"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, and driven out demons in Your name, and done many miracles in Your name?' And then I will declare to them publicly, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who act wickedly.'" — Matthew 7:21–23 AMP
Many people do not realize that hell will not only be filled with unbelievers, but also with those who were religious but never truly surrendered to Christ. In Matthew 7:21–23, Jesus is speaking directly to people who claimed to know Him. The phrase "Lord, Lord" reveals that these were individuals who identified as followers of Christ, yet their lives told a different story.
Too often, people move through life assuming their eternal destination is secured simply because they confessed Jesus as Lord. While that confession is the beginning of salvation, it is not the end of spiritual transformation. Scripture calls us to live out our faith and to continually work out our salvation.
"So then, my dear ones, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation — cultivate it, bring it to full effect, actively pursue spiritual maturity — with awe-inspired fear and trembling, using serious caution and critical self-evaluation to avoid anything that might offend God or discredit the name of Christ." — Philippians 2:12 AMP
Imagine a tsunami warning being broadcast across the news. Residents are told to grab their families, leave their belongings, and move immediately to higher ground. In that moment, no one debates the warning. People act because they believe what they heard. Faith produces movement.
The Greek word for "believe," pisteuō, refers not only to intellectual agreement but to personal trust and active reliance. True belief always produces action. It is not passive — it requires both inward conviction and outward obedience. Your heart, mind, and behavior should align with what you profess.
It is more than saying, "I believe Jesus is Lord." It is about living daily as though He truly is. A true follower of Christ is not defined by words alone, but by obedience. Your life becomes the most powerful testimony you will ever preach. Even demons believe that Jesus is Lord.
"You believe that God is one; you do well to believe that. The demons also believe, and shudder and bristle in awe-filled terror — they have seen His wrath!" — James 2:19
Intellectual belief without surrender is not saving faith.
On my way to work one day, I was driving down the freeway listening to worship music when I clearly heard the Lord speak to me. He told me to look out my window toward the opposite side of the freeway. Traffic was completely stopped. Cars bumper to bumper, motionless for what felt like forever.
Then He said, "That's what the entrance to hell looks like. People are knowingly and unknowingly lining up to enter. So many that it becomes like a traffic jam."
Then He turned my attention to the side of the freeway I was on. It was open, clear, and free-flowing.
He said, "This is what the gates of heaven look like."
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad and easy to travel is the path that leads the way to destruction and eternal loss, and there are many who enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow and difficult to travel is the path that leads the way to everlasting life, and there are few who find it." — Matthew 7:13–14 AMP
Salvation is not measured by how much we know, but by what we choose to believe. It is not secured by appearance, heritage, or religious routine. Not even consistent church attendance can save a person. Salvation is received through faith alone — true, living, surrendered faith in Jesus Christ.
"But without faith it is impossible to walk with God and please Him, for whoever comes near to God must necessarily believe that God exists and that He rewards those who earnestly and diligently seek Him." — Hebrews 11:6 AMP
Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. It is through Scripture that we learn who God is and how we are called to live. Yet if we are honest, there are strongholds, mindsets, and deceptions that keep many from fully walking in that faith. We cannot pick and choose what we obey as if Scripture were a buffet. We do not discard what challenges us — we allow it to transform us.
We lay our lives at the altar of Christ and surrender every weight that entangles us.
In my own walk with Christ, I faced many hindrances — habits, strongholds, and mindsets that kept me from true freedom. But Jesus brought me through a process of healing and renewal, breaking false beliefs and reshaping how I saw myself in Him. I learned that freedom is not instant perfection, but continual dependence on Christ.
God revealed to me the reality of spiritual footholds — traps set by the enemy to weaken, discourage, and destroy believers. This devotional is meant to expose those footholds and bring biblical truth to overcome them.
I encourage you to open your heart throughout this journey. Make room for God to speak. Because it is time — for you and I — to break the footholds.
"For the word of God is living and active and full of power. It is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as the division of the soul and spirit, and of both joints and marrow, exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart. And not a creature exists that is concealed from His sight, but all things are open and exposed, and revealed to the eyes of Him with whom we have to give account." — Hebrews 4:12–13 AMP
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