Here we are. It’s Monday morning. Hopefully, you spent some quality time with believers this past weekend: encouraged by conversations, comforted by the prayers and/or challenged by the Word. Here is what I want you to think about this morning. What truths did you add to your filters that will enable you to experience greater victory this week?
If you only came away from the “church” service with warm fuzzies, you missed the point. What did you hear from Jesus? Did He give you new truths to make your filters more effective at screening out your enemy’s lies? Or, did He strengthen the truths already in your filter? Either way, I encourage you to not be like the people James admonished in James 1:22 who were hearers, but not doers of the Word. The truths they heard from the Word became useless to them in fighting the battle of everyday life. Learn from their mistakes. Use the truths Jesus gave you this week to recognize the lies that must gotten rid of and to focus on the truths that set you free from your drugs of choice. Happy practicing this week!

Is your faith stronger now than it was on Monday? Hopefully you can answer with a resounding “yes” as you saw Jesus all over your life.
A stronger faith is made possible by having a mature faith as described in Hebrews 5:13-14. A mature faith is the ability to discern good and evil and then make right(eousness) choices based upon that information. In other words, a biblically-based truth filter is kept on, risks were taken by obeying the truths the Spirit put into your brain, and victory was gained over a drug of choice. This is what is meant by living with a Biblical worldview.
A mature believer uses the Set Free Nowww principles to experience the Spriit draw them closer to Jesus, even in defeat. They fulfill the purpose God gave them as He changes their life and affects the lives of those around them where they are, which a weekly BIG makes happen.
A weak faith stays the same at best or loses ground at worst by focusing on doubts, religious practices, people and/or fear (Hebrews 6:1-3). In other words, life is lived with “the nothing gained, nothing lost” attitude. Status quo is a good thing. This attitude slowly commits suicide by wasting time not getting closer to Jesus, which means BIG is not on their schedule.
I hope you experienced Jesus – the author and finisher of your faith – this week!

My wife and I love to ride our motorcycle, especially in the back country of north San Diego County. Our rides are very relaxing, even though my head is on a swivel. I’m constantly on the look out for cars pulling out in front of me, for where I could escape if they did, and even places where I could ditch my bike with the least amount of bodily injury.
It is the same with our walks with Jesus. He told us to “watch and pray” so we would not enter into temptation. We all know the places where we fall or are vulnerable to our enemy’s attack. Our Lord told us to “watch” or be prepared for the temptation. Our heads should be on a swivel. It’s not a matter of if our enemy will attack, but when (1 Peter 5:8-9).
We are not only to watch out, but we are also to “pray”. Keep in mind you don’t just fall into sin. You’ve been thinking about it before hand. So when the temptation comes, you step right into it. But if you’re prepared ahead of time you have a much higher chance of victory.
One author said it this way. “Some guys seem to think that it’s impossible to resist temptation. I’ve found that if I’ve already thought through a situation and have a response prepared ahead of time in the event temptation rears its ugly head, it is that much easier to resist.”
Prepare yourself for battle! Know your weak spot (i.e. the area of your life the Spirit wants to change). Memorize the truths He’s given you and use them to filter out your enemy’s lies each day. Know when and where you’re most vulnerable to be attacked. Think through how you will respond when the attack comes. And when it does, ask the Spirit to help you see the temptation and empower you to run to Jesus.
Prepared to win or prepared to fail. Choose wisely today my friend.

You don’t know how often I’ve heard, “Everybody else is doing it.” Even Christians say it, like it’s some kind of magic get out of jail free card. No, this is a lie-based message that needs to be filtered out of our thinking. First of all, not everyone is doing it! Second, what if everyone was doing it, is what their doing in your best interests? Maybe. But who do you know for sure has your best interests at heart? Jesus. And what is He asking you to do? Take a risk (Hebrews 11:6) and trust Him.
The greatest test of freedom is not the polls you take, but in the risks you take. Freedom from your drugs of choice is dependent upon your ability to take a risk, not in following the crowd. Sin does seem like the right thing to do, for the moment. Our drugs of choice do make us happy, temporarily. Our freedom from all the negative side effects of those sinful repeated behaviors is to go against what we think and feel and take a risk, a step of faith, to trust the Word of God. By choosing to take a risk and exercise the truth the Spirit has given you, you’ll get closer to Jesus, the only One who can meet your needs today and tomorrow.
You choice today is: follow yourself, the crowd or Jesus. Who truly has your best interests in mind?

When I make the following statement, people often look at me like I’m some kind of goof ball: the more dependent upon the Spirit you are the more independent you become.
Think about it for a moment. As we surrender control of our thinking, our will and our decisions to Jesus, the more love, joy and peace we’ll experience. As you do this, you’re becoming more independent from sin, which robs you of said love, joy and peace.
Said another way, being out of control is a good thing! The price of gas and food, job insecurity, family choices, drivers on the road, all seem to be beyond our control, which leaves us feeling less than stellar about ourselves. Thus, giving up control of our lives to Jesus is the only way to be safe and secure in the out of control world we live in each day. The more we use our biblically-based truth filter to screen out Satan’s lie-based messages (e.g. being in control is the only way to be okay) and surrender our daily situations to Jesus, we’ll get further away from sin and closer to Jesus, the Source of daily security.
Want to feel better than okay today? Go crazy. Give up control. Trust the truths the Spirit has given you to practice and focus on today. You’ll be more than glad you did!