Ps 5:3
3 My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up.
NKJV
Luke 21:28
28 Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."
NKJV
Heb 12:2
2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
NKJV
My Comments:
When praying, as conscious as I am of my position in Christ and that I'm seated with Him and in Him; I also make it a point to know exactly where and who I'm looking at to provide the answer to what I'm asking.
Consider this, that Jesus is already seated at the right hand of the Father; and that He is above everything that has a name. What this means is that whatever problem we may be facing, it's under Him. So rather than look around at the problems, look up! Look to Him, who is the source of everything good, and who never changes!
Your answer is in Him! So just lift up your heads and rejoice because your answer is right there!
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Pray From Above!
Eph 1:20-23
20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,
23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
NKJV
Eph 2:5-6
5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus
NKJV
My Comments:
Philip Halverson, a man used by God in prayer, said once "You never pray from earth, you pray from Heaven."
In the light of the New Testament, Paul wrote concerning the Church that it was already seated IN the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Not that it was going to be seated some day, but that it has been seated there, right now!
What this meant to me was that as far as God was concerned, the moment I believed and accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, I was raised up and seated together with Jesus at the right hand of God!
When you know that you're already seated there, you would know that because all things are under His feet, therefore all things are under your feet too, because you're part of His Body!
In the light of what Brother Halverson said, when you pray from Heaven, you know that you already have the answer, and that the victory is already there! Praying from earth, all you can see is the circumstances surrounding you, and the uncountable number of problems you face but when you pray from Heaven, you're above them all!
In prayer then, when you pray, always pray with the understanding that you're already an overcomer! That you're already above everything that has a name, because you're in Him! Sin, Sickness, Poverty are all under His feet, therefore they're under your feet! Pray from Heaven and not from Earth!
20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,
23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
NKJV
Eph 2:5-6
5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus
NKJV
My Comments:
Philip Halverson, a man used by God in prayer, said once "You never pray from earth, you pray from Heaven."
In the light of the New Testament, Paul wrote concerning the Church that it was already seated IN the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Not that it was going to be seated some day, but that it has been seated there, right now!
What this meant to me was that as far as God was concerned, the moment I believed and accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, I was raised up and seated together with Jesus at the right hand of God!
When you know that you're already seated there, you would know that because all things are under His feet, therefore all things are under your feet too, because you're part of His Body!
In the light of what Brother Halverson said, when you pray from Heaven, you know that you already have the answer, and that the victory is already there! Praying from earth, all you can see is the circumstances surrounding you, and the uncountable number of problems you face but when you pray from Heaven, you're above them all!
In prayer then, when you pray, always pray with the understanding that you're already an overcomer! That you're already above everything that has a name, because you're in Him! Sin, Sickness, Poverty are all under His feet, therefore they're under your feet! Pray from Heaven and not from Earth!
Monday, January 28, 2013
Praying for Divine Utterance
Eph 6:19-20
19 [praying (v18)] and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
NKJV
Isa 50:4
4 "The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to hear as the learned.
NKJV
1 Sam 3:19-4:1
19 So Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.
20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel had been established as a prophet of the LORD.
21 Then the LORD appeared again in Shiloh. For the LORD revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.
4:1 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel.
NKJV
My Comments:
I generally use the verses above to stand on with regards to praying for my pastor; or for whoever the minister taking the pulpit is; in whatever church service I'm in at that moment. No matter who it is, they need words that are inspired of God; for that's the kind that will be able to minister to the people as a whole, break bondages, and set people free! (Luke 4:18-19)
There are three things I stand on with regards to the preacher in the preparation of his/her sermons:
1. That God would give him Divine Utterance; that he can boldly give out whatever is on his heart to preach. (Eph 6:19-20)
2. That he would always have a word in due season for the people hearing the Word being preached. (Isa 50:4)
3. That none of the words spoken would fall to the ground; or be empty words per se; but full of life. (1 Sa 3:19-4:1)
But at the same time, I can also boldly stand on those verses for myself! Because I know that I also need the above in my own life too! There's a world out there who may or may not step into the doors of a church, but they can still be impacted by the words that we speak! So it is a two-fold application when we stand on the Word for utterance; both for the ministers of God, and for ourselves!
19 [praying (v18)] and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
NKJV
Isa 50:4
4 "The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to hear as the learned.
NKJV
1 Sam 3:19-4:1
19 So Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.
20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel had been established as a prophet of the LORD.
21 Then the LORD appeared again in Shiloh. For the LORD revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.
4:1 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel.
NKJV
My Comments:
I generally use the verses above to stand on with regards to praying for my pastor; or for whoever the minister taking the pulpit is; in whatever church service I'm in at that moment. No matter who it is, they need words that are inspired of God; for that's the kind that will be able to minister to the people as a whole, break bondages, and set people free! (Luke 4:18-19)
There are three things I stand on with regards to the preacher in the preparation of his/her sermons:
1. That God would give him Divine Utterance; that he can boldly give out whatever is on his heart to preach. (Eph 6:19-20)
2. That he would always have a word in due season for the people hearing the Word being preached. (Isa 50:4)
3. That none of the words spoken would fall to the ground; or be empty words per se; but full of life. (1 Sa 3:19-4:1)
But at the same time, I can also boldly stand on those verses for myself! Because I know that I also need the above in my own life too! There's a world out there who may or may not step into the doors of a church, but they can still be impacted by the words that we speak! So it is a two-fold application when we stand on the Word for utterance; both for the ministers of God, and for ourselves!
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Being Led By The Spirit in Prayer
Eph 6:18
18 Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God's consecrated people).
AMP
Rom 8:26
26 So too the [Holy] Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance.
AMP
1 Cor 14:13-15
13 Therefore, the person who speaks in an [unknown] tongue should pray [for the power] to interpret and explain what he says.
14 For if I pray in an [unknown] tongue, my spirit [by the Holy Spirit within me] prays, but my mind is unproductive [it bears no fruit and helps nobody].
15 Then what am I to do? I will pray with my spirit [by the Holy Spirit that is within me], but I will also pray [intelligently] with my mind and understanding; I will sing with my spirit [by the Holy Spirit that is within me], but I will sing [intelligently] with my mind and understanding also.
AMP
My Comments:
One of the major keys to Spirit-led prayer is just simply this: to be led by the Spirit! In writing to the Church at Ephesus (Eph 6:18), Paul exhorts them to pray at all times with 'all prayer and supplication' in the Spirit (NKJV).
The root word for 'all' is the word 'pas' which means the following: '-all manner of, as many as, every one, every way'. In essence, he was encouraging them to pray with every single type of prayer! We know that we have the prayer of faith, intercession, binding and loosing, and many other types, but the main question we should be asking is this, How do we know what to pray and at what time?
When you are led by the Spirit in prayer, you will know that what you pray is that which is needed for that particular time. As a minister once put it, "The best kind of prayer is the one that is needed at that moment".
When we're not led by the Spirit in prayer, this is what we'd probably be doing. We'd be rebuking the Devil when instead we should be praising God; or we'd be praying in tongues when we should be talking to that mountain that we're facing. It'll be the wrong kind of prayer at the wrong time!
I'm not against praying in tongues, but I've noticed that there are times when I was praying in tongues about a particular situation, and something kept poking me on the inside telling me to go another way, to command that situation to line itself up with what God's Word says in English.
Not every kind of prayer involves you praying in other tongues, although it does help you keep your spirit sensitive to what God says, and the direction you should go. I've noticed that I've prayed in tongues, then subsequently went on to praying out the interpretation of that tongue, which came right out of my spirit; then I went back into tongues, then English; and so forth. I saw another situation turn out just the way I prayed it out in English.
When we are led by the Spirit, we will know that we pray is what is needed at that time. Being led by the Spirit will always lead to the right prayer, which at the right time will almost always produce the right results!
18 Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God's consecrated people).
AMP
Rom 8:26
26 So too the [Holy] Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance.
AMP
1 Cor 14:13-15
13 Therefore, the person who speaks in an [unknown] tongue should pray [for the power] to interpret and explain what he says.
14 For if I pray in an [unknown] tongue, my spirit [by the Holy Spirit within me] prays, but my mind is unproductive [it bears no fruit and helps nobody].
15 Then what am I to do? I will pray with my spirit [by the Holy Spirit that is within me], but I will also pray [intelligently] with my mind and understanding; I will sing with my spirit [by the Holy Spirit that is within me], but I will sing [intelligently] with my mind and understanding also.
AMP
My Comments:
One of the major keys to Spirit-led prayer is just simply this: to be led by the Spirit! In writing to the Church at Ephesus (Eph 6:18), Paul exhorts them to pray at all times with 'all prayer and supplication' in the Spirit (NKJV).
The root word for 'all' is the word 'pas' which means the following: '-all manner of, as many as, every one, every way'. In essence, he was encouraging them to pray with every single type of prayer! We know that we have the prayer of faith, intercession, binding and loosing, and many other types, but the main question we should be asking is this, How do we know what to pray and at what time?
When you are led by the Spirit in prayer, you will know that what you pray is that which is needed for that particular time. As a minister once put it, "The best kind of prayer is the one that is needed at that moment".
When we're not led by the Spirit in prayer, this is what we'd probably be doing. We'd be rebuking the Devil when instead we should be praising God; or we'd be praying in tongues when we should be talking to that mountain that we're facing. It'll be the wrong kind of prayer at the wrong time!
I'm not against praying in tongues, but I've noticed that there are times when I was praying in tongues about a particular situation, and something kept poking me on the inside telling me to go another way, to command that situation to line itself up with what God's Word says in English.
Not every kind of prayer involves you praying in other tongues, although it does help you keep your spirit sensitive to what God says, and the direction you should go. I've noticed that I've prayed in tongues, then subsequently went on to praying out the interpretation of that tongue, which came right out of my spirit; then I went back into tongues, then English; and so forth. I saw another situation turn out just the way I prayed it out in English.
When we are led by the Spirit, we will know that we pray is what is needed at that time. Being led by the Spirit will always lead to the right prayer, which at the right time will almost always produce the right results!
Friday, January 25, 2013
Prayer That Comes Straight From The Heart
Rom 8:26-27
26 So too the [Holy] Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance.
27 And He Who searches the hearts of men knows what is in the mind of the [Holy] Spirit [what His intent is], because the Spirit intercedes and pleads [before God] in behalf of the saints according to and in harmony with God's will.
AMP
John 7:38
38 He who believes in Me [who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] as the Scripture has said, From his innermost being shall flow [continuously] springs and rivers of living water.
AMP
Luke 6:45
45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
NKJV
My Comments:
Another area I want to share my experience on regarding Spirit-led prayer is on the area of just praying out of whatever you have in your heart, not your head.
One thing I've found about praying out of my head is this: that I tend to run out of things to pray about. And the irritating part is that I know that I'm not done praying yet; that there are some things that have to be prayed out, but because I'm using my head to pray, there's a limitation on what I can pray about with my understanding.
But, when I wait on God and check my heart; I find that there's so many more things to pray about that comes straight from my heart! Prayer that comes from the heart is just like those rivers of living waters that comes straight from the man's innermost being. In its context (John 7:38), Jesus was referring to the Promise that was given on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:4). But prayer works the same way!
Have you noticed that Jesus placed more emphasis on what came out of the man's heart in the Gospels? Prayer that comes from the heart is something that can't be conjured up because where men can feign holiness and come up with prayers that sound spiritual and faith-filled; what comes out of their heart shows exactly where they stand, and exactly what is in their heart.
Paul writes about how God searches the hearts of men when they pray. And that when we don't know how to pray with our natural human understanding, just trust the Holy Spirit who resides on the inside of us to help us to pray! Let that river come out from the inside of you and just let it flow!
26 So too the [Holy] Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance.
27 And He Who searches the hearts of men knows what is in the mind of the [Holy] Spirit [what His intent is], because the Spirit intercedes and pleads [before God] in behalf of the saints according to and in harmony with God's will.
AMP
John 7:38
38 He who believes in Me [who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] as the Scripture has said, From his innermost being shall flow [continuously] springs and rivers of living water.
AMP
Luke 6:45
45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
NKJV
My Comments:
Another area I want to share my experience on regarding Spirit-led prayer is on the area of just praying out of whatever you have in your heart, not your head.
One thing I've found about praying out of my head is this: that I tend to run out of things to pray about. And the irritating part is that I know that I'm not done praying yet; that there are some things that have to be prayed out, but because I'm using my head to pray, there's a limitation on what I can pray about with my understanding.
But, when I wait on God and check my heart; I find that there's so many more things to pray about that comes straight from my heart! Prayer that comes from the heart is just like those rivers of living waters that comes straight from the man's innermost being. In its context (John 7:38), Jesus was referring to the Promise that was given on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:4). But prayer works the same way!
Have you noticed that Jesus placed more emphasis on what came out of the man's heart in the Gospels? Prayer that comes from the heart is something that can't be conjured up because where men can feign holiness and come up with prayers that sound spiritual and faith-filled; what comes out of their heart shows exactly where they stand, and exactly what is in their heart.
Paul writes about how God searches the hearts of men when they pray. And that when we don't know how to pray with our natural human understanding, just trust the Holy Spirit who resides on the inside of us to help us to pray! Let that river come out from the inside of you and just let it flow!
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Being A Waiter, Armed And Ready!
Isa 40:31
31 But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
NKJV
Hab 2:1-2
1 I will stand my watch and set myself on the rampart, and watch to see what He will say to me, and what I will answer when I am corrected.
2 Then the LORD answered me and said: "Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.
NKJV
My Comments:
Some people seem to think that 'waiting on the Lord' involves just sitting there, emptied of mind, and just hoping for God to talk to them. It's like a Que Sera Sera moment where they go "If the Lord will talk to me, He'll talk; If He doesn't, He doesn't"
Have you ever observed how waiters wait on people in the restaurants? You won't find them just lazing around, being slothful and sloppy in taking their orders. You'll find them literally standing at attention; notepad and pencil at the ready, prepared to hear and write down the orders of the diners before acting on those orders. You can almost feel the expectancy in the air.
Habakkuk is a biblical example of a waiter who waits on God. He waits for the Word that comes from God, and he writes it down, that it can be read by others who would then run with it. It's almost like he has the expectancy that "I'm going to hear from God, and I'm waiting for it. He will speak to me!"
In my own prayer life, I'm still learning to develop that same kind of attitude towards the things of God. At whatever time, I always make sure that I have at least a pencil and a paper to jot down things I get from my time in prayer.
I've noticed that in Spirit-led prayer, there's a certain pattern to what I'm led to pray for. I recommend that if you are serious about developing your own individual prayer lives, get a journal to write down things that you get from God in your times of prayer.
Over time, you'll start to take note of certain trends or patterns that God leads you to pray for. As an example, some people may be led to pray for the Church as a whole, or for certain nations, or certain ministries in the local church; anything!
It is amazing when you find yourself praying things out through the Spirit, and writing it down. And you find yourself enjoying those times of waiting on Him, that constant renewing of your spirit. And when you see what you prayed about come to pass; you're just in awe of what God's doing!
31 But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
NKJV
Hab 2:1-2
1 I will stand my watch and set myself on the rampart, and watch to see what He will say to me, and what I will answer when I am corrected.
2 Then the LORD answered me and said: "Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.
NKJV
My Comments:
Some people seem to think that 'waiting on the Lord' involves just sitting there, emptied of mind, and just hoping for God to talk to them. It's like a Que Sera Sera moment where they go "If the Lord will talk to me, He'll talk; If He doesn't, He doesn't"
Have you ever observed how waiters wait on people in the restaurants? You won't find them just lazing around, being slothful and sloppy in taking their orders. You'll find them literally standing at attention; notepad and pencil at the ready, prepared to hear and write down the orders of the diners before acting on those orders. You can almost feel the expectancy in the air.
Habakkuk is a biblical example of a waiter who waits on God. He waits for the Word that comes from God, and he writes it down, that it can be read by others who would then run with it. It's almost like he has the expectancy that "I'm going to hear from God, and I'm waiting for it. He will speak to me!"
In my own prayer life, I'm still learning to develop that same kind of attitude towards the things of God. At whatever time, I always make sure that I have at least a pencil and a paper to jot down things I get from my time in prayer.
I've noticed that in Spirit-led prayer, there's a certain pattern to what I'm led to pray for. I recommend that if you are serious about developing your own individual prayer lives, get a journal to write down things that you get from God in your times of prayer.
Over time, you'll start to take note of certain trends or patterns that God leads you to pray for. As an example, some people may be led to pray for the Church as a whole, or for certain nations, or certain ministries in the local church; anything!
It is amazing when you find yourself praying things out through the Spirit, and writing it down. And you find yourself enjoying those times of waiting on Him, that constant renewing of your spirit. And when you see what you prayed about come to pass; you're just in awe of what God's doing!
Monday, January 21, 2013
Just Give Him ALL Your Worries!
1 Peter 5:7
7 Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.
AMP
My Comments:
In my own prayer life, another thing I found important was the act of just giving God all my worries, care and concerns; and simply refusing to take that burden up again.
In the Greek, the word 'casting' is the word 'epiripsantes' which consists of two root words, the word 'epi' and 'rhipto'. The word 'rhipto' is used to give the idea of flinging (or quickly tossing) the object. The Greek word 'epi'; when used after verbs expressing motion, indicates rest following the motion.
By putting both 'epi' and 'rhipto' together, we could look at the word 'casting' at a different angle; that being to quickly toss the care and resting after having tossed it. Some Greek scholars have said that the word 'casting' is written in the aorist participle, which denotes an act that is once and for all.
The word 'all' is the word 'pasan' which has several meanings, including 'thoroughly' and 'as many as'. If we look at the first half of 1 Peter 5:7, we could re-read it as 'quickly tossing as many cares as you have thoroughly and resting after tossing them, refusing to take them back'
Peter, in writing to the Church, emphasized that they should cast all their care upon the One who is more than able to take up their burdens. By virtue of reading it in the Greek, it gives the understanding that the moment you find yourself saddled with a worry or a care, be quick to toss it to God!
The phrase 'cares for' in the second half of 1 Peter 5:7 are two words, 'melei' and 'peri' respectively. The root word of 'melei' is the word 'melo', which means 'to be of interest to' or 'it matters to'; and the root word of 'peri' is 'peran', which could mean 'beyond, over, or farther' We could therefore look at the phrase 'for He cares for you' as 'because you matter to Him beyond all things'
Therefore, if we re-read 1 Peter 5:7 as a whole, it would read this way: 'quickly tossing as many cares as you have thoroughly and resting after tossing them, refusing to take them back because you matter to Him beyond all things'
Isn't that a joy, to know that we matter to God beyond all other things; that even when we have a worry, we quickly toss it to Him, and we won't take it back because we know that above all things, we matter to Him!
7 Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.
AMP
My Comments:
In my own prayer life, another thing I found important was the act of just giving God all my worries, care and concerns; and simply refusing to take that burden up again.
In the Greek, the word 'casting' is the word 'epiripsantes' which consists of two root words, the word 'epi' and 'rhipto'. The word 'rhipto' is used to give the idea of flinging (or quickly tossing) the object. The Greek word 'epi'; when used after verbs expressing motion, indicates rest following the motion.
By putting both 'epi' and 'rhipto' together, we could look at the word 'casting' at a different angle; that being to quickly toss the care and resting after having tossed it. Some Greek scholars have said that the word 'casting' is written in the aorist participle, which denotes an act that is once and for all.
The word 'all' is the word 'pasan' which has several meanings, including 'thoroughly' and 'as many as'. If we look at the first half of 1 Peter 5:7, we could re-read it as 'quickly tossing as many cares as you have thoroughly and resting after tossing them, refusing to take them back'
Peter, in writing to the Church, emphasized that they should cast all their care upon the One who is more than able to take up their burdens. By virtue of reading it in the Greek, it gives the understanding that the moment you find yourself saddled with a worry or a care, be quick to toss it to God!
The phrase 'cares for' in the second half of 1 Peter 5:7 are two words, 'melei' and 'peri' respectively. The root word of 'melei' is the word 'melo', which means 'to be of interest to' or 'it matters to'; and the root word of 'peri' is 'peran', which could mean 'beyond, over, or farther' We could therefore look at the phrase 'for He cares for you' as 'because you matter to Him beyond all things'
Therefore, if we re-read 1 Peter 5:7 as a whole, it would read this way: 'quickly tossing as many cares as you have thoroughly and resting after tossing them, refusing to take them back because you matter to Him beyond all things'
Isn't that a joy, to know that we matter to God beyond all other things; that even when we have a worry, we quickly toss it to Him, and we won't take it back because we know that above all things, we matter to Him!
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Pray - Don't Give Up!
Luke 18:1
18:1 ALSO [Jesus] told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not to turn coward (faint, lose heart, and give up).
AMP
Gen 32:24-26
24 Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day.
25 Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob's hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him.
26 And He said, "Let Me go, for the day breaks." But he said,"I will not let You go unless You bless me!"
NKJV
Gal 6:9
9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
NKJV
My Comments:
One thing I've learned concerning prayer in my own life is simply this: don't give up. You may have held to the promises of God regarding a situation in your life at some point, but because you didn't see the breakthrough come, you just gave up.
Sometimes, all it takes is you just refusing to give up and continue to hold on to the promises of God even through the pain, heartache, and storms of life that we all go through.
Jacob literally had his back to the wall when he wrestled with God. Death was staring him in the face through his brother Esau, and he had no where to run. He wrestled with God until daybreak until he received his blessing.
Jesus taught on the importance of what I call prevailing prayer, that when you pray, don't lose heart but keep your focus on His promises, that they are true in your life, and that they will come to pass. And also, the Word of God promises that we would reap in due season; if we don't give up.
Refuse to give up when your problems stare you in the face! Continue to wrestle, to contend for your breakthrough until you get it! Say it just like Kenneth Hagin Jr said; "I cannot be defeated and I will not quit!"
18:1 ALSO [Jesus] told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not to turn coward (faint, lose heart, and give up).
AMP
Gen 32:24-26
24 Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day.
25 Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob's hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him.
26 And He said, "Let Me go, for the day breaks." But he said,"I will not let You go unless You bless me!"
NKJV
Gal 6:9
9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
NKJV
My Comments:
One thing I've learned concerning prayer in my own life is simply this: don't give up. You may have held to the promises of God regarding a situation in your life at some point, but because you didn't see the breakthrough come, you just gave up.
Sometimes, all it takes is you just refusing to give up and continue to hold on to the promises of God even through the pain, heartache, and storms of life that we all go through.
Jacob literally had his back to the wall when he wrestled with God. Death was staring him in the face through his brother Esau, and he had no where to run. He wrestled with God until daybreak until he received his blessing.
Jesus taught on the importance of what I call prevailing prayer, that when you pray, don't lose heart but keep your focus on His promises, that they are true in your life, and that they will come to pass. And also, the Word of God promises that we would reap in due season; if we don't give up.
Refuse to give up when your problems stare you in the face! Continue to wrestle, to contend for your breakthrough until you get it! Say it just like Kenneth Hagin Jr said; "I cannot be defeated and I will not quit!"
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Lord, Teach Us to Pray
Luke 11:1
Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."
NKJV
My Comments:
One of the things we must learn from the disciples is found in what they asked of Jesus. They saw His miracles; how He healed the sick, cast out demons, caused the blind to see, the lame to walk, raised the dead.
All they asked Him to teach them was how to pray, and not any of the above. They recognized that all the signs and wonders didn't matter as much as having a relationship with God like the Master did. As much as signs and wonders help to point to God, it doesn't replace the absolute necessity of cultivating a relationship with Him!
Likewise, we should also cry out the same way they did, "Lord, teach us to pray," to know our Father more; that we be more like Him, that we can walk in the fullness of His plans for us in this day and hour; that we may manifest His power!
Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."
NKJV
My Comments:
One of the things we must learn from the disciples is found in what they asked of Jesus. They saw His miracles; how He healed the sick, cast out demons, caused the blind to see, the lame to walk, raised the dead.
All they asked Him to teach them was how to pray, and not any of the above. They recognized that all the signs and wonders didn't matter as much as having a relationship with God like the Master did. As much as signs and wonders help to point to God, it doesn't replace the absolute necessity of cultivating a relationship with Him!
Likewise, we should also cry out the same way they did, "Lord, teach us to pray," to know our Father more; that we be more like Him, that we can walk in the fullness of His plans for us in this day and hour; that we may manifest His power!
Friday, January 18, 2013
Keep His Promises Before You!
Ps 119:89
89 Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven [stands firm as the heavens].
AMP
2 Cor 1:20-21
20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
NKJV
Prov 4:20-22
20 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart;
22 For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.
NKJV
My Comments:
At times we've probably confessed the Word of God and laid hold of His promises for our lives. Somewhere along the line, we tend to lose sight of what we're believing for and get discouraged because "It seems to be taking so long". After a while, we stop believing that God's promises are true in our lives. I've been there. Most likely you have too.
However, Prov 4:20-22 tells us just what we're supposed to do even after we've prayed and believed God for that breakthrough. Continue to keep His promises before us! Don't give up or let up just because we don't see the breakthrough around the corner!
There are four things to note in Prov 4:20-21, that I will give in terms of holding fast to God's promises:
1. Give attention to what He says regarding your situation.
2. Incline your ear only to what He says.
3. Don't let His promises slip from your gaze, keep looking at them!
4. Keep believing His promises for your circumstances, don't give up!
Prov 4:22 tells us the result of acting on v20-21, that His promises are life to us! We will see that breakthrough come to pass!
I will be dedicating the next few posts to sharing some things regarding prayer, and some things I do in my own prayer life that may bless you.
89 Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven [stands firm as the heavens].
AMP
2 Cor 1:20-21
20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
NKJV
Prov 4:20-22
20 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart;
22 For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.
NKJV
My Comments:
At times we've probably confessed the Word of God and laid hold of His promises for our lives. Somewhere along the line, we tend to lose sight of what we're believing for and get discouraged because "It seems to be taking so long". After a while, we stop believing that God's promises are true in our lives. I've been there. Most likely you have too.
However, Prov 4:20-22 tells us just what we're supposed to do even after we've prayed and believed God for that breakthrough. Continue to keep His promises before us! Don't give up or let up just because we don't see the breakthrough around the corner!
There are four things to note in Prov 4:20-21, that I will give in terms of holding fast to God's promises:
1. Give attention to what He says regarding your situation.
2. Incline your ear only to what He says.
3. Don't let His promises slip from your gaze, keep looking at them!
4. Keep believing His promises for your circumstances, don't give up!
Prov 4:22 tells us the result of acting on v20-21, that His promises are life to us! We will see that breakthrough come to pass!
I will be dedicating the next few posts to sharing some things regarding prayer, and some things I do in my own prayer life that may bless you.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
God's Promises - Settled, So Pray It Down!
Ps 119:89
89 Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven [stands firm as the heavens].
AMP
2 Cor 1:20
20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
NKJV
Matt 6:10
10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
NKJV
My Comments:
David said of the Lord that His Word was settled for all eternity in heaven. That it is unmovable, unchanging, eternal through all ages.
F.F Bosworth said that "Faith begins where the will of God is known". God's will is revealed in His Word! All His promises have been revealed to us through the Word of God, that has been given to us! We have promises that are settled forever!
However, note what Jesus taught in His lesson on prayer in what we call the Lord's Prayer. He instructed them to pray along this line, "Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." For Him to say that, it could be said that the will of God was not being accomplished on the earth; and that it could only be accomplished when they prayed.
Based on the above, we see three things:
1. God's Will is revealed in His Word.
2. His Word (or His Will) is forever settled in heaven
3. Jesus said to pray that the Father's Will be done on earth as it is in heaven
The Word of God is full of "exceedingly great and precious promises" for us. We also know that all the promises of God are Yes and Amen. But we can see that that's all they'll ever be, until we pray them down!
Pray this way, that God's promises are already settled in heaven, and that it will be done on the earth in our lives as it has already been done in heaven!
89 Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven [stands firm as the heavens].
AMP
2 Cor 1:20
20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
NKJV
Matt 6:10
10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
NKJV
My Comments:
David said of the Lord that His Word was settled for all eternity in heaven. That it is unmovable, unchanging, eternal through all ages.
F.F Bosworth said that "Faith begins where the will of God is known". God's will is revealed in His Word! All His promises have been revealed to us through the Word of God, that has been given to us! We have promises that are settled forever!
However, note what Jesus taught in His lesson on prayer in what we call the Lord's Prayer. He instructed them to pray along this line, "Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." For Him to say that, it could be said that the will of God was not being accomplished on the earth; and that it could only be accomplished when they prayed.
Based on the above, we see three things:
1. God's Will is revealed in His Word.
2. His Word (or His Will) is forever settled in heaven
3. Jesus said to pray that the Father's Will be done on earth as it is in heaven
The Word of God is full of "exceedingly great and precious promises" for us. We also know that all the promises of God are Yes and Amen. But we can see that that's all they'll ever be, until we pray them down!
Pray this way, that God's promises are already settled in heaven, and that it will be done on the earth in our lives as it has already been done in heaven!
Monday, January 14, 2013
Believe God, Sow, And Don't Dig It Out!
Mark 11:23
23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
NKJV
Mark 4:14
14 The sower sows the word.
NKJV
Mark 4:26-29
26 And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground,
27 and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.
28 For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.
29 But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."
NKJV
Gen 8:22
22 "While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease."
NKJV
My Comments:
Jesus taught on the parable of the Sower and the power of the seed in the major part of Mark 4. Notice the 5 word statement He made in v14, "The sower sows the word.". He equated the Word to seed being sown!
Way back in Genesis 8, God made an oath that stands firm to this day, that while the earth remained, these four laws would remain in effect, and the very first thing He said was "seedtime and harvest". In relation to what we see in the world today, that simple law has not changed. Wars come and go, famines come and go, pestilences come and go, the law of seedtime and harvest remains.
No farmer; after having sown his seed into the ground, would be insane enough to dig the seed he sowed the day before to see whether it started growing. He would leave it there, do his part to take care of the soil, water it, then leave it to grow. He has confidence that the seed will grow and sprout as in the parable of the Seed (Mark 4:26-29)
Likewise, when we hold to the Promises of God in our lives, confessing it; we don't 'dig the seed' out to check. We have confidence in the Seed, because we know that it will grow! At times we may not see any physical changes in our circumstances, but we have full confidence that a change is working because Seedtime and Harvest is still there. And when we know that we have sown, Harvest is on the way!
23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
NKJV
Mark 4:14
14 The sower sows the word.
NKJV
Mark 4:26-29
26 And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground,
27 and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.
28 For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.
29 But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."
NKJV
Gen 8:22
22 "While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease."
NKJV
My Comments:
Jesus taught on the parable of the Sower and the power of the seed in the major part of Mark 4. Notice the 5 word statement He made in v14, "The sower sows the word.". He equated the Word to seed being sown!
Way back in Genesis 8, God made an oath that stands firm to this day, that while the earth remained, these four laws would remain in effect, and the very first thing He said was "seedtime and harvest". In relation to what we see in the world today, that simple law has not changed. Wars come and go, famines come and go, pestilences come and go, the law of seedtime and harvest remains.
No farmer; after having sown his seed into the ground, would be insane enough to dig the seed he sowed the day before to see whether it started growing. He would leave it there, do his part to take care of the soil, water it, then leave it to grow. He has confidence that the seed will grow and sprout as in the parable of the Seed (Mark 4:26-29)
Likewise, when we hold to the Promises of God in our lives, confessing it; we don't 'dig the seed' out to check. We have confidence in the Seed, because we know that it will grow! At times we may not see any physical changes in our circumstances, but we have full confidence that a change is working because Seedtime and Harvest is still there. And when we know that we have sown, Harvest is on the way!
Friday, January 11, 2013
Hold Fast Your Confession That God Is Faithful!
Heb 10:23
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
NKJV
2 Cor 1:20
20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
NKJV
2 Tim 2:13
13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.
NKJV
James 1:6
6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
NKJV
My Comments:
In continuing our discussion on faith; and the confession of our faith in relation to God's promises, we must remember that God is a faithful God. His very Nature is that of being faithful to His Word.
Paul writes that all the promises of God are Yes, and Amen in the Bible. His Word stands true no matter the circumstances! Times may change, seasons may changes, we go through ups and downs in our lives, but God's Word stands eternal!
Even though at times we may lose faith, be discouraged and feel that God isn't faithful to His promises that we hold on to, it does not change the truth that He is faithful. He cannot deny His very Nature!
If you have promises that you hold on to regarding your life, your circumstances, keep holding them up to God as true! Don't give up! God is faithful to perform what He has promised to do in your lives!
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
NKJV
2 Cor 1:20
20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
NKJV
2 Tim 2:13
13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.
NKJV
James 1:6
6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
NKJV
My Comments:
In continuing our discussion on faith; and the confession of our faith in relation to God's promises, we must remember that God is a faithful God. His very Nature is that of being faithful to His Word.
Paul writes that all the promises of God are Yes, and Amen in the Bible. His Word stands true no matter the circumstances! Times may change, seasons may changes, we go through ups and downs in our lives, but God's Word stands eternal!
Even though at times we may lose faith, be discouraged and feel that God isn't faithful to His promises that we hold on to, it does not change the truth that He is faithful. He cannot deny His very Nature!
If you have promises that you hold on to regarding your life, your circumstances, keep holding them up to God as true! Don't give up! God is faithful to perform what He has promised to do in your lives!
Thursday, January 10, 2013
The Faith That Takes What God Gave
Mark 11:24
24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
NKJV
Matt 21:22
22 And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."
NKJV
My Comments:
In Mark 11:24, many of us seem to think that receiving from God is a passive thing, that when we pray, all we have to do is just wait for the answer to our prayers to just fall into our laps like ripe cherries (or durian, depending on where you are) off a tree. Some people spend years just waiting and wondering why their breakthrough or miracle seem to be taking so long. Others give up and say 'Maybe it's just not God's will that I get my breakthrough [whether it be healing, financial provision, reconciliation]'
Many translations translate the word 'receive' as 'receive', when in reality, if we were to look at it in Greek, it gives an entirely different definition altogether.
In Greek, the word 'receive' is the word 'lambano', and its meanings are as follows:
I. to take,
II. to receive (what is given); to gain, get, obtain:
If we were to rephrase Mark 11:24 according to the primary meaning of the word 'lambano'; that is 'to take', it gives the Christian a more active role in the appropriation of their blessings, rather than being passive and waiting for it to come. We would not be doing a great injustice if we worded it as 'believe that you take them, and you will have them'.
It is similar to our salvation experience, where we experience being born again. It didn't come to us like ripe cherries off a tree. We made an active decision to declare by faith that we were redeemed from sin through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. We believed that we 'took' our salvation, and we received it by faith!
To provide a balance to it, as we have seen excesses in this teaching, I want to clarify that we should have faith to take what God has so graciously provided to start with.
Eph 2:8-9
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
NKJV
We cannot boast that we managed to 'earn' our blessings because we 'took' them by faith. We can't take by force something that hasn't been provided for us to start with. For us to take, Someone had to offer it first!
God, in His mercy, has extended out His hand towards us, and given us promises in the Bible regarding His faithfulness to meet our need in all areas of our life. He made the first move, and we have to make an active decision to respond to His faithfulness and appropriate; or lay hold of His promises by faith.
24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
NKJV
Matt 21:22
22 And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."
NKJV
My Comments:
In Mark 11:24, many of us seem to think that receiving from God is a passive thing, that when we pray, all we have to do is just wait for the answer to our prayers to just fall into our laps like ripe cherries (or durian, depending on where you are) off a tree. Some people spend years just waiting and wondering why their breakthrough or miracle seem to be taking so long. Others give up and say 'Maybe it's just not God's will that I get my breakthrough [whether it be healing, financial provision, reconciliation]'
Many translations translate the word 'receive' as 'receive', when in reality, if we were to look at it in Greek, it gives an entirely different definition altogether.
In Greek, the word 'receive' is the word 'lambano', and its meanings are as follows:
I. to take,
II. to receive (what is given); to gain, get, obtain:
If we were to rephrase Mark 11:24 according to the primary meaning of the word 'lambano'; that is 'to take', it gives the Christian a more active role in the appropriation of their blessings, rather than being passive and waiting for it to come. We would not be doing a great injustice if we worded it as 'believe that you take them, and you will have them'.
It is similar to our salvation experience, where we experience being born again. It didn't come to us like ripe cherries off a tree. We made an active decision to declare by faith that we were redeemed from sin through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. We believed that we 'took' our salvation, and we received it by faith!
To provide a balance to it, as we have seen excesses in this teaching, I want to clarify that we should have faith to take what God has so graciously provided to start with.
Eph 2:8-9
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
NKJV
We cannot boast that we managed to 'earn' our blessings because we 'took' them by faith. We can't take by force something that hasn't been provided for us to start with. For us to take, Someone had to offer it first!
God, in His mercy, has extended out His hand towards us, and given us promises in the Bible regarding His faithfulness to meet our need in all areas of our life. He made the first move, and we have to make an active decision to respond to His faithfulness and appropriate; or lay hold of His promises by faith.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Caught And Bound By What You Said!
Prov 6:2
2 You are snared with the words of your lips, you are caught by the speech of your mouth.
AMP
Matt 12:34-37
34 You offspring of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil (wicked)? For out of the fullness (the overflow, the superabundance) of the heart the mouth speaks.
35 The good man from his inner good treasure flings forth good things, and the evil man out of his inner evil storehouse flings forth evil things.
36 But I tell you, on the day of judgment men will have to give account for every idle (inoperative, nonworking) word they speak.
37 For by your words you will be justified and acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned and sentenced.
AMP
Luke 19:20-22
20 "Then another [servant] came, saying, 'Master, here is your mina, which I have kept put away in a handkerchief.
21 For I feared you, because you are an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.'
22 And he said to him,'Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow.
NKJV
Mark 11:23
23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
NKJV
My Comments:
F.F Bosworth (1877-1958), a great healing evangelist in the days of the early Pentecostal Movement till the Healing Revivals in the 1950s said once that "You will never rise above the level of your confession".
Have you ever noticed that you're always bound to what you said, in one way or another? The Bible states clearly both in the Old and New Testaments that we're bound by what we said!
The writer of Proverbs 6:2 stated clearly that we're caught by what we said. If we said something, or promised to do something, we're bound to perform according to what we said. Are you familiar with the phrase "Your word is your bond."? People will always remember what you are according to what you said.
Notice that Jesus, in talking to the Pharisees, gave further depth to what was written in Proverbs 6:2 by declaring that we would be either justified or condemned by what we said. Try looking back over the years and examine the words you spoke. You'd find that in some way or another, the words you spoke had an impact in molding you into the person you are today.
The parable of the Minas (Luke 19:11-27) shows a literal application on how we're bound by what we say. Note what the 3rd servant said to his master in v21, and the master's response in the following verse:
21 For I feared you, because you are an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.'
22 And he said to him,'Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow.
The master said clearly, "Out of your own mouth I will judge you". That servant confessed that his master was an austere [stern, hard, severe] man, and he was judged based on how he saw his master!
Tying this back to Mark 11:23, Jesus said that we would have whatever we said. How much more we should examine the words that we speak, that we speak life and not death into our situations, knowing that our words have a material impact on how we live!
2 You are snared with the words of your lips, you are caught by the speech of your mouth.
AMP
Matt 12:34-37
34 You offspring of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil (wicked)? For out of the fullness (the overflow, the superabundance) of the heart the mouth speaks.
35 The good man from his inner good treasure flings forth good things, and the evil man out of his inner evil storehouse flings forth evil things.
36 But I tell you, on the day of judgment men will have to give account for every idle (inoperative, nonworking) word they speak.
37 For by your words you will be justified and acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned and sentenced.
AMP
Luke 19:20-22
20 "Then another [servant] came, saying, 'Master, here is your mina, which I have kept put away in a handkerchief.
21 For I feared you, because you are an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.'
22 And he said to him,'Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow.
NKJV
Mark 11:23
23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
NKJV
My Comments:
F.F Bosworth (1877-1958), a great healing evangelist in the days of the early Pentecostal Movement till the Healing Revivals in the 1950s said once that "You will never rise above the level of your confession".
Have you ever noticed that you're always bound to what you said, in one way or another? The Bible states clearly both in the Old and New Testaments that we're bound by what we said!
The writer of Proverbs 6:2 stated clearly that we're caught by what we said. If we said something, or promised to do something, we're bound to perform according to what we said. Are you familiar with the phrase "Your word is your bond."? People will always remember what you are according to what you said.
Notice that Jesus, in talking to the Pharisees, gave further depth to what was written in Proverbs 6:2 by declaring that we would be either justified or condemned by what we said. Try looking back over the years and examine the words you spoke. You'd find that in some way or another, the words you spoke had an impact in molding you into the person you are today.
The parable of the Minas (Luke 19:11-27) shows a literal application on how we're bound by what we say. Note what the 3rd servant said to his master in v21, and the master's response in the following verse:
21 For I feared you, because you are an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.'
22 And he said to him,'Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow.
The master said clearly, "Out of your own mouth I will judge you". That servant confessed that his master was an austere [stern, hard, severe] man, and he was judged based on how he saw his master!
Tying this back to Mark 11:23, Jesus said that we would have whatever we said. How much more we should examine the words that we speak, that we speak life and not death into our situations, knowing that our words have a material impact on how we live!
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Faith Is What You Speak, Not What You Think!
Mark 11:22-24
22 So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God.
23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
NKJV
2 Cor 4:13
13 And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke," we also believe and therefore speak
NKJV
Rom 10:10
10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
NKJV
My Comments:
A lot of times I find that when we're believing for a breakthrough in our lives, we seem to think that the breakthrough will come just because we think about it.
Note that in Jesus' lesson on faith (Mk 11:23), He emphasized the speaking part of faith 3 times more than the believing! It's strange that we seem to have reversed the order and done 3 times as much believing compared to speaking!
Even in Paul's writings to the churches at Corinth, and Rome, he emphasized that one's belief was almost always accompanied by speaking!
Faith is not mental assent! We don't exercise our faith by just thinking about it, we boldly confess it with our mouths!
F.F Bosworth, a great man of God; said this, that "You will never rise above the level of your confession". We can do all the thinking we want to, but until we confess it, we won't have it!
22 So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God.
23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
NKJV
2 Cor 4:13
13 And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke," we also believe and therefore speak
NKJV
Rom 10:10
10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
NKJV
My Comments:
A lot of times I find that when we're believing for a breakthrough in our lives, we seem to think that the breakthrough will come just because we think about it.
Note that in Jesus' lesson on faith (Mk 11:23), He emphasized the speaking part of faith 3 times more than the believing! It's strange that we seem to have reversed the order and done 3 times as much believing compared to speaking!
Even in Paul's writings to the churches at Corinth, and Rome, he emphasized that one's belief was almost always accompanied by speaking!
Faith is not mental assent! We don't exercise our faith by just thinking about it, we boldly confess it with our mouths!
F.F Bosworth, a great man of God; said this, that "You will never rise above the level of your confession". We can do all the thinking we want to, but until we confess it, we won't have it!
Monday, January 7, 2013
That Same Faith
2 Cor 4:13
13 And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke," we also believe and therefore speak,
NKJV
Mark 11:23
23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
NKJV
My Comments:
Paul was not one of the original apostles who walked with Jesus at the time when He cursed the fig tree and taught them that they could do the same. But note that in his letter to the church at Corinth, he wrote to them, saying that they had the 'same spirit of faith', which was demonstrated through their believing and speaking!
Likewise, we also have the same spirit of faith that they did! We don't have to look at other anointed men and women of God, benchmark ourselves against them, and feel sorry for ourselves because we don't seem to match up to their level of faith! God gives us the faith we need to fulfill the calling that He has for us!
It's not the amount of faith you have that matters; what matters is that you have the same spirit of faith that they have, because you have the exact same source of faith, Jesus!
I like what a minister by the name of Ed Dufresne had to say, and I'll just quote him directly: "God never gives a minister a bigger job than His gift of faith. He gives you the measure of faith needed to believe for what you need in that office"
Amen!
13 And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke," we also believe and therefore speak,
NKJV
Mark 11:23
23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
NKJV
My Comments:
Paul was not one of the original apostles who walked with Jesus at the time when He cursed the fig tree and taught them that they could do the same. But note that in his letter to the church at Corinth, he wrote to them, saying that they had the 'same spirit of faith', which was demonstrated through their believing and speaking!
Likewise, we also have the same spirit of faith that they did! We don't have to look at other anointed men and women of God, benchmark ourselves against them, and feel sorry for ourselves because we don't seem to match up to their level of faith! God gives us the faith we need to fulfill the calling that He has for us!
It's not the amount of faith you have that matters; what matters is that you have the same spirit of faith that they have, because you have the exact same source of faith, Jesus!
I like what a minister by the name of Ed Dufresne had to say, and I'll just quote him directly: "God never gives a minister a bigger job than His gift of faith. He gives you the measure of faith needed to believe for what you need in that office"
Amen!
Friday, January 4, 2013
Looking To Faith's Source
Heb 11:6
6 But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out].
AMP
Heb 12:2
2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
NKJV
Rom 12:3
For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
NKJV
My Comments:
The life of the Christian should be a life of faith, putting our trust solely in the One who is more than able to meet our shortcomings in any area of our lives.
At times, we may argue, "But I have no faith!" My answer is, just look to Jesus! He is the Author and the Finisher of our faith! What that means is that what He started in us, He will complete! The Amplified version of Heb 12:2 brings further light into His role as the Source of our faith. He is the Source of everything good in our lives!
Not only that, the Word also states that God has dealt to each of us a measure of faith! Therefore we already have faith, whether we're aware of it or not!
At any time, if we feel like we're lacking faith, just look to Jesus our Source, and be assured that He will complete what He has started in us!
6 But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out].
AMP
Heb 12:2
2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
NKJV
Rom 12:3
For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
NKJV
My Comments:
The life of the Christian should be a life of faith, putting our trust solely in the One who is more than able to meet our shortcomings in any area of our lives.
At times, we may argue, "But I have no faith!" My answer is, just look to Jesus! He is the Author and the Finisher of our faith! What that means is that what He started in us, He will complete! The Amplified version of Heb 12:2 brings further light into His role as the Source of our faith. He is the Source of everything good in our lives!
Not only that, the Word also states that God has dealt to each of us a measure of faith! Therefore we already have faith, whether we're aware of it or not!
At any time, if we feel like we're lacking faith, just look to Jesus our Source, and be assured that He will complete what He has started in us!
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
What Do You See For 2013?
Gen 13:14-17
14 And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: "Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are -- northward, southward, eastward, and westward;
15 for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever.
16 And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered.
17 Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you."
NKJV
Isa 54:2-3
2 "Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; do not spare; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes.
3 For you shall expand to the right and to the left, and your descendants will inherit the nations, and make the desolate cities inhabited.
NKJV
My Comments:
I was in a prayer meeting Jan 1st, and the pastor shared Gen 13:14-17 that was on his heart. In the light of that, Isa 54:2-3 rose up in my spirit this morning, and a word from the Lord came forth regarding 2013. Believing that it will be a blessing to you! I will continue my studies on faith tomorrow.
2012 has come and gone
2013 is like a brand new born
Some may ask "What does it hold?"
I say "The Best that will be told!"
It's a year of increase, a year of growth
A year of stepping into an overflow
Others may say "How can this be?"
It's not up to you, it's up to Me!
So lift up your hands and raise a shout
As you see your problems on the way out
Yes, lift up your eyes to see
As I show Myself strong on behalf of thee
Yes, 2013 will be a year of glory
As for you it will be the best story!
14 And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: "Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are -- northward, southward, eastward, and westward;
15 for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever.
16 And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered.
17 Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you."
NKJV
Isa 54:2-3
2 "Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; do not spare; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes.
3 For you shall expand to the right and to the left, and your descendants will inherit the nations, and make the desolate cities inhabited.
NKJV
My Comments:
I was in a prayer meeting Jan 1st, and the pastor shared Gen 13:14-17 that was on his heart. In the light of that, Isa 54:2-3 rose up in my spirit this morning, and a word from the Lord came forth regarding 2013. Believing that it will be a blessing to you! I will continue my studies on faith tomorrow.
2012 has come and gone
2013 is like a brand new born
Some may ask "What does it hold?"
I say "The Best that will be told!"
It's a year of increase, a year of growth
A year of stepping into an overflow
Others may say "How can this be?"
It's not up to you, it's up to Me!
So lift up your hands and raise a shout
As you see your problems on the way out
Yes, lift up your eyes to see
As I show Myself strong on behalf of thee
Yes, 2013 will be a year of glory
As for you it will be the best story!
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