Day One: No Approval Needed Key Verse: Proverbs 29:25

At the height of the coronavirus pandemic, our adult son had to abruptly return to America from Australia where he’d been living on a work visa. He rented a room from us for a few months until he could make his next move in life.

We soon noticed mail addressed to him stuffing our mailbox. As a member of Generation Z, he became a potential client for nearly every credit card company in existence, many showcasing a zero percent introductory interest rate with no annual fee. Stamped on the envelopes of these offers in large, eye-catching letters was this phrase: NO APPROVAL NEEDED. Now, if only we Christ-followers would understand this concept in our interactions with others!

Constantly seeking the approval of humans leads to people-pleasing. A few years ago, I realized that I didn’t just like to please people, I was also afraid of them. Maybe not afraid that they were going to do something to hurt me, but afraid of what they might think of me. Or scared of what they’d say about me. Or fearful of disappointing them. And so, I fell into the people-pleasing trap—big time!

Proverbs 29:25 declares “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.” (NIV)You might know the meaning of the word snare in English. It means “a trap,” much like one set to catch an animal. But the word as it is used carries a connotation that goes far beyond critter catching.

In the original Hebrew, the word translated in English as snare is the word moqesh. Moqesh doesn’t merely mean a trap for prey, it also carries the concept of bait or a lure. It indicates an animal, object, or person that is enticing, causing another to stop what they’re doing and insert themselves into a hazardous situation because of the “prize” set before them. Before they know it, they’re trapped!

Have you ever been enticed to say something you didn’t really mean to gain someone’s approval? You know, give your coworker an untrue compliment or rave about your neighbor’s new ginormous garden statue, that you don’t care for but that he is obsessed with?

Are you tempted to say yes to requests when you’d much rather say no just to avoid the uncomfortableness of turning the asker down? Is there a relationship in your life where your heartstrings are constantly tugged? And perhaps, worst of all, is there, someone, with whom you have a dysfunctional relationship, and you dread making them sad or upset, so you constantly take the bait and give in, just to garner their approval?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then you, my friend, have been caught in a moqesh.

So, what are we to do to free ourselves from this snare? We wriggle free when we realize we do not constantly need the approval of others. We have already secured the greatest approval of all—that of being a child of the Most High God. It is he who can grant us the courage to resist being caught.

Second Timothy 1:7 reads, “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline” (NASB). Let’s tap into this spirit of bravery—harnessing its power to truly love people by being honest with them, and disciplining our minds to remember that we already have God’s approval, so we don’t need to seek it from others.

Will you dare to begin making choices based on what God wants you to do rather than based on if someone else approves? We can learn to trust our lives to God, giving responses that line up with His Word, carried out with confidence, not timidity.

Respond

How does the image of a snare accurately apply to situations where you are tempted to please someone or gain their attention or approval?

When, in the future, you are tempted to make choices to gain someone’s approval, what will you remind yourself of from Proverbs 29:25 about the fear of humans?

Prayer

Father, please keep me from falling into the people-pleasing trap by constantly seeking the approval of others. Remind me how much I am already loved and cherished by You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

While Jesus was on the cross, He cried out, “It is finished.” The outcome of His sacrifice not only paid the penalty for the sins of the world, but additionally ended the regime ruled by Satan.

When Jesus rose from the dead, darkness was defeated and life prevailed. After His resurrection, Jesus said to his disciples, “All power and authority is given to Me in heaven and in earth” (Matthew 28:18). The Worthy One regained the earth from the prince darkness. Then Jesus sent His followers into the world as ambassadors of heaven to proclaim and reveal His Lordship. Our triumph is rooted in the finished work of the cross.

Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. – Ephesians 3:7-12 ESV

What is your testimony? Jesus is your testimony—the One who has destroyed the works of the devil and has brought you out of darkness into His marvelous light! By the blood of Jesus, we are forgiven, cleansed, sanctified, justified, redeemed out of darkness, have peace, and access to the throne of God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. – Revelation 12:11 ESV Sometimes in the middle of the fight, it can be hard to see why you’re fighting. I encourage you to stay in the battle and stand firm in the armor of God. When you remind yourself of the amazing work God has done in your life and share your testimony as a witness of God’s faithfulness, the Holy Spirit will empower you to overcome even on the darkest days.

How do you testify? You testify by being a witness to what you have seen God do in your life. Has He healed you? Testify. Has He saved you? Share the Good News with others. Has He delivered you? Find someone has not experienced freedom and declare the mighty power of Jesus to that person. We can do none of this in our own power and efforts, so we clothe ourselves in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Magnificent heavenly Father, I want Your fame and glory to be spread throughout all the earth. I agree that only one name should be lifted above every other—the name of Jesus.

Thank You, Jesus, for taking my sin upon Yourself so I could be made righteous. Thank You for becoming a curse so I could receive the abundance of my Father’s blessings. Because of the shed blood at Calvary, I am a recipient of Your great grace. Jesus, when You declared from the cross, “It is finished,” Your work was complete. I take my place in Your army with the blood of the Lamb, the word of my testimony, and I lay my life down for You daily so that You can live through me. Amen and amen.

Blood. What is your first reaction when you read that word? Do you get squeamish? Leviticus 17:11 declares there is life in the blood.

For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life. – Leviticus 17:11 ESV

In Christ’s blood, we receive life that death cannot conquer. From Genesis through Revelation, blood takes a central place in the Scriptures. In the Old Testament, the blood of animals foreshadowed the sacrifice of Christ in the New Testament. The high priest entered the Holy of Holies once a year, with the blood of the sacrifice on the Day of Atonement. This sacrifice was a covering of sin but did not blot out the sin. There was no access into the presence of God without the shedding of sacrificial blood. In Hebrews 9:6–14 (AMP) we see the accomplished work of Christ. I love the phrase, “When Christ appeared.” Yes, when Jesus appeared, He offered His blood, which was without blemish, as an eternal sacrifice for our sins. Jesus’ sacrifice was a complete work: one time, for all time and all people. On the cross He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). The work of atonement was now perfectly accomplished through the blood of this one Man, the perfect Lamb of God, Christ Jesus the Lord! The blood of Jesus is not a good luck charm. The blood of Jesus is powerful—especially when you now learn to apply the blood of the Lamb to your mind, heart, life, family, and in every sphere of responsibility that God has delegated to you. Darkness stops and life begins when you testify what the blood of Jesus has accomplished. Let’s look closely at seven benefits of the Blood of Jesus, along with Scripture references to confirm each truth: Forgiveness – Hebrews 9:22 Cleansing – 1 John 1:7 Redemption – Ephesians 1:7 Justification – Romans 5:9 Sanctification (set apart) – Hebrews 10:10 AMP Peace – Colossians 1:20 Access – Hebrews 10:19 AMP, Ephesians 2:13-14 Of the seven benefits of the shed blood of Jesus, which do you feel you know well, and which do you want to access more completely? There is no triumph apart from the blood of Jesus. I pray the Spirit of revelation will rest upon you. Where there has been knowledge, there will be an increase of knowledge, and may God bring you into a place of greater intimacy with Him through studying how Christ’s blood still speaks.

And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. – Revelation 12:11 ESV The blood of Jesus leads us to victory in every spiritual battle we face. In Christ’s blood, we receive life that death cannot conquer. How does reflecting on Jesus’ shed His blood affect how you approach Him through prayer? Take a few moments right now to thank Jesus for His shed blood and all that it accomplished.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 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 6:10-17 ESV

Paul repeated the command to stand firm three times in Ephesians six. Standing firm means to hold position, refuse to surrender ground to the enemy, and preserve what has already been won. Scripture says we resist the enemy by putting on the full armor of God.

The Belt of Truth: The belt of truth is the first piece of armor listed because, without truth, we will not stand against the schemes of the devil. This was not simply a narrow belt to hold up one’s pants, but rather a leather apron that protected the lower part of the body and was used to hold the sheath for the soldier’s sword.

The Breastplate of Righteousness: This piece of armor extended from the base of the neck to the upper part of the thighs, covering the abdomen or trunk of the body. Essential organs, such as the heart and lungs, are protected by the breastplate, making it essential to life!

The Shoes of Peace: Putting on the right shoes for battle gives you stability to face the enemy without fear of slipping and falling. In addition, the shoes of peace allow you to move with agility, taking the Gospel to those in need. What a privilege to be positioned to proclaim the glorious gospel of peace.

The Shield of Faith: The purpose of the shield was to defend against the incendiary missiles of the enemy—arrows dipped in pitch, set aflame, and launched. The enemy’s fiery arrows assault us daily. When Satan whispers, “God doesn’t care about you,” lift your shield of faith and say, “God so loved the world that He gave His Son for me. Nothing in all creation can ever separate me from the love of God.” Keep your focus on Jesus, and He will give you strength to hold up the shield of faith and extinguish the arrows of the enemy. The Helmet of Salvation: According to 1 Thessalonians 5:8, the helmet is the hope of salvation. Hope is the positive expectation of good— vital for spiritual warfare taking place in the mind. When we keep our minds fixed on the God of hope, our helmet stays firmly on our heads as we fight our battles.

The Sword of the Spirit: The sword is distinguished from the other pieces of armor because it is not purely defensive but is also an offensive weapon. If we put on the other armor, we may prevent the devil from wounding us, but we cannot drive him from our presence. Only the sword—the two-edged sword, which is the Word of God—can destroy the devil. We wield the sword by proclaiming the Word with our mouth.

But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress. O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love. – Psalm 59:16-17 ESV Father in heaven, I often lean on my own strength instead of finding my strength in you. Thank You, Jesus, that You are my greatest weapon in spiritual warfare. I look to You for my strength as I put on the full armor each day. Amen and amen.

Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs. – 2 Corinthians 2:10-11 ESV

In 2 Corinthians 2:10-11, the apostle Paul warns of the devil’s plans to outsmart us. Outwit is the term the New International Version uses, and the New American Standard Bible translates verse 11 like this: “so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan.” Let’s not be ignorant of his tactics to cheat or defraud by deception. Paul also uses the word schemes, meaning “a method” (see Ephesians 6:11). Our enemy is extremely methodical in his approach, wearing us down with cunning strategies.

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him. – Matthew 4:1-11 ESV When the devil tempted Jesus (see Matthew 4:1–11), he used the Word of God and twisted it. Thankfully, Jesus knew the truth, so He wasn’t fooled. We must know the Word of God because the enemy knows the Bible too. I wonder sometimes if the devil reads the Bible more than we do! If he twisted the Word while tempting Jesus, we must assume he will try the same scheme with us. The Bible is clear: Jesus came to earth to destroy the works of the devil. The key to the believer’s triumph in spiritual warfare is knowing what Jesus Christ has already accomplished through His life, ministry, death, and resurrection. Jesus invites us to pray from a victorious mindset, not work our way toward one. “The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.” 1 John 3:8. How did He do this? First, by coming to earth! His presence on earth changed everything, revealing God’s glory through his life and ministry. Jesus also destroyed the works of the devil by living God’s Word: He used the Word and relied on the Word.

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. – Colossians 2:13-15 ESV Satan seeks to keep men and women living in their sin, under its penalty, held in bondage to its power, and suffering mental and emotional defeat from its’ guilty accusations. Christ’s death on the cross secured redemption from sin and its guilt and destroyed the devil’s works.

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, – Hebrews 2:14 ESV Almighty Father, I exalt the Lord Jesus Christ. He indeed is worthy of my praise, adoration, and worship. I’m amazed at His humility when He emptied Himself, took on the form of a servant, became an ordinary man, and lived a sinless life. He was obedient even unto death, and on the cross died the death of a criminal, which He did not deserve. But death could not hold Him. Jesus is triumphant and has conquered Satan, death, hell, and the kingdom of darkness. I stand in that victory today and declare with the heavenly host, “Glory to God in the highest. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, who is, and is to come!” Amen and amen.

You were born into a war—no matter where or when you were born—and you were meant to claim victory in that war. This doesn’t sound like great news at first, but as you learn about this war, the news gets better. You have the privilege of choosing which side to fight for; and when you choose to follow Jesus, you make the decision to be on the winning side!

For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, - 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 ESV

How can I be so sure of that outcome? Because of Jesus’ marvelous victory at Calvary. When our lovely Messiah hung on the cross, cursed for the sins of world, He uttered the words, “It is finished!” (John 19:30) The work of Christ on the cross was perfectly complete. Just as the kingdom of God exists, there is also the kingdom of Satan. These two kingdoms are in direct conflict with one another. Satan, the devil, is clearly described as the enemy of God throughout the entire Bible. Pride was found in the heart of this created one as he compared himself with God and aspired to be equal with, or even transcend above, the Creator Himself. The name Satan literally means “the adversary,” the one who opposes. The Bible also calls him tempter (Matthew 4:3, 1 Thessalonians 3:5), accuser (Revelation 12:10) and deceiver (Revelation 20:3). These names are synonymous with evil and are the very essence of what Satan’s kingdom stands for. He is the mortal enemy of God’s children. But Christ Jesus has authority over the enemy. God sends us forth as empowered believers, along with His Holy Spirit, to go into the darkness and shine the light of the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” - John 8:12 ESV

Remember, light always overcomes darkness! We can take comfort from 1 John 4:4 (NKJV): “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” Spiritual enemies require spiritual weapons and divine power. God gives us weapons to fight our battles. Even though “we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.” 2 Corinthians 10:3–5.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. - Ephesians 6:12 ESV Father God, in the mighty name of Jesus, I come before You, knowing You have empowered me for victory. I was born to participate in spiritual warfare, which is required to advance Your will and Kingdom on earth. The devil is a liar and a thief, and all he has ever done is steal, kill, and destroy. But You, Jesus, reveal yourself in your Word as the King and the Captain of the Lord’s army, ruling over principalities and powers of darkness. You, Lord, are my Commander, and I will follow Your lead and obey Your commandments. You are victorious, and I am grateful to be on the winning side with You. Amen and amen.

As we seek, know, abide in, and submit to God there is a beautiful trust that develops and matures. When we spend more time with Him, we begin to know Him better. As a result, we genuinely learn what His voice sounds like.

Romans 8:38-39 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Think about when we have spent ample amounts of time with someone. We can point out their unique laughs from across the room or we can recognize their voice even when our eyes are closed. We have spent enough time with them to be able to do so, and this is exactly what happens as we commune with God. In times of uncertainty, unexpected circumstances, and tough decision-making, we have ideally spent so much time with God that we know His voice and what He is saying. Not only do we know His voice, but we follow His voice, continually submitting to Him.

Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Seeking, abiding, and submitting build up our faith because our God is faithful. We see how time and time again we can put our trust in Him, and He comes through! We can see how He never fails and never leaves us alone to figure out our problems. We can see how He forgives, loves, gives mercy, provides, and does so much more because He is that good.

Psalms 28:6-7 Praise be to the Lord, for he has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. We can trust that He will never lead us astray and we will certainly never perish when we are in His will. Does this mean that bad things will never happen to us? Unfortunately, it doesn’t my friend – we live in a fallen world. What it does mean is that during storms, attacks from the enemy, or consequences of our own actions, we can know that God is making all things work together for good. He will protect us. He will guide us through it. He will remain faithful. All we must do is keep our minds stayed on Him and put our trust in Him. We will truly thrive with God, and He will keep us in perfect peace. Pray it Out: Today my heart trusts in You, God and Your praises will continually be in my mouth. I choose to trust in Your Word, in Holy Spirit who lives inside of me, and in the power of the blood of Jesus. I choose to believe that there is nothing that can separate me from Your love. I will rest in Your love and in Your faithfulness today, and I release all places of doubt in the name of Jesus! Amen Write It Out: List the time(s) you were afraid or slow to trust God, yet He came through for you. Use this list to affirm that if He did it before, He can do it again!

Have you ever seen the picture floating around of Jesus, the little girl, and the teddy bears? Jesus and a young girl are facing one another while she tightly holds a small teddy bear in both arms. Jesus has one hand out for her to give Him her teddy bear, and the words “Just trust me” are above His head. Above the little girl’s head are the words, “But I love it, God.” Unfortunately, there is something the little girl cannot see. Jesus has His other hand behind His back and in it, He holds a teddy bear at least 3 times as big as the one she holds! Imagine that we are the little child in this scenario. The teddy bears we hold are our plans, desires, attitudes, and control. Our teddy bears may not be the best for us, are failing us, are leading us down the wrong path, or look good in theory but simply are not of God. As we discuss the idea of submitting to God, think of it as releasing our own teddy bears to Him and accepting the ones He has for us.

James 4:7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Submission requires a childlike nature that chronological age, the woes of life, and our upbringing can make difficult to do. For some of us, the idea of submission can be cringey because we fought so hard to gain control over our lives. Releasing to God can feel like defeat.

1 Peter 5:8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. For others, the idea of submission can feel suffocating because we are used to doing whatever we want without restraint. Submitting to God can feel like a prison. Wherever you may fall on this spectrum, know that the enemy wants us to feel these negative feelings because if they are strong enough, we may never submit to God and release our “teddy bears” to Him.

John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. Over these past two days, we have sought God’s face and learned how to abide in His presence. As we truly and wholeheartedly abide in Him, we will naturally release what isn’t under submission. Our desires, plans, and ways will begin to shift simply because that is what His presence does. We will want to do what He desires and live how He commands because we love Him that much. Releasing and submitting won’t feel like defeat or a prison, they will feel like victory and freedom! Pray It Out: Lord, thank You for Your all-knowing nature. While I may not understand all that You do or desire for me to do, I thank You that Your ways and Your thoughts are far higher than mine. I’m asking for help, strength, and courage to release to You. Thank You for being patient with me, having grace, and pouring out mercy. In Jesus’ Name, Amen Write It Out: What area(s) of your life do you need to fully submit to God?