You Cannot Change Anyone's Will

There comes a time you yearn to guide someone onto a better path. You pour out your heart, share wisdom, and direction, yet their steps follow a rhythm you cannot redirect. The truth settles heavy: you cannot force someone to change their will or pray them out of their will. Their heart beats to its own song, and no amount of pleading or reasoning can rewrite the melody they choose. But take heart, for the Lord who sees all paths has not left you without hope. As He declares, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11, NKJV). Your role is not to control but to trust, to love, and to surrender their journey to God’s faithful hands.

Scripture reminds us that each soul is given the freedom to choose. Just as Joshua called the Israelites to decide, “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve” (Joshua 24:15, NKJV), so too must those you love make their own choices. You may see the cliffs ahead, warn them of danger, or point to a smoother road, but their will is their own. Trying to force change is like commanding the wind to shift, it answers only to the One who made it. Instead, stand firm in faith, knowing that God’s Spirit moves where it wills (John 3:8, NKJV). Your words and love are seeds planted in their heart, and though you may not see the harvest, God is at work in ways unseen.

The Patience of a Faithful Heart 

When their path diverges from what you hope, the temptation is to push harder, to fix what seems broken. Yet, the Lord calls you to a different posture: patience. “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, NKJV). Like the farmer who sows and waits for the rain, you must trust God’s timing for their heart to turn. Step back, dear one, and create that sacred space where their understanding can grow. The Lord is patient, “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9, NKJV). Follow His example, love without demanding, guide without controlling, and pray without ceasing.

When their choices wound you, or when their steps seem driven by pain, pride, or confusion, remember the call to forgive. “Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do” (Colossians 3:13, NKJV). Forgiveness is not excusing their actions but releasing your heart from the burden of their choices. You, too, have stumbled in blindness, spoken without wisdom, or acted without love. As Jesus taught, “Forgive, and you will be forgiven” (Luke 6:37, NKJV). Let forgiveness be the balm that heals your spirit, freeing you to walk in peace while trusting God to work in them.

Surrendering to God’s Guidance 

The journey of letting go is not about giving up but giving over to the One who holds all things together. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6, NKJV). When you release their will to God, you find rest in His promise to guide. Picture the Israelites, led by a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night (Exodus 13:21, NKJV). So, too, does God lead those you love, even when their path seems uncertain. Your prayers are like manna sent from heaven (Exodus 16:4, NKJV), sustaining them in ways you may never see. Trust that He who formed their days before they began (Psalm 139:16, NKJV) will align their steps with His purpose in His time.

As you navigate this sacred distance, hold fast to the peace that surpasses understanding. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7, NKJV). Your love, though it cannot force change, is never wasted. It endures, bearing all things, hoping all things (1 Corinthians 13:7, NKJV). Live in the quiet confidence that God is weaving a story far greater than you can see. Your heart, anchored in His truth, becomes a beacon of light, shining even when their path feels far away.

So, rise up and walk in faith. You are not alone in this journey of love and surrender. The Lord is your strength, your rock, and your deliverer (Psalm 18:2, NKJV). Pray for light to guide those you cherish, trust God’s hand to lead them, and hold fast to the peace that keeps your heart steady. For in that peace, love still grows, and in God’s time, all things will align according to His perfect will.

 

The Holy Spirit

What guides you in your life when it comes to judging well? What helps you make decisions through discernment and keeps you in God’s purpose? When you find yourself in a situation where you can’t pray, who intercedes on your behalf? How did you discover Jesus? The Holy Spirit, as part of the Trinity, is fully God, not a force or energy, but a personal being who speaks, teaches, guides, and can be grieved. Ephesians 4:30, NKJV: "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

Jesus once asked Peter, “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” Matthew 16:15–16, NKJV. Jesus responded, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven”  Matthew 16:17, NKJV. This revelation came through the Holy Spirit, showing that it is God who opens our eyes to Christ’s identity. Yet, when Peter later rebuked Jesus for predicting His death, Jesus said, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men” Matthew 16:23, NKJV. This contrast highlights the Spirit’s role in aligning our hearts with God’s will, as only the Holy Spirit reveals divine truth. John 16:13, NKJV “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.”

When Jesus ascended, He promised a Helper: “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever” John 14:16, NKJV. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended, and the disciples “were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” Acts 2:4, NKJV. Empowered by the Spirit, they fearlessly spread the Gospel, fulfilling Jesus’ command to make disciples. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” Matthew 28:19, NKJV.

The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit equips believers with seven gifts to grow in faith and live according to God’s will. Isaiah 11:2–3, NKJV:

• Wisdom: Enables us to see life from God’s perspective, as James 1:5, NKJV says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him”
• Understanding: Helps us grasp spiritual truths, as 1 Corinthians 2:12, NKJV notes, “ Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.”
• Counsel: Guides moral decisions, reflecting Proverbs 3:5–6, NKJV “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”
• Fortitude: Grants courage, as Paul writes, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind”  2 Timothy 1:7, NKJV.
• Knowledge: Reveals God’s purpose, as Psalm 119:105, NKJV declares, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
• Piety: Inspires worship, as John 4:24, NKJV says, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
• Fear of the Lord: Fosters humility and reverence, as Proverbs 9:10, NKJV states, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

 

These gifts strengthen our walk with God. “ Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” Romans 8:26, NKJV.

The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament

Was the Holy Spirit present in the Old Testament? Yes, though His presence was not as fully manifested as in the New Testament. The Spirit empowered God’s chosen, despite their flaws. Noah, righteous yet flawed, became drunk (Genesis 9:20–21, NKJV). Moses, a great leader, disobeyed God in anger (Numbers 20:10–12, NKJV). Isaiah, aware of his sinfulness, said, “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts” Isaiah 6:5, NKJV , yet God used him mightily. David, a man after God’s heart (1 Samuel 13:14, NKJV), sinned grievously (2 Samuel 11, NKJV), but the Spirit inspired his repentance. Psalm 51:11, NKJV: “Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me”. These accounts show the Spirit’s work, even before Pentecost, revealing God’s grace through imperfect vessels.

The Holy Spirit Today

The Holy Spirit continues His work, restraining the Antichrist until God’s appointed time: “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way” 2 Thessalonians 2:7, NKJV. By holding back the Antichrist, the Spirit protects the Church and enables the Gospel’s spread. Salvation itself is by grace through faith, as Ephesians 2:8–9, NKJV affirms: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” The Spirit dwells in believers, guiding us to “walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16, NKJV) and live with pure hearts, as we “work out our own salvation with fear and trembling” Philippians 2:12, NKJV

Our responsibility is to pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17, NKJV), live in obedience, and walk in the fear of the Lord. The Holy Spirit, our Helper, guides us into all truth, intercedes for us, and empowers us to fulfill God’s purpose, drawing us ever closer to Christ.

 

Breaking the Chains of the Past

Before you came into existence, there were your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, great-great-grandparents, and the lineage continues far back into history. Along this ancestral line, altars were raised, covenants were made, words were spoken, and cultural practices were established. Just like DNA, these spiritual and cultural patterns have been passed down from generation to generation. The Bible acknowledges the weight of such generational patterns: “The Lord is longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He by no means clears the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation”  Numbers 14:18, NKJV. This verse highlights how the consequences of sin can linger across generations, yet it also points to God’s mercy, which offers a way to break free.

Many traditions were shaped by man-made laws. In some, women were forbidden from certain actions, facing specific consequences if they transgressed, men had to undergo specific rites of passage in a cirtain way, such as circumcision. Within your lineage, you may notice relatives whose behaviors are difficult to understand struggles with strange addictions, destructive habits, or boundless anger. While some of these challenges are self-inflicted, others are deeply rooted in generational cycles passed down through spiritual covenants or unresolved ancestral issues.

Consider the tradition of marriage. Elders often seek to understand the background of the family you wish to marry into. Sometimes, jealousy can lead to false accusations. But other times, there may be truths about a family’s history, truths that are uncomfortable or unwanted. As a result, decisions are made: “Our sons or daughters shall not marry into that family!” perhaps because of their reputation, past misfortunes, or even poverty. All this stems from a fear of inheriting a lineage they believe to be “cursed” or flawed.

But here lies the pressing question: Should sons and daughters suffer for the sins of their fathers? Should the covenants of the forefathers be carried into new generations? Absolutely not. God declares “The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself”  Ezekiel 18:20, NKJV. This verse affirms that each individual’s destiny is not bound by their ancestors’ sins.

So, how does one break free from this cycle and live a life that is unchained from the past?

The answer start with Baptism ."Jesus answered, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. John 3:5, NKJV. Baptism is to be immersed in water by an anointed servant of God, and rise a new. It represents dying to the old self and rising anew you.  "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17, NKJV.  To put this into perspective, the entire world underwent a form of baptism. God’s work of bringing order out of chaos begins with water in Genesis 1. His Spirit hovers over “wild and waste” waters, then separates them to form sky, sea, and dry land establishing life’s space,  Noahs flood cleansing the world and saving souls  “who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.” 1 Peter 3:20, NKJV

The Israelites were baptized as they passed through the Red Sea when fleeing Egypt: “all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea” 1 Corinthians 10:2, NKJV. Naaman dipped seven times in the Jordan River and was healed of leprosy (2 Kings 5:14). Jesus Himself was baptized (Matthew 3:16). Peter, upon seeing the resurrected Christ, jumped into the water from the boat, a symbolic act of transformation (John 21:7).

Baptism marks a new beginning. It is a spiritual reset and this brings us to the cross.

Jesus was crucified to pay the ultimate price for all humanity. His blood, shed on Calvary, is the symbol of redemption, the seal of forgiveness, and the establishment of a new covenant. “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace."  Ephesians 1:7, NKJV. It is through His sacrifice that humanity was offered reconciliation with God. Through Jesus, you are saved not just from your own sins, but from the spiritual debts of your lineage. By His blood, you are under a new covenant: “Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.” Luke 22:20, NKJV. The old has gone; the new has come. Therefore, you do not need to offer any other sacrifice. You do not need to slaughter an animal to appease ancestors or fulfill traditions. You do not need to fear.

What you need is to be baptized and accept Jesus Christ and be made new, and to walk in obedience with God. As it is written, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams 1 Samuel 15:22, NKJV. Through faith in Christ, baptism, and a life of obedience, you can break the chains of the past and walk in the freedom of God’s new covenant.