One of the most sobering parts of Israel’s story is that God gave them the Promised Land and promised to drive out their enemies, but eventually they stopped driving some of them out. They learned to live with enemies that were never supposed to remain. In this week’s devotional, we’re looking at the victory Jesus has already won and what it means for us to live as people who overcome. Jesus said, “Take heart; I have overcome the world.” Then Scripture tells us, “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” Jesus overcame so that we could overcome. That means we should never become comfortable with something simply because we have battled it for a long time. We don’t have to make peace with things Jesus defeated. There may still be battles to fight and ground to take, but we fight knowing the victory has already been won through Him. As you read THIS DEVOTIONAL, ask the Holy Spirit to show you if there is anywhere you have learned to live with something you should be overcoming. Don’t make a long list. Identify one area, find what God’s Word says about it, and decide that you are no longer going to treat that enemy like it belongs in your land. Romans 8 says that through Christ we are more than conquerors. We’re not fighting to find out whether Jesus wins. We overcome because He has already won.

It can be easy to think about the cross in broad terms: Jesus died for the world. Jesus died for sin. Jesus came so humanity could be saved. All of that is true. But there is something much more personal we cannot miss: Jesus saw you. Hebrews tells us that Jesus endured the cross “for the joy that was set before Him.” He knew the cost, He knew the suffering, and He willingly gave Himself because He knew what His sacrifice would make possible. Esther goes deeper into that truth in this devotional. The resurrection isn’t something we celebrate once a year and then move beyond. It’s the reality we were meant to live in every day. And this teaching asks us to consider something important: Are we merely familiar with what Jesus did, or are we living like people who have personally encountered the risen Jesus? When you watch THIS ONE, make it personal. Wherever Esther talks about what Jesus purchased through the cross, stop thinking about what it means for everyone else for a moment and ask, “What does this mean for the way I live today?” The cross was for you. The resurrection was for you. And He gave His life so that you could truly know Him.

There will always be something that needs to be done. Another responsibility. Another problem. Another notification. Another person who needs something. Martha wasn’t doing something bad when she was serving Jesus. But Mary recognized that there was something more important in that moment. She sat at His feet. Jesus said, “Mary has chosen the good portion.” (Luke 10:42) So that’s our challenge this weekend. Choose the good portion. Set aside at least 30 minutes when you would normally be doing something else and give that time completely to Jesus. Put the phone away. Turn everything else off. Open your Bible. Worship. Listen. Talk to Him. But don’t come with an agenda of everything you need. Just be with Him. And here’s the challenge within the challenge: resist the urge to rush. Stay a little longer than you normally would. There are moments at His feet we simply cannot afford to miss. Each day, come back and put DONE in the comments and what God showed you that day. 🙌

We wanted to make sure everyone here knew where we’re headed next! From September 28–October 3, we’ll be in Jacksonville, North Carolina, with Crossroads Christian Fellowship for six nights of tent revival. Every city is different, and we never want to go into these weeks assuming we know exactly what God is going to do. We simply want to come ready, to preach the Word, worship Jesus, pray for people, and make room for the Holy Spirit to move. After everything we’ve watched God do under the tent this year, we’re heading into Jacksonville with a lot of expectation. And because you’re part of this community, we’d love for you to be part of these meetings before we ever arrive. Would you begin praying with us for Jacksonville? Pray specifically for the people who need Jesus to find their way under that tent, for salvations, healings and freedom, and for God to prepare hearts throughout the area. And if any of you are anywhere near Jacksonville, come see us! We would absolutely love to have some of our ITC family under the tent with us. ❤️ 📅 September 28–October 3 ⏰ 6:30 PM nightly 📍 Crossroads Christian Fellowship 126 Center Street Jacksonville, NC 28546 Jacksonville is next. Let’s believe together for everything God wants to do there.

Most people don’t wake up one morning and decide they’re going to move away from God. It usually happens slowly. A little less time in the Word. Prayer becomes less consistent. Something God once convicted us about doesn’t seem quite as serious anymore. We’re still following Jesus but without realizing it, the distance begins to grow. That’s why Hebrews 2:1 warns us: “We must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.” In this next “Are You A Christian?” classroom video, Aaron and Julie talk about the importance of remaining intentional in our walk with God. The Christian life cannot be lived on yesterday’s hunger, yesterday’s obedience, or yesterday’s encounter. We keep choosing Him. We keep returning to His Word. We keep guarding what He has entrusted to us. Here’s your challenge with THIS ONE: after you watch, compare where you are today with where you were spiritually six months ago. Are you closer to Jesus? More hungry for His Word? Quicker to obey? More sensitive to His voice? If you recognize even a little drift, don’t ignore it. Turn toward Him and start moving closer again today.