John 14:15-16

If you (really) love Me, you will keep and obey My commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor-Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), to be with you forever. 

When we love Jesus and keep His commandments the Holy Spirit can work in our lives. The Holy Spirit guides us around a multitude of traps and wrong turns. We cannot see all that the Holy Spirit sees happening in and around our lives. We are in the perfect hands of God with the Helper when we obey the commandments. 

Matthew 11:28

Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened (by religious rituals that provide no peace) and I will give you rest (refreshing your souls with salvation). Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and You will find rest for your souls.

We live in a world where media, phones, and news are always pumping us information. It gets exhausting for the mind, and our hearts will have little peace. We were never designed to carry the burdens of the world. Jesus was intended to take the burdens of the world. Jesus is our peace and salvation when we turn away from the chaos and focus on Him alone. 

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own understanding. In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him, and He will make your paths straight and smooth.

Our minds will reason us the perfect scenario of what we imagine as truth. God sees the moment’s reality, the next hour, and beyond. We cannot rely on our feelings because feelings change. If we acknowledge God in all our ways, He can direct our path. First, we must silence our minds, reasoning, and emotions to hear. 

Jeremiah 29:11-12

For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you, says the Lord, plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call on Me and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear and I will listen to you.

Our lives were planned before we were born by God. When we stay connected to God and the Bible, God can lead and guide us into those plans. We will flourish if we remain sensitive to the Holy Spirit and let God lead our lives. Our connection must be purposeful, our commitment real, and our hearts tender to God. 

Psalm 84:11 

For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows grace and favor and honor; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. 

If we are walking uprightly before the Lord, we will be blessed. What we receive from God depends on our following God’s Word. We have free will, but our choices affect our blessings and salvation. The more we incorporate God into our lives and ways, the more we will increase in blessings. 

Acts 14:22

Strengthening and establishing the hearts of the disciples; encouraging them to remain firm in the faith, saying, “It is through many tribulations and hardships that we must enter the kingdom of God.

We are to be encouraged by the Word of God because He knew we would have hardships. God doesn’t expect us to go through these times alone but firmly grasp His promises in the Bible. These promises will keep us steadfast and stable, only believing the truth of the Word and not the world’s lies. 

James 1:3-4

Be assured that the testing of your faith (through experience) produces endurance (leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace). And let endurance have its perfect result and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfect and completely developed (in your faith), lacking in nothing.

Jesus overcame the world when He died on the cross and transferred the ability of faith to those who believe in Him. That knowledge of the transfer should increase our belief in the Word and our abilities with the Word to overcome the circumstances. Our faith must be practiced for us to succeed, and we must endure to grow and learn how to use the tools Jesus gave us to succeed. 

Romans 5:3-4

And not only this, but (with joy) let us exult in our sufferings and rejoice in our hardships, knowing that hardship (distress, pressure, trouble) produces patient endurance; and endurance, proven character (spiritual maturity); and proven character, hope and confident assurance (of eternal salvation).

Paul endured more than we can imagine for the spreading of the gospel. Paul tells us to keep our attitude joyful and focus on the Word and God building our character. We are to keep our faith, speak faith-filled words, and ask God to help us endure and move us through hardships. To succeed through suffering, we have to increase our faith. 

1 Corinthians 10:13

No temptation has overtaken or enticed you that is not common to human experience (nor is any temptation unusual or beyond the human resistance) but God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but along with the temptation He will provide the way out as well, so that you will be able to endure it.

We are bombarded with temptations and ways to sin every day. We all have weaknesses that require more prayer to Jesus to help overcome and turn from. We may have to change friends, turn off the computer or television, and open our Bibles to remind ourselves that Jesus is the way out of temptation. Whatever Jesus directs us to do, we must not linger over the temptation but remove ourselves quickly. 

1 Corinthians 10:12

Therefore let the one who thinks he stands firm (immune to temptation, being overconfident and self-righteous), take care that he does not fall (into sin and condemnation).

Staying humble in our estimation of ourselves keeps trouble out of our lives. We are not an idol to worship because of our own perceived excellence of achievement in standing against temptation. God is the only deity to be praised and worshipped for the strength to avoid temptation. Any accomplishment we have comes from God and will be directed by Him.