Dead bodies littered the plains as the sun rose over the wilderness that morning. The curse of the enemy was reversed! Their military forces actually turned against one another and self-destructed.
What a victory for Jehoshaphat, a man who at one time confessed he didn't know what to do and what a tremendous victory you will experience when you apply the same steps he took to confront your own difficult dilemmas.
In the closing verses of 2 Chronicles 20 there are four results of reversing the curse of the enemy, benefits which you will also experience when you learn to triumph in impossible situations:
(1) Reaping.
2 Chronicles 20:25 "When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away their spoil, they found among them an abundance of valuables on the dead bodies, and precious jewelry, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away; and they were three days gathering the spoil because there was so much."
God not only delivered His people from their foes, He enriched them with the spoil of the enemy. It took three days to gather all the valuables!
Jesus has conquered your enemy. Satan was defeated at the cross of Calvary and it took Jesus three days to carry away the spoils of the enemy! Stand in the place where you are, turn your attention to God, and begin to praise Him, for the victory is won!
Galatians 3:13 "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”)."
When Jesus died on Calvary, He not only died for your sin, He redeemed you from every curse! You can reverse the curses in your life by appropriating the power of the blood of Jesus, but as in every other spiritual victory the blood must be applied. In the Old Testament account of the Passover in Egypt, it was not the fact that the blood of a lamb was shed that effected deliverance. The blood was applied to the door of the house and then the destroyer did not come near that residence. The blood of Jesus has power to reverse curses over your life, but you must apply that blood in order for it to be effective.
(2) Releasing.
2 Chronicles 20:25, 26 "And on the fourth day they assembled in the valley of Berachah, for there they blessed the Lord; therefore the name of that place was called The Valley of Berachah until this day."
The Valley of Berachah was located between Bethlehem and is where David was anointed as king of Israel and Hebron where he fortified a refuge against his enemy, Saul. "Berachach" means "blessing," so the place of blessing is situated between the "anointing" and the "refuge."
The word "bless" occurs about 410 times in the Bible. It means "to cause to prosper, be happy, and favored, blessed in every way and in every area of life." Just as a curse is initiated by words, the Bible reveals it is possible to release a blessing by what you say.
When God created the first man and woman He "blessed them" and told them to be fruitful and multiply. After the flood, God blessed Noah and His sons. The central element of God's covenant with Abraham was “I will bless you...and you will be a blessing" in Genesis 12: 23. The Old Testament patriarchs understood the power of the blessing, for they customarily extended it to their children before they died. A good example of this is the extensive record of Jacob blessing his children in Genesis 49 which was subsequently fulfilled in minute detail.
We see this concept of the blessing permeating the New Testament record. During His first sermon, Jesus pronounced a blessing. He said in Matthew 5:3-11:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit...blessed are those who mourn...blessed are the meek ...blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness...blessed are the merciful... blessed are the pure in heart...blessed are the peacemakers...blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake..."
Jesus blessed the children who were brought to Him:
Matthew 19:13-15 "Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, "Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. And he laid his hands on them..."
While hanging in agony on the cross, Jesus blessed His tormentors and the last thing He did before ascending back into heaven was to lift His hands and bless His disciples:
Luke 24:50 "And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them."
From these Biblical examples it is evident that the blessing is released by the spoken word of authority. This means you can speak a blessing over your son, daughter, mate, and every negative circumstance of life. You have the authority through the Word of God not only to bind the work of the enemy in their lives, but to release God's blessing upon them. It is still up to them to receive it as free moral agents, but freedom is available to all who believe!
When you speak a blessing it can not be reversed. Remember the Old Testament account of Jacob, who through deception received the blessing intended for his brother, Esau? Their father, Israel, could do nothing to reverse the blessing after it was given, even though it was deceitfully attained:
Genesis 27:35 "But he said, 'Your brother came with deceit and has taken away your blessing,’”
A blessing cannot be reversed, but a curse can. Immediately after his victory over the enemy, Jehoshaphat gathered God's people together to reverse the curse of the "bad report" brought by the "great multitude." God's people blessed the Lord and as they did, their blessing reversed every curse of the enemy. The valley where the enemy intended to slay them became "Berachah," the valley of blessing.
(3) Rejoicing.
2 Chronicles 20:27, 28 "Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat in front of them, to go back to Jerusalem with joy, for the Lord had made them rejoice over their enemies. So they came to Jerusalem, with stringed instruments and harps and trumpets, to the house of the Lord."
The people assembled in the house of the Lord before going out to battle and returned there after their victory with tremendous joy, praise, and music. If we would venture out in faith to confront our enemies instead of hiding and cowering in fear, perhaps we, too, would assemble with more joy when we come to the house of the Lord.
(4) Resting.
2 Chronicles 20:29, 30 "And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. Then the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around."
Israel's victory created in their neighbors a reverence for God. They recognized it is dangerous to fight those who have God with them and, as a result, Jehoshaphat had rest "all around." Enemy forces were still encamped just over the hill and across the streams, but they were not a threat to Jehoshaphat because God gave him rest.
You will be surrounded by enemy forces as long as you are in this world, but you do not have to be troubled by them. Never again will you wring your hands and lament, "I just don't know what to do!" You will be too busy in your valley--reaping the spoils from your enemy, reversing the curse by releasing the blessing, rejoicing over the victory, and resting in God.
Tuesday, May 30, 2017
At Your Wit's End (Part 25)
Mark 3:27 "No man can enter into a strong man's house and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house."
The Greek word for "spoil" in this passage is "diarpazo" which means to plunder, seize, or snatch away. The Greek word "house" is “oikos” meaning "dwelling place." The powerful enemy that Jehoshaphat faced was not just "bound" by God's people, but they were "spoiled" by a complete conquest. If you seek total victory in the circumstances you face then "binding" the enemy is not enough. You must learn how to "spoil his house."
Satan thinks your house, your mate, your children, and your finances belong to him. As the enemy threatened Jehoshaphat, Satan also threatens to "steal, kill, and destroy" what is yours. Simply binding the work of the enemy does not yield total victory because if you let your guard down, he might get loose again. You must totally "spoil" his house.
God told the prophet Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1:10:
"See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant."
Jeremiah was directed to put his spiritual axe at the root of evil and terminate its growth, and, in so doing, destroy spiritual strongholds. A stronghold is any area where Satan has seized control:
-It may be addictive, destructive habits which you seem unable to conquer.
-It may be uncontrollable emotions of anger, rage, and bitterness.
-It may be a tendency towards violent, criminal behavior which has surfaced throughout successive generations in your family.
These "strongholds" are passed on through what we call "generational curses." Satan seizes control in one generation, and the curse is passed on to succeeding generations.
The Bible reveals that the forces that determine all events in this world fall into two divisions: Visible and invisible. Blessings and curses are invisible forces of spiritual power which are transmitted by words because "Death and life are in the power of the tongue " according to Proverbs 18:21. You speak either a blessing or curse and the words you speak produce either good or harmful results.
Most people readily accept the concept of "blessing" as valid and Biblical, but are skeptical about this subject of "curses." They think the word conjures up images of the dark ages, witches, and voodoo dolls. But just as the opposite of good is evil, the opposite of blessings are curses.
The word "curse" occurs about 230 times in the Bible. It means to speak evil over, pray against, or wish evil against a person or thing. Cursing is a pledge, oath, or commission that is devoted to destruction. The first occurrence of this word was when God cursed the serpent and the ground:
Genesis 3:14, 17 "So the Lord God said to the serpent: "Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life.” Then to Adam He said, "Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it': Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life." These two curses in Genesis 3 contrast the two blessings spoken over man and the earth in Genesis 1:22 and 28.
The Bible indicates that "the curse causeless shall not come" in Proverbs 26:2, meaning that behind every curse there is a spiritual cause. Deuteronomy 27:15-26 lists moral and ethical sins that create spiritual breaches that open you up to strongholds of Satan. A summary of these includes worshiping false gods, disrespect for parents, all forms of oppression and injustice, all forms of illicit and unnatural sex, and rebellion against God's Word.
Other Biblical references contribute to this list of sins that bring a curse:
-Galatians indicates that those preaching "another Gospel" (apostasy) will be cursed-Galatians 1:6-9.
-Jeremiah notes that those who trust in "flesh" (works) instead of God are cursed-Jeremiah 17:5.
-Robbing God of tithes and offerings brings a financial curse-Zechariah 5:1-4, Haggai 1:4-6, and Malachi 3:8-9. -Anti-Semitism is also dangerous spiritually because God promised the Jewish nation "I will curse him that curses you" in Genesis 12:2, 3.
Deuteronomy 28 reveals seven indications of the operation of a spiritual curse or stronghold.
-Mental or emotional breakdown.
-Chronic sickness.
-Alienation and breakdown of marriage and family relationships.
-Barrenness or a tendency to miscarry.
-A cycle of poverty.
-A history of unnatural or untimely deaths.
-Continual defeat by the enemy.
Curses are perpetuated through negative, hateful, bitter words that have the power to bring emotional, spiritual, intellectual, and even physical death. There are curses instilled by authority figures through their words or operate because of personal violation of God's Word (sin). Curses also operate through strongholds established by Satan in your ancestors which are passed down through generations.
You may ask, "When I accepted Jesus as Savior, weren't all of these curses broken over my life?" When you are born again, you are forgiven of your past sins and the shed blood of Jesus has the power to break every curse. As in the story of Jehoshaphat, however, Satan will return through "bad reports" and "great multitudes" to try to bring curses back on you. Like Israel, when you begin to praise God the strongholds are broken and the curse is reversed upon the enemy because the positive force of praising conquers the negative force of cursing:
Deuteronomy 30:19 "I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live."
You choose "blessing" when you praise God and your worship literally "spoils" the enemy's house:
2 Chronicles 20:23, 24 "For the people of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. And when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another ...So when Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude; and there were their dead bodies, fallen on the earth. No one had escaped."
Praise will disarm the enemy forces arrayed against you and reverse every diabolical curse and stronghold that threatens and controls your life. Don't wait until you see the hand of God moving and your victory is assured. Begin to praise Him, even while you hear the sound of advancing troops echoing across the dessert plains of your life. Begin to sing in the face of adversity when, like Jehoshaphat, you don't know what you are going to do about your circumstances. And don't be surprised when you get to the battle field if all you can find is the disintegrating carcass of your problem.
The Greek word for "spoil" in this passage is "diarpazo" which means to plunder, seize, or snatch away. The Greek word "house" is “oikos” meaning "dwelling place." The powerful enemy that Jehoshaphat faced was not just "bound" by God's people, but they were "spoiled" by a complete conquest. If you seek total victory in the circumstances you face then "binding" the enemy is not enough. You must learn how to "spoil his house."
Satan thinks your house, your mate, your children, and your finances belong to him. As the enemy threatened Jehoshaphat, Satan also threatens to "steal, kill, and destroy" what is yours. Simply binding the work of the enemy does not yield total victory because if you let your guard down, he might get loose again. You must totally "spoil" his house.
God told the prophet Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1:10:
"See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant."
Jeremiah was directed to put his spiritual axe at the root of evil and terminate its growth, and, in so doing, destroy spiritual strongholds. A stronghold is any area where Satan has seized control:
-It may be addictive, destructive habits which you seem unable to conquer.
-It may be uncontrollable emotions of anger, rage, and bitterness.
-It may be a tendency towards violent, criminal behavior which has surfaced throughout successive generations in your family.
These "strongholds" are passed on through what we call "generational curses." Satan seizes control in one generation, and the curse is passed on to succeeding generations.
The Bible reveals that the forces that determine all events in this world fall into two divisions: Visible and invisible. Blessings and curses are invisible forces of spiritual power which are transmitted by words because "Death and life are in the power of the tongue " according to Proverbs 18:21. You speak either a blessing or curse and the words you speak produce either good or harmful results.
Most people readily accept the concept of "blessing" as valid and Biblical, but are skeptical about this subject of "curses." They think the word conjures up images of the dark ages, witches, and voodoo dolls. But just as the opposite of good is evil, the opposite of blessings are curses.
The word "curse" occurs about 230 times in the Bible. It means to speak evil over, pray against, or wish evil against a person or thing. Cursing is a pledge, oath, or commission that is devoted to destruction. The first occurrence of this word was when God cursed the serpent and the ground:
Genesis 3:14, 17 "So the Lord God said to the serpent: "Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life.” Then to Adam He said, "Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it': Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life." These two curses in Genesis 3 contrast the two blessings spoken over man and the earth in Genesis 1:22 and 28.
The Bible indicates that "the curse causeless shall not come" in Proverbs 26:2, meaning that behind every curse there is a spiritual cause. Deuteronomy 27:15-26 lists moral and ethical sins that create spiritual breaches that open you up to strongholds of Satan. A summary of these includes worshiping false gods, disrespect for parents, all forms of oppression and injustice, all forms of illicit and unnatural sex, and rebellion against God's Word.
Other Biblical references contribute to this list of sins that bring a curse:
-Galatians indicates that those preaching "another Gospel" (apostasy) will be cursed-Galatians 1:6-9.
-Jeremiah notes that those who trust in "flesh" (works) instead of God are cursed-Jeremiah 17:5.
-Robbing God of tithes and offerings brings a financial curse-Zechariah 5:1-4, Haggai 1:4-6, and Malachi 3:8-9. -Anti-Semitism is also dangerous spiritually because God promised the Jewish nation "I will curse him that curses you" in Genesis 12:2, 3.
Deuteronomy 28 reveals seven indications of the operation of a spiritual curse or stronghold.
-Mental or emotional breakdown.
-Chronic sickness.
-Alienation and breakdown of marriage and family relationships.
-Barrenness or a tendency to miscarry.
-A cycle of poverty.
-A history of unnatural or untimely deaths.
-Continual defeat by the enemy.
Curses are perpetuated through negative, hateful, bitter words that have the power to bring emotional, spiritual, intellectual, and even physical death. There are curses instilled by authority figures through their words or operate because of personal violation of God's Word (sin). Curses also operate through strongholds established by Satan in your ancestors which are passed down through generations.
You may ask, "When I accepted Jesus as Savior, weren't all of these curses broken over my life?" When you are born again, you are forgiven of your past sins and the shed blood of Jesus has the power to break every curse. As in the story of Jehoshaphat, however, Satan will return through "bad reports" and "great multitudes" to try to bring curses back on you. Like Israel, when you begin to praise God the strongholds are broken and the curse is reversed upon the enemy because the positive force of praising conquers the negative force of cursing:
Deuteronomy 30:19 "I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live."
You choose "blessing" when you praise God and your worship literally "spoils" the enemy's house:
2 Chronicles 20:23, 24 "For the people of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. And when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another ...So when Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude; and there were their dead bodies, fallen on the earth. No one had escaped."
Praise will disarm the enemy forces arrayed against you and reverse every diabolical curse and stronghold that threatens and controls your life. Don't wait until you see the hand of God moving and your victory is assured. Begin to praise Him, even while you hear the sound of advancing troops echoing across the dessert plains of your life. Begin to sing in the face of adversity when, like Jehoshaphat, you don't know what you are going to do about your circumstances. And don't be surprised when you get to the battle field if all you can find is the disintegrating carcass of your problem.
At Your Wit's End (Part 24)
2 Chronicles 20:22-24 "Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated. For the people of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. And when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another. So when Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude; and there were their dead bodies, fallen on the earth. No one had escaped."
The turning point in Jehoshaphat's dilemma came when God's people acted upon the divine revelation they were given. Faith is a fact that always involves an act:
-You received the "word of faith " for salvation, you acted upon it by responding, and you were saved. -Noah acted upon a word received from God concerning a forthcoming flood and built an ark to preserve life on the earth.
-Moses received a commission to deliver Israel and acted upon it by returning to Egypt to petition Pharaoh in their behalf.
-Blind men saw, the lame walked, and the deaf heard as they acted in response to the words of Jesus.
Faith is not just passive believing or wishful hoping. Faith is acting on the fact of God's Word. Jehoshaphat was instructed by God:
2 Chronicles 20:15-17 "Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel. You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, standstill and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem! Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you."
Jehoshaphat had a word from God and acted in faith on it. The next day he positioned himself for victory and watched God work in his behalf. What does it mean to "position" yourself for victory? The answer is given in this passage: And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying:
2 Chronicles 20:21, 22 "Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever." Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated."
When you position yourself in praise and worship, God will move in your behalf. Israel began to sing and praise God and ambushes were set by the Lord against the advancing enemy. God moved in their behalf "when they began" to sing and praise, not when they finished. The enemy was "ambushed" by God and when Israel arrived on the battle field, instead of finding living men to contend with they found only the carcasses of the enemy. There they were in full battle array, armed with shields and spears, but there was no life in them. Their deadly potential was eliminated when God's people began to praise and worship.
Repeatedly in Old Testament conflicts God directs Israel to send the tribe of Judah into battle first. The name Judah means "praise," so whenever you see that name used, substitute the word "praise." Praise is the purpose for which we are ordained:
2 Chronicle 29:11 "My sons, do not be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to stand before Him, to serve Him, and that you should minister to Him and burn incense."
The first of the ten commandments is to worship God and the Bible reveals that God actively seeks those who will worship and praise Him:
John 4:23 "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him."
God created us to praise Him:
Isaiah 43:21 "This people I have formed for Myself; they shall declare My praise."
The Bible is filled with commands for us to praise God:
1 Peter 2:5 "You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."
1 Peter 2:9 "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."
Psalms 147:1 AMP "Praise the Lord, for it is good..praise is becoming and appropriate."
Praise involves worship and thanksgiving. To worship means "to do reverence, to kiss, do homage towards, revere, stand in awe of, show devotion, bow down and honor." Worship is an acknowledgment of God, His nature, attributes, ways, and worth.
We thank God by acknowledging our gratitude for His works. We praise him by blessing Him, celebrating, and boasting of what He has done. Actually the word "praise" has eight different meanings, two of which are quite interesting. They are to "release before the Lord" and to be "clamorously foolish." Other words related to praise and worship are:
-Glorify: To give honor to, rank, beauty.
-Honor: To exalt and show preference.
-Magnify: To ascribe greatness, glorify.
There is no sharp dividing line between praise, worship, and thanksgiving. As you worship, you can flow easily from one to another, as demonstrated in the book of Psalms. Many of us are conditioned to being led into worship, but God directs says "you enter" and "you offer a sacrifice" of praise:
Hebrews 13:15 "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name."
PRAISING GOD IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH
Jesus said in John 4:23, 24 these words:
"But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
What does it mean to worship in spirit and truth? Turn to John 4 in your Bible which summarizes the encounter of Jesus with a Samaritan woman. Jesus was resting by a well when a woman came to draw water. She was obviously poor materially since she had no servant to draw water for her, but she was even poorer spiritually. Jesus told the woman, "If you knew", indicating that you must worship from a position of knowing. Knowledge (or truth) results in understand who the Lord is and results in worship. Jesus said, "If you knew, you would ask." Knowledge (truth) always requires a response.
The woman told Jesus, "You have nothing to draw with to give me this water." Like this woman, many of us focus on the impossibilities of life, while we are in the presence of the Source of miracles. The life Jesus gives results in worship, a spiritual stream that quenches your thirst by springing up from deep inside your spirit. When you face impossible situations and you begin to worship, then the miracle worker is present because God inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3).
Jesus said the Samaritans worshiped with spirit, but without truth (verses 19-24). In the time of Ezra and Nehemiah when the Samaritans were not allowed to help Israel rebuild the temple, they built their own temple on Mount Gerizim. This was the site where they believed Abraham offered Isaac and Jacob had his dream of the ladder extending to Heaven. The Samaritans climbed this mountain often and worshiped, but they did not know what they worshiped. They were enthusiastic in their worship, but without the truth of the Gospel.
The Jews worshiped in truth (law) but with no spirit. Jesus, who was a Jew, said "We know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews." The Jews understood the truth, but they were cold, legalistic, hypocritical, and ritualistic. They went through the motions of worship but their hearts were not in it. God is to be worshiped as both "Father" and "Spirit." Spirit is nature while Father is relationship. The issue of true worship is not where and when it is done as much as who and how. If you are a true worshiper you do not have to try finding God. God comes looking for you because He seeks those who worship Him in spirit and truth.
Man is a triune being composed of a body which is visible and an invisible soul and spirit. The soul is the "soulish" nature of man, the mind, will, and emotions. The spirit is the spiritual inner man and your spirit has emotional responses like the soul. Soul and spirit are closely related but are separate, because the Bible tells us the Word of God is sharp and can divide them.
You cannot really worship with your spirit unless it is energized by His Spirit, so worshiping in spirit involves the Holy Spirit also. As you worship, God's Spirit bears witness with your spirit according to Romans 8:16. Since man is a triune being, when you worship with your spirit you must also worship with your soul and body.
The word "truth" means to uncover, open up, and not hide. Worship is to be based on truth which is information gained in meditation which results from time spent with God in discovery. If you are going to truly worship, you must be committed to the Word of God, not just some emotional feeling.
To worship in spirit is to allow the Holy Spirit to move upon your redeemed spirit, causing love, adoration, devotion, honor, and respect to ascend to God who is a spirit. To worship in truth is to worship according to the Word of God and to properly respond to the truth of God.
The turning point in Jehoshaphat's dilemma came when God's people acted upon the divine revelation they were given. Faith is a fact that always involves an act:
-You received the "word of faith " for salvation, you acted upon it by responding, and you were saved. -Noah acted upon a word received from God concerning a forthcoming flood and built an ark to preserve life on the earth.
-Moses received a commission to deliver Israel and acted upon it by returning to Egypt to petition Pharaoh in their behalf.
-Blind men saw, the lame walked, and the deaf heard as they acted in response to the words of Jesus.
Faith is not just passive believing or wishful hoping. Faith is acting on the fact of God's Word. Jehoshaphat was instructed by God:
2 Chronicles 20:15-17 "Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel. You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, standstill and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem! Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you."
Jehoshaphat had a word from God and acted in faith on it. The next day he positioned himself for victory and watched God work in his behalf. What does it mean to "position" yourself for victory? The answer is given in this passage: And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying:
2 Chronicles 20:21, 22 "Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever." Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated."
When you position yourself in praise and worship, God will move in your behalf. Israel began to sing and praise God and ambushes were set by the Lord against the advancing enemy. God moved in their behalf "when they began" to sing and praise, not when they finished. The enemy was "ambushed" by God and when Israel arrived on the battle field, instead of finding living men to contend with they found only the carcasses of the enemy. There they were in full battle array, armed with shields and spears, but there was no life in them. Their deadly potential was eliminated when God's people began to praise and worship.
Repeatedly in Old Testament conflicts God directs Israel to send the tribe of Judah into battle first. The name Judah means "praise," so whenever you see that name used, substitute the word "praise." Praise is the purpose for which we are ordained:
2 Chronicle 29:11 "My sons, do not be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to stand before Him, to serve Him, and that you should minister to Him and burn incense."
The first of the ten commandments is to worship God and the Bible reveals that God actively seeks those who will worship and praise Him:
John 4:23 "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him."
God created us to praise Him:
Isaiah 43:21 "This people I have formed for Myself; they shall declare My praise."
The Bible is filled with commands for us to praise God:
1 Peter 2:5 "You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."
1 Peter 2:9 "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."
Psalms 147:1 AMP "Praise the Lord, for it is good..praise is becoming and appropriate."
Praise involves worship and thanksgiving. To worship means "to do reverence, to kiss, do homage towards, revere, stand in awe of, show devotion, bow down and honor." Worship is an acknowledgment of God, His nature, attributes, ways, and worth.
We thank God by acknowledging our gratitude for His works. We praise him by blessing Him, celebrating, and boasting of what He has done. Actually the word "praise" has eight different meanings, two of which are quite interesting. They are to "release before the Lord" and to be "clamorously foolish." Other words related to praise and worship are:
-Glorify: To give honor to, rank, beauty.
-Honor: To exalt and show preference.
-Magnify: To ascribe greatness, glorify.
There is no sharp dividing line between praise, worship, and thanksgiving. As you worship, you can flow easily from one to another, as demonstrated in the book of Psalms. Many of us are conditioned to being led into worship, but God directs says "you enter" and "you offer a sacrifice" of praise:
Hebrews 13:15 "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name."
PRAISING GOD IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH
Jesus said in John 4:23, 24 these words:
"But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
What does it mean to worship in spirit and truth? Turn to John 4 in your Bible which summarizes the encounter of Jesus with a Samaritan woman. Jesus was resting by a well when a woman came to draw water. She was obviously poor materially since she had no servant to draw water for her, but she was even poorer spiritually. Jesus told the woman, "If you knew", indicating that you must worship from a position of knowing. Knowledge (or truth) results in understand who the Lord is and results in worship. Jesus said, "If you knew, you would ask." Knowledge (truth) always requires a response.
The woman told Jesus, "You have nothing to draw with to give me this water." Like this woman, many of us focus on the impossibilities of life, while we are in the presence of the Source of miracles. The life Jesus gives results in worship, a spiritual stream that quenches your thirst by springing up from deep inside your spirit. When you face impossible situations and you begin to worship, then the miracle worker is present because God inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3).
Jesus said the Samaritans worshiped with spirit, but without truth (verses 19-24). In the time of Ezra and Nehemiah when the Samaritans were not allowed to help Israel rebuild the temple, they built their own temple on Mount Gerizim. This was the site where they believed Abraham offered Isaac and Jacob had his dream of the ladder extending to Heaven. The Samaritans climbed this mountain often and worshiped, but they did not know what they worshiped. They were enthusiastic in their worship, but without the truth of the Gospel.
The Jews worshiped in truth (law) but with no spirit. Jesus, who was a Jew, said "We know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews." The Jews understood the truth, but they were cold, legalistic, hypocritical, and ritualistic. They went through the motions of worship but their hearts were not in it. God is to be worshiped as both "Father" and "Spirit." Spirit is nature while Father is relationship. The issue of true worship is not where and when it is done as much as who and how. If you are a true worshiper you do not have to try finding God. God comes looking for you because He seeks those who worship Him in spirit and truth.
Man is a triune being composed of a body which is visible and an invisible soul and spirit. The soul is the "soulish" nature of man, the mind, will, and emotions. The spirit is the spiritual inner man and your spirit has emotional responses like the soul. Soul and spirit are closely related but are separate, because the Bible tells us the Word of God is sharp and can divide them.
You cannot really worship with your spirit unless it is energized by His Spirit, so worshiping in spirit involves the Holy Spirit also. As you worship, God's Spirit bears witness with your spirit according to Romans 8:16. Since man is a triune being, when you worship with your spirit you must also worship with your soul and body.
The word "truth" means to uncover, open up, and not hide. Worship is to be based on truth which is information gained in meditation which results from time spent with God in discovery. If you are going to truly worship, you must be committed to the Word of God, not just some emotional feeling.
To worship in spirit is to allow the Holy Spirit to move upon your redeemed spirit, causing love, adoration, devotion, honor, and respect to ascend to God who is a spirit. To worship in truth is to worship according to the Word of God and to properly respond to the truth of God.
At Your Wit's End (Part 23)
The Apostle John wrote these words to New Testament believers in 3 John 1:2. He said:
"Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers."
We conclude from this passage that we can pray for physical and spiritual prosperity and success in every area of life. Jehoshaphat found prayer vital in times of indecision. His request for God's assistance resulted in divine direction and victory over the enemy.
Intercession births revelation. In the Old Testament, revelation came to God's people from the outside in through prophets, kings, and judges. From New Testament times on, revelation has come from the inside out. It was birthed internally through intercession. A classic example is the Apostle John who was interceding on the Isle of Patmos when he received one of the greatest revelations of all times.
Worldly wisdom says to retain your resources: "Stock up, save, tuck it away for a rainy day." God's Word teaches the principle of giving to receive. It encourages you to continually release your resources, such as your talents, gifts, time, abilities, and finances:
Ecclesiastes 11:6 "In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not withhold your hand; for you do not know which will prosper, either this or that, or whether both alike will be good.
When you "sow your seed" and give of your resources then you are assured success because you always receive increased returns:
Luke 6:38 "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."
As we've analyzed Jehoshaphat's response to his difficulties was to seek the Lord. If you want to prosper in all you do, resolve that you will continually seek the Lord.
Uzziah was only 16 years old when he became king of Israel and he reigned successfully for 52 years. The Bible declares in 2 Chronicles 26:4, 5 that "he did what was right in the sight of the Lord ...He sought God ...and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper."
I believe if you will apply these prophetic principles of success, you will prosper:
-Realize that true success comes from God.
-Repent of your sins.
-Rely on God's Word.
-Request God's assistance.
-Release your resources.
-Resolve that you will seek the Lord.
Jehoshaphat told God's people, "Believe the prophets and you will prosper." You, not the enemy, will prosper. Make this declaration and claim this promise:
Jeremiah 20:11 "But the Lord is with me as a mighty, awesome One. Therefore my persecutors will stumble, and will not prevail. They will be greatly ashamed, for they will not prosper. Their everlasting confusion will never be forgotten."
"Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers."
We conclude from this passage that we can pray for physical and spiritual prosperity and success in every area of life. Jehoshaphat found prayer vital in times of indecision. His request for God's assistance resulted in divine direction and victory over the enemy.
Intercession births revelation. In the Old Testament, revelation came to God's people from the outside in through prophets, kings, and judges. From New Testament times on, revelation has come from the inside out. It was birthed internally through intercession. A classic example is the Apostle John who was interceding on the Isle of Patmos when he received one of the greatest revelations of all times.
Worldly wisdom says to retain your resources: "Stock up, save, tuck it away for a rainy day." God's Word teaches the principle of giving to receive. It encourages you to continually release your resources, such as your talents, gifts, time, abilities, and finances:
Ecclesiastes 11:6 "In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not withhold your hand; for you do not know which will prosper, either this or that, or whether both alike will be good.
When you "sow your seed" and give of your resources then you are assured success because you always receive increased returns:
Luke 6:38 "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."
As we've analyzed Jehoshaphat's response to his difficulties was to seek the Lord. If you want to prosper in all you do, resolve that you will continually seek the Lord.
Uzziah was only 16 years old when he became king of Israel and he reigned successfully for 52 years. The Bible declares in 2 Chronicles 26:4, 5 that "he did what was right in the sight of the Lord ...He sought God ...and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper."
I believe if you will apply these prophetic principles of success, you will prosper:
-Realize that true success comes from God.
-Repent of your sins.
-Rely on God's Word.
-Request God's assistance.
-Release your resources.
-Resolve that you will seek the Lord.
Jehoshaphat told God's people, "Believe the prophets and you will prosper." You, not the enemy, will prosper. Make this declaration and claim this promise:
Jeremiah 20:11 "But the Lord is with me as a mighty, awesome One. Therefore my persecutors will stumble, and will not prevail. They will be greatly ashamed, for they will not prosper. Their everlasting confusion will never be forgotten."
At Your Wit's End (Part 22)
(3) Rely on God's Word!
The following passage tells how to be successful in everything you do:
Psalms 1:1-3 "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper."
Here's the guarantee: "Whatever he does shall prosper." Similar to guarantees in the material world, however, this is a limited warrantee based on these conditions:
a. Do not walk in the counsel of the ungodly: The word "ungodly" means "unsettled, aiming at no certain end, and walking by no certain rule." The successful man does not walk in their counsel. He is not present at their meetings, he does not measure himself by their principles, nor does he act according to their advice.
b. Do not stand in the path of sinners: The word for "sinners" signifies those who practice sin. The successful man shuns sinners because their way is not his way. He does not imitate sinners, associate with them, or choose them for intimate companions:
Proverbs 4:14, 15 "Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evil. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn away from it and pass on."
c. Do not sit in the seat of the scornful: The "scornful" are those that "set their mouths against the heavens," aligning themselves with the accuser (Satan) who rails against God and man alike.
There are two powerful spiritual forces operational in both heaven and earth. These are the forces of the accuser (Satan) and the intercessor (Jesus Christ). By the words of your mouth you continually align yourself with one or the other. The successful person does not "sit in the seat of the scornful" accusing the brethren and does not associate with those who sit in open judgment of others.
d. Delight in the law of God: Joshua 1:8 "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. "
A successful person submits to the guidance of the Word of God. This is what fortifies him against the ungodly, sinners, and the scornful:
Psalms 17:4 "...by the word of Your lips, I have kept away from the paths of the destroyer."
The affection of a successful man is set on God's law, he delights in it, and it becomes a way of life for him.
e. Meditate in God's Word day and night: To meditate in God's Word is to dialogue with yourself concerning the great truths it contains, fixing your thoughts on it, applying its precepts to your life. The successful person does this continually--day and night--and governs his conduct and activities by the standards of the Word. God told Joshua in 1:7, 8:
"Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success."
It is to those who meet these five conditions that God guarantees blessing and success. When the psalmist undertakes to describe a successful person he characterizes an individual who governs his life by God's standards. The successful person is compared to a tree planted by living waters. The waters will not fail and the tree will not wither and die. Even in drought, the successful man does not fear because in due season his "tree" shall again flourish and his "fruit" will abound. Whatever he does in conformity to the prophetic revelation of the Word will prosper because God's declares:
Isaiah 55:11 "So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."
The following passage tells how to be successful in everything you do:
Psalms 1:1-3 "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper."
Here's the guarantee: "Whatever he does shall prosper." Similar to guarantees in the material world, however, this is a limited warrantee based on these conditions:
a. Do not walk in the counsel of the ungodly: The word "ungodly" means "unsettled, aiming at no certain end, and walking by no certain rule." The successful man does not walk in their counsel. He is not present at their meetings, he does not measure himself by their principles, nor does he act according to their advice.
b. Do not stand in the path of sinners: The word for "sinners" signifies those who practice sin. The successful man shuns sinners because their way is not his way. He does not imitate sinners, associate with them, or choose them for intimate companions:
Proverbs 4:14, 15 "Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evil. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn away from it and pass on."
c. Do not sit in the seat of the scornful: The "scornful" are those that "set their mouths against the heavens," aligning themselves with the accuser (Satan) who rails against God and man alike.
There are two powerful spiritual forces operational in both heaven and earth. These are the forces of the accuser (Satan) and the intercessor (Jesus Christ). By the words of your mouth you continually align yourself with one or the other. The successful person does not "sit in the seat of the scornful" accusing the brethren and does not associate with those who sit in open judgment of others.
d. Delight in the law of God: Joshua 1:8 "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. "
A successful person submits to the guidance of the Word of God. This is what fortifies him against the ungodly, sinners, and the scornful:
Psalms 17:4 "...by the word of Your lips, I have kept away from the paths of the destroyer."
The affection of a successful man is set on God's law, he delights in it, and it becomes a way of life for him.
e. Meditate in God's Word day and night: To meditate in God's Word is to dialogue with yourself concerning the great truths it contains, fixing your thoughts on it, applying its precepts to your life. The successful person does this continually--day and night--and governs his conduct and activities by the standards of the Word. God told Joshua in 1:7, 8:
"Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success."
It is to those who meet these five conditions that God guarantees blessing and success. When the psalmist undertakes to describe a successful person he characterizes an individual who governs his life by God's standards. The successful person is compared to a tree planted by living waters. The waters will not fail and the tree will not wither and die. Even in drought, the successful man does not fear because in due season his "tree" shall again flourish and his "fruit" will abound. Whatever he does in conformity to the prophetic revelation of the Word will prosper because God's declares:
Isaiah 55:11 "So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."
At Your Wit's End (Part 21)
"Believe God's prophets and you will prosper," declared Jehoshaphat. To "prosper" means to "push forward, to break out, to come mightily, to be successful," but God's definition of prosperity differs from that of the world. The world focuses on possessions or performance while God is concerned with person. Character is more important than achievement in God's analysis. In the world, success is man-centered instead of God centered. Your achievements are evaluated in comparison to others instead of by the unchanging standard of God's Word. The effects of comparison are devastating:
-Satan compared himself to God and ushered sin into the universe.
-Satan compared himself to God and ushered sin into the universe.
-Jacob compared Joseph to his brothers and generated destructive sibling rivalry.
-The people of Israel compared themselves to other nations and forsook God's unique purpose for them.
-Saul heard the people comparing him to David and was jealous.
Other people's achievements are not the standard for your life. This is why Peter's question in John 21:21, 22- "Lord, what about this man? " received the rebuke, "What is that to you? You follow me."
Money, power, and fame are all worldly standards of success, but God's Word warns in Jeremiah 45:5 , "And do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them..." Instead, believers are to be special people whose unique purpose is to proclaim God's praises:
1 Peter 2:9, 10 "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy."
The life of a true believer is one of stewardship, not ownership, and your success is measured in terms of fulfilling God's plans and purposes for you. It has been said that success is not what we are, but what we are compared to what we could be. Success is not measured by what we do, but by what we do compared to what we could do.
The Bible reveals basic principles that when applied to your life guarantees you will prosper in all you do!
(1) True success come from God!
Nehemiah 2:20 "So I answered them, and said to them, "The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no heritage or right or memorial in Jerusalem."
Education and self-improvement may help you get ahead in this world, but they do not make you successful in God's eyes. Wealth and fame do not guarantee success, for we witness daily the demise of many of our "super stars." True success comes from "the God of heaven Himself." This means you may be unpopular and still be successful. You may be poor in the things of this world but rich in faith. God declares over your life:
Isaiah 48:15 "I, even I, have spoken; yes, I have called him, I have brought him, and his way will prosper."
(2) Repent of your sins!
Proverbs 28:13 "He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy."
You think nobody knows about your secret sin, but God declares, "If you cover your sin, you will not prosper." This doesn't need a great deal of explanation, for it is quite clear: Hide your sins and you won't prosper.
Repenting of sin is not a once in a lifetime act at the time of conversion to Christ. Jesus taught repentance as part of the model prayer which is to be prayed daily and the Apostle John declared:
1 John 1:8, 9 "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Other people's achievements are not the standard for your life. This is why Peter's question in John 21:21, 22- "Lord, what about this man? " received the rebuke, "What is that to you? You follow me."
Money, power, and fame are all worldly standards of success, but God's Word warns in Jeremiah 45:5 , "And do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them..." Instead, believers are to be special people whose unique purpose is to proclaim God's praises:
1 Peter 2:9, 10 "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy."
The life of a true believer is one of stewardship, not ownership, and your success is measured in terms of fulfilling God's plans and purposes for you. It has been said that success is not what we are, but what we are compared to what we could be. Success is not measured by what we do, but by what we do compared to what we could do.
The Bible reveals basic principles that when applied to your life guarantees you will prosper in all you do!
(1) True success come from God!
Nehemiah 2:20 "So I answered them, and said to them, "The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no heritage or right or memorial in Jerusalem."
Education and self-improvement may help you get ahead in this world, but they do not make you successful in God's eyes. Wealth and fame do not guarantee success, for we witness daily the demise of many of our "super stars." True success comes from "the God of heaven Himself." This means you may be unpopular and still be successful. You may be poor in the things of this world but rich in faith. God declares over your life:
Isaiah 48:15 "I, even I, have spoken; yes, I have called him, I have brought him, and his way will prosper."
(2) Repent of your sins!
Proverbs 28:13 "He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy."
You think nobody knows about your secret sin, but God declares, "If you cover your sin, you will not prosper." This doesn't need a great deal of explanation, for it is quite clear: Hide your sins and you won't prosper.
Repenting of sin is not a once in a lifetime act at the time of conversion to Christ. Jesus taught repentance as part of the model prayer which is to be prayed daily and the Apostle John declared:
1 John 1:8, 9 "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
At Your Wit's End (Part 20)
2 Chronicles 20:20 "So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper."
God's people faced a formidable enemy alliance and didn't know what to do. As they waited before the Lord for direction a prophetic word came through a young man named Jahaziel. Jehoshaphat immediately obeyed God's revelation and prepared his troops to advance.
His instructions to his people were brief but spiritually potent: "Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper."
Prophecy is one of the spiritual gifts bestowed on believers by God through the Holy Spirit according to 1 Corinthians 12:28. "Prophecy" is speaking under the special inspiration of God. It is the supernatural ability to receive and communicate an immediate message of God to His people through a divinely-anointed utterance.
In the Old Testament people went to prophets for guidance because the gift of Holy Spirit baptism was not yet given and the presence of God was shut up in the Holy of Holies. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ we now have access to the presence of God and the gift of the Holy Spirit, both of which provide guidance. Paul declares in Romans 8:14, "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God."
It is no longer necessary to go to a prophet to receive spiritual guidance since this is one of the functions of the Holy Spirit in the life of a Christian. Each believer should learn how to be led by God's Spirit which is actually the "spirit of prophecy" operating in them. The New Testament gives no record of believers seeking advice from prophets after the gift of the Holy Spirit was given, but this in no way undermines the importance of the prophetic ministry. To "prophesy" means to declare openly words from God that exhort, edify, and comfort:
1 Corinthians 14:3 "But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men."
The words spoken by a prophet under divine inspiration are called prophecies and if you adhere to them you will be successful.
The Holy Spirit is always in control of true prophecy and directs attention to Jesus Christ:
1 Corinthians 12:1-3 "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led. Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit"
Prophecy does not replace the written Word of God. The Bible says prophecy will cease, but the Word of God abides forever in 1 Corinthians 13:8 and 1 Peter 1:25. The Bible also warns of false prophets in Matthew 24:11, 24 and Mark 13:22. Because there are false prophets, God's Word provides several ways to identify them:
Romans 12:6 "Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith."
The phrase "in proportion to faith" means in right relation to the faith. The way to recognize true prophecies is by whether or not they agree with the basic doctrines of the Christian faith revealed in the Bible. For example, false prophets do not confess the deity of Jesus Christ:
1 John 4:1-3 "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ h is come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world."
False prophets teach sexual immorality and permissiveness:
2 Peter 2:1-3 "But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber."
False prophets deceive people with miraculous signs:
Matthew 24:11 "Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many"
24:24 "For false Christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect."
The evidence of spiritual fruit is the true test of any ministry:
Matthew 7:15, 16 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?"
Spiritual fruit is observed by analyzing results of a prophet's ministry and the spiritual qualities demonstrated in his life.
Any prophet who claims to be divine is false:
Matthew 24:23, 24 "Then if anyone says to you, “Look, here is the Christ!” or “There!” do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect."
The final test by which a true prophet can be identified is whether or not what he prophesies comes to pass:
Deuteronomy 18:20-22 "But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die. And if you say in your heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?--when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him."
Because there are many false prophets, some believers totally disregard the prophetic ministry, but Jehoshaphat declared, "Believe His prophets and prosper." Success comes through believing the "sure Word of prophecy" delivered by true prophets and through the spirit of prophecy that abides within each Holy Spirit filled believer. Perhaps there would be less confusion in the Church today if the prophetic ministry was reactivated in more of our congregations.
God's people faced a formidable enemy alliance and didn't know what to do. As they waited before the Lord for direction a prophetic word came through a young man named Jahaziel. Jehoshaphat immediately obeyed God's revelation and prepared his troops to advance.
His instructions to his people were brief but spiritually potent: "Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper."
Prophecy is one of the spiritual gifts bestowed on believers by God through the Holy Spirit according to 1 Corinthians 12:28. "Prophecy" is speaking under the special inspiration of God. It is the supernatural ability to receive and communicate an immediate message of God to His people through a divinely-anointed utterance.
In the Old Testament people went to prophets for guidance because the gift of Holy Spirit baptism was not yet given and the presence of God was shut up in the Holy of Holies. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ we now have access to the presence of God and the gift of the Holy Spirit, both of which provide guidance. Paul declares in Romans 8:14, "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God."
It is no longer necessary to go to a prophet to receive spiritual guidance since this is one of the functions of the Holy Spirit in the life of a Christian. Each believer should learn how to be led by God's Spirit which is actually the "spirit of prophecy" operating in them. The New Testament gives no record of believers seeking advice from prophets after the gift of the Holy Spirit was given, but this in no way undermines the importance of the prophetic ministry. To "prophesy" means to declare openly words from God that exhort, edify, and comfort:
1 Corinthians 14:3 "But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men."
The words spoken by a prophet under divine inspiration are called prophecies and if you adhere to them you will be successful.
The Holy Spirit is always in control of true prophecy and directs attention to Jesus Christ:
1 Corinthians 12:1-3 "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led. Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit"
Prophecy does not replace the written Word of God. The Bible says prophecy will cease, but the Word of God abides forever in 1 Corinthians 13:8 and 1 Peter 1:25. The Bible also warns of false prophets in Matthew 24:11, 24 and Mark 13:22. Because there are false prophets, God's Word provides several ways to identify them:
Romans 12:6 "Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith."
The phrase "in proportion to faith" means in right relation to the faith. The way to recognize true prophecies is by whether or not they agree with the basic doctrines of the Christian faith revealed in the Bible. For example, false prophets do not confess the deity of Jesus Christ:
1 John 4:1-3 "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ h is come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world."
False prophets teach sexual immorality and permissiveness:
2 Peter 2:1-3 "But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber."
False prophets deceive people with miraculous signs:
Matthew 24:11 "Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many"
24:24 "For false Christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect."
The evidence of spiritual fruit is the true test of any ministry:
Matthew 7:15, 16 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?"
Spiritual fruit is observed by analyzing results of a prophet's ministry and the spiritual qualities demonstrated in his life.
Any prophet who claims to be divine is false:
Matthew 24:23, 24 "Then if anyone says to you, “Look, here is the Christ!” or “There!” do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect."
The final test by which a true prophet can be identified is whether or not what he prophesies comes to pass:
Deuteronomy 18:20-22 "But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die. And if you say in your heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?--when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him."
Because there are many false prophets, some believers totally disregard the prophetic ministry, but Jehoshaphat declared, "Believe His prophets and prosper." Success comes through believing the "sure Word of prophecy" delivered by true prophets and through the spirit of prophecy that abides within each Holy Spirit filled believer. Perhaps there would be less confusion in the Church today if the prophetic ministry was reactivated in more of our congregations.
At Your Wit's End (Part 19)
The Apostle Paul declares in Romans 6:16:
"Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?"
Obedience results in righteousness and the Word declares in Isaiah 54:14, "In righteousness you shall be established..."
You must also consider the direction of your life and evaluate the consequences of each decision. Proverbs 4:26 encourages you to "Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established."
Sometimes we end up in complex circumstances because we act before we think. We become involved in worldly entanglements and then cry out, "I don't know what to do!" Ponder your direction in life, think seriously about each decision, and let God guide your footsteps each day. Decisions determine destiny.
Stability results from being "established in the faith," which means you are grounded in the basic doctrines of God's Word. Paul encourages us in Colossians 2:7 to be "...rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving."
The Word declares in Proverbs 16:3 to, "Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established." Instead of struggling to work out your situation, commit your work to the Lord. It is God's work, His plan, His ministry. Release the stress and tension of your troubling circumstances to Him and you will find that your thoughts are established, you begin to think clearly, and the fog of confusion lifts.
Proverbs 20:18 "declares, "Plans are established by counsel; by wise counsel wage war." Wise spiritual counsel often generates solutions to your problems and enables you to successfully wage war on the negative circumstances of life.
Proverbs 24:3 reveals that "through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established." The wisdom that establishes is not worldly wisdom, but the Godly wisdom described by James 3:17, 18:
"But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace."
When you ask for wisdom without doubting, you will receive it:
James 1:5-7 "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord."
You will not always hear a voice from Heaven or receive a supernatural sign concerning your problem. When these are absent and you are faced with a decision, be assured that God's wisdom is resident within you. Make a decision in faith that He is guiding you with wisdom from above.
Recognize that it is grace, not your own works, that establishes you spiritually:
Hebrews 13:9 "Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.
You will be delivered by God's grace, not through scheming, manipulation, or carnal conflict.
When you emerge from the mire of your perplexing circumstances to be established in God, then your confusion will cease. You will no longer fear because you know the enemy will be conquered:
Psalm 112:8 "His heart is established; he will not be afraid, until he sees his desire upon his enemies."
Isaiah 54:14 "In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you."
Jehoshaphat had two strategies:
-Believe in the Lord your God and you shall be established.
-Believe his prophets and you shall prosper.
"Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?"
Obedience results in righteousness and the Word declares in Isaiah 54:14, "In righteousness you shall be established..."
You must also consider the direction of your life and evaluate the consequences of each decision. Proverbs 4:26 encourages you to "Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established."
Sometimes we end up in complex circumstances because we act before we think. We become involved in worldly entanglements and then cry out, "I don't know what to do!" Ponder your direction in life, think seriously about each decision, and let God guide your footsteps each day. Decisions determine destiny.
Stability results from being "established in the faith," which means you are grounded in the basic doctrines of God's Word. Paul encourages us in Colossians 2:7 to be "...rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving."
The Word declares in Proverbs 16:3 to, "Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established." Instead of struggling to work out your situation, commit your work to the Lord. It is God's work, His plan, His ministry. Release the stress and tension of your troubling circumstances to Him and you will find that your thoughts are established, you begin to think clearly, and the fog of confusion lifts.
Proverbs 20:18 "declares, "Plans are established by counsel; by wise counsel wage war." Wise spiritual counsel often generates solutions to your problems and enables you to successfully wage war on the negative circumstances of life.
Proverbs 24:3 reveals that "through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established." The wisdom that establishes is not worldly wisdom, but the Godly wisdom described by James 3:17, 18:
"But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace."
When you ask for wisdom without doubting, you will receive it:
James 1:5-7 "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord."
You will not always hear a voice from Heaven or receive a supernatural sign concerning your problem. When these are absent and you are faced with a decision, be assured that God's wisdom is resident within you. Make a decision in faith that He is guiding you with wisdom from above.
Recognize that it is grace, not your own works, that establishes you spiritually:
Hebrews 13:9 "Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.
You will be delivered by God's grace, not through scheming, manipulation, or carnal conflict.
When you emerge from the mire of your perplexing circumstances to be established in God, then your confusion will cease. You will no longer fear because you know the enemy will be conquered:
Psalm 112:8 "His heart is established; he will not be afraid, until he sees his desire upon his enemies."
Isaiah 54:14 "In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you."
Jehoshaphat had two strategies:
-Believe in the Lord your God and you shall be established.
-Believe his prophets and you shall prosper.
At Your Wit's End (Part 18)
It is not enough to just read and study God's Word, you must also obey it if you are to be established in God. Samuel told King Saul:
1 Samuel 13:13 "You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you. For now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever."
When you take God's Word literally for what it says and let it reign over your circumstances, then its supernatural power is released to work in your life:
1 Thessalonians 2:13 "For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe."
Obedience brings blessing, but disobedience allows curses to operate in your life according to Deuteronomy 11:27-28. God declares in Jeremiah:
7:23-"Obey my voice, and I will be your God."
11:4-"Obey my voice ...and you will be my people." 26:13-"Obey and your soul will live."
Those who observe and obey the Word are blessed:
Deuteronomy 12:28 "Observe and obey all these words which 1 command you, that it may go well with you and your children after you forever, when you do what is good and right in the sight of the Lord your God."
Many refuse to obey God's Word, close their ears to the truth, and live in rebellion. Others compromise the Word of God to accommodate their own fleshly desires. James cautions:
James 1:22-25 "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does."
Obedience is not infeasible. God enables you to obey through His ability, not your own:
Ezekiel 36:27 "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them."
You can break the power of disobedience in your life by determining, like Jesus, that you will do God's will:
John 5:30 "I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me."
1 Samuel 13:13 "You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you. For now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever."
When you take God's Word literally for what it says and let it reign over your circumstances, then its supernatural power is released to work in your life:
1 Thessalonians 2:13 "For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe."
Obedience brings blessing, but disobedience allows curses to operate in your life according to Deuteronomy 11:27-28. God declares in Jeremiah:
7:23-"Obey my voice, and I will be your God."
11:4-"Obey my voice ...and you will be my people." 26:13-"Obey and your soul will live."
Those who observe and obey the Word are blessed:
Deuteronomy 12:28 "Observe and obey all these words which 1 command you, that it may go well with you and your children after you forever, when you do what is good and right in the sight of the Lord your God."
Many refuse to obey God's Word, close their ears to the truth, and live in rebellion. Others compromise the Word of God to accommodate their own fleshly desires. James cautions:
James 1:22-25 "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does."
Obedience is not infeasible. God enables you to obey through His ability, not your own:
Ezekiel 36:27 "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them."
You can break the power of disobedience in your life by determining, like Jesus, that you will do God's will:
John 5:30 "I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me."
At Your Wit's End (Part 17)
2 Chronicles 20:19-21 "Then the Levites of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with voices loud and high. And they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established. Believe His prophets, and you shall prosper." And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: "Praise the Lord, For His mercy endures forever."
The man who didn't know what to do learned what to do and he "rose early in the morning" to do it. Jehoshaphat's instructions to his people contain the next key to in resolving our own dilemmas of life: "Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established. Believe His prophets, and you shall prosper."
"If you believe God, you will be established," declared Jehoshaphat. The prophet Isaiah later articulated the converse of these words, "If you will not believe, surely you shall not be established" in Isaiah 7:9. When you are established in God, negative circumstances no longer immobilize you. You may not know what to do, but you know God has the answer. Confusion is replaced by confidence. Fear is conquered by faith.
But how do you believe and become established in faith?
-Reject doubt!
If you are going to embrace belief, then you must reject unbelief and doubt like the plague because they result from a hardened heart:
Mark 16:14 "Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen."
An unbelieving heart will not receive God's message:
John 5:38 "But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe."
Unbelief hinders you from receiving solutions for your problems. Doubt literally cuts you off from the blessings of God! This is graphically illustrated by the experiences of the nation of Israel. God supernaturally delivered Israel from Egypt, parted the Red Sea, and guided them through the wilderness. At Kadesh-Barnea God directed them to take possession of their promised land, but when ten of the twelve spies returned with an evil report the people's hearts were filled with unbelief:
Hebrews 3:17-19 "Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief."
The Amplified Version translates verse 19, "Unbelief had shut them out." Unbelief cuts you off from the supernatural life flow of God:
Mark 6:5, 6 "Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief."
Don't limit God's power to work in your circumstances by your own unbelief. Reject doubt and assert your confidence in God. You must believe it is God's will to establish you because Isaiah 7:9 says,"if you will not believe, surely you shall not be established."
The Psalmist David declared in Psalms 40:2, "He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps." God sees the hurt and confusion generated by the situations for which you have no answers. God longs to lift you from the pit of your circumstances and He will do it, but you must believe.
(a) Belief is a command:
1 John 3:23 "And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment."
Have you been in perplexing circumstances so long that you see no way out? As the New Testament man whose child was ill, begin to cry out, "Help my unbelief!"
(b) Belief is fostered by immersing yourself in God's Word:
John 20:31 "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name."
To be established you must believe God exists and that He will respond to those who seek Him, for "he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him " according to Hebrews 11:6. Belief generates faith and soon you will receive an internal witness that your confidence is not misplaced:
1 John 5:10 "He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son."
Jesus said:
-“Don't be afraid, only believe."
-“Believe and you will receive."
-"If you can believe, all things are possible."
"All things" includes the solution to your circumstances for which there seems to be no answer. Just Believe!
The man who didn't know what to do learned what to do and he "rose early in the morning" to do it. Jehoshaphat's instructions to his people contain the next key to in resolving our own dilemmas of life: "Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established. Believe His prophets, and you shall prosper."
"If you believe God, you will be established," declared Jehoshaphat. The prophet Isaiah later articulated the converse of these words, "If you will not believe, surely you shall not be established" in Isaiah 7:9. When you are established in God, negative circumstances no longer immobilize you. You may not know what to do, but you know God has the answer. Confusion is replaced by confidence. Fear is conquered by faith.
But how do you believe and become established in faith?
-Reject doubt!
If you are going to embrace belief, then you must reject unbelief and doubt like the plague because they result from a hardened heart:
Mark 16:14 "Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen."
An unbelieving heart will not receive God's message:
John 5:38 "But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe."
Unbelief hinders you from receiving solutions for your problems. Doubt literally cuts you off from the blessings of God! This is graphically illustrated by the experiences of the nation of Israel. God supernaturally delivered Israel from Egypt, parted the Red Sea, and guided them through the wilderness. At Kadesh-Barnea God directed them to take possession of their promised land, but when ten of the twelve spies returned with an evil report the people's hearts were filled with unbelief:
Hebrews 3:17-19 "Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief."
The Amplified Version translates verse 19, "Unbelief had shut them out." Unbelief cuts you off from the supernatural life flow of God:
Mark 6:5, 6 "Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief."
Don't limit God's power to work in your circumstances by your own unbelief. Reject doubt and assert your confidence in God. You must believe it is God's will to establish you because Isaiah 7:9 says,"if you will not believe, surely you shall not be established."
The Psalmist David declared in Psalms 40:2, "He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps." God sees the hurt and confusion generated by the situations for which you have no answers. God longs to lift you from the pit of your circumstances and He will do it, but you must believe.
(a) Belief is a command:
1 John 3:23 "And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment."
Have you been in perplexing circumstances so long that you see no way out? As the New Testament man whose child was ill, begin to cry out, "Help my unbelief!"
(b) Belief is fostered by immersing yourself in God's Word:
John 20:31 "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name."
To be established you must believe God exists and that He will respond to those who seek Him, for "he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him " according to Hebrews 11:6. Belief generates faith and soon you will receive an internal witness that your confidence is not misplaced:
1 John 5:10 "He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son."
Jesus said:
-“Don't be afraid, only believe."
-“Believe and you will receive."
-"If you can believe, all things are possible."
"All things" includes the solution to your circumstances for which there seems to be no answer. Just Believe!
At Your Wit's End (Part 16)
God promises His people revelation knowledge in a confused and misdirected world:
Isaiah 30:21 "Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it, whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left."
There are six stages of development through which we pass as we reject carnal reasoning and embrace divine revelation. These are evident in the story of Jehoshaphat. The six stages of revelation are: Vexation, Revelation, Hesitation, Resignation, Verification, and Exaltation.
(1) Vexation.
Jehoshaphat was fearful when he received word of the enemy alliance advancing against him. The dread, terror, and anxiety arising from situations for which there appears to be no answer are often quite vexing. That is why we are calling this stage "vexation."
What Jehoshaphat did not realize at the time, and what we often do not comprehend, is that "vexation" is the first stage of revelation. Perhaps you are questioning your own perplexing circumstances and are troubled about why certain things are happening in your life. Vexation is the impetus that secures your attention and prepares you to receive God's plan. Vexation is actually the first stage of revelation.
(2) Revelation.
Vexation catapults you to the next level of revelation:
2 Chronicles 20:3, 4 "And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. So Judah gathered together to ask help from the Lord; and from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord. . .
12, 13 "For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You." Now all Judah, with their little ones, their wives, and their children, stood before the Lord."
A troubled spirit caused Jehoshaphat to focus his attention on God and prepared him to receive the divine strategy for his circumstances. The revelation came through a man named Jahaziel who spoke a prophetic word from God:
2 Chronicles 20:15-17 "And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel. You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem! Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you."'
Instead of wringing your hands in despair and chanting the universal motto of the perplexed, "I just don't know what to do", allow vexation to open your mind and spirit to God's revelation. As Jehoshaphat, come before God in prayer, admit your frustrations, and wait in His presence until He responds:
Jeremiah 33:3 "Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know. "
Don't give up until you receive your revelation. You will know when it comes because you will no longer be confused and frustrated. You will move from a position of not knowing to knowing exactly what to do and how to do it.
(3) Hesitation.
It is strange, but usually when God reveals His strategy we start thinking of all the rational reasons why His plan cannot work. This is because God's way often is contrary to human reasoning.
In Jehoshaphat's case human reasoning would say, "Take stock of your weapons. Train the warriors. Map out the battle plan." But God said, "Set yourself, stand still, fear not, tomorrow go out against them."
Some people spend years in the hesitation stage continuously articulating reasons why they cannot accept God's revelation. God recognizes hesitancy in accepting revelation that defies human reasoning. This is why He warned Jehoshaphat: “Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's; Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you" God commanded Jehoshaphat: "Tomorrow, don't hesitate-put my plan into action!"
When you receive your answer from God, do not hesitate:
-Even if your answer defies human reasoning.
-Even though you are overwhelmed by its impossibilities.
-Despite the fact that your friends and relatives may think you are crazy.
-Allow God to move you to the next stage of revelation.
(4) Resignation.
Resignation does not mean you quit! Resignation, as we are using it in this model, means that you resign your will to the plan of God. You set aside your own human reasoning for divine revelation. You reject your own desires to accept God's direction.
This was Jehoshaphat's response to God's revelation, despite the fact that the prophetic message of Jahaziel was unusual. The people were to position themselves and let God fight for them as they advanced into enemy territory singing His praises. A pretty crazy strategy, don't you think sending the choir first into battle?
God's answer to your dilemma may appear equally unusual but if you will position yourself as He commands, advance in faith, and begin to praise Him, God will fight for you! Jehoshaphat rose up early in the morning to execute God's plan:
2 Chronicles 20:20 "So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper."
Jehoshaphat encouraged the people to resign their will to God's plan. He told them, "Believe God and you will be established. Believe His prophets and you will prosper."
(5) Verification.
God verified His plan through a mighty victory executed on the enemy:
2 Chronicles 20:21, 22 "And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: “Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever." Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.
The victory came from God through an army of singers! A united congregation, praising God in the beauty of holiness. A people strategically positioned according to God's revelation. When you resign your human will and carnal reasoning to God's plan it will not be long until you, too, receive verification, and when you advance on the basis of this knowledge the enemy will be defeated!
(6) Exaltation.
Following God's plan does not mean you will be without problems and challenges. Jehoshaphat had to motivate, organize, and position the people strategically according to the revelation he received. The plan of God is always greater than any temporary inconveniences involved, however, and in the end revelation knowledge results in the exaltation of God:
2 Chronicles 20:27, 28 "Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat in front of them, to go back to Jerusalem with joy, for the Lord had made them rejoice over their enemies. So they came to Jerusalem, with stringed instruments and harps and trumpets, to the house of the Lord."
It is important to understand these six stages of revelation because God frequently follows this pattern when providing divine revelation. When you face impossible situations for which you have no answer, God's Word to you is:
Jeremiah 29:11 TAB "I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace, and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome."
In order to reaching that "final outcome," you will frequently follow the pattern discussed in this chapter. Remember these stages of revelation, for you will pass through them repeatedly in your spiritual journey.
Isaiah 30:21 "Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it, whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left."
There are six stages of development through which we pass as we reject carnal reasoning and embrace divine revelation. These are evident in the story of Jehoshaphat. The six stages of revelation are: Vexation, Revelation, Hesitation, Resignation, Verification, and Exaltation.
(1) Vexation.
Jehoshaphat was fearful when he received word of the enemy alliance advancing against him. The dread, terror, and anxiety arising from situations for which there appears to be no answer are often quite vexing. That is why we are calling this stage "vexation."
What Jehoshaphat did not realize at the time, and what we often do not comprehend, is that "vexation" is the first stage of revelation. Perhaps you are questioning your own perplexing circumstances and are troubled about why certain things are happening in your life. Vexation is the impetus that secures your attention and prepares you to receive God's plan. Vexation is actually the first stage of revelation.
(2) Revelation.
Vexation catapults you to the next level of revelation:
2 Chronicles 20:3, 4 "And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. So Judah gathered together to ask help from the Lord; and from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord. . .
12, 13 "For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You." Now all Judah, with their little ones, their wives, and their children, stood before the Lord."
A troubled spirit caused Jehoshaphat to focus his attention on God and prepared him to receive the divine strategy for his circumstances. The revelation came through a man named Jahaziel who spoke a prophetic word from God:
2 Chronicles 20:15-17 "And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel. You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem! Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you."'
Instead of wringing your hands in despair and chanting the universal motto of the perplexed, "I just don't know what to do", allow vexation to open your mind and spirit to God's revelation. As Jehoshaphat, come before God in prayer, admit your frustrations, and wait in His presence until He responds:
Jeremiah 33:3 "Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know. "
Don't give up until you receive your revelation. You will know when it comes because you will no longer be confused and frustrated. You will move from a position of not knowing to knowing exactly what to do and how to do it.
(3) Hesitation.
It is strange, but usually when God reveals His strategy we start thinking of all the rational reasons why His plan cannot work. This is because God's way often is contrary to human reasoning.
In Jehoshaphat's case human reasoning would say, "Take stock of your weapons. Train the warriors. Map out the battle plan." But God said, "Set yourself, stand still, fear not, tomorrow go out against them."
Some people spend years in the hesitation stage continuously articulating reasons why they cannot accept God's revelation. God recognizes hesitancy in accepting revelation that defies human reasoning. This is why He warned Jehoshaphat: “Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's; Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you" God commanded Jehoshaphat: "Tomorrow, don't hesitate-put my plan into action!"
When you receive your answer from God, do not hesitate:
-Even if your answer defies human reasoning.
-Even though you are overwhelmed by its impossibilities.
-Despite the fact that your friends and relatives may think you are crazy.
-Allow God to move you to the next stage of revelation.
(4) Resignation.
Resignation does not mean you quit! Resignation, as we are using it in this model, means that you resign your will to the plan of God. You set aside your own human reasoning for divine revelation. You reject your own desires to accept God's direction.
This was Jehoshaphat's response to God's revelation, despite the fact that the prophetic message of Jahaziel was unusual. The people were to position themselves and let God fight for them as they advanced into enemy territory singing His praises. A pretty crazy strategy, don't you think sending the choir first into battle?
God's answer to your dilemma may appear equally unusual but if you will position yourself as He commands, advance in faith, and begin to praise Him, God will fight for you! Jehoshaphat rose up early in the morning to execute God's plan:
2 Chronicles 20:20 "So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper."
Jehoshaphat encouraged the people to resign their will to God's plan. He told them, "Believe God and you will be established. Believe His prophets and you will prosper."
(5) Verification.
God verified His plan through a mighty victory executed on the enemy:
2 Chronicles 20:21, 22 "And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: “Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever." Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.
The victory came from God through an army of singers! A united congregation, praising God in the beauty of holiness. A people strategically positioned according to God's revelation. When you resign your human will and carnal reasoning to God's plan it will not be long until you, too, receive verification, and when you advance on the basis of this knowledge the enemy will be defeated!
(6) Exaltation.
Following God's plan does not mean you will be without problems and challenges. Jehoshaphat had to motivate, organize, and position the people strategically according to the revelation he received. The plan of God is always greater than any temporary inconveniences involved, however, and in the end revelation knowledge results in the exaltation of God:
2 Chronicles 20:27, 28 "Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat in front of them, to go back to Jerusalem with joy, for the Lord had made them rejoice over their enemies. So they came to Jerusalem, with stringed instruments and harps and trumpets, to the house of the Lord."
It is important to understand these six stages of revelation because God frequently follows this pattern when providing divine revelation. When you face impossible situations for which you have no answer, God's Word to you is:
Jeremiah 29:11 TAB "I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace, and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome."
In order to reaching that "final outcome," you will frequently follow the pattern discussed in this chapter. Remember these stages of revelation, for you will pass through them repeatedly in your spiritual journey.
At Your Wit's End (Part 15)
2 Chronicles 20:14-18 "Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the congregation; And he said, "Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: "Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel. You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem! Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you." And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bowed before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. "
His name was Jahaziel. He appears on the pages of Scripture but once, and that briefly, yet his message impacts the destiny of an entire nation. His words were alive with the potential of a turning point in Israel's circumstances, but to accept his message God's people must reject carnal reasoning for divine revelation.
In every situation you face for which you have no answer there comes a turning point, a moment in time when all of a sudden, in answer to your perplexities and prayers, God reveals His plan. The details vary according to each dilemma because no two sets of circumstances are identical, but there are common elements evident in divine revelation. These are noted in the words of Jahaziel which marked Israel's turning point.
Carnal reasoning generates fear. Divine revelation, however, empowers you to face the enemy unafraid.
Many years previously, when Israel stood at the border of their promised land, God warned them:
Numbers 14:9 "Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them."
The inhabitants of Canaan were labeled "bread," meaning that Israel's encounter with their enemies would actually result in spiritual strengthening. The Lord is with you and there is no need to fear. When you face your circumstances in His strength, your problems become as "bread" to you and result in spiritual strengthening.
Israel refused to heed God's command and wandered for 40 years in a desert wilderness. Years later Moses sadly reminded them:
Deuteronomy 1:29, 30 "Then I said to you, Do not be terrified, or be afraid of them. The Lord your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes."
Carnal reasoning says to "retreat" from threatening circumstances. Rationalization dictates that you must learn to co-exist with an enemy because you aren't strong enough to conquer him. God says He will fight for you, but He can only go before you if you are advancing against the enemy and facing each challenge in His strength. God cannot go before you if you are retreating.
Prior to his death, Moses gave a similar admonition to his successor:
Deuteronomy 31:7, 8 "Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, "Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it. And the Lord, He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed. "
Do you know why the enemy wants to keep you in the valley of indecision not knowing what to do? He knows God has a divine destiny for you. If you are strong, of good courage, and advance with God leading the way, you will fulfill it.
The next portion of Jahaziel's message to Israel was, "Do not be dismayed." Dismay means "alarm, apprehension, anxiety, and dread."
"Be careful," advises the voice of alarm. "I just don't feel right about this," suggests the voice of apprehension. "This just won't work for me," cautions anxiety. "You never were good at confrontation," dictates dread.
When you are trapped in any of these cycles you will not advance in faith to conquer your problem.
You become fearful and dismayed when you face the battles of life armed with your limited human resources. You must always remember that the battle is not yours, but God's. The ministry is not yours; it is the Lord's. The problem is not yours; it is God's problem. The church you pastor is not yours because Jesus said, "I will build my church."
"Tomorrow go down against them," instructed Jahaziel. When you don't know what to do, don't do anything until you do know what to do and then act in God's timing.
-Noah shut the door of the ark at the specific time commanded by God.
-The death angel passed over Egypt at the set time.
His name was Jahaziel. He appears on the pages of Scripture but once, and that briefly, yet his message impacts the destiny of an entire nation. His words were alive with the potential of a turning point in Israel's circumstances, but to accept his message God's people must reject carnal reasoning for divine revelation.
In every situation you face for which you have no answer there comes a turning point, a moment in time when all of a sudden, in answer to your perplexities and prayers, God reveals His plan. The details vary according to each dilemma because no two sets of circumstances are identical, but there are common elements evident in divine revelation. These are noted in the words of Jahaziel which marked Israel's turning point.
Carnal reasoning generates fear. Divine revelation, however, empowers you to face the enemy unafraid.
Many years previously, when Israel stood at the border of their promised land, God warned them:
Numbers 14:9 "Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them."
The inhabitants of Canaan were labeled "bread," meaning that Israel's encounter with their enemies would actually result in spiritual strengthening. The Lord is with you and there is no need to fear. When you face your circumstances in His strength, your problems become as "bread" to you and result in spiritual strengthening.
Israel refused to heed God's command and wandered for 40 years in a desert wilderness. Years later Moses sadly reminded them:
Deuteronomy 1:29, 30 "Then I said to you, Do not be terrified, or be afraid of them. The Lord your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes."
Carnal reasoning says to "retreat" from threatening circumstances. Rationalization dictates that you must learn to co-exist with an enemy because you aren't strong enough to conquer him. God says He will fight for you, but He can only go before you if you are advancing against the enemy and facing each challenge in His strength. God cannot go before you if you are retreating.
Prior to his death, Moses gave a similar admonition to his successor:
Deuteronomy 31:7, 8 "Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, "Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it. And the Lord, He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed. "
Do you know why the enemy wants to keep you in the valley of indecision not knowing what to do? He knows God has a divine destiny for you. If you are strong, of good courage, and advance with God leading the way, you will fulfill it.
The next portion of Jahaziel's message to Israel was, "Do not be dismayed." Dismay means "alarm, apprehension, anxiety, and dread."
"Be careful," advises the voice of alarm. "I just don't feel right about this," suggests the voice of apprehension. "This just won't work for me," cautions anxiety. "You never were good at confrontation," dictates dread.
When you are trapped in any of these cycles you will not advance in faith to conquer your problem.
You become fearful and dismayed when you face the battles of life armed with your limited human resources. You must always remember that the battle is not yours, but God's. The ministry is not yours; it is the Lord's. The problem is not yours; it is God's problem. The church you pastor is not yours because Jesus said, "I will build my church."
"Tomorrow go down against them," instructed Jahaziel. When you don't know what to do, don't do anything until you do know what to do and then act in God's timing.
-Noah shut the door of the ark at the specific time commanded by God.
-The death angel passed over Egypt at the set time.
-Esther waited until the perfect timing of God to appear before the King with her request, and she saved an entire nation.
-Jesus was born in the "fullness of time" and rose from the dead on the third day, the exact time that was predicted.
Carnal reasoning always dictates haste: "You better do something now--tomorrow may be too late!" God's Word indicates, however, that spiritual victories come to those who learn to wait:
Psalm 27:4 "Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!"
Isaiah 40:31 "But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 49:23 "...Then you will know that I am the Lord, for they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me."
PsaIms 130:5 "Wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I do hope."
"You will not need to fight," instructed Jahaziel. "Position yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord."
Christ's Disciples went fishing one night and caught nothing. At Jesus' command, however, they rejected carnal reasoning and threw their nets into the water one more time. They responded in faith and hauled in the catch of a lifetime! Who knows what rich bounty lies beneath the empty boat of your own failures?
The turning point in every dilemma of life comes when human reasoning is rejected and divine revelation is embraced:
-Noah rejected reason, built an ark on dry ground, and his family was saved.
-Moses rejected reason and led the Israelites across the Red Sea.
-Joshua rejected reason and conquered Jericho with shouts and blasts of rams' horns.
-A poor widow rejected selfish reasoning, baked a cake for the prophet from the last of her meal and oil, and her supply of staples was replenished continually for the duration of the famine.
-At the prophet's word, a debt-ridden widow borrowed vessels from her neighbors and began to pour from a single container of oil. The oil continued to flow until every vessel was filled, then she sold the oil and paid her debts.
-The project Elijah prepared a sacrifice, drenched it in water, and then called for the fire of God to fall. Against all human reasoning, the flames consumed both sacrifice and water.
-The prophet Ezekiel rejected human reasoning and, at God's command, paraded through the streets with his dirty underwear on a stick!
-A little boy rejected reason, offered his lunch to Jesus, and a multitude was fed.
-The Apostle Peter rejected reason when he heard Jesus say, "Come." In the strength of that one word he got out of the boat and walked on water.
You must learn to reject the voice of human reasoning when you face situations for which there seems to be no answer. Do not listen to education, tradition, religion or experience. Listen to God. One word from God is more powerful in your circumstances than an entire discourse emanating from human reasoning.
God's plan for Jehoshaphat defied human reasoning. Instead of calling Israel to arms, teaching them how to keep ranks, training them to follow orders and fight valiantly, Jehoshaphat told Israel two things: "Believe in the Lord God. Believe in His prophets."
-Jesus was born in the "fullness of time" and rose from the dead on the third day, the exact time that was predicted.
Carnal reasoning always dictates haste: "You better do something now--tomorrow may be too late!" God's Word indicates, however, that spiritual victories come to those who learn to wait:
Psalm 27:4 "Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!"
Isaiah 40:31 "But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 49:23 "...Then you will know that I am the Lord, for they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me."
PsaIms 130:5 "Wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I do hope."
"You will not need to fight," instructed Jahaziel. "Position yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord."
Christ's Disciples went fishing one night and caught nothing. At Jesus' command, however, they rejected carnal reasoning and threw their nets into the water one more time. They responded in faith and hauled in the catch of a lifetime! Who knows what rich bounty lies beneath the empty boat of your own failures?
The turning point in every dilemma of life comes when human reasoning is rejected and divine revelation is embraced:
-Noah rejected reason, built an ark on dry ground, and his family was saved.
-Moses rejected reason and led the Israelites across the Red Sea.
-Joshua rejected reason and conquered Jericho with shouts and blasts of rams' horns.
-A poor widow rejected selfish reasoning, baked a cake for the prophet from the last of her meal and oil, and her supply of staples was replenished continually for the duration of the famine.
-At the prophet's word, a debt-ridden widow borrowed vessels from her neighbors and began to pour from a single container of oil. The oil continued to flow until every vessel was filled, then she sold the oil and paid her debts.
-The project Elijah prepared a sacrifice, drenched it in water, and then called for the fire of God to fall. Against all human reasoning, the flames consumed both sacrifice and water.
-The prophet Ezekiel rejected human reasoning and, at God's command, paraded through the streets with his dirty underwear on a stick!
-A little boy rejected reason, offered his lunch to Jesus, and a multitude was fed.
-The Apostle Peter rejected reason when he heard Jesus say, "Come." In the strength of that one word he got out of the boat and walked on water.
You must learn to reject the voice of human reasoning when you face situations for which there seems to be no answer. Do not listen to education, tradition, religion or experience. Listen to God. One word from God is more powerful in your circumstances than an entire discourse emanating from human reasoning.
God's plan for Jehoshaphat defied human reasoning. Instead of calling Israel to arms, teaching them how to keep ranks, training them to follow orders and fight valiantly, Jehoshaphat told Israel two things: "Believe in the Lord God. Believe in His prophets."
At Your Wit's End (Part 14)
Ezekiel 37:11 declares that at one time the nation of Israel lost hope but when their hope rekindled, God said:
Isaiah 57:10 "You are wearied in the length of your way; yet you did not say, “There is no hope.” You have found the life of your hand; therefore you were not grieved."
-Hope dispels weariness and leads to spiritual renewal.
-Hope is an anchor for your soul, sure and steadfast in times of trouble.
-Everything we do should be done with an attitude of hope because the Lord takes pleasure in those that hope .
Hope is based on faith: Romans 8:24, 25 "For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance."
Abraham is perhaps the best Biblical example of a man who learned the power of hope. Despite his age and Sarah's barren womb, he believed "God who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did" and "contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken" according to Romans 4:17, 18.
The Psalmist David wrote more about hope that any other Biblical author. Ask God to rekindle your hope for the future as you read the following declarations from the book of Psalms:
16:9 "Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will rest in hope."
22:9 "But You are He who took Me out of the womb; you made Me trust while on My mother's breasts."
31: 24 "Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord."
33:18 "Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy."
33:22 "Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, just as we hope in You."
38:15 "For in You, O Lord, I hope; you will hear, O Lord my God."
39:7 "And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You."
42: 11 "Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God."
71:5 "For You are my hope, O Lord GOD; you are my trust from my youth."
71:4 "But I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more."
119:49 "Remember the word to Your servant, upon which You have caused me to hope."
119:81 "My soul faints for Your salvation, but I hope in Your word."
119:114 "You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word."
119:116 "Uphold me according to Your word, that I may live; and do not let me be ashamed of my hope."
Psalm 130:5 "I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I do hope."
130:7 "Hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption."
131:3 "Make the decision--right now--that you will "hope in the Lord from this time forth and forever!"
Jehoshaphat's reaction here is a powerful gesture of piety; he does not delay his praise and thanksgiving until the battle has proven God's promise. His trust in the Lord is such that he is content with the prophetic assurance that his prayer has been heard.
When Jehoshaphat finished his appeal to God, a hush fell across the waiting congregation. No one stirred. Even the little children remained quiet. They stood there waiting before the Lord. Dependent. Vulnerable. Will their confidence be rewarded? Read the chapter and see!
Isaiah 57:10 "You are wearied in the length of your way; yet you did not say, “There is no hope.” You have found the life of your hand; therefore you were not grieved."
-Hope dispels weariness and leads to spiritual renewal.
-Hope is an anchor for your soul, sure and steadfast in times of trouble.
-Everything we do should be done with an attitude of hope because the Lord takes pleasure in those that hope .
Hope is based on faith: Romans 8:24, 25 "For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance."
Abraham is perhaps the best Biblical example of a man who learned the power of hope. Despite his age and Sarah's barren womb, he believed "God who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did" and "contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken" according to Romans 4:17, 18.
The Psalmist David wrote more about hope that any other Biblical author. Ask God to rekindle your hope for the future as you read the following declarations from the book of Psalms:
16:9 "Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will rest in hope."
22:9 "But You are He who took Me out of the womb; you made Me trust while on My mother's breasts."
31: 24 "Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord."
33:18 "Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy."
33:22 "Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, just as we hope in You."
38:15 "For in You, O Lord, I hope; you will hear, O Lord my God."
39:7 "And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You."
42: 11 "Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God."
71:5 "For You are my hope, O Lord GOD; you are my trust from my youth."
71:4 "But I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more."
119:49 "Remember the word to Your servant, upon which You have caused me to hope."
119:81 "My soul faints for Your salvation, but I hope in Your word."
119:114 "You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word."
119:116 "Uphold me according to Your word, that I may live; and do not let me be ashamed of my hope."
Psalm 130:5 "I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I do hope."
130:7 "Hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption."
131:3 "Make the decision--right now--that you will "hope in the Lord from this time forth and forever!"
Jehoshaphat's reaction here is a powerful gesture of piety; he does not delay his praise and thanksgiving until the battle has proven God's promise. His trust in the Lord is such that he is content with the prophetic assurance that his prayer has been heard.
When Jehoshaphat finished his appeal to God, a hush fell across the waiting congregation. No one stirred. Even the little children remained quiet. They stood there waiting before the Lord. Dependent. Vulnerable. Will their confidence be rewarded? Read the chapter and see!
Thursday, May 25, 2017
At Your Wit's End (Part 8)
Jesus spoke of people who did not use their faith as being faithless. He spoke of those with little faith and of those with great faith. The Bible also teaches that each person has a certain amount of faith received as a gift from God:
Romans 12:3 "For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith."
Each believer has some faith because it is through faith you are saved, but this measure of faith can be increased. Here are three steps to replace fear with faith:
1. Hear God's Word!
Romans 10:17 "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
This is evident in saving faith, because you must first hear the Word of God in order to repent of your sin and receive Jesus as Savior. After you are saved, Biblical teaching and preaching continue to increase your faith. The more you hear the Word of God, the more your faith increases. The more faith increases the easier it is to defend against spiritual attacks of the enemy because even a small amount of faith is very powerful:
Matthew 17:20 "So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, `Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.”
Nothing is impossible if you have even a small amount of faith! Here are some selected Scriptures that will eliminate fear and generate faith:
Psalm 56:3, 4 "Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His word), in God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?"
Psalms 27:1 "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"
Psalm 46:2 "Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.
Psalms 27:3 "Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war should rise against me, in this I will be confident."
Psalms 118:6 "The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"
Proverbs 29:25 "The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe."
Isaiah 41:13 "For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, `Fear not, I will help you.’"
Isaiah 12:2 "Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; `For YAH, the Lord, is my strength and song; he also has become my salvation.’”
Isaiah 41:10 "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."
Isaiah 44:8 "Do not fear, nor be afraid; have I not told you from that time, and declared it? You are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one."
Hebrews 13:6 "So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
1 John 4:18 "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love."
Romans 8:15 "For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”
2 Timothy 1:7 "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."
2. Keep your mind on God!
Despite negative circumstances, you will remain peaceful when your mind is fixed on God:
Isaiah 26:3 "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You."
The word “stayed” in this verse is translated from a Hebrew word which means “to lean upon or take hold, to be established and steadfast.” To keep your mind fixed on God means trusting Him at all times and in all circumstances, believing that when you face the enemy and do not know what to do He has the answer!
3. Act on your faith!
Faith is a fact, but it is also an act. Hebrews 11 is called the “faith chapter” because of its numerous references to the faith of the great men and women listed there. In each example, faith is combined with works:
-By faith Abel offered a sacrifice.
-By faith Enoch walked with God.
-By faith Noah prepared an ark.
-By faith Abraham moved to an unknown land.
-By faith Sarah birthed a child when she was past childbearing age. -By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were compassed seven days.
And so the chronicle continues. Attitude is combined with action and faith is illustrated both as a fact and an act.
Faith is what you believe and works are what you do. The Bible teaches faith is a gift of God increased by hearing and responding to His Word, but this does not mean works are not important. James declared:
James 2:17, 18 "Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works."
Your works, how you live, and react to the circumstances of life around you are a test of the reality of your faith.
James sums up the connection between faith and works by the example of the relationship between man's body and spirit. The Bible teaches that when a man dies, his spirit leaves his body. James declares that...
James 2:26 "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."
Your actions should reflect the living faith within you because Galatians 3:11 “the just shall live by faith” and
Hebrews 11:6 "Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."
When you face circumstances of life for which there seems to be no answer and when you don’t know what to do the very first thing to do is replace fear with faith. Like Jehoshaphat, get your eyes off the problem and direct your attention to God. Fear paralyzes, but faith energizes you to take the next step forward.
Romans 12:3 "For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith."
Each believer has some faith because it is through faith you are saved, but this measure of faith can be increased. Here are three steps to replace fear with faith:
1. Hear God's Word!
Romans 10:17 "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
This is evident in saving faith, because you must first hear the Word of God in order to repent of your sin and receive Jesus as Savior. After you are saved, Biblical teaching and preaching continue to increase your faith. The more you hear the Word of God, the more your faith increases. The more faith increases the easier it is to defend against spiritual attacks of the enemy because even a small amount of faith is very powerful:
Matthew 17:20 "So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, `Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.”
Nothing is impossible if you have even a small amount of faith! Here are some selected Scriptures that will eliminate fear and generate faith:
Psalm 56:3, 4 "Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His word), in God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?"
Psalms 27:1 "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"
Psalm 46:2 "Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.
Psalms 27:3 "Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war should rise against me, in this I will be confident."
Psalms 118:6 "The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"
Proverbs 29:25 "The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe."
Isaiah 41:13 "For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, `Fear not, I will help you.’"
Isaiah 12:2 "Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; `For YAH, the Lord, is my strength and song; he also has become my salvation.’”
Isaiah 41:10 "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."
Isaiah 44:8 "Do not fear, nor be afraid; have I not told you from that time, and declared it? You are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one."
Hebrews 13:6 "So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
1 John 4:18 "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love."
Romans 8:15 "For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”
2 Timothy 1:7 "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."
2. Keep your mind on God!
Despite negative circumstances, you will remain peaceful when your mind is fixed on God:
Isaiah 26:3 "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You."
The word “stayed” in this verse is translated from a Hebrew word which means “to lean upon or take hold, to be established and steadfast.” To keep your mind fixed on God means trusting Him at all times and in all circumstances, believing that when you face the enemy and do not know what to do He has the answer!
3. Act on your faith!
Faith is a fact, but it is also an act. Hebrews 11 is called the “faith chapter” because of its numerous references to the faith of the great men and women listed there. In each example, faith is combined with works:
-By faith Abel offered a sacrifice.
-By faith Enoch walked with God.
-By faith Noah prepared an ark.
-By faith Abraham moved to an unknown land.
-By faith Sarah birthed a child when she was past childbearing age. -By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were compassed seven days.
And so the chronicle continues. Attitude is combined with action and faith is illustrated both as a fact and an act.
Faith is what you believe and works are what you do. The Bible teaches faith is a gift of God increased by hearing and responding to His Word, but this does not mean works are not important. James declared:
James 2:17, 18 "Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works."
Your works, how you live, and react to the circumstances of life around you are a test of the reality of your faith.
James sums up the connection between faith and works by the example of the relationship between man's body and spirit. The Bible teaches that when a man dies, his spirit leaves his body. James declares that...
James 2:26 "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."
Your actions should reflect the living faith within you because Galatians 3:11 “the just shall live by faith” and
Hebrews 11:6 "Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."
When you face circumstances of life for which there seems to be no answer and when you don’t know what to do the very first thing to do is replace fear with faith. Like Jehoshaphat, get your eyes off the problem and direct your attention to God. Fear paralyzes, but faith energizes you to take the next step forward.
At Your Wit's End (Part 7)
If you are to replace fear with faith, then you must understand what faith is and how to attain it. The Bible defines faith as “... the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” in Hebrews 11:1. The Amplified Bible adds to this definition:
"Now faith is the assurance, the confirmation, the title deed of the things we hope for, being the proof of things we do not see, and the conviction of their reality. Faith is perceiving as real what is not revealed to the senses."
Faith gives assurance that things promised in the future are true and that unseen things are real. The words “faith” and “believe” are used nearly 500 times in the New Testament and faith is one of the basic Christian doctrines listed by the Apostle Paul in Hebrews 6:1-6.
Faith differs from hope because hope is simply a desire or expectancy concerning things in the future. Faith is the belief in something you cannot see but have assurance you already possess. Hope is in the mind while faith is in the heart:
1 Thessalonians 5:8 "But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.
In this verse, faith is associated with the region of the heart as a breastplate. Hope is a helmet associated with the head (the mind). Hope is a mental attitude of expectancy about the future, while faith is a condition of the heart producing belief in God:
Romans 10:10 "For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Believing with the heart always produces change in your life. The result is something experienced in the present, not something hoped for in the future:
Faith is not what we see. Faith always goes beyond what we see to what we hope for and to what we believe we receive. That is why we thank God for the answer to our prayer before the answer is seen. When it is seen we thank him by sight-but then we are no longer thanking him by faith.
Faith is not the same as "mind over matter" which teaches that man can overcome problems by using his mind, reason, or willpower. These teachings are man-centered because they rely on self instead of God. Faith is God-centered, not man-centered. It is a gift of God, not something produced through self-effort.
here is a natural faith that most people develop, a trust in things that prove stable. For example, you have faith that when you flip an electric switch the lights will turn on. This confidence is placed in things that you learn by experience are usually dependable.
Biblical faith, however, is confidence placed in what is not yet seen but is declared as fact before it is evident to the natural senses. Biblical faith is not just faith in general, but it is directed faith. It is the faith towards God referenced in Hebrews 6:1. Faith in general can be misdirected. You can misplace your faith by placing it in carnal weapons. David declared in Psalms 44:6, “I will not trust in my bow, nor shall my sword save me”, and proclaimed in Psalms 20:7, “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.”
David warned in Psalms 146:3, “Do not put your trust in princes, nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help.”
-David knew that even faith in a good friend can be misplaced:
Psalms 41:9 "Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me."
-You can misdirect your faith by trusting in yourself instead of God:
Proverbs 28:26 "He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered."
-Confidence in money or position is also misplaced faith:
Psalms 52:7 "Here is the man who did not make God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness."
True faith is directed "toward God" and is a potent spiritual weapon. In describing our spiritual armor the Apostle Paul says in Ephesians 6:16 “above all taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one." When you face impossible circumstances of life, Satan attacks your faith by sending darts of unbelief into your mind. Faith provides a powerful spiritual defense to these onslaughts. Faith is “above all” the spiritual weapons.
"Now faith is the assurance, the confirmation, the title deed of the things we hope for, being the proof of things we do not see, and the conviction of their reality. Faith is perceiving as real what is not revealed to the senses."
Faith gives assurance that things promised in the future are true and that unseen things are real. The words “faith” and “believe” are used nearly 500 times in the New Testament and faith is one of the basic Christian doctrines listed by the Apostle Paul in Hebrews 6:1-6.
Faith differs from hope because hope is simply a desire or expectancy concerning things in the future. Faith is the belief in something you cannot see but have assurance you already possess. Hope is in the mind while faith is in the heart:
1 Thessalonians 5:8 "But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.
In this verse, faith is associated with the region of the heart as a breastplate. Hope is a helmet associated with the head (the mind). Hope is a mental attitude of expectancy about the future, while faith is a condition of the heart producing belief in God:
Romans 10:10 "For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Believing with the heart always produces change in your life. The result is something experienced in the present, not something hoped for in the future:
Faith is not what we see. Faith always goes beyond what we see to what we hope for and to what we believe we receive. That is why we thank God for the answer to our prayer before the answer is seen. When it is seen we thank him by sight-but then we are no longer thanking him by faith.
Faith is not the same as "mind over matter" which teaches that man can overcome problems by using his mind, reason, or willpower. These teachings are man-centered because they rely on self instead of God. Faith is God-centered, not man-centered. It is a gift of God, not something produced through self-effort.
here is a natural faith that most people develop, a trust in things that prove stable. For example, you have faith that when you flip an electric switch the lights will turn on. This confidence is placed in things that you learn by experience are usually dependable.
Biblical faith, however, is confidence placed in what is not yet seen but is declared as fact before it is evident to the natural senses. Biblical faith is not just faith in general, but it is directed faith. It is the faith towards God referenced in Hebrews 6:1. Faith in general can be misdirected. You can misplace your faith by placing it in carnal weapons. David declared in Psalms 44:6, “I will not trust in my bow, nor shall my sword save me”, and proclaimed in Psalms 20:7, “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.”
David warned in Psalms 146:3, “Do not put your trust in princes, nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help.”
-David knew that even faith in a good friend can be misplaced:
Psalms 41:9 "Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me."
-You can misdirect your faith by trusting in yourself instead of God:
Proverbs 28:26 "He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered."
-Confidence in money or position is also misplaced faith:
Psalms 52:7 "Here is the man who did not make God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness."
True faith is directed "toward God" and is a potent spiritual weapon. In describing our spiritual armor the Apostle Paul says in Ephesians 6:16 “above all taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one." When you face impossible circumstances of life, Satan attacks your faith by sending darts of unbelief into your mind. Faith provides a powerful spiritual defense to these onslaughts. Faith is “above all” the spiritual weapons.
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