Sometimes life is difficult even when we’ve done everything we know is right to do. Some of us have lost jobs, our marriage, suffer through illnesses, or have lost loved ones. In these times, the holidays and other celebrations may not be such a great time for us. If we aren’t careful, our mindsets, emotions, and attitudes can lead us down a dark path of hopelessness.

Yet, as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we know that nothing in our lives is a random act of fate. We have the King of kings and Lord of lords who hears and answers our prayers whether we see the immediate results or not. What should we do when life gets H.A.R.D.?

H – Hope in God.
“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (Psalms 42:5)

When we struggle with hardship, we can place all of our hope in God. He sees everything that has happened to us and He is able to help us get through it. Our hope is restored when we discipline ourselves to pray to God and seek His word for daily renewal.

A – Accept life can be difficult.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33)
This world is full of trouble regardless of where we live. Our hardship is rooted in the fact that sin entered the world thousands of years ago. Yet, because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ—we will get through the tough times. Because of His death and resurrection, we have the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit Who gives us the strength to press on.
R – Remember God’s faithfulness in the past.
“I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago” (Psalms 77:11).

A mindset of hopelessness has a short memory, but a mind focused on God’s goodness and grace is at peace. We can change our mode of thinking about what’s wrong with our life to meditating on the blessings that God has given us in the past. When we intentional focus on being thankful—there’s an incredible sense of joy that God is able to above and beyond what we expect.

D – Do the right thing.
“To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice” (Proverbs 21:3).

Sometimes we can give ourselves permission to sin because of our hardships. Yet, we were bought with a price and given power over sin; therefore, we can do better than that. It’s the daily choice of choosing what is right over wrong that will get us across the darkest valleys.

Prayer

Dear Lord, it’s hard right now, but I trust You to take care of me. Help me to refocus my heart and mind on You rather than my difficult situations. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Have you ever faced a situation in which you felt inadequate? It could be an upcoming test in an area you are completely unfamiliar with? Or perhaps you have a work project that you can’t seem to wrap your mind around. In these situations, most of us cave into the thinking that we will fail or that our efforts will be fruitless in the end.

It’s in these times we must change our mindset about the situation. Instead of thinking about how hard the test is, we can instead focus on asking the Lord to enlarge our understanding and begin to study with the hope that we will accomplish the task. Instead of allowing the work project to overwhelm us, we can turn to God, Who knows everything, and ask for wisdom and insight to resolve the issue.

Many times we fall into the negative mindset because we feel that we aren’t smart or savvy enough to figure things out. However, as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are given grace to overcome our weaknesses if we turn to the Lord. He allows us to experience the places of difficulty so we can know Him and His power to help us in our time of need.

This doesn’t mean that we sit back and do nothing. We have to do our part, which will mean opening the book and reading it for a test or assignment. We will have to study the work project more thoroughly and do our research. We will have to resist the temptation to be paralyzed by fear and instead push ourselves past the mental roadblocks of negativity.

Prayer

Dear Lord, I need Your grace to overcome my weakness in this area. Help me to have the mind of Christ to push past negative thoughts and to embrace your peace onto accomplishments.

To wake up every morning is a gift from God. Even on Mondays when many of us start the work week! There’s joy because the Creator of the universe found it fit to give us breath and life. Our enjoyment doesn’t always mean that we need a vacation—although some of us may need to take time off for rest and relaxation. Enjoying life works best when we are rooted in a relationship with Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit.

Find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun.

To wake up every morning is a gift from God. Even on Mondays when many of us start the work week! There’s joy because the Creator of the universe found it fit to give us breath and life. Our enjoyment doesn’t always mean that we need a vacation—although some of us may need to take time off for rest and relaxation. Enjoying life works best when we are rooted in a relationship with Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit.

God has given His children the ability to enjoy the life He has given them. This doesn’t mean that we are to seek enjoyment for ourselves above all else—similar to the hedonism of the world. Rather, it means finding contentment and joy in our lives in the present moment instead of waiting for some significant event in the future.

Our Father in heaven created nature so that we could pause at the beauty of the sky and clouds as well as the roar of the oceans. We find our enjoyment in the relationships with our family and friends through times of laughter and connection. As we grow in the Lord, we find a spiritual depth and maturity that expands our joy beyond the situations and circumstances of our lives.

Enjoying the life that God gives us has to be intentional—not circumstantial. The circumstances of our lives are everchanging. If we’re not careful, we can get bogged down by the evil and trouble of this world. If we stay too long in this—our joy can be quenched. Yet, through the power of the Holy Spirit and God’s word, we can renew our joy in knowing Him and finding enjoyment in the life He gives.

Prayer

Dear Lord, sometimes it’s difficult to enjoy life because it gets difficult. However, I want to enjoy and take advantage of the blessings You’ve placed in my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.

As our culture moves further away from God, we are seeing an increase of hopelessness and despair leading more people towards suicide as an answer for their pain. Many are deceived into thinking that suicide is their only option. It’s a tragic trend impacting all socioeconomic, racial, and cultural lines. Suicide leaves more questions than answers that drills down throughout the generations of families.

The breath of life from God is a true gift. He gives us the strength and mercy to push past our physical, emotional, and spiritual pain. If we would humble ourselves and trust in Him—He will provide the healing, direction, and peace that passes all human understanding. The Lord—our Jehovah Jireh (God who provides) has everything we need. And He always provides a way beyond suicide.

The gift of life comes to us because God has a purpose and plan for every single individual born on earth. No life is disregarded or ignored by our Creator. The destiny that He plans is for our future and hope so that we can have fulfillment in living.

It’s up to us to make the most of this life by first accepting Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of our lives. No one is perfect, every one of us has sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. When we believe in Jesus’ birth as the Son of God, His death as the crucified Savior taking punishment for our sin and His resurrection that gives us victory over sin and death—we become a part of His kingdom.

The life God gives isn’t to be taken for granted. We shouldn’t waste it on fruitless acts of selfishness or godless living. We have a responsibility and we will stand before God to give an account of what we did or didn’t do with our lives.

Even in times of difficulty, we aren’t alone because God will never leave nor forsake us. There’s hope in this life and suicide isn’t the answer. God will help us get through the darkest times of living as we put our hope in Him.

Prayer

Dear Lord, sometimes life gets hard and I can’t figure a way out of the pain. I pray for your grace and strength to live this life in a way that brings glory to Your name. In Jesus’ name, amen.

What is taking your thoughts captive?

2 Corinthians 10:5 tells us that we are to "demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

Taking your thoughts captive simply means gaining control over what you think about yourself and life.

Here are 6 ways to take your thoughts captive:1. Accept responsibility for your thoughts. 

You have the ability to exercise control over your thoughts. God warned Cain to focus his mind on the right things, but Cain chose to think about the wrong things - anger and jealousy - which led to his murderous actions. Are you willing to admit that you can, with God's help, regain control of your thoughts - and think enabling thoughts instead of disabling ones?

God calls us to change sinful behavior that does not honor Him. Instead of focusing on your outward behavior, work on disciplining your mind - from which the behaviors stem. Allow God to transform you by the renewing of your mind (Rom. 12:2).

2. Your mind - not just your behavior - must change. 

3. Think through your problems rather than just react to them. 

When you experience difficult challenges, you can react to them and think yourself into despair every time. Or you can look forward to the next opportunity and ask yourself what you learned from this failure. Is your first thought I'll never do anything right? You don't have to get trapped by disabling thoughts. You are capable of getting out of your shame, despair, hopelessness, and anger - by taking control of what your mind focuses on - taking your thoughts captive.

Paul urges us to "take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ" (Rom. 12:21). Confront your disabling thoughts. Turn them over to God and become who He sees you can be. It will take work to take your thoughts captive each time they pop into your mind. But it is possible with the help of the Holy Spirit. 

4. Take your disabling thoughts captive through confession. 

5. Choose to focus your thoughts on the right things. 

We are to think about those things that are "true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable" (Phil. 4:8). When we think about those things, God promises to give us His peace. What a contrast that is to the thoughts of millions of people today. Don't look to a movie, TV show, or how-to formula to accomplish this for you. It takes personal discipline and commitment. One of the easiest ways to take your thoughts captive is to fill your mind with the things of Christ.

It is not easy to retrain your thoughts or to respond in new Christ-like ways. Take heart: as God empowers you to focus your mind on the right things, it will become easier. You can develop a new frame of reference, based on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy.

It is possible to live a life aware of our thoughts and taking them captive! God gave us the Holy Spirit to empower us. Start following these steps today to gain power over your mind and thoughts.

6. Believe it is possible to take your thoughts captive. 

Proverbs 13:5-6

Psalms 9:9-10

1John 4:4

Joshua 1:9

Pslam 27:1-3

Jeremiah 17:7-8

Philippians 4:9

1 Corinthians 10:13

Isaiah 54:17

Struggle you have dealt with now yo can face and move on in faith.

Hidden Secrets Getting to the Heart of the Issue

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,  and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

YOU HAVE AN ENEMY

1 Peter 5:8 Tells us to STAY ALERT!  Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.
John 10:10 The thief’s purpose is to kill steal and destroy. He hates you and wants you cut off completely from God forever.

4 kinds of spirit rebels:

Enemies tactics:

1. Seek God

2. Seek professional help like a therapy or a counselor

3. Make the change you are going to get help

Nahum 1:13

Matthew 6:33

Psalm 119:45

Proverbs 3:5-6

1 Peter 5:8

1 Corinthians 16: 13

1. The first step is to be aware of your struggles. Acknowledge we all have struggles and that you are not alone. That the enemy wants us to believe his lie. We let pride get in the way and then we suffer in silence walking around with a mask. Fake to be okay when we really are not okay but that's where the enemy wants us to be.

Romans 12:1-2
Father, I present my body to You as a living and holy sacrifice acceptable to You, which is my spiritual service of worship. I will not be conformed to this world, but transformed by the renewing of my mind, that I may prove what the will of God is.
I Corinthians 2:16
I have the mind of Christ; therefore I can know the thoughts of my Lord that He may instruct me.
Ephesians 4:23-24
I am renewed in the spirit of my mind and I put on the new self, which in the likeness of God, has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
II Timothy 1:7
Father, I thank You that I do not have a spirit of fear, but I have a spirit of power, a spirit of love, and a spirit of a sound, strong, firm, safe, stable and disciplined mind which produces Godly thoughts.
I Corinthians 13:7
I set my mind to believe, bear, hope, and endure all things.
Colossians 3:2
I set my mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
Joshua 1:5-9
I am strong and courageous, I will not fear or tremble or be dismayed. God’s Word will never stop being spoken out of my mouth, for I meditate on the Word of God day and night and I am careful to do all that God commands, therefore success and prosperity are mine now!
Isaiah 54:14, 17
I am established in righteousness. I am far from oppression in my mind; and fear and terror will not come near me to control me. No weapon formed against me shall prosper and every tongue that accuses me in judgment shall be shown to be in the wrong.
Colossians 3:15
I let the peace of God rule in my heart and mind and I am thankful to God in all things.
Philippians 4:7-8
Father, I thank You that the peace of God, which surpasses all knowledge, is guarding my heart and mind in Christ Jesus. I command my mind to dwell only on that which is true, honorable, pure, lovely, excellent, and worthy of praise.
I Corinthians 2:16
I have the mind of Christ.