I was going through one of those times when, despite seeking God in prayer and studying His Word, I wasn't able to stay connected to Him, and negative and impatient feelings were overwhelming me. I prayed to God specifically about this, and He chose to use an email to answer my prayer and bring me comfort.

               The message title was simple, as was its content: “Want to win? Find out how…” God's ways are always simple; we are the ones who complicate them. When we look at the Bible, the people closest to Jesus were simple people, and the gospel Jesus left them was also simple—concepts anyone could understand as long as they opened their heart and allowed the Holy Spirit to work within them. And this time, it was no different for me.

               In Romans 7:19 we read, “For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.” This is often our condition; despite knowing what is right, we do what is wrong. And this can happen even when we are seeking God in fellowship, and that's when we get frustrated. Why, despite seeking God, does my life continue to be marked by failures in the same area I've struggled with so many times before?

When Paul wrote Romans 7:19, he was explaining exactly what the Christian life is like without power, but in the following chapter, Romans 8:1, he reveals the secret: “being in Christ.” And in other texts like Philippians 4:13, Paul explains what the Christian life with power is like: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

But how can we access this power? How do we stay connected to Christ? We know that our trials will be continuous, for the enemy will not stop fighting against us as long as he can, but neither can we be content with continuing to fail in the same areas every day. We need to grow spiritually; we want to have a more abundant life, as Jesus promised.

Christianity truly works only when four sources of power, or switches, are constantly on. It's no use turning on just one, or even just three of them; all four need to be constantly on. And what are these switches?

Prayer – Jesus, our example, began His day in prayer (Luke 6:12). But it wasn't the quick prayer we often make before rushing off to work. Jesus prayed for hours, seeking God's power to face the day's struggles. He recharged His energy every morning, knowing that the enemy would do everything to defeat Him. We also have this privilege: to seek God's power every day, before starting and throughout the day. The Bible says Daniel prayed three times a day, and we know these were special, non-routine prayers. He started his day seeking God's power, in the middle of the day he “recharged his spiritual batteries,” and in the afternoon he sought God once more in fellowship, probably to thank Him for His provisions and discuss the struggles he had faced.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:17 we read, “Pray without ceasing.” This means that even while we are going about our daily activities, we need to have a sense of God's constant presence beside us, guiding us, ready to help us when we need to overcome temptation—this is what it means to pray without ceasing. The prayer switch needs to be constantly on in our lives!

The second switch is Bible Study (John 17:17). You might think, as I did, “but I already do that, and my life still lacks power.” The Bible was inspired by the Holy Spirit, and its study also needs to be guided by the Holy Spirit. He is the one who illuminates our minds to understand the truths contained within it. Unfortunately, many people, even Bible scholars, study it without first asking for the presence of the Holy Spirit, and that is why they don't find power and often reach wrong conclusions that lead others astray.

When studying the Bible, we need to be in prayer so that the Holy Spirit may instruct us and help us apply the truths we read to our practical lives. Reading the Bible in a hurry, without meditation and prayer, does not make it personal to us, and therefore brings no transformation. We need to read, and then pause to pray and ask God how that text applies to us. The teachings will then become real to us, and we will be much more blessed. This is the second switch that needs to be constantly on in our lives, but it can't stop there; let's see what the third one is.

I confess that when I read my email, I was surprised to see the third switch: Witnessing (Luke 8:39). I know that witnessing is essential in the Christian life, but I always saw it more as a result of fellowship than as a power from God to overcome temptations. It's true that the desire to witness comes almost automatically when we have fellowship with God. I don't know about you, but here at home, when my husband and I discover an interesting idea in our study, we rush to tell each other and feel joy in sharing it. But what I've also come to realize now is that this strengthens me to overcome temptations.

When the Spirit of God impresses a truth upon my heart and I convey it to others, first, I remember it more easily because I've reflected on it, and it has become a part of me. By witnessing to others, they begin to see me as someone who believes that truth, and this gives me an even greater sense that it is part of who I am.

An example to understand this concept is the absorption of calcium by bones. Often, there is even excess calcium in the bodies of people who have calcium deficiency in their bones. Why? Because for calcium to be absorbed by the bones, a person needs to exercise. The same applies to witnessing. For a truth to become a part of me and transform me, I need to exercise it through witnessing.

Some years ago, a pastor explained this concept to me by talking about a glass of water. When a glass of water is full, it can only be refilled after being emptied. The same happens with us: when we are full of God's love, we need to share it with others so we can receive more.

There are many ways to witness. I believe that, first and foremost, our actions are the most powerful way. It is through them that we demonstrate that the truths we've discovered have truly changed our lives, but it's also important to share, to speak to others. Some interesting ways to do this are:

· * Tell someone what we studied in our personal devotion: our spouse, friends, and even our children, and they will be greatly blessed, just as we are.

· * Write a reflective message about our study and send it to our email contacts. I have friends who do this regularly; it's a blessing for them and for us who receive it too. Often, they arrive at times when we need them most, as was the case with the message mentioned at the beginning.

· * Use your social media or create a blog or website to share what God has done for you. Witness! The Internet is a tool often used by the enemy, but it can also be a blessing when used for God's glory. I've seen, especially in the USA, more and more Christian families and young people creating blogs simply to share short texts with concepts drawn from their personal morning devotions.

· * If you don't have access to create a blog, write your reflections in a notebook or a devotional journal with God; this way you won't forget the concepts learned, you can use them at some point for witnessing in church or preaching, and you will be strengthened to overcome temptations you face.

Remember, the witnessing switch also needs to be constantly on in our lives!

Let's call the last switch 'Action'. To exercise our faith and overcome temptation through God's power, we need to act. In the story of the man with the withered hand (Luke 6:10), we see that Jesus first asked him to stretch out his hand, and he did so, and only then was his hand restored. In fact, these are the steps we see in almost all miracles in the Bible: in the healing of the 10 lepers, in the parting of the Red Sea and the Jordan River, there is first a step of faith, and then the blessing.

To overcome temptation, we need to exercise the power of will. When temptation comes, choose Christ, and He will give you the power to overcome it. In every temptation, there is a moment of decision. Learn to recognize this moment; it's when temptation is still under the control of reason and has not yet become an uncontrolled passion or appetite. It's the moment when we can reason about the negative consequences if we give in to it, and the blessings of overcoming it. It's the moment when the Holy Spirit speaks to our hearts, inviting us to surrender our will to Him, and if we choose to act accordingly, He transforms our will and gives us strength to overcome temptation.

We need to ask God to make us more sensitive to the moment of decision (the action), and He will be most pleased to help us. When we exercise the power of will, we learn to be sensitive to God's voice. With this sensitivity, we can even avoid certain temptations or better prepare ourselves to face them. How? By avoiding certain places or activities where we know we will be tempted. By becoming more sensitive to God's presence beside us when temptation comes. By meditating on a text that will help us overcome temptation, just as Jesus did when He said, “It is written…” Jesus overcame sin, and He is the only one who can help us be victorious in Him!

Just like the other three, the 'Action' switch needs to be constantly on in our lives so that we can act at the right time!

Friend, if you are facing a difficult temptation such as addictions, appetite, slander, negativity, or anything else, and you feel that these concepts can help you overcome it, ask God to show you the best way to put them into practice in your life. May God richly bless you!

Based on the message “Flipping the Power Switch” by Seventh-day Adventist pastor Dave Westbrook (http://backtoenoch.org).