The Freedom of Living by God’s Standard

 

 

Galatians 5:19-21(NLT)

“19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.”

Most people read a passage like this and immediately feel a little uncomfortable. To them, it may sound like a list of things that God doesn’t like but makes their life enjoyable. Our Heavenly Father isn’t trying to restrict our freedom or limit out happiness. That isn’t what this passage is about at all.

God wants us to have joy. Romans 14:17 (NLT) says, “For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” We can be assured that He isn’t trying to take the joy out of our lives. He’s giving us the path to it by showing us the behaviors and attitudes that are not aligned with the example of Christ. He’s revealing things that slowly drain peace from our lives and damage the relationships that matter most.

When we really think about it, most of the pain people experience in life can be traced back to something listed in Galatians 5:19-21. Relationships fall apart because of dishonesty, envy, or selfishness. Friendships are strained by gossip and jealousy. Families are wounded by uncontrolled tempers and pride. These things may seem small at first, but over time they leave a trail of broken trust and emotional exhaustion behind them. They create chaos in places where God intended there to be peace.

This is why God speaks so plainly about these patterns. He’s not trying to take away our fun—He’s trying to protect the quality of our lives.

Scripture reminds us in 1 Corinthians 14:33 that God is not the author of confusion, but of peace. So when our lives start feeling like they are full of tension, drama, and disorder, it’s usually a sign that something has slipped out of alignment with the way God designed life to work.

And here’s the good news: God never points these things out to shame us. He reveals them so we can bring them before Him and allow His Spirit to help us grow past them.

Walking with Christ isn’t about living under a heavy list of rules. It’s about learning to live in a way that protects our peace, strengthens our character, and brings stability into our lives. Sometimes that means holding ourselves to a higher standard than the world around us. It’s recognizing that as His children, we can’t achieve life in the Spirit with a “I’ll do it if it feels good” attitude. This can’t be our motivation if we want to please God through the Lord Jesus Christ. We have to trust that His standard isn’t there to restrict us. It’s there to protect the life He wants us to have.

1 Corinthians 6:12 (NLT) tells us: “You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’—but not everything is good for you. And even though ‘I am allowed to do anything,’ I must not become a slave to anything.” God has given every one of us the gift of free will, and we exercise that freedom every day. But freedom in Christ was never meant to lead us away from His wisdom. It was meant to draw us closer to trusting His guidance.

When we surrender our decisions to the Lord Jesus Christ, we’re not losing control of our lives. We’re placing our lives into the hands of the One who loves us most and sees the full path ahead. His standards lead to an abundant reality in every aspect of our lives, and when we hold ourselves to them, our relationships are built on something solid. We honor God first, and from that place of obedience, the right relationships can truly flourish. ■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“The Freedom of Living by God’s Standard”, written by Kim for https://rescuefromdomesticviolence.blogspot.com© 2026. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Don’t Give Up, Trust in God!

 

The Apostle Paul was a man who walked through more trouble than most of us could imagine. He faced danger, betrayal, prison cells, and even death more than once. If anybody had a reason to step back, shut down, and call it quits, it was Paul. But he refused to give up—because his faith in God held him steady. His words to Timothy, and to us, in 2 Timothy 4:5 (NLT) still hit hard today: “But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.” What kept Paul going wasn’t willpower or pride. It was God’s strength. A strength that doesn’t run out… doesn’t weaken… and doesn’t disappear when life gets hard. Paul understood that this was his Source—his direct connection to the power he needed to teach, endure, overcome, and walk in victory.

Paul’s transformation happened on the road to Damascus—a moment that changed everything. He started that journey with destruction in his heart, ready to harm the very people he would soon be teaching and strengthening. But one encounter with Jesus Christ shifted his entire direction. In just a matter of days, he went from persecutor to preacher, from causing pain to carrying the message of Christ with boldness.

For some of us, recognizing our purpose takes a little longer. Our hearts may need time to soften, and our minds may need time to fully align with God’s Will. But once Paul encountered the truth, he didn’t drag his feet or second-guess God. He surrendered and began to pursue the Lord with real diligence. And that diligence became the source of his strength and growth. Hebrews 11:6 (NLT) confirms this for us: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

No matter what you're facing right now, that same truth still stands: victory is already yours in Christ. Life can hit hard—marriage struggles, financial pressure, family tension, or feeling like your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling. And when things feel heavy, giving up can start to look like an option. But just like Paul, we don’t endure by our own strength. We endure because God is faithful. The Lord is always the answer to our problems, and He invites us to bring every worry, every burden, every tear straight to Him. We don’t have to be perfect to get His attention—we just have to believe that He hears us, loves us, and rewards the ones who seek Him with their whole hearts.

Many of us have been feeling like we’re either at our limits or being pushed right up against them. We wake up tired in our souls, carrying a sense of dread before the day even starts. Maybe you feel like you’re not showing up the way your family needs… or your children… or your friends… or that significant person in your life. Maybe the demands at work are more than you feel you can hold. It’s like there’s not enough of you to meet everything coming at you. But you don’t have to throw in the towel. Before you surrender to the pressure, take a moment to surrender to God. Set aside intentional time, be still, breathe, and center your heart on Him and His love.

And don’t forget this truth: you carry God’s strength within you because the Holy Spirit lives inside of you. Philippians 2:13 (NLT) reminds us, “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” God is not distant—He is actively working, shaping, strengthening, guiding. He’s simply waiting for your invitation to move more fully in your life.

Through Jesus Christ, you are equipped to handle everything this world tries to send your way. As 1 John 4:4 (NLT) tells us, “But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory… because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.” This is not just a nice thought—this is your reality. And you can trust it because God Himself said it is so.

I encourage you to pray often. Don’t speak sadness over your life—speak God’s truth over your mind. Don’t speak defeat—declare the victory He’s already given you. And whatever you do, don’t give up. Don’t quit. If there is anyone you can depend on to stand with you, fight for you, and never walk away, it is your Heavenly Father. Our Almighty God will never leave you or forsake you. His love is everlasting—unmatched by anything or anyone on this earth. No human being can compare to what God is able and willing to do in your life through Jesus Christ. So lean on Him. Trust Him with all your heart. He will carry you through. ■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“Don’t Give Up, Trust in God!”, written for https://rescuefromdomesticviolence.blogspot.com© 2026. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Bigger Fights and Even Bigger Victories

 

God doesn’t leave us uninformed about the nature of spiritual warfare. In 1 Peter 5:8 (NLT), He tells us plainly, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” That is not an exaggeration. That is instruction. And many of us have learned the hard way what happens when we ignore it. We didn’t discern the setup. We didn’t recognize the subtle erosion. We didn’t see how the enemy was working through people, pressure, offense, distraction—anything he could use to steal, kill, and destroy what God was building in our lives. And we suffered for it.

It is a costly mistake to underestimate the adversary or assume he will play fair. He won’t. God’s Word is truth, and when He says stay alert, He means remain spiritually awake. That requires staying rooted in Scripture so our spiritual sight is clear and our hearing is sharp. A dull spirit makes easy prey. A guarded, Word-filled believer walks differently.

This is where our perspective becomes everything. When your spirit is awake and anchored in God’s truth, you don’t just see what’s in front of you—you see what’s behind you, covering you, and fighting for you. And that kind of spiritual sight is what separates fear from faith, hesitation from confidence, and defeat from victory.

David’s victory over Goliath is a perfect example. It was never about size. It was about sight. In 1 Samuel 17:45 (NLT), David says, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.” That’s not the voice of a reckless boy. That’s the confidence of someone who knows where his strength comes from. Goliath was massive, trained, armored. David was young, overlooked, and carrying a sling. But he understood something most people around him did not: the battle wasn’t his to control; it was God’s to win through him. Faith does not deny the size of the giant. It refuses to magnify it above God.

And that first public victory wasn’t random. It was preparation. Before David ever wore a crown, he wore courage. Before he ruled a nation, he ruled his fear. The defeat of Goliath built spiritual muscle, so that when greater battles came—political betrayal, war, leadership pressure—David wouldn’t be new to the fight. His history with God had trained him. Bigger responsibility brought bigger warfare, but it also brought bigger victories because his trust had already been tested. And Scripture makes it clear why God’s hand remained on him. James 4:6 (NLT) reminds us, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” David stayed low before God, and God kept him covered. The same principle stands for us. Humility invites covering. Dependence attracts grace. When we bow our hearts before the Lord, we don’t shrink—we become positioned for battles we once thought were too big, and victories we didn’t yet know we were ready to carry.

When we are not spiritually alert and something hits us hard, it can feel devastating. The shock alone can knock the wind out of you. And if we’re not careful, we make a second mistake after the first blow—we lock our eyes on the problem instead of lifting them to God. The situation gets bigger in our minds than the One who holds it. But David understood something that keeps a believer steady. In Psalm 73:26 (NLT), he says, “My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.” That is perspective. Everything around us is temporary—positions, seasons, even the intensity of the storm. But God’s strength is not seasonal. His love does not expire. His power does not weaken with time. He is ours forever.

Scripture repeatedly calls us to keep our focus aligned. Isaiah 40:31 (NLT) reminds us, “But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” Trust produces strength, and dependence on our Heavenly Father produces endurance. When our eyes stay fixed on God instead of drifting toward fear, comparison, or despair, something supernatural begins to happen inside us. We are lifted. Not always out of the situation immediately, but above the panic of it. Our faith rises higher than the pressure. We don’t burn out because heaven keeps refueling us. This is what God does for His people when they trust Him wholeheartedly. He renews what life tries to drain. He strengthens what hardship tries to weaken. And He carries us farther than we ever could have gone in our own strength.

Faith is the engine that lifts us. It is the force that moves us from surviving to overcoming. And our faith is not fragile optimism—it is anchored in the faithfulness of God. He keeps His Word. He does not revise His promises based on our circumstances. Our victory is not rooted in our performance; it is rooted in what Jesus Christ has already accomplished. Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 4:17 (NLT), “For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” That means what feels heavy now is actually working something eternal in us. Pressure is producing weight. Conflict is refining conviction. The fight is forging faith that proves God’s Will is perfect and that He does not fail.

The more we grow in our faith through the Lord Jesus Christ, the more we step into who we were always destined to be. Hard seasons don’t erase identity—they clarify it. Because of Christ, we are far more than we once believed about ourselves. We are God’s children. We are covered. We are strengthened from the inside out. And 1 Corinthians 15:57 (NLT) declares it plainly: “But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.” That victory equips us to fight the good fight of faith without fear of ultimate defeat. We move forward knowing we are not abandoned in battle. The Holy Spirit empowers, Christ intercedes, and the Father’s Will stands firm. Bigger fights will come as we grow—but so will bigger victories. And every single one of them will testify that our God is faithful. ■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“Bigger Fights and Even Bigger Victories”, written for https://rescuefromdomesticviolence.blogspot.com© 2026. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.