For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
— Romans 1:16


As an evangelist, I constantly observe how two people who hear the same message will react in two completely different ways. One person will be profoundly moved, while the other will become even more hardened in his or her sin.

We see the very same thing in the story of Cain and Abel. Both of these men were sons of Adam and Eve. They were raised in the same home and exposed to the same spiritual message.

When we first read of their story in Genesis 4, it seems they were both believers. But time revealed that Cain was such a jealous and embittered man that he murdered his brother Abel.

The story of Cain and Abel ought to remind us there are those people who can go through the motions. They can look like believers, but have no relationship with God. As the Scripture says, there are people who have a form of godliness but deny its power (see 2 Timothy 3:5).

That is the life story of too many people. They are all show and no go. Their faith in God turns out to be a mere game or act.

Consider this. You can offer like Cain. You can weep like Esau. You can serve like Gehazi. You can be a disciple like Judas. You can recite long prayers like the Pharisees, be a seeking soul like the rich young ruler, and have lamps like the five foolish bridesmaids, and still be lost.

The real issue is not about enjoying the message or whether it moves you. The heart of the issue is whether or not you believe the message and take a stand for it.

Does that describe your faith? If not, stop going through the motions and take a stand.

Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
— Ephesians 6:17


Many believers have all their spiritual armor in place, but they never use their sword. They talk about it. They study it. They compare swords with others. But they never use their sword in spiritual battle.

In fact, the devil would be pleased if believers would just keep their sword in its sheath. The devil knows all too well the power and the authority of the sword of the Spirit, which is God's Word.

Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are."

God says of His own Word in Isaiah, "I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it" (55:11).

There is power and authority in the Word of God. That is why the devil doesn't want you to use this incredible weapon God has given you.

Remember how effectively Jesus used the sword of God's Word to defend Himself when He faced spiritual attack in the wilderness? Jesus was God. He didn't have to stand around and deal with the devil. He could have gotten out of the situation very easily. But instead, He stood and modeled for us the right way to fight temptation: with the Word of God.

So when the devil tries to attack you with temptation, fear, or doubt, or brings up past sins you've already confessed and of which you've been forgiven, remember the sword of the Spirit. Pull it out of its sheath and use it aggressively to defend yourself.

Have you ever wanted to be used by God?

I believe it is a God-given desire to want to serve the Lord. But maybe you've wondered what qualifications the Lord looks for in the life of a man or woman that He would use.

In the Book of Joshua, we can find at least seven principles that apply to the person God uses.

Principle one: God uses people who realize they are weak. In Joshua 1, God told Joshua to "be strong and courageous" a total of three times in four verses. Why? It was probably because He knew Joshua was afraid—and understandably so.

Moses was gone. Now God had raised up Joshua to lead the people of Israel, and he hardly felt adequate for the task.

It isn't a bad thing to discover that we are weak. In fact, it is quite good. As Warren Wiersbe has said, "You can never be too small for God to use—only too big."

Principle two: God uses people who are faithful. Joshua had been Moses' helper, or as the New King James Version puts it, "Moses' assistant" (see Joshua 1:1). Joshua was the guy who was there to help Moses get the job done.

He had been born in Egypt and, along with Caleb, would be the only Israelite from the great exodus to survive the wilderness wandering and make it into the Promised Land. Joshua was a faithful man and a worthy successor to Moses.

Principle three: God uses people who study and live by His Word. God told Joshua, "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night . . . " (1:8 NKJV). If you want to be used by God, then you need to know the Word of God. "Meditate in it day and night," God said to Joshua.

The word meditate means, "to ponder, to consider, to contemplate." This is where you will have the authority when you are used by God.

Principle four: God uses the person who is patient and waits on His timing. Imagine wandering around the wilderness for 40 years, and finally you are on the brink of entering the Promised Land. Then God says, "Pass through the camp and command the people, saying, 'Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you will cross over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land . . . ' " (1:11 NKJV).

We need to learn to wait on God's timing, because there is a time and a way to do what God calls us to do.

Principle five: God uses the person who cares about lost souls. There was a lost soul to be saved before the Israelites entered the Promised Land, and her name was Rahab. God would not judge Jericho until Rahab had been reached and told what to do to avoid this judgment that was coming when the Israelites attacked.

God's heart always is to save people. Every soul is precious to Him. God always cares about individuals, and so should we.

Principle six: God uses the person who sets himself or herself apart. Joshua told the people, "Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you" (3:5 NKJV). The word sanctify means, "to set yourself apart, to live a holy life."

It comes down to this: if you want to be used by God, then you will want to live a life that is right before Him. You don't need to be perfect. But you need to be someone who is attempting to live a godly life.

Principle seven: God uses the person who knows how to work with others. A good leader will communicate with and encourage the people with whom he or she works.

That is what Joshua did. He called the people together and encouraged them. They were about to undertake a very difficult task. It was going to take faith. He was saying to the people, "Hear what God is saying to you, and let's move forward."

Joshua was communicating with the people he was leading, and he was encouraging them. If you want to be used by God, then this is what you need to do.

The Bible says, "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him" (2 Chronicles 16:9 NKJV). Will you be that person He can use?

I do so with Christ's authority for your benefit, so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are very familiar with his evil schemes.
— 2 Corinthians 2:10–11


The devil tends to use the same tactics over and over again. I suppose he operates by the old adage, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

He has used these techniques, plans, and strategies since the Garden of Eden, and they have worked with great effect to bring down countless people. Therefore, he just keeps bringing them back, generation after generation.

That is the bad news. The good news is that we know what they are, because they are clearly identified in the Bible.

The devil is a dangerous wolf that sometimes disguises himself as a sheep. Sometimes he roars like a lion. But more often he comes like a snake. Sometimes he comes to us in all of his depravity and horror. Other times he comes to us as an angel of light. This is why we always need to be on guard.

He will tempt you and whisper, "Trust me on this. Go ahead and sin. You will get away with it. No one will ever know." So you take the bait and fall into sin.

Then the devil shouts, "What a hypocrite! Do you think God would ever hear your prayers? And don't even bother going to church!" Sadly, some people will listen to this, believe it, and be driven away.

Just remember, no matter what you have done, no matter what sin you have committed, God will always be ready to forgive you if you will turn from that sin and return to Him. Don't let the devil isolate you from God's Word and God's people, because that is exactly what he is trying to do.