"P.O.V." Devotional (Based on the single "P.O.V." by F.L.O.G.I.C)

DAY 1 

Scripture: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” 

• Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV) 

Lyric: "Bearing the fruit, and I’m walking in love. Evading the enemy, looking above..." 

The lyrics "Bearing the fruit, and I’m walking in love. Evading the enemy, looking above..." echoes the heart of the scripture Galatians 5:22-23 in which the Lord outlines what the fruit of the Spirit looks like for a believer. In today’s world, people are filled with hatred and malice in their hearts. They don’t show love to one another, are self-centered, and believe they are self-sufficient. However, we as believers know better. We are called to a higher standard of living, one that involves esteeming others over ourselves, and bearing love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control which God instructs us to exude in Galatians 5:22-23. 

The enemy wants you to believe that this way of living is a sign of passivity and losing, but that could not be further from the truth. The fruit of the Spirit is a powerful and effective way to live. It is in this devoted way of living that we draw nearer to Christ, and maintain a  point-of-view that reflects the Comforter’s nature. As you go about your day today, be intentional about this fruit. Walk in the Spirit and call out any contradictory behavior. Anger, rudeness, aggressiveness… these are of the flesh NOT the Spirit. And, as such, they must be removed. Remember, you are a new creature in Christ and with that comes new ways of behaving and a new point of view. 

Reflection Questions: 

1. Do you possess the fruit of the Spirit? 

2. Is there any part of the fruit of Spirit that you can improve or strengthen? 

3. What can you do today to exude the fruit of Spirit? 

Prayer: Father God in the name of Jesus, help me to embrace the fruit of the Spirit. Lord, I do not need to look for love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, nor self-control. I have love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. May my flesh die so that I may fully possess your Spirit, and walk in victory with the proper point of view. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen

DAY 2

Scripture: “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

• Luke 10:19 (NKJV)

Lyric: “Don’t play with no demons I slay ‘em and pray through…" 

We are in a spiritual battle. The enemy wants you to forget that and start looking at people and things as your opponent in battle, but he is the only liar looking to kill, steal, and destroy.  “Don’t play with no demons I slay ‘em and pray through…" This line in F.L.O.G.I.C’s song “P.O.V.” comes in agreement with Luke 10:19. It is a bold declaration influenced by an intimate relationship with God and a strong prayer life that lets the enemy know who has the authority. Sometimes when life does not look the way we want, it can become easy to believe that the enemy is winning. But the scripture makes it clear in Luke 10:19 that the enemy has power but we have authority. God was intentional about making that known to us. You can have power without authority, however, you cannot have authority without power. There is a big difference between power and authority. Power, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is the ability to act or produce an effect whereas authority refers to the right to command or influence the people or bodies exercising this power, the grounds of belief, or the convincing force of something. Please understand that power may give the enemy ability but it does not give him the legal right to exercise it! 

We as believers have the right to exercise our power and it has been granted to us by the ultimate ruler. God, not the government, has given us the legal right to exercise our power over the enemy. Remember that the next time you are tempted to fall for one of his diversions or traps. We are not ignorant to his devices, and he has to have those devices because he needs to trick you into stepping down to his level because he knows you are more powerful than he is. Jesus gave you authority and you have the autonomy to use it. Do not negotiate or play with the dark forces of the enemy no matter how and through whom they may present themselves. Destroy the enemy with your God-given authority and walk in the victory you have been called to. When you shift your mentality from trying to defeat the enemy alone to him already being defeated, and you keeping it that way through your agreement with God and the authority He has blessed you with, then you will win the battle with the right point of view. 

Reflection Questions: 

1. Do you believe the enemy is always winning or do you believe Luke 10:19? Think of an area that the enemy may be attacking you and declare God’s word in Luke 10:19 over that situation and over your life. 

2. God says the enemy has power, but we have authority. Why is that significant? 

3. How do you plan to walk in your God-given authority today? 

Prayer: Father God in the name of Jesus, thank you for the authority you have given me to defeat the enemy. Lord, help me to walk victoriously when I encounter the enemy knowing that you have already equipped me for the battle so it’s not a matter of “if” I win, but “when.” Change my point-of-view so that I may see my situation as you see it, and know that I am more than conqueror. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

DAY 3 

Scripture: "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us."

• Ephesians 3:20 (NKJV)

Lyric: "Living in victory, yeah God be doing exceeding, abundantly, more than enough..."

Victory is not optional. It is our inheritance. According to Ephesians 3:20, God gives us more not less. He is a generous and loving God that we can trust to exceed all of our expectations. Our biggest dreams cannot compare to what God is capable of. He is the creator of the universe. Your Ferrari, penthouse, boat, or even meal and goodnight’s sleep is not on par with what the maker has in store for you. Now you may be thinking, “Yeah right. Easier said than done. I’ve been there. Done that. I tried and it didn't work. I have none of those things.” But the one key factor I want to point out in this scripture is that “Him who is able” part. We are not the ones God says are able. He is! We are nothing apart from the vine - Jesus Christ. We cannot do a single thing on our own, and even when we think we have succeeded in doing so we eventually learn - through failure, embarrassment, or otherwise - that we have not. That is why our point-of-view is so important. We must have the proper perspective of our place in the matter so that we can function properly and live effective and impactful lives. 

Yes, we have a role. Asking, thinking, and working is our part. Doing is God’s. That is why I am averse to answering the age-old question “what do you do?” The world, in its ignorance, finds it to be an effective way to know how “important” or unimportant you are. However, it really is the quickest way to know how obedient you are. As believers, we must not fall for the enemy’s bait. He wants you to think that it is by your own works or “doing” that you are where you are and have what you have when it is in fact only by God’s grace. Now that doesn’t mean we sit around twiddling our thumbs all day. We have to work. (I recommend you read James if you think otherwise.) But, it is not about us and what we do. Despite what the enemy wants you to believe, the world, and the people and things in it do not revolve around you and what you do. Even after God tells us that He will do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think, he goes on to bring it back to himself by saying “according to the power that works in us.” Now some may misread that and mistake God for talking about our own power. And you would be wrong. That power comes from the Holy Spirit working in us. And we feed that Spirit through prayer! So it is never about us. Let that be a reminder for you today. No matter how tempting it may be to follow the world’s trends, be not conformed to this world. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind and change your point-of-view. 

Reflection Questions: 

1. Are you living according to today’s scripture or are you downplaying God and therefore yourself? 

2. Did you pray today? If you have not, or even if you have already, take a break from reading this devotional and talk to God. He is big enough and God enough to exceed the expectations of your petitions and supplication. 

3. How are you going to access that power in Ephesian 3:20? (Hint: if you completed question two then you already know) 

Prayer: Father God in the name of Jesus, help me to live a life that does not discount nor discredit who you are. Lord, give me the audacity to dream and talk big knowing that you will do exceedingly abundantly above all I ask or think. Increase my prayer and thought life, giving me bold prayers as you strengthen the inner man and improve my point-of-view. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

DAY 4 

Scripture: “Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with clashing cymbals!” 

Lyric: “Praise the Lord, it's simple.”

God is great and greatly to be praised, and we must be obedient to His word and open up our mouths to give Him what is due. Oftentimes the enemy tempts us to fill our mouths with grumbling, complaining, gossip, and other negative things that grieve the Holy Spirit, and when we do those things we are not giving God the praise He commanded us to give. The opening lyric to “P.O.V” says, “Praise the Lord, it’s simple.” And we see the truth and necessity of that instruction in various parts of scripture.  Psalm 147:1 says, “Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; For it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful.” Good, pleasant, beautiful…what wonderful words to describe the sweet aroma of praise offering to the Lord. He wants our praise! 

This is not the time to waste your sound. Use your voice to lift up praise unto the Lord. You may be going through a situation that may tempt you to complain or grumble or speak poorly of an individual, but I want you to resist the devil and make him flee. Do not fall into his trap and chase the rabbit hole of complaint or murmuring. It will not get you anywhere except further from praising God. Open up your mouth for good and make a joyful noise! Do not be shy with your praise. Oftentimes we are bold and loud with our confessions of complaint, but we need to be audacious enough to get loud with God and express our gratitude. Take time today to thank Him for something - waking you up this morning, clothing you, feeding you, allowing you the ability to read this devotional… There is always something you can thank Him for. Try choosing one thing a day for a week and watch as your heart is transformed, and you begin to prepare yourself for praising God. You will have no choice but to respond to his goodness and faithfulness with praise. And as you do, you will begin to see a shift in your point-of-view. 

Reflection Questions: 

1. When was the last time you gave God praise? (Be honest!) 

2. What is one way you can give God praise right now? 

3. How do you normally show God praise? If you do not know where to start, read the Psalms. 

Prayer: 

Father God in the name of Jesus, forgive me for not giving you the praise that you are due. Lord, I know that every time I complain or grumble or gossip that I am robbing you of the praise that you are due. Help me to adopt a heart posture of gratitude and thanksgiving that can usher me into praise. I want to give your name all the glory, honor, and praise that it is due, and I know that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

DAY 5 

Scripture: "being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ" 

• Philippians 1:6 

Lyric: “I like what I see. P.O.V. That’s on G-O-D.” 

Do you like what you see? This is not a question regarding a matter of pride, but of perspective. This is not the time to have the wrong point-of-view. You need to see yourself the way God sees you. The world may only try to insult, criticize, and point out flaws. (After all, the enemy only comes to steal, kill, and destroy.) But God sees you as His child. He loves you and cares for you. You are redeemed. You are more than a conqueror. You are blessed and highly-favored. He has forgiven your transgressions, and has given you grace. You need to make the bold faith-filled declaration that everything you are…everything you have… “that’s on G-O-D.” He paid the price with His only begotten son Jesus Christ. May we never forget that payment of ultimate sacrifice made on our behalf. So when you listen to the song “P.O.V.” and you hear the lyric “that’s on G-O-D,” let that be a reminder of what God did for us through Jesus. It’s not just a catchy phrase or trendy figure of speech. It is an acknowledgment of the glory God is due for all the great things He has done, is doing, and will do.  

The Bible says in Isaiah 55:8-9, “...My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” That means we must be intentional about adhering to the Holy Spirit, and bearing that fruit we talked about in Day 1. Take a moment to reflect on yourself, and the world, through God’s eyes. If you are asking yourself how, the way to do that is through His word. What does it say about you? Take time to learn God’s word, and become acquainted with it. By doing so, you will gain a biblical world view, and a biblical self-view. And the more you learn about Him the more you will learn about yourself, and, thus, start to see yourself through His “P.O.V”!  

Wrap Up Questions: 

1. What would change if I truly took on God’s P.O.V?

2. Are there any lies I have believed that I need to replace with God’s P.O.V?

3. In what area of my life do I need to boldly declare, “That’s on G-O-D”?

Prayer: Father God in the name of Jesus, lead me to the right scriptures to help reveal Your identity to me. Lord, I want to learn more about You. And as I learn more about You, I will learn more about myself. May this devotional marinate in my heart and take root for application in my life. I praise you in advance for blessing me with revised sight, and giving me Your point-of-view. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.