The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. John 6:63 (NLT) God’s Word is filled with spirit and life. His promises are containers for spiritual power, just as different foods we eat are containers for the nutrients we need to thrive. Broccoli, for example, is filled with nutrients. But you can stare at a piece of broccoli all day and it won’t do you a bit of good. You could confess that you receive that broccoli’s nutrients all you want, but you actually need to consume the broccoli if you want to benefit from what it has to offer you. To take what you need from God’s Word, you also …

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Ephesians 3:16 (NLT) Have you ever looked for a quick fix? I think we’re all guilty of that one. When dealing with a stubborn issue, we can get desperate for answers. Some people tend to focus on trying to find the right prayer line or some sort of special, new spiritual key to being set free, but in the process, they forget something vital. They forget to make sure their inner selves are being renewed every day. You see, you don’t get the amazing life Jesus died to give you by finding the right spiritual key or by getting the right people to pray for you. You …

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 5:22–23(NLT) When you decided to follow Christ and invited Him into your heart, a profound change took place in the part of you called your spirit. According to Ephesians 2:10, you were recreated in Christ, and 2 Corinthians 5:17 says you became a “new creation.” Your spirit, the part of you that connects and communicates with God, was made brand-new in that moment. You’re now connected to God, even when you’re unaware of it, and you hold every benefit that comes with being in God’s family. Peace and joy are two of those benefits—peace that can’t be shaken by circumstances and joy …

Though our outer man is [progressively] decaying and wasting away, yet our inner self is being [progressively] renewed day after day. 2 Corinthians 4:16 (AMP) As believers, you and I have two energy tanks to draw from. We have our own personal energy tank, which relies on good mental and physical health, a positive environment, happy happenings, adequate sleep, and healthy nutrition. We also have a spiritual energy tank, which we fill by spending time in God’s Word and in His presence. Although it will always be important to take care of our physical and mental health, we were never designed to survive on this strength alone. In fact, this outer physical part of us is progressively wasting away, although we all hate that reality …

But Jesus replied, “I have a kind of food you know nothing about.” John 4:32 (NLT) Growing up, I went to church and youth group and I had lots of Christian friends. My life ran pretty smoothly and I tended to take the peace and joy I had for granted. But around age 19, things changed. I had begun a career in emergency rescue, and being exposed to victims of gang fights, rapes, murders, accidents, child abuse, and suicides was a complete shock. I didn’t realize it right away, but the stress was taking its toll. Every night I would go home with a huge knot in my stomach. Often, I couldn’t get the day’s pictures out of my mind. I would re-experience events, such …