What Your Adversaries See That You Cannot

While you’re thinking that God has left you or that your situation will never get better, your adversaries, who have purposed themselves to overthrow you, perceive you as a walking miracle.

Share

Everything they have done to diminish you has been in vain. You may not be where you want to be, but your adversaries know that, considering everything they have done against you, you should be far worse off than you are today.

While you may feel abandoned by God and discouraged by your circumstances, your very existence is proof that your adversaries’ plans have failed. You may not be where you desire to be, but you are living evidence of God’s sustaining power, standing stronger than your adversaries ever expected.

The Truth to Remember

The Miracles Only Your Adversaries See

Sometimes, when you are in the midst of a struggle, it is difficult to recognize how far God has brought you. You may feel discouraged, wonder if He has forgotten you, or question why your circumstances have not changed. Yet, while you are focused on what has not happened, those who sought to undermine you can see something remarkable: you are still standing.

“It is because of the LORD’s loving kindnesses that we are not consumed, because His compassion doesn’t fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”

Lamentations 3:22–23 WMB

Despite their efforts to diminish you, discourage you, or derail your purpose, you have endured. It is time to shift your perspective, recognize the evidence of God’s sustaining power in your life, and understand that what you perceive as a struggle may be a miracle in the eyes of those who expected your downfall. It is time to express your gratitude and thank God over and over again!

“Praise and be raised. Complain and remain”

- Unknown

Subscribe now

Coming soon…

How God Intended Prayer to Be

God’s intent concerning prayer is clearly revealed throughout Scripture. Prayer was never meant to be solely about us or what we have to say. Prayer is an exchange—a two-way conversation between God and man.

Yahweh spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Exodus 33:11

Call to Me, and I will answer you, and will show you great and difficult things, which you don’t know. Jeremiah 33:3

Prayer, as communication between God and man, can be traced to the Garden of Eden, where God established direct communication with Adam. God spoke to Adam, gave him instructions, and entrusted him with the responsibility of naming the animals.

This early account demonstrates that God’s relationship with humanity was intended to include communication, instruction, and interaction with Him.

The first biblical instance of God communicating directly with man is found in Genesis 2:16–17. This communication establishes a simple but important truth: communication is an essential part of our relationship experience with God.

Yahweh God commanded the man, saying, ‘You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but you shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; for in the day that you eat of it, you will surely die.’ Genesis 2:16–17

God does not simply command us to do things. Neither does He desire for us to be the only ones speaking during prayer. He desires a relationship with us that involves an ongoing cycle of communication—listening, responding, receiving guidance, and taking obedient action. Through this continual exchange, we develop and deepen our relationship with Him.

Genesis 18:22–33 provides a clear example of what we would recognize as prayer: Abraham openly bringing his concerns before God, interceding on behalf of others, asking questions, and persistently appealing to God’s mercy and righteousness.

Genesis 18:22–33

22. The men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before Yahweh.

23. Abraham came near, and said, “Will You consume the righteous with the wicked?

24. What if there are fifty righteous within the city? Will You consume and not spare the place for the fifty righteous who are in it?

25. May it be far from You to do such a thing, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous would be like the wicked. May that be far from You. Won’t the Judge of all the earth do right?”

26. Yahweh said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sake.”

27. Abraham answered, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, who am but dust and ashes.

28. What if there will lack five of the fifty righteous? Will You destroy all the city for lack of five?” He said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”

29. He spoke to Him yet again, and said, “What if there are forty found there?” He said, “I will not do it for the forty’s sake.”

30. He said, “Oh, don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak. What if there are thirty found there?” He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”

31. He said, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord. What if there are twenty found there?” He said, “I will not destroy it for the twenty’s sake.”

32. He said, “Oh, don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet just once more. What if ten are found there?” He said, “I will not destroy it for the ten’s sake.”

33. Yahweh went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.

The True Nature of Prayer

At its core, prayer is communication between God and an individual or a group of people. It is a two-way conversation—much more than a one-way monologue in which we simply speak to God without taking time to listen, reflect, take notes, seek His guidance, and discern His will.

Share

Who Is Dominating the Conversation?

Take a moment to reflect on your prayer life. Think about the times you have come before God—your words, your requests, your concerns, and your desires.

Because what God has to say is far more important than what we have to say, we should approach prayer with reverence and humility, allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us throughout our time of prayer—from beginning to end.

How we approach a conversation matters. Consider how you would feel if someone began speaking to you in an unfriendly or disrespectful tone. Would you feel comfortable? Would you feel respected? Would you be receptive to what they had to say? Similarly, we must be mindful of how we approach God. We should approach Him with reverence, humility, and a heart that seeks to please Him.

Most people do not recognize that conversations must be handled with care; otherwise, those involved may feel ignored, disrespected, or unheard and may become unwilling to engage in future conversations.

They may be communicating, “I do not want to hear what God has to say. Only my words matter.”

This may not be the message you intend to convey to God, but it is the message your actions may be conveying to your Creator.

Your prayer life should demonstrate not only that you desire to speak to God, but also that you are willing to listen to Him.

We must be mindful that, just as we have emotions because we are made in the image and likeness of God, our Father also possesses and expresses emotions. Scripture reveals that God loves, grieves, takes pleasure, and shows compassion.

Jesus wept. John 11:35

Like a father has compassion on his children, so Yahweh has compassion on those who fear Him. Psalm 103:13

Therefore, how we approach Him and communicate with Him matters. Our words, attitudes, and actions should reflect reverence, humility, love, and a genuine desire to please Him.

Share

God’s WiFi

You do not need to see a Wi-Fi signal traveling through the air to know that the connection is working. In the same way, you do not need a physical manifestation of God to know that He is present and working. What is unseen is still real and active.

Unlike a Wi-Fi connection, however, God’s availability is never limited, and His signal never weakens. The issue is not whether God is connected to us; the question is whether we are drawing near to Him.

Just as moving closer to a Wi-Fi router can strengthen a signal, drawing closer to God strengthens our awareness of His presence, guidance, and direction.

Subscribe now

Share Prayer Never Ends

Continue to part 3…. Prayer Is a Dialogue - What Prayer Is

The Traditions of Men Versus the Word of God

It is very important for us to know what God says about prayer rather than relying on our own beliefs or the opinions of others. Rabbis, priests, pastors, and other spiritual leaders can provide valuable biblical guidance and encouragement, and many sincerely desi…

Read more

Real People Facing Real Issues

In Scripture, we read about "Daniel in The Lions’ Den (Daniel 6), The Three Hebrew Children being cast into the fiery furnace (Daniel 3), and Joseph being sold into slavery by his own brothers (Genesis 37). As we read these biblical accounts, we may be tempted to view these events as merely tragic stories recorded in a book…

Read more

The Great Decision: Fear or Faith?

For many people, making the decision to stay committed to God all the way through will not be easy. It is not merely that His way is far better than the alternative. When you choose to walk with God, you gain access to freedom, self-control, faith,…

Read more

The Sin We Hold Dear & Won’t Let Go

It may feel difficult, if not impossible, to not worry about circumstances that we fear the most. You may be afraid to commit yourself to God because you don’t know if you will be able to keep such a commitment. It may be that you don’t see a good way out of your circumstances, don’t know what to do, how to move forward, or where to turn for help. Regardless of the circumstance, whether small or great, the fears you have are real. And you shouldn’t worship a God that you don’t believe is massively greater than your greatest issue.

If a genie appeared and offered to do anything you desired—absolutely anything—what would you ask for? Would there be any limit to what you could imagine? While God is not a genie and never claims to be one, if you carried that same boldness and expectancy in prayer, asking God for anything you can imagine, why wouldn’t you?

🧭In movies, a genie carelessly gives people whatever they want, regardless of the destruction it may cause. God, however, intends to give us His very best once we are disciplined and ready to receive it.

Have you thought about things you wish you could change in the past or present? The past is behind us and cannot be changed. Tomorrow has not yet come, so ask yourself, “Why haven’t I started planning today to ensure I do not repeat the same mistakes in the future?”

Do you have an idea for a business, ministry, or a way to enjoy life more but haven’t started yet? Sometimes we deny our fear of the unknown, but if we truly have no fear, why not begin the journey?

Question to Ponder

Are you listening to the voice of faith or the voice of fear?

When fear becomes louder than the voice of God, it pulls us away from faith—and whatever is not of faith is sin (Romans 14:23). Scripture consistently teaches that faith and fear do not operate in agreement. In fact, fear stands in direct opposition to faith.

Fear becomes a destructive sin when we choose to hold onto it instead of trusting in the power of God and allowing Him to guide our decisions.

Subscribe now

We were designed by God to feel fear when necessary in order to escape danger. However, Scripture repeatedly teaches that we are not built to live under fear that controls our decisions and charts the course of our lives. We are not to obey fear or make fear-based decisions; our allegiance is to God, and our calling is to obey Him.

Here are Bible verses that specifically tell us that misplaced fear—fear in response to our circumstances—is not of God. We are called to fear God Himself, not our circumstances.

Isaiah 8:12-13 WMB
“…Don’t fear what they fear, neither be afraid. Sanctify Yahweh of Armies himself; let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.”

Proverbs 29:25 WMB
“The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever puts his trust in Yahweh is kept safe.”

Isaiah 41:10 WMB
“Don’t you be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.”

Luke 12:32 WMB
“Don’t be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.”

Exodus 20:18-20 WMB
“All the people perceived the thunderings, the lightnings, the sound of the shofar, and the mountain smoking. When the people saw it, they trembled and stood far away. They said to Moses, ‘Speak with us yourself, and we will listen; but don’t let God speak with us, lest we die.’ Moses said to the people, ‘Don’t be afraid, for God has come to test you, and that his fear may be before you, that you won’t sin.’”

The Devastation

One of the greatest regrets that most people have in their later years is their inability to go after what they believed was truly possible. Are you that person?

Are you choosing to live in faith and confidence, knowing that God can do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think? Or are you choosing to accumulate the devastation of regret, saving it for your later years?

Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to him be the glory in the assembly and in Messiah Yeshua to all generations forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21 WMB

If you’re denying yourself the opportunity to live the life your heart longs for, it is highly likely that you're operating under a spirit of fear. If you are not operating under the spirit of fear, what’s stopping you from getting started?

Fear presents itself in many forms: fear of failure, fear of the opinions of others, fear of lacking resources, uncertainty about the future, and more. While we do not deny reality or the challenges we face, we also acknowledge the power of the Creator of the universe.

Often, when we give reasons for not moving forward, what is actually happening in our hearts is a lack of confidence in God—His ability to hear our prayers, provide for our needs, and make a way for us to accomplish what He has placed in us.

Question to Ponder

Is the God who created the universe unable to provide a solution to your obstacles?

Isaiah 50:2 (KJV)
“… Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness…”

Isaiah 59:1 (KJV)
“Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear.”

The fear we experience is real and should not be dismissed. However, while our fears may be understandable, they are not a sufficient reason to stay in mediocrity.

For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:7 WMB

Scripture tells us that God has not given us a spirit of fear, so the question becomes: where is the fear of starting your journey coming from? One thing we can be certain of is that the fear you are experiencing does not come from God.

What is holding you back from walking in the life Christ died to give you? Why have you not begun putting pen to paper and asking God to lead you—not only to succeed in life, but to become the solution to the problem He created you to address?

The Decisions That Shaped Our Past

The circumstances we are facing today are a summation of our decisions—great, good, bad, and terrible. Knowing this, it is up to us to make decisions that will produce the results we desire. If we have spent the past several years living in fear, it may take months or even years to reject that fear and develop a heart of courage.

If you choose to remain in the past and continue yielding to fear, that is a decision you can make. But when you are tempted to blame others or even God for living unfulfilled, broken, and powerless, remind yourself of the choice that was made—the conscious decision to make fear your god.

Living without stepping into the life God has for you is a conscious decision. You are choosing fear over faith, even if it is not acknowledged. Rejecting the life you were created for is not simply something that happens to you; it is something you decided on and allow.

If you have decided to give in to fear, I have prepared a prayer you can recite to demonstrate your devotion to it:

Rather than giving fear authority over your life, take a moment to reflect honestly on what fear has cost you—and choose differently going forward.

Paralyzed by Fear

The fear you experience when triggered by certain emotions is real and not merely in your mind. Intense fear can disrupt a person’s fight-or-flight response in critical situations, impairing their ability to activate natural self-preservation instincts.

If you find yourself constantly thinking about all the things you could do if only X, Y, and Z were different, you may unknowingly be held back by fear.

You are hindered from taking the necessary actions to make your life what you want it to be. The same fear that can give you the strength to run faster than Usain Bolt in the face of danger can both empower and paralyze you—making you comfortable in mediocrity, even when you know God is calling you to move forward to higher ground.

Imagine this: you check the balance of your bank account and discover that, for the past month, someone has been stealing from you every single day. Do you continue to allow the thief to carry out a daily assault on your finances, or do you take action and inform the bank so they can respond appropriately? Do you allow the fear and frustration over your stolen money to cripple your ability to act and take the necessary steps? No, you do not.

Yet in life, the enemy can carry out a daily assault on our minds, hearts, and circumstances, and we often respond as if we are powerless—doing nothing, and at worst, not even praying.

The Decision That Shapes Your Future

Responding to this crippling fear by doing nothing may seem like a temporary solution, but it will not fulfill the desire in your heart to grow and become greater than you are today.

Over time, unfulfilled desires can diminish your quality of life until you become so dissatisfied that you no longer enjoy the small blessings and comforts you once valued and were grateful for.

We do not often respond appropriately to missing out on God’s best for our lives because we have become conditioned to settle for less than His best. As the losses we experience accumulate, our minds adapt to accepting less. As a result, the emotional impact becomes less intense over time.

The point at which we fail to take action and begin our journey toward the promised land because of the obstacles we imagine is the point where fear becomes our god.

By obeying fear instead of obeying God and refusing to step out of our comfort zone, we are essentially declaring that fear has control over our lives and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Fear begins to govern us when we do not take the necessary steps to move forward and push beyond what we are afraid of. (Exodus 3)

I do not believe that most people who love God would knowingly and intentionally disobey Him, especially when He is leading them toward their promised land—a place where the desires of their heart are fulfilled. Rather, it is often the fear of the unknown that holds them back from moving forward and experiencing the life God has prepared in Christ. Even though we may not always be able to predict or see the future, we can trust that God will never lead us into a ditch.

Just as we make a conscious (or passive) decision to live powerless in mediocrity, we can also make a conscious decision to live a Christ-like life filled with courage and grit.

When you decide to live a life of flourishing fulfillment, you must first believe that God is able to transform you from fear into courage. This is not something you accomplish in your own strength; it is a work He has already made provision for. Scripture is filled with guidance on how to walk in faith, renew your mind, and move forward despite fear.

The real question becomes: how do you begin, and where do you find the instructions God has already given? The answer is found in His Word—through prayer, obedience, and steady trust in His promises. As you take each step in faith, God strengthens you, redirects your thoughts, and equips you to walk in the purpose He has prepared for you.

What’s helpful is that we have extracted these instructions so you can easily read and follow them directly in your Bible, step by step, without confusion or guesswork.

Continue to part 2…. Who & What Will You Believe?

Share

Read more