2026-06-11
2 Corinthians 10:4 NKJV
Just as Jericho was a stronghold in Canaan, we have strongholds in our lives. Paul wrote: “The weapons of our warfare are… mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God” (vv. 4-5 NKJV).
A stronghold is an “argument” or a “high thing” that “exalts itself against the knowledge of God.” It is a conviction, outlook, or belief that attempts to interfere with the truth. A stronghold is a false premise that denies God’s promise. It “sets itself up against the knowledge of God” (v. 5 NIV). It attempts to magnify the problem and minimize God’s ability to solve it.
Does a stronghold have a strong hold on you? Do you speak the language of impossibility? God could never forgive me (the stronghold of guilt). I could never forgive that person (the stronghold of resentment). Bad things always happen to me (the stronghold of self-pity). I have to be in charge (the stronghold of pride). I don’t deserve to be loved (the stronghold of rejection). I’ll never recover (the stronghold of defeat). I must be good, or God will reject me (the stronghold of performance). I’m only as good as I look (the stronghold of appearance). My value equals my possessions (the stronghold of materialism).
Many Christians don’t even recognize the strongholds in their lives. But you don’t have to be among them. God has given you the weapons of prayer, Scripture, the Name of Jesus, the blood of Jesus, fellowship, etc. And collectively, they have “divine power to demolish strongholds” (v. 4 NIV).
Soul food: Eze 24:1-27:24; Matt 18:1-9; Ps 143; Prov 15:8-10
2026-06-10
Philippians 3:13-14 NCV
Someone said: “The secret of success is to be like a duck – smooth and unruffled on top, and paddling furiously underneath.” Niccolò Paganini, the well-known nineteenth-century violinist, illustrated the truth of this. His most memorable concert was marked by “furious paddling under the surface” rather than easy success. The concert was performed with a full orchestra before a packed house in Italy. Those who heard him play say his technique was incredible and his tone fantastic.
Toward the end of the concert, he was astounding his audience with a very difficult composition, when one string on his violin suddenly snapped and hung limply from his instrument. Paganini frowned only briefly, shook his head, and continued to play, improvising beautifully. Then, to everyone’s surprise, including Paganini’s, a second string broke. Shortly thereafter, a third string snapped. It seemed like a slapstick comedy routine as Paganini stood before the awed crowd with three strings dangling from his Stradivarius violin. But instead of leaving the stage to repair his instrument, he stood firm. He calmly completed the difficult number on the one remaining string – a performance that won him applause, admiration, and enduring fame. Here’s another saying: “It’s when the going gets tough, that the tough get going!”
Paul was such a man: “Forgetting the past and straining toward what is ahead, I keep trying to reach the goal and get the prize for which God called me through Christ to the life above.” All of us who are spiritually mature should think this way too. So don’t quit; keep going!
Soul food: Eze 22-23; Matt 17:14-27; Ps 132:11-18; Prov 15:5-7
2026-06-09
1 Corinthians 15:10 NLT
Pride promotes self-reliance. It tells us we can indeed do things on our own. In our attempt to walk in self-confidence, we slam the door in God’s face and shut out the work of the Holy Spirit, our Helper. Paul was educated, sophisticated, and consecrated, yet he humbly declared, “I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church. But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favour on me – and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace” (vv. 9-10 NLT).
No matter how much ability you possess, without God, it will only take you so far. Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5 NIV). So the source of our confidence should be God and not ourselves.
When the plans of those walking in God-confidence go awry, they are wise enough to subordinate their desires to the sovereign will of God. They quickly remind themselves, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (Proverbs 19:21 NIV). They are convinced that God has a higher purpose for their lives, and that no man can thwart it. So, practice God-confidence rather than self-confidence.
Soul food: Eze 20-21; Matt 17:1-13; Ps 132:1-10; Prov 15:1-4
2026-06-08
Proverbs 2:6 NIV
Bill Gates predicted: “There will be ‘two societies’ in the future; high-paid knowledge workers and low-paid service workers.” The saying “knowledge is power” is true. And it’s even more dynamic in the spiritual realm. The more you know about God, the more confident you’ll be. Knowledge of God’s Word can give clarity to the puzzling issues of life.
When a certain religious sect tried to pull Jesus into one of their debates on a particular issue, He replied, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God” (Matthew 22:29 NLT).
There are some truths you need to settle in your heart and let them bring peace to your spirit. For example, no one else can thwart God’s purpose for your life. “The Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?” (Isaiah 14:27 NIV). You also need to settle in your mind that no matter what happens, things are working out for your good. Therefore, you can resist anxiety and worry. “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28 NKJV).
Daniel reminds us that God “gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him” (Daniel 2:21-22 NKJV). The “light” you need belongs to God. And you never have to feel insecure regarding any aspect of your knowledge when you know Him, for He knows everything.
Soul food: Eze 16:53-19:14; Matt 16:13-28; Ps 48; Prov 14:33-35
2026-06-07
John 6:63 NKJV
Jesus was called “Rabbi” eleven times in the Gospels. But He wasn’t like any other rabbi. Rabbis quoted others, but Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you… ” In the gospel of John, He said it twice: “Truly, truly, I say to you… ” The reason Jesus wasn’t like any other rabbi was because He was God manifested in the flesh. And Paul says, “Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:2-3 NKJV).
The early church fathers had a favourite saying: “The Gospels are a river in which a gnat can swim, and an elephant can drown.” The Gospels – the record of Christ’s life and teaching – have impacted the world so much that they have been translated into 2,527 languages. The second-most-translated book, Don Quixote, has been translated into about 60 languages. To this day, the Bible remains the bestselling book of all time. In the academic world, scholars keep score of how often any articles they write are cited by other scholars. By this year’s secular score, Jesus’ intellectual impact is unprecedented. Why is this? Because when everything else fails, God’s Word works.
Jesus explained it this way: “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” If you are a teacher, you know that the number one question in any class is: “Will this be on the final?” If you want to pass your finals and hear, “Well done!” from the teacher, get into God’s Word each day and get God’s Word into you.
Soul food: Matt 5:4; Ps 30; Rom 12:15
2026-06-06
Romans 8:5 NIV
Muscle memory isn’t stored in your muscles. It’s a procedural memory that is stored in your brain any time you repeat a muscle movement. Whether it’s putting a golf ball or playing a violin, the muscle memory becomes stronger the more it is repeated. Have you heard about the 10,000-hour rule? Psychologists say that’s the amount of time it takes to become an expert at anything. That’s encouraging because it means anybody can do it, but it’s discouraging because it means there are no shortcuts, no matter how smart or gifted you are.
Just like a foreign language, developing a spiritual mindset is a learning curve. Can you imagine being frustrated on the first day of a foreign language class because you aren’t fluent? That’s how we often feel when we aren’t fluent in prayer, or strong in faith, or disciplined in our habits. Psalm 84:7 says we “go from strength to strength” (NIV). You’ll be working on this for the rest of your life, one day at a time. You’ll keep benchmarking. Your faith ceiling becomes your faith floor.
And make no mistake about it – those spiritual disciplines accrue compound interest. And they pay off in terms of joy, fulfillment, and power with God. “Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace” (Romans 8:5-6 NIV).
Soul food: Eze 14:1-16:52; Matt 16:1-12; Ps 1; Prov 14:29-32
