For He is [Himself] our peace (our bond of unity and harmony). He has made us both [Jew and Gentile] one [body], and has broken down (destroyed, abolished) the hostile dividing wall between us.- Ephesians 2:14

One day while I was praying, the Holy Spirit showed me that my life had become a bridge for others to pass over and find their place in God. For many years, I erected only walls in my life; but now where there were walls, there are bridges instead. All the difficult and unfair things that have happened to me have been turned into highways over which others can pass to find the same liberty that I have found. I have learned to build bridges instead of walls.

In Hebrews 5:9 Jesus is referred to as “the Author and Source of eternal salvation.” He pioneered a pathway to God for us. He became a highway for us to pass over. It is as though He faced a giant forest and went in ahead of us so that when we came along we could drive right through it without having to fight all the elements and the density of the forest. He sacrificed Himself for us; and now that we are benefiting from His sacrifice, He is giving us a chance to sacrifice for others so they can reap the same benefits we enjoy.

Hebrews 12:2 says that Jesus endured the cross for the joy of obtaining the prize that was set before Him. I like to remind myself of that fact when the way seems hard. I tell myself, Keep pressing on, Joyce. There is joy ahead.

Make a decision to tear down your walls and build bridges. There are many, many people who are lost in their messes and need someone to go before them and show them the way. Why not be that person for them? Walls or bridges? The choice is yours.

However, I am telling you nothing but the truth when I say it is profitable (good, expedient, advantageous) for you that I go away. Because if I do not go away, the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you [into close fellowship with you]; but if I go away, I will send Him to you [to be in close fellowship with you]. And when He comes, He will convict and convince the world and bring demonstration to it about sin and about righteousness (uprightness of heart and right standing with God) and about judgment. – John 16:7-8

Years ago, I sat at a table with six public speakers. All of them had been in the ministry longer than I had, but God had given me more outward success than the others.

As the conversation went on, I realized I was doing most the talking telling one story after another. They all smiled, and no one acted as if they resented my dominating.

Afterward, I thought about my behavior. I had done nothing wrong, but I realized I had controlled the conversation, and I felt the Holy Spirit convict me. Although I wasn’t aware of it at the time, in retrospect, I realized that I had been rude and selfish by dominating the conversation. Taking control that’s what I had done.

Perhaps I was insecure and didn’t want them to see me as anything but confident and able. I may have talked too much because I was nervous with my peers. Perhaps I was just so full of myself that all I wanted to do was talk about myself, and what I was doing. A truly loving person is interested in others and always draws them into the conversation. I realize now that I wasn’t operating in love back in those days.

Most of the time, I stayed so busy talking about myself and my ministry that I never faced what was wrong inside me. I felt a little nudge from the Holy Spirit frequently, but I never really stopped to pay much attention.

Instead of looking at our own shortcomings and failures, we often focus on other people and what we think is wrong with them. That’s easier and less painful. As long as we can keep the focus on other people, we don’t have to examine our own hearts. It’s not calculated, and I’m sure most of us are not aware of the reasons for our being negative. That’s also why negativity is so difficult to deal with. We undermine Satan’s attempt to establish a stronghold in our minds when we admit, “God, I’m a pessimistic person.” That’s the beginning.

Then we cry out to the Holy Spirit to search our hearts. Jesus said of Him, … He will convict and convince the world and bring demonstration to it about sin and about righteousness (uprightness of heart and right standing with God) and about judgment (John 16:8). Too often, we read the word world and smile. Yes, that’s for those sinners, those people who don’t know Jesus. That’s true, but it’s only partially true, because we also live in the world.

We as God’s people need that conviction, as well. We need the Holy Spirit to probe deeply inside us and help us grasp why we’re afflicted with negative thinking. We probably know many nonbelievers who are naturally optimistic, and who never speak badly about others. Satan already has control of their minds, so he doesn’t even tempt them to be negative.

Think of it this way: Satan attacks us where we’re weak. Perhaps this will help explain what I mean. More than 100 years ago, William Sheldon began to study human body types and classified them as distinct types. His research indicated that all of us are prone toward certain types of physical diseases. Those with the pear shaped figure are more prone to heart problems and high blood pressure. I have a rail-thin friend, and when she gets sick, she comes down with a lung infection or bronchitis. She’s in her seventies, has a healthy heart, and is otherwise healthy but she has weak lungs.

Let’s apply that principle to the spiritual realm. All of us have weaknesses some of us are prone to pessimism, some to lying or gossip, others are by nature more deceptive. It’s not which person is worse, because all of us have our own weaknesses to conquer. We need the Holy Spirit to point out these shortcomings.

Just because those are the natural places for Satan’s attacks doesn’t mean we can do nothing about them. Only as the Spirit convicts us can He deliver us from satanic attacks. That’s why Jesus sent the Holy Spirit the Helper because He helps us in our vulnerable places.

Holy Spirit of God, forgive me for thinking I can deliver myself. Don’t allow Satan to take advantage of my vulnerability, but deliver me so that I may be more fully given to You and used by You. I ask this through the name of my Savior, Jesus. Amen.

However, I am telling you nothing but the truth when I say it is profitable (good, expedient, advantageous) for you that I go away. Because if I do not go away, the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you [into close fellowship with you]; but if I go away, I will send Him to you [to be in close fellowship with you]. And when He comes, He will convict and convince the world and bring demonstration to it about sin and about righteousness (uprightness of heart and right standing with God) and about judgment.
– John 16:7-8

Years ago, I sat at a table with six public speakers. All of them had been in the ministry longer than I had, but God had given me more outward success than the others.

As the conversation went on, I realized I was doing most the talking telling one story after another. They all smiled, and no one acted as if they resented my dominating.

Afterward, I thought about my behavior. I had done nothing wrong, but I realized I had controlled the conversation, and I felt the Holy Spirit convict me. Although I wasn’t aware of it at the time, in retrospect, I realized that I had been rude and selfish by dominating the conversation. Taking control that’s what I had done.

Perhaps I was insecure and didn’t want them to see me as anything but confident and able. I may have talked too much because I was nervous with my peers. Perhaps I was just so full of myself that all I wanted to do was talk about myself, and what I was doing. A truly loving person is interested in others and always draws them into the conversation. I realize now that I wasn’t operating in love back in those days.

Most of the time, I stayed so busy talking about myself and my ministry that I never faced what was wrong inside me. I felt a little nudge from the Holy Spirit frequently, but I never really stopped to pay much attention.

Instead of looking at our own shortcomings and failures, we often focus on other people and what we think is wrong with them. That’s easier and less painful. As long as we can keep the focus on other people, we don’t have to examine our own hearts. It’s not calculated, and I’m sure most of us are not aware of the reasons for our being negative. That’s also why negativity is so difficult to deal with. We undermine Satan’s attempt to establish a stronghold in our minds when we admit, “God, I’m a pessimistic person.” That’s the beginning.

Then we cry out to the Holy Spirit to search our hearts. Jesus said of Him, … He will convict and convince the world and bring demonstration to it about sin and about righteousness (uprightness of heart and right standing with God) and about judgment (John 16:8). Too often, we read the word world and smile. Yes, that’s for those sinners, those people who don’t know Jesus. That’s true, but it’s only partially true, because we also live in the world.

We as God’s people need that conviction, as well. We need the Holy Spirit to probe deeply inside us and help us grasp why we’re afflicted with negative thinking. We probably know many nonbelievers who are naturally optimistic, and who never speak badly about others. Satan already has control of their minds, so he doesn’t even tempt them to be negative.

Think of it this way: Satan attacks us where we’re weak. Perhaps this will help explain what I mean. More than 100 years ago, William Sheldon began to study human body types and classified them as distinct types. His research indicated that all of us are prone toward certain types of physical diseases. Those with the pear shaped figure are more prone to heart problems and high blood pressure. I have a rail-thin friend, and when she gets sick, she comes down with a lung infection or bronchitis. She’s in her seventies, has a healthy heart, and is otherwise healthy but she has weak lungs.

Let’s apply that principle to the spiritual realm. All of us have weaknesses some of us are prone to pessimism, some to lying or gossip, others are by nature more deceptive. It’s not which person is worse, because all of us have our own weaknesses to conquer. We need the Holy Spirit to point out these shortcomings.

Just because those are the natural places for Satan’s attacks doesn’t mean we can do nothing about them. Only as the Spirit convicts us can He deliver us from satanic attacks. That’s why Jesus sent the Holy Spirit the Helper because He helps us in our vulnerable places.

Holy Spirit of God, forgive me for thinking I can deliver myself. Don’t allow Satan to take advantage of my vulnerability, but deliver me so that I may be more fully given to You and used by You. I ask this through the name of my Savior, Jesus. Amen.

For I the Lord your God hold your right hand; I am the Lord, Who says to you, Fear not; I will help you! —Isaiah 41:13

The Lord says to you this morning the same thing He told Jacob in a dream: “I am with you and will keep (watch over you with care, take notice of) you wherever you may go, and I will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done all of which I have told you.” (Genesis 28:15). Keep your mind on this promise in spite of any news you may hear that tempts you to be afraid today.

God promises to be with you, watch over you with care, take notice of you wherever you may go, and bring you back again. He says He will not leave you, and He will complete all the promises He has made to you. This means that no weapon formed against you will prosper (See Isaiah 54:17).

Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come! – 2 Corinthians 5:17

“I’ve always had a bad temper. That’s just the way I am.”

l’m a straightforward person. That’s who I am, and that’s how people need to accept me.”

“I call things as I see them. I don’t sugarcoat anything.”

This list could go on endlessly, but the one thing these excuses have in common is that each is meant to justify the people being the way they are. It’s a way of resisting change.

It’s also a way for Satan to creep into our minds. The great deceiver tells us that we’re not rude we are just being honest, and people need to respect that quality in us. We think we speak the truth as we see it, and we’re not cowards or hypocrites. If the devil can convince us that we don’t have to change that we’re fine exactly the way we are he has won a serious battle in our lives.

In fact, the devil can give us a lot of excuses for not changing. That may be the problem. If he convinces us that other people are at fault because “they are just too sensitive” or “they don’t want to hear the truth and face reality,” we don’t feel responsible, and we think we’re all right.

Another thing is that no matter how negative we may be in our thinking, most of us wouldn’t call ourselves “negative.” We prefer words like logical, realistic, forthright, or candid. Not facing the truth about ourselves is part of Satan’s deceptive work.

When I went through a period of extreme negativity, I wouldn’t have thought of myself as being negative. I was just being honest. If I saw something wrong, I spoke up. I offered my counsel on ways for people to change. I could see the weaknesses and problems of others, and I was quite happy to show them how they could overcome. On my worst days, I found things wrong with all my friends and everything they did. I didn’t have to look for things to criticize-I did it without effort. I didn’t consider it negative because I thought I was merely trying to be helpful. It never occurred to me in my prideful state that people didn’t really want my help. They wanted acceptance and encouragement, not judgment and criticism.

As I said, I never thought of myself as being negative that is, until God dealt with me and convicted me.

I’m not trying to condemn anyone for being negative, frank, blunt, candid, or whatever term you may use for it, because condemning is in itself being negative. Instead, I want to help believers recognize their attitude problems and help them realize that God is able to deliver them.

We start the Christian life as new creations of God. Our past is wiped away. The Christian life is one of change-of growth-of moving onward.

The pathway to freedom begins when we face our problems, and face them without excuses. “Yes, I’m negative, but if you had come from the kind of family, I did, you’d” Stop! No excuses. We know what we were in the past, but we also know that we don’t have to remain that way now or in the future. With the help of Jesus Christ, we can have our minds renewed according to the Word of God.

The most difficult part may be to say to God, I’m a negative person, but I want to change.” Remember that a negative mind produces a negative life. You’ve probably tried to change yourself many times in the past, but it didn’t work. Now you can begin to win the battle over Satan’s stronghold by admitting who you are and acknowledging that you must depend on God to change you.

Holy and positive God, forgive me for all my negative thinking. You want me to be loving and filled with Your joy. Help me so that Satan has no stronghold over my mind. Please destroy every negative aspect of my thinking, through Jesus my Lord. Amen.

And your ears will hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way; walk in it, when you turn to the right hand and when you turn to the left. – Isaiah 30:21

No matter what has happened to you in your lifetime—even if you have been abandoned by your spouse or abused by your parents or hurt by your children or others—if you will stay on the path on which God leads you and be willing to leave your past behind, you will find peace, joy, and fulfillment. As you walk through this process, you can find comfort in God’s promise from today’s scripture to guide you.

Jesus is the Way, and He has shown us the way in which we are to walk. The Lord has sent His Holy Spirit to lead and guide us in the way we are to go, the narrow way that leads to life, not the broad way that leads to destruction (see Matt. 7:14).

God says that as long as the earth remains, there will be “seedtime and harvest” (Gen. 8:22). We might paraphrase it this way: “As long as the earth remains, there will be seed, time, and harvest.” When we walk in God’s path, we must be patient like the farmer who plants and expectantly waits for the harvest. He looks forward to the harvest, but he knows that time will elapse between seed planting and reaping. He does not allow that God-ordained process to frustrate him. Don’t let it frustrate you, either.

Today’s scripture promises that God will lead us in the way that we should go. Don’t be afraid, continue doing what is right, and you will live a blessed, joyful life.

Love God Today: Listen for God’s voice, and keep walking on the path that leads to life and blessing.