Dave Williams's Blog, page 9

10 Traits of a Conqueror

Learn the ten traits possessed by every conqueror who ever lived. Picture yourself as a warrior putting on armor one piece at a time. Or an archer adding one arrow after another to his quiver. Embed these principles in your mind and spirit when you imagine yourself taking ownership of them.

1. Conquerors have faith

Faith can turn dreams into realities, promises into possessions, and it always begins with a promise from God’s word.

What do you want from God? Find a promise in His word, and go after it in faith. Romans 4:20 says that Abraham “did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God.” Activate faith by hearing the word of God. Every morning I wake up and listen to praise music or the Bible.

The more faith we exercise, the sturdier our foundation is in that invisible realm. As our faith increases, so does our ability to conquer.

2. Conquerors speak to the mountain

Jesus told the disciples to speak to the mountain, not about the mountain, and it would be removed and cast into the sea. David did not talk about Goliath; he spoke to Goliath.

Do not speak about the size, shape, and history of the mountain, but speak to it to be removed.

3. Conquerors realize the victory is already a done deal

We cannot go into something saying, “If I win, I win. If I lose, I lose.” We have to plan to win. We have to know that God has given us victory.

God has given you victory over the walled strongholds in your life. The victory was already provided by Jesus Christ who went before us and conquered death. Our victory is not in limbo somewhere. It is a done deal thanks to God.

Once we realize that God has given us the victory, we can rest in that with confidence.

4. Conquerors follow God’s plan

We all have a warrior spirit in us that wants to take the enemy on and blow him away, but God’s strange-looking plans are much wiser than our logical ones.

Who would have thought the walls of Jericho would come down without one hammer blow? Who would have thought that a man hanging on a cross would save the human race? God’s ways are not our ways; neither are His thoughts our thoughts.

5. Conquerors shout the victory

Praise God with a shout of victory in anticipation of what He is going to do. Hallelujah!

Shouting in advance brings our inner faith to the outside world. It shows friend and foe alike that God’s invisible reality is more powerful than present circumstances.

6. Conquerors give God the glory

Silver and gold represent the glory God gets for the victory. Every godly conqueror knows in his or her heart that victory comes only through the Lord, and giving God the glory, whether with our praises or our pocketbook, tangibly shows this. It is a public proclamation of who deserves the credit.

All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the LORD and must go into his treasury.

Joshua 6:19

I have taken great pains to provide for the temple of the LORD a hundred thousand talents of gold, a million talents of silver, quantities of bronze and iron too great to be weighed, and wood and stone.

1 Chronicles 22:14

Gold has always symbolized glory, from the golden scepter of a king to the golden idol Nebuchadnezzar made.

7. Conquerors go for the reward

Jesus often talked about rewards. He connected fasting to the reward we gain from it. He said if we seek the Lord in secret, He would reward us openly. He talked about rewards for prophets and righteous men. Paul talked about the rewards and the crowns laid up for him in heaven.

Jesus obeyed the Father for the reward He knew He would gain, and faced a giant called the cross for the joy that was set before Him (Hebrews 12:2). He knew the pain would produce a reward, that He would rise from the dead in three days with a glorified, unstoppable body and take tens of millions to heaven with Him. You and I are part of that reward!

8. Conquerors understand the importance of preservation 

Conquerors know that winning a war is not enough. They must preserve what has been conquered.

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him.”

Colossians 2:6

You have not chosen me but I have you and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain.

John 15:16

Preserving is the other side of the conquering coin, and it is where many lose out.

If you do not defend what you have conquered in any area of life—relationships, job, education—you will crash. Conquering by itself can be destructive and reckless if not balanced.

It is more difficult to preserve than to conquer. Here are two ways to do it:

Reduce losses and shore up strengths.
Invest in preserving, or you will lose what you have won.

Preservation requires investment.

9. Conquerors rest

A life of action demands times of privacy. Jesus said that we must work while it is day because the night is coming (John 9:4), but He also called the disciples away to get some rest.

Find privacy. It may be in your basement, an attic, the back yard or in the park. Conquerors know when to rest when to work when to join the crowd, when to seek privacy. Learning this trait will give you great longevity.

10. Conquerors expand to new territory

Move to new areas and be a light. Imagine walking into your workplace, and the people there stopping their chit-chat, falling on their knees and through tears asking how to be saved? It can happen! If we take our conquering spirit into the world around us, we will see amazing things before our very eyes.

For further study check out Dr. Dave Williams audio set Developing the Spirit of a Conqueror available for instant download (Audio CDs and Book also available)

 

The post 10 Traits of a Conqueror appeared first on Dave Williams Ministries.

Go for the Reward!

I hear people say all the time, “Doing something for a reward is selfish. You are supposed to act out of the goodness of your heart.” But that is exactly the opposite of what the Bible teaches.

Genesis 15:1 God told Abraham, “I am your shield, your very great reward.”
2 Samuel 22:21 David sang, “according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.”
Psalm 19:11 David wrote, “in keeping [the ordinances of the LORD] there is great reward.”
Psalm 58:11 says, “Surely the righteous still are rewarded.”
Proverbs 25:22 says, “the Lord will reward you.”
Matthew 5:12 Jesus said, “Rejoice and be glad because great is your reward in heaven.”
Jesus talks about rewards nine times in Matthew chapters five and six!
Matthew 16:27 He said, “For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.”
Colossians 3:24 says, “you know you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.”
2 John 1:8 says, “Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.”
Revelation 22:12, Jesus said, “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with Me.”

It is impossible to read the Bible without bumping into the promise of a reward! Everything we do has the motivation of a reward. Without the promise of success or fruit or reward, life becomes drudgery. God works by the reward system. He is the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).

Beyond every giant you face is a great reward. David was not interested in Goliath until he heard about the reward, and he asked three times, “Tell me about this reward.”

David mustered the courage by looking at the reward, not at the giant.

He remembered how God had helped him win in an attack from a bear and a lion, and knew that God would help him in attacking this creature named Goliath.

A farmer would never plant a seed of corn without knowing he would receive a whole stalk of corn. No restaurant would serve you a meal without knowing that you are going to reward them at the end of the meal by paying your bill. No waitress would bend over backward to serve you without knowing there was a tip at the end of the service. Nobody would throw a log in a fireplace if there were not a reward—fire, heat and a pleasant atmosphere.

Jesus often talked about rewards. He connected fasting to the reward we gain from it. Jesus said if we seek the Lord in secret, He will reward us openly. He talked about rewards for prophets and righteous men. Paul talked about the rewards and the crowns laid up for him in heaven.

Jesus obeyed the Father for the reward He knew He would gain, and faced a giant called the cross for the joy that set before Him (Hebrews 12:2). He knew the pain would produce a reward, that He would rise from the dead in three days with a glorified, unstoppable body and take tens of millions to heaven with Him.

There is a reward behind every giant you face.

If you do not fight the giant, you will not get your breakthrough.

Until you face the giant, he will keep insulting you and eventually take you out. People say to me, “I am not like David. There is a certain something about conquerors like him.” They have it backward. There is not a certain something; there is something certain about conquerors. They do not have the hokey-pokey, razzle-dazzle allure of a self-proclaimed prophet or a flash-in-the-pan evangelist. They know victory is in the sure Word of God that lasts forever. David could say, “It is in the name of the Lord I am going to face my giant.”

When the Philistines saw that their main man was dead, they left all their riches behind and fled, and the army of Israel finally had the courage and chased them. People love being on the winning side. David became a wealthy prince, and all the riches of the Philistines transferred to Israel. The Bible says the wealth of the wicked is laid up of the just (Proverbs 13:22).

There is coming a day when your enemy will flee and leave riches behind. That is what motivates conquerors. It is okay to be drawn by what you will gain. That is how the gospel works.

For further study check out Dr. Dave Williams audio set Developing the Spirit of a Conqueror available for instant download (Audio CDs and Book also available)

The post Go for the Reward! appeared first on Dave Williams Ministries.

Be a Conqueror

Don’t you love a conqueror? Someone with a winning attitude? With that certain something that leads to victory? Someone who says:

“We can do that!”
“No problem!”
“Consider it done!”

Someone who pushes you and others to greater heights with their enthusiasm and creativity? Who is not stopped by apparent obstacles, or discouraged by negative thinking?

Conquerors make things happen

Conquerors get things done, solve problems, create opportunities, realize visions, set the pace, write the future and receive the reward of their labor. There is something about a conquering spirit that people love. Conquerors are attractive, inspiring. Paul was a conqueror, he wrote. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

In Revelation 2:7 and 21:7 God says He will reward those who overcome.
Romans 12:21 says, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
First John 2:13 and 4:4 talk about overcoming the evil one.
First John 5:4 says, “everyone born of God overcomes the world.”
1 Corinthians 15:57 says God “gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

All through the Bible God tells us to think of ourselves as conquerors, winners, the ones with the upper hand, the ones with the gold medal around our necks, the prize in our possession! The Bible says,

To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations…

Revelation 2:26

In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Romans 8:37

God has called you to be victorious and triumphant, to be a conqueror and a winner in your marriage, your family, your relationships, your business, and your ministry. By definition, conquering means to master, defeat, overcome, win, achieve, gain or subdue.

So, what do you want to conquer? Maybe…

poverty and reach a level of financial security.
sickness and step up to good, healthy living.
a difficult situation in your church, workplace or home.
somebody’s heart, to find a lovely spouse.
weight — or should I say appetite?

In 1993 when Larry Bird retired at a special ceremony at Boston Garden, someone asked, “How does it feel knowing you will never put that jersey on to go out and play another game?” In Larry’s winning style, he said, “I never put that jersey on to just play a game. I always put it on to win!”

Winning is an attitude. Some people have it, and some don’t, but those with it are the ones who make things happen.

Somewhere within each of us is the yearning, and the ability, to be a winner. God has given you and me an innate desire to master life’s problems. But sometimes philosophy, tradition and other problems get in the way. Sometimes the devil takes the “win” out of people, and they limp through life wondering why God’s Word does not seem to work for them.

They are conquered and do not understand why.

You know you are becoming a conqueror when:

unexpected troubles do not worry you.
you have a clear, exciting vision for the future.
you are more inclined to pray about friends’ problems than share their misery.
no circumstance or person can steal your joy.

God has called us to be conquerors and more than conquerors! Why is it important to conquer? Because the Bible emphatically tells us that we are conquerors.

For further study check out Dr. Dave Williams audio set Developing the Spirit of a Conqueror available for instant download (Audio CDs and Book also available)

The post Be a Conqueror appeared first on Dave Williams Ministries.

How To Be An Intercessor

THANKSGIVING, PRAISE, WORSHIP

References: Phil. 4:6; Col. 1:3, 12; Psalm 9:1-2; 100:2

Thank God for His character, mercy, and goodness
Thank God for specific things in your life
Praise the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
Sing a song of worship unto the Lord

CONFESSION OF WHO JESUS IS

References: 1 Cor 1:30; Acts 3:16; John 10:11; Heb 12:2

My righteousness, my sanctifier, my healer
My peace giver, my prosperity giver, my banner
My shepherd, my guide, my God who is with me
The Author and Developer of my faith

INTERCEDE FOR GOD’S KINGDOM TO COME AND HIS WILL TO BE DONE

References: Matt. 6:9-13; I Tim. 2:1-2; II Chron. 7:14

For your own life
For your family members
For your church and its related ministries
For your pastor and his staff
For government officials
For church leaders worldwide
For Israel (Gen. 12:3; Psalm 122:6)
For our missionary families and projects (Ephesians 6:19-20; Col. 4:3)
For the body of Christ in general (I Cor. 12:12, 25-27; Rom. 12:4,5)
For your place of work

PRAY FOR REVIVAL AND HARVEST

References: Psalm 85:6; 138:7; Matt. 9:38; Luke 10:2

For your church and its outreach ministries
For your neighborhood
For your city
For your state, nation, and the world

PRAY FOR THE NEEDS OF OTHERS

References: Matt. 6:9-13; I Thess. 5:25

Needs of your family
Your church needs (goals, budget, ministries)
Various ministries and leaders in the church
Salvation, deliverance and healing needs
Pray for people you know personally
Use your prayer list to name specific individuals

HEART SEARCH AND CONFESSION

References: Matt. 6:9-13; Psalm 139:23-24; 1 John 1:9

Confess the sins of our nation pleading with God for His mercy
Pray for those trapped in sin
Confess and forsake any known sin

PERSONAL PRAYER FOR YOUR PASTOR

References: Jer. 33:3; John 14:14; James 4:2-3; 1 John 4:14

Read this post on the Prayer of Jabez for Your Pastor
Read this post on how to be a Prayer Partner for your Pastor

SPIRITUAL WARFARE

References: Matt. 26:41; Eph. 6:10-18; Luke 22:40; II Cor. 10:4; Psalm 34:7; Psalm 91

Pray against the powers of darkness over our city and against the predominant sins as God reveals them
Pray for protection of Christians and Christian leaders
Pray for personal protection from temptation, carnal attitudes, sickness, disease, and evil spirits
Pray against all satanic campaigns and strategies against the Church

FUTURE BELIEVERS AND MINISTRIES

References: John 17:20; Acts 2:39

Pray for those who will be saved this year; that God will preserve them (John 15:16)
Planned Ministries of the Church
Church Finances
Church Ministers and their families

CONCLUDE WITH PRAISE, WORSHIP, THANKSGIVING, AND SINGING TO THE LORD

References: Psalm 7:17; 147:7; I Cor. 14:15

Sing with the Spirit and with your understanding
Thank God in advance for answered prayer

AMEN!

A statement of faith! Seeing it accomplished. “It shall be done.”

The post How To Be An Intercessor appeared first on Dave Williams Ministries.

Be a Prayer Partner for Your Pastor

Your pastor cannot do it alone. He is not perfect. He is in a harsh environment where people expect him to be an extraordinary communicator, a great organizer, an ideal husband, and parent. He simply cannot do the job alone. He needs solid prayer partners who will stand in faith with him to reach this world.

Pray for the Pastor’s needs. Although the pastor loves to pray for his partners, his special prayer partners need to realize that they are there to pray for the pastor’s needs and the things that are on his heart. Please do not take advantage of your pastor. He will appreciate that quality since most people usually want only to take from him. Rarely is the pastor on the receiving end.
When you talk to the pastor, state what you want to say in a quick, concise manner, don’t stand there talking on and on, especially while others are waiting to see him. The pastor is often quite busy with a whole host of other commitments and may feel obligated to stand there and talk, even though it will cause him to be pressed for time the rest of the day. Avoid giving him negative news after a meeting.
Don’t be offended if the pastor doesn’t get to speak to you personally. He may or may not be able to do so at that moment, and this doesn’t mean that he doesn’t care.
Be careful to not emotionally overload the pastor. A good prayer partner will not overwhelm the pastor with warnings and problems to which no solution is offered.
If you have a dream, vision, or message you believe is from the Lord, ask the Lord to give you the interpretation. It’s your job to interpret not the pastor’s. If you are not sure that something you are receiving in prayer is from the Lord, take more time to pray about it. You’d be amazed at how many dreams and visions the pastor has heard and how frustrating it was for him when the person expected him to give the interpretation.
Be faithful in praying for the pastor. This leads to a closer relationship and will build his trust in the validity of your intercessory ministry.
Please do not take advantage of your close prayer relationship with the pastor. The pastor has given you a confidential trust that very few are afforded. He will treasure you as both an intercessor and a friend if you don’t tell personal details of your prayer time for him or flaunt the fact that you are his prayer partner.
Always remember to also pray for the pastor’s family. This is critical because they come under strong attack from the enemy as well.
Let the Lord give you a special focus of prayer for the pastor. Some may feel impressed to pray for his personal life. Others may be impressed to pray more intensely for his family or his work. Be sensitive to the focus of prayer the Lord is giving you as a prayer partner.
Give your pastor positive feedback at least once every few months. Let him know in a note what the Lord is saying to you in prayer. Tell him that you are genuinely praying daily for him, his family, and his ministry. Too often all the pastor hears is bad news, the latest sickness, the most recent tragedy, or the judgment warnings of wanna-be prophets. Make it a point to give him uplifting feedback at least every few months. Never “drop a bomb” on him before or after any service or prayer meeting.
There are two times your pastor needs special and intense intercession: the day before he ministers and the day after. The day before he ministers is often a time when his family members get harassed, and many distractions come to divide his mind. On the day after ministering, often depression will tempt him. He will feel that he could have done better, that more should have been saved or healed, that there ought to have been more people in church.
Pray for your pastor’s protection, as well as, his family’s protection. Use Psalm 91 as a guide. As you pray, include your own family.
Special things to pray for your pastor include:

Bless him with rich study and preparation time.
Shield him from the fear of man.
Grant him wisdom in leadership.
Anoint him for apostolic results: signs, wonders, miracles, revelation.
Honor him with lasting fruit from his labor.
Cancel any satanic assignments against him.
Remove all obstacles to his ministry and calling.
Rebuke all distractions from his devotional life.
Claim scriptural promises of protection over him.
Bind any hindering and manipulating spirits in the pastor’s life.
Loose the forces of Heaven to aid the pastor in prayer and ministry.
Give thanks for his calling and gifts.
Expect great things in every service.
Stand behind your pastor in prayer.
Yield to the Spirit for other areas of intercession for your pastor.
The prayer of Jabez for your Pastor


Remember, your pastor faces the same temptations that others face. He needs your prayers. The top five things pastors face are:

Loneliness: 70% of all pastors have no close friends. Leadership tends to isolate them.
Stress: He needs supernatural help to handle living in a “fishbowl.”
Feelings of inadequacy: 9 out of 10 pastors fell ill-equipped to do their job.
Depression: The pressure pastors face can be overwhelming at times.
Spiritual warfare: Any time a person is moving in the Spirit making progress, Satan will try to stop it in a variety of ways.


Always speak well of your pastor. When you are in other meetings, encourage people to pray for the pastor. Always promote your pastor in a positive light. Let others know that you love him and pray for him regularly; then they too will be encouraged to pray for him and tell others (even believers) what a great pastor they have.  It will reap rewards beyond this world.

The pastor’s personal prayer partners are Aarons and Hurs. Aaron and Hur upheld Moses’ arms when he was weary. As a result, a great victory came.  But Moses couldn’t do it alone. He needed Aaron, and he needed Hur. The pastor needs YOU!

Recommended Reading:

Possessing the Gates of Enemy by Cindy Jacobs
Partners in Prayer by John Maxwell
Your Pastor: Prayed for or Preyed on by Terry Teykl
How to Help Your Pastor Succeed by Dave Williams (Ebook available)

The post Be a Prayer Partner for Your Pastor appeared first on Dave Williams Ministries.

Lord, Teach Me to Pray

One day, as Jesus was finishing His prayer time, one of His disciples came to Him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”  Jesus said, “When you pray, say our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, as in heaven so in earth” Luke 11:1-2.

Scripture doesn’t tell us which disciple sought praying instruction from Jesus, but it is easy to see how wise this inquisitor was.

He had seen Jesus pray; he had seen the consistency of His prayer life, and he witnessed the results. He wanted to learn from the Master, Jesus Himself.

We would be wise to pray the same prayer today.

Lord, teach me what it means to pray, teach me to pray in such a way that my prayers are answered, teach me both the priority and power of prayer. Thank You Jesus. Amen.

There is more than one lesson to learn from the interaction between Jesus and the teachable disciple.

Jesus said, “When you pray. . . .” not, “If you pray.” Jesus expects you to have a dynamic, powerful prayer life.

“When you pray…”
Jesus said, “You pray.”  It is good to seek prayer from others, however, you must be careful not to become a professional “pray for me” person. It is imperative to discover the secret of prayer for yourself. Follow Scripture’s example and be like the teachable disciple; ask Jesus to teach you. Certainly there will be times when you call on others for prayer support, yet it is good to consider these prayers supplemental. Depending on others all the time for your prayer requests takes away from your relationship with Christ and limits the power from God in your life.
“When you pray say. . . .”

Jesus didn’t respond with, “When you pray think.”  Silent prayer is more than acceptable, however Jesus taught you in order to realize power in your prayers you must not only “think-a-prayer” you must say your prayers out loud. By speaking your prayers out loud, you avoid a wandering mind and will experience increased power in your prayers.

One day, I told Mary Jo I was going into the bedroom to pray. After reading my Bible for a bit, my eyes grew very heavy. At this point, I decided to begin praying. It seemed to be too much effort to even whisper so I closed my eyes and tried to “think” my prayer. Later my Mary Jo woke me up and jestingly asked how my prayers were coming. I joked, “Oh my! I’m praying so well today that I’m having visions.”  In the process of “thinking” my prayers, I had drifted off into such a sound sleep I found myself dreaming.

Just as a PA system in a supermarket will override the regular background music, our spoken words will override our cares, troubles, and nagging to-do lists. To avoid distraction for the most potent prayer, speak your prayers out loud.

The post Lord, Teach Me to Pray appeared first on Dave Williams Ministries.

The Prayer of Jabez for Your Pastor

The pastor’s personal prayer partners are Aarons and Hurs. Aaron and Hur upheld Moses’ arms when he was weary.  As a result, a great victory came.  But Moses couldn’t do it alone.  He needed Aaron, and he needed Hur. The pastor needs YOU!

Lord, bless my Pastor greatly…

In their home
In ministry
In personal life
In times of study and preparation
In speaking and preaching assignments
In travels

Put your hand upon my Pastor…

Anoint them powerfully:

To do more than they can do alone
To achieve more than they can achieve
To see results in ministry that are supernatural
To touch people’s lives in a unique way
To minister in an unforgettable way

Enlarge my Pastor’s Territory…

Personally and in ministry
In influence among common people
In influence among ministers
In their effect upon lives
In preaching and teaching ministry
In my church
In every way!

Keep my Pastor from all evil…

People with ill motives
Wicked people with evil designs
Gossiping tongues and rumor-mongers
Hold them close and protect them from any plan of the devil
In thoughts, words, and deeds

Help my Pastor never to cause hurt…

To themselves
To family
To their church
To fellow believers
To fellow ministers
To the Body of Christ in general

The post The Prayer of Jabez for Your Pastor appeared first on Dave Williams Ministries.

Who’s In your Drivers Seat?

Do you ever get into a routine where you’re doing more than you should? Are the pressures of daily life wearing you down? My schedule turns around and latches onto me like a pit bull sometimes, and I feel like I’m out of control.

Once, I got to feeling that way, and I plopped down on the floor and prayed, “God, I’m out of control. I need help to rein in my life so it’s manageable again.” I felt a gentle nudge to fast, and it hit me again how simple the solution is if I would just remember to do it sooner.

Fasting does for your mind what it does for the physical body. It removes toxic thoughts from your mind. It humbles your soul and gives you fresh peace and increased poise. Participating in a fast shows God that he is more important and more essential than food or anything else that competes for our time and attention. When you fast, you fulfill the First Commandment, “You shall have no other gods before me (Exodus 20:3). When you fast, you say, “God you are my source. I’m accountable to you, and I’m going to show you that you’re more important and more essential than my very life substance—food!”

Fasting is a way of denying self and experiencing greater levels of holiness. Fasting puts the Holy Spirit in the driver’s seat of our thoughts and actions so that we naturally choose God’s holy things. Paul wrote…

Romans 12:2 MEV

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

The mental rewards of fasting alone are worth the price. You will find renewed closeness to God, a new power from God, and a greater sensitivity to spiritual things. The mind is cleansed, the body is cleansed, and the searchlight comes on in your spirit to seek out God’s presence and direction.

Essentially, fasting does one thing: It places you in a position to receive from God. It doesn’t earn his favor or get his attention. It doesn’t produce faith, but it will put God back in control of your life.

The post Who’s In your Drivers Seat? appeared first on Dave Williams Ministries.

How is your diet?

We live in a day when there are more diets plans available than ever. It seems you can’t scroll Facebook without seeing an ad for some special meal, pill, or exercise equipment that is guaranteed to help you get into the best shape of your life.

1 Timothy 4:7-8
…Train yourself to be godly. Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.

One of the keys to getting physically in shape has much to do with your diet. You can spend all kinds of time on a treadmill or doing hundreds of crunches to obtain those washboard abs. However, if your diet is a mess, it’s all worthless.

1 Peter 2:2 tells us something significant about a healthy spiritual diet. When Peter said, “Like newborn babies you should crave (thirst for, earnestly desire) pure spiritual milk…”

How do we develop a craving for spiritual things?

Human beings were created as creatures of habit, and studies have determined that in most humans a habit is established in just 21 days. In other words, if you eat a chocolate bar every day for 21 days, on the 22nd day you would crave a chocolate bar. People develop habits whether consciously or unconsciously. We have real cravings.

This information can go to work for you when it comes to your spiritual life and diet. For example, if you can discipline yourself to get up a half hour earlier for 21 days and use that extra time to read the Bible, on the 22nd day, you will crave the Word of God. In fact, you’ll crave it so much that you’ll wonder if you can make it through the day without it. Imagine how it would be to be addicted to the Word of God!

God’s Word will change your thinking and change outlook.

It will take your life from defeat to victory and move you out of failure into success. It’s the Word of God that will acquaint you with the Father in an intimate way, expose the enemy’s tactics and methods. It’s the Word that will reveal all of your assets in Christ and give guidance to light your path. What’s wrong with craving God’s Word? Nothing! If this time in the Word is not yet a habit for you commit to devoting just 30 minutes for 21 days and see how you grow.

The post How is your diet? appeared first on Dave Williams Ministries.

The Greatest Gift

When you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, everything in your life changed. When you let Jesus into your heart, he went over and cleared the calculator that keeps track of your sins. He didn’t just forgive you—every memory of your sins disappeared like they never happened. And every morning when you get up, God’s grace is renewed to you again.

How does a believer become more like Jesus?

When St. Paul was 30 years old in the Lord he said:

Phil. 3:12-15a

I don’t mean to say I am perfect. I haven’t learned all I should even yet, but I keep working toward the day when I will finally be all that Christ saved me for and wants me to be No, dear brothers, I am still not all I should be but I am bringing all my energies to bear on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God is calling us up to heaven because of what Christ did for us. I hope all of you who are mature Christians will see eye-to-eye with me on these things.

Notice Paul said, “I haven’t learned all I should even yet.” Herein lies one of the keys to becoming like Jesus. After 30 years, Paul was more like Jesus than ever, but he humbly admitted there was still some work that needed to be done in his life.

As we listen and as we learn, we will become! Genuine learning and true education will effect a change in our hearts, lives, and attitudes. As we listen to the Holy Spirit and learn from Him through the Bible and God-anointed teachers, we will find a gentle shaping of our lives taking place. God will be doing the work: No strain, no toil, no self-crucifixion.

2 Corinthians 3:18

And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like Him.

Today, you and I are being conformed into one of two things:

The image of our Lord Jesus Christ
Something else

What you listen to and learn from will be great factors in what you become.

During the Christmas season, as you celebrate the birth of Jesus, put your focus on Him. Thank Him for coming to earth, one-hundred percent man and one-hundred percent God, and completing the plan to reconcile humankind to God.

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