Litwithprayer Podcast

For much of my early life, anxiety felt like background noise I couldn't turn off. Constant worry. Worst-case scenarios playing on a loop. Fear creeping into decisions that shouldn't have been that hard.Before I really met Jesus, I thought that was just how I was wired. Some people are anxious. I was one of them.But here's what I've come to know: anxiety is not your identity. It's a battle, and battles can be won.The LieThe enemy isn't just trying to make you anxious. He's trying to make you believe that anxious is who you are. There's a difference.Once you accept the lie that you'll always feel this way — that anxiety is just your personality, your lot, your cross to bear — you stop fighting it. You build your life around managing it instead of overcoming it. And that's exactly where he wants you.But that's not what God says about you.What the Word SaysPhilippians 4:6–7 is one of the most powerful scriptures I've held onto through seasons of anxiety. Paul writes — "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."Notice what he doesn't say. He doesn't say stop feeling anxious by trying harder. He says bring it to God — in prayer, with thanksgiving — and let His peace do the guarding.That became my weapon. Every time anxious thoughts crept in, I didn't try to think my way out. I prayed my way through. I spoke the Word out loud. And the peace that followed wasn't something I manufactured — it was something I received.Second Timothy 1:7 makes it plain — God has not given you a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. That means anxiety is not from Him. It doesn't belong to you. And you have the authority to reject it.Isaiah 41:10 adds the promise — "Do not fear, for I am with you. I will strengthen you and help you." His help isn't reserved for people who have it all together. It's for you, right now, in the middle of whatever you're carrying.Your Feelings Are Real — But They Are Not FinalAnxiety thrives in tomorrow. In the what-ifs. In every worst-case scenario your mind can construct about things that haven't happened yet.Jesus speaks directly to that in Matthew 6:34 — don't worry about tomorrow, because today has enough of its own. Your job is to seek Him now, trust Him now, bring it to Him now.Your feelings are real. I'm not dismissing them. But real doesn't mean permanent, and real doesn't mean true. You are not an anxious person trying to get free. You are already free — because of what Jesus did — and anxiety is a lie that hasn't caught up to that truth yet.Psalm 34:4 says — "I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears." That same deliverance is available to you.Read the rest at: https://open.substack.com/pub/litwithprayer/p/the-lie-you-will-always-be-anxious?r=5sajy&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

The LieOne of the most subtle lies the enemy whispers is this:“You are alone.”It doesn’t always sound dramatic.Sometimes it shows up like this:“No one really understands you.”“You’re the only one going through this.”“God feels distant.”“You’re on your own.”And when that thought repeats long enough, it begins to shape how we see everything.We start interpreting our circumstances through the lens of abandonment.If prayers feel unanswered, we assume God is far away.If people disappoint us, we assume we are meant to walk through life alone.If a difficult season lasts longer than we expected, we begin to believe that no one is coming to help.But the enemy knows something important:If he can convince a believer that they are alone, he can weaken their confidence in God’s presence.And once a person begins to feel isolated, the lie starts gaining power.Read the rest here:https://open.substack.com/pub/litwithprayer/p/the-lie-you-are-unloved-and-alone?r=5sajy&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Today’s post is a little different.I had something else planned, but I felt led to share from my personal Bible study this morning.I was reading Psalm 40, and it hit me in a fresh way — because in one Psalm, you see David move through multiple “modes” that many of us recognize:despairbreakthroughworshipboldnessand then… trouble againSo here’s what we’re going to do:I’m going to read Psalm 40 (NLT)Then I’ll walk through the key sections and pull out the lessonsWe’ll end with a prayerIf you want to grab your Bible and read alongside me, you can.Psalm 40 (NLT)“I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what He has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord…” (Psalm 40:1–3)“Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord, who have no confidence in the proud or in those who worship idols. O Lord my God, You have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal…” (Psalm 40:4–5)“You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings. Now that You have made me listen, I finally understand— You don’t require burnt offerings or sin offerings. Then I said, ‘Look, I have come. As is written about me in the Scriptures: I take joy in doing Your will, my God, for Your instructions are written on my heart.’” (Psalm 40:6–8)“I’ve told all Your people about Your justice. I have not been afraid to speak out, as You, O Lord, well know… I have talked about Your faithfulness and saving power… I have told everyone in the great assembly of Your unfailing love and faithfulness.” (Psalm 40:9–10)“Lord, don’t hold back Your tender mercies from me. Let Your unfailing love and faithfulness always protect me. For trouble surrounds me—too many to count… They outnumber the hairs of my head. I have lost all courage.” (Psalm 40:11–12)“Please, Lord, rescue me! Come quickly, Lord, and help me…” (Psalm 40:13)“But may all who search for You be filled with joy and gladness in You. May those who love Your salvation repeatedly shout, ‘The Lord is great!’” (Psalm 40:16)“As for me, since I am poor and needy, let the Lord keep me in His thoughts. You are my Helper and my Savior. O my God, do not delay.” (Psalm 40:17)What Psalm 40 Shows UsPsalm 40 gives us a picture of David experiencing multiple seasons in one Psalm.And honestly… that’s what life feels like.There are moments we’re strong.Moments we’re grateful. Moments we’re worshiping. And moments we’re pleading again.Let’s break it down.Read the rest at: https://open.substack.com/pub/litwithprayer/p/my-help-and-my-deliverer

There have been times in my life when I’ve lost the fire for God. That same hunger I once had to pray felt nonexistent. Reading the scriptures no longer clicked for me, and it felt like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube in my mind. Everything I knew about building my relationship with God just felt dry.You too might have felt a similar experience or are going through that right now. I want to share with you the most insightful things the Lord has taught me through these dry seasons, the importance they play in your walk with the Lord, and how to get that fire back.Why Do Dry Seasons Happen?Dry seasons aren't usually a "lightning bolt" event; they are often a slow leak.In my life, the dryness came when I got so caught up in wanting to create and help other people that I forgot to help myself. I was so busy trying to make an impact in the Kingdom that I neglected the King.I neglected my Helper (the Holy Spirit), and my cup ran dry.If we aren't continually filled, we have nothing to give.Here are the three most common "leaks":Priorities & Distraction: Like my story, work—or even "ministry"—can become an idol. When our schedule crowds out our intimacy, we lose our source.Unaddressed Sin: Scripture tells us in Isaiah 59:2 that sin creates a barrier. It’s not that God leaves us, but sin muffles our ability to hear Him, making the season feel silent.Life Transitions: Sometimes, a sudden change—a move, a loss, a high-stress season—disrupts our rhythm. We are so busy adjusting to the "new" that we stop anchoring in the Eternal.But dryness isn’t always the result of failure. Sometimes it is formation.Even Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness (Matthew 4:1). The desert wasn’t punishment—it was preparation.Silence does not equal absence.Stillness does not equal abandonment.Read the rest here: https://litwithprayer.substack.com/p/the-desert-and-the-fire-navigating

In Part 1, we established the order: The Body communicates, the Soul interprets, and the Spirit leads. We looked at the Dashboard framework, the idea that physical gives us information, but is not the Driver.Today, we’re getting tactical. We aren’t just 'living' in a body; we are stewarding our temple. To do that effectively, we have to move beyond reacting to our symptoms and start training our physical frame to align with our Spirit.The Body vs. The Flesh: Know the DifferenceOne of the biggest points of confusion for believers is the difference between the Body and the Flesh.The Body is your physical frame, or the temple God gave you.The Flesh (or sin nature) is the carnal drive to satisfy self apart from God.When your body is in pain, it’s a physical reality. When that pain demands you become bitter, fearful, or prayerless, that’s the Flesh trying to take the wheel. Our goal isn't to punish the body; it's to quiet the flesh so the Spirit can be heard.The Living Sacrifice (Romans 12:1)We have often read Romans 12:1 about being a "living sacrifice," but we forget that a sacrifice has to stay on the altar."Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship."Presenting your body as a sacrifice doesn't mean ignoring your pain; it means submitting your pain to God's purpose. It’s saying, "Lord, my knee hurts, or this diagnosis is scary, but I am submitting this physical thing to Your Spirit today." You are taking the "front line" of your life and putting it under His command.Discipline: Positioning, Not PerformanceI want to be very clear: Physical discipline is not about "earning" your healing or being "good enough" for God to move. Discipline is about positioning.Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:27:"I discipline my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified."Why did Paul "bring" his body into submission? Because a loud, undisciplined body amplifies the flesh. When we lack discipline, whether in what we eat, how we rest, or things like fasting, the body’s "voice" gets louder than the Spirit’s.Discipline quiets the noise. It increases your spiritual sensitivity so that even when the body is in pain, your Spirit remains sharp.Read the rest at: https://litwithprayer.substack.com/p/the-body-part-2-training-the-temple

The Body (Part 1): Where Faith Faces the PhysicalLearning to lead the physical with the power of the Spirit.Over the last few weeks, we’ve unpacked the Soul—our mind, will, and emotions. We discussed the mind as the Gatekeeper and the will as the Decision Center. Today, I want to turn our attention to the part of us that often gets misunderstood, neglected, or overspiritualized: the body.The body is not separate from our faith. It’s not something we simply “put up with” until heaven, and it’s definitely not meant to lead our lives either. It is the training ground where we learn to lead the physical with the power of the Spirit.When the Body Becomes LoudFor many believers, faith feels easiest when it stays theoretical—when it lives in thoughts, prayers, or convictions. But the moment faith faces the physical reality of pain, symptoms, or limitations, things change.Suddenly, belief has to move from what we say to what we actually stand on. I was reminded of this in a deeply personal way this past week. As many of you know, I’ve been recovering from knee surgery for the last eight weeks. It’s been a process of learning to "suffer well" and choosing to depend on God’s strength when my own physical frame felt weak.I also saw this play out with my mom. She has been walking through a physical challenge—an abnormal lump that brought up a lot of "what if" questions from the enemy. She didn't ignore the situation, but she refused to let a medical report become the final authority over her life.A Testimony: "Only God Could Do This"We attended a healing conference together last weekend. My mom went forward for prayer, expecting a general moment of intercession. Instead, my friend Chad Gonzalez—who had no prior knowledge of her situation—stopped and spoke specifically to her.Read the rest at:https://open.substack.com/pub/litwithprayer/p/the-body-part-1-where-faith-faces?r=5sajy&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true 

The Soul (Part 2): Where Victory Is DecidedHow to move from being driven by your feelings to being led by the Truth.Earlier this week, we looked at the mind as the Gatekeeper of your soul. We discussed how the mind is the front line of every spiritual battle and why it is critical to guard what thoughts we allow past the gate. If you missed that breakdown on identifying the enemy’s tactics and the 4-step process for taking thoughts captive.Today, we are going one step deeper into the soul. Once a thought passes the gate of the mind, it meets the Will and the Emotions. If the mind is the battlefield, the will is where the victory is actually decided.The Will: Where Victory Is DecidedScripture makes it clear that victory in the Christian life is not accidental—it is the result of what we consistently choose to obey. Paul writes about this in the book of Romans:“Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey…” (Romans 6:16)If the mind is the battlefield—the entry point that filters every thought—the will is the decision center where those thoughts are turned into actions. Your will is simply “what you do with what you think about”.It’s the bridge between your internal world and your external reality, which you experience as a result of your choices. Scripture describes this "chain reaction" in the book of James:“But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” (James 1:14–15)The Framework: Think, Do, HaveTo help you steward this part of your soul, I want to share a simple framework I wrote about in my book, Choose Prayer Not Despair: Think, Do, Have.Think: You choose which thoughts to focus on that pass through the gatekeeper of your mind. Scripture tells us this is intentional work: “…bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).Do: Your will acts on those thoughts, moving you either toward the truth of God’s Word or the lies of the enemy. This is why Scripture doesn’t stop at hearing truth—it calls us to action: “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22).Have: What you think and do ultimately determines what you experience. Your brain is a pattern-seeking machine, and over time, those patterns shape what you "have" emotionally—whether peace and joy, or sorrow and fear.As Paul reminds us, the direction of our thinking directly impacts what we experience internally:“For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” (Romans 8:6)Read the rest here: https://litwithprayer.substack.com/p/the-soul-part-2-where-victory-is

Today, I want to dive into the soul, which plays a crucial role in living an overcomer’s life. This will be a two-part series. Today, we focus on the mind. In the next post, we will finish by looking at the will and emotions.The SoulYour soul consists of your mind, will, and emotions, and each plays a vital role in how you experience life:Mind: What I think about.Will: What I do with what I think about.Emotions: What I feel as a result of what I think and do."For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." — Hebrews 4:12What is the Mind? (The Gatekeeper)We are starting with the mind because it is the entry point for the rest of your soul. Think of it as the "Lead Domino"—what happens here dictates the direction of your entire life.The mind is the intellectual part of the soul where you process information, create beliefs, and store memories. This is where you decide what you believe about God and how you fit into His story. As A.W. Tozer famously said: “What comes into our mind when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”Why the Mind Matters (The Command Center)The mind is like the command center of your soul. Since God gave us the gift of thought, we must be aware that whatever occupies our mind most will eventually flow into our actions and affect how we feel.The Connection to Your Heart While the mind is the Command Center, your Heart is the "Wellspring" or the source of your life."Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life." — Proverbs 4:23Think of it this way: Your heart is the Root, but your mind is the Gatekeeper. If the Gatekeeper allows toxic thoughts or worldly labels to enter, they eventually take root in your heart.The mind’s greatest power is agreement. A thought is just a suggestion until you align your mind with it. When you agree with a thought, you give it the opportunity to enter your heart and shape your reality.Read the rest here: https://open.substack.com/pub/litwithprayer/p/the-soul-part-1-the-bridge-between?r=5sajy&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Today, I want to dive deeper into Living Life in the Spirit. My goal is to help you experience more of the Spirit-filled life and less of the Spirit’s greatest enemy: your flesh.The Important Distinction: Walking vs. Being LedBefore we jump in, we need to understand two vital distinctions in our spiritual walk. While they work together, there is a difference between walking in the Spirit and being led by the Spirit.1. Walking in the Spirit (The Daily Action)"But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do." — Galatians 5:16-17 (ESV)Walking by the Spirit is an intentional action we take in our daily living. It is the choice to consistently pursue the things that grow our intimacy with God. Think of it as "feeding" your spiritual man.You feed your spirit when you:Prioritize Prayer: Choosing to talk with God daily feeds your spirit.Enter Worship: Setting your heart on His goodness strengthens your inner man.Digest the Word: Reading Scripture daily provides the "bread" your spirit needs to thrive.Build Holy Community: Connecting with other believers who are chasing God helps you stay on track.As you feed your spirit, you become more sensitive to the things of God. Whatever you choose to prioritize—the Spirit or the flesh—will eventually dominate your thoughts, emotions, and experiences.2. Being Led by the Spirit (The Resulting Alignment)"Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives." — Galatians 5:25 (NLT)Being led by the Spirit is the result of choosing to walk with Him each day. When you are led, you allow the Spirit to guide your attitudes, your decisions, and your direction. It is a "choice by choice" alignment that allows the Holy Spirit to become the dominant force in your life.When the Spirit is prioritized, He will begin to correct, prompt, and redirect you in real-time.Reaad the rest here: https://open.substack.com/pub/litwithprayer/p/life-in-the-spirit-walking-leading?r=5sajy&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

The Law vs. The Label: Staying Free in Christ"So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law." — Galatians 5:1The Battle for the MindI’ve been reading and studying the book of Galatians and really thinking about what it means to have complete freedom in Christ. When Paul wrote to the Galatians on Christian liberty, he was addressing a specific crisis: legalism. Judaizers had entered the church teaching Gentile believers that they had to obey the Old Testament Law—specifically circumcision—to be truly saved.Paul wrote to settle the score on:Works vs. God’s GraceTrue Freedom vs. Religious SlaveryThe Power of the Holy Spirit vs. The Desires of the FleshNew Life in the Here and NowWhen we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are made free and new. We don't just look forward to an everlasting life in heaven; we get to partake in an abundant life on earth here and now. We are called to walk in the very "newness of life" Paul describes in Romans 6:4:"For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives."This abundant life will have challenges and trials. I bring this up to remind you of your responsibility to develop a total dependence on the Lord. It is through these challenges that we grow and become spiritually mature.From Bondage to VictoryThe word "freedom" means so much to me because I know what it feels like to be trapped in bondage to the attacks of the enemy. But I also know what it’s like to see those chains of oppression fall in the name of Jesus, never to return.Your freedom in Christ is secure when you put your faith in Jesus and make Him your Lord and Savior. We await a hopeful future when Christ will return to fully restore all things—a life where every tear is wiped away (Revelation 21:4-5), where sin no longer rules, and every broken Read the rest at: https://open.substack.com/pub/litwithprayer/p/the-law-vs-the-label-staying-free?r=5sajy&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true