God will Answer!

Wherever we work, at times challenging situations will arise that don’t have simple answers. What do you do when something or someone in your workplace bothers you? What do you do when you find yourself working with people who are lazy, corrupt or dishonest, who don’t follow policy, are gossips, twist the truth, back-stab, are incompetent, rule with fear, make false accusations, manipulate or are bullies? 

But first - what about you? None of us live a perfectly virtuous life. Are your hands clean, is your heart unpolluted by sin, are your lips pure before God? Have you found yourself complaining, finding fault, joining in empty conversations, cheating, exaggerating the truth or putting others down? Come to Jesus and he will forgive you. He will freely pour healing grace upon grace over your hands, heart, and lips to cleanse you from all unrighteousness so that you can stand with grace in righteousness before God’s throne. 

Stand before God’s throne and be silent; rest in his presence reflecting on the peace, joy and holiness that surrounds you. Then in humble prayer ask God to search your heart and see if there is any wicked way in you. 

God bends down to listen to your prayers when you cry out from honest lips and a pure heart. Ask God to protect your mind and soul and keep them pure before him. Ask God to keep your heart wholly devoted to Him. Ask God to help you hold the shield of faith which extinguishes all the flaming arrows that Satan throws at you. 

Ask God to reveal afresh the wonders of his great, unfailing, marvelous lovingkindness! Ask God to accomplish his righteous purposes in your workplace. Ask God to arise, and rescue you from the clutches of the wicked, and to deliver you with his mighty hand. 

God is wise enough to discern guilt and innocence. God alone has the active power to set things right. The Lord is your inheritance. The Lord is your rescuer and redeemer. This is what your gracious Heavenly Father freely does for his children. 

You are God’s child, and God’s treasured possession! It is God’s desire to keep you as the apple of his eye, and to hide you under the shadow of his wings in the midst of every situation. Under the shadow of God’s wings, you join with all believers whom God shelters from the wickedness of people and the evil in this world. 

God’s presence is not an elusive phantom of troubled dreams at night. God’s presence is a present reality in your workplace! 

When you must speak, ask God to guard your tongue so that you only speak words of faith, hope and love. Choose to use words from Scripture so that your life in prayer is consistent with your speech to others. Ask God to guard your heart and mind so that you don’t respond in sinful ways. When you must act, ask God to direct your steps so that you don’t stray from his path. 

Faithfully, patiently, in the power of the Holy Spirit continue to put one foot in front of the next placing your trust in God alone and not your own abilities. 

You can have confidence in God for tomorrow when you live God’s way today. Know with certainty that one day you will see God’s face! 

May Jesus Christ be praised, and may God receive all the glory and power and honor because of the way you live your life today!

4 Ways Prayer Will Transform Your Life

Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people . (Eph 6:18)

Here are four ways that prayer will transform your life! 

1. Prayer releases you from bondage to the spirit of this world so that you can bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit. 

Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. (Jer 17:7-8) 

2. Prayer will change you from lusting after the things of the world to loving the Creator of this world. 

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. (1 John 2:15-17) 

3. Prayer will shift your focus from the brokenness of this world to the redeemer and healer of this world. 

Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?” The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. (Matt 8:7-8) 

4. Prayer will transform you from ruminating on the way people relate to you to loving people the way God loves you. 

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:7-8) 

When you get to heaven you will learn of many lives that God has transformed because of your prayers! 

Come and Pray

• Pray in the Spirit on all occasions 
• Pray in the Spirit for every task and every decision you make at work
• Pray in the Spirit for your family
• Pray in the Spirit for your brothers and sisters in Christ 
• Pray in the Spirit with all kinds of prayers and requests
• Pray with Joy!

Be Strong in the Lord

How do you stand strong in God’s mighty power amidst the challenges you face at work? How do you stand against the devil’s schemes at your workplace or in your life?

Workplace Challenges

As Christians, some of the challenges we face in the workplace are of our own doing—consequences of our actions and attitudes. That’s why Paul warns us to live in such a way that nobody can find fault in what we do.

Some of the challenges we face in the workplace are part of living and working in a fallen world. Storms, sickness, weeds, broken down machinery, computers that crash, dust, garbage, death, decay, and rot are results of the fall.

Still other challenges in life and work are spiritual in nature. Sometimes it’s obvious when Satan is scheming against us like when he appeared to tempt Jesus. Other times, we’re completely unaware that a battle is raging in heaven over our soul and prayers, like when Daniel prayed and the angel sent to answer Daniel was resisted for twenty-one days (Daniel 10:12–14). 

God's Armor

When you find yourself in a spiritual battle God graciously offers you his armor to wear. Each piece of God’s armor – truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, salvation, and God’s word are precious gifts that God offers you. Your loving heavenly Father designed them so that they fit your unique personality perfectly. 

Truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, and salvation, are offensive weapons God gives you to protect yourself against anything and everything that the devil might throw at you. They are not defensive weapons to be used against your colleagues, or to brow-beat them into heaven. There is only one defensive weapon which God gives you, namely the sword of the Spirit. The sword of the Spirit is God’s word which comforts you and teaches you in all things. 

The truth that there is a Creator grounds your work, and your life into a reality that is larger than yourself. The truth of sin, provides an explanation for things that you perceive that aren’t right in your workplace. The truth of redemption provides you with hope. By believing that Jesus Christ died for your sins and was raised from the dead according to the Scriptures, and that as the reigning Lord He now offers forgiveness of sins and the liberating gift of the Spirit to all who repent and believe enables you to stand righteous before a holy God, with your sins forgiven. This is not only good news for tomorrow, but the anchor that provides you with peace for today! 

When your faith rests firmly on the bedrock foundation of the completed work of Christ, every flaming dart of fear and doubt that Satan throws at you in your workplace is extinguished. God’s free gift of salvation protects the talents, skills, wisdom, knowledge and understanding God has blessed you with. God’s righteousness protects your heart from the evil that surrounds you. The word of the Lord which is the sword of the Spirit, enables you to be strong in the Lord and his mighty power, and to resist the devil’s temptations that you face at work. 

Putting on the full armor of God

You can’t put the armor of God on in your own strength. It is God, and God alone, who enables you to wear his armor. When you choose to allow God to clothe you with his armor, you experience God’s power strengthening you in your inner being. It is God’s power that enables you to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is Christ’s love for you in the darkest of places. It is God’s power that enables you to rest in God’s gift of grace. 

When you are clothed with God’s armor – when you are clothed with truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, salvation and God’s word you can stand firm against the devil’s schemes. 

Just like it takes time and practice for a soldier to learn the proper way to hold a shield, or to use a sword, it will take time and practice to wear and use your spiritual armor effectively. 

Throughout your day, pause in prayer and ask God to clothes you with his whole armor and to give you the wisdom to know how to use his armor. 

Prayer 

Father, I thank you that you have provided me with your armor so that I can stand strong. I rejoice that your mighty power is stronger and wiser than any of devil’s schemes. Father, buckle the belt of truth around my waist. Help me to rest in the truth of who you are, and who I am in your sight. 

Guard my heart with your breastplate of righteousness. Through the power of your gospel, may I be an instrument of peace in every encounter with other people. 

Lord, I know that I can’t do this on my own strength, and so help me wield the shield of faith. Extinguish all the flaming arrows that Satan and people throw at me. 

Jesus, thank you for your wonderful gift of salvation. Help me to look beyond my situation and focus on the immensity of your love for me. Thank you for the Bible. Speak to me today through your word so that I may be able to stand firm in this day of evil. Amen

Scripture:

In conclusion be strong—not in yourselves but in the Lord, in the power of his boundless resource. Put on God’s complete armour so that you can successfully resist all the devil’s methods of attack. For our fight is not against any physical enemy: it is against organisations and powers that are spiritual. We are up against the unseen power that controls this dark world, and spiritual agents from the very headquarters of evil. Therefore you must wear the whole armour of God that you may be able to resist evil in its day of power, and that even when you have fought to a standstill you may still stand your ground. Take your stand then with truth as your belt, righteousness your breastplate, the Gospel of peace firmly on your feet, salvation as your helmet and in your hand the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. Above all be sure you take faith as your shield, for it can quench every burning missile the enemy hurls at you.  (Ephesians 6:10-17 JB Phillips)  

Whatever you do

As you enter your workplace today remember that you have been blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. You are God’s child! Your sins are forgiven! You are God’s handiwork. Your life is rooted and established in God’s love. You are seated with Christ in the Heavenly realms. You bear fruit of goodness, righteousness and truth. You are a glorious person, reflecting the image of God! These blessings were bought for you through the shed blood of your Savior, Jesus Christ. Nobody at work and nothing that happens at work today can take these away from you.

God esteems you highly. God esteems your work highly. God judges your work according to the uprightness of your heart, not your position in life, or your job. When you do your work with excellence, righteousness and truth it doesn’t matter who you work for or what you do, your work is worthy in God’s eyes. When you do your work as if you were serving the Lord, it doesn’t matter if your work seems meaningless or of great value, your work is worthy in God’s eyes. 

As you go about your work today, you don’t go alone; the Holy Spirit is with you. It is the Holy Spirit who gives you the ability to be wholeheartedly devoted to God and who keeps your desires and thoughts focused on God in every task. May every moment at your work be an opportunity for you to experience God’s presence. 

Jesus experienced the joy and grief, sorrow and laughter, delight and hardship of working in this world. While sinful hearts corrupt the best of workplaces, God’s righteousness shining through your life improves the worst of workplaces. 

You will never find the perfect environment without stress or strains. The great people and the difficult people you work with, the successes and challenges of your work all need to be received in the context where God has placed you with gratitude. Trust God to work out his purposes through what is happening in your workplace. 

Trusting in God’s loving care, you can be a reconciling presence in your workplace by putting the interest of others before your own career or financial interests. 

Do your work respectfully, conscientiously, willingly, enthusiastically and cheerfully, as doing the will of God from your heart. Leave the drama and politics of your workplace in God’s hands. Don’t let fear or greed tempt you to grab whatever you can from your job. God in his righteousness is close beside you offering you wisdom to do your job with excellence and strength to avoid temptations which can lead you astray. 

Your real power comes when you allow God to infuse your workplace with his presence through your life.

Eph 5:6-9 (J.B Phillips) Slaves, obey your human masters sincerely with a proper sense of respect and responsibility, as service rendered to Christ himself; not with the idea of currying favour with men, but as the servants of Christ conscientiously doing what you believe to be the will of God for you. You may be sure that God will reward a man for good work, irrespectively of whether the man be slave or free. 

And as for you employers, be as conscientious and responsible towards those who serve you as you expect them to be towards you, neither misusing the power over others that has been put in your hands, nor forgetting that you are responsible yourselves to a heavenly employer who makes no distinction between master and man. 

Facing Your Fear

Today is a wonderful day! Even if it feels like you are all alone surrounded by an abyss of fear – Fear of rejection, fear of losing our job, fear of screwing up, fear of the future, fear of paying the bills, fear for your health. Your destiny is not defined by your fears. Your destiny is dependent solely on the infinite power of the Almighty! You are not alone! God in his holiness and righteousness is right beside you.

Set aside your fears and focus your attention upon God who is the master of the nations, master of all people, and who is utterly trustworthy. Trust in God and your spirit will be free to sing with joy. 

When we fall into the abyss of fear we lose hope that God is with us and we often turn to people or the things of this world to rescue us. But then, if people disappoint us or say things that wound us further we may feel like we are trapped in a hopeless downward spiral. 

Choosing to focus on your situation in the abyss of fear is choosing to tackle an impossible task, for nothing that God created is capable of redeeming your situation. Choosing to focus on rescuing yourself or satisfying your own needs is dangerous, for you risk making God, the King of the universe a means to your own end. 

If you have fallen into the abyss of fear – look up and you will see Jesus standing there with his pierced hands outstretched to rescue and redeem you. If you choose to take Jesus’ hand, He will give you a new name, and place a song of praise and thanksgiving in your heart. 

God has placed before you an infinite well of salvation. Even when you are afraid you can drink deeply the water of God’s forgiveness, God’s salvation, God’s encouragement, God’s strength, and God’s love found in this well. You can freely drink the living water from this well whenever and wherever you need. This well will never run dry. This well is sufficient not only for you, but for all people. The water from this well will cleanse all your fears and fill you today with overflowing joy. 

Give thanks to the Lord! Praise his holy name! God is your salvation. Trust him and don’t be afraid! The Lord your God is your strength and your song! 

Don’t let fear define your day. Enter God’s courts with praise and thanksgiving for they are the only way you can refocus your attention from the abyss of fear to the blessings your loving Heavenly Father has bestowed upon you. 

Make known his praise to your family, your coworkers, and your friends! Tell everyone what the Lord has done. Let them know that God is mightier than all you fears, and God is the source of your strength. 

Sing to the Lord, for he has done wonderful things! Join with your brothers and sisters in Christ today in a glorious celebration shouting God’s praise with joy! 

Great is our Holy God who lives among us!