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7 Prayers for Joy and Peace No Matter What You’re Facing
The morning opens wide over rolling grey hills splashed with vermillion. I walk slowly down the country road, thankful that my prayers for joy have been answered. I feel grateful and hope-filled as we look to the summer months ahead. Prayers for Joy and Peace Today, we’ll look at seven prayers for joy and peace. Whether you’re stepping into a hopeful summer season or a barren winter, may these prayers encourage you today. Prayers for Joy and Peace in All Circumstances 1. Pray for joy that isn’t dependent upon circumstances. It has often been said that happiness is dependent upon what is happening around us, and joy comes from deep within,…
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6 Prayers for Loving Others Even When They’re Hard to Love
Years ago, God brought an acquaintance into my life who was hard to love. She often called me multiple times per day. She was easily offended and didn’t respect my boundaries. I felt called to continue loving her, but it wasn’t always easy. Today, we’ll explore six prayers for loving others, especially when loving doesn’t come easily. 6 Prayers for Loving Others Over time, I realized I needed God’s love to pour through me if I was going to carry his love into challenging relationships. No matter how hard I tried, willpower didn’t help me become more loving. I needed God to work in my heart and give me his…
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What Is the Spirit of Offense & How to Overcome It
As a young woman, I blamed God for almost every unfortunate turn of events in my life. This spirit of offense led me to blame him for everything from shattered athletic dreams to hard breakups. At the time, I was largely unaware of the enemy’s schemes. I had not yet learned that Satan’s primary battle strategy is to lead us to embrace the spirit of offense, angrily blaming God for the troubles of life. Rejecting the Spirit of Offense Several years ago, I sensed God leading me to make a commitment to never again hold onto a spirit of offense toward him in challenging times. Our family had just endured…
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12 Ways to Destroy the Works of the Devil
Over the water of a still lake, a cluster of hardwoods casts russet shadows. I’m in the forest tonight because I need this space to sort through a series of challenges our family has been facing. I sense we’ve been facing one spiritual attack after another, but I realize that we cannot destroy the works of the devil without identifying them first. The forest is a mishmash of colors—cranberry, ochre, and umber. As I gaze at the scene, it’s hard to discern where reality ends and the mirror image begins. At times, I’ve experienced similar sentiments in my spiritual life. I’ve scratched my head in bewilderment as I’ve aimed to…