Laying Hold of Victory – Living a life of Faith (Prayer 1)

Posted on November 1, 2025 by Janet

Victory over Fear, Unbelief, Anxiety, Worry, People Pleasing

(Originally Written October 4, 2023 for WOW — Women on Wednesdays Ministry)

Father,

I come to you as your beloved daughter that you have adopted into Your family knowing that by Your Spirit, I can call out to you as my “Abba, Father.” (Romans 8:14-15) I know I can trust You because I know that You love me, and there is nothing that can separate me from that love. There is no fear of death or fear in life because I know you are always with me. There is no spiritual power- no angel, or demon that can tear me apart from You and Your love. Nothing in the present or the future can divide me away from You. No powers, no height or depth, or anything in all of creation can isolate me away from Your love, God, that is in Jesus Christ my Lord. (Romans 8:37-39) I can rest in this confidence!

I am assured that God is working in all things that I face now or in the future. God is working for my good and His glory because I love Him and am called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)

It is Your precious and perfect love for me, Your will to good for me, that casts out all fear that comes against me. (1 John 4:18) I am not subject to anxiety or worry because I know you are my Rock, my Fortress, and My Deliverer! You are the God I take refuge in. (Psalm 18:2) When the enemy comes in like a flood you raise up a standard against him. (Isaiah 59:19) He will not win! You are victorious! And You have given me victory over fear, unbelief, anxiety, worry, and people pleasing because I love you and I keep your commands. I am born of God, and I overcome the world. You have given me faith. I believe in You, Jesus the Son of God. (1 John 5:3-5)

When fear tries to attack my mind, I call out to you God because you are my Help! (Psalm 18:6) When anxiety and worry try to drown me in their torrent, You reach down from on high and pull me out! (Psalm 18:16) When unbelief speaks lies in my ears, I will praise You alone my God because you establish a stronghold against my enemies and you silence the voice of my foe, the liar, Satan! You alone will I serve and worship with my whole heart and you alone will I long to serve, fear of man, people pleasing, has no hold on me! (Luke 4:8)

I fix my mind and my eyes on you alone God. I will not follow any voice of torment because I know Your voice, God, and follow You alone! You are my Good Shepherd. You take care of me and love me greatly! I am trusting that though the thief wants to steal, kill, and destroy, You have come to give me abundant and full life! (John 10:4-5, 10) I submit myself to You alone! I depend on You alone! I obey You alone! I am assured that I can rest in Your care and Your love! (Psalm 23)

In the precious name of Jesus, I pray!

Amen

Verse to commit to memory:

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.”

Isaiah 26:3-4 NIV

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The Romans Challenge: That We Might Have Hope

Posted on September 26, 2025 by Janet

“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭15‬:‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

God is good! Everything He does is good! Hope is the confident expectation of His goodness towards us. When we have hope we are expecting that God is at work in every situation in our lives to bring about the greatest good in our lives. Hope helps us to trust God, believe God, and look to God for everything we need.

On the other hand, life is hard. We live in a world that is corrupted by sin. Death, darkness, and destruction abound in our world. How do we endure in these circumstances? How do we remain encouraged to keep looking towards our HOPE of the goodness of God? The answer to this is the Scripture. God has given us His Word to teach us about Himself. What He teaches us in His Word teaches us to endure. His Word helps us to remain steadfast. It gives us stability in the storms of life. His Word encourages us. It makes us confident that God is who He says He is, and He will do what He says He will do. This is our Hope!

Do you find yourself living in despair? Are you shaken by the circumstances that surround you? God assures us that He has given us everything we need to live a godly life. His Scripture/ His Word is exactly what we need. A daily practice of engaging with His Word will enable us to live in hope. Reading His Word increases our understanding of just how good He is. The more we study it and read it for ourselves, the more we will experience Him. We can be encouraged and enabled to endure. The key is the Scripture that gives us Hope for our lives.

Father, I ask You to fill us with desire for Your Word so that we may live lives filled with Your Hope. Help us to see You better as we pick up Your Word and engage with it. We know that as we do, we will know You are good. We will have a confident expectation of Your goodness i.e. HOPE! I thank You for Your Word that enables us to live in Hope. In Jesus name I pray.

The Romans Challenge: Dead to Sin!

Posted on July 17, 2025 by Janet

“What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭6‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NIV‬

(Today we start Romans 6)

Baptism symbolizes a very important fact in the life of a follower of Jesus. We follow Jesus in His death, burial, and resurrection. Our old sinful life that we all lived before Christ is to die. It is “buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised form the dead… we too may live a new life.” Being “dead to sin” enables us to live the “new life” that God has given us.

If I were physically dead — at the funeral home, lying in a casket — it would be impossible for me to sit up and eat a donut that you may bring and pass before my nose and my mouth (even the cream filled ones…). I will not take a bite. I am dead to that donut. Our enemy will bring temptation to sin into our lives, but through Jesus we do not have to take a bite. We can live our lives dead to sin!

How can this be? I have this nature, a sinful one, that desires to do things that are wrong all the time… We cannot forget that WE HAVE NEW LIFE! This life is the Holy Spirit living in us. He comes as our Helper to help us to say “no” to the temptations. He comes as the Power to enable us to live our lives “dead to sin.”

We can live free of the patterns of sin that we have been chained to i.e. addictions, bad habits, sinful thought patterns, etc. We don’t have to “live in it any longer.”

As a Christian, it is one thing to slip up and say a hateful thing, do a sinful action, or make a wrong choice, chose to do a sinful act…God has given us a remedy for such a scenario…

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

It is a whole other thing to embrace our sinful choice, sit down for coffee with it, and indulge in it day in and day out… that is not being dead to it… That is preferring the sinful choice over obedience to God and His word. It is loving God less and our sin more… In this case, we are not dead to sin, we have chosen to let it grow, fester, and consume our lives.

Thank you God that You have provided all that we need to die to sin! We cannot die to sin on our own. The Holy Spirit is very willing to fill us with His life so that there is no room for sinful patterns to grow. God has given us His Word so we can keep our way pure. (Psalm 119:9) As we read His Word, live according to what the Word says, and ask the Holy Spirit to help us in our weakness, “we too may live a new life” that is dead to sin!

Show Us The Father — Restorer of Mental Health

Posted on February 9, 2025 by Janet

Today is Mark 5:1-20.

Today’s reading is the account of a man possessed by demons, a whole legion of them. No matter what was tried he could not be subdued.

He ran around in a graveyard naked. He beat up anyone who tried to help him. “He was always crying out and cutting himself with stones.” But deep within him, he wanted to be free. “..when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him.”

Jesus did the impossible. He cast the demons out of the man. He set the man free! The people of the nearby city heard of what had happened.

“And they came to Jesus and saw the demon possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there , clothed and in his right mind…” (verse 15)

Our Heavenly Father still sets the captives free and He is able to restore a person to “his right mind…” Depression, anxiety, anger issues, compulsions, addictions,etc. are not too big for Him!

In our society, it is almost taboo to make such a statement. But I can confidently say that I have experienced going from torment of mind to sitting close to Jesus and “in my right mind.” He set me free! He is not a respecter of persons. What He did for the demoniac in the Bible, and for me in a small Missouri town. He will do for you!

Jesus showed us the Father who restores and heals the troubled mind when He stepped out of the boat at Gerasenes.

He is able to show us that same God as we allow Him to step into our lives! The demoniac ran up to Jesus. May we run to Him as well!

New Beginnings in Acts — Worthless Things

Posted on January 14, 2025 by Janet

““Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them.” Acts‬ ‭14‬:‭15‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Today is Acts 14.

Paul and Barnabas continue on their missionary journey “speaking boldly for the Lord.” God “confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders.” (Verse 3)

When they got to Lystra they prayed for a man who had never walked and that man was healed. This caused the crowds to want to worship Paul and Barnabas. They said the Paul was Hermes and Barnabas was Zeus. Paul and Barnabas tore their clothes and ran into the crowd telling them loudly to not do this. They were only men. Then Paul said, “We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God.” The crowd worshipped idols.
In our world today, we may think we are a little more educated and sophisticated because we don’t worship Ancient Greek Gods. But, ANYTHING that we put before God is an idol. In America, we worship: money, careers, our kids sports programs, music, education — (our own knowledge or we know better than what the Scripture says), psychology and science, possessions, our phones (social media), dating, politics, etc. The list could go on and on. We choose to exalt things in our lives above the “living God.” What is our focus on throughout the day? This may very well be an idol.

All these pursuits and passions are dead… But there is good news just as there was in Paul’s time. There is a living God! He longs to “fill your hearts with joy.” (Verse 17) But we must turn from the “worthless things to the living God.”

What are you pursuing and passionate about? God longs to be the center of our lives!

Is He?

New Beginnings in the Book of Acts — Too Good to Not Believe!

Posted on January 12, 2025 by Janet

“They said to her, “You are out of your mind.”” Acts 12:18 ESV

Today is Acts 12.

Things were looking pretty bleak… Herod the king, had James the brother of John, killed. He was one of the 12 disciples that followed Jesus during His earthly ministry. He was Peter’s friend. Then Herod decided to arrest Peter too. BUT, “earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.” (Verse 9)

Four squads of soldiers, chains, and the iron gates of the city are no match for God. An angel sent by God came to Peter and led him out of the prison and into the city. It was so incredible that Peter thought it was just a vision he was seeing until the angel left him, and he stood free in a street of a city.

When Peter arrived at Mary’s house, the servant girl who went to the door to answer his knocking was amazed and left him there outside. She reported the miracle to those inside, and they said, “You are out of our mind.”

God is a God of miracles! These miracles are “mind blowing”! People who hear them may have a hard time believing that what has happened is true or could even occur. I have seen “mind blowing” miracles in my own life. God still works wonders that the world would tell you are impossible. For me, a woman held in the chains of a prison of anxiety — meds, secular therapy, eastern meditation apps, mindfulness, you name it… I’ve probably tried it… has seen the chains drop off, walked passed the guards, and am standing totally free! Some may say, “you are out of your mind.” Because it doesn’t match the pattern of the world. A person in prison should stay there… But God!

Earnest prayer was made on Peter’s behalf, and God answered! God is still the same! He answers prayer!

He is too good to not believe!

New Beginnings in Acts — 180 Degree Turn

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Janet

““Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied…But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.” Acts‬ ‭9‬:‭5‬, ‭15‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Today is Acts 9
180 degree turn around… I was one way, now I am not. This is what Jesus did for Saul. This is what He has done for me.
Saul hated Christians. He stood by and approved of the killing of Stephen. He searched out the Christians in their homes and had them arrested. Then He met Jesus!
An encounter with Jesus will change you. What you were is changed to what God wanted you to be all along, a “chosen instrument” of His. Saul “immediately… proclaimed Jesus… saying “He is the Son of God.”” Everyone around Saul “{was} amazed.”
I know this kind of change in my own life. Jesus took me, an anxious woman tormented in her mind, and gave me peace.
Jesus has the power to give us a “180 degree turn around” in our lives through His Holy Spirit living in us. All we have to do is HEAR/ LISTEN TO His voice as Saul did on the road to Damascus and OBEY whatever Jesus says! He truly gives us New Beginnings!

The Bible Book of the Month Club the Gospel of Mark — Mark 5:21-43

Posted on June 10, 2024 by Janet

Today is Mark 5:21-43 ❤️🙌🔥 for the “Bible Book of the Month Club — The Gospel of Mark”

“She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭5‬:‭26‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Desperation! A woman who had suffered much from a bleeding issue pressed through a crowd. She had hope that somehow she would come into contact with the Jesus she had heard about. She knew if she could just “touch his clothes” she would be healed.

What impresses me about this account is that she had tried everything to be better and had only grown worse. I can relate to that. One time I tried to calculate the amount of money I spent trying to fix myself and the anxiety that I suffered with: professional counseling, meds, self help books I purchased, subscriptions to Headspace — eastern meditation app, gas to drive to the counseling sessions, over $700 on a workshop that offered a cure (15 years ago I haven’t checked its price now), coloring books to distract me from my anxious thoughts, the list could go on… AND what I was suffering with did not get better. It grew worse.

All I really needed was just reach out to Jesus. He had paid the price for me to be free long ago on the cross. When I finally came to an end of myself and my ways and I came to Him, I was healed.

What is it that needs a miraculous touch in your life? Jesus has power flowing out of Him that can free you from your suffering. Come to Him in faith believing He can!

What is God showing you today in our reading? Share it below 👇 👇👇

(Tomorrow we read Mark 6:1-29)

The Bible Book of the Month Club the Gospel of Mark — Mark 4:26-41

Posted on June 8, 2024 by Janet

Today is Mark 4:26-41 ❤️🙌🔥 for the “Bible Book of the Month Club — The Gospel of Mark”

“”Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”” Verse 41.

Crowds followed Jesus. Some followed out of curiosity. Some followed wanting to hear Him speak. Some followed looking for a miracle. Everywhere He went there was amazement over the words the people heard and the miracles they saw. The disciples were able to experience all that Jesus said and did on a personal level. I’m sure what they saw left them standing with their jaws dropped time after time.

In this section, Jesus does the impossible once again. I love the response of the disciples… “Who is this?”

Jesus is the same today as He was when He calmed the storm over 2000 years ago. Walking and talking with Jesus should leave us in a sense of amazement time after time. When He speaks to us and we see Him do the impossible in our lives we should respond the same way they did long ago, “Who is this? Even this is not too hard for Him.” You cannot experience God in a close relationship and not be left in awe of what He does!

God is a God of miracles! You may ask, “how can you say this with confidence?” I have seen them with my own eyes and experienced them time after time. I have been left saying, “Who is this? Even my storms of anxiety and fear, obey His voice of peace!” (This is just one miracle. There are so many more miracles I’ve seen and experienced. God is real!! 😉)

May we be left in awe time after time as we recognize the amazing things He does and is doing in our lives.

Testify!!

What is God showing you in today’s reading? Post it below 👇 👇👇

(Tomorrow’s reading is Mark 5:1-20)

“Everything is Possible” Devotion Written for WOW Ministry

Posted on March 23, 2024 by Janet

“‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” Mark 9:23-24 NIV

The internal struggle I was having was beyond what I can describe in a few words. Every Wednesday morning during the 2021 spring semester of WOW, I would pull into the parking lot and contemplate walking into the building. Every week as I sat in that parking lot I would hear the voices of the enemy speaking to me. This is what I heard those voices saying, “Don’t go in! They don’t like you. Wait until they hear what you have done.” But deep within my spiritual heart I knew that I needed to hear the Truth that was being spoken.

In God’s strength, I got out of my Jeep and walked through the doors of the church. As I sat in the auditorium and listened to the Word being spoken, I began desiring a deeper relationship with God. I took the WOW bookmark with the weekly verses and did what I was encouraged to do. Every morning I took out my Bible and I read the verse for the week. I read the verses that came before it and the verses that followed. It wasn’t much, but those short portions of Scripture were planted into my heart like a tiny seed.

The Word of God is powerful to do a mighty work of strengthening a man’s faith, no matter how small that faith might be! As I took God’s Word into my heart and believed it, the Holy Spirit began strengthening my faith. As my faith was strengthened, my heart began to change. Three years later, I am not the person I was in 2021 — angry, bitter, fearful, and anxious. I no longer continually live in anger, bitterness, fear, and anxiety. I now live by faith in God and as a result am experiencing abundant life. Just like Jesus said, “Everything is possible for one who believes.”

The verses this week come from a conversation between Jesus and a desperate father who had a son tormented by demons. This man recognized his need and came to Jesus seeking a cure. He had taken a very important step of faith, to come and ask the One who is able to do all things.

Faith is the spiritual gift of God that is required to live a life worthy of the calling a believer receives. Faith attaches us to God. It is the all-important channel through which the abundant provision of God’s heart flows into our hearts – His power, His holiness, His love, His mercy, His grace, His wisdom, His righteousness, His joy, His peace, and so much more. Faith enables man to be one with the invisible God, to hear Him when He speaks, to understand what He is saying, and to obey.

The foundation of faith is God and His Word. Jesus spoke words of truth to the father when he said, “Everything is possible for him who believes” (Mark 9:32). Jesus was saying, believe in me, for I can do all things. The father heard what Jesus said and responded by exclaiming, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” This father heard the spoken Word of Jesus, believed what Jesus said, and deliverance was accomplished for his son.

It is faith that enables you and me to trust and have complete confidence in God and in His Word. Faith enables us to believe that God is who He says He is and will do what He says He will do. Our role is to receive His Word into our hearts and believe that every Word of God is right and true no matter what we are experiencing. As we believe in God’s character, His promises, and in His commands our faith will be strengthened, and we will live in abundance and power.

God has given us the gift of faith. He desires us to live by faith in Him not in our own understanding, reasoning, self-effort, intellect, sight, or feelings. Faith in Him is required to live a life worthy of the calling we have received from Him. Without faith it is impossible to please Him. May we come to God acknowledging our need and believing that “Everything is possible for one who believes.”

This week’s song is once again, “Take You at Your Word” By Cody Carnes and Benjamin William Hastings. May the lyrics be an encouragement to us to read and listen to the Word of God and to act upon it in faith!

Love,

Janet Nelson,

Devoted and Determined

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