6 Things Satan Wants More Than Anything Else

 To Make You Doubt God’s Word. 

If you have been around for a bit, you know one of the things we talk about here is the truth that there is an Enemy, and He is very real. Whether we like it or not, accept it or not, believe it or not, He is real. Known by many names, including Satan, Lucifer, Beelzebub, and the devil, he makes it clear from his first encounter with mankind in Genesis 3 that he has nothing but malicious intent for God’s creation.

I read this article the other day from Crossroads.com entitled 6 Things Satan Wants More Than Anything Else by Victoria Riollano. Victoria Riollano is a mother of eight, veteran spouse, Psychology professor, and doctoral student. She has learned the art of balancing family life while fulfilling God’s ultimate purpose for her. Victoria holds an MA in Child Psychology and is the author of two books: The Victory Walk: A 21-Day Devotional on Living a Victorious Life and  Warrior Mother: Equipping Your Heart to Fight for Your Family’s Faith. When she is not writing, you can find her serving in her local church as the pastor’s wife, worship leader, and youth pastor. Ultimately, she desires to empower women to live a life of victory, hope, and love. You can connect with Victoria at www.victoryspeaks.org and on social media at Victory Speaks by Victoria Riollano on Facebook and @myvictoryspeaks on Instagram.  

I highly encourage you to check it out. As I read it, my spirit knew without a doubt that there is a sermon here. The Holy Spirit started to elaborate on what I was reading, so here we go. Let us pray. 

Father, You are the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last; You are the God of gods and the Creator of all. We come before You with thanksgiving and praise, loving You, Father, with all we are. Lord, we come before You once again to learn about the enemy. We know He is real, but we want to see Him as He is rather than as Hollywood portrays Him. Father, we pray for eyes to see, ears to hear, and a Spirit to receive and comprehend what You want us to know through Your Word, both today and always. We ask for this in Jesus' name. Amen!

I know. I know. This is not one of those warm, fuzzy messages. I know, I know. This is not a message taught much, even in some very well-meaning Churches. However, it is the Truth. It is a Truth that is inescapable. An absolute Truth that is a constant. Never changing, ever present, non-negotiable Truth.

One of the greatest accomplishments of the devil is convincing the world that he doesn't exist. No devil, then no hell. No devil, no hell, no sin. No sin, no reason for a Savior. No Savior, no God. No evil means no good. No hell, then no Heaven. No judgment for sin, if there is no sin. Simply, live as you will.

Jesus tells us the devil is real. Luke 10:18-19

"And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you the authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you."

If he were not real, would Jesus warn us against him? Jesus told the Priests and the Rulers of the Synagogues that reject Him (Jesus) that

"Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my words. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies." John 8:43-44

There is no truth, no good, no love, and no hope that can come from the devil. When we allow the words of the enemy to have power in our lives, we come into agreement with things that directly oppose God’s Word. Remember, all he does is to “kill, steal, and destroy” anything that brings God glory, including bringing destruction to mankind ourselves.  

Victoria Riollano wrote the article “6 Things Satan Wants More Than Anything Else,” and I am in full agreement. These are the six that she wrote about, expanded.

To Make You Doubt God's Word

To Paralyze You with Fear

To Silence You from Sharing the Gospel

To Cause You to Live in Shame

For You to Worship an Idol

For You to Be Deceived

We will start today with the basics. One, he is real. Two, one of his deepest desires is to keep you from reading this. (Holding up the Bible.)

Son of the Morning. Some say the first Angel. The most beautiful Angel. In Isaiah 14:12-17

"How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.

Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, "Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; That made the world as a wilderness and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?"

You see, the devil is NOT some red-faced, horned-headed, tail-wagging demon straight out of a Hollywood Horror Movie. He is not a creature so hideous that you would run in terror if you saw him. He is "son of the morning." He is as beautiful as "every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold." Truth is, if he were to walk into a church, many would fall and worship him, thinking he was Jesus Himself. He is what he is.

Satan shows his greatest desire during the first encounter with mankind in Genesis 3.

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God actually say, "You shall not eat of any tree in the garden”?’ The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Satan has been convincing people to doubt God’s Word since the beginning of time. To this day, the enemy has convinced people to doubt the inerrancy of the Bible and even the promises that are listed in His Word. 

By doubting even one word of what God has spoken, we start to second-guess all other things that have been said, and that will be said. Remember that one seed of doubt can spread like weeds and infection across entire families, causing many to stumble, just like we see in the Garden of Eden. Above all else, we must remember that God does not lie. 

“God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” Numbers 23:19

So why? What is the main reason that the devil does not want you reading God’s Word? First, the Bible exposes his deceptions. Truth vs. lies. Remember, Jesus calls him "the father of lies" (John 8:44). When you don’t know the truth, a counterfeit looks convincing. Reading the Word equips you with the discernment needed to spot his lies immediately.

God provides us with the Truth. 

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12 

Satan wants you in spiritual darkness so you can't tell the difference between God’s voice and his lies. Is Jesus really God? Did He really rise from the dead in the flesh? Come on, the Bible has been changed and all that. You can’t trust it. Besides, it was written thousands of years ago; even if you believe it MIGHT be true, it was only for them. It’s 2026, baby.

  

We are talking today about the foundation. After all, how can you have the right mind if you know nothing of God, Jesus, the Word, etc.? You truly can't. First, you must have a solid foundation. What is Spirit? Who is God? Who is Jesus? Is this stuff real? Did Jesus really rise from the dead? Is there a real devil? Without a foundation, you will never grow in faith, and you will believe the lies. 

Two, the Bible provides the only offensive weapon against him. In the Armor of God, every piece except one is defensive (shield, breastplate, helmet). The Bible is the single offensive weapon given to believers to fight back and gain ground.

“In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, Ephesians 6:16-17

An unread Bible keeps a soldier disarmed on the battlefield. The Enemy doesn't mind you wearing armor as long as you can't strike back. Think about it. 

Three, Jesus showed us how to overcome temptation using Scripture.  When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, He didn't debate Satan using human logic or emotion; He answered every single temptation by quoting Scripture ("It is written..."). Matthew 4:1–11. Satan knows that if you store Scripture in your heart, you will use the same strategy Jesus used to defeat temptation.

Fourth, God’s Word transforms your mind and builds faith. Faith isn't a vague feeling; it comes directly from hearing and understanding God’s Word. Furthermore, Scripture renews our minds so we no longer conform to the patterns of the world.

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. “Romans 10:17

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what the will of God is, what is good and acceptable and perfect.“ Romans 12:2

A weak prayer life and fragile faith are often symptoms of a starved biblical diet. Satan keeps you away from the Word to keep your faith small. The last we will discuss today seems to be the most obvious, but if you have not read God’s Word, then you may not know. 

Fifth, it reveals your true identity and his ultimate defeat. Satan relies on shame and accusation. 

“And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, 'Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. “ Revelation 12:10

When you read the Bible, you learn that you are redeemed, forgiven, and loved, and you read the final chapter where Satan loses completely.

"There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1

The Enemy wants you to focus on your past; the Bible reminds you of your future and his destination. Having a Bible in your house doesn't protect you any more than having a prescription bottle sitting on your counter cures an illness. The medicine must be taken; the Word must be ingested. Here are three steps that may help you. 

1 - Commit to a Daily Meeting: Stop waiting for "free time" to open the Word. Pick a specific time and place tomorrow morning.

2- Start Small, Be Consistent: As little as five focused minutes in God's Word every day will transform your life far more than two hours once a month.

3_ Prayerfully Read It. Pray Before You Read: Ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes:

 "Open my eyes, that I may behold 

Wondrous things out of your law." (Psalm 119:18)

Never forget, Jesus has already won. Be on the right side when the time comes, and the end of the world will be glorious, rather than scary. As a matter of fact, that will be the next thing we talk about. He wants to paralyze you with fear.

Remember, you can always find this, and so much more, in the archives, over at TAG.

The email, if you wish to contact me, is truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the Lord our God go before you as your way maker, as well as behind you as your rear guard, and may He be with you always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!

Song of Solomon 6

 Song of Solomon 6

Friends

6 Where has your beloved gone,

    most beautiful of women?

Which way did your beloved turn,

    that we may look for him with you?

She

2 My beloved has gone down to his garden,

    to the beds of spices,

to browse in the gardens

    and to gather lilies.

3 I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine;

    he browses among the lilies.

He

4 You are as beautiful as Tirzah, my darling,

    as lovely as Jerusalem,

    as majestic as troops with banners.

5 Turn your eyes from me;

    they overwhelm me.

Your hair is like a flock of goats

    descending from Gilead.

6 Your teeth are like a flock of sheep

    coming up from the washing.

Each has its twin,

    not one of them is missing.

7 Your temples behind your veil

    are like the halves of a pomegranate.

8 Sixty queens there may be,

    and eighty concubines,

    and virgins beyond number;

9 but my dove, my perfect one, is unique,

    the only daughter of her mother,

    the favorite of the one who bore her.

The young women saw her and called her blessed;

    the queens and concubines praised her.

Friends

10 Who is this that appears like the dawn,

    fair as the moon, bright as the sun,

    majestic as the stars in procession?

He

11 I went down to the grove of nut trees

    to look at the new growth in the valley,

to see if the vines had budded

    or the pomegranates were in bloom.

12 Before I realized it,

    my desire set me among the royal chariots of my people.

Friends

13 Come back, come back, O Shulammite;

    come back, come back, that we may gaze on you!

He

Why would you gaze on the Shulammite

    as on the dance of Mahanaim?

Good Service, What does Prosperity Really Mean?

 Is this a promise of prosperity? 

Most know this passage. 

"Give, and it will be given to you; a good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

Thank you, Jesus. AMEN! So if I give, I will receive such riches that they will be running over, running right out of my bank account. Hey, I know that the Word even says this in the King James Version. 

“Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye [are] cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, [even] this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that [there shall] not [be room] enough [to receive it].” Malachi 3:8-10

What about this? 

“Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.” 3 John 1:2

YES! So all I have to do is give ten percent (Tithe) and give some here and there, and God will make me healthy, wealthy, and wise.

No. Not really. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we come before you today, on this glorious day you have made, to worship you. Thank you. And learn from your Word. We know that some like to twist your Word to get it to say something they wish it to say, but we are here to seek the truth, Father. We pray, God, that you give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and the ability to understand the Truth, revelation, and wisdom of your Word. We pray for the understanding of its true meaning, in Jesus' name, Amen!

"Give, and it will be given to you; a good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

Prosperity preachers use this as a "seed faith" proof-text: Give your money to the church/ministry, and God will pour financial wealth back into your bank account. But here is the problem with that: this verse has nothing to do with money. It is about mercy, forgiveness, and non-judgmental love.

Look at the verses directly preceding it. In Luke 6:36–37, Jesus says: 

"Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven."

Jesus uses a familiar marketplace metaphor of a grain merchant. When buying grain in an ancient market, a generous merchant wouldn't just scoop it loosely. He would pour it, shake the basket so it settled, press it down to make more room, and fill it until it overflowed.

What Jesus is saying is this. Whatever spirit you measure out to others, whether it is judgment or grace, that is what will come back to you. If you live a life of lavish mercy and forgiveness, God (and often community) will treat you with an overflow of grace. Sounds a bit different, does it not? 

Now this next one, I purposefully used the KJV for it. As they will, too. 

“Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye [are] cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, [even] this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that [there shall] not [be room] enough [to receive it].”? Malachi 3:8-10  

However, if you notice. The ending is a bit different in other translations. Such as ESV.

“Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.”

Wait? “Until there is no more need.” Sounds a little different than “pour you out a blessing, that [there shall] not [be room] enough [to receive it].” Right? Taught as a universal legal obligation: If you don't tithe 10% of your paycheck to the church today, you are under a financial curse. If you do, God guarantees financial prosperity.

However, this was a specific covenantal reprimand to ancient Israel under the Old Law regarding covenant faithfulness and agricultural care for the poor. Malachi was writing to a post-exilic Jewish community that had become spiritually corrupt and self-serving.

Under the Law of Moses (Deuteronomy 14, 26), tithes were not cash passed in an offering plate. They were agricultural goods (grain, livestock, produce) brought to the Temple storehouse. These stores were used for two primary purposes: to support the Levites (who had no land inheritance) and to feed the vulnerable, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow.

The "Curse": Israel was failing to bring their produce, causing the poor and priests to starve while the wealthy kept everything for themselves. They were breaking the Mosaic Covenant, which explicitly outlined agricultural blessings/curses based on obedience (Deuteronomy 28).

God called them out for spiritual hypocrisy and social injustice. The "windows of heaven" opening refers literally to rain for their crops (in a drought-prone region), restoring agricultural productivity so the whole community would thrive. Applying this as a financial mandate for modern Christians misses the New Testament context of joyful, free-will giving (2 Corinthians 9:7). 

If we were to compare this to today, would it still apply? Yes. When you give to your local church, then, and only then, can the local church supply the needs of the church Pastor, and the poor and those in need. Without you giving, this cannot be done. Is it required today? I do not believe so, but if you do, you will see blessings. 

“Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.” 3 John 1:2

God's supreme desire for every Christian is complete physical health and financial success. Right? Wrong. 

This is a standard, polite 1st-century Greco-Roman letter greeting. In ancient Greek correspondence, it was customary to open a letter with a standard formula wishing health and prosperity to the recipient. It was the ancient equivalent of starting an email today with, "I hope this email finds you well and that you're staying healthy."

John is expressing his personal love and warm wishes for his dear friend Gaius. Turning a polite epistolary greeting into a binding theological promise that guarantees zero sickness or poverty is a massive hermeneutical leap.

Now I know this may be difficult for some. It may be hard to hear. It may even be offensive to some. The New Testament is full of examples of faithful believers experiencing severe sickness (e.g., Trophimus in 2 Timothy 4:20, Paul's "thorn in the flesh" in 2 Corinthians 12, or Epaphroditus near death in Philippians 2:27) and extreme poverty (the Macedonian church in 2 Corinthians 8:2). 

When you frame these verses through the lens of a "Service of Health," their true beauty comes alive. They aren't transactional formulas ("Give $10 to get $100"); they are relational principles for spiritual and communal health. God calls His people into a vibrant ecosystem of grace where serving Him and caring for others naturally yields life, joy, and peace.

 Luke 6:38. The Health of a generous heart. In a "Prosperity" framework: Giving as financial leverage. In a "Service of Health" framework: The emotional and spiritual health of freedom from judgment and greed.

When Jesus tells us that the measure we use will be measured back to us, He is describing the natural echo of kingdom service. A servant of God who measures out mercy, patience, and resources to others isn't drained; they are replenished.

Modern psychology and medicine affirm this: living a life of open-handed service and forgiveness reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, and fosters deep emotional resilience (Emotional resilience is a lifelong skill that helps people weather the storms of life and appreciate its brighter moments) By pouring out grace into the "laps" of others, God ensures our own spiritual cup remains full of His peace.

Malachi 3:8–10 discusses the health of the community ecosystem. In a "Prosperity" framework, tithing is seen as a means to avoid a financial curse and achieve wealth. In a "Service of Health" framework, it emphasizes the structural and physical well-being of the entire household of faith.

In Malachi, the "storehouse" was the community's safety net. When the people withheld their tithes, the Levites had to abandon their spiritual service to farm for survival, and the widows, orphans, and immigrants starved. The community grew sick, spiritually and physically.

God’s call to bring the tithes into the storehouse was a call to restore communal health. When everyone brings their portion into God's service, nobody is neglected, the house of God is nourished, and heaven’s "rain" blesses a healthy, thriving society. It’s about collective well-being, not individual hoarding.

3 John 1:2. In a "Prosperity" framework: A contractual promise of immunity from illness. In a "Service of Health" framework: God’s desire for whole-person wellness so we can sustain our calling.

John’s warm wish for Gaius highlights a vital truth: our physical vitality and our spiritual health are interconnected. John praises Gaius because his soul is prospering. He is walking in truth and faithfully serving traveling ministers (3 John 1:5).

John simply prays that Gaius's physical strength will match his spiritual strength so he can keep doing the work! In a "Service of Health" series, this verse reminds us that taking care of our bodies, praying for one another's strength, and seeking wellness aren't for vanity. They equip us to serve God’s people longer and more effectively. 

So you see, the true meaning of these is the opposite of what they are taught in some areas. In Matthew 18:1–5, the disciples asked Jesus, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Jesus responded by calling a child to Him and placing the child among them, then saying:

“Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” 

To lead, serve. Good service, good health. Be a blessing, be blessed. You get the idea; now go do it.  Remember, you can always check out the vast archive here at TAG

The email, if you wish to contact me, is truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the comfort of the Holy Spirit and the peace of our Lord Jesus be with you all. May God bless and be with you always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!

Song of Solomon 5

 Song of Solomon 5

He

5 I came to my garden, my sister, my bride,

    I gathered my myrrh with my spice,

    I ate my honeycomb with my honey,

    I drank my wine with my milk.

Others

Eat, friends, drink,

    and be drunk with love!

The Bride Searches for Her Beloved

She

2 I slept, but my heart was awake.

A sound! My beloved is knocking.

“Open to me, my sister, my love,

    my dove, my perfect one,

for my head is wet with dew,

    my locks with the drops of the night.”

3 I had put off my garment;

    how could I put it on?

I had bathed my feet;

    how could I soil them?

4 My beloved put his hand to the latch,

    and my heart was thrilled within me.

5 I arose to open to my beloved,

    and my hands dripped with myrrh,

my fingers with liquid myrrh,

    on the handles of the bolt.

6 I opened to my beloved,

    but my beloved had turned and gone.

My soul failed me when he spoke.

I sought him, but found him not;

    I called him, but he gave no answer.

7 The watchmen found me

    as they went about in the city;

they beat me, they bruised me,

    they took away my veil,

    those watchmen of the walls.

8 I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,

    if you find my beloved,

that you tell him

    I am sick with love.

Others

9 What is your beloved more than another beloved,

    O most beautiful among women?

What is your beloved more than another beloved,

    that you thus adjure us?

The Bride Praises Her Beloved

She

10 My beloved is radiant and ruddy,

    distinguished among ten thousand.

11 His head is the finest gold;

    his locks are wavy,

    black as a raven.

12 His eyes are like doves

    beside streams of water,

bathed in milk,

    sitting beside a full pool.

13 His cheeks are like beds of spices,

    mounds of sweet-smelling herbs.

His lips are lilies,

    dripping liquid myrrh.

14 His arms are rods of gold,

    set with jewels.

His body is polished ivory,

    bedecked with sapphires.

15 His legs are alabaster columns,

    set on bases of gold.

His appearance is like Lebanon,

    choice as the cedars.

16 His mouth is most sweet,

    and he is altogether desirable.

This is my beloved, and this is my friend,

    O daughters of Jerusalem.

Good Service, Spiritual Health

 Spiritual Health 

Hello, welcome today. We are talking about good service. No, not a great waitress. No, not good cell service. No, not even a church service. No, we are talking about you. When YOU give good service. Stuff happens. Say “stuff happens.” Good stuff. Last time we talked about how giving good service is good for your physical health. What about your mental health and well-being? Yup. It’s good for that too. 

Let us pray. Father, you are the great I Am. You are the Creator of the universe and created us all. We thank you for all things, from life to life everlasting, and for all in between. Father, we come before You today to learn what it means to be a good servant. We remember Your words that to be great in the Kingdom of God, we need to be servants. As we learn of the many benefits of this truth, we pray for eyes to see, ears to hear, and a spirit to receive and fully understand Your truth and Your revelations, in Jesus’ Name, Amen!

From a Biblical perspective, the reason helping others benefits us is that we were created in the image of a generous God. When we serve, we are operating according to our original "design specifications." Look here at Philippians 2:3-4. 

"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."

Paul argues that this mindset shifts our focus away from anxious self-absorption, which is a major root of mental unrest. By looking outward, we find peace. The Word, aka the Bible, adds one crucial condition that modern wellness culture sometimes skips. Helping others truly bless our souls must come from a place of love, not obligation or pride. 

 "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Corinthians 9:7

It turns out, as is usually the case, that science is just catching up to ancient wisdom: when we give cheerfully, our bodies and minds reap the rewards. To elaborate on operating according to our original design, it helps to use a functional analogy. If you put cheap, regular gas into a high-performance diesel engine, the car will sputter and eventually break down. It’s not designed for that.

Genesis states that humans are made in the Imago Dei, the Image of God. Because God is inherently giving, creative, and self-sacrificing, our spiritual "engine" is designed to run on generosity and outward focus.

“So God created man in his own image, 

in the image of God he created him; 

male and female, he created them.” Genesis 1:27

Why do we sometimes have such a hard time doing this? We have a glitch. What glitch? The glitch of anxious self-absorption. When we turn entirely inward, focusing strictly on our own anxiety, status, and hoarding, our systems begin to glitch.

Jesus is the ultimate expression of the Imago Dei. Paul argues that looking to the interests of others is an antidote to the toxic, exhausting weight of self-obsession. It forces a mental and spiritual reset. By stepping out of our own heads to help someone else, we experience a supernatural peace because we are finally doing what we were engineered to do.

Do you know what an incredibly popular revelation science and modern wellness culture are teaching as a “life hack” for happiness?  Modern wellness culture will suggest volunteering as a "life hack" to happiness. But the Word adds a profound psychological and spiritual guardrail. Motive changes the molecular structure of the act.

“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7

Not reluctantly or under compulsion: If you help someone out of guilt, peer pressure, or a desire to look good, the Bible says the spiritual value is hollowed out. Look how Jesus puts it here. 

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 6:1 

And here 

"And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.” Matthew 6:5

We should also never force ourselves to do this. Why? Doing things under chronic stress or resentment actually releases cortisol, the stress hormone, which actively damages your body and mental peace.

"God loves a cheerful giver": The Greek word for cheerful here is hilaros, from which we get our English word "hilarious." It doesn't just mean a polite smile; it means a joyful, radiant, lighthearted willingness.

Something else to keep in mind. God doesn't need our resources; He wants our hearts. When we give out genuine love and hilaros, it heals us. If we give out of obligation, we are just adding another stressful task to our to-do list. The transformation happens in the heart, not just the transaction.

If you are a science geek like me, you are going to love this. Look how modern science is finally mapping what the Bible commanded thousands of years ago. Neurologists now map the brain when a person acts generously out of genuine empathy. They call it the "warm glow effect" or the "helper's high." 

Not kidding, the brain floods the body with oxytocin. The bonding and peace hormone: dopamine. The reward chemical, and Serotonin. The mood stabilizer. All while actively lowering inflammatory markers.

Science confirms that these biological rewards only trigger when the giving is genuinely felt and intrinsically motivated. Not forced. If you give "grudgingly," your brain treats it as a stressful threat. If you give "cheerfully," your brain treats it as a reward.

We are hardwired by a generous Creator to be generous. True spiritual, mental, and physical peace isn't found by protecting our lives and keeping them small, but by giving them away in love. Science hasn't discovered a new biological trick; it has simply discovered the physical mechanics of the Imago Dei in action.

Scripture frequently points out that focusing on others lifts our own spirits and brings a deep sense of fulfillment (what modern psychology often calls the "helper's high").

"In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’" Acts 20:35

The Greek word for "blessed" here (makarios) implies a state of flourishing, joy, and deep well-being.

"A generous person will prosper; 

whoever refreshes others will be refreshed." Proverbs 11:25

This directly links the act of pouring into someone else's emotional or physical well-being with your own mental and spiritual replenishment.

The Bible offers a radical prescription for psychological health. Long before modern therapy identified the dangers of isolation and anxious rumination, Scripture was quietly revealing that the fastest way out of our own emotional valleys is to build a bridge to someone else's.

“In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" Acts 20:35

When Jesus says, "It is more blessed to give than to receive," we often hear it as a moral guilt trip. In reality, it is a psychological truth. The word used for "blessed" here doesn't just mean a spiritual reward waiting for you in heaven. In ancient Greek, makarios referred to a state of internal satisfaction, joy, and flourishing that is entirely independent of external circumstances.

When we receive something, we get a quick, short-lived spike of joy (a temporary hit of dopamine). But when we give, our brains experience a sustained release of oxytocin and serotonin. These are the chemicals responsible for long-term emotional stability, trust, and peace.

Jesus wasn't just giving a rule for good behavior; He was defining the mechanics of human happiness. The "greater blessing" is a mind and heart anchored in long-term emotional stability rather than short-term consumption.

“A generous person will prosper; 

whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”

The Hebrew word for "refresh" (ravah) literally means to satiate, drench, or water thoroughly. When we struggle with mental heaviness, depression, or burnout, our emotional world feels dry, stagnant, and brittle.

Solomon’s insight is that you cannot directly force yourself to feel "refreshed." Instead, emotional refreshment is a byproduct. When you intentionally choose to pour water into someone else’s dry life by listening, comforting, or helping them, a spiritual and psychological circuit is completed. As the encouragement flows through you to them, it automatically saturates your own internal soil. You leave the interaction feeling lighter, more purposeful, and emotionally renewed.

A major root of modern anxiety and emotional distress is rumination. The mind gets trapped in a loop of overthinking its own problems, flaws, and fears.

When Paul commands believers to bear one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2), he is introducing an emotional redirect. You cannot easily think two complex thoughts at once. When you actively focus on a neighbor's practical, emotional, or spiritual needs, your brain is forced to pause its internal anxious loop.

Helping others alters our cognitive appraisal of our own lives. When we step into the shoes of someone who is hurting or lacking, it gently reframes our own struggles. It generates a profound sense of gratitude. This is clinically proven to be one of the most powerful antagonists to anxiety and depression.

The Bible's solution for a hurting mind is a serving hand.

When we are emotionally overwhelmed, our instinct is to isolate, hunker down, and protect ourselves. But Biblical wisdom flips this completely on its head. It tells us that emotional vitality, psychological peace, and true internal refreshment are found by moving toward the needs of others. By breaking the gravity of our own self-focus, we find the mental freedom we were searching for all along.

Here is a warning for you, though. Be careful, child of God. The Bible doesn't just present helping others as an optional "extra credit" assignment for a healthy lifestyle. It frames a failure to care for the poor and vulnerable as a severe spiritual and moral danger.

If the blessings of giving are holistic- physical, mental, and spiritual- then the warnings for withholding help are equally comprehensive. Often called “the sin of doing nothing.”

Just as Proverbs promises that refreshing others brings personal refreshment, it warns that hoarding your resources directly blocks your relationship with God.

"Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor

 will himself call out and not be answered." Proverbs 21:13

This is a terrifyingly direct law of reciprocity. The Bible warns that God links His responsiveness to our prayers to how responsive we are to the suffering around us. If we develop a calloused heart that tunes out the "cry of the poor," our own spiritual ears become deaf, and our prayers hit a brass ceiling. True spiritual connection is impossible if we ignore the very people God explicitly commands us to protect.

The Sin of Doing Nothing (Matthew 25:41-45). In the famous parable of the Sheep and the Goats, Jesus delivers the ultimate New Testament warning about ignoring those in need.

Remember, you can find a vast archive at TAG

The email is, as always, truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the Lord our God go before you as your way maker, as well as behind you as your rear guard, and may He be with you always. 

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!

Song of Solomon 4

 Chapter 4

He

How beautiful you are, my darling!

    Oh, how beautiful!

    Your eyes behind your veil are doves.

Your hair is like a flock of goats

    descending from the hills of Gilead.

2 Your teeth are like a flock of sheep just shorn,

    coming up from the washing.

Each has its twin;

    not one of them is alone.

3 Your lips are like a scarlet ribbon;

    your mouth is lovely.

Your temples behind your veil

    are like the halves of a pomegranate.

4 Your neck is like the tower of David,

    built with courses of stone;

on it hang a thousand shields,

    all of them shields of warriors.

5 Your breasts are like two fawns,

    like twin fawns of a gazelle

    that browse among the lilies.

6 Until the day breaks

    and the shadows flee,

I will go to the mountain of myrrh

    and to the hill of incense.

7 You are altogether beautiful, my darling;

    there is no flaw in you.

8 Come with me from Lebanon, my bride,

    come with me from Lebanon.

Descend from the crest of Amana,

    from the top of Senir, the summit of Hermon,

from the lions’ dens

    and the mountain haunts of leopards.

9 You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride;

    you have stolen my heart

with one glance of your eyes,

    with one jewel of your necklace.

10 How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride!

    How much more pleasing is your love than wine,

and the fragrance of your perfume

    more than any spice!

11 Your lips drop sweetness as the honeycomb, my bride;

    milk and honey are under your tongue.

The fragrance of your garments

    is like the fragrance of Lebanon.

12 You are a garden locked up, my sister, my bride;

    you are a spring enclosed, a sealed fountain.

13 Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates

    with choice fruits,

    with henna and nard,

14     nard and saffron,

    calamus and cinnamon,

    with every kind of incense tree,

    with myrrh and aloes

    and all the finest spices.

15 You are a garden fountain,

    a well of flowing water

    streaming down from Lebanon.

She

16 Awake, north wind,

    and come, south wind!

Blow on my garden,

    that its fragrance may spread everywhere.

Let my beloved come into his garden

    and taste its choice fruits.