“In him there was life [or What was made through him was life], and that life was the light of all people. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overpowered [defeated; or understood; comprehended] it.” (John 1:4-5)

Darkness does not understand the light of God nor how it operates within the heart of a man born of light.  The best that darkness can do is test the man of God to see if He is truly born of light.

The enemy uses temptation, because for a great percentage of mankind it works.  When the enemy presents man with a bribe and he does not bend to that bribe, the enemy is confounded.  He does not understand the light and how it completely satisfies the heart of man.

The enemy is a greedy liar.  He is a murderer and he is covetous.  In eternity he longed for something that was not his – the throne of God.  He did not understand his place in heaven, and as a result was thrown from heaven, falling like a star into the earth.  He did not learn his lesson in that moment and continues to live under the false presumption that he is greater than he is.

The light satisfies a man completely.  When a person experiences the things of the Spirit of God and sees the Kingdom from an eternal perspective, this earth dims in comparison.  The rewards of the Kingdom are far greater than any earthly temptation.  When you see from heaven’s perspective, all the money on earth is not worth turning from God for.

The enemy has never defeated the light and has never truly understood it.  He is continuously confounded by the person who operates from the Kingdom’s perspective.

The most that he can do is tempt, but when confronted by true belief he will always flee.  When a person sets his heart on pleasing God above all else, nothing can stop that person from succeeding.  God will make a way where there seems to be no way.

Even when the worse circumstances arise in your life and the temptation is great to do what is wrong, you need to stay strong.  God will deliver you and set you free.  You may have nothing from an earthly point of view, but you still have God, which means you have everything you need.  Stay strong and God will bring you through.

There have been times that the enemy has used bribes to try to stop me from moving forward into my destiny in Christ.  These are real temptations, because he knows what motivates my life.  In those moments of temptation, I realize that he is threatened by me and that God must have something far greater in store than what the enemy is offering.  I actually get excited about what I am about to receive from the Lord, because I know it is much better.

Moreover I know that the enemy does not give anything good to me without wanting something in return.  The end result of giving into his temptations would be a life separated from peace and joy for eternity.

I also know that he would likely not give what he promised to give me anyway.  He would make sure I would be destroyed before the consummation of the reward.  The enemy is only a liar, only a thief.  He is a devourer and nothing good comes from him.

I pray that you will have understanding today to know the truth of what I am saying.  I pray that you will have great strength in the face of temptation and that you will overcome every battle every time.  Be blessed in the Lord and the power of His might.

“You fathers–if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead?” (Luke 11:11)

When I pray, I simply ask God to speak to me.  If I need direction, He gives it.  If I need peace, it always comes.  When I ask Him for help, He gives it to me.  When I ask for wisdom, it arrives.

Answered prayer emboldens me to continue in prayer.  Each time God speaks to me says that He will speak again. Because I have had past prayers answered, I know that my future prayers will get answered as well. And so I have confidence when I pray.

There are times situations arise bringing stress to my life.  Until I learn to put these things in the hands of God in prayer, it can continue to cause me stress.  There are times when I realize that a situation has been bothering me for some time and I haven’t prayed about it.  When I remember to pray I become excited because I know the stress will leave, because I know that God will answer that prayer.  In those moments I just wish I had prayed sooner.

When the most difficult situations arise in our lives, we must remember to pray.  God will guide us through tough circumstances as long as we turn to Him for the answers.  Every day we need to lay our lives before His altar in prayer and ask for guidance through this maze called life.  As we do, our paths become straight and we will take great leaps while others flounder (Proverbs 3:5-6).

People who don’t pray face all kinds of perils and many end up blaming their pain and misfortune on God.  They don’t realize how close He is and how much He really wants to bless their lives if they would only just turn to Him and love Him.   They don’t pray to Him because they don’t know His nature and that He is good.

Earthly children can be the same way.  Many blame their parents for the pain in their lives.  Anger burns inside of them for the things that they feel they lack.  They don’t realize the blessing that they do have in that parent.  They choose to not have a relationship with their father or mother because the pain is too much.  Many children lose a parent not because the parent doesn’t love them, and does not want to be with them, but simply because the child cannot get past his pain.

As the prodigal turns to the Father in prayer, great blessings can come upon his life.  The Father has so much that He longs to give to His children. But as long as they separate themselves from Him, then He cannot give them what He wants to give because they do not wish to receive from Him.

A man’s idea of God can be very different from the reality of God, but because that man cannot see past his pain, then he cannot see that God is a good Father.

But as you allow God to come into your heart through prayer, you are healed.  It is prayer that brings healing into all of our lives.  We must communicate past our hurts and fears and let God speak to us.  As we do this, God washes away the sickness of our hearts and bodies.  He releases us from the dungeons of depression, anxiety and fear that bind us.

I pray for you today and ask God to give you a revelation of His greatness and goodness.  May you see the loving Father as He is and may you turn to Him more in this hour than ever before.