing is from God.

For instance, if we find ourselves doubting what God has said and asking, “Did God really say?” we can be sure we are hearing from the demonic realm. Since God is unchanging, he will never contradict himself. So anything that causes you to question what God has said is not from the Holy Spirit.

A word from the devil

One of the sadder stories in the Bible concerns a man called Ananias. Ananias told a lie and died when Peter confronted him about it:

Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit …? (Acts 5:3)

The temptation to lie came from the father of lies. It did not come from the Spirit of Truth. Nor did it come from Ananias himself. “Satan filled your heart” means Satan fed him a lie and Ananias swallowed it.

He never tested the spirits.

Many outrageous claims come prefaced with the words, “God told me to…” Did he really? Are you certain? Or were you fed a lie?

“God told me to divorce my wife.” Are you sure about that?

“God told me to bet the farm on a suspect business dealing.” And how did that work out?

Growing up I had a friend who blossomed into a beautiful young woman. During her late teens and early twenties about a dozen men proposed to her saying, “God told me you were going to be my wife.”

Hmm. They couldn’t have all been right.

No doubt handsome young men have heard similar things from Christian women. “God told me you were going to be my husband.”

Playing the God-told-me-so card is one of the most dangerous things believer’s do. If you ever hear it, make sure you test the spirits to see whether it is actually from the Lord.

All sorts of ideas pass through our heads; some are good, others are not-so-good. We should not act on anything without first asking, is this from the Lord?

How do we test the spirits?

We test the spirits by asking questions:

  • Does this idea (or word or message or advice) encourage me to rely on the Lord or myself?
  • Does it feed my faith or my doubts?
  • Does it release freedom or bind me in chains?
  • Does it promote man’s agenda or bring glory to God?
  • Does it glorify Christ’s righteousness or my failures?
  • Does it fill me with peace or anxiety?
  • Does it have the stench of flesh or the fragrance of Jesus?

Ultimately the test is: who does it point me to? Origin determines destination. Any spirit from God, will lead you to God.

When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, he will testify about me. (John 15:26)

If the message you are hearing causes you to look to Christ or rely on Christ, you can be sure that you are hearing from the Holy Spirit.

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Source: Spirit, Soul & Body: How to Walk in the Spirit, available now on Patreon.

How to Walk in the Spirit

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You were designed to be spiritual. You were created to walk in the spirit. Yet many people walk after the flesh. They make judgments based on what they hear, see, and understand, rather than listening to what their spirit is sensing the Lord is saying.

To be led by the Spirit is to live with our eyes fixed on the Lord. It’s looking to the Lord as our source and supply and asking, “What does God want? What does he say?” When we make this our habit, we are acting like mature sons of God.

For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. (Romans 8:14)

To follow the Spirit we need to sense the Spirit. How do we do that? The Bible provides numerous examples but in this article I will focus on just three ways we can sense the Spirit.

Troubled in the spirit

When Jesus had said this, he became troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, that one of you will betray me.” (John 13:21)

If you have ever known the stabbing pain of betrayal, you will know how Jesus felt when Judas betrayed him. The difference is that Jesus felt the sting of betrayal before he was betrayed.

His spirit was troubled because he knew what was coming.

To be troubled or agitated in your spirit is to know something is wrong even when everything appears normal.

Some might say “I felt a check in my spirit,” or “I was heading in a certain direction but stopped because something didn’t sit right inside.”

I have had many experiences like this, and I have learned that if your spirit is troubled or agitated, you need to pay attention. Especially if everything seems fine in the natural. If your spirit is sensing something is a little off, you would do well to heed it.

An example: Maybe you are considering an intern or job applicant who ticks all the boxes, but your spirit is troubled. Don’t hire them. Stop and pray. Ask the Lord to give you wisdom to know what to do.

Provoked in the spirit

Stronger than the feeling of being troubled is the sense of being provoked or distressed in our spirits.

Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols. (Acts 17:16)

In every city Paul visited there were idols and temples. But when he came to Athens, his spirit reacted with anger. “The longer Paul waited in Athens, the angrier he got – all those idols!” reads the Message Bible.

Idol worship destroys those Jesus loves, and this affected Paul so deeply that he preached one of his most memorable sermons (see Acts 17:22–31).

It would be nice to hear God speak in a burning bush, as Moses did. But sometimes he gives us a burning heart. God help me if I don’t speak up. That’s what Paul experienced in Athens.

Sometimes you hear or see something that doesn’t trouble anyone but you. This isn’t right. Something must be done.

I’m not talking about something that just makes you emotional and upset, but if there is some situation that troubles your spirit, that is a sign of spiritual significance. You need to bring that to the Lord.

“No rest for my spirit”

Another sign that something is off is we feel no peace. When Paul said “I had no rest for my spirit” (2 Cor. 2:13), he was saying he had no peace. For the spirit-filled believer, a loss of peace is a sure sign that all is not well.

This is a lesson I learned the hard way.

While we were living in Hong Kong, I convinced Camilla that I should buy a Honda Shadow 750 motorcycle. “We’ll go cruising down the highway just like old times.”

Camilla has ridden with me many times, but on this occasion she was unsettled. “I don’t have a peace about it.”

I dismissed her concerns – “You’re being a wet blanket” – and bought the motorbike.

A week later, we were cruising down the highway and livin’ the dream when we were hit from behind by a boy racer going 100+ miles an hour. His car and my bike were smashed to bits, and Camilla and I were sent flying.

I picked myself off the concrete and saw Camilla’s motionless body lying in the middle lane. For a long moment I was struck with the fear that she was dead and I had killed her. Miraculously, we survived but it was weeks before either of us could walk again.

I should’ve listened to my wife, because, unlike me, she was listening to her spirit.

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For more stories and tips on how to walk in the spirit, check out my new book, Spirit, Soul & Body: How to Walk in the Spirit, available now on Patreon.

What Does it Mean to be Spiritual?

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What comes to mind when you think of the word spiritual? In scripture, we are exhorted to desire spiritual gifts, sing spiritual songs, and pray spiritual prayers. We are to walk in the spirit and live a spiritual life.

Sounds good. But what does it mean?

Here’s what spiritual does NOT mean: Spiritual does not mean religious. Or pious. Manmade religion may stimulate your intellect and feed your flesh, but that doesn’t make it spiritual.

To define spiritual, it will help to know what your spirit is.

Your spiritual antenna

Your spirit is that part of you that makes you spiritually aware or God-conscious.

For want of a better analogy, your spirit is like an antenna. Just as our physical bodies connect us to the physical realm, our spirits connect us to the spiritual realm. Just as we have natural senses (sight, smell, hearing, etc.), we have spiritual senses (e.g., intuition).

Think of a television. Just as a television can detect signals from both terrestrial transmitters and heavenly satellites, our souls can sense physical things via our bodies and spiritual things via our spirits.

Now we begin to understand why Watchman Nee, in his seminal book The Spiritual Man, referred to the soul as the medium or the middle bit between the spirit and the body. The spirit receives signals from the spiritual realm (e.g., the Holy Spirit) which it transmits to the soul, and the soul exercises the body in response to the spirit’s instruction.

What does it mean to be spiritual?

The generic definition of spiritual is “having to do with the spiritual realm as opposed to the physical realm.” The spiritual realm includes God, the heavenly host, fallen angels, and the spirit of every person who ever lived. (The physical realm includes your body, the food you put in it, the bed you slept on, and the clothes you are wearing.) In a general sense, spiritual simply means of the spirit.

Yet there is another meaning of spiritual:

He who is spiritual appraises all things… (1 Corinthian 2:15)

In this context, a spiritual person is someone who has been born of the Spirit, has the Spirit of God, and is led by the Spirit (John 3:5, Rom. 8:9, 14). In contrast, an unspiritual person is someone who remains in the flesh or is walking after the flesh (Rom. 7:5, 8:4).

Some teachers, including Nee, would describe the latter person as soulish or soulical, as though to live by the soul was the opposite of walking in the spirit. A better adjective would be fleshly (e.g., 1 Cor. 3:3) or worldly (Jude 1:19).

The soul is neither fleshly nor spiritual; it is the chooser that decides how we will live. This may come as a shock, but you can be in the spirit (i.e., born again, in spiritual union with the Lord), but still walk in the old ways of the flesh.

Two ways to live

But I say, walk by the spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16)

If you have not been born of the spirit, you cannot walk after the spirit. You can only walk after the flesh. But if you are in the spirit, you can choose to walk in the new way of the spirit or the old way of the flesh (Gal. 5:17).

For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the spirit, the things of the spirit. (Romans 8:5).

The choice between the flesh and the spirit is not like choosing between two flavors of ice cream. It is a choice of life or death.

The way of the flesh leads us down a cursed path to self-destruction, but the way of the Spirit leads to a blessed and everlasting life (John 6:63, Rom. 8:13, Gal. 6:8).

For the believer, walking in the spirit is the life-giving choice. But the problem is we are much better at walking after the flesh. We’ve been doing it all our lives.

Nearly every movie we watch, every song we hear, every book we read, and even some sermons reinforce the old message of self-reliance. “Work harder. Trust yourself. Follow these steps to a better life.”

Our flesh responds with zeal but the result is sin and death. We try to fly but fall short again and again. Our flesh is incapable of living the spiritual life.

But just as we learned to walk in the natural, we can learn to walk in the spiritual.

Sure, there will be a few stumbles along the way and missteps are to be expected. But God does not condemn us when we fall. Our loving Father comes alongside us to guide us and help us soar.

Be encouraged. God is for you and by his grace you will learn how to walk in newness of life. And when you do – when you learn to rely on the spirit and distrust the flesh – you will have a good and blessed life.

The spiritual life is the life you were made for.

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Source: Spirit, Soul & Body: How to Walk in the Spirit, available now on Patreon.

Duck Church

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Søren Kierkegaard, the Danish existentialist, used to tell a story about Duck Church. It goes something like this:

Once upon a time there was a town of ducks. On Sunday morning all the ducks came waddling out of their houses and waddling into church where they squatted in their pews. After they sang their duck hymns and said their duck prayers, the duck minister began to preach. “Ducks, you were born to fly. God has given you wings to soar like eagles. Fly, ducks, fly!” This rousing message was met with cries of “Amen” and “Preach it!” After the service the ducks lined up to thank the minister for his inspiring message, and then they all waddled home.

Kierkegaard’s tale illustrates the difference between walking after the flesh and the spirit.

Do not walk according to the flesh but according to the spirit. (Rom. 8:4b)

When we walk after the flesh, we are like ducks waddling through life. We were made for more than this. God gave us spirits so that we might soar like eagles. Problem is, we don’t know how.

Occasionally we’ll hear an inspiring message. “Saints, God has given you spirits so you can rule and reign with him.”

We shout “Amen” and “Preach it!” But we don’t know how to fly so we waddle home and nothing changes.

I have been to Duck Church, or something like it. I have heard countless sermons on how to walk in the spirit and while many of them were inspiring, few of them were practical.

It’s good to be inspired, but inspiration without application leads to frustration. For that reason I have written an ebook to help you experience the spiritual life. It’s called Spirit, Soul & Body: How to Walk in the Spirit, and it is available now on Patreon.

If you are not a patron, fear not. I plan to release some extracts from the book here on E2R. Here’s the first one:

A new covenant temple of the Holy Spirit

Don’t you know you are the temple of God and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16).

To walk in the spirit we need to understand the relationship between the spirit, soul, and body. God’s temple serves as a metaphor. As God dwelled in the temple of Jerusalem, God dwells in you.

The old covenant temple was divided into three parts just as you are (see Figure). The outer or external court corresponds to your physical body which is visible to all. The internal Holy Place corresponds to the inner soul. Further in and behind the veil was the innermost Holy of Holies, the secret place of the Most High. This corresponds to your spirit which lies beyond your self-consciousness and above your natural senses.

You may think this is a brilliant comparison, but it’s not mine. Watchman Nee was teaching this metaphor 100 years ago, and he himself had been influenced by Andrew Murray and F.B. Meyer.

In the 1960’s, Nee’s teachings were translated into English and published in a book called The Spiritual Man. In it, Nee said the various courts and rooms of the temple…

serve as images and shadows of the regenerated person. His spirit is like the Holy of Holies indwelt by God, where everything is carried on by faith, beyond the sight, sense or understanding of the believing one. The soul resembles the Holy Place for it is amply enlightened with many rational thoughts and precepts, much knowledge and understanding concerning the things in the ideational and material world. The body is comparable to the outer court, clearly visible to all. The body’s actions may be seen by everyone.

Just as temple services were regulated by what happened in the innermost Holy of Holies, our lives are to be guided and shaped by what God reveals to our spirits. Spirit, soul, and body – that’s the proper order. Everything we do begins in the spirit.

Or at least that’s how it’s supposed to be.

Before the Fall of man, we were spirit-led creatures. Our spirits controlled our whole being via the soul.

But when we walked away from God we severed that divine connection and became creatures of instinct and appetite, enslaved to the flesh.

Sure, a few of us had moments of enlightenment when our souls briefly rose above the muck. But like Kierkegaard’s flightless ducks, we were merely hopping, not soaring.

What was God doing during this time? He was trying to get our attention and woo us back to himself:

You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did. (Act 7:51)

The religious leaders resisted the Holy Spirit with their hearts (souls) and ears (bodies). The Spirit was knocking, but they weren’t listening.

Neither were we. For the longest time we resisted the Holy Spirit. But then everything changed.

On the most important day of your life you felt the tug of the Holy Spirit and for the first time you responded in faith.

In your spirit you received the Holy Spirit and were connected to the Author of Life. Instantly, you were born again and you became a fully spiritual creature.

Like a duck that had discovered its wings, you lifted your eyes to the heights. In your spirit, you began to sense that something truly monumental had happened and that everything was new.

The time of waddling had passed.

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Source: Spirit, Soul & Body: How to Walk in the Spirit, available now on Patreon and E2R’s supporters’ page.

Sample contents:

  • The high cost of spiritual ignorance
  • What are the soul and spirit?
  • What does it mean to be spiritual?
  • Two ways to live: Flesh vs spirit
  • Four spiritual foundations
  • Six ways to walk in the Spirit
  • Spiritual revelation/guidance
  • How to test the spirits
  • What is the inner man?
  • How does the conscience fit in?
  • What does it mean to be born of the spirit?
  • Does God only care about your spiritual wellbeing?
  • What is a word of wisdom and a word of knowledge?

Four People You Should Never Listen To

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On the day Jesus died, he encountered opposition from four powerful men. These authority figures represent the types of people who will seek to frustrate God’s plan for your life.

We can learn a lot from how Jesus responded to these four men and his responses were different for each.

1. Annas the false father

The first powerful man Jesus faced, was Annas. Once upon a time, Annas had been the high priest, which meant he ran the ruling council of Israel, the 70-man Sanhedrin. He was no longer the high priest, yet he acted as he if was and he retained the title of high priest.

Old man Annas questioned Jesus about his teachings (John 18:19). On the face of it, his questions seemed harmless, as though he simply wanted to learn more about Jesus’ message. But from Jesus’ abrupt replies, we realize that Annas was a snake. His motives were rotten and significantly, he sent Jesus away in bonds.

Who is Annas and why do we need to be wary of him? Annas represents those false-father figures who question you about the grace message or your grace journey. On the surface, they give the impression of being paternal and caring, but their real motive is to keep you bound and under their thumb.

Annas may try to give the impression of being a wise head – “Listen, kid, I’ve seen all this before” – but his wisdom is that of the serpent. “Did God really say?” Listen to the Annas-types in your life and you will fall from grace back under law. Jesus doesn’t really engage with Annas (John 18:21), and neither should we.

2. Caiaphas the religious bully

The second powerful man Jesus faced, was Annas’s son-in-law and the current high priest Caiaphas (John 18:24). This guy was a murderous bully who, more than any other person, was responsible for putting Jesus on a cross. He also slandered Jesus’ character and questioned his identity.

Who is Caiaphas and why do we need to be wary of him? Caiaphas represents that religious voice that says, “Who do you think you are?” Caiaphas will tell you that you’re a grub, a sinner, or a servant, anything but a dearly-loved child of God.

Listen to the lies of Caiaphas and you will forget who you truly are and be susceptible to manipulation. “I’m a sinner, so I’d better make myself clean. I’m a servant, so I’d better serve.”

Jesus spoke back to Caiaphas and so should we. Before the ruling council, Jesus emphatically affirmed that he was the Son of God (Matt. 26:54). This is how to respond to religious bullies. You are not a sinner or a servant, but a dearly-loved son with all that entails. God is for you; who can be against you? Like Jesus, you have nothing to prove.

3. Herod the head-hunter

The third powerful man Jesus faced was Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee (Luke 23:8). Like the other men on this list, Herod questioned Jesus. But to Herod, Jesus said nothing. Not one word. So Herod mocked Jesus, and then sent him away.

Who is Herod and why do we need to be wary of him? Herod represents those mockers who find your beliefs mildly fascinating, but they will happily chop your head off with arguments. Herod beheaded John the Baptist and he’d tried to do the same thing to Jesus (Luke 13:31). Listen to the Herods in your life, and you’ll find yourself running in circles like a headless chicken.

Not everyone who asks questions is sincere. While Annas seeks to control you, Herod merely wants to argue and wind you up. Jesus wastes no time with Herod and neither should we.

4. Pilate the king-killer

The final person Jesus visited was the most dangerous of all. Yet Pilate was not a snake like Annas or a religious bully like Caiaphas. Nor was he a bored mocker like Herod. But Pilate represented Rome, an empire that had little tolerance for rival kings.

Who is Pilate and why do we need to be wary of him? Pilate is that person in your life – your boss, your manager, your biggest client – who has a vested interest in preserving the status quo and no interest in the kingdom of God.

Your heavenly Father has big dreams for you. He wants you to rule and reign in life. But the Pilates in your life are not tolerant of rival kings, and they will not support your God-given dreams. They have power over you, and as long as you do your job and play your part, they won’t bother you. But step out of your rut or take a stand, and they will lean on you, and even crush you.

Of the four leaders Jesus encountered, Pilate comes across as the most reasonable. He was just doing his job. But Jesus didn’t fit in Pilate’s world and this became a problem. “Don’t you know I have the authority to kill you or release you?” (John 19:9). The Pilates in your life say something similar. “I can fire you or promote you, but you have to play my game.”

Jesus does not talk to Pilate like the other three. In fact, Jesus has considerable grace for Pilate. He understands that Pilate is under pressure from his own bosses. “You would have no authority over me unless it had been given you from above” (John 19:11).

This is not to absolve Pilate of his responsibility in the crucifixion of Jesus, but to contextualize his actions in the larger drama of an ancient cosmic battle between the kingdom of heaven and the powers of darkness. Jesus recognizes that Pilate is in an awful situation, and he feels for the man.

The lesson we learn is this: don’t hate your boss. The authority figures in your life may not understand who you are or where you’re coming from, but Jesus loves them and he’s put you in that position to help them discover his love.

Many people come into our lives for a season, and some enrich us while others hurt us. Some will try to frustrate the grace of God in your life. So be wary of those who seek to bind you (Annas), diminish you (Caiaphas), mock you (Herod), or keep you from your kingly destiny (Pilate).

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Want to go deeper? Bonus materials for this article are available on Patreon.

Paul’s latest 20-page study note, “How to store up heavenly treasure,” is also available on Patreon.

Walk like a king, talk like a king

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True kings rule. They draw lines in the sand and say, “This far and no further.” They protect and bless those around them and take ownership of other people’s problems.

Jesus is a prime example. He didn’t have to leave the comforts of heaven and die for us but he did. This was a noble and kingly act. Seeing our sorry state he said, “I am going to come and tread upon their problem even if it kills me.”

The heart of this Great King beats in your heart. His Spirit is one with your spirit.

Jesus didn’t hang up his crown after ascending to heaven. He plans to reign until all his enemies have been defeated. Through your union with Christ, you are destined to reign.

For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:17)

Adam’s failure to be a king condemned the human race. His sin opened the door to death, disease, defeat, discouragement, and disappointment. But we who were victims of Adam’s disobedience have become victorious through Christ’s obedience.

There is a new king in town and his name is Grace.

Under Adam death reigned, but under Grace we reign. At least, that’s the plan. In truth, not every Christian does reign. Many are racked with guilt and tortured by condemnation. They struggle with sin and live in anxiety. Problems assail them from every side and they are unsuccessful in much of what they do. Although Christ has provided all we need for the abundant life of royalty, they are not enjoying it. They are the paupers in the palace.

Why do some live like this?

This isn’t rocket science. If there is little evidence of the grace of God in your life that doesn’t mean God is tightfisted. It means you have not yet received from his abundant supply. The incalculable riches of grace have been deposited into your account but you have not made any withdrawals.

I don’t say this to criticize anyone or to belittle your faith, but to recognize that most of us have been raised in a culture of unbelief.

We are constantly hearing that God has not provided all we need to rule and reign. We are told that there are things we must do to make that happen. This faithless message is loudest in the church that does not walk in grace.

Ironically, this is exactly the sort of church where you will often hear that you must live by faith, pray with faith, and walk by faith, as if talking about faith had the power to magically make things happen. The trouble is nothing ever does happen and when that happens you’ll be told you didn’t have enough faith. “You gotta have more faith and here is a list of things you have to do to get it.”

Walking by faith is walking in grace. There is no difference. Want to walk by faith? Then learn how to walk in his grace. Learn to receive what he has already provided.

One way to do that is to stop begging God to act, and start thanking him for what he’s done. Another way is to stop voicing your doubts and start speaking his word. Yet another way is to get your eyes off yourself and fix them on Jesus.

The princes of this world walk and talk the language of fear and insecurity, but the kings of the kingdom walk and talk like Jesus. They are constantly acknowledging and praising God for all he has done, because they understand that gratitude is the language of faith.

Even when their lives are going down the toilet, true kings continue praising God. They don’t do this to escape from an objectionable reality, but as an act of defiance. Like Paul singing in the prison, they refuse to believe that all they see is all there is.

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (1 Thess 5:18)

Are you going through tough times? Are you the victim of injustice? Are you being hammered by sickness and oppression? Rise up in your kingly identity and lift up the Name of him who is above all names.

Perhaps you are sitting there wondering what God’s plan is for your situation. It’s very simple: His plan is for you to rule in his Name, so rule!

Don’t judge the circumstances with your own understanding, but lean on the Lord. He has you in his strong right hand and he will never let you go. With your faith assured, let the words that come from your mouth speak to his superior reality.

King down upon your circumstances, then watch as they bend under the weight of his glory!

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The Sinless Life (1 John 3:6)

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When the Holy Spirit came into your life the change in you was like night and day. It’s like you were given a heart transplant. Your old heart, which was captive to desires of the flesh and enslaved to sin, was replaced with a new heart with new desires and appetites. Your new heart beats […]

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