Everyone experiences rough times in life. But having trials doesn't mean that you've missed God. On the contrary, your trials are often a sign that you're on the path to your destiny. When breakthrough is near, trouble often appears to sidetrack or distract you to keep you from receiving what is waiting for you. Although your trials may be difficult, you must realize that you already have everything you need to triumph over them. You've been equipped by God with a measure of might, and that is what will help you successfully overcome anything that sets itself against you.
What exactly is "might"? Might is "the power, authority or resources wielded." It is your God-given ability to do whatever is necessary to accomplish a particular task. In the Bible, David used might to kill the giant, Goliath (1 Samuel 17). Likewise, Daniel used his might to tap into God's wisdom to read the handwriting on the wall (Daniel 5:13-29). If you want to operate in this same kind of might, you must first recognize its source: the Word of God.
Ephesians 6:10-18 describes the various weapons available to help you win any battle. These weapons-the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit-all work together to enable you to stand against any opponent. When you firmly establish God's Word in your heart, you are suiting up for battle and arming yourself with God's weapons. And this is how you turn on the power of might.
First John 5:4 says, "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world...." When you become born again and allow the Word of God to take root on the inside of you, your victory in every battle is assured; you can overcome the world. That's why in the face of every battle, you must believe that your victory is already at hand.
It is not enough just to know the Word, however. You must also know God's heart behind the Word in order to activate the power of might in your life. The Bible is a written expression of God's love, and it contains the truth about His character. When you know God's character, you know His heart. And it's knowing God's heart-His true intentions and His will for you-that gives you confidence in Him and turns on might.
In every situation that you face, think to yourself, What do I know about God's character? The first thing you know from God's Word is that He loves you unconditionally and wants you to triumph in your battles (2 Corinthians 2:14). Next, you know that you have been commanded to love God with all of your heart, mind and soul (Matthew 22:37). Since God requires this kind of love from you, He is faithful to love you in the same way. Because He loves you, He will protect you and bring manifestation into your life. Walking confidently in the knowledge of God's love keeps you walking in the power of might.
Might is a direct result of your revelation of God's love. So if your doctor gives you a bad report or your harvest hasn't yet come in, think about how much God loves you and wants the best for you. Keep a positive attitude, and don't let doubt enter your mind. Anytime you question God's ability or willingness to intercede on your behalf in any situation, you doubt His love for you and you hinder might from operating in your life.
Battles are real, but victories are even more real to the Believer. Even in the midst of your trials, position yourself right where God wants you to be-in the center of His love. Believe in His love and walk in the power of might today!
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Because He First Loved Me
This week we observe Valentines Day. The more cynical among us would suggest it is a holiday perpetuated by florists and greeting card companies to sell more stuff. Some among us would take theological exception to it, declaring it to be a pagan holiday that pays homage to evil so we should avoid it. But the vast majority of us will use it as an opportunity to do what we should all do more often anyway... to tell and show the one we love how we feel about them.
Throughout history, the love of a man for a woman (or vice-versa) has inspired us to reach for the heights of our creative abilities in search of a way to express that love. Look at all of the songs that have been written, the words that have been penned, even the monuments that have been erected. They say that the majestic Taj Mahal in India was built to express a man's love for a woman.
In like manner, man has gone to great lengths throughout history to express praise, adoration and love to God. But all of our efforts seem to fall short of the mark. While we can find words to express human love, we find it hard to comprehend, much less express or return the agape love of God.
We wrestle with the concept of God's love because much of the time we have a hard time loving ourselves and certainly have a hard time loving each other. If we can't love ourselves, if we can't love our brothers and sisters in Christ, how can we comprehend the perfect love of God?
Only God's love is unfailing. Even the best, most godly people will let us down. But God never fails and His love never fails.
Only God's love is unchanging. He is the same yesterday, today and forever, and His love is as unchanging as His character.
Only God's love is unconditional. As much as we love our spouse or our children or our parents, our love can never be completely unselfish or with absolutely no strings attached. We are not capable of that kind of love. But God is. There is nothing that you can do to earn God's love. And there is nothing you can do that can cause God to not love you.
With our finite human minds we cannot fully comprehend the love of God, but we can accept it. You don't have to understand something to know that it is true.
Every now and then when I tell my wife I love her she will smile at me and playfully say, "Why do you love me?" "Because you are so easy to love!" I say in return. It's the same with my Lord. I may not be able to understand how God can love me, but I know He does, and that makes it so easy to love Him in return. He loves me, and that love is expressed in the grace, mercy and favor He has bestowed upon me all of my life. And it was best expressed when Jesus gave His life to give me the gift of eternal life.
Oh, how I love Jesus, because He first loved me!
Throughout history, the love of a man for a woman (or vice-versa) has inspired us to reach for the heights of our creative abilities in search of a way to express that love. Look at all of the songs that have been written, the words that have been penned, even the monuments that have been erected. They say that the majestic Taj Mahal in India was built to express a man's love for a woman.
In like manner, man has gone to great lengths throughout history to express praise, adoration and love to God. But all of our efforts seem to fall short of the mark. While we can find words to express human love, we find it hard to comprehend, much less express or return the agape love of God.
We wrestle with the concept of God's love because much of the time we have a hard time loving ourselves and certainly have a hard time loving each other. If we can't love ourselves, if we can't love our brothers and sisters in Christ, how can we comprehend the perfect love of God?
Only God's love is unfailing. Even the best, most godly people will let us down. But God never fails and His love never fails.
Only God's love is unchanging. He is the same yesterday, today and forever, and His love is as unchanging as His character.
Only God's love is unconditional. As much as we love our spouse or our children or our parents, our love can never be completely unselfish or with absolutely no strings attached. We are not capable of that kind of love. But God is. There is nothing that you can do to earn God's love. And there is nothing you can do that can cause God to not love you.
With our finite human minds we cannot fully comprehend the love of God, but we can accept it. You don't have to understand something to know that it is true.
Every now and then when I tell my wife I love her she will smile at me and playfully say, "Why do you love me?" "Because you are so easy to love!" I say in return. It's the same with my Lord. I may not be able to understand how God can love me, but I know He does, and that makes it so easy to love Him in return. He loves me, and that love is expressed in the grace, mercy and favor He has bestowed upon me all of my life. And it was best expressed when Jesus gave His life to give me the gift of eternal life.
Oh, how I love Jesus, because He first loved me!
LOVE
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.1 Corinthians 13:4-5
Paul shines love through a prism and we see 15 of its colors and hues, the spectrum of love. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7) Each ray gives a facet, a property, of agapē love. Unlike most English translations, which include several adjectives, the Greek forms of all those properties are verbs. They do not focus on what love is so much as on what love does and does not do. Agapē love is active, not abstract or passive. It does not simply feel patient, it practices patience. It does not simply have kind feelings, it does kind things. It does not simply recognize the truth, it rejoices in the truth. Love is fully love only when it acts (cf. 1 John 3:18).
Paul shines love through a prism and we see 15 of its colors and hues, the spectrum of love. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7) Each ray gives a facet, a property, of agapē love. Unlike most English translations, which include several adjectives, the Greek forms of all those properties are verbs. They do not focus on what love is so much as on what love does and does not do. Agapē love is active, not abstract or passive. It does not simply feel patient, it practices patience. It does not simply have kind feelings, it does kind things. It does not simply recognize the truth, it rejoices in the truth. Love is fully love only when it acts (cf. 1 John 3:18).
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Yield to LOVE
Love and selfishness are the two greatest forces in life. A person chooses to walk in one or the other every day. What many people call love really isn't love at all. Real love-which is agape love or the God kind of love-is unconditional, limitless, selfless and is not based on emotions. It is extremely tolerant.
Unfortunately, most people operate in selfishness. They live in human, emotional love, which has limits, is conditional, requires pre-qualification and has to be loved before it can love. Selfishness is the root of all sin, which is based in fear. As a result, our society is experiencing a tremendous amount of lawlessness, perversion and sin.
Families are being destroyed because people are engaging in human, emotional love rather than taking the time to learn about and develop in agape love. Selfishness in the home can creep up in so many subtle ways, particularly between a husband and wife. If you are married, here's a newsflash-it's not all about you! Everything in life should not focus around you and your needs, but rather the needs of your spouse. It is important to find balance and compromise within relationships in order to maintain peace in the home. You can kick selfishness out of your home. How? Yield to love.
Jesus gave two commandments that are the foundational principles for every commandment in the Bible: "...love the Lord thy God with all of thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy mind... love thy neighbor as thyself" (Matthew 22:7,39). When you keep the law of love, you fulfill all of the laws written in the Bible. Have you made the decision to walk in love so that you will fulfill Jesus' commandment and allow God's spiritual principles to work in your life? Or have you chosen to operate in your own way of doing things?
Things don't just happen. Life is a series of decisions that ultimately determine your future. One very important decision every person should make is to be an expression of God's love on the earth.
There are two laws that govern life: the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, which is love; and the law of sin and death, which is selfishness (Romans 8:2). Like curtains on a curtain rod, your deliverance, answered prayers, healing and faith all hang on the rod of love.
If you are not walking in God's agape love, then you are limiting what God can do in your life. I encourage you to take the love test by reading 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. After reading this portion of Scripture, you will know to what extent you have-or have not-yielded your life to love.
Unfortunately, most people operate in selfishness. They live in human, emotional love, which has limits, is conditional, requires pre-qualification and has to be loved before it can love. Selfishness is the root of all sin, which is based in fear. As a result, our society is experiencing a tremendous amount of lawlessness, perversion and sin.
Families are being destroyed because people are engaging in human, emotional love rather than taking the time to learn about and develop in agape love. Selfishness in the home can creep up in so many subtle ways, particularly between a husband and wife. If you are married, here's a newsflash-it's not all about you! Everything in life should not focus around you and your needs, but rather the needs of your spouse. It is important to find balance and compromise within relationships in order to maintain peace in the home. You can kick selfishness out of your home. How? Yield to love.
Jesus gave two commandments that are the foundational principles for every commandment in the Bible: "...love the Lord thy God with all of thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy mind... love thy neighbor as thyself" (Matthew 22:7,39). When you keep the law of love, you fulfill all of the laws written in the Bible. Have you made the decision to walk in love so that you will fulfill Jesus' commandment and allow God's spiritual principles to work in your life? Or have you chosen to operate in your own way of doing things?
Things don't just happen. Life is a series of decisions that ultimately determine your future. One very important decision every person should make is to be an expression of God's love on the earth.
There are two laws that govern life: the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, which is love; and the law of sin and death, which is selfishness (Romans 8:2). Like curtains on a curtain rod, your deliverance, answered prayers, healing and faith all hang on the rod of love.
If you are not walking in God's agape love, then you are limiting what God can do in your life. I encourage you to take the love test by reading 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. After reading this portion of Scripture, you will know to what extent you have-or have not-yielded your life to love.
Monday, February 11, 2008
When Love Drives, the Devil Cannot Ride
Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Ephesians 4:26 (KJV)
Have you ever said something in anger that you wish you simply had not said? After you thought about it you said, "That was dumb. I shouldn't have said that."
Well, anger will cause your love clothes to be loosed. Acting in anger is like putting on grimy garments. But since the love of God has been placed on the inside of you, you can avoid anger. Instead of being driven by anger, you can let love take over the driver's seat and kick out the devil and the anger he brought with him.
What happens when anger shows up? It comes to drive you to sin. A flash of anger may come your way, but don't let it control you, and definitely don't let it drive you to sin. Ephesians 4:26 says, "Be angry and sin not. Let not the sun go down upon your wrath."
Sponsor Ad 3Now he is not saying that you can be angry until sundown. The scripture is saying that you cannot allow anger to dwell in your heart any length of time. Recognize anger and put it away from you quickly, lest you say something or do something that you will regret. Do away with anger by operating in the love of God. Let love drive your words and actions. Consequently, there will be peace and quietness in that situation.
You can control anger. Someone may say, "I've always had a short fuse. That's just my personality." But your personality is found in the word of God. And when you yield to the love of God on the inside of you, a godly personality comes forth. Love takes over and anger cannot control you, you control it. Let love drive anger out by forgiving and showing mercy according to Colossians 3:13 (Amp.), "Be gentle, and forbearing with one another and, if one has a difference (a grievance or complaint) against another, readily pardoning each other; even as the Lord h as [freely] forgiven you, so must you also [forgive]."
When you yield to the love of God that is shed abroad in your heart, you can get along with anybody. The moment someone comes against you, love comes from your heart and out of your mouth. It erases that unpleasant feeling of anger and allows God to bring peace.
Scripture Reference: Ephesians 4:26
Have you ever said something in anger that you wish you simply had not said? After you thought about it you said, "That was dumb. I shouldn't have said that."
Well, anger will cause your love clothes to be loosed. Acting in anger is like putting on grimy garments. But since the love of God has been placed on the inside of you, you can avoid anger. Instead of being driven by anger, you can let love take over the driver's seat and kick out the devil and the anger he brought with him.
What happens when anger shows up? It comes to drive you to sin. A flash of anger may come your way, but don't let it control you, and definitely don't let it drive you to sin. Ephesians 4:26 says, "Be angry and sin not. Let not the sun go down upon your wrath."
Sponsor Ad 3Now he is not saying that you can be angry until sundown. The scripture is saying that you cannot allow anger to dwell in your heart any length of time. Recognize anger and put it away from you quickly, lest you say something or do something that you will regret. Do away with anger by operating in the love of God. Let love drive your words and actions. Consequently, there will be peace and quietness in that situation.
You can control anger. Someone may say, "I've always had a short fuse. That's just my personality." But your personality is found in the word of God. And when you yield to the love of God on the inside of you, a godly personality comes forth. Love takes over and anger cannot control you, you control it. Let love drive anger out by forgiving and showing mercy according to Colossians 3:13 (Amp.), "Be gentle, and forbearing with one another and, if one has a difference (a grievance or complaint) against another, readily pardoning each other; even as the Lord h as [freely] forgiven you, so must you also [forgive]."
When you yield to the love of God that is shed abroad in your heart, you can get along with anybody. The moment someone comes against you, love comes from your heart and out of your mouth. It erases that unpleasant feeling of anger and allows God to bring peace.
Scripture Reference: Ephesians 4:26
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Attack Fear with Faith
And the Lord appeared to him the same night and said, I am the God of Abraham your father. Fear not, for I am with you and will favor you with blessings and multiply your descendants for the sake of My servant Abraham. Genesis 26:24
Sponsor Ad 4Fear is a weapon that Satan uses to destroy people's lives, their destinies and God's plan for their lives. When fear comes in, there is no faith and where faith is, there is no fear. God wants us to be men and women of faith because the Bible says that the just shall live by faith. God does not want you to be bound by fear because it draws every negative thing to you. When you operate in faith, you move God on your behalf and Satan wants to rob your ability to be a witness for God.
Fear comes to steal, kill and destroy, to render you helpless and to stop you in your tracks. It is time for the body of Christ to stop being bed partners with fear. It is not a part of our nature. We need to make up our minds that nothing is going to stop us from being and receiving all that God has for us. Make up your mind to deal with the spirit of fear today. You cannot serve God in fear.
That he would grant unto us, that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear. Luke 1:74
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18
When you start walking by faith and not by sight, you are moving ahead. You have a greater advantage to accomplish more in your life because you have God on your side. Since God is for you, who can be against you? The Lord has spoken peace into your life for this year. Walk in the peace of God. Know that God has your back in every situation.
This is my confession in agreement with you:
Father, I receive your anointing, the burden-removing, yoke-destroying power of God upon my life so that I can be the person you have called me to be. I want to walk worthy unto You and glorify You all the days of my life. I am the redeemed of the Lord. I am blessed coming in and blessed going out. I resist the spirit of fear. I humble myself under the hand of Almighty God. I resist every foul and demonic spirit that will attack my faith. I am not given to fear. I am given to faith. I walk by faith and not by sight. I receive the promises of Almighty God in my life, in Jesus' name. I am going to the other side. I am crossing into the Promised Land, in Jesus' name. Amen.
Take ownership of your life by meditating and speaking the Word of God over your life, over your family, over your finances, over your health, over your job. Let prayer and confession become your lifestyle. I want to encourage you to stand in your God given authority, stand strong, be of good courage, dismiss any negative thought and know that you are victorious!
Sponsor Ad 4Fear is a weapon that Satan uses to destroy people's lives, their destinies and God's plan for their lives. When fear comes in, there is no faith and where faith is, there is no fear. God wants us to be men and women of faith because the Bible says that the just shall live by faith. God does not want you to be bound by fear because it draws every negative thing to you. When you operate in faith, you move God on your behalf and Satan wants to rob your ability to be a witness for God.
Fear comes to steal, kill and destroy, to render you helpless and to stop you in your tracks. It is time for the body of Christ to stop being bed partners with fear. It is not a part of our nature. We need to make up our minds that nothing is going to stop us from being and receiving all that God has for us. Make up your mind to deal with the spirit of fear today. You cannot serve God in fear.
That he would grant unto us, that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear. Luke 1:74
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18
When you start walking by faith and not by sight, you are moving ahead. You have a greater advantage to accomplish more in your life because you have God on your side. Since God is for you, who can be against you? The Lord has spoken peace into your life for this year. Walk in the peace of God. Know that God has your back in every situation.
This is my confession in agreement with you:
Father, I receive your anointing, the burden-removing, yoke-destroying power of God upon my life so that I can be the person you have called me to be. I want to walk worthy unto You and glorify You all the days of my life. I am the redeemed of the Lord. I am blessed coming in and blessed going out. I resist the spirit of fear. I humble myself under the hand of Almighty God. I resist every foul and demonic spirit that will attack my faith. I am not given to fear. I am given to faith. I walk by faith and not by sight. I receive the promises of Almighty God in my life, in Jesus' name. I am going to the other side. I am crossing into the Promised Land, in Jesus' name. Amen.
Take ownership of your life by meditating and speaking the Word of God over your life, over your family, over your finances, over your health, over your job. Let prayer and confession become your lifestyle. I want to encourage you to stand in your God given authority, stand strong, be of good courage, dismiss any negative thought and know that you are victorious!
Saturday, February 9, 2008
The Fear Factor - Purpose & Power
"There we saw the giants ... and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight." Numbers 13:33
Fear's purpose is to prevent you from knowing what the possibilities are in life.
A frequent admonishment in the Bible is to "fear not". We are told not to fear our situations or what man can do, but to have a healthy and reverent fear of God. Many Believers are paralyzed by fear, failure, uncertainty, or the mere possibility of a negative outcome. God's countermeasure for fear is faith. Faith transcends how things appear and is established on the truth of God's Word. If you are afraid to take the first step, then you can never reach what lies ahead for you. The Bible declares: "God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2Timothy 1:7, KJV). Fear is not something that God has given, but something that is received in the absence of faith. God instead has liberally provided us His Spirit and love which maintains and preserves our peace - or sound mind.
Sponsor Ad 7For Believers, fear is an authority issue. You cannot fear something that is has already been defeated. Being with God's Will provides us with the confidence that whatever we face in life, whether good or bad, that it will turn out for our good. By faith, God's Word is the ultimate authority in a situation. In essence that is what God's word is - authority. It is the final arbiter and sovereign of all things - visible and invisible. There is nothing that can overcome or overpower God's Will and Word. Fear has stopped countless men and women at the doorpost of greatness, causing them to return to a life of mediocrity. Fear's primary objective is to stop you from fulfilling God's purpose and plan for your life. Someone may be asking, "If fear is such a barrier to obtaining our purpose in life, how do we overcome it?" "Where does it get its power?" The answer to these questions can be found in the following text: "There we saw the giants ... and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight" (Numbers 13:33)
I would venture to say that the greatest inhibitor in Believers experiencing fruitfulness and fulfillment in their lives is their being intimidated by what they see. The children of Israel's problems began with these words: "there we saw the giants" (Numbers 13:33, underline added). They were poised to possess what God had promised until they saw something that caused them to fear - giants. This is why Believers "walk by faith and not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7). Faith requires us to base our responses not on what we see, but upon what God has said. What you see is only half of the equation and never the final authority. God uses situations that appear impossible to increase our faith in Him. Every miracle in the Bible was birthed out of a situation that appeared impossible. Satan specializes in appearances. He uses fear of a temporary situation, to cause us to make long term decisions and to doubt God's immutable Word. The Bible Says: "We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen" (2 Corinthians 5:18). God uses His Word to overcome our fears and move us beyond what we see. Your overcoming what you fear depends on your faith in what God has said.
When the Nation of Israel began to occupy the Promised Land, the first thing they faced was giants. You generally run into a "giant" prior to possessing your promise. Giants are representative of obstacles that stand between your and your destiny. Giant problems are the test in life that you must overcome or pass in order for you to receive your promotion. Giant problems are a last ditch effort by the enemy to turn you around before you occupy the place God has called you too. These problems can take the form of health issues, financial difficulties, legal, personal and relational difficulties. They all seem intimidating and appear insurmountable therefore they require God's intervention for us to overcome them. How you handle your giant problems will determine whether you settle for less or experience what God has for you. Fortunately, there was at least one person in Nation of Israel that believed God instead of being intimidated by what they saw. Caleb believed that God's promise that He had already given them the land and convinced the rest of Israel to go in and possess their promise. If God has called you to do something and a "giant problem" raises its ugly head, move forward in confidence, because what's on the other side of your problem is worth the fight.
Sponsor Ad 3Anyone who suffers from a spirit of fear generally will have a diminished appraisal of themselves. They discount their abilities, potential and worth and esteem their situation higher than themselves - and often God. Much of what we fear, we have magnified and made much larger than what it really is. Israel's real problem was not the giants, but their perception of themselves. The giants had shown no sign of aggression toward Israel. It was fear that made them want to turn around and return to wandering in the wilderness. They magnified their problem and shrunk themselves, seeing themselves only as grasshoppers. They said: "we were in our own sight as grasshoppers" (Numbers 13:33, underline added). The giants did not call them grasshoppers, they did. They reduced themselves to nothing more than insects. They were not grasshoppers, but they might as well have been. They were defeated before they encountered their problem.
This is the key to fear's power. Fear depends on you magnifying your situation in an attempt to suffocate and overwhelm you. It wants you to convince yourself that you are unable do what you have set your mind too. Fear knows that once you engage it, its power is gone. That is why its main objective is to stop you before you start. It is depending upon your magnifying the object of fear out of proportion until you conclude that it cannot be overcome.
The mission God has given you is greater than anything you will ever encounter along the way. Faith in God's Word is the answer to anything you fear. "For we walk by faith and not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7). Remember, the only power fear has over you is the power you give it!
Excerpted from "Saved But Stuck: 30 Days to Personal Revival."
Fear's purpose is to prevent you from knowing what the possibilities are in life.
A frequent admonishment in the Bible is to "fear not". We are told not to fear our situations or what man can do, but to have a healthy and reverent fear of God. Many Believers are paralyzed by fear, failure, uncertainty, or the mere possibility of a negative outcome. God's countermeasure for fear is faith. Faith transcends how things appear and is established on the truth of God's Word. If you are afraid to take the first step, then you can never reach what lies ahead for you. The Bible declares: "God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2Timothy 1:7, KJV). Fear is not something that God has given, but something that is received in the absence of faith. God instead has liberally provided us His Spirit and love which maintains and preserves our peace - or sound mind.
Sponsor Ad 7For Believers, fear is an authority issue. You cannot fear something that is has already been defeated. Being with God's Will provides us with the confidence that whatever we face in life, whether good or bad, that it will turn out for our good. By faith, God's Word is the ultimate authority in a situation. In essence that is what God's word is - authority. It is the final arbiter and sovereign of all things - visible and invisible. There is nothing that can overcome or overpower God's Will and Word. Fear has stopped countless men and women at the doorpost of greatness, causing them to return to a life of mediocrity. Fear's primary objective is to stop you from fulfilling God's purpose and plan for your life. Someone may be asking, "If fear is such a barrier to obtaining our purpose in life, how do we overcome it?" "Where does it get its power?" The answer to these questions can be found in the following text: "There we saw the giants ... and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight" (Numbers 13:33)
I would venture to say that the greatest inhibitor in Believers experiencing fruitfulness and fulfillment in their lives is their being intimidated by what they see. The children of Israel's problems began with these words: "there we saw the giants" (Numbers 13:33, underline added). They were poised to possess what God had promised until they saw something that caused them to fear - giants. This is why Believers "walk by faith and not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7). Faith requires us to base our responses not on what we see, but upon what God has said. What you see is only half of the equation and never the final authority. God uses situations that appear impossible to increase our faith in Him. Every miracle in the Bible was birthed out of a situation that appeared impossible. Satan specializes in appearances. He uses fear of a temporary situation, to cause us to make long term decisions and to doubt God's immutable Word. The Bible Says: "We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen" (2 Corinthians 5:18). God uses His Word to overcome our fears and move us beyond what we see. Your overcoming what you fear depends on your faith in what God has said.
When the Nation of Israel began to occupy the Promised Land, the first thing they faced was giants. You generally run into a "giant" prior to possessing your promise. Giants are representative of obstacles that stand between your and your destiny. Giant problems are the test in life that you must overcome or pass in order for you to receive your promotion. Giant problems are a last ditch effort by the enemy to turn you around before you occupy the place God has called you too. These problems can take the form of health issues, financial difficulties, legal, personal and relational difficulties. They all seem intimidating and appear insurmountable therefore they require God's intervention for us to overcome them. How you handle your giant problems will determine whether you settle for less or experience what God has for you. Fortunately, there was at least one person in Nation of Israel that believed God instead of being intimidated by what they saw. Caleb believed that God's promise that He had already given them the land and convinced the rest of Israel to go in and possess their promise. If God has called you to do something and a "giant problem" raises its ugly head, move forward in confidence, because what's on the other side of your problem is worth the fight.
Sponsor Ad 3Anyone who suffers from a spirit of fear generally will have a diminished appraisal of themselves. They discount their abilities, potential and worth and esteem their situation higher than themselves - and often God. Much of what we fear, we have magnified and made much larger than what it really is. Israel's real problem was not the giants, but their perception of themselves. The giants had shown no sign of aggression toward Israel. It was fear that made them want to turn around and return to wandering in the wilderness. They magnified their problem and shrunk themselves, seeing themselves only as grasshoppers. They said: "we were in our own sight as grasshoppers" (Numbers 13:33, underline added). The giants did not call them grasshoppers, they did. They reduced themselves to nothing more than insects. They were not grasshoppers, but they might as well have been. They were defeated before they encountered their problem.
This is the key to fear's power. Fear depends on you magnifying your situation in an attempt to suffocate and overwhelm you. It wants you to convince yourself that you are unable do what you have set your mind too. Fear knows that once you engage it, its power is gone. That is why its main objective is to stop you before you start. It is depending upon your magnifying the object of fear out of proportion until you conclude that it cannot be overcome.
The mission God has given you is greater than anything you will ever encounter along the way. Faith in God's Word is the answer to anything you fear. "For we walk by faith and not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7). Remember, the only power fear has over you is the power you give it!
Excerpted from "Saved But Stuck: 30 Days to Personal Revival."
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Frozen in Fear
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. I John 4:18 (NIV)
There are dreams that are common to virtually every person in the world. At some time or another we all dream we are falling. At some time we all dream that we are out in public dressed inappropriately (or not dressed at all). Another dream common to most all of us is a dream where you are frozen in fear. Sometimes this dream takes the form of being chased by someone and you can't run. Sometimes you are in some kind of danger and find that you can't call out for help. The common factor is that you need to take action, but you cannot because you are frozen in fear.
Now, I'm no psychoanalyst - I have trouble even spelling it - nor do I have a gift for dream interpretation, so I won't attempt to comment on what those dreams mean or what God might be saying to you through them. Except to say this - sometimes in real life we are frozen in fear, and that is, according to God's Word, not of God!
Sponsor Ad 2Do you remember a specific time in your life when you were frozen by fear? I do. When I was about 7 years old the swimming pool where we went in the summers had a high dive. This diving board was 427 feet above the water. Well, it SEEMED to be that high. Other kids would scurry up the ladder and jump off without giving it a second thought. I would climb cautiously up the ladder, walk slowly out to the general vicinity of the end of the board and chicken out. The shame of being a failure at jumping off the high dive was dwarfed by the unreasonable fear that kept me from walking out to the end of the board, much less jumping.
Knowing the facts didn't help me. I saw lots of kids - many younger than me - jump off the board and live to tell about it. In fact, they seemed to have fun doing it. No one was killed or maimed as they hit the water. The facts told me to do it, but I was still paralyzed by fear.
Encouragement didn't help me, either. No matter how many times I was told, "you can do it" by others, I was still paralyzed by fear.
This story has a happy ending, though. My brother, almost two years my senior, said to me, "Come on, let's do this together." Together we climbed up the steps to the high dive and together we jumped off. I found (as is so often the case in life) that what I was so afraid of was really nothing. After successfully jumping with my brother, I immediately climbed back up there. When I reached the top, I saw that the diving board had shrunk. It was no longer 427 feet high - it was only about 15 feet high. I jumped off on my own and never again felt that fear. At least, not on the diving board...
Knowledge didn't help. Encouraging words didn't help. It was love that made the difference. My brother loved me enough to go through it with me.
That's why God's word tells us that there is no fear in love and perfect love - God's love - drives out fear. When you are paralyzed in some area of your life, your Heavenly Father wants to go through it with you and let His love drive your fear away.
There are dreams that are common to virtually every person in the world. At some time or another we all dream we are falling. At some time we all dream that we are out in public dressed inappropriately (or not dressed at all). Another dream common to most all of us is a dream where you are frozen in fear. Sometimes this dream takes the form of being chased by someone and you can't run. Sometimes you are in some kind of danger and find that you can't call out for help. The common factor is that you need to take action, but you cannot because you are frozen in fear.
Now, I'm no psychoanalyst - I have trouble even spelling it - nor do I have a gift for dream interpretation, so I won't attempt to comment on what those dreams mean or what God might be saying to you through them. Except to say this - sometimes in real life we are frozen in fear, and that is, according to God's Word, not of God!
Sponsor Ad 2Do you remember a specific time in your life when you were frozen by fear? I do. When I was about 7 years old the swimming pool where we went in the summers had a high dive. This diving board was 427 feet above the water. Well, it SEEMED to be that high. Other kids would scurry up the ladder and jump off without giving it a second thought. I would climb cautiously up the ladder, walk slowly out to the general vicinity of the end of the board and chicken out. The shame of being a failure at jumping off the high dive was dwarfed by the unreasonable fear that kept me from walking out to the end of the board, much less jumping.
Knowing the facts didn't help me. I saw lots of kids - many younger than me - jump off the board and live to tell about it. In fact, they seemed to have fun doing it. No one was killed or maimed as they hit the water. The facts told me to do it, but I was still paralyzed by fear.
Encouragement didn't help me, either. No matter how many times I was told, "you can do it" by others, I was still paralyzed by fear.
This story has a happy ending, though. My brother, almost two years my senior, said to me, "Come on, let's do this together." Together we climbed up the steps to the high dive and together we jumped off. I found (as is so often the case in life) that what I was so afraid of was really nothing. After successfully jumping with my brother, I immediately climbed back up there. When I reached the top, I saw that the diving board had shrunk. It was no longer 427 feet high - it was only about 15 feet high. I jumped off on my own and never again felt that fear. At least, not on the diving board...
Knowledge didn't help. Encouraging words didn't help. It was love that made the difference. My brother loved me enough to go through it with me.
That's why God's word tells us that there is no fear in love and perfect love - God's love - drives out fear. When you are paralyzed in some area of your life, your Heavenly Father wants to go through it with you and let His love drive your fear away.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Eliminate the Fear Factor
Are you afraid of heights? Or do you become hysterical at the mere sight of spiders? Perhaps you live in constant fear that you will never get ahead in life. Whether you are afraid of heights, spiders or failure, let's be clear on one thing; it is not good to have any amount of fear in your life.
I have heard people say, "A little fear is good for you." I disagree. Fear is not good at all. It is a trap used by the enemy to keep you from operating in the will of God. The opposite of fear is faith, and Hebrews 11:6 says, "...without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is..." Satan knows that you must have faith to believe that God's promises will come to pass. If he can get you to doubt God's promises, he will accomplish his goal of taking you out of the will of God, thereby keeping you from receiving your blessing.
Ask yourself these three questions to find out whether you are believing God's Word or walking in fear:
1) Whose word is getting into my heart?
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God, but fear comes by hearing the words of Satan. Negative words can get into your heart by entering through your eyes (what you watch) and your ears (what you listen to). Eventually those things will enter your mouth (what you say), and once you begin to speak negative words, those things will ultimately become a part of your life. Be sure to put God's Word into your heart to increase your faith.
2) Who's side am I on?
The world system operates by fear. The kingdom of God system operates by faith. The world system says that you have to be educated, have a certain degree, be the right color, come from the right neighborhood, say the right things or wear the right clothes. If you contradict this system, you may be challenged by feelings of inadequacy, which comes from fear. But in the kingdom of God system, God is not a respecter of persons; He is a respecter of faith. It's up to you to decide which system you will follow.
3) What am I connected to?
Fear is a spiritual connector and so is faith. Faith will connect you with the Word of God. Fear will connect you with the very thing you fear. For example, fear of death will connect you to the death that you fear. Fear of lack will connect you to the lack that you fear. Fear of cancer will connect you with cancer. Don't allow fear to connect you to negative circumstances. Instead, use your faith to release the blessings of God into your life.
I have heard people say, "A little fear is good for you." I disagree. Fear is not good at all. It is a trap used by the enemy to keep you from operating in the will of God. The opposite of fear is faith, and Hebrews 11:6 says, "...without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is..." Satan knows that you must have faith to believe that God's promises will come to pass. If he can get you to doubt God's promises, he will accomplish his goal of taking you out of the will of God, thereby keeping you from receiving your blessing.
Ask yourself these three questions to find out whether you are believing God's Word or walking in fear:
1) Whose word is getting into my heart?
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God, but fear comes by hearing the words of Satan. Negative words can get into your heart by entering through your eyes (what you watch) and your ears (what you listen to). Eventually those things will enter your mouth (what you say), and once you begin to speak negative words, those things will ultimately become a part of your life. Be sure to put God's Word into your heart to increase your faith.
2) Who's side am I on?
The world system operates by fear. The kingdom of God system operates by faith. The world system says that you have to be educated, have a certain degree, be the right color, come from the right neighborhood, say the right things or wear the right clothes. If you contradict this system, you may be challenged by feelings of inadequacy, which comes from fear. But in the kingdom of God system, God is not a respecter of persons; He is a respecter of faith. It's up to you to decide which system you will follow.
3) What am I connected to?
Fear is a spiritual connector and so is faith. Faith will connect you with the Word of God. Fear will connect you with the very thing you fear. For example, fear of death will connect you to the death that you fear. Fear of lack will connect you to the lack that you fear. Fear of cancer will connect you with cancer. Don't allow fear to connect you to negative circumstances. Instead, use your faith to release the blessings of God into your life.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Refuse To Fear, We Win The War!
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:33 (KJV)
Sponsor Ad 1As the body of Christ goes, so the nation goes. Christians determine which way the nation goes. The reason this is true is that God does nothing in the earth unless His children ask Him. When we ask Him in Jesus' Name, He said He will do it. When Jesus made this statement He was talking to His disciples—that is anyone who is a follower of Jesus. Hence, as Christians act on the word of God by praying fervently for our nation, the hand of God will move on our behalf and bring our nation to victory. As the body of Christ goes, so the nation goes.
Staying in prayer keeps you in faith. As long as you speak the word of God in prayer, faith comes, and fear is far from you. Jesus told his disciples, pray that God's will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. And so that's what we have been praying.
Psalm 27:1 from the Message Bible says, "Light, space, zest, that's God. So with Him on my side I am fearless; afraid of no one and nothing." And that's the way we've got to be, afraid of no one and nothing. Don't let fear govern your life. Refuse to allow the enemy to dictate whether or not you'll fly and where you will go. You do the dictating, because greater is the anointing that is in you than the devil that's in the world.
Now declare what the word says. We are not going to win the war, we've won the war. We will not let the enemy make us forget what God's word has already told us. Jesus said, "Be of good cheer, I have overcome." And so, we live with the faith that we overcome!
Scripture Reference: Romans 12:19-21; Luke 23:33-43
Sponsor Ad 1As the body of Christ goes, so the nation goes. Christians determine which way the nation goes. The reason this is true is that God does nothing in the earth unless His children ask Him. When we ask Him in Jesus' Name, He said He will do it. When Jesus made this statement He was talking to His disciples—that is anyone who is a follower of Jesus. Hence, as Christians act on the word of God by praying fervently for our nation, the hand of God will move on our behalf and bring our nation to victory. As the body of Christ goes, so the nation goes.
Staying in prayer keeps you in faith. As long as you speak the word of God in prayer, faith comes, and fear is far from you. Jesus told his disciples, pray that God's will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. And so that's what we have been praying.
Psalm 27:1 from the Message Bible says, "Light, space, zest, that's God. So with Him on my side I am fearless; afraid of no one and nothing." And that's the way we've got to be, afraid of no one and nothing. Don't let fear govern your life. Refuse to allow the enemy to dictate whether or not you'll fly and where you will go. You do the dictating, because greater is the anointing that is in you than the devil that's in the world.
Now declare what the word says. We are not going to win the war, we've won the war. We will not let the enemy make us forget what God's word has already told us. Jesus said, "Be of good cheer, I have overcome." And so, we live with the faith that we overcome!
Scripture Reference: Romans 12:19-21; Luke 23:33-43
Sunday, February 3, 2008
How Fear Can Rob Us
Christians are protected from demonic powers, which, according to the Bible, walk about like roaring lions seeking whom they can devour (1 Peter 5:8), particularly the spirit of fear. That is why it is so very important for us to use our faith in the Word of God to maintain our freedom. This is where fighting the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12) comes in.
The devil-the enemy of all mankind-is always trying to steal the Believer's faith, or at least render it ineffective. But Christians have a choice as to whether or not to accept his presence in their lives. That is what makes the good fight of faith good. If you are a Christian, you do not have to accept any of the things the devil and his demons may throw your way because you can defeat them with God's Word.
We have a classic example in the Bible of how fear works against faith in Matthew 14:22-31:
22 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.
23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.
24 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.
26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear.
27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid."
28 And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."
29 So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.
30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"
31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"
Peter doubted because he began to fear. When fear came, faith left. That was why Jesus said, "O you of little faith." If Peter had had great faith, he would have walked back with Jesus to the boat without thinking about it.
When Jesus told Peter, "Come," that implied two things. It implied that Peter had God's permission to defy the laws of nature, and that he had the ability to do so. Not only that, but it says in the same verse, he [Peter] walked on the water to go to Jesus. Peter was walking on the water! He was actually doing it. But he made the mistake of taking his eyes off of Jesus, and looking at the wind and the waves. Once he did that, he allowed fear to come in, which robbed Peter of completing a wonderful miracle.
Sponsor Ad 2
Every promise God makes in the Bible belongs to the Christian. Thank God for His grace and determine in your heart to live as a child of God. As you learn to trust what He says in the Bible, you can expect to grow spiritually and to learn what God's best is for your life.
Even when the devil tries to assault your mind with fear, remember that as a Christian you have not been given a spirit of fear, but one of power, love and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). You have the Greater One within you (1 John 4:4) and you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you (Philippians 4:13). Keep standing in faith on the promises God makes in the Bible. Remember that He made those promises to you, and that He always honors His Word. You cannot help but win, no matter what may arise.
The devil-the enemy of all mankind-is always trying to steal the Believer's faith, or at least render it ineffective. But Christians have a choice as to whether or not to accept his presence in their lives. That is what makes the good fight of faith good. If you are a Christian, you do not have to accept any of the things the devil and his demons may throw your way because you can defeat them with God's Word.
We have a classic example in the Bible of how fear works against faith in Matthew 14:22-31:
22 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.
23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.
24 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.
26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear.
27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid."
28 And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."
29 So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.
30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"
31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"
Peter doubted because he began to fear. When fear came, faith left. That was why Jesus said, "O you of little faith." If Peter had had great faith, he would have walked back with Jesus to the boat without thinking about it.
When Jesus told Peter, "Come," that implied two things. It implied that Peter had God's permission to defy the laws of nature, and that he had the ability to do so. Not only that, but it says in the same verse, he [Peter] walked on the water to go to Jesus. Peter was walking on the water! He was actually doing it. But he made the mistake of taking his eyes off of Jesus, and looking at the wind and the waves. Once he did that, he allowed fear to come in, which robbed Peter of completing a wonderful miracle.
Sponsor Ad 2
Every promise God makes in the Bible belongs to the Christian. Thank God for His grace and determine in your heart to live as a child of God. As you learn to trust what He says in the Bible, you can expect to grow spiritually and to learn what God's best is for your life.
Even when the devil tries to assault your mind with fear, remember that as a Christian you have not been given a spirit of fear, but one of power, love and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). You have the Greater One within you (1 John 4:4) and you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you (Philippians 4:13). Keep standing in faith on the promises God makes in the Bible. Remember that He made those promises to you, and that He always honors His Word. You cannot help but win, no matter what may arise.
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