Relinquishing Your Power

 

Beloved, when you allow someone else’s wrongful treatment of you to remain a bastion in your life then you are relinquishing your power to that individual.

I am in no way trivializing trauma and abuse which are serious conditions that need to be properly dealt with due to their long-term emotional and psychological effects. Even if it is not deemed as serious as that, living in dysfunction because of another’s actions even after that person is no longer a part of your life is allowing them to have power over you. Don’t give them that power, take it back.

Apostle Paul in his second letter to the Corinthian church members said,

That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (12:10 NIV)

On the surface, For when I am weak, then I am strong seems to make no sense, but Paul was saying that he was not dependent on his own strength, instead when faced with all kinds of troubles that he was incapable of handling, he was in the habit of relinquishing his power to Christ Jesus.

In Psalm 27 verse 1, the psalmist says, The Lord is the stronghold of my life, and you must do the same, recognizing that it is the Lord in whom your power rests. The psalmist, in the same verse, goes on to ask, of whom shall I be afraid?

When the Lord is your strength, you don’t have to live fearfully; you don’t have to settle for unhealthy relationships; you don’t have to suffer all the issues that dysfunction brings.

Place your trust in God at all times, He is the rock of your strength (Psalm 62:7 & 8); rely on Him and in the power of His might (ref. Ephesians 6:10).

It is not an easy road to walk and may not happen overnight, though with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).

Beloved, relinquishing your power to God does not make you weak, it makes you strong. So, keep trusting in God and in His power and not your own.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Relinquishing Your Power” ©2026 February 14, 2026

 

Walls

 

Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control. – Proverbs 25:28 (NIV)

In Scripture, walls symbolize protection, particularly God’s protection so, when Solomon in his wisdom writes that a person who lacks self-control is like a city whose walls have been “broken through” what he is in fact saying is that person, by their inability to regulate their emotions, thoughts and behaviour, is easily manipulated and coerced into compromising their divine security.

The person who lacks self-control allows every negative word they hear and every trial that comes their way to affect their life. When you lack self-control, your walls collapse.

God does His part by providing His protection, but you have to take responsibility to ensure that your spirituality is not infiltrated.

If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways – Psalm 91:9-11 (NIV)

You must entrust your safekeeping to God. Look at what divine protection affords you when you declare that God is your security and you abide in Him. No outside forces can breach your walls.

The person who lacks self-control is not placing their trust in God but is allowing whatever is happening around them to govern their life.

When you place your trust in God, external circumstances will neither control you nor affect you.

Things happening outside of you do not have to become the things inside you. Poverty that surrounds you does not have to govern your life instead trust God and my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19 NIV).

The self-control that the bible talks about has nothing to do with not eating another slice of cake, that’s restraint, biblical self-control has to do with controlling your soul – feelings, thoughts, intentions.

Situations and people’s actions do not have to trigger a reaction from you. Isaiah 53:7 says about the coming Messiah,

He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

Adopt this as your mantra.

Beloved, when you’re surrounded completely by God’s protection there’s no fear of the walls being broken through by enemies. As He did with Job (Job 1), God places a wall of protection around those who love and acknowledge Him.

“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. (Psalm 91:14 NIV)

These aren’t walls that we’ve built ourselves which are prone to breach and collapse, these are the fortified impenetrable walls of God; it’s being hedged by God Himself.

Placing your trust in God will keep your walls from being broken through and you can rest assured that the Lord will keep you from all harm he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore (Psalm 121:7-8 NIV).

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Walls” ©2026 February 14, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

The Little Ones

 

The disciples had posed a question to Jesus (Matthew 18:1) and in responding to them He said,

“If any of you cause one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for you if a great millstone were fastened around your neck and you were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of things that cause sin! Such things are bound to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! – Matthew 18:6-7 (NRSVUE)

Then not long after that, in verses 10 through 14, Jesus told them a parable about a sheep that had gone astray; He said to them,

“Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven. What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost”.

Matthew uses the terms “gone astray” and “went astray” in describing what has happened to this single sheep. It is interesting to note that the Greek word that was used in the original text is the verb “planao” which means to lead astray, deceive, wander or roam.

Now Jesus tells this parable to emphasize His point about causing the little ones who believe in Him to sin.

He compares the little ones who believe in Him to innocent, easily lead sheep. Matthew’s record of Jesus’ Lost Sheep Parable, unlike Luke’s of the same title, is not about a sheep that a shepherd lost but is about a sheep that someone has purposely lead astray through deceptive or misleading doctrine.

To have a better understanding, perhaps this verse should be translated as,

If a shepherd has a hundred sheep and one of them has been deceived, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that is deceived? 

This parable is about those who have been led away from the Truth and the church’s responsibility to care enough to seek them out; it’s about the church’s responsibility to bring its members, who may be deceived and mislead by false claims, back onto the right path doctrinally and theologically.

As a church what are we doing about the little ones?

Their angels continually see God in heaven, but it is up to the shepherds here on earth – priests, pastors, ministers, preachers – to go out and find those who have stopped coming to church or reach out to those who are seated in the pews but spiritually lost.

Sadly however, some members of the clergy fall into the category of those led-astray-sheep, lost and desperately in need of finding by a responsible shepherd.

Beloved, the truth is we all need to be more active in searching for the little ones who are lost; to make every effort to find and reclaim them for God. Our challenge is not only to seek but to take notice of who might have gone astray, even when immediately present.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “The Little Ones” ©2026 February 12, 2026

This is Madness

 

After everything God had done in leading His people, those same people wanted a change in leadership. In fact, they demanded it. Samuel, as God’s appointed leader, judge, prophet and priest was crushed by their demand for a king to rule them; lusting after worldly solutions rather than trusting God’s rule.

1 Samuel 8:6-9 (MSG) tells us,

When Samuel heard their demand – “Give us a king to rule us!” – he was crushed. How awful! Samuel prayed to God.

God answered Samuel, “Go ahead and do what they’re asking. They are not rejecting you. They’ve rejected me as their King. From the day I brought them out of Egypt until this very day they’ve been behaving like this, leaving me for other gods. And now they’re doing it to you. So let them have their own way. But warn them of what they’re in for. Tell them the way kings operate, just what they’re likely to get from a king.”

They were determined to replace God’s leadership, with human kingship instead.

Though God knew that their choice was imperfect He still gave them what they wanted – He raised up Saul to be king.

Saul son of Kish was chosen. But when the people looked for Saul, they could not find him.  Then they asked the Lord, “Has Saul come here yet?” The Lord said, “Saul is hiding behind the supplies.”  – 1 Samuel 10:21-22 (ERV)

Saul, not wanting to appear hungry for his new role as king, hid himself, displaying a sort of humility. I say sort of because feigned humility can quickly mutate into pride and you’ll see what I mean a little further on.

Keep in mind that humility must mature into obedience, not simply now-and-again obedience but sustained obedience to God that will not collapse under pressure.

Saul led by the Spirit of God experience many victories in battle as true victory comes through Spirit’s leading not human effort.

be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. – 1 Samuel 12:24 (NIV)

With these many triumphs Saul began to go ahead of himself and a military crisis with the Philistines revealed some flaws in the character of this once humble farmer turned king.

Keep in mind, God’s blessings are tied to faithfulness.

When Samuel was late in coming to make an offering before battle, Saul, impatient, took matters into his own hands and made the offering himself (1 Samuel 13:8-9).

Oftentimes we, like Saul, are tempted to rush rather than practice patience.

Beloved, God’s timing may seem slow but moving ahead of God is madness.

Saul’s actions revealed that a spirit of pride was developing. Samuel told Saul that he had done a foolish thing by not adhering to God’s command. Even when God’s instruction is given through another person, we must follow it.

Samuel said, “You did a foolish thing. You did not obey the Lord your God. If you had done what he commanded, the Lord would have let your family rule Israel forever. But now your kingdom won’t continue. The Lord was looking for a man who wants to obey him. He has found that man – and the Lord has chosen him to be the new leader of his people, because you didn’t obey his command.” – 1 Samuel 13:13-14 (ERV)

Saul’s was a display of abject disobedience. Obedience to God is not optional; it is essential. Saul lost out on having his kingdom securely established by God and paid a hefty price for his wanton disobedience. God values obedience above outward success or appearances.

We have a tendency to compromise thinking that disobedience is a light infraction but our obedience to God must overpower our penchant for convenience.

We must take it seriously. We must treasure obedience. Saul did neither.

Now the men of Israel were pressed to exhaustion that day, because Saul had placed them under an oath, saying, “Let a curse fall on anyone who eats before evening—before I have full revenge on my enemies.” So no one ate anything all day, – 1 Samuel 14:24 (NIV)

Placing his soldiers under such an oath is madness; he put these men in terrible danger.

As an Israelite, Saul would have known the Scriptures well, so the Lord’s declaration of, “Vengeance is Mine and recompense;” (ref. Deuteronomy 32 :35 also quoted in Romans 12:17-19) was not foreign to him yet, sinking deeper into pride, he sought vengeance for himself.

Saul made a hasty decision rather than depend on God’s wisdom.

We must slow down and pause before making any decisions. We must look to God for wisdom and guidance.

Unlike his son, Saul so full of pride was no longer trusting in God. He was fully vested in his own power, wisdom and prideful control. His leadership was driven more by fear than faith.

Beloved, our fears can lead us into making rash decisions and choices.

Fear of being disliked

Fear of being ridiculed

Fear of being criticised

Fear of being exposed

Fear, fear, fear in all forms…

We let fear dictate our stance instead of listening to God, trusting in God, and following His leading.

Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice,

Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the Lord, he has rejected you as king. – 1 Samuel 15:22, 23 (NLT)

Saul’s pride-led behaviour cost him his position as king.

Beloved, God is not pleased with disobedience or partial obedience or half-witted obedience.  Obeying God when it’s reasonable to you is selective obedience which is still disobedience.

Saul admitted to his sin (1 Samuel 15:24) but was not remorseful and he lost everything, every blessing, every favour (1 Samuel 15:28).

Saul’s pride led to his persistent disobedience which led to his downfall.

Living a life of constant compromise is madness; it repels God’s blessings and favour.

Now the Spirit of the Lord had left Saul, and the Lord sent a tormenting spirit[a] that filled him with depression and fear.– 1 Samuel 16:14 (NLT)

A life apart from God leaves one vulnerable and open to all sorts of torment.

Saul made David a commander over his troops ( ref. 1 Samuel 18:5). Then what followed thereafter pushed Saul over the edge. The people sang a song of triumph,

“Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!”

This made Saul very angry. “What’s this?” he said. “They credit David with ten thousands and me with only thousands. Next they’ll be making him their king!” So from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David. – 1 Samuel 18:7-9 (NLT)

Saul became increasingly jealous of David’s success in battle; he was unable to rejoice in his newly appointed commander’s victories and triumphs.

God removed His Spirit from Saul to rest upon David.

Saul’s jealousy of David further intensified into hatred and soon enough escalated to attempted murder (ref. 1 Samuel 18:11).

This is madness.

Saul became obsessed with eliminating David, devising ways in which to do so, even resorting to use his own daughter in his diabolical plot. This maniacal obsession blinded him from reasonable thought (see 1 Samuel 19:9-10).

Saul’s hatred consumed him.

Saul’s anger and jealousy dominated his life.

Bitterness and resentment took root in Saul’s heart.

Saul hunted David relentlessly.

Beloved, when we do not surrender hate, anger, jealousy, bitterness resentment and any sinful behaviour to God, it grows into an obsession.

Deeper and deeper Saul sunk into the mire, loosing his footing (ref. Psalm 69:2), as he moved farther away from God.

This is madness…

Thinking that you can overpower God’s plan.

Believing that you can successfully oppose God’s will.

Trying to get rid of God’s true leader.

Purposely fighting against what God has already decided.

Constantly resisting God’s direction.

It will all come crashing down eventually. No matter what, God has the final say.

Saul, in his paranoia, even turned against God’s priests, employing a hitman to kill them (ref. 1 Samuel 22:18). This is madness.

Saul’s rage even destroyed his relationships with his son and his daughter.

Beloved, all of this to show you how humility can morph into pride especially if it is not completely genuine, giving rise to disobedience to God, as you begin to trust in your own ability, then that turns into obsession, paranoia and madness.

This is madness that no psychiatrist could cure because it wasn’t solely physical but it was a spiritual condition and the only cure for Saul and anyone else in a similar position is repentance – to be honest and admit your sin, confess it, take responsibility for it and turn back to God.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “This is Madness” ©2026 February 11, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

Justice was Served

 

I believe that many Christians have not understood that when Christ Jesus, the Lamb, was slain, all of humanity was justified.

Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus. – Romans 3:24-26 (NLT)

Justice was served and is still being served to this day. The redeeming work of Jesus’ death and His righteousness are the sole basis for God’s justice toward sinners.

God did this for all, however it is by faith that we receive this justice, when, by faith, we accept the work of Jesus at Calvary.

people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners. – Romans 4:5 (NLT)

We must recognize that justification is an act of God where He remits sin in complete forgiveness. Forgiveness that is not unique to any particular group of people but is extended to everyone.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are to see other persons as justified but we don’t. Church goers get upset for something as trivial as what someone is wearing or angry about what you believe or how you lead worship or if you sit in their spot in the pew and then they begin to complain and murmur. They go to church Sunday after Sunday vexed, bitter, resentful, with their hearts blistering with unforgiveness.

Reciting the Apostle’s Creed, responding to the preacher’s sermon in a chorus of “Amens” yet refusing to forgive their brothers and sisters, leaving their tainted gifts at the altar.

We have all sinned and fall short of God’s glorious standard (Romans 3:23) so let’s not pretend. Throw off your cloak of self-righteousness. Let’s allow Christ’s love to control us; we must believe that Christ died for all, also we must believe that we have all died to our old life (ref. 2 Corinthians 5:14).

Understanding that He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them (ref. 2 Corinthians 5:15) is supposed to lead the believer into a new way of life.

Let us truly embrace this new life by coming out of our own flesh and stop regarding others according to the flesh.

So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! (2 Corinthians 5:16).

The truth is, when you’re unwilling to forgive, you are still evaluating others from a human point of view; you are still thinking of Jesus in Human terms, and you don’t really know Him. You have not allowed Him to impact your reality.

Living with unforgiveness keeps you in a subservient reality. Subservient to your soulish impulses but not to Christ. This self-absorbed condition leaves you wanting and unfulfilled.

Unforgiveness is self-serving. It is having a victim mentality which, believe it or not, places you under the control of another human being, that is, the person you’re refusing to forgive.

Unforgiveness keeps you stagnant, it stimies your growth and you cannot enjoy the fullness of the life in Christ.

Beloved, holding onto offenses and seeking justice for someone’s ill-treatment of you is holding you captive. It’s time to forgive. You are one with Jesus, a new creation, so let go of the old judgmental ways where you are judge, jury and executioner (see Matthew 7:1). That is not your place. It’s time for you to come to terms with the truth that justice was served.

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “Justice was Served” ©2026 February 10, 2026

 

 

Worth a Reminder

 

When you begin your spiritual walk, one of the very first things that you are required to do is to engage in a period of forgiveness. How long this period lasts depends on the amount of people you need to forgive and the number of persons you have to ask to forgive you.

You think I’m joking? Ask anyone who is on their journey and they will confirm it.

Jesus told Peter that he must always forgive others, not just seven times but seventy times seven or, in some translations, seventy seven times (ref. Matthew 18:21-22).

And in Matthew 5:23-24 (ESV) Jesus said,

if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Yes, Jesus said to leave your gift at the altar and go engage in forgiveness first then come back. Jesus is letting us know just how important it is to forgive others. Forgiveness must be a priority. He knew the heavy price that unforgiveness carries.

As you may already know, when you harbour unforgiveness toward anyone, even if that person is someone from your past, you are the one who’s paying the price. You are the one in bondage. You are the one who is being held back from manifesting the fullness of God in your life.

I once read somewhere that when you are unforgiving it’s like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. This might have caused you and me to chuckle but it’s an apt analogy.

Chances are the person you’re holding in your mind doesn’t even remember his transgression toward you because he may not have realized that he had hurt your feelings or done anything untoward against you. Or if he knows, you still have to forgive that person. It is hard but it is necessary.

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. – Colossians 3:12-13 (NLT)

Yes beloved, you must forgive others, otherwise you will hamper your spiritual walk; that’s why it’s one of the first requirements before you can move forward.

I know you have heard this forgiveness lecture before, but it is worth a reminder. We tend to forget to forgive when we get offended and are tardy in asking for others’ forgiveness when we offend.

Beloved, not forgiving is demanding a price for justice that has already been paid. God loves justice but it’s a far cry from the justice we love to seek. We pray, forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. (Matthew 6:12 NLT) while clinging to our debtors’ necks.

The simple truth is, you can’t live free when you are hanging a debt of unforgiveness over another. Your need for repayment will be demanded of you if you require it.

Jesus’ parable of the unforgiving debtor in Matthew 18:21-35 is worth a reminder, perhaps you should read it.

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “Worth a Reminder” ©2026 February 9, 2026

 

The Curtain

 

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh) – Hebrews 10:19-20 (NRSVUE)

The writer of Hebrews tells us clearly that “the curtain” represents Jesus’ flesh. Also, other translations instead of “the sanctuary”, have used “the Holy Place”, “the Holy of Holies” or “Most Holy Place”, that is the third and innermost room of the Tabernacle where God Himself is present and is accessible only to the High Priest.

The passage above shows us that Jesus isn’t only the curtain but is also the one who opens the curtain; the only one who had access into the innermost room of the Tabernacle was the High Priest, therefore Jesus is also the High Priest. He opens the curtain into the Most Holy Place.

Through Jesus’ atoning death we now have boldness and confident access to the Most Holy Place, (Ephesians 3:12), an unreserved approach to God with freedom and without fear according to the Amplified Classic Edition translation.

The curtain also represents any fleshly barrier between God and man. In the Tabernacle, the curtain was made of linen (Exodus 26:31), which is symbolic of righteousness but righteousness in the flesh, as in those days, the curtain also represented the Law of Moses which pertained to the flesh.

Now the Law could make no one righteous.

For no person will be justified [freed of guilt and declared righteous] in His sight by [trying to do] the works of the Law. For through the Law we become conscious of sin [and the recognition of sin directs us toward repentance, but provides no remedy for sin].  – Romans 3:20 (AMP)

So, something had to be done because only the righteous – those made right with God – could pass beyond the curtain.

This righteousness of God comes through faith in Jesus Christ for all those [Jew or Gentile] who believe [and trust in Him and acknowledge Him as God’s Son]. There is no distinction, since all have sinned and continually fall short of the glory of God – Romans 3:22-23 (AMP)

Since the curtain was the only way to enter, something had to happen to the curtain itself. The curtain had to be removed.

Keeping in mind that the curtain also represents Jesus, let’s read Matthew 27:50-51 (ESV),

And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 

The curtain was torn from top to bottom. The curtain, our Lord Jesus, was the only one qualified to accomplish God’s plan of redemption. He had to be torn apart, for He was the only person on earth who was righteous in the flesh.

Hanging on the cross, He took all the sin of the world and suffered the agonizing tearing so that we could enter the presence of God as a gift of His grace.

being justified [declared free of the guilt of sin, made acceptable to God, and granted eternal life] as a gift by His [precious, undeserved] grace, through the redemption [the payment for our sin] which is [provided] in Christ Jesus – Romans 3:24 (AMP)

We have been made right with God without any religious requirement on our part. There is no more curtain to pass through, the curtain has been destroyed.

Now that we know what we have—Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help. – Hebrews 4:14-16 (MSG)

Beloved, the way is clear for you to walk right up to God, but you need to tear apart the curtain that you’ve hung up so that you could enter into the fullness of His presence.

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “The Curtain” ©2026 February 8, 2026