Are you tired of a defeated Christian life? Take this Study.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice” (Philippians 4:4)!

How can we have love, peace, joy, and victory in our lives? Well, God’s Word tells us to be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). And when we are filled with the Spirit, we not only have love, peace, and joy, we have the beautiful qualities of patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). We can be filled with the Spirit, and continue to be so by following these Scriptural instructions:

Repent: Of anything–actions, attitudes, words, bad habits–anything that might stand between you and the peace and joy of the Lord.  True acknowledgment of sin and sorrow over it releases its hold over you and your life. (See James 4:8-10)

Surrender To God: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in views of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifice, holy and please to God—which is your spiritual worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:1-2).

Ask God’s Forgiveness Whenever You Err: To keep Christ’s peace and joy, don’t ever let anything come between you and Him. (See 1 John 1:9)

Forgive: God, Yourself, Others:  Ask the Lord to reveal to you if there is anyone who has ever done you ill whom you need to forgive; and with His help, forgive that person. Do  this to exorcise the ghosts in your past that may rise up periodically to haunt you and hurt your life and relationships.  Do this to have peace with God, yourself, and others.  (See Luke 11:4, Mark 11:25-26, Ephesians 4:32.)

Trust in The Lord In Everything: Be anxious about nothing (Philippians 4:4-8).

Begin Your Day by Rejoicing in the Lord praising and thanking Him (Psalm 34:1).  Enjoy life to the fullest!  Report to the Lord for duty each morning, willing to serve Him however He may wish, in whatever He may want to do through you, in ministering to others, in being His light to your world.

Whenever Something Gets you Down, Praise The Lord (even and especially when you don’t feel like it).  This will lift you out of the dungeon of despair (Acts 16:25-26).  It worked for Paul and Silas; and it works for me every time!

Control Your Thoughts: Bring every thought into obedience to Christ (1 Corinthians 10:5). Be on guard against our enemy Satan and his devious devices.  Study            Ephesians 4:26-5:11, Ephesians 6:10-18; 1 Peter 5:8.

Serve the Lord: He has given you a gift or gifts–and talents–with which to serve Him, His people, and others for His glory.  Seek His guidance.

Read: Psalms 23, 34, 37, 51; Matthew 5 to 7; John 14 to 17; Romans 6, 7, 8, and 12; Galatians 5; Book of Ephesians; Philippians 4–until you fully understand what it is to die to self and walk in the Spirit.

Memorize: Psalms 23 and 34; Proverbs 3:5-8; Isaiah 26:3; Matthew 6:9-15, 31-33; Luke 10:17; John 10:27-28; Romans 5:8, 6:11; 8:18, 28; 10:9-13; 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 10:13, 31; 2 Corinthians 1:3-5, 12:9-10; Galatians 2:20, 4:7, 6:2; Ephesians 2:8-10, 4:32, 6:10-18; Philippians 1:6, 3:13-14, 4:4-8, 11, 13; Colossians 3:2-3; 2 Timothy 1:7, 12; Hebrews 4:15-16; 1 John 1:9, 4:4, 18-21.

Lord, give me your incredible joy, peace, and victory! Amen

Questions: We’re only human. How can we consistently have Christ’s joy, peace, and victory? How can we find time to do all the things we need to do to have Christ’s joy and peace?

If life is crazy right now and you could use someone to talk to, we’re here. Contact a mentor today.

If you are feeling overwhelmed with life today and unsure if you will be able to cope, let God’s word settle over your heart and bring you peace.

“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness” (2 Peter 1:3).

Father God, thank you that Your word is truth. Thank you that You have promised Your divine power to flow to me and through me … enabling me, TODAY, to have all that I need for life and godliness.

Right now, I ask that the power of Your Holy Spirit would fill me afresh and enable me to deal with what is in front of me. Thank you that with Your divine power in me, I can face what today holds.

Today I need help coping with ____________________________. Pour Your power into me to help me. Thank you that You have given me EVERYTHING I need today. May I trust You completely to help me step by step through this day.

I praise You for Your love and faithfulness to me and ask for courage to walk in this truth today. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

Questions: Are you feeling overwhelmed with life? How has God’s Word helped to bring peace to your life?

“Be good,” a mother says to her sons or daughters as they head out the door. We are encouraged to “do good to all,” and are commanded to “cling to what is good” and “overcome evil with good.” What does “goodness” look like? This study will help you understand more about this thing called goodness.

Whenever you watch a television show or a movie this week, analyze the values and virtues being promoted. How often is the accent on kindness, goodness, gentleness, and godliness? How often is it on malice, meanness, selfishness and sensuality? Count the insults you hear during one comedy show. Count the insults in commercials. Count the number of sinful acts. Then count the words of affirmation, the acts of kindness, goodness and godliness.

What does this tell you about the difference between our society’s value system and God’s value system? Does witnessing such behaviour influence us in a negative way? Does it make it seem normal to be mean, sarcastic, and selfish? Do we give in to the ‘everyone is doing it, so how bad can it be’ mentality?

Is some programming encouraging Christian values? Perhaps you could write a letter to the station broadcasting that show to let them know how much you appreciate it.

In Titus 2:11-15 we find a strong encouragement to be godly and to do good. Read the text slowly several times, then answer the following questions.

Be good,” a mother says to her son or daughter as they head out the door. We are encouraged to “do good to all,” and are commanded to “cling to what is good.” What does “goodness” look like? This study will help you understand more about this thing called goodness.

God is all present, all wise and all powerful. He is sovereign. This is the greatness of God.  The goodness of God is another fundamental truth that we should strive to grasp.  How can a good God allow evil to exist? Why does Jesus claim that only God is perfectly good in Matthew 19:16-17?  In our first lesson on the topic:  “Discover Your God Personally”, we discussed “God is love”. The goodness of God cannot be separated from His love. His goodness is an overall expression of His character. In this study we will consider how God’s goodness includes both His love and His justice.

Are you tired of a defeated Christian life?  Take this Study.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4).

How can we have love, peace, joy, and victory in our lives? Well, God’s Word tells us to be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). And when we are filled with the Spirit, we not only have love, peace, and joy, we have the beautiful qualities of patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). We can be filled with the Spirit, and continue to be so by following these Scriptural instructions:

Repent: Of anything–actions, attitudes, words, bad habits–anything that might stand between you and the peace and joy of the Lord.  True acknowledgment of sin and sorrow over it releases its hold over you and your life. (See James 4:8-10)

Surrender To God: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in views of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifice, holy and please to God—which is your spiritual worship. Do not conform any
longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:1-2).

Ask God’s Forgiveness Whenever You Err: To keep Christ’s peace and joy, don’t ever let anything come between you and Him. (See 1 John 1:9)

Forgive: God, Yourself, Others:  Ask the Lord to reveal to you if there is anyone who has ever done you ill whom you need to forgive; and with His help, forgive that person. Do
this to exorcise the ghosts in your past that may rise up periodically to haunt you and hurt your life and relationships.  Do this to have peace with God, yourself, and others.  (See Luke 11:4, Mark 11:25-26, Ephesians 4:32.)

Trust In The Lord In Everything: Be anxious about nothing (Philippians 4:4-8).

Begin Your Day By Rejoicing In The Lord praising and thanking Him (Psalm 34:1).  Enjoy life to the fullest!  Report to the Lord for duty each morning, willing to serve Him however He may wish, in whatever He may want to do through you, in ministering to others, in being His light to your world.

Whenever Something Gets You Down, Praise The Lord (even and especially when you don’t feel like it).  This will lift you out of the dungeon of despair (Acts 16:25-26).  It worked for Paul and Silas; and it works for me every time!

Control Your Thoughts: Bring every thought into obedience to Christ (1 Corinthians 10:5). Be on guard against our enemy Satan and his devious devices.  Study Ephesians 4:26-5:11, Ephesians 6:10-18; 1 Peter 5:8.

Serve The Lord: He has given you a gift or gifts–and talents–with which to serve Him, His
people, and others for His glory.  Seek His guidance.

Read: Psalms 23, 34, 37, 51; Matthew 5 to 7; John 14 to 17; Romans 6, 7, 8, and 12; Galatians 5; Book of Ephesians; Philippians 4–until you fully understand what it is to die to self and walk in
the Spirit.

Memorize: Psalms 23 and 34; Proverbs 3:5-8; Isaiah 26:3; Matthew 6:9-15, 31-33; Luke 10:17; John 10:27-28; Romans 5:8, 6:11; 8:18, 28; 10:9-13; 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 10:13, 31; 2 Corinthians 1:3-5, 12:9-10; Galatians 2:20, 4:7, 6:2; Ephesians 2:8-10, 4:32, 6:10-18; Philippians 1:6, 3:13-14, 4:4-8, 11, 13; Colossians 3:2-3; 2 Timothy 1:7, 12; Hebrews 4:15-16; 1 John 1:9, 4:4, 18-21.

Lord, give me your incredible joy, peace, and victory! Amen

Questions: We’re only human. How can we consistently have Christ’s joy, peace, and victory? How can we find time to do all the things we need to do to have Christ’s joy and peace?

About the Author Muriel Larson

Are you feeling overwhelmed by guilt? This is a safe place, talk to us.

“Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what He has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts” (I Chronicles 16: 8 – 9).

One spring day as I sat in the garden, all was quiet except for the joyful singing of one small bird. I looked around to see if I could spot the soloist. I found the source of this singular exuberance, way up on the highest branch of my neighbor’s tree, which overhung my garden. Just one small bird, that couldn’t have weighed more than a few ounces. Plain in appearance, his song was a beautiful melody – strong and joyous.

There are days when praise doesn’t come easily. I feel stuck in what John Bunyan refers to as the “slough of despond” the marshy patches of discouragement that seem to suck all the life out of me. That’s when I need to recall the goodness of God, and what he has done for me. God has proved himself to be so worthy of our praise.

As we praise Him we will become empowered, strengthened, and complete. The chains that bind will be loosed. Some days bring trouble, then all we have to offer Him is one small sacrifice of praise—one that is not so easy to find. Praise becomes a precious gift from our heart to the Father’s, for He understands all things.

Begin with thanksgiving. Then enter into his presence with praise. Praise will lead us into worship, and up to the very throne of God.

I accepted the lesson that the brown bird had to share with me that day. Praise that is shared is multiplied in the hearts of others. It has a way of spilling over. The small bird had showered me so graciously with the joy of praise. From the highest branches of the tree his exuberance was contagious! One little bird had lifted my spirits. For sure, birds do not fail in their mandate of praise.

Dear Father, I want to lift my heart to yours each day with thankfulness and praise. I want to bless your Holy Name and worship at your footstool for you are great and worthy to be praised. Put a new song in my heart oh Lord, may my lips forever sing your praises. When troubles or discouragement threaten to overtake me, remind me again, Lord of your faithfulness, so that I will forever praise you. Amen

Questions: Praise offered to the Father spills over into the hearts of others. Who can you share God’s goodness with today?

About the author Beverley Rayner

Are you feeling the regrets of having an abortion and need someone to talk to?

Join us for our Daily Devotional Chat today in our Women’s Chatroom at 10:30 am EDT.

One day, with head hung down, the lowly subject known as Sinner found herself standing in the Presence of the King. He guided her to a rugged cross, stained with blood that had trickled down its post. He escorted her to an empty tomb, where burial cloths lay as evidence of One having been there. As He walked with her into the Garden of Easter gladness, she finally understood and accepted the sacrifice for forgiveness of sins.

Sinner became known as Saint as she daily sought the King’s Presence. Sitting at His feet, she received all the King’s blessings of the Holy Spirit for her life. Then, one day, she crawled into the Throne Room as Discouraged, seeking answers to her many trials. The King lifted her up and sent her home with His Servant Encouragement to attend her in all her ways.

Entering one day as Faithless, she timidly approached the King. He immediately forgave her and imparted His Servant Grace to fill her heart. One day, entering as Defeat, she bowed her head in shame before the Throne, asking for the King’s assistance, wondering Him why her life was a failure. He entrusted His Servant Victory to be her advocate in all the matters of her life.

Entering one day as Pride, she strutted in before the King. Shaking His head at her, He assigned His Servant Humility to kneel by her side always.?? One day, entering as Grief, she fell sobbing into the arms of the King. He gently placed His hand of Love upon her head and dispatched His Servants Comfort and Peace to wipe away her tears and accompany her to still waters.

Entering one day as Selfish, she shoved her way into the King’s Throne Room, and the Selfless Lamb appeared and stood silently beside her, wrapping His arm around her shoulders and leading her to perform sacrificial acts for others.

One day, she returned as Prodigal, collapsing in exhaustion at the feet of the King. He set her back upright, wrapped a royal robe around her shoulders, placed a golden crown upon her head, and a divine ring upon her finger, sending His Servants Goodness and Mercy to pursue her in all her ways.

In all her subsequent days, she entered the Kings’ Presence on bended knees, with her head bowed in reverence, and her hands lifted in gratitude. Praise and Worship became her closest Companions…forevermore.

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:21, NIV).

What is your name today?

Questions: With what attitude are you coming before the Lord today? What is the Lord’s response to you?

About the Author Lynn Mosher

“Whatever happens, dear brothers and sisters, may the Lord give you joy …” Philippians 3:1, NLT

A man once told me that he’d broken up with his fiancé because she didn’t make him happy enough. Mind you, he was happy with her; she just didn’t make him as happy as he felt a future wife should.

What this man told me gives memorable insight into how some people view happiness: They believe happiness is dependent upon the people, the things, and the circumstances that surrounded them.

Yet, the Bible says don’t settle for happiness; aim for joy.

Joy comes from within; joy is not dependent upon the people in your life, or the possessions you accumulate, or what’s happening at this point in your life.

God says you’ll find joy, when you trust that he’s in control and working to use the good – and the bad – of your life for a greater purpose.

The apostle Paul understood this, writing about joy while in prison, chained to a guard, alone in a foreign city: “Whatever happens, dear brothers and sisters, may the Lord give you joy …” (Philippians 3:1, NLT).

He suggested there are two keys to transforming mere happiness into a deeply-felt, ever-present joy:

First, live each day by grace. Grace means you don’t have to earn God’s love or his approval. And here’s some joyful news: If you don’t have to earn God’s love, then you don’t have to earn anyone else’s love.

God offers his love unconditionally, and you can joyfully live in that grace everyday, all day long. Understanding this drains the tension from your life: you can make mistakes and know that you’re still loved by God, who desires a relationship with you over any rules or rituals.

The man who broke up with his fiancé appears to have had difficulty in understanding grace. His love came with conditions – “As long as you make me happy, I’ll love you” – and that means he probably assumes the love he receives from others is conditional too. How can anyone experience joy when they live each day thinking they have to earn love?

Second, stay focused on what’s really important. There are a lot of little things that can steal your joy – but only if you let them. Jesus taught this: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21).

My sister, Chaundel, thought about this Bible passage when she learned her house in Maryville, California, was under 9 feet of water. While she and her husband, Tom, were out to dinner, the local levy broke and flooded the area. Even in her grief, she joked, “We drove our Chevy to the levy, and the levy was dry.”

Looking back on that time, Chaundel says, “God taught us that such a loss really makes you think about what’s important and what’s going to last. Our possessions were wiped out in a matter of minutes, but the important thing is that we were alive and well. Within a year, our house was rebuilt, but we could have never replaced each other.”

Happiness is overrated. On the other hand, joy is often forgotten. Yet, joy will stabilize your life as you embrace grace and focus on the things that are truly important, moving a bad hair day down the list and relationships up to the top. No matter what happens, may God give you joy.

Question: What do you see as being the difference between happiness and joy?

About this Author: Rick Warren

“Like an open city with no defenses is the man with no check on his feelings.” Proverbs 25:28 (NAB)

It’s not unusual for people to become disillusioned, discouraged, and fatigued about halfway into a difficult challenge. When I start to feel the fatigue, I look to Proverbs 25 and remember that my feelings are not a reliable measure of how things are going.

We’re to trust wholeheartedly in God and put no faith in our own perceptions (based on Proverbs 3:5, NJB).

Our feelings come from a variety of sources – past, present, and future. But feelings often lie; they’re not always a reflection of reality. Plus, life is complex and we must often live with mixed feelings: “Even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may end in grief” (Proverbs 14:13).

People often compare life to a roller coaster of hills and valleys, but actually life is more like two rails on a railroad track. One rail represents the good and positive in your life; the other represents the bad and painful in your life.

You’ll always have both at the same time! There will always be something good and something bad happening in your life. We can’t expect everything to be good for one month and then everything to be bad the next month. There’s always a mixture of both, a blending of both bitter and sweet.

However, we can choose the focus: “When others are happy, be happy with them. If they are sad, share their sorrow” (Romans 12:15, NLT).

Question: Have you been feeling fatigued lately? What’s been dragging you down?

About this Author: Rick Warren