Don't play dead!

From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

Matthew 11:12

The Amplified Bible translates Matthew 11:12, "...a share in the heavenly kingdom is sought with most ardent zeal and intense exertion."

I want you to get violent today. Yes, violent, determined, zealous. I want you to get so committed to the things of God that you'll withstand any attempt to take them away from you.

Too many believers these days are like the Israelites. They're wandering around in a wilderness of defeat because there's an enemy in the promised land. They're being robbed of their rightful inheritance because they're afraid to fight him. They keep hoping that somehow they'll find a way in without using force. But they won't! You have to make demands where Satan and his associates are concerned.

When God sent the Israelites into Canaan, He said, "Send the armed men to go before you." They were to go up armed—ready for the fight. He knew they'd have to fight to take the land. He never promised them that they wouldn't. What He promised them was they'd win every time.

The same is true for you. You can't just lie down and play dead when you're dealing with the devil. He's not going to let go of any area of your life—of your health or your finances or anything else—without a fight. He's not going to give it up unless you force him.

Quit sitting there in the wilderness. Quit sitting there while the devil steals the blessings of God out from under you. You have God's permission and His power and His ability to take the land. Get violent enough to do something about it...today!

Scripture Reading:

Deuteronomy 31:1-8

SOURCE

Get rid of the Frogs!

When shall I intreat for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses?

Exodus 8:9

Have you ever wrestled with one of those problems that stubbornly refuses to go away? It seems to be immune to all solutions. You swat at the thing in every conceivable way, but instead of being eliminated, it expands and multiplies until it's wildly out of control.

An Egyptian pharaoh faced just that kind of problem, the Bible tells us, thousands of years ago. He was in a hot dispute with God over the future of the Israelites, and as a result of that dispute, he woke up one morning to find his country swarming with frogs. Slimy, smelly, hopping-all-over-the-place frogs.

It was a serious problem. I'm not talking about a frog or two in the front yard. I mean frogs were everywhere—in their beds, on their tables. Big old frogs in the ovens. Little bitty frogs in the bread dough and the drinking water. Frogs. Frogs in your hair. Frogs in places you wouldn't even want to think about!

Then God made a move. He sent His man Moses in to Pharaoh to ask, "When shall I entreat the Lord to get these frogs out of here?"

Do you know what Pharaoh said?

"Tomorrow."

Can you imagine that? He could have said, "Right now! Today!" But instead he decided he'd spend one more night among the frogs.

You say, "That's the stupidest thing I ever heard. Why in the world would he say tomorrow?" I don't know. Probably for the same reason you want to wait until tomorrow to get saved or healed or prosperous.

Here's what I want you to notice. When Moses asked Pharaoh that question and he answered, "Tomorrow," Moses said, "All right. So that you know there's a God in heaven, be it done according to your words."

Let me ask you this: How long are you willing to let that persisting problem harass you? When are you going to get rid of the frogs in your life? Do you realize they'll stay around as long as you'll let them? They'll be there until you finally make a quality decision to go with the Word of God and get them out.

Why don't you do it today?

Scripture Reading:

Exodus 8:1-13

SOURCE

God goes too!

But the person who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him.

1 Corinthians 6:17, The Amplified Bible

I once heard about a great man of God who looked in the mirror every day when he put on his suit and said, "Suit, everywhere you go today, God goes in you." And you know, he's right. If you have united yourself to God by receiving Jesus as Lord, everywhere you go today...God goes too!

As believers, we need to start becoming more conscious of that. We need to train ourselves to be constantly aware of God inside of us, talking to us, teaching us, counseling us, empowering us and enduing us with Himself.

We need to continually remind ourselves that we are one spirit with Him. That means that every time we face a problem, every time we face an evil spirit that tries to influence and hinder our lives, God is facing it too. When we meet those things, God meets them. And He's already overcome them!

Let me encourage you when you get dressed today to look in the mirror and say, "I am united to the Lord and I have become one spirit with Him. Body, everywhere you go today...God goes. God is in you. The power of God is in you. The wisdom of God is in you. The victory of God is in you."

Say that to yourself every day—many times a day. Keep doing it until you begin to develop the habit of thinking that way. Cultivate a constant awareness of the reality of God living in you!

Scripture Reading:

1 Corinthians 6:17-20

SOURCE

CHOOSE LIFE

For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Romans 8:6

If you were given the choice between life and death, which would you choose? The answer seems obvious. But, in reality, it's not.

You see, choosing death doesn't necessarily mean jumping from the nearest cliff. It's much more subtle than that.

The Bible says death is being carnally minded, being entangled in this present worldly realm. The Bible also tells us what life is. "My son, attend to my words," says Proverbs 4:20-22, "...for they are life!"

To be worldly minded is death. To be Word-minded is life.

In Luke 10, there's a story that illustrates this principle extremely well. It's the story of Mary and Martha. You probably remember it. Mary was sitting at Jesus' feet listening to Him teach while Martha was bustling around in the kitchen cooking dinner for everyone.

Finally Martha couldn't stand it anymore. She came to Jesus and said, "Lord, don't You care that my sister has left me to do all the work myself? Tell her to help me!" Jesus answered, "Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:41-42).

Mary had set everything else aside, so she could hear the Word. But Martha had let the seemingly important business of living take priority over the Word. She'd chosen death, not life.

You see how easy it is to slip into that?

"But Brother Copeland," you say, "if I didn't spend all my time taking care of the business of living, my life would fall apart!"

Oh, really? Martha probably thought that too. She probably thought if she didn't cook dinner for all those folks, they'd go hungry. But they wouldn't have. Jesus had miraculously fed multitudes before and He could have done it again in Martha's home. She could have plopped herself down at Jesus' feet, and they could have had a banquet at God's expense!

Don't make the mistake that Martha did. Don't get so entangled in the business of living that you choose death by default. Decide to put the Word first place. Choose Life!

Scripture Reading:

Romans 8:5-13

SOURCE

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Would it be wrong to pray to leave this world?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

With the pressures and pain that can come in this earthly life, we can sometimes think it might be better to leave this world and go home to be with the Lord. Paul shares his feelings in Philippians 1:21, “For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.” He goes on to say, however, “But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.” (verses 22-24).

Notice how the apostle answered the question. The issue, Paul said, was not what was best for him but what was best for the sake of others. He valued the needs of others above his own personal desire to be with the Lord.

In other words, this is about destiny. Regardless of how you feel, think or believe, God has a purpose for your life, too. He knew exactly when you would be born and what He wanted you to do. There is no one else like you; nobody else can do what you can for the Lord. God can use you to touch other people—family, friends, neighbors and people in need. Look around and see the good you have done for others and the good you can still do. We believe you will realize you are more valuable than you thought.

Though it is better for you to be with the Lord, it is better for others that you stay (Philippians 1:24).

Prescription for life.

If any one intends to come after Me, let him deny himself [forget, ignore, disown and lose sight of himself and his own interests] and take up his cross, and...follow with Me. For whoever wants to save his [higher, spiritual, eternal] life, will lose it...and whoever gives up his life [which is lived only on earth] for My sake and the Gospel's will save [it].

Mark 8:34-35, The Amplified Bible

When Jesus said those words, He wasn't just giving us a prescription for getting to heaven. He was telling us how to live a superior life right here on earth.

You see, there's a high life that we can live right here, right now. But to get in on it, we have to lay down the way of life that most of us are accustomed to. We may have to let go of the very things we've been trying so hard to latch on to. We have to set our hearts instead on doing what God wants us to do.

That's what Jesus did. He didn't live His life for Himself. He lived it completely for God. He did only what the Father told Him to do—and He lived in total victory.

It's time to realize that getting born again is not something we do just to miss hell. Our purpose is to please God—to lay down our lives in order to fulfill His desires. To be His special possessions in the earth and to do whatever He tells us to do. Our top priority is to give ourselves to Him and to live in communication with Him. To spend enough time with Him that we can hear His voice and respond in obedience.

Only when we do that will we be genuinely fulfilled. Only when we do that will we be able to live the high life we've been longing for.

Scripture Reading:

Acts 20:7-24

SOURCE

QUESTION OF THE DAY

HOW DO I FIND PEACE?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

Part of finding perfect peace is through learning to enter into God’s rest. To learn more about God’s rest, here’s a great Bible study outline from Kenneth Copeland. This outline is a part of his personal study notes and it is included in both the Kenneth Copeland Reference Edition Bible and the Kenneth Copeland Personal Notes Edition New Testament.

Entering into God’s Rest

I.  Hebrews 1:3—Jesus sat down.

A. His work was finished.
          1. John 17:4
          2. John 19:30
          3. Jesus perfectly pleased the Father!
B. He suffered everything that justice had ever demanded that humanity should suffer for its union with Satan in Adam.

II. Hebrews 4—We enter into His rest.

A. We must settle down in His finished work.
B. Must He continue to fight my battles for me?
C. Must He continue to be called upon to leave His rest to combat Satan and disease and poverty
over and over again?
D. 1 Corinthians 3:21-23
E. Jesus’ work has been fully accepted by God the Father; it does not have to be done again.
F. We rest in the confidence that He has done the work for us. We can rest knowing His Word will
never fail.

III. We must become God-inside minded.

A. We must stop the old way of thinking and become Word ruled.
B. The Holy Spirit has come to see to it that the rest is not disturbed (Ephesians 3:20).

SOURCE

Don't let division stunt your growth

And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions....

1 Corinthians 3:1-3

Envying, strife and divisions had reduced the early Corinthian Christians back to the natural, or carnal, state that they were in before they were born again. It had so stunted their spiritual growth that they couldn't understand the things the Apostle Paul wanted to teach them.

Satan has sent the same spirit of division among us today. He knows that a house divided against itself will fall. He also knows if we all come together in the unity of our faith, we'll arrive at the full stature of Christ Jesus (Ephesians 4:13). So he has assigned a spirit of division to operate in our personal lives, our church lives, our social lives and our family lives. His goal is the same as it was in Corinth: to bring envying, strife and division, and to stunt our spiritual growth.

But we don't have to yield to that spirit. Instead Paul says, "[by] speaking the truth in love, [we] may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ" (Ephesians 4:15).

Compare "speaking the truth in love" to "envyings, strife, and divisions." Diametrical opposites, aren't they? You can't do both of them at the same time. As you speak the truth in love, you grow up. As you envy, fuss and separate from one another, you go back to babyhood.

Don't let Satan stop your spiritual growth by giving in to the spirit of division but speak the truth in love and "grow up into Him in allthings!"

Scripture Reading:

James 4:1-11

SOURCE

QUESTION OF THE DAY

How can I know the truth when ministers disagree?

????????

???????

??????

?????

????

???

??

?

??

???

????

?????

??????

???????

????????

It can tend to be confusing trying to understand how, with one Lord and one Bible, we can come up so many different viewpoints and church groups.

Whenever we see differing views in the Body of Christ, our first responsibility is to look to the wisdom provided in Romans 12:3-5, 9-10: “Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.... Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.”

These verses help us to see the how the Body of Christ is made up and functions. The Body of Christ is made up of individual believers who each have a unique place in God’s plan. If there’s one thing we know about any time a group of individuals comes together, it’s that there will be many different views and opinions represented. That can be the opportunity for strife. But we are instructed to focus on the unity we have in Christ, and make the choice to maintain brotherly love as we honor and prefer one another.

But what do you do when those different perspectives and viewpoints are represented among those who are ministering to you?  Brother Copeland has given us the following instructions for how to develop a godly position on any subject or event:

1. Study to show yourself approved (2 Timothy 2:15).

2. Allow the Holy Spirit to lead you to the truth (John 16:13).

3. Make it a point to recognize those subjects that have no effect on your salvation or your ability to receive the blessings of the Lord in this life, and give those subjects only the attention they deserve (2 Timothy 2:16, 23).

4. Stay in love. Avoid debates that lead to strife (Matthew 22:36-40; 2 Corinthians 12:20; Philippians 2:3; James 3:16).

5. Choose to recognize and appreciate the important role individual believers and ministers have in the Body of Christ—even if they present a different view on a particular subject or event (Romans 12:3-10; 1 Corinthians 3:1-9; 1 Corinthians 12).

As you fellowship with the Lord, the Holy Spirit will lead you toward the truth, and that truth will bring freedom and victory!

Tune in to the spirit of grace

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.

Titus 2:11-12

Grace teaches us! The "Spirit of grace" instructs us from the inside. Let the Holy Spirit of God counsel you and teach you how to live in this present world.

If you listen to the voice of the world, you will be worldly minded, or carnally minded, which is death. But, if you tune in to the voice of the Spirit of grace, you can become spiritually minded. And, according to the Word, that is life and peace. So, when the Spirit of God speaks to you through that still, small voice inside your heart, listen and obey Him. His way works! Trust Him and remember that He's got your well-being in mind.

Maybe He's asking you to eliminate some activity that's consuming too much of your time and attention. Or maybe He's prompting you to get up a little earlier and spend more time in the Word and in prayer. Whatever it is He is telling you to do, if you'll do it, you'll be stronger in the grace of God, and consequently, in the blessing of God.

Don't hesitate another moment. Do it! If you want a change, make a change.

Scripture Reading:

1 Corinthians 1:3-8

SOURCE

Prepare for Persecution

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

2 Timothy 3:12

Did you catch that? He said all who live godly lives are going to suffer persecution. Not just the super-saints, not just the missionaries in hostile lands—but all.

If you're going to live for God, you're going to run into persecution somewhere along the line. The devil's going to make sure of it!

Now I'm not saying that to frighten you or to depress you. I'm saying it because I want you to be prepared.

When you're wise to the strategies of the devil, it's harder for him to use them successfully on you to confuse you and get you off track.

Second Corinthians 10:4 says, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds." So stay armed and ready for Satan's attack. Then, whenever and however it comes, it won't bring your life to a halt or even slow you down.

That's especially important right now because we're living in the last days. The devil's time is drawing short. He is desperate. He is going to do everything he can to stop the Church. But Jesus said the gates of hell would not prevail against His Church!

Remember the more we grow to be like Jesus and the more God's glory is revealed through our lives, the bigger threat we are to Satan's kingdom. Jesus said, "Rejoice and be glad at such a time, and exult and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is rich and great and strong and intense and abundant in heaven" (Luke 6:23, The Amplified Bible).

So, when persecution comes your way, and you know it will, rejoice and be glad. Take the Jesus cure and begin to leap and jump and praise God! There is no way persecution will hurt you if you do that. I've tried it and it works.

Scripture Reading:

Acts 6:1-15

SOURCE

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Can the hundredfold return apply to the tithe?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

The biblical promise of a hundredfold return is for sowing seed of any offering you give. But does it also apply to giving your tithe?

Actually, the tithe is a specific commandment from the Lord and carries its own blessing with it. This is a blessing that is separate from the blessing we receive when we sow an offering, which is over and above the tithe:

“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field...And all nations shall call you blessed: for you shall be a delightsome land” (Malachi 3:10-12).

The tithe is different from an offering. The tithe is the first 10 percent God commands us to give on the gross of all our income—offerings are above and beyond that. After you tithe, you can sow seed and expect to receive the hundredfold return on that seed.

The great thing about seed-faith giving is not only can we sow financially, but we can sow in other areas of our lives. We read about the blessing on offerings and other gifts above the tithe in Galatians 6:7-10.

We encourage you to commit the tithe to the Lord and then trust Him to provide you with good seed to sow, whether it’s a financial seed, a kind word, a gift of service or an act of obedience. God will multiply the seed you sow! Jesus said in Luke 6:38 that if you give, “it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”

SOURCE

Live free from fear

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

Psalm 91:1-3

Is it possible to live free from fear in this dangerous and unpredictable world? Yes, it most definitely is! Because protection is a solid promise of God.

But it's not a promise that's offered to just anyone. It is promised to those who abide in the Lord. To abide means "to dwell, to remain and to continue." To abide in the shadow of the Almighty is to live in continual union with Him, keeping His Word and obeying His voice. Those who abide in the Lord can live without dread of what the devil will do.

Let me make this clear though—God's promise of protection doesn't guarantee that the devil will leave you alone! It means that God will give you a way of escape every time the devil rears his ugly face at you.

If you are afraid of the dangers around you, spend more time in the Word and in prayer until your trust in God overcomes your fear. Draw closer to the Lord until you are abiding in the shadow of the Almighty and—no matter how dangerous this world becomes—He shall surely deliver you.

Scripture Reading:

Psalm 91:1-16

Talk your way to success.

We discover from Scriptures that success is God’s will for us and as such every child of God has been redeemed for all-round success. However, success does not fall on people’s laps neither is it obtained on a platter of gold. There is always what to do to enjoy every provision God has made for us in His Word.

Among others, one important step to our success is to talk our way into it. It is impossible to encounter success without talking success. This is because the words we speak either make us or mar us. We determine the things that happen to us by the words of our mouth. Whenever we speak success, as contained in scriptures, we are speaking the right word that contains irresistible great forces that cannot go unheard.

As regards our success in life, many Christians don’t believe it is scriptural to be successful and as such they keep closed mouths. Remember, it is often said that ‘a closed mouth is a closed destiny’. In actual fact, they think it is pride to talk success. They prefer to be wretched Christians than to be associated with success. But Jesus did not teach us so, He said that we are the light of the world. In other words, we are redeemed to be Pace-setters, pathfinders and trail-blazers for the world to follow.

He also said that we are the salt of the earth; that means we are designed to preserve humanity from decadence and to give taste to the tasteless world. In addition, Jesus said that we are cities set on hills which cannot be hidden. That helps us to recognise that every child of God is ordained for global relevance, influence and exploits. But as we all know, we cannot claim what we cannot proclaim, our inheritance notwithstanding. In other words, what we don’t believe, we are not empowered to become and until we say it, God is not empowered to deliver. If talking success is too big for our mouths, it would be too big for our hands (John 1:12; Genesis 13:14). Therefore talk success! Until we talk it, we can’t have it. This is my secret over the years and it is still working for me. Remember, the Bible says: Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof (Proverbs 18:21; See also Mark 11:23). The words we speak are powerful and can affect us positively or negatively. Thus, to experience success through the words of our mouths, we must understand the following:

• Our Words Are Seeds: The Words we speak are seeds, which bring forth fruits after their kind. As it is written: …the seed is the word of God (Luke 8:11). This means that how much of the word of God we express through our lips in any area of our lives, determines our harvest. Thus, when we feed our hearts with words of success and express them through our mouths, we are sowing seeds of success. Unfortunately, some people no matter how hard they work cannot enjoy success. This is because despite the fact that they are great givers and diligent workers, they sow seeds of failure with their mouths. This is why there are many great doers, but poor talkers. In spite of their great doings, they still remain small. We must recognise that God is not to blame for our failures as He regards what we say as the conclusion of our expectations. As it is written: … for ye shall have whatsoever he saith (Mark 11:23). Therefore, we should stop saying negative things about our present conditions; rather, we should start speaking what is written in God’s Word.

Our Words are Likened to Rainfall: Also, the words we speak are likened to rainfall from heaven. Just as the Word God sent forth out of His mouth never return to Him void, so also the words we speak never return void. They are like rainfall that causes a sprouting forth of whatever seed is sown in the earth. Remember, no matter how much seed a farmer puts in the ground, if there is no rain, the seed would perish in the earth. Likewise, the words we speak would either bring down rain to water the seeds sown or establish a drought that will destroy the seeds. It is time to begin to water the labours of our hands, by speaking the right kind of words (1 Corinthians 3:6).

Filling our Hearts with the Right Words: We understand from scriptures that: …out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh (Mathew 12:34). This implies that our mouths speak forth the overflows of what is in our hearts. When we become drunk with the words of success, we speak them naturally. As written in scriptures, life and death are in our mouths, so we should speak life, that we may enjoy success in life.

God is Committed:  In the school of success, what we say with our mouths is as important as what God says. Thus, God is committed to what we say, just as He is committed to what He says.  As it is written: That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers (Isaiah 44:26). Every one that serves God is His servants, and He is bound to confirm our words. So we must speak the right words so as not to lack results because God will confirm it. God is committed to whatever we say, whether it is said in the public or privately. He can’t act until we have uttered the words. So stop talking trials because what we talk is what we possess. Rather, start talking testimonies and we will stop seeing trials and failures.

SOURCE

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Should I expect to die for Jesus?

??

??

??

??

??

??

??

Kenneth Copeland has taught that there was a time in history when the whole Body of Christ was under a unique attack of the enemy. During that time, many believers received the anointing of God to endure martyrdom (dying for Jesus). He believes the anointing was there to experience this without pain. (Stephen, for example, simply fell asleep in Acts 7:60.) Unfortunately, when God stopped that spirit of death, much of the Body of Christ still kept a “martyrdom mentality.” Believers were so used to suffering, they continued to think this was necessary even though that level of persecution had stopped.

Yes, some Christians still face martyrdom in areas where there is religious persecution. But generally speaking God, is not looking for us to be martyrs. He desires that we live victoriously as strong witnesses who win souls for the kingdom of God. Along with having fellowship with the Father, that is our main purpose for being on the earth (Mark 16:15-18).

According to Psalm 91:16, it is not the will of God that His people die before their time. God has called all of us to finish our course in this life (2 Timothy 4:7-8). The only suffering we should be enduring is that which we encounter when we stand against the forces of evil. Even then, God expects us to come out winners (John 16:33; 1 John 4:4).

We should follow the example of the Apostle Paul in suffering for Jesus. During his lifetime he suffered many persecutions and afflictions, and said all who live godly in Christ Jesus would also suffer persecution. Paul, however, went on to say the Lord delivered him out of them all (2 Timothy 3:11-12). That’s where we should be aiming our faith—expecting to be delivered!

Persecution comes from Satan to steal the Word, but we have authority in Christ to walk in victory as overcomers. “God’s word lives in your hearts, and you have won your battle with the evil one” (1 John 2:14). Make the quality decision that you will put the Word first place and final authority in your life, let it live in you, and be an overcomer (John 15:7).

SOURCE

Your first and Highest calling.

God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 1:9

Do you know what God wants you to do more than anything else today? He wants you to fellowship with Him.

He wants you to walk with Him and talk with Him. To discuss the things of life with Him. He wants you to draw near to Him and partake of His very nature.

So many of us get so caught up in striving to please God in the things we do that we forget our first and highest calling is just to be in fellowship with Him.

That's right. God longs for us just to want to be with Him.

Have you ever considered how much it would mean for you to just come to God and say, "Father, I didn't really come today to get anything. I've prayed about my needs already and Your Word says they're met according to Your riches in glory by Christ Jesus. So I just came to be with You. If You have anything You'd like to tell me, I'm ready to listen...and I want You to know that whatever I see in Your Word, I'll do it. I'll put it into effect in my life."

Why don't you tell that to God today? He's waiting to have fellowship with you.

Scripture Reading:

1 John 1:1-7

SOURCE

Conquering your spiritual Jerichos

Are you nearing the “Promised Land” of something in your life? Have you stood fast, patiently waiting for your prayers to be answered, and now see the fruition of those prayers on the horizon? Perhaps you are near to receiving from God something you have longed for. This is not the time to give up and quit! You can conquer your “Jericho” and receive all that God has in store for you.

Even if you are beginning to possess your Promised Land, so to speak, this is no time to sit back and relax. The start of each year is a time to take stock of the past year and of what you have accomplished or have yet to accomplish. It’s also a time to make plans and set goals.

We can look forward to the future at the beginning of a new year, hopefully anticipating the good things to come. But we shouldn’t be surprised if there are more battles to face. Instead, we must know how to win the victory in order to possess what God has promised us. We must be ready for our spiritual Jerichos.

You see, Jericho was the first battle the Israelites fought after they crossed the Jordan to go in and take possession of the Promised Land. But God gave the Israelites the plan for taking this city and winning this battle without a fight! This battle was to be won with the high praises of God in their mouths and with a shout of victory!

JOSHUA 6:1–5,16,20
1  Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.
2  And the Lord said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.
3  And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.
4  And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.
5  And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the rams’ horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him. . . .
16 And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the Lord hath given you the city. . . .
20 So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.

Jericho, the first city the children of Israel took for their possession as they journeyed toward Canaan, was not won by fighting a battle! Think about that! God instructed the Israelites to march around Jericho every day without making a sound. They had their marching orders even though in the natural, the instructions didn’t seem to make any sense. Then on the seventh day, the Israelites were to march around Jericho seven times.

The seventh time, as they blew the trumpets and shouted and praised God, the walls fell down. The Israelites simply went in and took possession of what God had promised them! The Israelites didn’t fight in this battle. They just obeyed God’s instructions, shouting and praising God, and God gave them the victory.

In order for Christians living under the New Covenant to possess our “Canaan land,” we, too, will have our spiritual Jerichos we must take for God’s glory. God has placed desires and goals in each one of us—pursuits and dreams—that are His will for our life. We all have our Jerichos we need to possess. But God has promised to give us our spiritual Jerichos! It will be done by His power and for His glory, not by our own might or strength, and we will give Him all the praise for it!

Our Christian experience on earth is in a spiritual sense what going through life was in the natural for the children of Israel. The Israelites fought natural enemies that loomed as giants. Our warfare is not against natural enemies, but against supernatural enemies that sometimes seem to loom as giants. However, under the New Covenant, the Lord Jesus Christ has already defeated our enemy, Satan! We need only to stand our ground in Jesus’ victory, declaring God’s Word, and praising God for our triumph in Christ.

God didn’t promise that you wouldn’t encounter some spiritual Jerichos in life. But He did promise that through Him, you can conquer every spiritual Jericho because He promised you the victory in every circumstance in life through Christ (1 Cor. 15:57; 2 Cor. 2:14).

Therefore, when you come up against your spiritual Jerichos, begin to encompass them one by one with the Word of God: “Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world!” “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” “By His stripes I am healed.” “I am more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ.” “God always promises me the victory in every circumstance!” “All my needs are met according to God’s riches in glory through Christ Jesus” (1 John 4:4; Phil. 4:13; 1 Peter 2:24; Rom. 8:37; 2 Cor. 2:14; Phil. 4:19).

After you’ve stood your ground with the Word, then demonstrate your faith in God’s miracle-working power to give you your rightful possession by praising Him. As you praise God wholeheartedly in faith, watch those walls or obstacles fall down in front of you! No devil or evil circumstance can stay in your presence when you learn how to praise God sincerely with your whole heart!

God doesn’t bring adversity into the lives of His children; He’s not the one who causes negative situations in your life (John 10:10; James 1:17). The Bible says Satan is your adversary (1 Peter 5:8). God didn’t say you wouldn’t have any tests or trials in life, but He did promise to give you the victory in every test and trial.

But you have to do as the Israelites were instructed: “. . . Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established . . .” (2 Chron. 20:20). You’re going to have to believe God’s Word before you can be established and prosper in this life! And you demonstrate what you believe by praising God with absolute confidence in His Word!

Do you want the walls that have tried to hinder you in the past to fall down right in front of you so you can march in and take what God has promised you? Begin to shout and praise God with a voice of triumph because you know who you are in Christ. Shout and praise God with a voice of triumph because you are fully persuaded that what God has promised, He is able also to perform!

Every time you come up against a spiritual Jericho, don’t let it make you afraid. You have the victory in Christ! Simply begin to march around those impossibilities with shouts of victory, praising God in advance for your triumph.

Faith believes. Faith trusts. Therefore, faith praises! Boldly proclaim your faith in God. even though a “Jericho” may be standing right in your way! Don’t let that frighten you! That’s no obstacle to God! Demonstrate your confidence in God by praising Him even before that Jericho falls down in front of you, and then stand back and watch God work. Obstacles can’t stay in the presence of God’s people when they sincerely praise the Lord for His greatness and His faithfulness to His Word.

In my Christian walk, Satan has thrown up some seemingly insurmountable obstacles in front of me as I’ve been marching along my road in life. There have been financial pressures associated with overseeing a worldwide ministry, and there has been sadness over losing my father. But even when Satan puts up walls right in front of my face, I just keep on marching because I have received my marching orders from the Lord.

I continue to quote the Word, saying, “Every need of the ministry is met according to God’s riches in glory.” “Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world.” “I cannot fail with the Greater One on the inside.” And I keep marching.

Your situation may seem to grow darker and darker, as you feel that you’re marching right into the night. But if you’ll keep marching and praising God, sooner than you may think, you’ll hear a crack in that barrier and daylight will dawn for you.

If you’re diligent to stand on God’s Word in faith and to give Him the praise due His Name for His faithfulness to His promises, sooner than you think, that barrier will begin to fall away from you so you can march over the top of it the victor! Begin to praise God for His wonderful faithfulness to His promises. Praise God, because His mercy endures forever! Nothing can stop a child of God when he learns how to praise God from the depths of his heart!

Whatever you are facing in life right now, whatever you desire to obtain in 2004, if you will learn how to praise God before you see your answer, God will give you the victory! Whatever you need from God, it’s available right now if you’ll just begin to take God at His Word and praise Him for the provisions He’s already made for you in His Word!

Yes, you might have to stand your ground for a period of time. Your situation may not change overnight, and your desires may not be fulfilled in a single day. But if you’re faithful to trust in God and in His Word and praise Him for the outcome, the day will come when you will see your victory with your own eyes! Refuse to give up! Stay in God’s Presence, singing His praises, and you will see your faith gloriously rewarded!

SOURCE

QUOTES ABOUT THE WORDS WE SPEAK

Words are containers. What do your words contain? In answering that question, consider the following:

Talk low, talk slow, and don’t say too much.  ~John Wayne

If you wouldn’t write it and sign it, don’t say it.  ~Earl Wilson

The kindest word in all the world is the unkind word, unsaid.  ~Author Unknown

The easiest way to save face is to keep the lower half shut.  ~Author Unknown

Even a fish wouldn’t get into trouble if he kept his mouth shut.  ~Author Unknown

Be careful of your thoughts; they may become words at any moment.  ~Ira Gassen

Isn’t it surprising how many things, if not said immediately, seem not worth saying 10 minutes from now?  ~Arnot L. Sheppard, Jr.

Once a word has been allowed to escape, it cannot be recalled.  ~Horace

The difference between a smart man and a wise man is that a smart man knows what to say; a wise man knows whether or not to say it.  ~Frank M. Garafola

If you keep your mouth shut, you will never put your foot in it.  ~Austin O’Malley

Your words shape your world

What are you saying about your life? Your family? Your health? Your future? Your words will shape your world. Do you want to live in a world where you are satisfied, protected, and at peace? Then start putting God’s words in your mouth! Say about your situation what He says about it.

It’s simple: 

1. Write down on a piece of paper a brief description of what you are facing. 

2. Using the concordance in the back of your Bible, look up verses that talk about what you’re dealing with. (This will help you learn what God thinks about your situation.) Find two or more verses that say the same thing regarding the issue.

3. On a second sheet of paper write those verses down, personalizing them until they read as if you wrote them yourself. 

4. Throw the first piece of paper away! Those are your words on the issue. You are now replacing them with God’s Word on the subject!

5. Carry the second sheet of paper with you throughout the day, reciting the personalized verses several times a day (like right before you eat a meal) and any time thoughts come to you regarding the issue you’re facing. This is a practical way of putting God’s Word in your mouth, and thereby reshaping your world until it is in line with God’s Word.

Here are some examples of how to take a problem you are facing, find Scripture on the subject, and personalize the verses for daily confessions:

•    [Fear] The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war should rise against me, in God I will be confident. (Psalm 27:1,3)

•    [Worry] I won’t be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything by prayer and with thanksgiving I will make my requests known to God. And His peace will keep my heart and mind. I won’t let my heart be troubled or afraid because God has given me His peace. (Philippians 4:6–7/John 14:27)

•    [Business] I am blessed in business because I don’t walk in the counsel of the ungodly. My delight is in the law of the Lord. I trust in the Lord with all my heart. In all my ways I acknowledge Him, and He directs my paths. I am not wise in my own eyes, and I don’t lean on my own understanding. I am like a tree planted by rivers of water. My business brings forth fruit that does not wither, and whatever I do shall prosper. (Proverbs 3:5–7, 9–10/Psalm 1:1–3)

•    [Marriage] I am of one mind with my spouse, having compassion on [him/her] and loving [him/her]. I am courteous in dealing with my spouse, not rendering evil for evil or railing for railing. Regardless of how I am treated, I return a blessing. Because I want to enjoy life and see good days, I refrain from speaking evil about my spouse and toward my spouse. Instead I seek peace and pursue it. (1 Peter 3:8–11)

•    [Sickness] Jesus was wounded for my transgressions and bruised for my iniquities. Because of the stripes that He bore, I am healed. God’s Word is life to me and health to all my flesh. God sent His Word and healed me; therefore I am healed. (Isaiah 53:5/Proverbs 4:21–22/Psalm 107:20)

SOURCE

Yet! I will rejoice.

Deadline pressures? Kids got the flu? Your business is failing, and you don’t know what to do? Don’t wring your hands in despair—instead, throw them up in the air!

Make your bold declaration of harvest, and let God take it from there!

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour.

—Habakkuk 3:17–18 (NIV)

I’m going to share with you some things about rejoicing in difficult times. It’s easy to rejoice when everything is going great. But Habakkuk is painting a very different picture here. In fact, it’s pretty dark! He said there are no figs on the tree, no grapes on the vine, the olive crop has failed, and there’s no food in the field, no sheep in the pen, or cattle in the stalls. That’s a pretty bleak scenario, isn’t it!

Perhaps you’re not dealing with failed crops today, but an empty bank account. Maybe you’re dealing with other areas of your life that are unfruitful—where harvest has failed to occur. God wants you to turn that situation around! You may be looking at your situation and wondering how, but God’s Word shows us exactly how to do it.

First, we must realize that the tests and trials of life come to every single one of us. At some time or another, difficult times are going to come. Jesus Himself said, “. . . In the world ye shall have tribulation . . .” (John 16:33). But look at the rest of that verse. After Jesus said we’re going to face tribulation in this world, He said, “. . . but BE OF GOOD CHEER; I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD”!

Habakkuk revealed a great spiritual truth! When nothing seems to be going right, and things don’t seem to be improving—and maybe things are downright bleak—that is not the time to stop praising God, to stop being “of good cheer.” Habakkuk said, “yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour” (v. 18 NIV).

Habakkuk is saying, among other things, that despite the circumstances of life, we are to rejoice in God. We are to delight ourselves in God and His Word and not fret over our circumstances. We are to rejoice in God’s goodness, mercy, and abounding grace. When circumstances change for the worse, we can still rejoice, because we’re rejoicing in our unchanging God!

I want you to think for a moment about how unstable we would be if we changed our attitude and demeanor every time our circumstances changed. We’re living in a day of a volatile stock market, a fluctuating economy, corporate mergers and takeovers, political upheaval, and constant threats of terrorism and war. Yet in the midst of it all, God does not change! And His Word does not change!

The Word that says God always causes us to triumph in Christ (2 Cor. 2:14) is the same Word before you were up for that promotion as well as it was after you didn’t get the promotion! If you don’t get a raise, for example, that doesn’t change the immutability and infallibility of God’s holy written Word. God will take care of you whether the company you work for gives you a raise or not! God can open the door for a better situation than you ever thought possible! But it will be on His terms. In other words, you will have to cooperate with Him and His Word so He can do it.

MALACHI 3:6

6  For I am the Lord, I change not . . . .

HEBREWS 13:8

8  Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

MATTHEW 24:35

35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my [Jesus’] words shall not pass away.

1 PETER 1:24–25 (NIV)

24 . . . the grass withers and the flowers fall,

25 but the word of the Lord stands for ever . . . .”

The Word of God is forever settled! It is not subject to change! And God’s Word is His power unto salvation—or whatever it is you need—if you will believe it (see Rom. 1:16).

We looked at Habakkuk 3:18 in the New International Version. Now let’s look at that verse in the King James Version: “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” When trouble comes and looks as if it’s there to stay, you don’t have to despair or be discouraged. You don’t have to fold your hands and quit. You can rejoice in the Lord, the God of your salvation.

God has provided salvation for us, both spiritually and naturally. Because of Jesus, we have eternal salvation, or eternal life. We are saved spiritually from eternal death and separation from God. But the salvation He has provided also includes our safety, preservation, deliverance, wholeness, and soundness in the natural.

Some people want to spiritualize everything. I thank God for spiritual blessings, but I live in a natural world. We have to live and function in this world. Jesus said that we who are His are in this world, yet we’re not of this world (John 17:14). We don’t have to live as the world lives, wringing our hands in despair when tests and trials arise. We have “inside information”—information inside the Word of God! We can lift our hands and rejoice in the face of tests and trials. Rejoice about what? About the God of our salvation!

The reason people waver in their emotions, depending on whether things are good or bad, is because they have nothing to stabilize their lives. Either they have no salvation—they haven’t received the salvation that God has provided for them—or they don’t understand their salvation.

God is our salvation! He is our stabilizer! Yet when we face tests and trials, instead of rejoicing in God and allowing Him to stabilize us, we often begin to question Him. And some people allow those questions to cause them to fall away from God and the Church. You might see those people in church for a while but then something happens, and they drop out of sight. They turn from the very things that will keep them steady in the midst of a storm so they can reach the other side of that test or trial safely, with songs in their hearts and testimonies on their lips.

If the prophet Habakkuk were here today, he might say to you in more modern language, “Look, it’s been a bad year. You lost your job, and food has been scarce. You think you might lose everything, and your future still looks uncertain. But this is not the end for you. God hasn’t changed, and He wants to see you through. So rejoice in Him. Rejoice now—rejoice forever!”

When you encounter troubles, tests, and trials, remember this: You’re just passing through! In other words, don’t pitch camp on the problems. Just keep on walking, rejoicing in the God of your salvation! Psalm 23:4 says, “Yea, though I walk THROUGH the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me . . . .”

Notice, David said he was walking through! Too many times we stop in the valley and get devoured! Instead, we should pass through the valley of tests and trials, rejoicing in our God. His Word says that “THEN shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us” (Psalm 67:6)!

SOURCE