The fifth lie the devil wants you to believe is that you have authority over all the power of the enemy. Paul told the Ephesians not to “give place to the devil” in Ephesians 4:27. In the New International Version this is translated, “do not give the devil a foothold.” A “foothold” is a position that can be used as a base for further advance.
Your position as a believer is not one of running or hiding from the enemy. It is standing firm, not giving Satan a place in your life that will enable him to enter in and eventually defeat you. Permitting spiritual ignorance to remain regarding the enemy, his power, and the plan of God for your life allows Satan to get a strong foothold. It gives him an opportunity to operate and attack you.
Your solution is to put on the mind of Christ. Paul told said in Philippians 2:5:
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”
Do not allow your life to be ruled by your natural mind. Your natural mind cannot comprehend the things of the Spirit. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:14, 15 AMP:
"But the natural, nonspiritual man does not accept or welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly (meaningless nonsense) to him; and he is incapable of knowing them – of progressively recognizing, understanding and becoming better acquainted with them because they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated. But the spiritual man tries all things-(that is,) he examines, investigates, inquires into, questions, and discerns all things."
You must fill your mind with the knowledge of the Lord. You must come to know Christ intimately so that His thoughts and purposes become your thoughts and purposes. There is no excuse for spiritual ignorance. You must understand spiritual warfare. There is no excuse for not knowing the Word of God. There is no reason you should not know the truth concerning the enemy and your position of power and authority over him. There is no excuse for not knowing how to defeat the enemy.
God has equipped you with the all-powerful Word of God which gives you detailed instructions on how to fight and win spiritual battles. God is not sending you out into battle empty-handed. He has given you all the knowledge and spiritual arsenal you need to win the war. Use it!
Monday, August 21, 2017
5 Lies Of The Devil (Part 4)
The fourth lie you must understand is that you are not exempt from the attacks of Satan because you are a Christian. Jesus told His disciples:
John 15:20, 21 AMP "A servant is not greater than his master--is not superior to him. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word and obeyed My teachings, they will also keep and obey yours. But the enemy will do all this to you–inflict all this suffering on you–because of (your bearing) my name, and on My account, for they do not know or understand the One Who sent Me."
Jesus also warned His disciples:
John 16:33 AMP "In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer--take courage, be confident, certain, undaunted--for I have overcome the world. I have deprived it of power to harm, have conquered it (for you)."
The devil will send preachers and people into your life with the message that if you're tempted by the enemy you're not saved. Don't believe that junk! Christians are not exempt from the attacks of the enemy. You will be tried and tested. You may have already faced times of severe testing where your faith has been tried through difficult circumstances. You may be going through a time of testing right now. You may be facing persecution and great losses.
Your position during times of difficulties should not be one of fear, panic, discouragement, or retreat. You are to:
a. Resist or stand against and oppose Satan.
b. Stand firm knowing that Christ will make you victorious.
Peter said in 1 Peter 5:10 NIV:
"And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast."
These four words – "restore, strong, firm, and steadfast" describe what God has promised to do for you during times of difficulty. The word “restore” means to “perfect” or “make complete.” God uses every situation to perfect you. As you submit to Him and resist Satan, God will “make you strong.” The original Greek translation of this phrase means “to strengthen one so he can stand fast in persecution.” God will make you “firm and steadfast,” which means “to be put on a firm foundation.”
This promise is your guarantee:
The God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will restore you and make me strong, firm, and steadfast.
You are not exempt from spiritual battles, but there is a divine purpose in what you are experiencing.
John 15:20, 21 AMP "A servant is not greater than his master--is not superior to him. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word and obeyed My teachings, they will also keep and obey yours. But the enemy will do all this to you–inflict all this suffering on you–because of (your bearing) my name, and on My account, for they do not know or understand the One Who sent Me."
Jesus also warned His disciples:
John 16:33 AMP "In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer--take courage, be confident, certain, undaunted--for I have overcome the world. I have deprived it of power to harm, have conquered it (for you)."
The devil will send preachers and people into your life with the message that if you're tempted by the enemy you're not saved. Don't believe that junk! Christians are not exempt from the attacks of the enemy. You will be tried and tested. You may have already faced times of severe testing where your faith has been tried through difficult circumstances. You may be going through a time of testing right now. You may be facing persecution and great losses.
Your position during times of difficulties should not be one of fear, panic, discouragement, or retreat. You are to:
a. Resist or stand against and oppose Satan.
b. Stand firm knowing that Christ will make you victorious.
Peter said in 1 Peter 5:10 NIV:
"And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast."
These four words – "restore, strong, firm, and steadfast" describe what God has promised to do for you during times of difficulty. The word “restore” means to “perfect” or “make complete.” God uses every situation to perfect you. As you submit to Him and resist Satan, God will “make you strong.” The original Greek translation of this phrase means “to strengthen one so he can stand fast in persecution.” God will make you “firm and steadfast,” which means “to be put on a firm foundation.”
This promise is your guarantee:
The God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will restore you and make me strong, firm, and steadfast.
You are not exempt from spiritual battles, but there is a divine purpose in what you are experiencing.
5 Lies Of The Devil (Part 3)
Satan is not in control over the earth. his power is limited, and he has no power over you except what you permit him to have.
Satan cannot make you sin. He can lie, deceive, and tempt you to sin, but he has no power over your will. One of the most powerful things God has given you is your will. Unless you yield your will to Satan, he cannot have any power over you. He cannot make you lose your temper. He cannot make you steal. He cannot make you commit adultery. He cannot make you sin against God. He cannot blot your name out of the Book of Life.
When you were born again, you were delivered out of Satan’s dominion and you are now living in the Kingdom of God. Paul said that God has “...delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son” according to Colossians 1:13.
As the ruler of darkness and the god of this world, Satan controls unbelievers who yield their wills to him. They are taken captive by him at his will according to 2 Timothy 2:26 and he blinds their minds to the Gospel:
2 Corinthians 4:4 “…the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”
But Satan does not have power over you, as a believer. You are no longer under Satan’s dominion. He has no power over you unless you yield your will to him. Paul told the Romans in Chapter 6:16-19::
"Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness…even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness."
Your will is a strong force given you by God. One of Satan's major strategies is to attack your will, take control of it, and then cause you to yield to his plans instead of doing God’s will. You yield to Satan; he does not seize control. You are not his helpless victim. You must willingly yield yourself to him in order for him to seize control.
But no longer will you fall prey to this strategy. You now know that he has no power over you except what you allow him to have
Satan cannot make you sin. He can lie, deceive, and tempt you to sin, but he has no power over your will. One of the most powerful things God has given you is your will. Unless you yield your will to Satan, he cannot have any power over you. He cannot make you lose your temper. He cannot make you steal. He cannot make you commit adultery. He cannot make you sin against God. He cannot blot your name out of the Book of Life.
When you were born again, you were delivered out of Satan’s dominion and you are now living in the Kingdom of God. Paul said that God has “...delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son” according to Colossians 1:13.
As the ruler of darkness and the god of this world, Satan controls unbelievers who yield their wills to him. They are taken captive by him at his will according to 2 Timothy 2:26 and he blinds their minds to the Gospel:
2 Corinthians 4:4 “…the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”
But Satan does not have power over you, as a believer. You are no longer under Satan’s dominion. He has no power over you unless you yield your will to him. Paul told the Romans in Chapter 6:16-19::
"Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness…even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness."
Your will is a strong force given you by God. One of Satan's major strategies is to attack your will, take control of it, and then cause you to yield to his plans instead of doing God’s will. You yield to Satan; he does not seize control. You are not his helpless victim. You must willingly yield yourself to him in order for him to seize control.
But no longer will you fall prey to this strategy. You now know that he has no power over you except what you allow him to have
Five Lies Of The Devil (Part 2)
The second lie is that Satan wants you to believe that he has been given unlimited power, but he is a liar. Satan is not a free agent. God has not freed him to do whatever he desires to do.
God is in control, not Satan. God has a Master Plan that consummates in the creation of a new heaven and a new earth where all things are brought together in one under Christ according to Ephesians 1:10. Within God’s plan and purpose for man, He has given Satan limited power and a limited amount of time to work.
When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, he did not do it without God’s knowledge. It was not a chance meeting. Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. Jesus was tempted in all points, just as you are, so that you could have a faithful High Priest who is touched by the feeling of your infirmities according to Hebrews 4:15.
Satan did not have the power to take Jesus’ life from Him. God planned to give His only begotten Son as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. God allowed Satan, working through men, to crucify Jesus. Satan was not in control. God allowed the crucifixion, knowing that Jesus would complete the atonement for the sins of mankind, rise from the dead, break the power of sin and death, and return to Heaven. It was His divine destiny.
When the Jewish leaders and soldiers came to arrest Him, Jesus told them in Luke 22:53:
“When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”
This was the appointed hour when God permitted Satan to work through these men to bring Jesus to death on the cross. It was not because God could not prevent this from happening. Jesus told them in Matthew 26:53, 54:
“Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?”
At Jesus’ trial when He refused to answer Pilate’s questions, Pilate asked Him: “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above” according to John 19:10, 11 NIV.
Satan’s power is limited. He has been given certain boundaries set by God and he cannot go beyond these boundaries. Satan is working throughout the world today, but God has placed limits on him concerning his attacks on believers. Satan’s power against you is limited by the almighty power of God.
God is in control, not Satan. God has a Master Plan that consummates in the creation of a new heaven and a new earth where all things are brought together in one under Christ according to Ephesians 1:10. Within God’s plan and purpose for man, He has given Satan limited power and a limited amount of time to work.
When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, he did not do it without God’s knowledge. It was not a chance meeting. Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. Jesus was tempted in all points, just as you are, so that you could have a faithful High Priest who is touched by the feeling of your infirmities according to Hebrews 4:15.
Satan did not have the power to take Jesus’ life from Him. God planned to give His only begotten Son as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. God allowed Satan, working through men, to crucify Jesus. Satan was not in control. God allowed the crucifixion, knowing that Jesus would complete the atonement for the sins of mankind, rise from the dead, break the power of sin and death, and return to Heaven. It was His divine destiny.
When the Jewish leaders and soldiers came to arrest Him, Jesus told them in Luke 22:53:
“When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”
This was the appointed hour when God permitted Satan to work through these men to bring Jesus to death on the cross. It was not because God could not prevent this from happening. Jesus told them in Matthew 26:53, 54:
“Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?”
At Jesus’ trial when He refused to answer Pilate’s questions, Pilate asked Him: “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above” according to John 19:10, 11 NIV.
Satan’s power is limited. He has been given certain boundaries set by God and he cannot go beyond these boundaries. Satan is working throughout the world today, but God has placed limits on him concerning his attacks on believers. Satan’s power against you is limited by the almighty power of God.
5 Lies Of The Devil (Part 1)
There are five lies the devil has perpetuated that you must understand in order to successfully confront his deceptions:
1. He is not in control over the earth.
2. His power is limited.
3. He has no power over you except what you permit him to have.
4. You are not exempt from his attacks.
5. You have power over all the power of the enemy.
A major deception is that Satan has control over the earth. There are many Christians who have been deceived by this lie. They think that when Adam and Eve sinned, God turned the earth over to Satan. They base their belief on Satan’s claim to power when he tempted Jesus in the wilderness.
During the temptation of Jesus, Satan took Him up to a high mountain and showed Him the kingdoms of the world. He told Jesus in Luke 4:6, 7:
"All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine."
Satan's claim was that all the kingdoms of the world were his to give.
This was a lie! God never relinquished control of the earth to Satan and He never will. The first lie you must defeat is that Satan is not in control over this planet. The earth does not belong to him, it belongs to God:
Psalm 24:1“The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.”
If you are a born-again believer, Satan is not in control of your life. He is not in control of your family or your ministry. He is not in control of your destiny. He is not in control of the circumstances of your life.
This earth and everything therein belongs to God including you, your friends and family, your possessions, your circumstances, and your destiny! You may experience trials, but this is not because Satan is in control. Satan is not in control. God is in control. There is nothing that can touch your life without God's permission. Hold on to that fact and be blessed!
Just because you are a believer does not mean you are immune from Satan's lies, temptations, and attacks however. Even Jesus faced the deceptions of Satan during His temptation in the wilderness. Jesus emerged victorious over all the deceptions of the enemy as He met every attack with the truth of God's Word. You can do the same!
1. He is not in control over the earth.
2. His power is limited.
3. He has no power over you except what you permit him to have.
4. You are not exempt from his attacks.
5. You have power over all the power of the enemy.
A major deception is that Satan has control over the earth. There are many Christians who have been deceived by this lie. They think that when Adam and Eve sinned, God turned the earth over to Satan. They base their belief on Satan’s claim to power when he tempted Jesus in the wilderness.
During the temptation of Jesus, Satan took Him up to a high mountain and showed Him the kingdoms of the world. He told Jesus in Luke 4:6, 7:
"All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine."
Satan's claim was that all the kingdoms of the world were his to give.
This was a lie! God never relinquished control of the earth to Satan and He never will. The first lie you must defeat is that Satan is not in control over this planet. The earth does not belong to him, it belongs to God:
Psalm 24:1“The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.”
If you are a born-again believer, Satan is not in control of your life. He is not in control of your family or your ministry. He is not in control of your destiny. He is not in control of the circumstances of your life.
This earth and everything therein belongs to God including you, your friends and family, your possessions, your circumstances, and your destiny! You may experience trials, but this is not because Satan is in control. Satan is not in control. God is in control. There is nothing that can touch your life without God's permission. Hold on to that fact and be blessed!
Just because you are a believer does not mean you are immune from Satan's lies, temptations, and attacks however. Even Jesus faced the deceptions of Satan during His temptation in the wilderness. Jesus emerged victorious over all the deceptions of the enemy as He met every attack with the truth of God's Word. You can do the same!
Friday, August 18, 2017
The Acursed Thing (Part 3)
In the story of Ai, there were four major reasons for defeat, all of which are common in spiritual setbacks experienced by believers. We have discussed three of these, but today we deal with another major reason for their defeat and that was prayerlessness.
Joshua listened to the self-reliant men who returned from viewing Ai, but according to the biblical record he did not pray about the report he received. He immediately organized only 3,000 warriors to go up to Ai to battle.
Had Joshua taken time to pray, undoubtedly God would have revealed that there was sin in Israel and would have warned him not to go to battle. Had Joshua taken time to pray, he would have also discovered that the pattern for attacking Ai was not to be the same as that used at Jericho.
The "Ais" of life (the battles with the flesh)are not won the same way as the "Jerichos”, a city representative of the world. Neither can you live on past victories or the traditions of yesterday. God has new strategies for each battle you face. The strategy to take Ai was different from that used at Jericho.
In the book of Judges, a man named Gideon was told to reduce his army before going into battle in Judges 7. For the return to Ai, Joshua was told to take all the warriors to battle. You cannot limit God to a certain pattern. He is the God who has declared "I will do a new thing.” You cannot act solely on the basis of tradition or precedent.
But Joshua did not take time to pray. Instead, he sent only a few of the troops to Ai. Sadly, some of the men were killed and the remainder fled before the enemy.
Remember that the "Ais" of life are not won the same way as the "Jerichos". In each new battle you face, you must lay aside your pride and carnal perception, pray to learn God's strategies, and follow His principles.
Joshua listened to the self-reliant men who returned from viewing Ai, but according to the biblical record he did not pray about the report he received. He immediately organized only 3,000 warriors to go up to Ai to battle.
Had Joshua taken time to pray, undoubtedly God would have revealed that there was sin in Israel and would have warned him not to go to battle. Had Joshua taken time to pray, he would have also discovered that the pattern for attacking Ai was not to be the same as that used at Jericho.
The "Ais" of life (the battles with the flesh)are not won the same way as the "Jerichos”, a city representative of the world. Neither can you live on past victories or the traditions of yesterday. God has new strategies for each battle you face. The strategy to take Ai was different from that used at Jericho.
In the book of Judges, a man named Gideon was told to reduce his army before going into battle in Judges 7. For the return to Ai, Joshua was told to take all the warriors to battle. You cannot limit God to a certain pattern. He is the God who has declared "I will do a new thing.” You cannot act solely on the basis of tradition or precedent.
But Joshua did not take time to pray. Instead, he sent only a few of the troops to Ai. Sadly, some of the men were killed and the remainder fled before the enemy.
Remember that the "Ais" of life are not won the same way as the "Jerichos". In each new battle you face, you must lay aside your pride and carnal perception, pray to learn God's strategies, and follow His principles.
Monday, August 14, 2017
Give Me A Vision (Part 5)
I have described the natural birth process and applied it to the birth of a spiritual vision.
The area I have written about previously were conception, development,
travail, and the time of transition. The
final stage in the process is the actual birth.
The
development of a spiritual vision has an expected end, just as in the
development of a human embryo. That anticipated
end is birth. Your vision becomes reality.
a. Premature birth and delayed birth can result in death, both
in the natural birth process and in the birth of spiritual vision.
b. Do not move ahead of God and do not lag
behind.
c. Keep right in step with Him during the birth of your vision and you
will be well on your way to your divine destiny.
After birth in the natural world, a child needs constant
care as it continues to grow and develop. After birth of a spiritual vision,
that vision will continue to develop, but like a child you must protect and
nourish it. Your vision will develop different
features and form, but every feature develops from that basic cell of spiritual
life which is the vision.
So the birth of a vision:
1. Occurs during times of intimacy with God.
2. Requires time and patience.
3. Understands difficulties arise as you near it.
4. Transition is the most difficult time right before your vision is birthed.
5. Accepts when the vision becomes a reality.
Birth requires change.
In the natural world, the child must leave the security of the womb.
When you were born-again you had to leave the old life of sin. You had to let Jesus change your thought and
action patterns.
Are you ready to receive spiritual vision? Are you willing to experience spiritual
travail in order to birth something new
in your life? If you are not
willing, you had better read a different devotional guide. Once you glimpse the
vision of your divine destiny shared in these pages, your life will never again
be the same.
To give birth to spiritual vision also requires change. It
requires courage to step from the known into the unknown.
Give Me A Vision (Part 4)
I've been sharing on the natural birth process and applying
it to the birth of a vision. I have discussed previously conception, development, and travail. Next comes the time of transition.
In
the natural birth process there is a time during labor known as the time of
"transition.” It is the most
difficult time of travail right before the birth canal is open to permit the child
to be born.
This parallels the birth of a vision in the spirit world.
When God births in you a spiritual vision, you will experience a time of
transition. Transition means
change. As God gives you new spiritual vision
it will require change in your life. It
will call for a new commitment and dedication.
You may experience pressure in every area of your life. Everything within you may cry out for relief
from the spiritual birth pangs of what God is bringing forth. This is the point where many fail to receive
their spiritual destiny. Repeatedly, God has brought His people to the time of
transition to birth His vision through them, but because the transition was too
difficult many have turned back. They
could not take the pressure of this most difficult time. A new vision required changes in thoughts, actions,
and lifestyle which they were not willing to make. They could not abandon their own self-effort
and traditions. They would not set aside
their own ambitions and desires to embrace the plan of God.
This is what happened to the nation of Israel:
Isaiah 26:17, 18 " Like as a woman with child, that draweth near
the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we
been in Thy sight, O Lord. We have been
with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we
have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of
the world fallen."
Travail and transition are painful experiences, but it is
only by these that the vision can be birthed:
Give Me A Vision (Part 3)
The natural birth process which brings a human baby into the
world is similar to the process of the birth of a vision in the spirit
world. Yesterday I shared on
the conception and development of a vision.
The next area is travail.
Ecclesiastes
5:3 states: "For
a dream cometh through the multitude of business." The
meaning of the word "multitude" is "great".
"Business", according to one Hebrew meaning, is travail, meaning difficulty.
So a dream or vision comes through great travail.
In natural birth there are facts about travail that parallel
the spiritual travail which births a vision.
Natural travail is a time of intense, concentrated effort to birth a
child. This time of travail is also
called "labor.” As in the delivery of a child, a spiritual vision is
birthed by intense mental, physical, and spiritual concentration.
In the natural world, during the time of travail the one
giving birth must let the natural birth process take control. Physically forcing the baby into the birth
canal before it opens can kill the child.
The same is true in the spirit world.
In order to birth spiritual vision you must let God take control of your
life. If you try to birth the vision in
your own strength it will abort the plan of God. Everything within you may cry out to push and
bring the spiritual vision forth with natural abilities, but by self-effort you
can destroy the vision.
As a mother in travail hides herself from public gaze, so
those in travail spiritually must be alone with God. The birth of a vision will not occur if you are constantly busy, surrounded by people
and projects. As a mother about to give
birth, you must seek seclusion for the spiritual birthing process.
Travail is not easy.
If you have been going through difficult times, through no fault of your
own, could mean that God is birthing a new vision in you? Many times people blame Satan for
circumstances that are actually engineered by God to take them to their
destiny.
Take time to be alone with God during the difficult time of
travail. Let the Holy Spirit bring forth
the vision in God's perfect timing. Let God maintain control of the process
because if you try to bring your vision to pass in your own strength, you will
abort it.
Spiritual birth, like natural birth, is a process.
Give Me A Vision (Part 2)
God wants to give you a spiritual vision and reveal to you
the purposes and objectives which will enable you to fulfill it. As you experience the "birth of a
vision" you will become a participator instead of a mere spectator in
God's divine plan.
The natural birth process which brings a human baby into the
world is similar to the process of the birth of a vision in the spirit
world. What brings on the birth of a vision? There are five stages as you give birth to spiritual vision. They are:
1. Conception.
Conception means to create. A spiritual vision is
created in your spirit by God. Just as
conception in the natural world occurs through intimacy, so intimacy with God
is required to birth spiritual vision.
2. Development.
When
you first receive a spiritual vision, it is in "embryo" form. An embryo is a basic cell of life. Like the development of the human embryo, God
develops your spiritual vision as it grows within you. The basic cell of life in a human baby is the
embryo. From it all the basic human
features are developed. If you try to
change the embryo, deformity or death can occur to the child.
God conceives the basic vision or a spiritual embryo from
which all the features of the vision develop.
If you try to change the original vision, it will be deformed from the
perfect plan of God or it may be aborted.
The vision grows and develops as you mature spiritually. Its features will not be the same as
yesterday, last week, or last month. But
you must never forget the basic embryo of divine purpose for which you are
called.
This development of a vision will be a stretching experience,
as it is in the natural world within the body of a mother. If the vision does
not develop, it will die. Just as a
mother carries her child within her body,
your vision is with you constantly.
It becomes a vital, living part of you.
It draws from your own life source as well as from the divine source
which conceived it.
While the baby is developing, a pregnant mother will deny
herself certain things that might harm the child. As your spiritual vision develops, you may
have to do this also. You may need to
deny your own plans and ambitions. You
may have to lay aside worldly attitudes and conduct. You will have sacrifice time to prepare to
fulfill God's purposes.
Have you conceived a vision of your divine destiny? At what stage of development is your
spiritual vision? What changes should
you make in your life in order for your vision to develop properly?
The Acursed Thing (Part 7)
Joshua 7:10-13 reveals four steps that will lead to recovery from defeat. Today I focus on restoration and return.
In this case, restoration required that the accursed items be removed and Achan's entire family be punished. They were stoned to death in the Valley of Achor. By this judgment, the sin in Israel was eliminated.
You may question why the entire family was punished along with Achan. They most likely knew and agreed with Achan's sin, as the items were hidden in their tent. Deuteronomy 24:16 says that children are not accountable for the father's sins, so the family would not have been punished had they not been complicit in it. Also, these were the days governed by the law, not by the grace and forgiveness for sin which is now available through Jesus Christ.
This sad account serves as a classic example of how desperately men needed a Savior to die for sin once and for all so that they could be saved from death, the penalty of sin:
Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Thank God, that through Jesus Christ, the penalty for sin was paid once and for all. You need not die for your sin. You need not die in your sin.
Be aware, however, that there is a point of sinning until there is no remedy. That is the extent to which Achan and his family had gone. They had crossed the line.
Achan's story also reflects how what you do affects not only you personally, but also the Body of Christ at large, your family, and future generations.
So what does restoration mean in your life? It means that when God reveals the reason for your failure and you have repented, then you must remove the "accursed thing" from your life. You may need to forgive or ask forgiveness of others. You may also need to correct a sinful situation that your disobedience has created. Perhaps you must do a spiritual house cleaning, getting rid of sinful movies, music, video games, and literature.
Revelation leads to repentance, repentance leads to restoration, and restoration often requires restitution for wrongs you have done.
In this case, restoration required that the accursed items be removed and Achan's entire family be punished. They were stoned to death in the Valley of Achor. By this judgment, the sin in Israel was eliminated.
You may question why the entire family was punished along with Achan. They most likely knew and agreed with Achan's sin, as the items were hidden in their tent. Deuteronomy 24:16 says that children are not accountable for the father's sins, so the family would not have been punished had they not been complicit in it. Also, these were the days governed by the law, not by the grace and forgiveness for sin which is now available through Jesus Christ.
This sad account serves as a classic example of how desperately men needed a Savior to die for sin once and for all so that they could be saved from death, the penalty of sin:
Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Thank God, that through Jesus Christ, the penalty for sin was paid once and for all. You need not die for your sin. You need not die in your sin.
Be aware, however, that there is a point of sinning until there is no remedy. That is the extent to which Achan and his family had gone. They had crossed the line.
Achan's story also reflects how what you do affects not only you personally, but also the Body of Christ at large, your family, and future generations.
So what does restoration mean in your life? It means that when God reveals the reason for your failure and you have repented, then you must remove the "accursed thing" from your life. You may need to forgive or ask forgiveness of others. You may also need to correct a sinful situation that your disobedience has created. Perhaps you must do a spiritual house cleaning, getting rid of sinful movies, music, video games, and literature.
Revelation leads to repentance, repentance leads to restoration, and restoration often requires restitution for wrongs you have done.
When fellowship with God is broken by sin, recovery comes by returning to the point of failure. You must return to the battlefield and deal with your defeat.
When you have failed, the enemy will speak words of defeat to you:
- "You might as well give up."
- "Everyone has lost confidence in you."
- "You are weak and good for nothing."
- "You will just fail if you try again."
But you must return to the battlefield. You must face the enemy and emerge victorious! There can be no truce and no neutrality with the enemy. You can never move on to other battles until you win at "Ai,” the point of your spiritual defeat.
After the revelation of sin, repentance, and restoration, God's instructions to Israel were "Go up to Ai." Joshua 8 tells the story of Israel's return and subsequent victory at Ai. This time Joshua took all the warriors of Israel. They were not defeated, and this time they did not flee. They turned defeat into victory, changing their setback into a comeback.
Joshua chapter 7 opens with dark picture of Lord's anger kindled against His people in a place called "the valley of Achor", meaning "the valley of trouble." In chapter 8, however, we find Israel again marching forward in victory. When you follow God's remedy for recovery, He takes your valley of Achor (trouble) and turns it into a door of hope. God can turn your Valley of Achor into a pathway of hope that leads to your divine destiny.
When you have failed, the enemy will speak words of defeat to you:
- "You might as well give up."
- "Everyone has lost confidence in you."
- "You are weak and good for nothing."
- "You will just fail if you try again."
But you must return to the battlefield. You must face the enemy and emerge victorious! There can be no truce and no neutrality with the enemy. You can never move on to other battles until you win at "Ai,” the point of your spiritual defeat.
After the revelation of sin, repentance, and restoration, God's instructions to Israel were "Go up to Ai." Joshua 8 tells the story of Israel's return and subsequent victory at Ai. This time Joshua took all the warriors of Israel. They were not defeated, and this time they did not flee. They turned defeat into victory, changing their setback into a comeback.
Joshua chapter 7 opens with dark picture of Lord's anger kindled against His people in a place called "the valley of Achor", meaning "the valley of trouble." In chapter 8, however, we find Israel again marching forward in victory. When you follow God's remedy for recovery, He takes your valley of Achor (trouble) and turns it into a door of hope. God can turn your Valley of Achor into a pathway of hope that leads to your divine destiny.
The Acursed Thing (Part 6)
Joshua 7:10-13 reveals four steps to recover from defeat. Remember YOU must identify a problem in order to deal with it. I believe the second step to recovery is repentance.
The revelation of a problem is not enough to recover yourself from the snare of the enemy. You must deal with it on the basis of God's Word. There is a time to stop praying and act upon what God has revealed to you:
Joshua 7:10 "And the Lord said unto Joshua, Get thee up. wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?
God told Joshua to call the people together and deal with the sin in their midst. Joshua was quick to obey. The scripture says he "rose up early in the morning" to follow God's instructions:
Verse 16 "So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken."
The tribes appeared before Joshua man by man. Finally it was revealed that a man named Achan was the guilty party. Joshua told him to confess and give glory to God. When you confess sin, you actually glorify God because you are agreeing with Him about your transgressions.
When God revealed that Achan was the transgressor, Joshua sent men running to the tent to retrieve the sinful items. We cannot be too quick to deal with sin. Delay is disobedience.
If you are to recover yourself from the snare of the enemy, you must confront the problem of sin:
1 John 1:8 "If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."
1 John 1:9 "The good news is that the Word says "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
You cannot conceal your sin and prosper:
Proverbs 28 :13 "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy."
Repent and receive the ability to turn defeat into victory. It's promised and yours to claim.
The revelation of a problem is not enough to recover yourself from the snare of the enemy. You must deal with it on the basis of God's Word. There is a time to stop praying and act upon what God has revealed to you:
Joshua 7:10 "And the Lord said unto Joshua, Get thee up. wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?
God told Joshua to call the people together and deal with the sin in their midst. Joshua was quick to obey. The scripture says he "rose up early in the morning" to follow God's instructions:
Verse 16 "So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken."
The tribes appeared before Joshua man by man. Finally it was revealed that a man named Achan was the guilty party. Joshua told him to confess and give glory to God. When you confess sin, you actually glorify God because you are agreeing with Him about your transgressions.
When God revealed that Achan was the transgressor, Joshua sent men running to the tent to retrieve the sinful items. We cannot be too quick to deal with sin. Delay is disobedience.
If you are to recover yourself from the snare of the enemy, you must confront the problem of sin:
1 John 1:8 "If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."
1 John 1:9 "The good news is that the Word says "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
You cannot conceal your sin and prosper:
Proverbs 28 :13 "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy."
Repent and receive the ability to turn defeat into victory. It's promised and yours to claim.
The Acursed Thing (Part 5)
There is a remedy for every failure. If you are defeated and have been taken captive by the enemy, you can recover:
2 Timothy 2:26 "And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil who are taken captive of him at his will."
When you have experienced defeat, God will help you recover, but you must also take steps to recover yourself by following Biblical principles of recovery. Joshua 7:10-13 reveals the steps of recovery from defeat upon which we need to focus.
(1) The first step of recovery is to have a revelation concerning the problem that caused your defeat.
When Joshua went to prayer, God revealed to him that Israel had sinned: "And the Lord said...Israel hath sinned..." in portions of Joshua 7:10-11.
It is important to note that individual sin affects the corporate body. God told Joshua that all of Israel had sinned, not just Achan. We are very quick to see problems in the church, but often we do not recognize the role that we, as individuals, have in these problems. Each believer is part of the corporate Body of Christ. A sin by one member affects the functioning of the entire Body.
Never underestimate the damage one person's sin can do. King David's disobedience resulted in the deaths of 70,000 people in 2 Samuel 24. Why would God blame a whole nation for the disobedience of one man? Because Israel was considered one people by the Lord. As the Body of Christ, we are one in the Lord and sin in our midst affects us all.
When one members suffers or rejoices, the entire Body of Christ suffers and rejoices with them said Paul in 1 Corinthians 12:26, 27. The negative side of this supernatural relationship is that individual sin does corporate damage, as demonstrated by one man's sin coming upon all men:
Romans 5:12 "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned."
Verse 15 "But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many."
Verse 17 "For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ."
Ask God to reveal any "accursed thing" that is standing between you and victory over the enemy. It may be a habit, a recurring sin, or something else. Whatever it is put it in His hands and leave it there. Your key to victory stands in that moment
2 Timothy 2:26 "And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil who are taken captive of him at his will."
When you have experienced defeat, God will help you recover, but you must also take steps to recover yourself by following Biblical principles of recovery. Joshua 7:10-13 reveals the steps of recovery from defeat upon which we need to focus.
(1) The first step of recovery is to have a revelation concerning the problem that caused your defeat.
When Joshua went to prayer, God revealed to him that Israel had sinned: "And the Lord said...Israel hath sinned..." in portions of Joshua 7:10-11.
It is important to note that individual sin affects the corporate body. God told Joshua that all of Israel had sinned, not just Achan. We are very quick to see problems in the church, but often we do not recognize the role that we, as individuals, have in these problems. Each believer is part of the corporate Body of Christ. A sin by one member affects the functioning of the entire Body.
Never underestimate the damage one person's sin can do. King David's disobedience resulted in the deaths of 70,000 people in 2 Samuel 24. Why would God blame a whole nation for the disobedience of one man? Because Israel was considered one people by the Lord. As the Body of Christ, we are one in the Lord and sin in our midst affects us all.
When one members suffers or rejoices, the entire Body of Christ suffers and rejoices with them said Paul in 1 Corinthians 12:26, 27. The negative side of this supernatural relationship is that individual sin does corporate damage, as demonstrated by one man's sin coming upon all men:
Romans 5:12 "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned."
Verse 15 "But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many."
Verse 17 "For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ."
Ask God to reveal any "accursed thing" that is standing between you and victory over the enemy. It may be a habit, a recurring sin, or something else. Whatever it is put it in His hands and leave it there. Your key to victory stands in that moment
The Acursed Thing (Part 4)
When you violate the principles of God, act in pride without spiritual perception, and do not pray about your battles, there are always results and they usually aren't good ones! In Israel's case, the warriors who went up against Ai the first time experienced a sound defeat. Some were killed and others retreated.
Just as there are always reasons for defeat, there are always results of defeat. Note the results of Israel's defeat:
1. Joshua 7:4-5: Fleeing before the enemy.
2. Joshua 7:5: Spiritual death.
3. Joshua 7:5: Fear and despondency of people.
4. Joshua 7:6: Despondency of the leadership.
5. Joshua 7:7: Looking back to the "good old days”.
6. Joshua 7:8-9: Questioning.
What a sad picture! No longer is Israel a motivated and mobilized force for God. They are a discouraged people, disheartened, questioning, fearful, and fleeing before the enemy. The people were actually looking back to the days on the other side of Jordan!
Moses had warned Israel that if there was sin in their midst they could not defeat their enemies. If they were following the Lord, however, one soldier would chase 1,000 and two of them would put 10,000 men to flight. Three Israeli soldiers could have defeated the whole city of Ai, had not sin separated them from God!
Israel's defeat at Ai was the direct result of sin:
Joshua 7:12 "Therefore (because they have sinned) the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies because they were accursed; neither will I be with you anymore, except ye destroy the accursed from among you."
Violation of God's always render you immobile in the face of the enemy. But never view the final outcome of a war on the basis of temporary defeat. Just as there are reasons and results for defeat, there is always a remedy to correct failure. With God's help, you can turn your setback into a comeback.
Just as there are always reasons for defeat, there are always results of defeat. Note the results of Israel's defeat:
1. Joshua 7:4-5: Fleeing before the enemy.
2. Joshua 7:5: Spiritual death.
3. Joshua 7:5: Fear and despondency of people.
4. Joshua 7:6: Despondency of the leadership.
5. Joshua 7:7: Looking back to the "good old days”.
6. Joshua 7:8-9: Questioning.
What a sad picture! No longer is Israel a motivated and mobilized force for God. They are a discouraged people, disheartened, questioning, fearful, and fleeing before the enemy. The people were actually looking back to the days on the other side of Jordan!
Moses had warned Israel that if there was sin in their midst they could not defeat their enemies. If they were following the Lord, however, one soldier would chase 1,000 and two of them would put 10,000 men to flight. Three Israeli soldiers could have defeated the whole city of Ai, had not sin separated them from God!
Israel's defeat at Ai was the direct result of sin:
Joshua 7:12 "Therefore (because they have sinned) the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies because they were accursed; neither will I be with you anymore, except ye destroy the accursed from among you."
Violation of God's always render you immobile in the face of the enemy. But never view the final outcome of a war on the basis of temporary defeat. Just as there are reasons and results for defeat, there is always a remedy to correct failure. With God's help, you can turn your setback into a comeback.
The Acursed Thing (Part 2)
In the story of Ai, there were four reasons for defeat, all of which are common in the failures we experience. Yesterday I wrote about the violation of God's principles as a major cause of defeat. Today I deal with two other causes: Pride and perception.
Achan is not the only one at fault in this story. When Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai to view the country, the men returned and told Joshua:
Joshua 7:3 "Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labor thither; for they are but few."
Ai was a small town in comparison to the city of Jericho which Israel had just conquered. Filled with pride these men thought, "Ai should be no problem. We have faced bigger challenges and been victorious. This is nothing to worry about." Israel was self-confident instead of being confident in God. There is no mention of "if it is the Lord's will", an attitude we are advised to have according to James 4:13-17.
How many have fallen victim to pride? Lucifer, desiring to be God. Adam and Eve, desiring to be as gods. Pride involves self-confidence instead of God-confidence. In our own battles of life we often believe we can handle the lesser problems ourselves. But there is no encounter with the enemy so small that we do not need all of the resources God has provided to face it.
When you begin to move in self-confidence and proudly think "there is nothing to worry about,” then you are getting into dangerous territory. There is no spiritual battle for which you do not need all available resources provided by God.
Perception is how you view things. The men sent to view Ai looked at things with their natural senses. They did not have the spiritual perception to look beyond surface appearances and recognize the power of the enemy.
People act based upon their perceptions. Following natural perception instead of spiritual insight led to inaccurate reporting. These men claimed that the warriors of Ai were just a few in Verse 3, when in reality there were 12,000 of them according to Joshua 8:25
When you involve self-reliant men in God's work they will make decisions based on their own perceptions. This leads to carnal counsel which, when acted upon, always results in defeat. Surround yourself with those who are God-confident and who view things with a spiritual mind.
You cannot make decisions based upon your perception alone. You need the guidance and discernment provided by the Holy Spirit. Take time to pray before you act, and you will avoid many of the perils of defeat.
Achan is not the only one at fault in this story. When Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai to view the country, the men returned and told Joshua:
Joshua 7:3 "Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labor thither; for they are but few."
Ai was a small town in comparison to the city of Jericho which Israel had just conquered. Filled with pride these men thought, "Ai should be no problem. We have faced bigger challenges and been victorious. This is nothing to worry about." Israel was self-confident instead of being confident in God. There is no mention of "if it is the Lord's will", an attitude we are advised to have according to James 4:13-17.
How many have fallen victim to pride? Lucifer, desiring to be God. Adam and Eve, desiring to be as gods. Pride involves self-confidence instead of God-confidence. In our own battles of life we often believe we can handle the lesser problems ourselves. But there is no encounter with the enemy so small that we do not need all of the resources God has provided to face it.
When you begin to move in self-confidence and proudly think "there is nothing to worry about,” then you are getting into dangerous territory. There is no spiritual battle for which you do not need all available resources provided by God.
Perception is how you view things. The men sent to view Ai looked at things with their natural senses. They did not have the spiritual perception to look beyond surface appearances and recognize the power of the enemy.
People act based upon their perceptions. Following natural perception instead of spiritual insight led to inaccurate reporting. These men claimed that the warriors of Ai were just a few in Verse 3, when in reality there were 12,000 of them according to Joshua 8:25
When you involve self-reliant men in God's work they will make decisions based on their own perceptions. This leads to carnal counsel which, when acted upon, always results in defeat. Surround yourself with those who are God-confident and who view things with a spiritual mind.
You cannot make decisions based upon your perception alone. You need the guidance and discernment provided by the Holy Spirit. Take time to pray before you act, and you will avoid many of the perils of defeat.
The Acursed Thing (Part 1)
When you are defeated in spiritual battle there is always a reason. In the story of the battle of Ai recorded in the Bible, Israel was soundly defeated. There were four reasons for their failure which are common in the defeats we experience.
-Violating the principles of God.
Sin results in defeat. God told Israel not to take any of the spoils from the battle at Jericho. They were to be dedicated to the Lord as they were the "first-fruits" of battle in Canaan:
Joshua 6:18, 19 "And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. But all the silver and gold and vessels of brass and iron are consecrated unto the Lord; they shall come into the treasury of the Lord."
Normally, Israel was allowed to keep the spoils of war, but in this first battle at Jericho the spoils were to be dedicated to the Lord. Sometimes, what was okay previously or may be accepted as tradition is wrong. There is no need to seek counseling or prayer for guidance about something that God explicitly has forbidden. When God says it is wrong, it is wrong.
Joshua 7:1 records how, despite the warning by God, a man named Achan took the "accursed thing.” Achan's temptation followed the same pattern as that of Eve in Genesis chapter 3. He "saw, desired, and took” what had been forbidden. When he finally admitted his sin he said:
Verse 21 "When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent and the silver under it."
Sin always begins in the mind. The attitude of sin precedes the act. Achan thought, "Who will see? Who will know?" He saw only the immediate pleasure these things would bring and not the terrible long-term effects of his actions. If Achan had looked with eyes of faith instead of eyes of lust, he would have seen these items as accursed. Instead, he viewed them with only his natural senses.
Your spiritual enemies are the world, the flesh, and the devil. These work together to tempt you by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. If you look on temptation with eyes of faith instead of eyes of lust, you will see that which is forbidden as an accursed thing. Is there any accursed thing hidden in the tent of your life?
-Violating the principles of God.
Sin results in defeat. God told Israel not to take any of the spoils from the battle at Jericho. They were to be dedicated to the Lord as they were the "first-fruits" of battle in Canaan:
Joshua 6:18, 19 "And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. But all the silver and gold and vessels of brass and iron are consecrated unto the Lord; they shall come into the treasury of the Lord."
Normally, Israel was allowed to keep the spoils of war, but in this first battle at Jericho the spoils were to be dedicated to the Lord. Sometimes, what was okay previously or may be accepted as tradition is wrong. There is no need to seek counseling or prayer for guidance about something that God explicitly has forbidden. When God says it is wrong, it is wrong.
Joshua 7:1 records how, despite the warning by God, a man named Achan took the "accursed thing.” Achan's temptation followed the same pattern as that of Eve in Genesis chapter 3. He "saw, desired, and took” what had been forbidden. When he finally admitted his sin he said:
Verse 21 "When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent and the silver under it."
Sin always begins in the mind. The attitude of sin precedes the act. Achan thought, "Who will see? Who will know?" He saw only the immediate pleasure these things would bring and not the terrible long-term effects of his actions. If Achan had looked with eyes of faith instead of eyes of lust, he would have seen these items as accursed. Instead, he viewed them with only his natural senses.
Your spiritual enemies are the world, the flesh, and the devil. These work together to tempt you by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. If you look on temptation with eyes of faith instead of eyes of lust, you will see that which is forbidden as an accursed thing. Is there any accursed thing hidden in the tent of your life?
Divine Purpose (Part 7)
There is a major barrier that can hinder the divine purpose of God from flowing into your life. You must eliminate it not only in order to receive financial blessings, but also to be able to fulfill your destiny. Let’s start with the revelation from the Word:
Matthew 5:23, 24 "Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar , and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift."
Do you recognize that barrier? God’s Word declares that if you bring your gift to the altar and there is anything wrong between you and another person, you are to first be reconciled to them and then offer your gift. If you are presenting your gifts with an unforgiving heart, they will not be accepted. Forgiveness is not just a reluctant handshake, a forced smile, and mumbled words. It is a true change in feelings and attitudes that comes from deep inside your spirit. The fault is swept away and its negative influence on your emotions, thoughts, and actions cease. You can only do this when you have been forgiven yourself and you understand the true concept of forgiveness. Here are 5 simple steps to extend forgiveness to others and open the way for your gifts to God and your blessings from Him to be received:
-Deal with your anger.
When you are hurt, anger often results. If you try to forgive before you have dealt with your anger, then forgiveness will not be genuine and will not last. Ask God for forgiveness for your anger.
-Accept what happened.
It is sometimes difficult to come to terms with the reality of the hurts you have experienced. You hope that everything will return to normal, but it won't. You must accept that the incident happened. You cannot undo it. You cannot dismiss it. You cannot return to how it was before the problem happened.
-Recognize that the offender is valuable to God.
The offender, like us all, is flawed because they are human. Do not minimize the evil they have done, but consider their positive points, their strengths, and their potential. Try to see them as God sees them, as valuable, important, and lovable despite their sins.
-Acknowledge your part in the offense.
In human interaction, it is rare for a broken relationship to be totally the fault of one person. Admit your part in the offence and seek forgiveness from God and the offended person.
-Offer unrestricted forgiveness.
God's forgiveness is offered without any conditions, despite His full awareness that we are completely untrustworthy beings who will fail again in the future. Do not demand any guarantees from the person to whom you are offering forgiveness. Forgive as God has forgiven you. Do you harbor unforgiveness against someone? Does someone have something against you? Deal with these issues, then bring your gifts of finances, time, and talents, and present them to God.
Matthew 5:23, 24 "Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar , and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift."
Do you recognize that barrier? God’s Word declares that if you bring your gift to the altar and there is anything wrong between you and another person, you are to first be reconciled to them and then offer your gift. If you are presenting your gifts with an unforgiving heart, they will not be accepted. Forgiveness is not just a reluctant handshake, a forced smile, and mumbled words. It is a true change in feelings and attitudes that comes from deep inside your spirit. The fault is swept away and its negative influence on your emotions, thoughts, and actions cease. You can only do this when you have been forgiven yourself and you understand the true concept of forgiveness. Here are 5 simple steps to extend forgiveness to others and open the way for your gifts to God and your blessings from Him to be received:
-Deal with your anger.
When you are hurt, anger often results. If you try to forgive before you have dealt with your anger, then forgiveness will not be genuine and will not last. Ask God for forgiveness for your anger.
-Accept what happened.
It is sometimes difficult to come to terms with the reality of the hurts you have experienced. You hope that everything will return to normal, but it won't. You must accept that the incident happened. You cannot undo it. You cannot dismiss it. You cannot return to how it was before the problem happened.
-Recognize that the offender is valuable to God.
The offender, like us all, is flawed because they are human. Do not minimize the evil they have done, but consider their positive points, their strengths, and their potential. Try to see them as God sees them, as valuable, important, and lovable despite their sins.
-Acknowledge your part in the offense.
In human interaction, it is rare for a broken relationship to be totally the fault of one person. Admit your part in the offence and seek forgiveness from God and the offended person.
-Offer unrestricted forgiveness.
God's forgiveness is offered without any conditions, despite His full awareness that we are completely untrustworthy beings who will fail again in the future. Do not demand any guarantees from the person to whom you are offering forgiveness. Forgive as God has forgiven you. Do you harbor unforgiveness against someone? Does someone have something against you? Deal with these issues, then bring your gifts of finances, time, and talents, and present them to God.
Divine Purpose (Part 6)
Recession, inflation, and economic hard times have been with mankind since the beginning of time. They are not new situations demanding new solutions. Biblical answers for dire economic conditions appear early in book of Genesis 26:1:
"And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham."
During this difficult time, God gave Abraham’s son, Isaac, specific instructions to follow in order to prosper. These are steps which you can adopt during your own times of financial famine.
-Remain faithful to biblical principles.
Many believers become inconsistent in times of economic pressure, growing lax about their personal devotions, their giving, and their church attendance. Deviating from these basic principles only creates more problems. The Lord told Isaac that He would bless him because his father, Abraham, "...obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws" in Genesis 26:5. God blessed Abraham because he walked faithfully in God’s ways regardless of the circumstances of life and he looked to God as his Source. God directed Isaac to follow Abraham’s example so that he would prosper, despite the famine.
-Do not follow the pattern of the world.
Because of the famine in Israel, everyone was leaving for Egypt, where they heard things were better economically. But the Lord had a different plan for Isaac. He told him in Genesis 26:2, 3, "Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and I will bless thee." Most of the time if you look at what the world is doing and then do the opposite, you will be in harmony with God's plans because the principles of the Kingdom of God are usually opposite those of the world. In times of crisis, do not look around and do what others are doing.
-Remain in the center of God’s will.
Remember that God can bless you in any location, so remain where He has placed you unless He directs you to do otherwise.
Deuteronomy 28:3 "Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field"
In economically hard times, do not make any move geographically or financially without God’s specific guidance. Even though you might hear rumors of prosperity in other locations, do not move without God's direction. Remain in His will, and like Elijah move only at His command.
-Sow generously during the famine.
Isaac remained where God directed him and "sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the Lord blessed him" according to Genesis 26:12. Sow generously into God's work during times of financial famine and you will reap an abundant harvest.
God established these steps of biblical economics in a time when dark clouds of adversity loomed on the horizon. Isaac followed these principles and was blessed. He prospered, despite the famine, and so can you!
"And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham."
During this difficult time, God gave Abraham’s son, Isaac, specific instructions to follow in order to prosper. These are steps which you can adopt during your own times of financial famine.
-Remain faithful to biblical principles.
Many believers become inconsistent in times of economic pressure, growing lax about their personal devotions, their giving, and their church attendance. Deviating from these basic principles only creates more problems. The Lord told Isaac that He would bless him because his father, Abraham, "...obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws" in Genesis 26:5. God blessed Abraham because he walked faithfully in God’s ways regardless of the circumstances of life and he looked to God as his Source. God directed Isaac to follow Abraham’s example so that he would prosper, despite the famine.
-Do not follow the pattern of the world.
Because of the famine in Israel, everyone was leaving for Egypt, where they heard things were better economically. But the Lord had a different plan for Isaac. He told him in Genesis 26:2, 3, "Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and I will bless thee." Most of the time if you look at what the world is doing and then do the opposite, you will be in harmony with God's plans because the principles of the Kingdom of God are usually opposite those of the world. In times of crisis, do not look around and do what others are doing.
-Remain in the center of God’s will.
Remember that God can bless you in any location, so remain where He has placed you unless He directs you to do otherwise.
Deuteronomy 28:3 "Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field"
In economically hard times, do not make any move geographically or financially without God’s specific guidance. Even though you might hear rumors of prosperity in other locations, do not move without God's direction. Remain in His will, and like Elijah move only at His command.
-Sow generously during the famine.
Isaac remained where God directed him and "sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the Lord blessed him" according to Genesis 26:12. Sow generously into God's work during times of financial famine and you will reap an abundant harvest.
God established these steps of biblical economics in a time when dark clouds of adversity loomed on the horizon. Isaac followed these principles and was blessed. He prospered, despite the famine, and so can you!
Divine Purpose (Part 5)
1 Kings 17:14 "For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth."
The widow who lived at Zarepath was at a point of starvation. She was at the end of her own natural resources, at the point of her greatest need. She was fearful, had lost hope, and was preparing to die. The good news is that this is exactly when God steps in; when you get to the end of your own natural resources. It is when it seems all hope is gone that the resurrecting power of God speaks life into your negative circumstances. Like the little widow lady, you may feel there is no hope in your situation. The famine may have been so long and so dry that you are ready to give up. But when you have the sentence of death in the natural, then the resurrecting power of God steps in to do a miracle!
Elijah asked the widow woman to bring him some water and make him a cake to eat. She responded that all she had was a handful of flour and a little oil, that she was fixing it as a final meal for herself and her family, and then they would prepare to die. This woman's natural resources were totally exhausted and she was fearful and hopeless. She was actually making plans to starve to death! Talk about a financial famine! This may be where you are today. Your "hand full of flour and oil" may represent your meager paycheck or bank account, or your limited talents and abilities. As long as you keep your eyes on your own resources, you will remain hopeless. The more you look at your problems, the more fearful you will become and the more impossible your situation will seem. If you continue to look to your own resources, you will die spiritually and financially.
The prophets first words to this widow woman were, "Fear not!" Then he directed her to use the small provisions she had to make a meal for him first and then make something for herself and her son. Then Elijah gave the widow woman God's promise:
"For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth."
This woman received the Word of the Lord, believed it, and acted upon it. She put obedience to God's commands ahead of her own needs. She baked a cake for Elijah first and then she discovered she had enough oil and flour to meet her own needs. Just as God promised, the jar of flour and the jug of oil did not run empty. Each day of the prolonged famine, as the widow reached down into the jar the flour was sufficient. As she poured from the vessel of oil, there was plenty. God may not send a huge inheritance to fix your financial problems. However, if you will put Him first and release what you have at His command, your needs will be meteven in times of famine.
The Apostle Paul confirmed this principle when he wrote these words:
1 Corinthians 1:8-10 "For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us."
When you come to the end, God steps in.
The widow who lived at Zarepath was at a point of starvation. She was at the end of her own natural resources, at the point of her greatest need. She was fearful, had lost hope, and was preparing to die. The good news is that this is exactly when God steps in; when you get to the end of your own natural resources. It is when it seems all hope is gone that the resurrecting power of God speaks life into your negative circumstances. Like the little widow lady, you may feel there is no hope in your situation. The famine may have been so long and so dry that you are ready to give up. But when you have the sentence of death in the natural, then the resurrecting power of God steps in to do a miracle!
Elijah asked the widow woman to bring him some water and make him a cake to eat. She responded that all she had was a handful of flour and a little oil, that she was fixing it as a final meal for herself and her family, and then they would prepare to die. This woman's natural resources were totally exhausted and she was fearful and hopeless. She was actually making plans to starve to death! Talk about a financial famine! This may be where you are today. Your "hand full of flour and oil" may represent your meager paycheck or bank account, or your limited talents and abilities. As long as you keep your eyes on your own resources, you will remain hopeless. The more you look at your problems, the more fearful you will become and the more impossible your situation will seem. If you continue to look to your own resources, you will die spiritually and financially.
The prophets first words to this widow woman were, "Fear not!" Then he directed her to use the small provisions she had to make a meal for him first and then make something for herself and her son. Then Elijah gave the widow woman God's promise:
"For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth."
This woman received the Word of the Lord, believed it, and acted upon it. She put obedience to God's commands ahead of her own needs. She baked a cake for Elijah first and then she discovered she had enough oil and flour to meet her own needs. Just as God promised, the jar of flour and the jug of oil did not run empty. Each day of the prolonged famine, as the widow reached down into the jar the flour was sufficient. As she poured from the vessel of oil, there was plenty. God may not send a huge inheritance to fix your financial problems. However, if you will put Him first and release what you have at His command, your needs will be meteven in times of famine.
The Apostle Paul confirmed this principle when he wrote these words:
1 Corinthians 1:8-10 "For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us."
When you come to the end, God steps in.
Divine Purpose (Part 4)
YIn a time of economic famine, Elijah obeyed God and went where He directed. In the natural, it was a place where it would be hard to survive. But look what happened in 1 Kings 17:56:
"So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook."
In Bible times, ravens were regarded as omens of misfortune, death, or tragedy and were considered unclean because of their scavenger habits. God chose unclean birds to feed His prophet. God will provide for you, but it may not be according to your preconceived ideas. Sometimes God provides through natural means and at other times through the supernatural, but you can be assured that God "shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus" according to Philippians 4:19.
Elijah had been in seclusion for some time by Brook Cherith when the Word of the Lord came to him saying, "Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee." Elijah had already learned one of the key principles of God's provision, which was to be in God's place at God's time. So at the Word of the Lord, Elijah departed from Cherith and went to Zarephath:
1Kings 17:9-16 "So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand. And she said, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth. And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Elijah."
When you face a financial. spiritual, or health crisis, it is crucial for you to be able to hear the Word of the Lord concerning your circumstances and to act in obedience upon what He directs you to do. When God directed Elijah to go to Cherith, he went. When God told Elijah to leave Cherith and go to Zarepath, he immediately started on his way. You must be able to discern God's direction during difficult times and when you hear His voice, you must respond in obedience. Where God guides, He provides all matters regarding your needs.
"So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook."
In Bible times, ravens were regarded as omens of misfortune, death, or tragedy and were considered unclean because of their scavenger habits. God chose unclean birds to feed His prophet. God will provide for you, but it may not be according to your preconceived ideas. Sometimes God provides through natural means and at other times through the supernatural, but you can be assured that God "shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus" according to Philippians 4:19.
Elijah had been in seclusion for some time by Brook Cherith when the Word of the Lord came to him saying, "Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee." Elijah had already learned one of the key principles of God's provision, which was to be in God's place at God's time. So at the Word of the Lord, Elijah departed from Cherith and went to Zarephath:
1Kings 17:9-16 "So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand. And she said, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth. And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Elijah."
When you face a financial. spiritual, or health crisis, it is crucial for you to be able to hear the Word of the Lord concerning your circumstances and to act in obedience upon what He directs you to do. When God directed Elijah to go to Cherith, he went. When God told Elijah to leave Cherith and go to Zarepath, he immediately started on his way. You must be able to discern God's direction during difficult times and when you hear His voice, you must respond in obedience. Where God guides, He provides all matters regarding your needs.
Divine Purpose (Part 3)
Regardless of the lack of finances you are facing, God promises divine provision wherein you will lack nothing. Paul told the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 9:8, "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work."
Note the word "sufficiency" in this verse. God has promised that you will have all sufficiency in all things so that you can do every good work that you need to do.
Here is the key to experience this sufficiency Chapter 9:10, 11:
"Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness; Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God."
Note the words "multiply" and "increase" in these verses. God has promised to multiply what you give so that not only will your needs be met, but you will be able to sow additional resources into the Kingdom of God. Even in times of economic famine, you will experience increase if you walk in obedience to God.
For the next few days, we will examine this truth as we follow in the footsteps of the Prophet Elijah. In 1 Kings 17, there is a tremendous example of divine provision during an economic famine. At the time of this account, there was a great drought throughout the land. It was judgment from God because of the sins of the people. The heavens were shut up and there was no rain, fulfilling the Word of the Lord spoken by the prophet Elijah. The land was barren and parched and the crops withered in the fields.
After Elijah's prophetic declaration regarding the coming drought and famine, God directed His servant to go to a brook called Cherith where he would receive supernatural provision. Elijah might have questioned, "How am I going to get food out here by a little brook? I did what God told me to do and now I am being sent to a remote location where there will be no food. I will be there all by myself and I am surely going to die." Is that what Elijah said? No! 1 Kings 17:5 tells us that Elijah "went and did according unto the word of the Lord."
God may be telling you to take certain steps of faith during your own famine. Maybe you haven't expanded your business because you have been paying too much attention to the financial horror stories in the news. Perhaps you have been afraid to tithe in obedience to God's Word because you fear it will cause personal lack. In times of economic or spiritual famine, you must listen only to God and act upon the direction He gives you.
Note the word "sufficiency" in this verse. God has promised that you will have all sufficiency in all things so that you can do every good work that you need to do.
Here is the key to experience this sufficiency Chapter 9:10, 11:
"Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness; Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God."
Note the words "multiply" and "increase" in these verses. God has promised to multiply what you give so that not only will your needs be met, but you will be able to sow additional resources into the Kingdom of God. Even in times of economic famine, you will experience increase if you walk in obedience to God.
For the next few days, we will examine this truth as we follow in the footsteps of the Prophet Elijah. In 1 Kings 17, there is a tremendous example of divine provision during an economic famine. At the time of this account, there was a great drought throughout the land. It was judgment from God because of the sins of the people. The heavens were shut up and there was no rain, fulfilling the Word of the Lord spoken by the prophet Elijah. The land was barren and parched and the crops withered in the fields.
After Elijah's prophetic declaration regarding the coming drought and famine, God directed His servant to go to a brook called Cherith where he would receive supernatural provision. Elijah might have questioned, "How am I going to get food out here by a little brook? I did what God told me to do and now I am being sent to a remote location where there will be no food. I will be there all by myself and I am surely going to die." Is that what Elijah said? No! 1 Kings 17:5 tells us that Elijah "went and did according unto the word of the Lord."
God may be telling you to take certain steps of faith during your own famine. Maybe you haven't expanded your business because you have been paying too much attention to the financial horror stories in the news. Perhaps you have been afraid to tithe in obedience to God's Word because you fear it will cause personal lack. In times of economic or spiritual famine, you must listen only to God and act upon the direction He gives you.
Divine Purpose (Part 2)
The Israelites did not have direct access to God. It was necessary for them to approach Him through their sacrifices and gifts which were offered by the priests. Now, in our new covenant relationship, we have direct access to the Father. Whatever you need to accomplish the task He has given to you, God will provide it.
Jesus said in John 16:23, 24: "Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you ...ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full."
He also declared in Matthew 7:9-11:
"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"
Note those words "how much more"? Then apply this phrase personally:
-How much more will your Heavenly Father supply your needs!
-How much more will your Heavenly Father prosper you!
-How much more will your Heavenly Father use you to extend the Kingdom!
God wants to bring you out of spiritual and financial bondage into a new position of strength where you are looking to Him as your source and depending upon His divine provision to accomplish supernatural purposes.
Before you can fulfill God's purposes in this end-time spiritual harvest, you must have a breakthrough where you are no longer depending upon your own limited abilities, but you are looking to God for His supernatural provision. You must stop focusing on your resources and your selfish desires and place your focus on His Kingdom.
When Jesus first commissioned His disciples and sent them out on an evangelistic campaign to preach the Gospel, He sent them without money or food. He told them in Luke 9:3, "Take nothing for the journey-no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic." Why did Jesus send His disciples out with nothing? He did this so they would learn to depend upon God's supernatural provision. He did not want them to trust in their own limited resources, but to learn how to draw from God's unlimited reservoir. As they went from city to city, God supernaturally provided their needs. There was divine sufficiency and they did not lack anything. Later, Jesus asked them Luke 22:35 AMP, "When I sent you out with no purse or (provision) bag or sandals, did you lack anything?" They answered, "Nothing!"
Jesus sent the disciples out with nothing, yet they lacked nothing. That is truly divine provision! You may have nothing in the natural world, but you will lack nothing that you need to accomplish God's mandates.
Jesus said in John 16:23, 24: "Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you ...ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full."
He also declared in Matthew 7:9-11:
"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"
Note those words "how much more"? Then apply this phrase personally:
-How much more will your Heavenly Father supply your needs!
-How much more will your Heavenly Father prosper you!
-How much more will your Heavenly Father use you to extend the Kingdom!
God wants to bring you out of spiritual and financial bondage into a new position of strength where you are looking to Him as your source and depending upon His divine provision to accomplish supernatural purposes.
Before you can fulfill God's purposes in this end-time spiritual harvest, you must have a breakthrough where you are no longer depending upon your own limited abilities, but you are looking to God for His supernatural provision. You must stop focusing on your resources and your selfish desires and place your focus on His Kingdom.
When Jesus first commissioned His disciples and sent them out on an evangelistic campaign to preach the Gospel, He sent them without money or food. He told them in Luke 9:3, "Take nothing for the journey-no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic." Why did Jesus send His disciples out with nothing? He did this so they would learn to depend upon God's supernatural provision. He did not want them to trust in their own limited resources, but to learn how to draw from God's unlimited reservoir. As they went from city to city, God supernaturally provided their needs. There was divine sufficiency and they did not lack anything. Later, Jesus asked them Luke 22:35 AMP, "When I sent you out with no purse or (provision) bag or sandals, did you lack anything?" They answered, "Nothing!"
Jesus sent the disciples out with nothing, yet they lacked nothing. That is truly divine provision! You may have nothing in the natural world, but you will lack nothing that you need to accomplish God's mandates.
Divine Purpose (Part 1)
God is going to have an end-time people, raised up for a divine purpose, through whom He manifests His supernatural power. These people will present their lives as living sacrifices to reach the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They will give freely of their talents, time, spiritual gifts, and finances to accomplish His divine purposes.
These people will be proof-producers. Men and women who not only will articulate the power of God, but who will also allow that power to be demonstrated through them by salvation, miracles, healing, and deliverance. It is upon these people that God will release a special anointing, set them free from any bondage, and launch them into a divine cycle of supernatural provision. God will do this for a specific purpose: The extension of His Kingdom.
Jesus said in Luke 12:22-31:
"Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you."
God is raising up a people whose focus will be on the Kingdom. They will not worry about what they eat or drink, their clothing, or where they live. They will seek first the Kingdom of God, and all other things they need will be provided.
As a believer, you are called to divine purpose. When you change your focus from your personal needs to the goal of extending the Kingdom, you will be amazed at the divine provision that follows.
Where is your focus? Is it on making money, getting ahead materially, and fretting about your debts, or is your focus on extending the Kingdom of God? Your decision can make a life changing difference!
These people will be proof-producers. Men and women who not only will articulate the power of God, but who will also allow that power to be demonstrated through them by salvation, miracles, healing, and deliverance. It is upon these people that God will release a special anointing, set them free from any bondage, and launch them into a divine cycle of supernatural provision. God will do this for a specific purpose: The extension of His Kingdom.
Jesus said in Luke 12:22-31:
"Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you."
God is raising up a people whose focus will be on the Kingdom. They will not worry about what they eat or drink, their clothing, or where they live. They will seek first the Kingdom of God, and all other things they need will be provided.
As a believer, you are called to divine purpose. When you change your focus from your personal needs to the goal of extending the Kingdom, you will be amazed at the divine provision that follows.
Where is your focus? Is it on making money, getting ahead materially, and fretting about your debts, or is your focus on extending the Kingdom of God? Your decision can make a life changing difference!
Tuesday, August 8, 2017
The Promise (Part 7)
Immediately after Jesus was born, He and his family were forced to flee to Egypt to escape the wrath of King Herod. How was their trip financed? Through the gifts that had been brought by the wise men, which were gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Whatever was needed to fulfill His destiny, Jesus received it. As a joint-heir with Christ, all of your needs will be provided to enable you to fulfill your divine destiny.
Jesus became the supreme sacrifice through which we are reconciled and restored into fellowship with the Father. Through His blood, you have entered into a New Covenant by which you have been made a joint-heir with Jesus:
Romans 8:16, 17 AMP "The Spirit Himself (thus) testifies together with our own spirit, (assuring us) that we are children of God. And if we are (His) children, then we are (His) heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ-sharing His inheritance with Him ..."
As a joint-heir with Jesus Christ, you are not limited by the resources of this world. You have direct access to the Father and all that He has belongs to you. You do not need to rely upon your own limited resources to accomplish your divine mandate to spread the gospel to the world because you have unlimited access to the resources of heaven.
What is your inheritance in Christ? It is all you need to meet your personal needs and to do your part in extending God's Kingdom. The Bible declares:
Philippians 4:9 "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
All means exactly that-ALL. Everything you need (not the "name it and claim it" idea of confessing mansions, expensive cars, and jewels) is your inheritance through Jesus Christ. Your supernatural resources are not just financial blessings.
-All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in Christ according to Colossians 2:2, 3.
-You are enriched in Him in all things according to 1 Corinthians 1:5, 6.
1 Corinthians 4:8 NIV "Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich!"
-The tremendous spiritual power Jesus has given you is something that cannot be purchased with money:
Acts 8:18-22 "And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God."
Through your covenant relationship with God which Christ made possible, there is total provision for every need in your life, such as salvation, protection, health, peace, deliverance, power, security, and finances. In addition, God has also given you spiritual gifts, talents, and abilities to accomplish your divine destiny. Indeed, you are very rich thru the power of God. It may not be the wealth the world looks upon, but He will take care of you when the world is on fire!
Jesus became the supreme sacrifice through which we are reconciled and restored into fellowship with the Father. Through His blood, you have entered into a New Covenant by which you have been made a joint-heir with Jesus:
Romans 8:16, 17 AMP "The Spirit Himself (thus) testifies together with our own spirit, (assuring us) that we are children of God. And if we are (His) children, then we are (His) heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ-sharing His inheritance with Him ..."
As a joint-heir with Jesus Christ, you are not limited by the resources of this world. You have direct access to the Father and all that He has belongs to you. You do not need to rely upon your own limited resources to accomplish your divine mandate to spread the gospel to the world because you have unlimited access to the resources of heaven.
What is your inheritance in Christ? It is all you need to meet your personal needs and to do your part in extending God's Kingdom. The Bible declares:
Philippians 4:9 "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
All means exactly that-ALL. Everything you need (not the "name it and claim it" idea of confessing mansions, expensive cars, and jewels) is your inheritance through Jesus Christ. Your supernatural resources are not just financial blessings.
-All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in Christ according to Colossians 2:2, 3.
-You are enriched in Him in all things according to 1 Corinthians 1:5, 6.
1 Corinthians 4:8 NIV "Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich!"
-The tremendous spiritual power Jesus has given you is something that cannot be purchased with money:
Acts 8:18-22 "And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God."
Through your covenant relationship with God which Christ made possible, there is total provision for every need in your life, such as salvation, protection, health, peace, deliverance, power, security, and finances. In addition, God has also given you spiritual gifts, talents, and abilities to accomplish your divine destiny. Indeed, you are very rich thru the power of God. It may not be the wealth the world looks upon, but He will take care of you when the world is on fire!
The Promise (Part 6)
You are a joint-heir with Jesus Christ. As the pre-existent Son of God, Jesus was coequal with God. All that the Father possessed belonged to Him, yet He chose to become poor:
2 Corinthians 8:9 "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich."
The word "poor" in this verse is translated from the Greek word "ptocheuo" which means "to be destitute." Jesus willingly gave up His vast wealth so that you might be made rich spiritually. Jesus did not come to earth with the wealth of a king. He totally stripped Himself of all that He had, came in the form of a servant, and experienced the pain, suffering, and poverty of this world.
During His life on earth, Jesus was poor according to the world's standards. He was born in a humble stable in a lowly manger. He owned no houses or lands. Jesus told one man who wanted to follow Him:
Matthew 8:20 "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head."
During His ministry, Jesus lived with friends and ate at their tables. When He died, His body was placed in a borrowed tomb. Although He was the Creator of everything, He literally left HIs throne in glory to dwell among us.
Although Jesus was considered poor, all the resources of heaven were at His disposal. He had none of the world's wealth, yet He possessed an abundance of all that He needed. He did not rely on the world's limited resources, but He trusted in His Father's supernatural provision. Acts 10:38 indicates that Jesus went about doing good. The word for "good" in this verse means to be generous and liberal. Jesus did not own cattle, houses, or land, yet God provided all that was needed in order for Him to accomplish His divine mission in this world.
When there was a multitude of 5,000 men plus women and children who were hungry, Jesus did not send them away without meeting their needs. He drew from His Father's reservoir of riches.
John 6:5-9 NAS "He said to Philip, Where are we to buy bread, that these may eat?' And this He was saying to test him; for He Himself knew what He was intending to do. Philip answered Him, 'Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little.' One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's. brother, said to Him, 'There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?"
Instead of sending the people away hungry, Jesus took the available resources and multiplied them. He took five loaves of bread and two small fish, blessed it, divided it, and gave it to His disciples to feed the people. Not only did they have enough for everyone to eat and be satisfied, but there was an abundance of twelve full baskets left over! This is an excellent example of the divine provision God intends for you to experience today. He has enough to meet your every need with plenty left over.
2 Corinthians 8:9 "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich."
The word "poor" in this verse is translated from the Greek word "ptocheuo" which means "to be destitute." Jesus willingly gave up His vast wealth so that you might be made rich spiritually. Jesus did not come to earth with the wealth of a king. He totally stripped Himself of all that He had, came in the form of a servant, and experienced the pain, suffering, and poverty of this world.
During His life on earth, Jesus was poor according to the world's standards. He was born in a humble stable in a lowly manger. He owned no houses or lands. Jesus told one man who wanted to follow Him:
Matthew 8:20 "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head."
During His ministry, Jesus lived with friends and ate at their tables. When He died, His body was placed in a borrowed tomb. Although He was the Creator of everything, He literally left HIs throne in glory to dwell among us.
Although Jesus was considered poor, all the resources of heaven were at His disposal. He had none of the world's wealth, yet He possessed an abundance of all that He needed. He did not rely on the world's limited resources, but He trusted in His Father's supernatural provision. Acts 10:38 indicates that Jesus went about doing good. The word for "good" in this verse means to be generous and liberal. Jesus did not own cattle, houses, or land, yet God provided all that was needed in order for Him to accomplish His divine mission in this world.
When there was a multitude of 5,000 men plus women and children who were hungry, Jesus did not send them away without meeting their needs. He drew from His Father's reservoir of riches.
John 6:5-9 NAS "He said to Philip, Where are we to buy bread, that these may eat?' And this He was saying to test him; for He Himself knew what He was intending to do. Philip answered Him, 'Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little.' One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's. brother, said to Him, 'There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?"
Instead of sending the people away hungry, Jesus took the available resources and multiplied them. He took five loaves of bread and two small fish, blessed it, divided it, and gave it to His disciples to feed the people. Not only did they have enough for everyone to eat and be satisfied, but there was an abundance of twelve full baskets left over! This is an excellent example of the divine provision God intends for you to experience today. He has enough to meet your every need with plenty left over.
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