Strongholds are deeply ingrained thought patterns that can control our lives, often passed down through generations. They can be broken through recognizing the lies that lead to them, replacing them with biblical truth, and surrounding ourselves with supportive community and content. By taking our thoughts captive and fighting with divine weapons, we can experience supernatural freedom and transformation in our lives. [... more]

Our thoughts establish our emotions, direct our decisions, and regulate our relationships. By taking our thoughts captive and submitting them to God, we can experience spiritual growth, transformation, and a deeper connection with Him. Breaking the pattern of distraction is crucial for this process, and making space for intentional thinking and meditation on God's Word is essential for aligning our thoughts with His thoughts. [... more]

Your life is shaped by your thoughts, and 95% of them are below the level of consciousness. The law of cognition says your life is molded by your thoughts, and you can't change that by trying harder or more religious services. Transformation comes by renewing your mind, aligning your thoughts with God's truth, and taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. [... more]

Our thoughts have the power to shape our emotions, decisions, and relationships. The law of cognition states that our life is influenced by our thoughts, and we must take control of our thinking to experience transformation. By breaking the pattern of distraction and taking our thoughts captive, we can experience spiritual growth and find freedom from the world's mold. [... more]

Blessing those who persecute you is a fundamental aspect of Christianity, as taught in Romans 12. This involves forgiving them, not taking revenge, and doing good for them, which can lead to a supernatural result of overcoming evil and bringing about peace. [... more]

Forgiving those who have hurt us and choosing to bless them is a radical concept that requires us to step into the path of Jesus. It involves forgiving as a choice, forgiving as a process, and forgiving as a done deed. We must also identify with our enemies and refuse to take revenge into our own hands, leaving room for God's wrath and justice. [... more]

Forgiveness is a choice, a process, and a journey. Christians are called to love their enemies, not just those who love them. The Bible teaches that we should bless those who persecute us, forgive them, and pray for their salvation. This is not just a moral obligation, but a supernatural response that can bring about peace and transformation in our lives and the lives of others. [... more]

Chip Ingram shares the importance of authentic community in spiritual growth, emphasizing that it's not just about meeting superficial needs, but about showing up with the real you, meeting real needs, and doing it for the right reason and the right way. He highlights the role of humility, dependence on God, and genuine service in building authentic community, which is essential for supernatural transformation and connecting with God. [... more]

Chip Ingram explains that authentic community is essential for spiritual transformation, and it requires a specific environment where people can be their genuine selves, lay down their lives for one another, and meet real needs. He emphasizes the importance of devotion, humility, and sincerity in building meaningful relationships. [... more]

God's answer to spiritual growth and transformation lies in authentic community, where the real you shows up, meets real needs, and serves others for the right reason and in the right way. This environment is characterized by devotion, humility, and genuine service, and is essential for experiencing supernatural transformation. [... more]

Understanding who you are in Christ and thinking accurately about yourself is crucial for discovering your role and purpose in life. By recognizing your strengths and weaknesses, and deploying your spiritual gifts, you can fulfill God's plan for your life and find your place in the body of Christ. [... more]

God has a tear bottle, perhaps one for each of his children, to store their tears and sorrows, as seen in the psalm written by David and a touching story in Jesus' ministry, highlighting God's tender heart and knowledge of our wanderings and emotions. [... more]

Jesus teaches about the importance of maintaining a relationship with Him through active receiving and sharing of His light, and how storms can reset our perspectives and lead us to trust in Him. He also demonstrates His power over the supernatural world by delivering a man possessed by demons, and encourages us to share our testimonies of His greatness with others. [... more]

Discovering your authentic identity and purpose in life is a journey that requires a sober self-assessment, understanding God's plan for you, and embracing your strengths and weaknesses. By recognizing the obstacles of shame, insecurity, and denial, you can break free from the cycle of performance and image management and live authentically, knowing that you are fearfully and wonderfully made. [... more]

Renewing your mind is a supernatural process that involves a heart-love relationship with God, and it's a battle that requires spiritual tools such as hearing and reading God's Word, memorizing Scripture, and meditating on truth to experience real and lasting life change. [... more]

Many Christians feel stuck, loving Jesus but not experiencing God's best in their lives. Chip Ingram explores the invisible battle happening in every believer's mind, where the world pressures us to conform through screens, relationships, and messages about what makes us valuable. God invites transformation through renewing our minds with His truth, allowing us to experience the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God. [... more]

To experience God's best, one must stop allowing the world to conform them and start being transformed by the renewing of their mind. This process involves a battle between the world's influence and God's truth, requiring a heart-love relationship with Him and a commitment to studying, memorizing, and meditating on His Word. [... more]

Chip Ingram teaches about the importance of total commitment to God, explaining that it's not just an emotional moment, but a wise decision to surrender all to Him. He uses the parable of the treasure in the field to illustrate the idea that God wants us to give Him our all, and that this is the channel through which His best blessings flow. [... more]

Chip Ingram explores the concept of total commitment and surrender, revealing that it's the channel through which God's best and biggest blessings flow. He shares stories and biblical principles to help listeners understand the importance of trusting God and letting go of 'plastic pearls' in favor of true spiritual treasures. [... more]

To give God what He wants the most, one must make a decision to surrender all to Him, letting go of idols and distractions, and trusting in His goodness and plan for their life. This involves a process of spiritual growth, where one learns to offer their body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, and to trust in His mercy and love. [... more]

God has a dream for every Christian, to become a Romans 12 Christian, living a surrendered life, experiencing authentic community, and responding supernaturally to evil. This journey involves relationships with God, the world, oneself, believers, and non-believers, and requires a sober self-assessment, serving in love, and having perspective to overcome the raw deals of life. [... more]

God has a dream for every child, to become a Romans 12 Christian, characterized by relational transformation, power, peace, and purpose. This dream is not about what we do, but about the kind of person we become, with a loving, kind, gentle, and holy heart. A Romans 12 Christian is surrendered to God, separate from the world's values, and has a sober self-assessment, leading to a life of spiritual maturity and authenticity. [... more]

God's dream for every child is to become a Romans 12 Christian, a follower who is relational, practical, and measurable. True spirituality is about surrendering to God, being separate from the world's values, having a sober self-assessment, serving in love, and supernaturally responding to evil with good. It's about experiencing God's presence through relationships with other Christians and living out of the freedom of God's love. [... more]

Heather and Josh Avis share their remarkable journey of adopting children with Down syndrome, including their first child, Macy, who had a severe lung condition and required open heart surgery. They also adopted two more children, Truly and August, who brought unique challenges and joys to their family. Through their story, they highlight the importance of faith, family, and God's calling in their lives and encourage listeners to consider adopting or supporting children in foster care. [... more]

A Christian couple's journey from infertility to adoption, learning to trust God's plan and care for orphans, and finding joy in the unexpected. They share their story of adopting a child with Down syndrome, and how it has brought them closer to God and their family. [... more]

God's shadow is a metaphor for his invisible but very real guiding presence, providing refuge and protection from life's challenges, as seen in various Bible references and promises. [... more]

Matt Slick discusses various topics in Christian apologetics, including baptism, salvation, and demonic forces. He examines the concept of baptism, arguing that it may not always mean immersion, and explores the idea of demonic forces and their potential connection to ancient gods and the Nephilim. [... more]

Alastair Begg shares his experiences visiting India and observing Hinduism, highlighting the dangers of pantheism and the importance of understanding the true nature of God. He emphasizes the need to declare the exclusive claims of Jesus Christ and warns against the growing loss of confidence in the Bible as the unerring word of God. [... more]

A couple shares their story of faith, marriage, and family, highlighting the importance of surrendering to God's plan and trusting in His promises for generations to come. They discuss their book, 'To the Tenth Generation,' which explores God's heart for families and His desire to bless them far into the future. [... more]

When God's people lose sight of His authority, idolatry can quietly infiltrate their hearts and communities, leading to spiritual compromise and societal chaos. Dr. Tony Evans explores the consequences of moral compromise and the dangers of turning to worldly solutions in times of crisis, revealing the depths of human brokenness and the desperate need for redemption. [... more]

The human heart tends to forget God when feeling sufficiently supplied, leading to complacent cravings and a self-focused life, whereas grateful contentment leads to an outward focus and worshiping the infinite sovereign creator. [... more]

Loving strangers as family is a lost art of the church, but it's a crucial part of God's heart. Practicing hospitality is not just about entertaining, but about creating space for others to feel loved and accepted. It's a gift that God gives to all believers, and it's essential for building strong communities and spreading the love of Christ. [... more]

A single mother shares her story of loss and grief after her husband's passing, and how she found comfort and strength in God's word and the support of her church community. She emphasizes the importance of befriending single parents and their children, and of creating a welcoming and inclusive environment in the church for those who are struggling. [... more]

Gary Thomas discusses how ordinary Christians can choose courage in a culture that needs truth, and how they can be set free from spiritual lies that hinder their relationship with God. He emphasizes the importance of living a rich toward God life, and how this can lead to greater joy, worship, and gratitude. Thomas also explores the concept of entitlement and how it can prevent people from experiencing the fullness of God's plan for their lives. [... more]

Believing a lie has consequences, creating fear and unrest, and can obliterate our relationship with God. We must unmask the lies and replace them with the truth, and cultivate community to build a stronger faith and family. Gary Thomas discusses his book, The Life You Were Reborn to Live, which explores the importance of spiritual adventure and living a life surrendered to God. [... more]

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stood firm in their faith despite facing a fiery furnace, demonstrating the importance of perseverance and endurance in the face of adversity. Jesus' presence and power were evident in their lives, and His promise to never leave or forsake us is a reminder that we are not alone in our trials. The Bible teaches us to keep ourselves from idols and to worship God alone, and to persevere in our faith despite the challenges we face. [... more]

The Bible regards idolatry as devil worship and a form of identity theft. Christians must have the same attitude as Jeremiah, who questioned whether people would again make gods for themselves that are not gods. The Old Testament writers described idols as dung gods or gods of dung, showing contempt for them. The high places where pagans worshiped were not God's intention, but rather a plan B for the Jews. God worked through men like Samuel, but also had to deal with men like Hophni, Phineas, and Eli. Jesus went out of his way to save a Samaritan woman, showing that he is tolerant of ignorance and bad times. However, the truth is offensive to idolaters, who condemn it and are intolerant of its condemnation. The Bible teaches that Christians should not have fellowship with demons or participate in their worship. The high places of the pagans were where they worshiped their false gods, and the Jews were allowed to worship there for a time, but it was not God's intention. The Bible teaches that Christians should not worship at high places or participate in pagan worship. Instead, they should seek the place where God chooses to put his name and worship there. [... more]

A godly character is one that is Christ-like, flexible, and willing to suffer long and be kind. This character is not one of self-appointed sages, but rather one that is humble and seeks to understand God's word. Idols, whether they be false gods or representations of God, are a disqualifying feature and lead to devil worship. A godly person will not make up things about God or create idols, but rather will seek to understand and follow God's word. [... more]

Being a godly man involves striving to be Christ-like, blameless, and above reproach. This means living a life of spiritual stability, being responsible, and doing one's job without expecting praise or reward. It also involves being around other godly individuals, learning from them, and not overestimating the advice of self-appointed sages. A godly man should be kind, suffer long, and not envy others, but rather love and serve others as Christ loved and served us. [... more]

Demons are real spiritual beings with personalities, intelligence, and a specific agenda. They are not just forces or ideas, but actual beings that exist to do Satan's will. Demons are involved in spiritual warfare, and their primary goal is to blind and bind unbelievers, keeping them from trusting in Jesus as their Savior. They also seek to steal God's privileges in this life from believers, such as joy, peace, and contentment. [... more]