In this day of half-truths, it is important to know what Jesus had to say about Himself. When we focus on the truth that God provides through His Word, we will be well-equipped to discern the lies of the world.

Whatever need you have, the “I Am” sayings of Jesus will encourage your heart.

In John 6, He says, “I am the bread of life.” In John 8, He says, “I am the light of the world.” In John 10, He says, “I am the door.” In John 11, He tells us that He is “the resurrection and the life.” In John 14, He says He is the “the way and the truth and the life,” and in John 15, He says He is “the true vine.”

In each of these statements, Jesus reveals something that we need to know about His character. His words to us also reveal certain truths we need for personal spiritual growth.

For example, as the bread of life, Jesus is the only One who can satisfy our spiritual hunger. Just as He fed the multitude, He feeds us through His Word and the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Do you have a heart that longs to know God? Jesus is the One who will meet your need. Do you struggle with disappointment and frustration? The presence of Christ in your life will fill you up to overflowing with contentment and hope.

Whatever your need, turn it over to Jesus. You will be amazed by His ability to feed and to provide for you.

I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty (John 6:35).

Sadly, this is how many people treat God. They don’t stay on the line long enough to hear from Him. They pray to Him in a flurry of words, expressing needs and desires, but they miss the most important part of prayer: worship and listening for God’s still, small voice.

Prayer is a two-way form of communication. One of the reasons many avoid spending silent time in prayer is because they are afraid to hear what God has to say to them. They are sure that if they listen, He will say something that they don’t want to hear.

Someone has called American Christianity “decaffeinated Christianity.” If you think about it, decaffeinated Christianity won’t keep you awake at night. It won’t disturb you. It won’t motivate you, and it certainly won’t change you!

God is a gentleman. He will never force you to listen for His voice. He will never coerce you into meditating on His Word or taking time to pray. However, He will continue to draw you to Himself. Sometimes this is pleasant; other times it is not.

Allowing us to experience disappointment and frustration is one of the ways God gets our attention. If you feel as though you have been running away from God and prayer, ask yourself, “Isn’t it time I stop running and avoiding the Lord?” Great things come to us when we stop rushing and begin seeking God with a humble, obedient heart.

The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him (Proverbs 15:8).

Each of us would like to see great and mighty things from God. However, if we fail to pray, then we will never fully experience the power of God in our lives.

Prayer is our declaration of faith in a mighty God. When we pray, we acknowledge our need of Him and our dependence on Him alone. Calling out to God also declares our desire for His wisdom, guidance, and protection.

We have the awesome privilege of entering God’s presence through prayer. It is here that we discover the will of God for our lives and receive His power so we can victoriously face the enemy of our souls.

In this life, there will be times when we struggle with feelings of disappointment. In those times, we may be tempted to wonder how life ended up feeling so unfair. If we are not careful, our spiritual focus will shift, and we will wonder, “Why pray?”

Never allow this attitude to rest within your heart. Prayer is our mighty weapon of victory. It is a matter of the will rather than emotion or intellect. When the bottom drops out of life, we must become more determined than ever to pray.

In Scripture, Paul reminds us that a spiritual battle rages around us (2 Corinthians 10:4). However, we are not defenseless. Prayer is a powerful and sure weapon. Therefore, we can pray and by faith know that God hears us when we call to Him.

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:3-4).

There is a deep sadness that comes from knowing that public prayer is forbidden in our schools. Why is it so important to pray? Prayer is the spark that ignites the heart of God. When He hears His people praying, He is moved to action. He is blessed by our prayers and glorified by our words of faith and adoration.

When we tap into the mind of God, we gain His perspective concerning our circumstances. When it comes to prayer, there are three basic considerations:

1. Give prayer adequate time. The average Christian spends only five minutes in prayer each day. Yet God continues to draw us to Himself through prayer. Make sure you take time to build a personal relationship with the God who loves you with an infinite love. Prayer is the way you accomplish this.

2. Give prayer adequate space. There are no boundaries to prayer. In His presence, our souls find rest and refreshment. Make sure that you find a place to pray where you can concentrate without being disturbed—a place where you can focus only on God and not be distracted.

3. Give prayer adequate attention. You can pray standing up or sitting down. But to pray effectively, you need to make prayer your No. 1 priority. Therefore, begin each day with prayer.

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Prayer should be our first option rather than the last opportunity. When trouble approaches, we need to run to God in prayer. If you are weary and feel heavy-laden, take time to pray. When life is joyful, take time to praise God for His goodness through prayer.

Moses prayed, and water flowed from a rock. Joshua prayed, and the sun stood still. Hannah prayed, and God gave her a son, Samuel, who was one of Israel’s greatest prophets.

David prayed, and Goliath fell. Elijah prayed, and fire rained down from heaven. Daniel prayed, and God closed the lions’ mouths. Jesus prayed, and 5,000 people were fed and satisfied with a little boy’s lunch.

When Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, the demons shook with terror. Heaven’s boundless power and strength are ours when we pray and align our will with His perfect plan.

Are you discouraged and despondent? Pray. Do you feel defeated by sin? Pray. Does it seem as if your life and personal relationships are falling apart? Your greatest needs can be met through prayer.

God is not challenged by your sin or difficult circumstances. Prayer is the avenue He uses to restore your soul and to prepare you to live the life He has given you. Therefore, pray, knowing that when you draw near to Him, He will draw near to you.

Come near to God and he will come near to you. … Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up (James 4:8, 10).

Prayer is the key that unlocks all the storehouses of God’s infinite grace and power. All that God is and all that God has is at the disposal of the one who prays.

If this is true, why do we spend so little time in prayer? There are several answers. First, some people simply do not know how to pray. They struggle in prayer and wonder if the Lord hears their words.

Second, many have the wrong idea about prayer. They believe that there is a specific formula to prayer—something they can repeat in order to have their prayers answered.

For three years, the disciples were with Jesus—morning, noon, and night. It was not long before they asked Him to teach them how to pray. They saw the benefits of prayer displayed in His life, and they quickly realized that prayer was a tremendous source of power.

Prayer is also our greatest form of communication with our heavenly Father. It is meant to be a place where we can bare our souls and be refreshed by His unconditional love and grace.

In contrast, prayer is not meant to be:

• A repetition of mere words.
• The result of our pulling together a “wish list” for God to answer.
• An opportunity for us to demand a miracle.
• An opportunity for us to try to manipulate God so that our wills become His will for our lives.

Well-phrased words or eloquently stated sentences will not usher you into the throne room of God. However, a humble heart and a deep desire to worship the Savior are the very keys that will open heaven’s door to God’s inner chamber.

When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you (Matthew 6:6).

This was not yet a common practice, but she had made up her mind and called the newly formed electric company. Within a few weeks, the power lines were up and she had electric light.

However, a strange thing happened. The company began to notice that she was not using the electricity. A company representative decided to visit her in order to find out why she was not enjoying what had been made available to her.

He explained to her, “It’s just that your meter shows you’ve had electricity for three months, and you have scarcely used it.”

“Oh,” she said, “You see, I don’t use very much of it. Every evening when the sun sets, I turn the electric lamps on long enough to see to light my candle, and then I turn them off again!”

Sadly, this is how many Christians live their lives. They attend church on Sunday, but the rest of their week is spent living apart from the principles written in God’s Word. Difficulties arise, and they wonder why their lives spiral downward. The answer is simple: They are connected to the power source, but they are not using His power.

God has chosen you to be His light of hope to a sin-darkened world. However, you must choose to use His power by yielding yourself to Him. Ask God to show you the areas of your life that need the light of His love and conviction. His power through you is amazing and real.

You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses (Acts 1:8).

Even today, this trend continues at a feverish pace. Instead of asking how a person is doing and listening to him or her talk over lunch, laptop computers are opened, cell phones are turned on, and handheld devices are readied to record important data. We don’t just talk; we “power” talk!

Sadly, those who get caught up in this whirlwind usually want those around them to take notice. They want others to think that they are powerful. The truth is that if they are not living lives submitted to Jesus Christ, then they are powerless.

A large number of people were drawn to the early church thinking that they would receive a certain degree of power. However, they quickly realized that if they wanted to experience God’s power, then they would have to change by leaving their quest for control and personal gain behind.

God’s power is something that He gives to those whose lives are submitted to Him. The power that we experience as believers is not a power that takes advantage of others, rules over individuals, or seeks to be well-known. It is a power born of humility and sacrifice.

Are you living life with the goal of gaining more power, money, or influence? Remember, the Resurrection was the single most powerful event in history. Yet, it could not have taken place apart from the Crucifixion. If you want to experience true power, begin your quest at the foot of the Cross.

Shout with joy to God, all the earth! … So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you (Psalm 66:1, 3).

The woman paused and then said, “Well, there is only one thing that I can think of—he is always on the job!”

The woman was right. There is nothing good about Satan. However, we can say that he never becomes weary of tempting believers.

This is why Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Deliver us from evil,” which really means, “Deliver us from the evil one.” Jesus did just that on the Cross. He shattered the power of sin and death. The Resurrection is evidence of His victory.

One of Satan’s greatest deceptions is convincing us that it is OK for us to have a little pride in our lives. Ironically, pride was Satan’s own downfall. It was his desire to become like God.

If asked, most of us would say that David’s greatest sin was his adulterous relationship with Bathsheba. However, the root to David’s sin goes much deeper. While other kings were off fighting in battles, David stayed at home—and the enemy made note of it. The king became lazy and self-serving—the right posture for pride to make its mark.

The enemy waited for the right opportunity, and then he tempted David by appealing to his flesh. If you have been drawn away from God through sin, stop what you are doing and turn back to the Lord. Be sure you are following Christ closely and that all you desire begins and ends with Him.

For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him (2 Chronicles 16:9).

At some point, each of us has fallen into temptation. This is exactly what happened to Peter. Pridefully, he had said, “Even if all fall away, I will not” (Mark 14:29). Peter’s intentions were honorable. After all, Jesus had changed Peter’s name for a purpose—he became Petra, meaning “the rock.”

Jesus was direct with Peter, “I tell you the truth. … Today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times” (Mark 14:30). Peter, however, persisted to tell Jesus that he never would leave His side. Later that evening, he ran from the Lord out of fear of arrest.

Peter was not the only one that night to make this promise. Mark writes, “And all the others said the same” (Mark 14:31). We often associate the denial of Christ only with Peter, but the truth is that each of us would have been tempted to do the same.

Later, Peter wrote a letter to other believers who were facing tremendous trials, temptations, and sorrows. He told them:

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith. … And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast (1 Peter 5:8-10).

Set your goal to live a holy life. Ask God to protect you and to give you the strength and wisdom you need to stand against Satan’s attacks.

You are a chosen people … that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9).