But resist him, be firm in your faith (against his attack—rooted, established, immovable), knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being experienced by your brothers and sisters throughout the world. 1 Peter 5:9 (AMP) Everything starts in the mind; from how we handle money and view leadership, to our emotions and relationships. It all starts with a thought, so it’s no mystery why Satan constantly works to tie up our minds with misbeliefs and deception. It’s how he tries to control us. In fact, this process is what today’s verse is talking about. The suffering it mentions is the constant barrage on your mind; the relentless mind games that rise up as thoughts in your head. When we are bombarded by negative thoughts, we …

Be sober [well-balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 (AMP) How does the devil attack us? Often, we think that the big bad devil has the power to cause all kinds of trauma and tragedy in our lives, but it’s not true. He’s simply not that powerful. What he actually does is try to plant thoughts in our minds, hoping to start a process. When we haven’t learned how to control our thoughts, by default we turn to the negative, and begin to dwell on these little negative thoughts that come from the enemy. If we allow our thoughts to go …

Casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully.] 1 Peter 5:7 (AMP) Ever wondered how to cast your cares on God? As believers, we want to, but often we simply don’t know how. While the context of today’s verse has often been limited to prayer, it actually refers to an entire teaching about how to have the mind of Christ! Now, Satan loves to try to get into our heads to play mind games with us. So how do we battle his deception and lies that cause us to have those cares, anxiety and worry? We focus on the …

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 (NLT) Over the past few days we’ve been discussing seven things that can rob you of joy. Weariness, identity lies, sin, selfishness, a lack of purpose, fear—these can steal your joy if you allow them to take over in your life. The last joy thief to mention in this series is called familiarity. You see, joy leaves when what was once precious becomes common. You no longer enjoy something when you stop being grateful for it. It stops being special to you, even if you once were very excited about it. For example, you may have spent two years …

That is why I tell you, do not worry about everyday life….Can all your worriers add a single moment to your life? Matthew 6:25–27 (NLT) Fear often attaches itself to something legitimate. While some people have irrational fears and phobias, most fears have at least one foot in reality. For example, the fear of running out of money before running out of month stems from a legitimate concern. However, that fear doesn’t have to overtake you, stealing all your joy. When fear takes over, all your thoughts become consumed with what you fear. You might imagine losing your business or your home and play out what people will say and what they’ll think of you. Being short on money at the end of the month …