Category: God’s Promises

GOD’S WIN/WIN AGREEMENTS

What are God’s expectations of us? Does He require that His children follow His commands? Do you require God to meet your expectations, or do you trust His wisdom and all-knowing power? Everyone has needs and desires, and so does God. We are made in His image. God is a Spirit, and we are spirits in human bodies. Ultimately, God created us to love Him and others. Jesus explains in Matthew 22:36-40, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38This is the great and first commandment. 39And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

The Apostle Paul explains the principle of love in Romans 13:8-10, which states, “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” Please read my post called THE GREATEST PRINCIPLE TO LIVE BY.

In my last post, I shared the need for WIN/WIN agreements that help you have healthy relationships, as explained by Stephan Covey in “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.” But do you know that God sets up win/win agreements all through the Bible? With every win/win agreement, there are consequences for breaking the agreement. If you haven’t read my last post, please read it to help you understand what win/win agreements are and how they are helpful for healthy relationships.

God established the following agreement with the new Israelite nation, explained in Deuteronomy 28:1-8, which states, “And if you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. 2And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the LORD your God. 3Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. 4Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock. 5Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. 6Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. 7The LORD will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you. They shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways. 8The LORD will command the blessing on you in your barns and in all that you undertake. And he will bless you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.”

The condition for the win/win agreement on God’s side was for the Israelites to be faithful to obey His commands. Obedience shows that we love God (John 14:15). If they obeyed, they would be blessed in all they did. But if they didn’t obey, they would not be blessed, but cursed in all they did. Here is a sampling of the curses: Deuteronomy 28:45-48 “All these curses shall come upon you and pursue you and overtake you till you are destroyed, because you did not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes that he commanded you. 46They shall be a sign and a wonder against you and your offspring forever. 47Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joyfulness and gladness of heart, because of the abundance of all things, therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the LORD will send against you, in hunger and thirst, in nakedness, and lacking everything. And he will put a yoke of iron on your neck until he has destroyed you.”

The consequences of not obeying seem very harsh. If you had a child who would not obey and was very obstinate, they would think your punishment or consequences were harsh, maybe even abusive. God is our Father and the King of Kings and lord of Lords; therefore, He requires that we obey because he created us to be in a loving relationship with Him and others. If you love someone, you will want them to love you back and be willing to work toward mutually agreeable benefits. If your spouse decides to have an affair, then the marriage agreement is broken. Often, affairs end a marriage, and the consequences are sometimes very harsh.

I published a book called “Unlocking God’s Promises.” In this book, I explain 18 categories of promises, which are win/win agreements. Agreements or solutions benefit everyone and leave everyone satisfied; if you don’t do your part, then God won’t keep His promise. For example, Matthew 6:33 states, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” God agrees to give you all you need if you seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. The Apostle Paul explains the kingdom in Romans 14:17, “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” We are to seek peace with all men (Heb. 12:14; Rom. 12:17-18; James 3:18; and 2Timothy 2:22). There are many other ways to seek first his kingdom, to learn more read, How do you seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness?

Another example is John 14:23, which states, “Jesus answered him, ‘If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.’” The condition is to keep Jesus’ instructions, and when we do, then the Father will love you and He will make His home in you.

Conclusion

Win/Win means that agreements or solutions benefit everyone and leave everyone satisfied. God created humans to be in a relationship with Him, so that He could show His love and power toward them. God has many win/win promises for those who obey and love Him. To learn more, buy my book on Unlocking God’s Promises. As soon as it is officially published, I will provide a link.

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All verses are from the English Standard Version. If you find my posts and website helpful, please share this link with your friends and family: hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected. Please do not reproduce any part of the posts or my book without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom and this website.

My latest book, Unlocking God’s Promises, explains 18 categories of promises relevant to each of our lives. It also includes the promises in Psalm 91.  

If you find this website helpful, you would like to read Breaking Mental Strongholds, which expands on my website book and includes many of my posts. 

Additionally, consider my book Fighting Unseen Battles, which describes the many unhealthy beliefs that control our lives and what the truths are. To learn more about this book, read the post How to Fight Unseen Battles.  

Contact me at hopeforcompletehealing@gmail.com and ask for a PDF of Eight Life-Changing Prayers from the Bible. The prayers are for the Spirit of wisdom, renewal, spiritual strength, knowledge of His will, virtues of God, non-believers, the 23rd Psalm, and victory. I will also send you the Lord’s Prayer Model to pray effectively. Please leave your name, so I know you are a real person making the request.

Why the Wise People Are Not Anxious

In Jesus’s first sermon, He goes into great detail explaining why we should not be anxious. So why are we naturally anxious and worried? Jesus says it is because we don’t have enough faith. Remember, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Heb. 11:1). George Muller, the German missionary to England during the black plague, showed great faith in God’s provision. He started orphanages to take care of all the children whose parents died during the plague. Then he prayed and believed that God would provide food and necessities for the orphanages, and He did. This is an encouraging testimony; I recommend everyone read his story. All the missionary stories involve faith in God and how God came through for them.

The Wise Knows God Cares.

I must admit that I have a stock of food and necessities in the event of a disaster, or another quarantine like during Covid. So, having at least three months of food and water to get through an unforeseen disaster is wise. But we should not be consumed with worry about a disaster that may never happen. Dictionary.com (2023) says that being anxious is being full of mental distress or uneasiness because of fear of danger or misfortune, or greatly worried. Jesus explains in Matthew 6:25-26, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Jesus does not want us to be anxious but trust that He is our provider. To build your faith, read in the book of Deuteronomy about how God provided everything for one million people for forty years, plus their clothing and sandals did not wear out.

This concept is hard because it defies our fleshly nature to not trust God. We work so we can buy food and clothing and keep a roof over our heads. What does Jesus mean when He says, “Is not life more than food?” Maybe we should be more concerned about living our lives for our heavenly Father and not be mentally consumed with our daily or future necessities. 26Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Jesus is saying, our heavenly Father will provide what we need because He cares for us. Does this mean we don’t have to work? No, the Bible says, if we don’t work then we should not eat (2Thes. 3:10). I am pondering what Jesus possibly means, and I don’t really know. Maybe we are to trust our heavenly Father for everything, even what we need in the future, knowing He cares for us even more than the birds. This principle goes beyond food and clothing. One time, I needed a cheap place to live with my two toddlers, because I had no actual job and just started an alterations business. I trusted God to provide, and He did a miracle. Read my story in the post called Trust God to Keep His Promises.

The Wise Have Faith

Jesus further explains in Matthew 6:27-32 “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? Anxiety and worry cause stress in our bodies, which weakens it. Read this article to learn how. We need to keep in mind that in Jesus’s time, they did not have shopping centers and grocery stores everywhere or clothing factories, so this was a legitimate concern. We may not worry about not having clothing, but we may worry about other things, like our family, finances, jobs, and so on.

28And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.”

God is all-knowing and all-powerful, so why don’t we trust Him to provide what we need, now and in the future? The answer is that we are sinful and would rather trust in worldly institutions, even ourselves and others, to meet our needs. The remedy is to stay in constant prayer and expectation of how our heavenly Father will meet our needs. Philippians 4:19 states, “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” And the Apostle Paul says in Ephesians 3:20, “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us.”

The Wise Are Kingdom Minded

Jesus says in Matthew 6:33-34, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Seek means to look for. The kingdom of God is an actual place and a place where our faith dwells. Romans 14:17 states, “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” We must first look for God’s presence and purpose in our lives. I wrote a post about this. Read, How do you seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness?

Conclusion

The Apostle Paul told the Philippian church in Philippians 4:6-7,“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” So never be anxious, stay in constant prayer and expectation and you will live in peace.

RELATED POSTS

4—God Promises to Provide for Your Needs (Updated 3/19/22)

Other posts on the Sermon on the mount.

Posts about God’s promises.

All verses are from the English Standard Bible. If you find my posts and website helpful, please share this link with your friends and family; hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected. Please do not reproduce any part of the posts or my book without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom and this website.

Check out my latest book Breaking Mental Strongholds, which you can order on Amazon. To learn more about it, read my post called Breaking Mental Strongholds Book. Also, check out Fighting Unseen Battles on Amazon. To learn more about this book, read: How to Fight Unseen Battles.

Contact me at hopeforcompletehealing@gmail.com, and ask for a PDF of Eight Life-changing Prayers from the Bible. The prayers are for the Spirit of wisdom, renewal, spiritual strength, knowledge of His will, virtues of God, non-believers, 23rd Psalm, and victory. I will also send you the Lord’s Prayer Model to pray effectively. Please leave your name, so I know you are a real person making the request.

Prison Report 8–Faith, Hope, and Love

I need your help with my lesson on faith. We are seeing growth and understanding in the consistent Bible Study participants. Sandy taught last week about God’s love: acceptance, security, identity, and purpose. She emphasized the loving father in the Prodigal Son parable (Luke 15) and his true identity, security, and purpose. Despite the young son squandering his inheritance, the father loved and restored him. Just as the Father put on the robe of identity on him, Jesus puts a robe of righteousness on us, which is our identity. Sandy emphasized that the children in God’s kingdom are righteous because they have the entirety of the Holy Spirit sealed within them.  We just need to renew our minds to let God move us to who He created us to be.

I am teaching this Friday about faith, hope, and love. Faith is a hard topic, so I would like to know your understanding and how to teach faith to these precious women. Please pray for Theresa, Shiana, and Hannah (who does not know the Lord). Yumyum was released to a mental hospital, MJ is still in the hole for her anger; please pray for her; she loves the Lord but struggles with retaliation from the hurt in her past. There is no guarantee that I will teach this lesson this Friday because if new girls attend, we address their issues and where they are in their walk or no walk with God. I may only be able to do half the lesson depending on issues the girls bring up.

Faith, Hope, and Love

We have hope when we trust God keeps His promises, which increases our faith when we believe in biblical truth. By faith, we receive God’s love and show His love to others.

1 Timothy 1:5  states, “The aim [goal] of our charge [instructions] is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”

Ephesians 6:23 states, “Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Define faith. (Read Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”) We have the assurance of salvation through believing in Jesus Christ as the son of God and the conviction that our sins are forgiven through the death and blood of Jesus Christ. So now we can hope for eternal life with God.

Define hope. Romans 8:24-25 states, “For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”

Some promises you can hope for are found in Jeremiah 29:11-13, which says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” You may not see the good plan God has for you, but when you put your trust in God and seek Him with all your heart, you will see it. Most promises come with a condition. For example, the promise is that God will hear us, but what is the condition?

What are the promises in these three verses?

Hope comes from reading God’s Word and trusting that God will do what He said He would do. Romans 15:4 states, “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” We increase in hope when we learn the truths in God’s Word, and read the Bible every day with endurance (persistence), then the Scriptures will encourage us to believe. There will be days you feel you are too busy to read your Bible, but I say with confidence that you will be glad you persist to read your Bible every morning. Joshua 1:8 states, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”

(Look at a picture of the grapevine.) Faith is a seed that is only seen when it begins to grow above the soil.

If you put a seed in a pot without soil, will it grow?

Do you see the seed in the soil?

Can you see the roots? Does this mean they do not exist?

Where do we get faith? Read Romans 10:17 “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

Why do we need to have faith? Read Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

What does faith do for us? Read Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.” 1Peter 1:9 “Obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” Ephesians 6:16 “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one.”

Who is the evil one?

What kind of darts does he fling at us?

What does he hope the darts do in our lives?

Why does faith protect us?

Faith is believing in the existence of God when you do not see Him. And believe God will keep His promises, even when you don’t know how.

When you believe, the seed of faith is planted in your heart. Faith grows as we remain or abide in the Word of God daily, which is the soil that provides nutrients so our faith grows. Also, when you persist in believing the truth that God loves you, it will grow in your heart.

Briefly review Sandy’s lesson on the types of soils (Matt. 13:18-23). Faith won’t grow well in rocky soil or weedy, thorny soil.

The roots of our faith will not get a firm hold in rocky soil. Forgiving past and present hurts removes the rocks that stunt the growth of faith, love, joy, peace, and so on. Jesus instructs us to forgive in Matthew 6:14-15.

Removing worldly distractions, worries (outside our control), and selfish desires from your life will uproot the weeds and thorns, so your faith and God’s love get all the nutrients from God’s Word (soil) of your heart. Ask God to give us His ability to be patient and kind, and so on.

For faith to grow and produce fruit, it needs five elements:

1. Good Soil: Faith is planted in our hearts when we believe Jesus is the Son of God (Eph 3:16-17). Seeds need good soil (no rocks, clay, or weeds) to grow in (Matt. 13:18-23). Next, it needs to be rooted and grounded in love as we forgive those who sin against us (Matt 6:14-15).

2. Water: Faith stays alive when watered by prayer because Jesus is our source of living water (John 4:10).

3. Light: Faith produces a harvest of fruit when it gets the light of Jesus as we live through Him (John 8:12 & Gal.2:20). Because of the light of Jesus in us, we can be a light to others and plant seeds of faith when we witness and tell others about our faith or water someone else’s faith to help their faith grow (Matt. 5:16; John 12:46; and Acts 13:47).

4. Cultivation: Faith grows when cared for by daily reading and obeying the living Word of God (1Peter 1:23 and Hebrews 4:12).

5. Protection: Faith gets stronger when we obey God, go to church, and encourage one another (Jam. 1:19-27 and Heb. 10:23-25). We will die spiritually if we do not remain in the soil of God’s love, receive nourishment from the living Word of God, get living water from Jesus through prayer, and receive; light from Jesus’ life). Why is this true?

If you stay nourished by God’s Word and watered by prayer every day, your faith will grow and produce fruit through the Holy Spirit. John 15:4-5 states, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

If a plant is taken out of the soil, will it grow and thrive? Why not?

If you don’t water a plant, what will happen to it? Why?

If you put the plant in a closet, what will happen then?

What does abide mean?

Galatians 5:22-23 tells us what fruit will grow when we abide in Him through His Word.

Love (1Cor. 13:4-6),
Joy (John 17:13 & 15:11),
Peace (Rom 12:18 & Phil 4:6-7),
Patience (Col 3:12-13 & Eph 4:2),
Kindness (2Tim. 2:24 & Eph 4:32),
Goodness (Rom. 2:10 & 15:2),
Faithfulness-Trust (Ps. 37:3 & Luke 16:10),
Gentleness-Humility (1Tim 6:11 & 1Peter 3:5), and
Self-control (Titus 2:12).

Love and Faith

1Co 16:13-14 states, “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, …, be strong. 14Let all that you do be done in love.”

1Cor. 13:13 states, “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

1John 4:12-13 states, “No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. 13By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.” And verses 16 says, “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” There is the abiding word again.

Jesus tells us in John 15:10, “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.” Psalm 119:10-11 says, “With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! 11I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”

Define love. (Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-6)

How do you usually react when you don’t get your way?

Are you being selfish or loving?

How can you be loving when you don’t get your way?

How do you think other people feel when you yell at them or hurt them?

Every day, we need to pray and ask God to help us love, be patient, and be kind because we are all naturally self-centered. Abiding in God’s Word every day and putting off unloving thoughts, feelings, and deeds, will help you grow in love.

Please leave a comment on how you would help inmates understand faith.

All verses are from the English Standard Bible. If you find my posts and website helpful, please share this link with your friends and family; hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected. Please do not reproduce any part of the posts or my book without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom and this website.

Check out my latest book Breaking Mental Strongholds which you can order on Amazon. To learn more about it, read my post called Breaking Mental Strongholds Book. Also, check out Fighting Unseen Battles on Amazon. To learn more about this book, read: How to Fight Unseen Battles.

Contact me at hopeforcompletehealing@gmail.com, and ask for a PDF of Eight Life-changing Prayers from the Bible. The prayers are for the Spirit of wisdom, renewal, spiritual strength, knowledge of His will, virtues of God, non-believers, 23rd Psalm, and victory. I will also send you the Lord’s Prayer Model to pray effectively. Please leave your name, so I know you are a real person making the request.

17 Part 2—Does God Promise to Love Unconditionally?

How often have you heard that God’s love is unconditional? Where does the Bible say this? Some people give vague verses that allude to unconditional love, but nowhere does the Bible state it. This knowledge does not negate the fact that God loves the world and gave His only Son to pay the penalty for our sin so we can be justified by faith and have peace with Him.

Most of God’s promises are conditional; for example, Jeremiah 7:23 states, “But this command I gave them: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.’” When we obey God and walk in His ways, then He will abide with us so that it will be well with us. We can trust that God will always be faithful to us. So, how faithful are you to God? Here are a few verses that show God’s love is conditional on our love, obedience, trust, and forsaking evil.

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.  ̶̶̶ Deuteronomy 7:9

And I said, “O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments.”  ̶ Nehemiah 1:5

Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” ̶ John 14:23

Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD.  ̶ Psalm 32:10

But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children.  ̶̶̶ Psalm 103:17

As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.  ̶̶̶ Psalm 103:13

You may say that you love, obey, trust, and fear God. But what are you filling your mind and heart with? Do you keep your mind on the things above by reading your Bible every day and talking with God? Or do you watch ungodly TV shows or movies that act out every evil, immoral thing God hates?

Does God Hate?

Yes, God does hate, as explained in Proverbs 6:16-19, “There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: 17haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, 19a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.” Ask God if you are guilty of any of these things He hates. Remember, our hearts are deceitful, as explained in Jeremiah 17:9 (KJV), “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” And Psalm 11:5 states, “The LORD tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.” Someone who is wicked is evil and immoral. Evil people harm others for their own gain because of sin.  Also, Proverbs 8:13 states, “The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.”

Not only are we to turn from doing evil but also watching and enjoying evil and immoral scenes. What kind of books do you like to read? Do the stories you read contain the things God hates? We should hate the same things God hates and avoid filling our minds with such things if we truly love God with all our hearts, soul, strength, and mind. Proverbs 16:6 tells us, “By [God’s] steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil.” Psalm 34:16 states, “The face of the LORD is against those who do [think] evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.”

It is evident that God hates evil and all who do evil. The Apostle Peter also wrote, “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil” (1Peter 3:12). A righteous person thinks righteous thoughts and does what is good and right. Romans 6:11-13 teaches, “So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13Do not present your members [mind and soul] to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.”

If God’s Love is Unconditional, Then Why Does He Have Wrath

One of the hardest topics to teach is God’s wrath, which also counters the notion that God loves us unconditionally. If you disagree with my thinking and beliefs, please comment and let me know, but please use solid scripture to correct my wrong thinking. John 3:36 states, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” Saying a salvation prayer does not guarantee eternal salvation, obedience to the end does. Ephesians 5:5-6 states, “For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.”

Romans 1:18 states, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.” We are saved from God’s wrath when we believe in His Son and receive the atonement for our sins that Jesus bought. Then we must love and fear God by obeying His commands, turning from evil, and putting our trust in Him. Romans 5:8-9 states, “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.”

Conclusion

God’s promises are for everyone. Acts 2:39 states, “For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” I have shared many promises from the Bible, and I am sure there are many more. We can trust that God never lies. Titus 1:2 states, “In hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began.” And we will receive the promised eternal life if we endure to the end and do the will of God (Hebrews 10:36). The mission of this website is to uncover false beliefs and replace them with biblical truth.  As much as we want to believe that God has unconditional love, the truth is that He wants our love, obedience, and trust, and to turn from our evil, sinful ways in fear of His wrath.

RELATED POSTS

10—God Promises to Deliver Us from Wrath

EVIL—What is it and what is the remedy?

Part 2: How to Overcome Evil with Good.

Are You a Sheep or a Goat?

All verses are from the English Standard Bible. If you find my posts and website helpful, please share the links with your friends and family, hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected, and no part of the posts or my book may be reproduced without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom and this website.

Check out my book called Fighting Unseen Battles on Amazon. I would love to hear what you think. To learn more about my book read: How to Fight Unseen Battles

17—Believers Can’t Be Separated from God’s Love 

Have you noticed the huge deficit of love in our world? Hate seems to dominate our politics and our families. Why? The answer is simple, Satan kills, steals, and destroys all that God called good. Because God is love, and we are made in His image, we need love in our lives. Satan causes dysfunction, abuse, discord, and separation in families to destroy love. Many of us grew up in homes where love was not shown or if it was shown, it was selfish. As children, we develop the wrong belief that we must earn love or be a certain way to be loved. This false belief affects our view of God’s love for us. We get married, wanting to be loved sacrificially but not knowing how to give sacrificial love. Often, we marry equally wounded people and then pass on our unhealthy beliefs about love to our children. God’s love is perfect.

Trying to grasp how much God loves us is like trying to understand how He made the Universe. God’s love is so vast and immeasurable, yet 1John 4:12 states, “No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.” This post is not about how to love but how we display the love of God to others. I have written many posts on love because love is the holy grail of Christianity. If you are interested to learn more, read LOVE Issues.

Love is why God sent His only Son into the world to die for our sins and to give us liberty from our sinful nature. Ephesians 3:17-19 states, “So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” How awesome is that? And Romans 8:38-39 states, “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Satan may put wrong thoughts in your mind like, “If God loved you, you wouldn’t be going through this,” or “What kind of Father would let his child go through something this hard?” “God doesn’t love you because you disappoint Him.” When we question God’s love, we can’t trust that He has our best interest in mind. Isaiah 54:10 states, “For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.:”  God lets us go through hard things, to refine our hearts and strengthen our faith. Read my posts called Being Thankful During Hardships and 2— God Promises to Deliver Us from Our Troubles.

God’s Love Is Everlasting and Steadfast

But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children. ̶̶̶ Psalm 103:17

In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,” says the LORD, your Redeemer. ̶̶̶ Isaiah 54:8

The LORD appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you. ̶̶̶ Jeremiah 31:3

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ̶̶̶ Lamentations 3:22-23

But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. ̶̶̶ Genesis 39:21

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.  ̶̶̶Deuteronomy 7:9

Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!  ̶̶̶ 1Chronicals 16:34

They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them. ̶̶̶ Nehemiah 9:17

Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O LORD!  ̶̶̶ Psalm 25:7

Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. ̶̶̶ Psalm 36:5 

The English Standard Version records God’s steadfast love in 193 verses. We can trust God’s love has no end. The Apostle John said in 1John 4:8 that “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” How is your love toward those around you? 1John 4:11 states, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” We know we are abiding in God by how we love those around us. 1John 4:16-17 states, “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.” Never forget that there will be a judgment, and we will have to give an account of all we did while in the flesh, whether good or evil (2Cor. 5:10).

Conclusion

Love is the central theme of God and Christianity. How do you rate on the love scale? Are you patient with everyone? Are you kind to the unkind? Are you gentle with the harsh? Are you self-controlled when tempted? If you struggle with loving others as God loves them, please read my website book; it will help you identify what controls your unloving thoughts and actions. We can trust that nothing will separate us from God’s love, but nowhere in the Bible does it say His love is unconditional. I will explore that truth in my next post.

RELATED POSTS

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All verses are from the English Standard Bible. If you find my posts and website helpful, please share the links with your friends and family, hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected, and no part of the posts or my book may be reproduced without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom and this website.

Check out my first book called Fighting Unseen Battles on Amazon. I would love to hear what you think. To learn more about my book, read: How to Fight Unseen Battles.

16–God Promises to Reward Obedience

It feels good to be rewarded. You get that bonus or raise for your hard work, a party for meeting a goal, and so on. We learned in the last post that God tests us to see if we will obey Him. He also gives rewards for our obedience. According to Dictionary.com (06/30/2022), obedience is being compliant and submitting to the requests of someone in authority. God is the supreme authority. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, all-loving, and so on. God established laws as a boundary for the sinful nature we inherited when Adam disobeyed God’s command to not eat from the tree in the middle of the garden.

We have laws in our country to control the self-centered actions of people. For instance, there are many traffic laws we need to obey, and if we don’t, we will suffer a consequence. Many establishments have a code of conduct they expect their employees or customers to follow to maximize a pleasant and safe environment. Otherwise, you have chaos and fear. God’s laws and commands have the same purpose.

Obedience is hard when you want to be self-centered or prideful and don’t think you need to do what someone tells you to do. I had a problem obeying because I did not trust the people in authority. I also struggled to comply because I needed to be in control, which was a trust and pride issue. When I worked through betrayal issues and broke down the betrayal stronghold and the controlling stronghold, I was more willing to obey. To learn more, read Pt. 1: Forsaken? Betrayed? How to Trust Again.

A stronghold is built by wrong beliefs from painful events. Imagine a fort around your body that protects and keeps people from hurting you. 2Corinthians 10:3-5 explains, “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 4For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” Wrong beliefs are opinions raised up against the truths of God. I needed to take my unhealthy thinking from the painful event captive and make it obedient to Jesus’s life of love. I explain this in great detail in my book Breaking Mental Strongholds.

Sometimes you are asked to do something that does not make sense. God the Father planned that His son was to die on a cross to pay the penalty for our sins, which does not make sense to us. Philippians 2:8 states, “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”  

Do you think it is unreasonable for God to require us to be holy? 1Peter 1:14-16 states, “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’” Dictionary.com (6/30/2022) says that holy is to be spiritually pure, godly, and dedicated or devoted to the service of God. God promises to be our helper, so we can depend on Him to help us be holy. To learn more, read Posts About Godliness.

So what are God’s rewards for obedience?

God Promises to Bless Those Who Obey Him

What does it mean to be blessed? Dictionary.com (6/30/2022) says that “blessed” is to be divinely or supremely favored, and favored is to be regarded or treated with preference or partiality and enjoy special advantages. Does this sound like something you would like? The following verses describe how God blesses those who obey and keep His ways:

And now, O sons, listen to me: blessed are those who keep my ways. ‒Proverbs 8:32

Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! ‒Psalm 119:2-3

But the one who looks into the perfect law [love], the law of liberty [freedom], and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing [all that you do]. ‒James 1:25

But he says, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!’ ‒Luke 11:28

Blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times! ‒Psalm 106:3

See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside from the way that I am commanding you today, to go after other gods that you have not known. ‒Deuteronomy 11:26-28

Be careful to obey all these words that I command you, that it may go well with you and with your children after you forever when you do what is good and right in the sight of the LORD your God. ‒Deuteronomy 12:28

Do you know what God requires of you? Do you obey so you can be blessed?

God Promises Eternal life with Him to Those Who Do His Will

Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

1John 2:17 “And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”

John 14:21 “Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” 

The will of God is what He expects us to do, namely, that we love Him with all our strength, heart, mind, and soul (Luke 10:27-28). By obeying His commands, we prove our love for God. John 14:23 states, “Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” John 14:31 states, “I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father.” God also requires that we love others as Jesus loves them. 1John 3:23 states, “And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.”

Loving others is hard because we are all sinners and hurt one another. I discuss this in greater detail in my website book. When we obey the truth found in God’s Word, we purify our souls as we obey and forgive those who hurt us and let go of resentment, then we can love from a pure heart. 1Peter 1:22 states, “Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart.” To learn more about purifying your heart, read Love from a Pure Heart.

Conclusion

Obedience is difficult if you are self-centered, prideful, or don’t trust those in authority. But it is always best to obey God, not just for the rewards, but because He is good and knows our future and what is best for us. I don’t understand why God asked me to write because I never thought I was a good writer and didn’t know how to write. I obeyed, and I am still writing. I pray you are blessed by my writing and choose to obey God so you will be blessed with divine favor and spend eternity with Him.

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All verses are from the English Standard Version. If you find my posts and website helpful, please share this link with your friends and family: hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected. Please do not reproduce any part of the posts or my book without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom and this website. 

My latest book is Unlocking God’s Promises, which explains 18 categories of promises that are relevant to each of our lives. It also includes the promises in Psalm 91.  

If you find this website helpful, you would like to read Breaking Mental Strongholds, which expands on my website book and includes many of my posts. 

Additionally, consider my book Fighting Unseen Battles, which describes the many unhealthy beliefs that control our lives and what the truths are. To learn more about this book, read the post How to Fight Unseen Battles.  

Contact me at hopeforcompletehealing@gmail.com and ask for a PDF of Eight Life-Changing Prayers from the Bible. The prayers are for the Spirit of wisdom, renewal, spiritual strength, knowledge of His will, virtues of God, non-believers, the 23rd Psalm, and victory. I will also send you the Lord’s Prayer Model to pray effectively. Please leave your name, so I know you are a real person making the request. 

15—God Promises to Test Us

What are God’s tests like?  Tests determine what you learned and how you can apply what you know. Do you like tests?  I know I don’t because of the possibility that I could fail. How do you pass a test? As a public-school teacher, I would say to listen to what your teacher teaches and take good notes, know all the material in the required reading, and take the time to study your notes and reading material. One time I gave the final exam out to my students to use as a study guide. You know, most of them never studied or bothered to look at my study guide, so many failed.  When they found out how easy it would have been to get an “A,” they were upset with themselves for not putting forth an effort to study. God gave us the Bible to study and learn from. Are you reading and meditating about how you can apply God’s teaching to your life?

Do you remember getting your driver’s license? You studied the driving book front to back because if you didn’t know the rules, you would have an accident. You pass the written test, but then you must take the driving test. I must admit, I failed the driving test twice, even though the driving teacher let me use the little car I practiced in. I finally passed using my friend’s colossal chevy. God is merciful and compassionate toward us; even so, He will test us to see if we can apply what we know. Our Christian driving test is through the trials of life to see how we apply the Word of God. Did you pass the first time, or did you have to go through the troubles again before you passed?

What are God’s tests like? 

The Bible is your reading material, and your Bible teacher will tell you what to know and study to pass God’s tests. All we need to do is memorize the material in preparation for the test. The following few Bible passages give us an idea of what God tests for. God gives instructions, which He calls a law, command, statutes, judgments, etc., all are recorded in the Bible. He asks that we obey what He tells us to do; if we don’t obey, it is a sin. Not all instructions are for us today; for example, God said that the Israelites were to gather only enough manna to feed their family for that day. Exodus 16:4 states, “Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.’” But many Israelites did not obey God’s instructions and failed the test. Are you walking according to God’s instructions?

God Tests Our Obedience

Then in Exodus 20:1-17, God gives Moses the Ten Commandments. Note all the promises of success that God gives if you obey these commandments. And God spoke all these words, saying, 2I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

(1) 3“You shall have no other gods before me.

(2) 4You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

(3) 7“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

(4) 8“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

(5) 12“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

(6) 13“You shall not murder.

(7) 14“You shall not commit adultery.

(8) 15“You shall not steal.

(9) 16“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

(10) 17“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”

Exodus 20:20 states, “Moses said to the people, ‘Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.’” Can you imagine if everyone would obey these ten commandments? Do you think we would have a problem with crime? Jeremiah 9:5-7 describes our present society, “Everyone deceives his neighbor, and no one speaks the truth; they have taught their tongue to speak lies; they weary themselves committing iniquity. 6Heaping oppression upon oppression, and deceit upon deceit, they refuse to know me, declares the LORD. 7Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts: “Behold, I will refine them and test them, for what else can I do, because of my people?”

God tests our hearts and minds.

I know, my God, that you test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. ‒1Chronicals 29:17a 

Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end, and may you establish the righteous— you who test the minds and hearts, O righteous God! ‒Psalm 7:9 

Prove me, O LORD, and try me; test my heart and my mind. ‒ Psalm 26:2 

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? 10“I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds. ‒ Jeremiah 17:9-10

Ask God to search your heart and mind and to show you where you do not love Him or others well. Ask if you are being patient, kind, envious, boastful, arrogant, rude, insisting on your way, irritable, resentful, etc. (1Corinthians 13:4- 5). Ask Him to show you where you do not love Him with all your heart and mind (Matthew 22:37).

God Tests Our Faith using Trials.

God uses trials and hardships to test us. 1Peter 4:12 tells us, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” And the passage most Christians know, James 1:2-4, tells us, “Count it all joy, my brothers [and sisters], when you meet trials of various kinds, 3for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” And James 1:12 states, “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” Will you still love God even when you fail the test and must retake it?

In 2Corinthians 13:5, the Apostle Paul tells us to “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! Do you have Jesus’ attitude of looking out for other people’s interests before your own (Philippians 2:4-5)? Are you a servant like Jesus (Philippians 2:7)? Are you willing to lay down your life for your friends (John 15:13)? If you can’t answer “yes” to these questions, then ask Jesus to come into your life and forgive your sins and help you be more like Him.

The end goal of the tests throughout our life is to be like God. Ephesians 4:20-24 states, “But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” We renew our minds through prayer and applying the Word of God to our lives.

Conclusion

This post was a tough post to write, and I could have written more.  If you have more to add, please leave a comment and share what you know. God gave us the Bible to study and learn from. Are you reading and meditating about how you can apply God’s teaching to your life? BIBLE means Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. Rely on the all-powerful and loving God to help you and be with you through the trials of life.

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All verses are from the English Standard Version. If you find my posts and website helpful, please share this link with your friends and family: hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected. Please do not reproduce any part of the posts or my book without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom and this website. 

My latest book is Unlocking God’s Promises, which explains 18 categories of promises that are relevant to each of our lives. It also includes the promises in Psalm 91.  

If you find this website helpful, you would like to read Breaking Mental Strongholds, which expands on my website book and includes many of my posts. 

Additionally, consider my book Fighting Unseen Battles, which describes the many unhealthy beliefs that control our lives and what the truths are. To learn more about this book, read the post How to Fight Unseen Battles.  

Contact me at hopeforcompletehealing@gmail.com and ask for a PDF of Eight Life-Changing Prayers from the Bible. The prayers are for the Spirit of wisdom, renewal, spiritual strength, knowledge of His will, virtues of God, non-believers, the 23rd Psalm, and victory. I will also send you the Lord’s Prayer Model to pray effectively. Please leave your name, so I know you are a real person making the request. 

14—GOD PROMISES TO LEAD US AND BE WITH US

Have you ever wondered where you should live, who you should marry, what job to take, and so on? I have good news, God promises to lead you, “but how,” you might be thinking. Before God can lead you, you need to be sensitive to His leading. When you submit to someone, you are willing to be led by that person. What do you still need to submit to God?

The following scripture reassures us that God leads us:

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. ̶ Proverbs 3:5-6

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. ̶ Psalm 32:8

The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way; 24though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD upholds his hand. ̶ Psalm 37:23-24

It is one thing to hear from God; it is another thing to obey His leading. Be prepared to obey, even if you don’t understand or can’t see why. You are not alone. Abraham did not know why, but he obeyed God’s voice, and God blessed him. Moses heeded the voice of God even though he had no confidence in his ability to speak, so God spoke to Aaron, his brother, to be the voice of Moses. Exodus 4:12 states, “Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” Gideon did not understand why he was chosen to deliver the people from the hand of their enemy, but he obeyed, and God gave Him the victory. Why did God choose these imperfect Bible heroes to be examples of His greatness? Because God wants the glory.

God wants to choose you; will you obey? What will happen if you do not obey God? Psalm 81:11-12 states, “But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me. 12So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels.” Do not lean on your understanding but obey so all will be in God’s will. Jeremiah 7:23 states, “But this command I gave them: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.’”

I was facing a layoff and did not have another job lined up. I asked God, what I was to do, and He said, “Write a book.” “What, I don’t know how to write, and I have no idea what to write.” After about two months of waiting on God to know what He wanted me to write about, He said I had already written it. “What????” I pondered what I had already written. The only thing I wrote was a series of Bible studies for the inmates at the county jail. God said that is it. The book was so large that I had to break it into two books. I published the first book, Fighting Unseen Battles” and will soon publish the second book “Breaking Mental Strongholds.”

God directs our steps in many ways. Here are a few biblical examples.

God Will Speak to You Personally

Genesis 12:1 states, “Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.” The Bible has about 275 verses describing how God (the LORD) spoke to people directly but be careful to test the spirits (James 4:1). God would never tell you to do anything that is not in the Bible. For example, God would not tell you to divorce your spouse.

I was driving, and God clearly spoke to me and said I was to go to Radio Shack. I didn’t know why and didn’t have any reason to go to Radio Shack, so I drove by. God spoke to me again to go to Radio Shack. So I turned around and went to the store. I didn’t know why God told me to go to Radio Shack, so I began to talk with the salespeople, and a customer came up and said he needed a UNIX programmer to do some work for him. I happened to know UNIX, and I happened to need trade experience to finish getting my degree to teach computer science/data processing. There you have it, God knew that man would be in the store at that time, and He directed my steps.

God May Use Someone to Tell You

Maybe even an angel will speak to you as for Abraham, Daniel, Zacharia, Mary, and Joseph. The English Standard Bible (e-sword) records 63 times when an angel spoke to someone. God used prophets to speak to people. The ESV Bible had approximately 56 verses when a prophet spoke God’s message. The Bible has many examples of when God led people to talk to someone. Abigail came to my mind when she went to David to dissuade him from killing her husband (1Samuel 25).

When I became a single mother and didn’t have a job, I asked God what I was to do to support myself. My heart’s desire was to be a stay-at-home mother. My friend suggested that I become a seamstress and do sewing for people. I advertised and had no trouble getting enough customers to pay my bills and keep my children at home with me. I believe God spoke through my friend.

He May Speak to You in a Vision or a Dream

Genesis 15:1 states, “After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” Also, Numbers 12:6 states, “And he said, “Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the LORD make myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream.” And Job 33:14-15 states, “For God speaks in one way, and in two, though man does not perceive it. 15In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, while they slumber on their beds.” Pay attention to dreams, especially dreams you remember. Keep a notebook by your bed so you can record them.

He Directs Us Through Circumstances

God used many different circumstances in Jesus’s life to fulfill prophetic scriptures. God also used many events to get me where I am. God used Joseph’s brothers to sell him to traders, who then sold him as an enslaved person. He then ended up in jail for several years because an evil woman lied. In prison, he meets two men who had dreams, and he interprets the dreams. He interpreted dreams for Pharaoh, who then made him second in command. All those circumstances prepared Joseph for his purpose, which was to save his family. He had to endure many hardships to get to where God wanted him to be. We, too, will have to go through problems. We will never know the impact on our lives and the lives of others because of the decisions other people, or we make.

When we follow God’s leading, we will be in His will, though we may have to go through tough times to grow in our faith. Isaiah 43:2 states, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.” And Isaiah 41:10 states, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Conclusion

Are you willing to submit to God’s leading and obey His commands? Be ready to hear God speak to you directly, through someone else, or in your dreams. Be willing to allow the situations in your life, even difficult circumstances to move you in the direction God wants you to go. Both times I was laid off, I wrote a book. I don’t know why, and I don’t know how God will use them, but it is all for His glory.

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POSTS about God’s Promises

All verses are from the English Standard Version. If you find my posts and website helpful, please share this link with your friends and family: hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected. Please do not reproduce any part of the posts or my book without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom and this website. 

My latest book is Unlocking God’s Promises, which explains 18 categories of promises that are relevant to each of our lives. It also includes the promises in Psalm 91.  

If you find this website helpful, you would like to read Breaking Mental Strongholds, which expands on my website book and includes many of my posts. 

Additionally, consider my book Fighting Unseen Battles, which describes the many unhealthy beliefs that control our lives and what the truths are. To learn more about this book, read the post How to Fight Unseen Battles.  

Contact me at hopeforcompletehealing@gmail.com and ask for a PDF of Eight Life-Changing Prayers from the Bible. The prayers are for the Spirit of wisdom, renewal, spiritual strength, knowledge of His will, virtues of God, non-believers, the 23rd Psalm, and victory. I will also send you the Lord’s Prayer Model to pray effectively. Please leave your name, so I know you are a real person making the request. 

13—Part 2—God’s Promise to Heal

The previous post explained the many ways that God heals. He heals with natural remedies and medicine (i.e., Isaiah said to use a fig poultice to bring healing, Jeremiah said to take balm for healing, and Ezekiel said leaves were for our healing.) I explained how we become ill because of what we put into our bodies, and if we return to God’s wellness plan, we will naturally heal many of our illnesses. Then I describe how emotional healing leads to physical healing, which I explain in my book on my website. Next, I discussed the power of regular detoxing to remove the toxins that cause disease. After that, I shared the Bible verses that show how evil spirits cause physical problems, and I ended with Bible passages about how faith brings our healing.

Let’s continue with how faith brings our healing. There are two types of faith, personal faith and the faith of others; both are needed. Hope is central to faith. God’s promises give us hope. My ministry name is “Hope for Complete Healing.” Complete healing includes spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical, which are all interrelated.

•    Spiritual healing is to be reconciled to God by believing He sent His son to save us from our sins and His wrath on sin. The evidence of being spiritually healed is humility, love for others, desiring to read your Bible, and going to church.

•    Mental healing happens when you set your mind on God’s truths and promises through prayer and meditating on the Bible morning and night. If you are mentally ill with depression, paranoia, or anxiety, it will negatively affect your spiritual, emotional, and physical health. In my experience, the more spiritually healthy I became, the more mentally healthy I became. If your mind is not submitted to God’s truths, then Satan will interject his lies, accusations, and temptations into your mind. This is why we need to take up the shield of faith every day. You can learn more about this in my post called Spiritual Warfare 6: HOW FAITH OFFERS FULL PROTECTION

•    Emotional healing takes place through forgiveness. Forgiveness from God for our sins removes guilt and shame. Forgiving others their sins against us removes resentment, anger, hate, bitterness, and so on. Emotionally healthy people can handle disappointment well and love difficult people well. They are not easily offended.

•    Physical healing is when all the systems of your body are functioning as God intended them to work. Understand we live in a fallen world, and we will eventually die through the aging process, which is when our body’s systems gradually become weak, until the day they stop functioning, and we die. But you can still remain in good health.

Based on my experience, physical healing takes place when we obey God’s commands, which are explained in detail in the previous post and summarized below:

  1. Eat according to God’s instructions in Genesis 1:29 and 9:3.
  2. Forgive those who sinned against us to remove the emotional cancer of resentment (Colossians 3:13). My theme verse for my book and website is 3John 2, which states, “Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.” Resentment causes emotional dis-ease in our souls.
  3. Don’t worry and be anxious (Philippians 4:6-7).
  4. Fast to speed healing (Isaiah 58:6-8) because fasting removes many kinds of toxins that causes illnesses.
  5. Command unclean evil spirits of infirmity and disability to be gone (Mark 9:14-29; Luke 13:11-13; and Acts 5:16).
  6. Repent of sins and seek to be anointed by oil and the prayers of elders who have faith (Psalm 38:3 and James 5:14-15).
  7. Fear God and turn from evil (harming someone) and submit to God’s instructions (Proverbs 3:7-9).
  8. Believe that God wants to heal you (Hebrews 11:1; Matthew 9:2, 22, 29; 15:28; and Luke 17:19).

Faith Reminds God of His Promises

Faith believes we will receive the things we hope for and the conviction of things not seen (Heb. 11:1). Faith claims the promises of God and reminds God of His goodness, faithfulness, and lovingkindness. We can also remind God of His promises, such as Psalm 103:3b, which tells us God heals all our diseases, and Psalm 34:19 says that the righteous will suffer afflictions, but God will deliver them out of all of their troubles.  The problem is that God’s timing is not our timing, so we need faith. For instance, God promised Abraham and Sarah a son, but they had to wait 15 years before the promise was fulfilled. Romans 8:25 states, “But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” It is hard to wait, isn’t it?

Hope to Experience God’s Promise to Heal

Hope is a challenging topic. Many people feel hopeless because they cannot see how their situation can improve. Despair is the one unseen battle that leads many people to commit suicide. Because everyone goes through hardships, we need the hope Jeremiah describes in Lamentations 3:21–25:

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:

22The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

24“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”

25The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.”

Jeremiah suffered hardships his entire life and learned to put his hope in God’s steadfast (firm, fixed, constant; not changing) love, mercies, and faithfulness.

We know that this life on earth is but a blink of an eye, and then God’s children will spend eternity in heaven. Knowing this fact helps me endure my troubles. Romans 8:18 states, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” And 2Corinthians 4:17–18 states, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” So, are you focused on your troubles or the eternal glory? Read HOPE: How it Motivates and Inspires BUT God’s Sovereignty… to discover more about hope.

Faith Speaks God’s Promises into Existence

I believed, therefore, I have spoken. –Psalm 116:10a

Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, ‘I believed, and so I spoke,’ we also believe, and so we also speak. –2Corinthians 4:13

Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare [proclaim]; before they spring forth, I tell you of them. –Isaiah 42:9

Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. –Isaiah 43:18–19

God gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. –Romans 4:17b

O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me. –Psalm 30:2

Jesus in Us is the Power of God to Heal

The Bible says in several places that Jesus not only bore our sins so we can be free from the power of sin, but He also bore our sickness so we could be healed.  Matthew 8:17 states, “This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: ‘He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.’” Isaiah 53:5 prophesy, “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” Also, the Apostle Peter tells us in 1Peter 2:24, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”

Conclusion

Faith is the key to complete healing because faith gives us hope and helps us believe. God is the one who heals us when we put our faith in Him. Physicians may reverse or cover up symptoms of illness. Surgery or medication may correct damage due to living in a fallen world, but it is God who heals completely. God gives physicians and nurses wisdom and knowledge, and you need to heed their advice, but first make sure you are obeying all of God’s commands. I conclude with my ministry verse: 3John 2, “Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.” Is all well with your soul?

All verses are from the English Standard Bible. If you find my posts and website helpful, please share the links with your friends and family, hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected, and no part of the posts or my book may be reproduced without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom and this website.

Check out my first book called Fighting Unseen Battles on Amazon. I would love to hear what you think. To learn more about my book read: How to Fight Unseen Battles

Contact me at hopeforcompletehealing@gmail.com, and ask for a PDF of Eight Life-changing Prayers from the Bible. The prayers are for the Spirit of wisdom, renewal, spiritual strength, knowledge of His will, virtues of God, non-believers, 23rd Psalm, and victory. I will also send you the Lord’s Prayer Model to pray effectively. Please leave your name, so I know you are a real person making the request.

13—God’s Promises to Heal But…

Of all God’s promises, this promise is the hardest for many.  So many people pray for healing and are not healed. Why? I don’t understand why God heals some and not others. I do understand that God is all-knowing and sovereign in our lives. Healing can be physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual. God is interested in our spiritual healing. God wants us all to trust Him fully and be submitted to His will, even when we don’t get what we ask for. I have learned that God heals in different ways. I also learned that we often cause illness and disease and how to reverse it.

We May Need To Use Natural Health Approaches To Help Our Bodies Heal

I am currently 60 years old with no significant health issues, and I do not take any prescriptions. I see the doctor for a yearly physical, and that is it. My journey to being free from illness began when I was about 25 years old when I got the flu. I went to a nutritionist who recommended I take Vitamin C, Zinc, Echinacea, and a liquid Garlic, yuck. I felt better after 24 hours and was able to go back to teaching my students. I was amazed by my recovery and began to research natural health remedies. As soon as I get cold symptoms, I take C, zinc, Echinacea, and sometimes homemade elderberry syrup. I was always a very sickly person, and I always got every sickness my students had.

The Bible gives several examples of how natural health practices can bring healing. Ezekiel 47:12b states, “Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.” And again, Revelations 22:2b says, “The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” And Isaiah 38:21 states, “Now Isaiah had said, ‘Let them take a cake of figs and apply it to the boil, that he may recover.’” The cake of figs was used as a poultice to draw out infection. Poultices can be made in many different ways. Jeremiah talks about applying a balm for healing. A balm is a mixture of herbs with oil, butter, or wax that is applied to the skin. I make several balms for various health issues from the herbs in my garden. Jeremiah tells us in 8:22, “Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has the health of the daughter of my people not been restored?” And Jeremiah 46:11a tells us, “Go up to Gilead, and take balm.” When you are healed, always praise God because He is the healer, even when you take something to support your body’s healing ability.

Our Illness Maybe Our Doing

If we eat manufactured foods that cause disease and illness, we won’t be healed until we eat the foods that nourish and heal our bodies as God originally intended. When God created humanity, He put them in a garden because He knew what kind of food we needed to eat to be well. Genesis 1:29 and 9:3 “And God said, ‘Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.’” “Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything.” So, God said we are to eat plants, fruits, vegetables, and meat, organic is best. All man-made, processed foods do not support life but cause illness. The preservatives and pesticides in packaged foods weaken our cells, and disease develops. Many diseases, including cancer, need sugar to establish. Sugar causes inflammation that leads to heart disease, diabetes, dementia, etc. How can God heal us when we do not obey his instruction?

When Daniel and his friends were captured and taken to Babylonia, Daniel knew that the king’s food was not good for him and his friends. So he asked that they only be given vegetables. Daniel 1:15-16 states, “At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king’s food. 16So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables.”

After I married my first husband, I began eating more junk food and meat. I developed a host of health problems, including endometriosis. Praying for healing was a waste because my illness came from what I was eating. I read the book God’s Way to Ultimate Health by Dr. George Malkamus. I decided to be a raw food vegetarian based on this book and was healed of many of my health issues, especially depression and endometriosis.  I still suffered from joint and back pain from the degenerative joint disease I inherited from my mother. So I decided to attend a class that taught how to eat for your blood type, which explained how your blood interacts with the lectins in food to create an auto-immune response in your body. So, I decided to try that diet and gave up corn, wheat, and many other foods. My joint and back pain went away. I always asked for prayer for my back, but my healing came when I stopped eating the foods that caused my back problems.

Emotional Healing

Permanent physical healing in my life occurred when I sought God to heal my painful memories that controlled my emotions. Negative feelings stress our bodies and disrupt our endocrine system, which controls the hormones that keep our body systems in balance. Emotional stress also weakens all the cells of your body, which makes them susceptible to disease. My website book explains how to heal your painful memories to have complete healing. 1–Healing Begins by Transforming Painful Memories. Read the following post to see if you may have a stronghold of infirmity. Sick and Tired? Change Your Destiny! Be Free From the Infirmity Stronghold.

Worry and Digestive issues

Worry and anxiety afflicted my digestive system. I wrote out a prayer about what I am concerned about or anxious about and put it into a “God’s got it” box. When I think about it, I remember that God’s got it. I also follow God’s instructions found in Philippians 4:6-7, which says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” And also 1Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice always, 17pray without ceasing, 18give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Occasional digestive issues occur when I eat foods that irritate my stomach and intestines, which can be remedied using a combination of bromelain, papain, inositol, and cysteine called Bromelain Plus by Biotics Research.  Throwing up and diarrhea can be fixed using dietary Charcoal. Constipation can be alleviated by taking Slippery Elm. Occasionally, I take Genexa herbal formula from GNC to alleviate physical anxiety when I have to do something that is stressful.

Detoxing Removes the Toxins That Cause Disease

Toxins, both environmental and emotional, disrupt our immune system and weaken our bodies. Our immune system fights off invaders that come into our bodies, including toxins. Our immune system also fights cancer that often grows as a result of a toxic environment. Toxins come in many forms, such as electromagnetic from electronics and fluorescent lights, chemicals from cleaners, petroleum, additives, and preservatives in food, to name a few. Smoking and alcohol put a huge toxic load on your body.

To help my body detox, I do the following: I eat the foods God created for mankind to eat. The closer the food is to its natural form, the more nourishing it is for your body.  I eliminated all manufactured foods found in packages as well as sugary chemical drinks. Once a week, I do a 30-hour vegetable juice fast by drinking barley green or any green drink and carrot or vegetable juice. I also drink bone broth to heal my intestinal system. And I drink detox teas and take burdock root in capsules. I also take a liver purifier from Swanson that contains milk thistle, dandelion, and yellow dock. Removing toxins from your body is vitally important to maintaining good health. . Isaiah 58:6-8 states, “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? 7Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? 8Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily;”

An Evil Spirit May Cause Illnesses

The Bible tells of people who were afflicted by Satan or demons. God allowed Job to be afflicted by Satan to test him. Job 1:8-12 states,

And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” 9Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason. 10Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” 12And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD. 

A demon also afflicted the Apostle Paul. In 2Corinthians 12:1-10, Paul explains how God gave him a thorn in the flesh, which he pleaded three times with God to remove. In 2Corinthians 12:7, Paul described the thorn in the flesh as “a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.” About a third of the New Testament healings were because an oppressive or unclean spirit was cast out of the person. Mark 9:14-29 tells a story of a boy possessed by an evil spirit since childhood, and Jesus casts the mute and deaf spirit out, and the boy no longer had convulsions. And Luke 13:11-13 explains, “And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. 12When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, ‘Woman, you are freed from your disability.’ 13And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God.” In the book of Acts, the Apostles continued the work of healing; Acts 5:16 states, “The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.”

I forget that we need to command unclean, disabling spirits to leave us for us to see our healing. In addition, the Bible tells us to do the following:

James 5:14-16 “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. ”

Our sin may cause illness.  Psalm 38:3 states, “There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation; there is no health in my bones because of my sin.” 

Proverbs 3:7-8 “Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. 8It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.”

These verses outline conditions we must meet. We must call on the elders to pray for us and get anointed with oil.  We must not think we know it all and do things our way but fear God and turn away from evil and repent of our sins. Do you do these things?

Need Faith to Be Healed

What is faith? Hebrews 11:1 tells us, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” The following scriptures demonstrate how faith brings about healing.

Matthew 9:2 states, “And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.’”

Matthew 9:22 states, “Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, ‘Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.’ And instantly the woman was made well.”

Matthew 9:29 states, “Then he touched their eyes, saying, ‘According to your faith be it done to you.’”

Matthew 15:28 states, “Then Jesus answered her, ‘O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.’ And her daughter was healed instantly.”

Luke 17:19 states, “And he said to him, ‘Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.’”

Conclusion

This post is longer than usual, but there is so much more I could have said about healing. If you have anything else you would like to share, please leave a comment, I would love to hear your story. I have learned that God heals in different ways. I also learned that we often cause illness and disease and how to reverse it. There are many books you can read, and I have many, but my two go-to books are Prescription for Nutritional Healing by Phyllis Balch, CNC and Dr. James Balch, M.D. and Be Your Own Doctor by Rachel Weaver.

Check out all my posts about the promises of God in POSTS about God’s Promises. And 13—Part 2—God’s Promise to Heal

All verses are from the English Standard Version. If you find my posts and website helpful, please share this link with your friends and family: hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected. Please do not reproduce any part of the posts or my book without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom and this website. 

My latest book is Unlocking God’s Promises, which explains 18 categories of promises that are relevant to each of our lives. It also includes the promises in Psalm 91.  

If you find this website helpful, you would like to read Breaking Mental Strongholds, which expands on my website book and includes many of my posts. 

Additionally, consider my book Fighting Unseen Battles, which describes the many unhealthy beliefs that control our lives and what the truths are. To learn more about this book, read the post How to Fight Unseen Battles.  

Contact me at hopeforcompletehealing@gmail.com and ask for a PDF of Eight Life-Changing Prayers from the Bible. The prayers are for the Spirit of wisdom, renewal, spiritual strength, knowledge of His will, virtues of God, non-believers, the 23rd Psalm, and victory. I will also send you the Lord’s Prayer Model to pray effectively. Please leave your name, so I know you are a real person making the request.