God's Daily Boost: Increasing Your Faith In God (Standing Strong On Your Knees)

© 2014 George Papakonstantinou

Dedication – To Jesus, my Lord and Savior!

Dear Reader,

May you find great comfort in the words below, knowing God has your name imprinted on the palms of His hands and has your great destiny planned out for you. He loves you so much He did for you, and He did so for a reason. You are incredible, a masterpiece, brilliant, and perfect in His eyes. God bless!

Table of Contents:

Introduction: Why Does God Love Me?

Chapter 1: What God Says About Anxiety

Chapter 2: What God Says About Fear

Chapter 3: What God Says About Loneliness

Chapter 4: What God Says About Stress

Chapter 5: What God Says About Finances

Chapter 6: What God Says About Discouragement

Chapter 7: What God Says About Depression

Chapter 8: What God Says About Temptation

Chapter 9: What God Says About Trust

Chapter 10: What God Says About Jealousy

Chapter 11: Closing Words

Introduction: Why Does God Love Me?

Many times we fear God has abandoned us, or He has stopped loving us. We wonder: why did He ever love me in the first place? I’ve sinned so much, I’ve committed so many wrong acts, and I definitely don’t see any reason for Him to love me. See, we don’t think the way God does. His level of thinking cannot be matched or even understood. God sees our full potential, He sees every obstacle and even every sin as an opportunity for us to draw closer to Him and realize He is the only way to live. God doesn’t want a perfect child. If He did, He would have made one. But He made all of us the same: sinners. We all sin no matter how perfect you might think someone is; we were made that way. We all need a Savior, and once we realize Jesus is that one and only Savior, He starts showing you how much He truly loves you.

In God’s eyes, you are perfectly made. Notice the difference between being perfect and perfectly made. Being perfect implies you never make mistakes or sin, that you don’t need anyone else’s help. But being perfectly made is so much better. It means God made no mistakes when creating you, and He purposefully implemented all of your flaws and imperfections to make you unique and able to rely on Him. Nobody else what you have because God created each and every one of us differently. He doesn’t love anyone else more than you, and He doesn’t love you more than anyone else. You might think someone who has committed countless crimes and sins would lose the love of God, but it was placed in their heart by God before they were even born, which means nothing has the power to strip us of God’s love for us. God knows you have big plans for your future just because He put you here on Earth for some great reason. Maybe you don’t know that reason quite yet, but rest assured that God will reveal His prosperous and hopeful plans for your life on His timing, and you will understand He knew what He was doing all along.

Chapter 1: Anxiety

We all sin by being anxious for the future, but we don't always know how to deal with it. Being anxious doesn’t mean you don’t love God or He is punishing you with uneasiness. Oftentimes we avoid God when scared, and forget that He already knows the outcome.  By reading God's Word, we can easily begin to live an anxiety-free life. God grants us freedom in Him when we stop worrying. He is our refuge; we should take comfort in Him, not doubt Him. The power of Jesus is more than we could ever imagine. We should speak with Him about all of our problems, no matter how small. God wants to hear about our problems, because He created them for us to be closer with Him. He already knows about our issues, and is seeing if we will share and trust them with Him. See what God has to say about anxiety, and read these when you feel anxious about anything.

Psalm 56:3

"When I am afraid, I will put my trust in Thee."

We should never run anywhere but to God when we start to feel anxious or unsure. Many times we think we can handle things ourselves, yet later realize we do not have anywhere near the amount of strength our Lord possesses—BUT THAT’S OKAY. When we are weak, God is strong. When we feel strong, God is stronger.  He can do what could take us years in the blink of an eye. Putting your trust in God means placing your heart in Him and inviting Him into the situation to help you—and He will always come through for you.

Matthew 6:27

"And which of you by being anxious can add a single cubit to his life's span?"

God wants to remind us He is in control, not us. We may carry freedoms for our lives that God has granted us, but God has the ultimate say. Nothing is final until God says so. That means no grade, important job interview, or health concern is worth worrying about or even in our full control, because if you are meant to be in that position God will find some way of bringing you to it, even if takes longer than you might have hoped for. We don’t understand God’s timing—it’s beyond our comprehension and merely a mystery to humans, but that’s because God didn’t design us equal to Him. God truly works in mysterious ways, and we should just trust that His timing is perfect and that He puts all the puzzle pieces together at the exact right time. Like this verse says, what can worrying do about anything? If God, the Creator of everything, is the only One who can see and even change the outcome, isn’t the easiest, and only, solution to trust Him? Don’t think you are alone in worrying about things. Many Christians, no matter how much time spent praying, find themselves struggling every day with anxiety and they don’t realize they are then choosing to doubt God and also exalt themselves by giving anxiety the attention and power to control us, instead of God. Next time you are anxious about anything, take three deep breaths and ask God to instill in you complete river-like peace, and send His angels of calmness and tranquility to surround you. Anxiety is not a giant we can overcome overnight necessarily; it is a practice in trusting God with every new problem or solution. But over time, through prayer and attentiveness to God’s voice, you will find yourself trusting God more and more and letting go of those uneasy feelings, and all the weight lifting off of you, as focus shifts from your problems and onto God.

Proverbs 12:25

“An anxious heart weighs a man down, but an encouraging word cheers him up. “

When we worry, we grieve God. He doesn’t want to see us doubting His power and worrying about the future. The great thing about God is He already knows the outcome of each and every one of your problems—so there is no point in worrying! Regardless of the time we spend on worrying, trying to control the outcome, and nervously waiting for something great to happen, God still comes through for us and takes care of us—because He is our Heavenly Father and cares more about us than we could ever imagine. His love for us is PERFECT; meaning no worrying or sins can change that. He can cheer you up in the blink of His eye, and we can stop living with heavy hearts and anxious thoughts through His grace, which is just a prayer away.  When we fall victim to a nervous, unsteady heart, we don’t realize the toll it takes on our body. Our energy and strength both diminish. We stop smiling as much, and become unaware of God’s love shining down on us. What does that look like? Well, God is here blessing you and giving you Heavenly gifts, and we turn away from all of that and focus our eyes on the burdens of this world, how we will make it the next day, or what that outcome of that situation will be. The more we praise God, and the more attention we give Him, the more you will see His blessings and grace. Try to realize how light and peaceful you feel as you love God more and serve Him with obedience and through your actions. Set good examples for others and let God’s Light shine through you so others can see how much He loves you.

Philippians 4:6-8

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication..."

God wants to remind us that worrying blocks His blessings for our lives from happening, and only does damage. Nothing good comes from being anxious. However, anxiety is one of the toughest obstacles to beat; it seems impossible to go through life without worrying about anything! But our God can do the impossible! There are no limits to what God can do; not even the sky can limit Him. So stop being anxious today, and trust in the Almighty God. He is already pulling you through all of this.

Chapter 2: Fear

When we are put in new situations, it is not hard to be scared. What often slips our thinking is fear is a sin, and sin separates us from God, who hates seeing us sin when we try to predict the future He has already set out for us. In God's eyes, when we are fearful we are not trusting Him. Yes, it is very difficult to not fear when things look uncertain, and us as humans tend to fear the worst for future situations in which we have no control over. But the great thing is God already knows the outcome, so why be afraid? God uses everything for our good—He promised.

Psalm 23:4

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."

If you have God, you have everything. Without God, you are nothing. He didn’t create us to be self-sufficient and strong enough to handle every situation on our own. Instead, He purposefully created you and me alike to rely on Him and take refuge in His strength, which is strong enough to overcome anything imaginable. That is why once we become aware of God living inside of our hearts, we forget about the fear and visible obstacles. God wants us to rely on what is unseen, and rely on the faith in Him rather than tangible obstacles and what our eyes deem as impossible. God will always be there to comfort you in the midst of adversity, as long as you walk by faith, not by sight.

Exodus 14:13

"Moses answered the people, 'Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today..."

We tend to crumble under harsh conditions. When things seem to be getting worse, when we don’t get that job we wanted so badly, when the door to that great opportunity all the sudden closes, our faith can decline, and we grow further from The Lord. But when we stand tall and declare our faith in Him, God will take you higher and deliver you from every trial and tribulation.

Psalm 112:1

"Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in His commands."

We should all reverently and worshipfully fear God, and not take advantage or joke about Him. Just as we obey our earthly parents, we have to obey our Heavenly Father, who knew you before your birth and will forever know you better than you know yourself. When God asks something of us, we should ignore everything else occurring and obey Him, no matter what we have to ignore or leave behind. When we take delight in everything God asks of us, we show our obedience and respect for Him. Not only that, but God blesses us with every act of obedience.

Psalm 56:3-4

"When I am afraid, I will trust in you.  In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?"

God is our refuge. That means we can always take comfort in Him, knowing He will pull us through whatever we are going through. No matter what, God will be there to catch us when we fall. Because of this, we should never try to hide our anxiety or fear from The Lord—He knows everything about us. Instead, we as Christians have the responsibility to come to Jesus when we are weary and trust in Him, and wholeheartedly believe His grace and presence will be enough to press on and pull through it all. Maybe there’s somebody bothering you at work, bullying you at school, or even a family member treating you disrespectfully: let God take care of the situation. He knows what needs to be done, and how to get it done. Man can do nothing compared to the power of Almighty God. Nobody can take your faith away from you, which means the power of Jesus is with you at all times, and will ALWAYS end in victory. You just have to be patient.

Chapter 3: Loneliness

Sometimes we wonder if God is really listening to us, and start to feel like we are on our own. Even if it is hard sometimes, we have to remember The Lord hears our prayers and always comes through for us, even if it takes some time. Everything He does is for a reason—nothing is a surprise to Him because He created everything! Maybe you haven’t found the right person yet—that’s okay. God will put you in that path when the time is right. You just aren’t ready yet. God is still working on putting the other puzzle pieces in your life together. The good thing is He always finishes the puzzles. Always. See how God promised we are never alone:

Matthew 28:20

"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

God is perfect. This means He will never take back or break a promise. In this verse alone, God promised us that He would forever keep the promise of standing by us and holding our hands through thick and thin. This is the One who created and overcame the world—He knows what He’s doing and He can be trusted! Not only that, but when we believe God is with us, He assures us by making His presence all the more visible and evident. God is not only with you through the great parts of your life—promotions, celebrations, and parties—but through every dark time as well, and He uses every situation only to make you stronger and more aware of His greatness. Trust in Him.

Jesus Tells Us In Psalm 25:16

"Turn to me and be gracious to Me, for I am lonely and afflicted."

All we have to do is trust Jesus, and acknowledge that we need to turn to Him for help. Try to think of anyone who is trust worthier than Jesus Himself—your mother, brother, or maybe that grandmother who has never told a lie. Those are all great examples, but each of them—including you and me—pale in comparison to trusting God—without limited thinking and unmatched. When we are at rock bottom, God is our rock. He knows you better than anyone because He lives inside of your heart, and always has since before you were born. The Holy Spirit is within you. Oftentimes we think God has left us, but in reality our attentiveness and awareness of His magnificent presence has declined, leaving us feeling lonely. But God gets lonely when we leave or forget about Him. That’s why it is vital to stay in touch with The Lord, attempt to grow spiritually everyday, and become more and more aware of His presence and sovereignty over our lives. When we distance ourselves from Him, He cannot bless us as much and it takes more space and time for that blessing to reach us. But when we come into His presence and invite Him into our hearts, God smiles and opens the light from Heaven, shining it onto your face and loved ones, blessing you continually.

Chapter 4: Stress

Being stressed in a sin. It means we don't trust God's plans. We may unintentionally follow stressful situations and problems first before God, trying to fix them before we save time for Jesus. God does not want us to live stressed and worried all the time. He wants us to trust Him. Stress is a hit from the enemy, and if you stay stressed, you will further separate from The Creator, who never designed you to be stressed, but live a happy, prosperous life full of joy. When you feel stressed, try to convince yourself that you are capable of overcoming these obstacles: “Lord, I know things are hard right now. I’m so stressed, and don’t see a way out. But I know You see the bigger picture, and You are working miracles in my life faster and larger than life. I know I will get through this, not only surviving but also THRIVING. I am Yours, O Savior. Bless my soul.”

Psalms 55:22

"Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved. "

When you cast all of your struggles and anxious thoughts and other burdens onto God’s shoulders, instead of trying to bear them on your own, you will feel so much lighter, happier, and stronger, knowing that God is fighting your battles. He will not only sustain you and lift you up into a prosperous life. Let Him fight for you—cast your worries on His shoulders. God will never allow you to be moved far away from Him. He will use some situation to pull you back into His path and grant you discernment to remember His sovereignty.

John 14:27

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."

No matter how hectic life can get, nothing is too crazy for God to instill His peace and tranquility into. Nowadays, we rush all over the place, trying to get all our work done in the short amount of hours in each day. When we ask God to give us His peace, everything becomes still and we suddenly think like Him, and no longer have to worry about everything getting done. This is because God gives you wisdom to acknowledge everything will be okay and all the work will get done, and when we turn everything over to God, the puzzle pieces suddenly attach.

Proverbs 16:3

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.”

It is vital to learn the importance of letting go and letting God. Instead of worrying, trust in The Lord to bring you the desires of your life that He has for you, and He will put you in the right places at the right times, and have you with the right people at the right times.

Romans 8:6

"For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace."

We accomplish nothing by focusing on the outside, tangible, and visible things. Our flesh is dirty but our insides—our souls, hearts, and spirits—and pure and clean, thanks to God for living inside of us. God wants us to live a life by faith, not by sight. Also, He wants you to not worry about the outside details because He is about to do something for you out of the blue and work from within you. Just like Jesus tells us in this verse, once we put focus on Him and the living spirit within us, we will gain His peace and life in Him—which is the only way to live. God is real, and if we focus on Him, all problems fade into the background.

John 14:1

“Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Trust in God, trust also in me.”

Never let your heart feel heavy. When we do this, God grieves. Instead of sitting while worry and doubts destroy us, focus on the One who died for you—He didn’t sacrifice His life for you to sit around and mope or worry! He has you in the palm of your hand, and is taking you to the right doors. When those thoughts of worry, anxiety—”how will I get it all done? There is no way this is possible—and fear try to seep into our minds and hearts, block them out, command them to leave, and remind yourself of God’s power by saying “Jesus, your bigger than these thoughts.” Doing this will always make you win, because God always is and will be victorious in all He does. Let us lift our hearts to Him and cast our worries on Him, while He works on our behalf!

Proverbs 16: 9

“In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.”

It’s a funny thing how we continually worry about the future. What’s the point? No matter how detailed our vision or plan, God has the ultimate deciding factor, and He will take you where you need to go. This isn't always where we want to go, but it is where God will use us to become stronger Christians and where He will use us for His mysterious, perfect ways. If we notice God is opening doors that aren’t exactly matching what we planned to do, we shouldn’t’t fight it. He knows what He’s doing—He may even get you to that point where you want to go, but His timing may call for you to receive more blessings this way! On the other hand, if we walk with God and notice our plans matching up with God seems to be aligning, but seem like it’s just too big of a task or door to walk through, that’s when God intervenes. He will guide you and your steps to the right doors and give you His strength to pursue His plan and destiny for you. Don’t ever look back and say, “How did I get this promotion? How did I get this far? I don’t think I’m capable of managing this higher position. I need to step down. This isn't what God wants.” No, thank God for His blessings! He has taken you to where He wants you, and along the way equipped you with His strength, courage, ability, and all skills to manage where you are at. He never gives us more than we can bear. Just keep going—you’re doing fine and you are pleasing God.

John 16:33

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Since God overcame the world, He already overcame every problem that you will ever face—even ones you don’t even know about yet. But that doesn’t mean we should stress and worry about whatever problems we may encounter down the road—it means we thank God for already winning the battle for us! He promises He is bigger than all our obstacles and any stressful situation. Work on submitting all your battles and stress onto The Lord’s shoulder, for He is strong even in our weak and dark times.

Chapter 5: Finances

None of us have the perfect financial situation. God blesses those who give to His people, even when it is hard and money is scarce. The great thing about The Lord Almighty is He can turn those few dollars into thousands for you. Realize the power of giving to others. When we serve and help others, we are helping God’s people. When we do that, God sees our kindness and sacrifices to help others, and reaches His loving arms out to us and not only magnifies but multiplies what you already have. God gives you the fruit of The Holy Spirit. Also, finances seem to take over our lives. We look at success through not the eyes of faith but eyes only seeing money. You will see divine blessings when God motivates you, not money. Just when you think it’s hopeless, God intervenes and grants you riches that are better than anything we could ever buy with money.

Proverbs 21:5

"The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenty; but the thoughts of everyone who is hasty only to poverty."

What does it mean to be diligent? Do well in school, help your parents, or being honest? Yes, those are all great forms of diligence, but when we showcase Godly obedience, God rewards us with plenty of riches beyond our wildest dreams. Obeying God means putting Him first, and diligently striving for spiritual growth everyday no matter what. Like in any great relationship, you enjoy spending as much time with that other person or people as possible. Well, imagine how God feels when we merely call upon His name in despair or troubling times. Of course, we should always call to Him for help, but God wants all of us. Not just when we need help, or after we’ve completed all of work for the next day, but our whole hearts submitted to Him, praying through the day and night, and obeying His word. God sacrificed His only begotten Son to die for you—all out of love and hope for you to live in diligence for Him!

Proverbs 24:3-4

"Through wisdom a house is built, and by understandings established; and knowledge the rooms shall be filled with all precious and pleasant riches."

When God gives us wisdom, it is like He takes over for our thinking and us and makes decisions for us. Of course, with experience comes wisdom, but never underestimate simply asking God for His wisdom to make that right decision, to know which way to turn, or even as simple as the smallest decisions. God will give you the right answer.

Proverbs10:4

“Poor is he who works with a negligent hand, but the hand, but the hand of the diligent makes rich."

Being rich in The Lord is different from being wealthy with money. The difference is God’s riches He grants us is greater than any amount of money. God gives us what money cannot buy—family, joy, and His peace. Without God we are nothing, regardless of our financial status. No amount of money can compare to the love Jesus Christ gives us. If we are diligent in Christ, meaning we put Him first and have Him as our motivation and our drive, He will reward us with His fruit of the Holy Spirit—true richness. Enduring financial struggles may seem like it’s the end, but what you don’t know or realize is God is already shifting things around for you and your family, putting that blessing closer to you. He wants you to be happy, stable, and secure. But first you have to take refuge in Him and ask Him to take the pain, obstacles, and struggles from your hands and admit it is too much to handle on your own. Once God is in control, He will not only carry you through as a survivor, but He will make you thrive and live a happy, prosperous life. God sees everything we do, meaning every time we look to Him or even say a short prayer, He rewards us. He knows how hard it is, all the pain and sorrow that you may have endured. But, if you just press on, continue

Chapter 6: Discouragement

When things do not go according to plan, we can become discouraged; it can feel like nothing good can happen. That is what the enemy makes you think. You cannot listen to any of that. You have to wait; God will come through for you, just like He always does. In a blink of an eye, He throws a blessed curveball our way and shifts everything. Discouragement is just a phase—God is forever. Remember that. Your times of trouble are limited and temporary, but God’s blessings and favor over you are limitless, timeless, and forever. There is nothing to be discouraged about—God has you in His hand. He will pick you up when you are too weak to do so by yourself.

Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

When things don’t go according to your plan, don’t get discouraged. God is bringing you something even better than anything you could imagine. It may seem like your obstacles right now are endless, but don’t give up! They are making you stronger and preparing you for the plans The Lord has for you, which are nothing but great! You will prosper, soar, and flourish under the trust in God and His plans for you!

Matthew 11:28

"Come to me, l you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest."

Lift can throw us some good beatings here and there. It’s okay to give up trying to be perfect and kept-together all the time, and just say: “Lord, I’m tired. I’ve tried everything. I don’t see a way, but I will hold onto You, and trust that You have already made a way for me.” God will sympathize with you and reenergize your soul, giving you His light and Holy Spirit to strengthen you and give you peaceful relaxation in His presence. We don’t grieve God when we come to Him tired. This is what He wants us to do—come to Him for more energy, as we recognize we aren’t strong enough on our own. Don’t think you’re letting Him down by not being perfect or fully energized all the time—you’re only human!

Proverbs 3:5-6

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."

The easiest path, visible by our eyes, may not be the one that we think is God’s path. On the other hand, the path we look at through our heart and faith can easily be distinguished as God’s way for us. We may think other paths we see are easier to walk through, but they aren’t necessarily straight paths. The walk with God will not lack obstacles—and we have to learn to accept that—but it is incomparably easier since we have the power of God inside of us. A “straight” path without any obstacles will lead nowhere if we walk by ourselves. But, The Lord’s path for you is designed with strengthening and faith-building obstacles only to help you and bring you closer to Him. Ask God to straighten your path today.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18

"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."

The things we see with our eyes differs greatly from walking through faith and our heart. Our eyes focus on earthly things—things that are “seen.” These things run out, expire, and do not offer true fulfillment. The Bible says to “walk by faith, not by sight.” This means avoiding earthly pleasures and desires and focusing our attention on the invisible but very event glory of Jesus Christ and His eternal, never-ending power.

Chapter 7: Depression

When things aren't going our way, it is easy to become angry with God or depressed. It is not hard to find yourself trapped into a down whirl spiral once depression hits. The good news is God is our rock at rock bottom. He uses that low moment in our life to restore our faith in Him and show us He’s aware of every obstacle that we hit. God restores all of His children. No matter your past, mistakes, sadness, or complaining, God stands by you with open arms, and will shift your situation around to see you smile again.

Psalms 3:3: "But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head."

The only true fulfillment comes from Jesus. When we are tough on ourselves, get down, or just feel like we’ve reached our end, sometimes it is just plain hard to get down on our knees and pray. We feel as if God has left us, not cared enough about us to lift our heads up from the ground, like there’s no hope. But this is actually the most important time to pray. To pray for God to incline His ear to our cries, lift our heads, shed His happiness and blessings on us. He will always lift our heads when we are down, grab our hands when we fall, and shield us from harm, we just have to ask. Instead of attempting to find true love and happiness with earthly pleasures, look to God and ask Him to show you real happiness. You’ll be glad you did.

Psalms 42:11: "Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him, my salvation and my God."

Sometimes we don’t understand why we are mad, but we just are. It seems like we plan on living a long, happy lift, but for some reason we aren’t all smiles like we hoped to be. Why is this? Are we putting to much pressure on ourselves, feeling empty inside, or distanced from God? Maybe, but with prayer comes salvation, as well as hope, which brings happiness. Oftentimes we feel depressed not because something happens but rather from feeling empty and without a purpose. God will fill those voids for you and show you His ever so great and amazing purpose He has planned for your life. Just wait for His blessings!

Psalms 40:1-3: I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth..."

When we hit rock bottom, God is there as our rock. Have you ever thought about thanking God for your problems? It sounds crazy, of course, but think about what your problems have done for you, and how you got through them. Did you find yourself praying more to get through it, anticipating an answer from God? What about the outcome—did you thank God for getting you through it? Did you feel stronger after God helped you overcome that difficulty? That’s all part of God’s plans for you! He doesn’t give us obstacles to hurt us or because He wants to be mean to us—but instead He wants to strengthen you! Every bump in the road is another obstacle to overcome, but the great thing is God already overcame it so all we have to do is sit back and trust Him and wait for the big blessing at the end of the finish line! It is the greatest feeling to look back and see ourselves struggling so much in the past and sitting in despair at rock bottom, only to know God would use that situation to bring us closer to Him and spread our stories as faith-boosting inspiration! And not only that, but with every obstacle, we can rest assured that if God can pull us out of destruction, and forgive every sin, then He will surely bring us through all that we are facing!

Chapter 8: Temptation

Temptations are often the real test for Christians. The enemy is a tempter; he will try everything to tempt you and eventually cause you to sin and separate you from God. But the great thing is he never wins...GOD DOES. God is so forgiving that it doesn’t even matter how many times you’ve given into temptations, how many sins you’ve committed, how much darkness is in your past, God only cares about our future, and He will do everything in His endless power to make your future bright, victorious, and blessed. Oftentimes temptations get the best of us. The enemy attacks your weaknesses, in hopes you will take focus off of God and fall. But when we resist temptation, and realize God has already overcome it for us, He rewards us in the most unimaginable ways and grants us riches superior to anything the enemy could have given us.  The enemy is not strong enough to overcome God’s power, but His power overcomes everything! So, with The Lord on your side, there is no such thing as failure! And God promised He doesn’t give you anything more than you can bear, so I ask you remember that anytime you feel tempted or pulled into something that could potentially deviate you from God’s path. Know that God has already overcome that temptation for you and is waiting for you on the other side—the side of victory!

Matthew 26:41

"Keep watching and praying, that you may not enter to temptation. The spirit is willing but flesh is weak."

Temptations often seem too powerful to resist. They seem as if they have the power to completely control us, and suck us into their trap. Then we are left feeling powerless, hopeless, and like a failure to God for giving in. Not only that, but with temptations comes guilt that seems to never fully wipe off of our bodies. Only Jesus can truly clean us; only He can wipe away the pain and stains of the past. If we continue praying and pressing on, we can submit these temptations to the power of Jesus and let Him deal with them. The good news is, Jesus is more powerful than any temptation the enemy can throw at you. The devil may try to tempt you, but through prayer we are strengthened and The Holy Spirit, living in our hearts, remind us that it just isn't worth it and God’s reward for our resistance is around the corner. Of course, we are merely human and sinners, so one time or another we will fall under temptation. But don’t get discouraged. Just because you were weak once doesn’t mean God has stopped loving you, or that you have sinned an unforgivable amount. No, after we are weak, sin, or fail, God says “Don’t worry, my child, for I am still with you, and your sins are forgiven.” The spirit within us is so mighty that it is more than capable of overcoming the minimal power of lust and temptation that the flesh is weak to. A bad temptation or habit is hard to resist, but just remember: God rushes to our rescue every time and His love for us is perfect yesterday, today, and forever—no matter how many times we fall. He will pick you up.

James 4:7

"Submit yourselves, then to God. resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

You are subject to a spiritual battle between God and the enemy. They are both at battle for control over you, and you have the freedom to pick your choice. Although God is incomparably mightier and stronger, we are still given that choice. If you have chosen, or are thinking of choosing Jesus as your Lord and submitting your life to Him, you see His endless power which begins to fight even more for you. He loves His children more than we could ever deserve or imagine—for we are His creations! Imagine how much He must love us—He reveals Himself to us everyday through seemingly small things that we take advantage of everyday—the sunset, huge, majestic mountains, and bird singing. The enemy cannot do anything like that. If you ask God to take the temptations off of you, and truly submit to Him, the devil will flee from you. Then, you can smile and admit your victory through Christ our Lord.

Psalms 26:2- "Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and my mind."

It is so easy to fall weak under temptation It can be done with absolutely no effort, and sometimes seems like it takes more strength than we have to resist. Soon we fall into a spiral of no longer spiritually growing but instead falling into a new artificial way of life. Yes, we continue to pray and believe in God, but unconsciously separate further from Him as we fall under temptation more and more. When this happens, we have to truly call out to God and pray for forgiveness. He knows you are only human, and that you are weak, so our God is a forgiving God. So, once we past that test of faith and remember who are heart is really with, we cannot abuse His forgiveness. That means we cannot go back to how we used to live, but instead start a new life with Jesus, the redeemer. Just because God forgives us doesn’t mean we can go and sin without caring and just say, “It’s okay, God will probably forgive me.” No, if we truly live in faith and trust in God’s almighty strength, we can pass any test and pass it with victory and rise above every temptation. Living with the peace of God is incomparable to any temptation, fantasy, vision, or ANYTHING! In Jesus’ Name, declare your victory!

Peter 5:8- "Be of sober Spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."

Our spirit within us is much more powerful and strong than our flesh. It is what keeps us together and close with God, and able to resist temptation. That’s why it’s vital to strive for spiritual growth and excellence, because when we do, we become so much closer with The Lord, who then grants us His strength to overcome lust and all other temptations that our flesh is weak to. If we just stay with God, the victory is ours!

Chapter 9: Trust

How can we be Christians—or follow God at all—if we don’t trust Him? Trust is at the core of Christianity—without trust, we have nothing. Lacking in trust results in the most common personal difficulties we face in life—it is the cause for anxiety, fear, worry, and depression, among others. How can you feel blessed when you spend time questioning if God will come through for you, or make the right decision? We are sinning and grieving God when we don’t trust Him! This is the real test for people—yes it’s easy to say you’re a Christian and you believe in God, but what good is that if you go ahead and have five back up plans in case God doesn’t come through for you? As Christians, our spiritual growth depends on trusting Jesus, and His power. If we don’t, there is no room for Him to bless us. Some of the biggest blessings come as a result from bold leaps of faith—times when there is nothing left for us to do and we completely leave it in God’s hands, trusting in His power. Do you want to act like you’ve got it covered if God doesn’t get to your request soon enough, or live a life of faith and favor by trusting Him, leaning on Him, and saying, “God, this is out of my hands. I’m letting go and letting You lead. I trust You, Jesus.?”

Psalm 37:3-

"Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture."

Trusting God means letting go of fear, predicting the future, saying "what if this happens?" The more you trust the Lord the more magnified miracles you will see. He cannot release the blessings reserved for you if all you do is doubt Him. Just submit yourself to Him, and feel His secure hands cradling you.

Psalm 13:5

"But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation."

God’s love for you never changes. He doesn’t wake up and say, “Oh, they made a mistake...guess I’ll love someone else today; they failed.” That would be ridiculous! His love is unconditional and the same yesterday, today, and forever. His love offers us salvation, and whenever we feel down, empty, or broken, we trust in His unfailing love to bring us through it and fill the voids in our life that have weakened us and separated us from salvation. People or bad breaks may have gotten the best of you at some point, but God is erasing all of that pollution off of the shining glass of your life. Get ready to shine!

Psalm 20:7

"Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God."

Friends, try to never underestimate the power of trusting God. He promises us if we trust Him, He will make a way and fix everything, if we just give Him time. That doesn’t mean He can’t do it quickly—Jesus turned water into wine within a blink of an eye—but He needs to make you see different situations in order to show you how to handle the ones you are facing right now. Trust in Jesus, our Lord and God.

Isaiah 26:3

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”

We think differently when we have God on our minds. Not only does He cleanse our body, mind, soul, and all thoughts, but He gives us wisdom and insight as to what we should think about, and how He wants us to use even the smallest thoughts to bless His name. Even a silent, quick prayer in our thoughts makes all the difference, and God keeps track of every thought we think, and stores up blessings for us every time we think or bless Him through our actions. He will grant you the peace you want, just keep focused on Him!

Psalm 46:1

“To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

God uses our troublesome times only for our good. He’s not mean and enjoys seeing us go through tough times, but takes pleasure in His children running to Him in the midst of adversity—He smiles when we rely on Him. He offers us help—why not take it?

Chapter 10: Jealousy

Have you ever been jealous of someone? Maybe it was their nice car, new promotion, good looks, or great grades that made you feel as if those gifts should have been yours, or like they didn’t deserve all of that. Of course, we have all felt like that at some point in our lives. Many times we lose focus on the blessings that we been given—and the things we have—and choose to think about what we don’t have. Have you ever thought about the differences between each person? You have what someone else may not be able to handle. Likewise, others may have other talents or abilities that suit God’s plan for them...not you. We are all made differently, and given different gifts and talents. So, why should we care about if someone else seems to have more than us? In God’s eyes, we are all equal, so no amount of fancy clothes, jobs, money, or sport cars can change that. What makes us jealous? Well, we are selfish and our minds trick us into thinking every prize or award belongs to us, making us forget all the things that we actually do have. The greatest gift is God’s gifts to us—life, love, kindness, redemption, salvation, restoration, healing, blessings, talents, abilities...the list goes on. Nobody is a better you than you. That means there is no point in engaging in jealous feelings towards someone else—because guess what...no matter how many materialistic prizes they receive, they will never be you! Your life is a gift from Jesus Christ—embrace it, don’t wish you were someone else! It may seem like they have it all, but we don’t see the inside. Everyone is broken; everyone has problems; everyone needs God. Take a deep breath, close your eyes, and thank God for the hidden treasures He buried within you, and for making you wonderfully and fearfully.

Exodus 20:17

“You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.”

God gives us each different things—abilities, talents, skills, houses, cars, etc—for His own purposes, which surpass our limited understanding. There is a reason why I have different things than you, and vise versa. There is no “better” thing to receive, therefore nothing is worthy of becoming jealous of. Trust that God is giving you all the right preparation for your journey.

James 4:1-2

“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. “

Instead of asking God for what we want, too often we turn to jealousy and envy others’ possession. Of course, nothing good comes as a result from this. Jesus so clearly warns us of becoming violent and self-destructive by worrying about what everyone else has, and what we are “lacking,” when in reality we have everything we need: God. If we have Him in our hearts, there is nothing worth worrying about. No amount of money can buy God. We have to invite Him into our heart—He will gladly enter—and turn from our jealous, bitter ways. Understand today that the only thing in existence that is worth fighting for is your faith—and to obtain that all you have to do is ask. Ask your Heavenly Father. He’s waiting for your call.

Romans 12:2

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

We should not serve the Earth, but serve the God who created it. Additionally, avoid copying others and their ways. Instead allow God to shift you and make you the person He created you to be. Every one of God’s children has a different, personalized will that God ordains for us—ask God to have His will done correctly in your life and He will straighten your thinking, focus your mind on His righteousness and blessings given to you in your life, and renew your spirit from envious to pure. Jealousy can erupt from the mindset of someone else’s possessions or life seemingly being superior than ours, but by asking God to renew our thoughts and give us His mind, we can be freed from that mindset.

Romans 13:13

“Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.”

With envy comes a burden. A burden heavy on our shoulders. A burden which blurs our vision, slows blessings from flowing, and makes us obsessed over the wrong things, slowly destroying us. Walking with an envious attitude, like everyone else has it better off, will only lead to destruction. This is something we have to understand before it’s too late. We can say we are true Christians all we want, but if “secretly”—act as if God can’t see us—walk around wishing to be someone else, have what they have, be as successful as the boss, we won’t go anywhere. God grieves and can’t give us His hand of blessings when we do this, because our jealousy distances us from Him. It is like an ungrateful child, mumbling and barely getting by without complaining all day—complaining about their clothes, looks, or living conditions. We cannot live like this anymore. We cannot keep grieving our Father—He created us in His image and gave us the priceless gift of true life that nobody can take away from us—a life of perfection in Heaven, seeing Him face to face for eternity, basking in His glowing peace. This is all just a test of faith—will you trust that God has made you you for a reason and know that you are a special individual, worthy of His love, and worthy of doing great things to honor Him?

James 3:16

“For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.”

Nothing good comes from envying others. It not only results in self-destruction, but complete disorder in our lives. We suddenly cannot function as well, and that’s caused from the clarity that is no longer in our thinking and vision, as we drift from God and choose to focus on what others possess. God says “Well if you don’t want what I have to offer you than I just won’t give it to you.” He wants us to take everything He’s given us and use it to glorify Him, not complain.

Proverbs 14:30

“A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.”

We accomplish so much more when we are calm, peaceful, and listen to God’s voice whispering in our ears. However, when we ignore His voice and focus all of our thought and energy on what other people have, we suddenly try to fill that void in our hearts with the desire to be like someone else, instead of asking God to live inside of us and fill those voids. Sooner or later, you will start to see yourself feeling worse, empty, and like nothing is ever good enough—compared to what someone else might have in their life. We need to keep our eyes, mind, souls, and body focused on God and His greatness—He’s done so many great things for us, and He is just getting started. Submit to Him, and ask Him to give your heart peace like a river.

Final Words

I hope in these verses and prayer you have grown spiritually and become closer to God. I thank The Lord for giving me strength to be where I am today, and pray that He will take you to higher places than you ever thought possible, and for you to grow in your relationship with God each and every day, feeling His Spirit stronger every time you wake up. I thank you so much for reading my commentary and humble advise based from these uplifting Bible verses, and want you know these specific verses have each helped me, and hopefully granted you something in return. The Bible should never be underestimated—it is God’s story to us! We should read His Book each day, asking God for complete understanding and acceptance of every letter in it. No matter how tough life gets, know that God is with you and holding you in the palm of His hand. This is all just a test of faith. If you push through the tough spots you will see favor like never before. God will move mountains for you—I’m proof of it. You will soar, flourish, and excel under God’s leadership. He will supernaturally make you get that job, pay those bills, and open those doors that you so desperately need. Keep being patient with Him—He knows what He’s doing! When prayers seem to be ignored by God, remind yourself that He IS perfect and nothing is a surprise to Him. Right now He is aligning all the right things and people together for you to be ready for the amazing blessings about to be rained upon you and your loves ones. Besides, those blessings will feel so good knowing you trusted God and made it through with patience. Make sure to remind yourself each and every day that God knows exactly the right path for you, and that is a different path from your friend, brother, mother, and every other one of His children. You are a masterpiece to God, made wonderfully and fearfully. When it comes to being you, nobody else can even pale in comparison. You are the best you out there—act like it. You need to embrace what God’s implanted in your heart—all the talents, abilities, riches, blessings, and fruit of The Holy Spirit. All of that is what makes you special and makes The Lord look down from His kingdom and smile at you, knowing He did good when He made you. Once again, God bless you and may He grant you and His desires for your heart. Thank You Jesus, for the rain of favor and blessings coming at full speed towards Your children. Amen.

Table of Contents

Dedication

Introduction: Why Does God Love Me?

Chapter 1: Anxiety

Chapter 2: Fear

Chapter 3: Loneliness

Chapter 4: Stress

Chapter 5: Finances

Chapter 6: Discouragement

Chapter 7: Depression

Chapter 8: Temptation

Chapter 9: Trust

Chapter 10: Jealousy

Final Words