But one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. Philippians 3:13 (NKJV) In a storm, one of the greatest temptations we face is to focus on the past and give in to defeat. But Psalm 30:5 says, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” Notice it doesn’t say joy takes months or years to come! Maybe you’ve lost a loved one or you’re in the middle of a dark night in your life—but joy is coming. You may say, “But Leon, I don’t understand why this happened to me.” The truth is, nobody has figured out their losses, and you could spend years trying to work through your past. Today’s …

Be on guard; stand firm in your faith…Act like [mature] men and be courageous; be strong. Let everything you do be done in love [motivated and inspired by God’s love for us]. 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (AMP) What does it take to have the strength of a champion? First Samuel 30 tells the story of when David and his 600 men returned home one day to find that the enemy had taken their wives and children. As they grieved the loss of their families, the men were so upset that they decided to kill David. It may sound extreme, but many people going through a tragedy or difficult situation will look for someone to blame. But look at David’s response. Verse 6 tells us he encouraged …

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Ephesians 6:10-11 (NKJV) A soldier missing a helmet or weapon would be at a severe disadvantage on the battlefield. That’s why today’s verse says to put on the whole armour of God. When it comes to life’s difficulties, we can’t stand strong if we’re missing pieces of armour. So what is the armour? Each piece is a revelation of who you are in Christ (see Ephesians 6:14-17). When these truths get inside you, it empowers you to get up and fight the good fight. This fight isn’t against Satan, because he’s defeated. You’re not …

And David said…“Is there not a cause?” 1 Samuel 17:29 (NKJV) When circumstances push against you, do you know what will get your eyes off your own limitations and tiredness? A cause. Let me show you something from the story of David and Goliath you may not have considered. When this teenaged shepherd arrived on the battlefield, he found the Israelite army shaking in their boots as a Philistine giant taunted them. David’s response was, “Is there not a cause?” He couldn’t believe God’s people were cowering in fear when there was something worth fighting for. Now picture the reaction as David walked out to face Goliath by himself when none of the mighty warriors would dare to fight him. These men had become inactive and indecisive—which …

But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. “Let’s go at once to take the land,” he said. “We can certainly conquer it!” But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. “We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!” Numbers 13:30-31 (NLT) When you’re up against something difficult, you need people who will surround you with faith. On the way to the Promised Land, Moses sent 12 spies ahead to scout out the area. When these men reported back, ten were fearful and overwhelmed by the giants they had found there. But the other two spies were confident they could conquer those giants and take the land. This Promised Land was described as …