Proverbs 24:10

If you are slack (careless) in the day of distress, your strength is limited.

Mark Hankins says, “Your believer needs to be connected to your speaker.”  Our faith spoken is the connection to our strength in overcoming our adversities.  David ran at Goliath, speaking covenant words.  When we are deliberate with the words we speak in faith, fear will not gain a stronghold.  

Proverbs 20:7

The righteous man who walks in integrity and lives life in accord with his (godly) beliefs- How blessed (happy and spiritually secure) are his children after him (who have his example to follow). 

We like to do things that we see proven out first.  We may question does faith work?  Our example of a righteous man walking in integrity and proving faith works is Noah, Abraham, Paul, and the apostles.  God gave us the bible filled with examples of what Godly beliefs can do for our lives.  Then we can be the righteous man and the example to our children.  

Proverbs 15:23

All the ways of a man are clean and innocent in his own eyes (and he may see nothing wrong with his actions), But the Lord weighs and examines the motives and intents (of the heart and knows the truth).

The Holy Spirit in us is our best defense against sin.  The Holy Spirit will give our spirit a nudge when we may be doing or saying something that doesn’t align with God’s best.  When we keep our hearts soft and sensitive to His leading, we can maintain peace in our lives. 

Matthew 13:57-58

And they took offense at Him (refusing to believe in Him). But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.”  And He did not do many miracles there (in Nazareth) because of their unbelief.

Our best defense against being offended is choosing no matter what not to be offended.  When a person is offended, their blessing gets blocked, making it harder to receive from Jesus.  The offense is more about our feelings than our beliefs!  Jesus couldn’t heal and do any great miracles because of their unbelief.   

2 Timothy 1:7

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but (He has given us a spirit) of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline (abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control).

We do not have to accept fear into our life about anything.  Fear is a blinder to the abilities of faith.  It is a step back from the power of God because He can’t work for us when we are in fear.  Faith-filled words can overcome the circumstance when fear-filled words will not. 

Mark 4:24

Then he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear.  By your own standard of measurement (that is, to the extent that you study spiritual truth and apply godly wisdom), it will be measured to you (and you will be given even great ability to respond)- and more will be given you besides.

Jesus used Smith Wigglesworth to demonstrate His power on earth.  For Wigglesworth to do this, he was constantly studying the Bible or praying.  Now, we may not be ready to raise the dead we would like to have our prayers answered.  We must practice our faith, pray and believe the word, and Jesus will work through us.   

Mark 2:17

When Jesus heard this, He said to them, “Those who are healthy have no need of a physician, but (only) those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners (who recognize their sin and humbly seek forgiveness).

A sinner looking to repent and seeks forgiveness needs help.  Their lives may look like a mess, but they feel the call of God on their hearts.  They are looking for a seed planted by those who have walked the path before and are now saved.  Our experiences with God are like water in a desert.  We can show them the love we received from God.  

Mathew 9:22

While He was saying these things to them, a ruler (synagogue official) entered (the house) and kneeled down and worshipped Him, saying, “My daughter has just now died; but come lay Your hand on her, and she will live.”

Jesus had a reputation for His ability to heal!  Jesus has never lost that ability, and He desires for us to be healed.  The ruler of the synagogue did not doubt that Jesus could heal the daughter.  Our faith is critical, just like the faith of the ruler who worshipped Jesus asking for His help.  

Hebrews 12:25

See to it that you do not refuse (to listen to) Him who is speaking (to you now). For if those (sons of Israel) did not escape when they refused (to listen to) him who warned them on earth (revealing God’s will), how much less will we escape if we turn our backs on Him who warns from heaven?

Experience is a good teacher! It teaches us that we cannot see or foresee everything to come.  As born-again Christians, we are led by the Holy Spirit if we will listen.  The inward nudge comes for our protection and advancement in this life.  If we keep our hearts humble and soft to the leading, we will always go in the right direction.  

Matthew 5:11

Blessed (morally courageous and spiritually alive with life-joy in God’s goodness) are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil things against you because of (your association with) Me.  

Jesus said that persecution would arise for His name’s sake.  We must strengthen the spirit so that we will not be offended and turn from Jesus when it comes to our lives.  Jesus never said that being a Christian would be easy, but He did say it was the right way.   We will receive a reward in heaven for standing up for our belief in Jesus.