"Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you,and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." Matthew 5:11-12

When persecution comes, don't sit around whining about it. Don't waste your time feeling sorry for yourself. Despite what you may think, that persecution hasn't come because the devil gets his kicks out of picking on you. It comes because you've become a threat to him. It comes because you've put the Word in your heart, and he knows that if he doesn't get it out, you're going to cause him more trouble than he can handle. So, when persecution comes, trust Him and rejoice, knowing that you've made it to the big leagues now! READ: 1 Peter 4:12-19

"This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a manlay down his life for his friends." John 15:12-13

Love. It is the first and foremost command Jesus gave us, yet all too many believers neglect to follow it. I'm talking about believers who can quote tremendous amounts of scripture and who may speak the Name of Jesus 35 or 40 times a day, yet they're rough and insensitive to the needs of their friends and family. They're so busy "serving God," they don't have time to serve people. Strife is their hallmark. When you're in that condition, the Name of Jesus won't work. Faith won't work because the Bible says that faith works by love. In fact, none of the gifts of the Spirit will work if you don't have love. First Corinthians 13 says so. READ: 1 Corinthians 13:1-8

"So [Israel] came up to Baal-perazim,and David smote the [Philistines] there. Then David said, God has broken my enemies by my hand, like the bursting forth of waters; therefore they called the name of that place Baal-perazim (Lord of breaking through)." 1 Chronicles 14:11

Like the bursting forth of waters. I love that phrase! It paints such a powerful and accurate picture of a breakthrough. Do you remember the story of the little boy who saw a leak in the dam and plugged up the hole with his finger? He knew that the force of the water flowing through that one tiny hole would have enlarged the leak with every second that passed. And, as the dam gave way to the pressure, that tiny trickle would have quickly become a raging flood. As you reach out your hand in faith, expect God to break in upon your enemies just like He did for David. That's how your breakthrough will come like the bursting forth of waters! Punch one little hole in that wall of problems, and no devilish dam will hold you back. Dig one tiny hole in it with your faith and with the Word of God. READ: 1 Chronicles 14:8-17

"And it shall be, when thou art come in unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance...That thou shalt takeof the first of all the fruit of the earth...and shalt go unto the place which the Lord thy God shall choose to place his name there."Deuteronomy 26:1-2

Tithing. Most Christians aren't very excited about it. But they should be and they would be if they understood how to do it properly.Scriptural tithing stirs up faith. It activates the power of God in our lives when we do it in gratitude and joy, expecting our needs to be met abundantly. In Deuteronomy 26:8-9, God told the Israelites exactly what to say when they brought their tithes. READ: Deuteronomy 26

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy." John 10:10

The devil can't cause disaster in your life unless he has been given place. He can't come in and start destroying and stealing from you unless he can get you into a place of sin, doubt, ignorance, or disobedience. So if he's been giving you trouble, ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you've let those things in. Then repent and get rid of them. Once you've done that, pull out the weapons God has given you and fire away with both barrels. Pull out the Word. Pull out prayer. Pull out faith and use it to tie the devil in knots. Use the uncommon power of God to keep him bound and he won't be able to put anything over on you. READ: Ephesians 6:10-18

"And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from the Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts--deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds.... And be thankful--appreciative, giving praise to God always." Colossians 3:15

Have you been praying that God will let you know whether a certain action you want to take is agreeable to His will or not? Let this peace of Christ be your guide. Remember that this inner leading of the Holy Spirit, this subtle sense of uneasiness or peace He gives you, is something you have to watch and listen for carefully. He generally won't just come up and knock you out of bed one morning and tell you what you need to do. The primary way He speaks to you is by what the Bible calls an inward witness. So, you have to listen. You can't just stay busy about the things of the world all the time. You have to give Him time and attention. READ: Psalm 95:1-7

"The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." John 1:29

Jesus came to take away sin. Do you realize what that means? It means that God, through the blood of Jesus, has so completely done away with the power of sin that you, as a born-again believer, can live as if it never existed. You can step out from under its shadow once and for all. Understand now, stepping out from under sin's shadow doesn't guarantee living a sinless life. You still might stumble sometimes and fall into sin. But you have a promise from God, sworn in the blood of Jesus, that says when you confess that sin, He's faithful and just to forgive you of it and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. READ: John 1:1-34