Extraordinary Insight

May 26, 2026 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. Check out the video content in this post by clicking here. 

Last week we said that Spirit-baptized Christians should live in the normalcy of extraordinary power! Our normative should be extraordinary because we have the Holy Spirit in us (John 14:16-17). One bad habit that keeps us from extraordinary living is that we frequently seek counsel from flawed sources—like fellow humans—when Jesus intends for the Holy Spirit to give us extraordinary insight (John 16:12-19). 

(See all of the Scriptures in this post by clicking here.) 

I work with middle schoolers every day. I love them but they can be frustrating at times. They are at the age where you would expect to see some maturing, but sometimes I have to ask them, “How old are you?” I think you can hear this loving frustration in Paul’s tone in 1 Corinthians 3:1-4. He refers to their spiritual immaturity as worldly (3x), calling them mere infants and mere humans (2x). 

This immaturity means they are missing out on deeper truths (you were not yet ready for it … still not ready), which reveals itself in their jealousy and quarreling, and factions. 

The phrase “mere humans” tells us that there is a lifestyle that is deeper. Which Paul outlines in 2:11-16. When he says some are “without the Spirit” (v. 14), he uses a Greek word that means the animal life which humans have in common with the brutes. That’s why some Bible translate this word “natural man” (NKJV). In other words, people living by reactions without forethought or insight. 

This word for “mere Humans” or “natural man” occurs two other times in the New Testament, and it is a very sad picture (James 3:15; Jude 19)! 

By contrast, Paul says that those who rely on the Holy Spirit have spiritual discernment (v. 14) to make good judgments (v. 15). Both of these English words are the same Greek word which is probably best translated as Spirit-breathed insight. 

Why does the Holy Spirit give us this deeper insight? So that we may have the mind of Christ (2:16). The psalmist echos this longing: I am Your servant; give me understanding (discernment and comprehension), that I may know—discern and be familiar with the character of—Your testimonies (Psalm 119:125 AMPC). 

This psalmist knew the power of God’s Word to help us to continue to mature in our walk with our Savior. Especially in the section in Psalm 119:97-104, we read that this Spirit-breathed insight gives us an advantage over our enemies, our teachers, and even our elders. 

Solomon picks up this same theme. Notice his “if…then” connections in Proverbs 2:1-6 as he talks about the immense value of the divine insight the Holy Spirit gives us. 

Guillermo Maldonado said, “God never intended for us to walk aimlessly, trying to please Him without guidance or direction. Instead, He sent us the Holy Spirit and equipped us with the ability to hear, feel, intuit, and discern His atmosphere.”  

Remember what Jesus said in John 16:12-15. In short: the Holy Spirit gives us the mind of Christ. With His mind we have discernment into how to apply the Scripture to our life, which will give us extraordinary insight. With this insight, our lives will be transformed and we will be His witnesses, drawing others to Jesus. 

Let’s make this our prayer—

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:9-11) 

Check out all of the other messages in our series about what it means to be a Pentecostal Christian. 

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 3 Comments »

The Legacy Of A Mother’s Sincere Faith

May 11, 2026 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. Check out the video content in this post by clicking here. 

“To be a mother is the greatest vocation in the world. No being has a position of such great power and influence.” —Hannah Whitall Smith 

A mother’s power impacts her children while she is alive, and a mother’s influence continues to empower them after she is gone. Other than Jesus Himself, I’m not sure who has a greater influence than a God-fearing mother. 

A mother’s influence is seen in her children. 

Paul was a prolific evangelist and letter writer. His letters make up a huge part of the New Testament of the Bible. Much of his travel and his letters were thanks to a faithful traveling companion named Timothy. 

  • Paul’s very last letter was written to Timothy, in which he called him my dear son (2 Timothy 1:2) 
  • Paul met him in Lystra where Timothy was well spoken of (Acts 16:1-2) 
  • Paul knew the anointing that was on Timothy (2 Timothy 1:6; 1 Timothy 1:18) 
  • Timothy stepped right into the fire of ministry—persecution in Philippi and Thessalonica; then he followed Paul to Corinth (Acts 18:1-5) 
  • Timothy was entrusted to deliver valuable letters and answer questions (1 Corinthians 4:17, 16:10-11; Philippians 2:19-23; 1 Thessalonians 2:18—3:6) 
  • In his first pastoral epistle, we see that Paul commissioned Timothy to pastor in Ephesus (a challenging place), and he reminds Timothy that he is my true son (1 Timothy 1:2) 

(Check out all of the Scriptures in this post by clicking here.)

Paul knows that this godly man, this trusted friend, this faithful companion is a product of the power and influence of his mother, who in her turn was influence by her mother (2 Timothy 1:5). 

There is very little mention of Timothy’s father, other than he was a  Greek. That could mean he was of Greek nationality or that he was a Gentile. We know Gentiles were looking for Jesus (John 12:20-21) and were turning to Jesus (Acts 14:1), but it would seem this wasn’t the case for Timothy’s dad, since neither Luke nor Paul mention him by name. 

The fact that we don’t know his name may means that he passed away or he may have been uninvolved in Timothy’s upbringing. We can at least tell that his father—who had the right to name his children—was hoping for great things from his son. The name Timotheus means honoring God. 

The main influence in Timotheus’ life was his mother and grandmother. Already he was known as a disciple. Recall that Luke seldom used the word “Christian” but usually called the followers of Jesus saints, believers, and disciples. We also read that the fellow brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him (Acts 16:2). 

Paul says this is because Lois (mimi) and Eunice (mama) had a sincere faith (2 Timothy 1:5), which literally means “without any hypocrisy.” Andrew Murray wrote, “Your motherhood is in God’s sight holier and more blessed than you realize.” This was in a time before the Church was very well established, so there were very few supports around them; certainly Timothy’s father wasn’t a supporter. 

Timothy felt this impact just as King David did (Psalm 86:16). Paul tells Timothy to follow my example (v. 13-14) and follow the example of your godly mother and grandmother (v. 5). 

Mothers and grandmothers, keep the faith! 

Your life has power and it has influence. Charles Spurgeon said, “The devil never reckons a man to be lost so long as he has a good mother alive. O woman, great is thy power!” 

Great, indeed, is your power, Mom! Don’t give up, don’t give in to despair. 

I hope you get to see your power and your influence in your lifetime, but even if you don’t, be assured that your influence will outlive you—I am persuaded [the faith of your mother] now lives in you also! 

Kids, today would be an especially good day to let your mother and grandmother know the positive influence they have had on your life. Trust me: nothing would make their day more than hearing those words from you! 

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Casting Your Pearl Before Swine

May 4, 2026 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. Check out the video content in this post by clicking here. 

Imagine a couple being invited to a dinner at another couple’s house. The host and hostess want to create a special evening for their guests, so they carefully plan the meal, shop for all the ingredients, and then spend the afternoon putting together all the components of their meal. 

Their friends arrive and sit down to dinner. One friend thoughtfully samples the food, letting it sit on her tastebuds, and offering comments like, “I love how you got the spices to bloom on this meat … Wow, look at the vibrant colors in your vegetable medley … I really like the way the lemon zest cuts down the sweetness of your cake frosting.” The other dinner guest inhales his meal without hardly tasting it. 

For which guest would you rather spend hours preparing the meal—the thoughtful foodie or the hasty gobbler? It doesn’t have to be food. What about the one who appreciates the effort you put into your design project, noticing the fine-tuned details versus the one who simply says, “It looks nice”? Or the one who graciously receives your loving insight about something that could really help them versus the one who sulks and attacks you because you didn’t tell them everything about them is wonderful? 

Statement #19—Don’t cast your pearl before swine. Is that in the Bible? Yes. 

Matthew 7:6 is a paragraph unto itself. Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. 

But its placement in the Sermon on the Mount is interesting because Jesus has just addressed the hard but loving word we may need to speak to a brother or sister (vv. 1-4). I’ve discussed this before, and this requires maturity, humility, and introspection before speaking. 

In v. 6, Jesus seems to be telling us to consider whom we are addressing. 

(Check out all of the Scriptures in this post by clicking here.) 

Notice the two ways Jesus states this: 

(1) Don’t give dogs what is sacred… 

The word sacred (Greek: hagios) means saintly, holy, set apart for God’s use. This word is used for the Holy Spirit and for God’s holy people. So sacred things are not to be used just anywhere by anyone in any situation in which we choose. Sacred things must be used with discretion. 

The apostle Paul said, “Yet when we are among the full-grown—spiritually mature Christians who are ripe in understanding—we do impart a higher wisdom—the knowledge of the divine plan previously hidden…” (1 Corinthians 2:6 AMPC). 

The word dogs in Matthew 7:6 can me a 4-legged canine, but it can also mean a person of an impure mind (see Philippians 3:2; Revelation 22:15). 

(2) …do not throw your pearls to pigs. 

Pearls is a word of great value; a treasure that you spent dearly to acquire. Jesus talks about precious, costly treasures in two parables in Matthew 13:44-46. And Solomon opens the Book of Proverbs by contrasting those who receive precious wisdom—those who “listen and add to their learning”—with those who reject it—“fools [who] despise wisdom and instruction” (see Proverbs 1:1-7). 

Pigs in Matthew 7 are those undiscriminating gobblers of food, like the thoughtless friend I mentioned earlier who just inhaled his food without any savoring of the perfectly-prepared meal. 

We want to give a good answer to everyone without quarreling. But giving a good answer doesn’t necessarily mean you are giving them your best pearls. Here are a few things I have learned the hard way. 

Do gauge their sincerity with questions. Notice the masterful way Jesus did this in Matthew 22:15-46. In several exchanges, you can tell which people in His audience were getting the pearls and which weren’t. We would do well to learn this lesson from our Savior. 

Don’t try to be a know-it-all. Saying, “I don’t know,” is a perfectly acceptable answer, but then come back to continue the conversation later. 

Do keep it conversational, not controversial. Don’t get off track on topics that have no eternal value. 

Don’t feel the need to defend God—He can defend Himself! Peter gives us the example from Jesus in 1 Peter 2:21-23. 

Learn a lesson from our Lord
Often silence cuts like a sword
When we stand upon the Rock
We needn’t bother when fools mock
Bantering with fools just won’t do
Unless you want to be foolish too
To the wisest words they won’t listen
But joy in airing their own opinion
Our Lord knew just what to do
When mockers hurled words untrue
He entrusted things to the King
Who perfectly records everything
Help us follow the example You gave
To not engage with those who rave
May not our hasty words undo
The loving way we shine for You (Hasty Foolishness)

We have precious, invaluable, life-changing treasures to share with people! Let’s share with them what they are ready to hear, reserving our pearls for those who are truly seeking a treasure. 

If you’ve missed any of the other statements we have looked at in our series “Is That In The Bible?” you can find them all here. 

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment »

When I Am Fully Me

April 29, 2026 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. Check out the video content in this post by clicking here. 

Over the course of 10 verses in the second chapter of the Book of Philippians, Paul uses the personal pronoun “I” eleven times! (see Philippians 2:19-28). This is an important autobiographical part of Paul’s letter, but it also shows us the intimacy of this godly man’s relationship with both Jesus and with the saints at Philippi. 

We also see that becoming a Christian doesn’t mean our unique personality gets toned down to be like every other Christian’s personality. In actuality, I become more me when I am in Jesus and when I am allowing the Holy Spirit to actively work in my life. At the moment of conception, the breath of God created a unique combination that makes me me. Then through the process of sanctification, my me becomes more of the me God created. 

Look at these “I” statements in Philippians 2:

  • Paul has plans—I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon … I hope to send him to you as soon as I see how things go with me (vv. 19, 23) 
  • Paul has aspirations—I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon (v. 24) 
  • Paul has a mind—I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus (v. 25) 
  • Paul has emotions—I am all the more eager (v. 28) 

Intermingled with Paul’s personal pronouns are six explicit references to his Savior and God. All Paul’s aspirations, plans, friendships, and work were channeled through his intense desire for both himself and these saints to stand together around the throne of God (2:16-18; 1: 3-8). 

So it should be for us too. I am most me when I am allowing the Holy Spirit to direct my plans, thoughts, emotions, words, and actions in a way that exalts Jesus. 

My unique personality shines brightest and I feel the most alive when I am abiding in Jesus and submitting to the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , , , , . 1 Comment »

A Gentleman For Jesus

April 15, 2026 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 

In some of the final words Paul wrote to his friends in Philippi, he said, “Let your gentleness be evident to all” (Philippians 4:5). 

Today, we don’t often refer to people as gentlemen or gentlewomen, but Paul suggests that saints should strive to earn this title every day. 

The Greek word means behavior that is suitable for the occasion; not someone given to extremes nor being unpredictable. Paul uses this word in his leadership qualifications to both Timothy and Titus (1 Timothy 3:3; Titus 3:2). Peter uses this word for servants in relationship to their masters (1 Peter 2:18), and James uses it to describe what godly wisdom looks and sounds like (James 3:17). 

(See all the Scriptures I use in this post here.) 

When Paul says that our gentleness is to be “evident to all,” he uses a word that means intimate relationships. In other words, those who are closest to us should be the most aware of our gentleness. But it also means that anyone should be able to predict quite accurately how a gentleman or gentlewoman is going to behave or respond in the situations they are in. 

Look how this phrase is rendered in other Bible translations:

  • AMPC: Let all men know and perceive and recognize your unselfishness. 
  • NLT: Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. 
  • KJV: Let your moderation be known unto all men. 

How do I know if I am being a gentleman for Jesus? I must look in the mirror of others’ faces. If they are wondering how I am going to respond, or if they are shocked at how I just responded, then they must not know my gentlemanliness. I cannot excuse my unpredictable or unseemly response with excuses like, “I was caught off guard,” “I was having a bad day,” or “They just don’t know me very well.” 

Being a gentleman for Jesus is totally on me. It’s up to me to allow the Holy Spirit to develop the fruit of gentleness in me; it’s not on others to excuse my poor behavior. 

Christians, I pray that we may be known as the best of gentlemen or gentlewomen wherever we go and in whatever circumstances we find ourselves. After all, Paul concludes this verse in Philippians 4:5 with a heavy reminder for us: “The Lord is near.” 

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

The Protection Of Peace

March 31, 2026 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 

In Philippians 4, Paul links together two important words: God and peace. 

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. … Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:7, 9) 

In Greek it’s the same two words: eirene Theos and Theos eirene. 

God gives me a peace that is beyond what my natural mind can conceive, and it’s a peace that guards me and accompanies me wherever I go. Given the fact that the verse between these two mentions of the God of peace are about our thought life, it would seem that we need peace in our mind more than anywhere else. That sandwiched verse says: 

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (v. 8) 

Peace is my protection from moving from contentment to crisis, or from focus on God to anxiety about His ability to provide for me. Crisis and anxiety are both peace robbers. 

How is this protection of peace established? Verses 4-6 highlight two vital aspects: 

  • Gratitude for what I have 
  • Prayer for what I need

So if I find myself in crisis mode or feeling anxious, that means I have moved outside of the protection of peace that God wants to give me. In this place, if I were totally honest, my thoughts are probably the exact opposite of the list in verse 8. My peace-robbing thoughts are things that are false, feeble, and self-centered. 

To step back into that place where peace protects me and guards my mind and heart, I have to focus on two vital aspects: 

  • Gratitude for what I have 
  • Prayer for what I need

God wants me to live in a place protected by His peace because it brings Him glory. Think of it this way: Is my life a better testimony when I live perpetually in crisis mode or when I am content with God’s blessings? When I am anxious about God’s ability to meet my needs, or when my attention is focused on the all-sufficiency of my loving Heavenly Father? 

The next time you feel yourself slipping into a crisis or feeling anxious, check your thoughts: Are they good and lovely, or are they dark and ominous? If they are the latter, take time to intentionally express your gratitude for your blessings, and then expectantly take your needs to God in prayer. Then watch as the God of peace brings you back into a place where your contentment and your focus on Him becomes your protection and also a winsome testimony to draw others to the Prince of Peace. 

You may also want to check out:

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

What Really Scares The Devil

March 19, 2026 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 

There is nothing in your spiritual armory that makes the devil afraid of you. But there is one thing that will always cause him to flee from you: When you bow to Jesus. 

The Scriptures I reference in this clip—Acts 19:11-16; Philippians 2:10-11; James 4:7. 

If you want to check out the full message from which I took this clip, it’s here. 

You may also be interested in these related blog posts: 

My book Amen Indeed is a book of prayers for pastors who are in the midst of spiritual warfare. 

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

The Vital Leadership Need For Mercy

March 18, 2026 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 

Paul salutes his friend Titus, “Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 1:4). 

I’m not sure why several English translations of the Bible leave the word mercy out of this verse, because the Greek clearly says charis, eleos, eirene. Especially when we consider that this was an intentional word Paul was inspired to pen to a specific person. 

In every letter Paul writes to a church (plus in his personal letter to his friend Philemon), he greets the saints with “grace and peace” (Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 1:2; Galatians 1:3; Ephesians 1:2; Philippians 1:2; Colossians 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:2; Philemon 3). This is also the greeting of Peter and John to the churches (1 Peter 1:2; 2 Peter 1:2; Revelation 1:4). 

(Check out all of the Scriptures in this post here.)

But in Paul’s three pastoral letters, he says, “Grace, mercy, and peace” (1 Timothy 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:2; Titus 1:4). Only John in the New Testament uses this salutation in a personal correspondence to another church leader (2 John 3). 

From this, I think we would be wise to note that Paul feels his pastoral proteges need to keep mercy in the forefront of their minds. Not that pastors—and the “dear lady” in John’s second letter—don’t know that God has been merciful to them, but as a reminder of just how important mercy truly is to both pastors and to the saints under their care. 

Charles Spurgeon wrote that pastors need to be reminded of mercy “as if the higher the office, the greater the liability to sin.” I think one of the biggest temptations for leaders is to believe their elevated title means they are to be served by others, rather than to continually take the role of a servant serving others. 

Pastoral leaders will also do well to recall that “all we like sheep have gone astray” (Isaiah 53:6; 1 Peter 2:25), and that “all” includes both pastors and saints. Pastors need to quickly recognize anytime they may be straying from their servant’s role, repent, and receive God’s mercy. 

Shepherd leaders also need to guard against the frustration that can creep into their heart when they see the sheep in their flock going astray. Paul and John are reminding these pastors to keep in mind how merciful the Chief Shepherd has been to them, and how this should stir up their mercy toward the flock around them. 

Shepherd leaders have a vital need to keep mercy always in mind. 

I think a good prayer for pastors might be—

     Holy Spirit, in my moments of frustration, remind me of the “grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ [my] Savior” which has been extended to me innumerable times. May that recollection awaken in me increased depths of mercy toward the flock around me, despite how frequently they may stray. In Jesus’ name. Amen! 

P.S. If you are interested in going deeper on the topic of pastors as leaders, please check out my book Shepherd Leadership. 

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

The Authority In Bowing

March 2, 2026 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 

Recognition of the proper chain of command is drilled into every soldier, and knowing and following that chain of command is essential to success. In fact, it’s so important that violating this hierarchy could result in court martial and a dishonorable removal from military service. 

This is just as true in our service in the Lord’s army. 

Pastor Dan Chastain noted how similar the US Army’s Non-commissioned Officer (NCO) creed is to the way Roman centurion’s operated: “I will know my Soldiers and always place their needs above my own. I will communicate consistently with my Soldiers and I will never leave them uniformed. I will be fair and impartial when recommending both rewards and punishment.” 

The centurion we meet in Luke 7:2-10 cared for his servants and understood the chain of command. He recognized the supreme authority that Jesus had, even His authority over death and disease. 

(Check out all of the Scriptures I mention in this post here.)  

Pastor Dan also noted that the backing for an NCO’s authority is fear. There is an understanding of the authority that officer has to both reward and punish. 

The Romans had perfected the torturous act of crucifixion. It struck fear into the hearts of their enemies. In Mark 15:15-38 we see just how well the Romans had developed this gruesome act to keep people living in fear of them. 

They knew just how much to flog their victims to demoralize them for maximum effect—just enough to take the fight out of them, but not too much that they died before being crucified.  

The death of Jesus, however, was probably not what the Roman kill squad expected. It was probably a bit of a letdown for them that Jesus died rather quickly because they were used to their enemies suffering for days. But they also knew they had to ensure that their victims were truly dead (see John 19:31-34). 

Governor Pontius Pilate was also surprised how quickly Joseph of Arimathea showed up to ask for the body of Jesus, so Pilate summoned the centurion who had been in charge of the crucifixions to verify that He was indeed dead (Mark 15:42-45). 

Did you notice that Pilate called “the centurion”? Who is this? He’s the one who oversaw the kill squad that had crucified Jesus and the two other criminals. 

This centurion was a professional soldier. He had obtained his rank by his military skill, his leadership capabilities, his bravery, and his rigidly following the chain of command. His climb through up the ranks would have had him saying over and over again, “Kyrios kaiser,” which means “Caesar is lord.” 

But notice that throughout the time that the Roman soldiers gambled for Jesus’ clothes, hurled insults and Him, and thrust a spear into His side that this centurion remained silent. There was something about this Man that was different. 

When Jesus breathed His last breath, this soldier didn’t say, “Kyrios kaiser,” but something entirely different—“And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how He died, he said, ‘Surely this Man was the Son of God!’” (Mark 15:39). He changed from “Caesar is lord” to “Jesus is Lord”!  

Just like the Romans terrified their enemies, our enemy wants to do the same thing—to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10); to prowl and growl like a lion (1 Peter 5:8). 

We resist him not by our show or force against him, but by our show of submission to the King of kings (Philippians 2:10-11). The devil isn’t afraid of you, and you aren’t strong enough to defeat him (check out what happened in Acts 19:11-16). But satan has been defeated by our King, and when you bow to Christ’s authority, then he must flee from you (James 4:7). 

Our authority comes from bowing, from giving up our way of doing things, from not trying to figure out solutions on our own. When we bow to our King, we have victory! 

If you’ve missed any of the messages in this series on spiritual warfare, check them all out here. 

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment »

Prayer Changes My Focus

January 19, 2026 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 

Heartfelt prayer is never a meaningless exercise. Without exception, something is changed with every single prayer we offer to God. Sometimes, as we have learned, some of the biggest changes take place in us. 

Take a look at this picture—what do you see? If your focus is on the big, dark dot you will eventually lose sight of all that’s bright and beautiful around it. Jesus said something similar in Luke 11:34. Prayer can help us take our focus off the darkness and turn to the light. 

(Check out all of the Scriptures in this post by clicking here.) 

When we experience bad things, we have three options: 

  1. We can focus on the badness and see it as inevitable and inescapable—this will leave us bitter. 
  2. We can attempt to change our circumstance—this will leave us possibly better. But what if we cannot change our circumstances? Then we’re right back to #1—we are bitter. 
  3. We can change our focus. For Christians, this will help us realize how blessed we are. 

Let’s revisit part of a road trip that the apostle Paul took. 

First in Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-4). He was only able to spend 3 weeks in this city before the jealous Jews rounded up trouble and started a riot (vv. 5-10). Instead of focusing on that big, black dot, Paul gratefully prayed for them (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3; 2 Thessalonians 1:3, 11-12). 

Before Thessalonica, he was shamefully treated in Philippi (1 Thessalonians 2:1-2; Acts 16:22-24). Another incredibly short stay before trouble came, but yet again, Paul prays with gratitude (Philippians 1:3-4). 

Why could Paul be grateful? Mainly because his focus wasn’t on the big, dark dot of his shameful treatment in those cities, but on what God had done because of that treatment (Philippians 1:12-14; 1 Thessalonians 1:6-10, 3:6-10; 2 Thessalonians 1:4). 

Likewise, Paul calls on us to use prayer to change our focus (Philippians 4:4-7; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). 

William Cowper was a gifted poet who battle the big, black dot of depression. One of his poems captures the light behind the big, black dot—

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning Providence,
He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain. —William Cowper, Light Shining Out Of Darkness

Let’s let prayer change our focus from the darkness to the light! 

If you’ve missed any of the other posts in this series on prayer, you can find them all here. 

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , . 2 Comments »
« Older posts