Words of Encouragement from Dr. C. Yvette Brock, Pastor
Rejoice in the New Year - 2026!!! Friends, when we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, believing God gave Him to us, believing in our hearts, His story of birth, suffering, death, and resurrection, we are saved and the devil can not destroy or steal our salvation. This year, let us relish and cherish, meditating daily on this wonderful gift from the Lord. As we enjoy the assurance of this blessing, let us also enjoy the daily abundance of life on earth, which Jesus wants for us. (John 10:10) We do not have to wait for Heaven in order to live successfully and prosperously. We can do it now, right here on earth, today, and everyday. In the selected verse, Jesus first described the devil. Then He explained His own purpose for His people, believers. 1 Peter 5:8 confers that the enemy is a roaring lion who seeks to devour. In addition, the Apostle Paul taught that Christians wrestle against powers, principalities, rulers of darkness working in darkness in high places (paraphrased). These Scriptures define and describe the devil and the spiritual warfare associated with him. The verses are not speaking of human qualities, characteristics and purpose. Instead the words of Jesus, Paul, and Peter serve to teach, enlighten, and remind the people of God that they are not wrestling against each other. Instead, according to Jesus and the apostles, we wrestle against powers, rulers, principalities which are physically not seen because they operate in a spiritual realm of darkness, in high places, from which they rule. Jesus then turns to address His own purpose and plans for His people. He tells us that He came to give life and life more abundantly. He does not want us living in the perils the enemy employs. He wants us to live above the ordinary. He does not want us to be discouraged by the wiles and works of evil. He wants us to know that He is the Door to salvation and success and prosperity and all that these entail both in Heaven and in Earth. Jesus protects us from the destruction, death, deception, and discouragement, which evil workers (devil’s helpers) purpose to impose against us. This Scripture assures us that God wants us to live abundantly, enjoying lifestyles which exemplify joy and contentment regardless of the world’s condition and our personal circumstances and issues. The ability to live like this stems from God-given fruit of the Spirit. That is an element which sets us above the ordinary. Because we inherit His fruit, we do not need to lower our standards of life and our way of living in these evil days. Instead we can enjoy and demonstrate the character of Jesus: love, gentleness, goodness, faith, peace, joy, meekness, patience, and self control. When we are attacked, we can rely on the victorious effectiveness of the whole spiritual armor of God as we fight against evil. This armor consists of salvation, righteousness, faith, the Gospel of peace, the Word (sword), and Truth. Our Father, through the Gospel of Jesus, promises us that the Spiritual gifts, which all of us have been endowed with at least one, make room for us. Some of them are prophecy, healing, faith, discernment, wisdom, hospitality, and knowledge. These gifts also are given to us to build up others and edify the body of Christ, the church. The basic idea for this letter is that we live abundantly down here because we live decently and orderly. This is how Jesus lived. He was at peace with God and man. The blueprint for the abundant life on earth is encompassed in using our Spiritual gifts, employing and wearing the whole armor of God, and demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit (character). This raises us up to higher standards of living. We do not wallow in the mire! We do not compromise our values! We live by the Word! These are the characteristics (fruit) which define our relationship with God and demonstrate His Spirit is in us. Our abundant life gives us peace which passes our understanding, helps us to rejoice time after time, whether we are having a good or a bad experience, makes us love because we are beloved of God, and causes us to be patient because we know we are blessed. Abundant life on earth is like a food we have never eaten and requires an acquired taste in order to enjoy it. It takes practicing and comes over a life time, but in His time, God will perfect us and everything concerning us (Psalm 138). Enjoy 2026. Exercise your gifts that they also make room for you! Rejoice in the good and the bad. Hold on to your faith - it is your guarantee of victory and salvation. Fight against the author of evil, the devil, and not against one another - flesh and blood! And, again, friends, I say, rejoice! (For more information on this message, read 1Corinthians 12, Romans 12, Ephesians 4, and Galatians 5:22, 23).
HOLISTIC MINISTRIES, INC. 2026 CHURCH CALENDAR
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Sunday Services 9 AM Sunday School and 11 AM Worship Services.
Wednesdays 5 PM Bible Study and Prayer Service.
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Holistic Ministries Inc. hopes to fellowship with you. We hope you will join us very soon to worship, fellowship, and learn of the goodness of Jesus. We believe salvation is an individual journey and that God’s people perish for a lack of knowledge. Jesus came to set us free; His burden is light and His yoke is easy. He already paid the cost for our salvation - when you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that He is Lord and that God raised Him from the dead, then you are saved! (Romans 10:9)
Holistic Ministries Inc.
C.Y. Dozier, Pastor
