SWEET SIXTEEN: DEVOTIONAL LESSONS FOR SPIRITUAL STRENGTH

FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT
Don't be disillusioned by adversity, hardship, and struggles of battle. We must realize we are on a battleship and not a cruise ship. We must face "Og" at the border, and then deal with “giants” after we cross the “Jordan” to possess the “land.” Christians often naively tend to expect victory without battle...and if there is adversity, they become cynical and expect battle without victory. The scripture tells us to persevere and stand in faith. We will see battle...but also victory.
Matthew 11: 7-12; 1 Cor 16:9, 15:32; Eph 6:10-19; Ps 18: 31-34, 39; Rev 12: 7-11; John 16: 33; 2 Cor6:4-9; Acts 14:22; 2 Tim 2:3-10

FAITH TO DEAL WITH PEOPLE
In our walk with God, we have to deal with people. This complicates matters and requires more faith on our part. When David played his harp, the evil spirit fled...but Saul did not. David had to walk in the Spirit, in faith, obedience, and perseverance in order to deal with Saul. We can cast out demons; we cannot cast out people. It takes faith and godliness to deal with people.
2 Cor: 3-6; 2 Cor 2:8-11, Rom 12: 14-21; 1 Peter 2: 11-23.

PREPARED FOR SURPRISES
Be prepared for intensities, complexities, perplexities, and surprises. Jesus will bring us through it all. He will turn our mourning into dancing. In our patient endurance we will “possess our souls” and experience the joy of the Lord. Jesus “endured the cross because He saw “the joy that was set before Him.”
1 Peter 4: 12; John 16: 1-4; Acts 14: 22; 2 Cor 11:23-28

NO SELF-CENTERED FOCUS
Have a heart for God's purpose. A self-centered focus will "sideline" you from the real battle. Self-centeredness causes you to be focused on yourself without actually seeing yourself. It will be a distraction from your ability to see reality, the heart of God, and the real needs and situations around you. Self-centeredness distorts your perception and discernment.    
Self-centeredness exhausts a person without accomplishing anything.
Rom 11:36; John 5:30; Philip 2:21; 3:8-10; Psalm-106: 13-16; John 6: 2, 14-15, 26-27, 51-54.

GOD IS GOD; YOU CAN TRUST HIM
Trust the Sovereign God who is able to procure, secure, uphold, and defend. God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all we could ask or think. Is anything too hard for the Lord? The nations are but a drop in the bucket in His hand. How much more is He able to direct my life if I am truly surrendered into His hands.
Eph 3:20; Jer 32:17, 27; Psalm 75; Dan 7:9-28; 2 Sam 15:22-26.

WAIT ON GOD TO JUDGE
Wait upon God to judge. Don’t be impatient. We generally want Him to strike down our enemies NOW and execute quick vengeance upon our oppressors. God, however, is the Righteous Judge. He judges in His time and in the proper time. He lets the tares and wheat grow together until the harvest. Everyone, our enemies and we, must ultimately answer to Him. The fire tests the righteous…as well as the wicked.
1 Cor 4:5, Luke 12:49; Mat 13: 29-30; Job 35: 14-16; Ps 18: 7-15; Ps 58:10-11; Eccles 8:11; Ps 75:2-8,- Rom 12: 19-21; Rev 6: 9-11. 1 Pet 2:21-23.

ENGAGE THE LORD
Engage the Lord. Maintain real and intimate fellowship with the Lord in all that you face in life. You must be a person of prayer if you expect to persevere and navigate the storms of life. To walk on the water as Peter did, you must also sit at Jesus’ feat as Mary did. Have a prayer closet where you pray and read your Bible on a regular basis. Press into the Lord in faith, prayer, intercession, and worship.
Ps 73; Ps 42; Ps 82:3-7; Dan 3:27-29; John 14: 19-23; Eph 6: 10-18.

ENGAGE THE LORD FIRST
 Engage the Lord FIRST. Wrestle with God, as Jacob did, before you wrestle with the devil or other people. The main characters on the stage of your life are you and God. The devil and other people are secondary. We must make sure the slate is clean in our relationship with the Lord, and make sure we hear what He is saying to us, before we "attack" others or the devil.
Gen 32:22-32; 2 Cor 10:6; 1 Peter 5:5-6; Ps 39: 9-10; Numb 32:32-33.

SANCTIFY THE LORD
Sanctify the Lord. This means that in our daily life, we set the Lord apart from and above all else, so that our spiritual eyes are always on Him. No matter what people say or do, no matter what circumstances fall before us, we see the Lord. Our eyes are upon Him. We respond to everything knowing He is watching and listening. So that in all things we try to please Him rather than reacting to people and circumstances.
1 Pet 3:15; Numb 20:7-12; Lev 10: 3; John 21: 18-22.

IN GOD'S HANDS
Realize that you are in God's hands...not in the hands of people or the devil. Paul did not see himself as prisoner of the Romans, but rather a "prisoner of the Lord." Joseph was thrown into a pit, sold as a slave, and put in prison on his trip to Egypt. But his testimony was that "God sent him" to Egypt. Because he trusted in God and saw the Lord in control of his life, God caused all things to work to Joseph's good and God's purpose. He became ruler of Egypt next to Pharaoh.
Eph 3:1; Ps 31:14-15; 37:32-33; Gen 45:5; Gen 50: 15-21; Acts 2:23.

THE VICTIM MENTALITY
Avoid the victim mentality. A victim's mentality places your life into the hands of other people. If others are responsible for your condition, then you will depend on them to get you out of it. You will blame them, wait for them, and sit helpless, bitter, and angry. Accept responsibility for yourself. Acknowledge your own sin, bad decisions, and wrong responses. Then seek the Lord and discover the way out. Don't blame others. Look to the Lord in faith and arise to your destiny. You may have been oppressed and treated badly. Joseph experienced that. But he still fulfilled God's plan for his life. You can too. But you will not succeed if you are hamstrung with a victim's mentality.
Psalm 38; Jer 8:6; Acts 7:9

GOD'S WAY TO ACCOMPLISH GOD'S WILL
Walk in God's ways to accomplish God's will. It is not enough just to know what God wants in a situation, we must walk in His ways to accomplish it. The devil tries to keep us from knowing God's will. But when we discover it, the devil then offers suggestions on how to do it. We must walk in the Spirit and godliness. Often Christians think that because they are right in a particular matter, they can "throw a fit" and get "in the flesh" to get done what they think the Lord wants done. If the Lord told you that He wanted you to prosper, you would not then go out and rob a bank. You would then work and be diligent in life, you would not turn to crime. We must apply the same principle to how we behave in life, in relationships, in church, and in other matters.
Ps 18:21; Luke 4: 1-13; 2 Tim 2:23-26

SOBRIETY
Be sober. Sobriety means sound judgment rooted in a right spirit. When we maintain a godly attitude, we are able to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit and have good discernment. A wrong spirit such as hatred, bitterness, resentment, and anger, will cloud our understanding and perception. Spiritual laziness and complacency will also fog our ability to discern and see clearly. The Lord wants us to have a pure heart and a sound mind.
1 Peter 4:7; Ps 73:21-22; Isaiah 56: 9-10

HUMILITY
Maintain a humble and contrite spirit. The Lord will not despise a broken and a contrite heart. Arrogance and pride will cause God to resist you. Pride will bring contention. It will also make you susceptible to the suggestions of the devil. God gives grace, mercy, and enabling power to those who walk in humility and who realize their dependence upon God.
Ps 38; Ps 51; 1 Peter 5:5-10; Philip 2:3-11.

BE STRONG AND OF GOOD COURAGE
Be strong and courageous. Fear not. The Lord will not leave you nor forsake you. Those heroes of faith were not always naturally strong, but rather "out of weakness were made strong" ...and that by faith. Paul tells us to be strong in the grace of God. David "strengthened himself in the Lord." We go from strength to strength" as we hunger for the Lord, seek His face, and walk with Him. Faith, prayer, and the Bible are tools through which we tap into the strength God gives. We are also strengthened by the love and encouragement we receive from our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Ps 18:39; Ps 84: 5-7; Heb 11:34; 2 Tim 2:1.

DON'T BE ANGRY AT GOD
Don't be angry at God. This is one of the most important lessons for us to learn. Do not tempt the Lord by accusing Him of evil, injustice, and unfaithfulness. Ascribe greatness to the Lord. Praise Him for his great and abundant mercy and manifold grace. Praise the Lord for He is good and His steadfast love endures forever. We often fail to recognize God's power and greatness. But also, we fail to see His kindness, goodness, and love. In this matter we must also see His WISDOM. He is righteous in all His ways and in all His judgments. When we stand before God we will realize He was and has always been right. “For God so loved the world that HE sent Jesus to take away our sins and to reconcile us to Himself. Don’t be angry; He loves you. Behind the veil of this flesh we see through a glass dimly, but someday in His presence we will see clearly and realize how great, good, and wonderful God is. We will also be able to see how in His wisdom, He did what was best for us…and how he was continually drawing us to Himself.
1 Cor 10:9-10; Ex 16:3; 17:3; Deut 32:3-4; 2 Chron 5: 13-14; Neh 9:1620; Ps 103; Rom 5:8,• John 3:16.

                                                                            —Billy Long