Truth to Deliver Us from the Law

The law has dominion over a man as long as he lives . . . But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.  (Rom_7:1, Rom_7:6)

In the word of God, the Lord has promised truth which brings spiritual liberation. "The truth shall make you free" (Joh_8:32). We have considered such truths that set people free from bondage to sin, from bondage to the fear of death, and from bondage to the influence of the evil one. Now, we will look at another category of liberating truth: truth to deliver us from the law.

This issue pertains to everyone initially, because we all begin under bondage to the law. "Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God" (Rom_3:19). Everyone who has ever lived, is living now, or will live in the days to come ("all the world") is initially held in a state of condemnation ("guilty before God"), because of their sin. This guilty condition would persist for a lifetime, if God did not supply a remedy. "The law has dominion over a man as long as he lives."  However, this condition need not persist, because the Lord's word proclaims liberating truth for this drastic need. "But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by." The person we were at physical birth died on the cross with Christ, when we believed in Him. The new creature in Christ now stands justified by faith in Christ (not by law performance). "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified (declared not guilty, pronounced righteous in Christ) by faith apart from the deeds of the law" (Rom_3:28).

All of God's children have experienced these liberating truths, as they apply to justification (our eternal righteous standing before God in heaven). However, many of God's people are unaware of the need to be delivered out from under the bondage of the law concerning sanctification (our daily growth in personal, practical godliness on earth). Yet, the word of God addresses this matter repeatedly. Here, in one of our primary verses for meditation, we see these truths given a sanctification implication. "Now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter." Yes, understanding the truth of being delivered from the law determines whether we will struggle daily in bondage to law performance, or live freely by the ongoing, fresh work of the Spirit of God.

Prayer
Dear Lord of deliverance, I worship You for delivering me from the condemnation of the law, by grace through faith. Teach me how to live daily by grace through faith, that i might be practically delivered from law performance as I serve You, Amen.

The Truth Promised to Set Us Free

If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.  (Joh_8:31-32)

As we have seen, the Holy Spirit is promised as our guide into all of the truths of God's word. "When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all the truth" (Joh_16:13). A related promise assures us that this truth will have a liberating impact upon our lives. "The truth shall make you free." This promise of spiritual liberation through the truths of God's word is such a vital one for man, because various forms of spiritual bondage threaten us all.

Everyone needs liberation from bondage to sin. Those who first heard this promise of Jesus needed instruction on this. "We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say, 'You will be made free'? Jesus answered them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin' " (Joh_8:33-34). This "whoever" includes us all, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom_3:23). However, we can all praise God that His liberating truth can set us free from the bondage to sin. All who trust in the Lord Jesus are justified from their sins (declared righteous in God's sight) through the redemption price of the blood of Christ: "being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth to be a propitiation (satisfactory payment for sin) by His blood, through faith" (Rom_3:24-25).

The fear of death is another bondage from which people need liberation. Hebrews speaks of those "who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage" (Heb_2:15). What a tormenting bondage is the fear of death! Yet, Jesus' liberating truth can deal with this bondage as well. "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (Joh_11:25-26). All who believe in the one who is resurrection life will live forever. Even if they should experience physical death, the grave has no grip on them. In fact, though their body may go into a tomb, they would go immediately into the presence of the Lord. "We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord" (2Co_5:8).

Prayer
Dear God of truth, I rejoice in the freedom that comes through Your truth! Thank You for setting me free from the bondage of condemnation and judgment that I deserved because of my sin. I praise You for liberation from the fear of death. May I live victoriously by these truths and pass them on to others who need to be set free, in Your holy name, Amen.

The Spirit Promised to Glorify Jesus

When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all the truth . . . He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you . . . Now we have received . . . the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.  (Joh_16:13-14 and 1Co_2:12)

The promised teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit involves His guiding us into all the truths of the word of God. "When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all the truth." As the Spirit is fulfilling this promise, He especially wants to unfold God's truth in ways that will glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. "He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you." The desire of the Holy Spirit is to bring glory and honor, not to Himself, but to the Lord Jesus Christ. "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me" (Joh_15:26).

One of the primary ways the Spirit glorifies Jesus is to reveal to us (and bring into our growing experiential knowledge) the free heavenly riches that are ours in Christ. "Now we have received . . . the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God." This is the language of grace: "freely given to us." The wonders of God's grace are poured out freely: "being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus . . . to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed upon us in the Beloved" (Rom_3:24 and Eph_1:6). What man deserves (and has earned by his own sin and offenses) is judgment. However, Christ supplies at His cost (His death for us) the free remedy of eternal life. "But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many . . . For the wages of sin is death, but the (free) gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom_5:15; Rom_6:23).

These freely given things of everlasting life include far more than the precious gift of forgiveness. "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" (Rom_8:32). From a river of blessings (including, peace, hope, fruit, gifts, victory, etc.) we are to freely drink throughout time - - and even for all eternity. "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts . . . and let him who thirsts come. And whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely" (Rev_21:6; Rev_22:17).

Prayer
Lord Jesus, these freely given things of God, revealed to me by Your Spirit through Your word, cause me to glorify You greatly. Please teach me to freely drink of these riches yet more and more, through humble dependence upon You, Amen.

God Promising an Anointed King

There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.  (Isa_11:1-2)

Already, we have seen our God of promises guaranteeing to call out a people for Himself, to deliver His people from bondage, to fight for His people, and to give them an everlasting kingdom. Now, God promises an anointed king for His people.
This anointed king was promised through David's family. "There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse." Jesse was a son of Obed and the father of David. "Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David" (Ruth 4:22). This king is here given a Messianic title, Branch. "A Branch shall grow out of his roots." Other prophets had made similar prophetic promises concerning this royal Branch. "Behold, the days are coming,' says the LORD, 'That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; a King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth'  . . . I am bringing forth My Servant the Branch . . . Behold, the Man whose name is the Branch! " (Jer_23:5 and Zec_3:8; Zec_6:12).

This king ("the Branch") would serve by the empowering of the Holy Spirit. "The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him." The Spirit of God would not merely come upon Him at times (as with King Saul): "Then the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them" (1Sa_10:10). The Spirit would continually be upon Him for ministry: "The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him." Of course, this king, the Branch, would be Jesus Christ. Jesus applied a similar Messianic passage to Himself. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me" (Luk_4:18). Yes, Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the anointed King. In fact, Christ is the Greek term for "anointed One." Whereas, Messiah is the Hebrew term for the same.

The Messiah's ministry would be characterized by godly wisdom, heavenly understanding, perfect counsel, divine might, complete knowledge, and holy reverence for the Father. All of this was produced by the work of the Holy Spirit upon Him: "the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD."

Prayer
Jesus, my anointed King, all that You demonstrated in Your days upon this earth are the very needs that I have in my daily life. By Your promises, through the work of Your Spirit, please supply these realities in my walk, Amen.

The Inability of God to Lie

Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us . . . In hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began.  (Heb_6:17-18 and Tit_1:2)


One benefit of living by the promises of God is related to something that God cannot do. He is unable to lie. "It is impossible for God to lie." This "inability" actually magnifies His greatness, while bringing to us great assurance.
This "inability" of God is linked here to His promises. We who live by faith are "heirs of promise." We inherit the blessings of God by trusting Him to fulfill all that He has promised to do. These promises offer everlasting life and are anchored in eternity past: "In hope of eternal life which God . . . promised before time began." Now, here in time and space, God wants to deeply impress us with the unchangeable character of His will: "Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel." He wants us to be fully assured that He will not declare one thing, and then later change His mind and do something else.

In order to provide us with solid assurance, God coupled His promise with an oath. People make oaths, attempting to convince others of their reliability. They swear by something greater than themselves. "For men indeed swear by the greater" (Heb_6:16). However, "when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, 'Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you' " (Heb_6:13-14). This marks an amazing condescension on the part of our Lord toward us. We might say that He somewhat lowers Himself down to our level (which He would fully do in the incarnation, becoming a man). He uses a common human custom in order to grant us an assured understanding of the reliability of His commitment to us.


The assurance that we receive in this unusual communication is likened unto a "double certainty." The "God, who cannot lie," makes a promise and an oath, "that by two immutable things . . . we might have strong consolation." 


Prayer
Dear Lord, as one who has often proven my ability to lie, I worship You as the God who cannot lie! Your promises grant rich assurance. Your oath adds strong encouragement to rely upon You. Thank You for doing whatever is necessary to strengthen my hope in You. How gracious You are!

Man's Promises or God's Promises

Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before them all these words which the LORD commanded him. Then all the people answered together and said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do."  (Exo_19:7-8)

The promises of the old covenant of law depend upon the performance of man. "You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them" (Lev_18:5). The better promises of the new covenant of grace depend upon the performance of God. "I will make a new covenant . . . I will put My law in their minds" (Jer_31:31, Jer_31:33).

When man attempts to live under the law (thereby needing to perform up to God's standards by human resources), he typically tries to live by his promises to God. Israel was a vivid example of this futile tendency. "All that the LORD has spoken we will do." This well-intended promise to God was consistently broken. Moses' words are a stinging indictment of the vanity of basing life with God on our promises to Him. "You have been rebellious against the LORD from the day that I knew you" (Deu_9:24).

The desire to obey God appropriately resides within the hearts of His children, but a better way to obedience must be found than relying upon our promises to God. That better way is the path of grace, which offers a life based upon God's promises to man. "I will give you a new heart and [I will] put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and [I will] give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and [I will] cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them" (Eze_36:26-27).

We are to live by the promises of God to us (instead of by our promises to Him). Living by God's promises produces a growing confidence in the Lord, a confidence that results from His unique character. "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? " (Num_23:19). Man may make promises to God, but, eventually, he will fail. God is not like man. God is true to His word. He will not lie, nor will He change His mind. Whatever He says, He will do! We can fully rely upon the promises of God that we find in His word.

Prayer
Lord God of truth, forgive my multiplied attempts to develop a Christian walk by my promises to You. Lord, You know how often I have failed. What a joyous option this is — to live by Your promises to me! Please teach me how to think and live this way, in Jesus name, Amen.

You Are A Word From God

You Are A Word From God

Jeremiah 1:5 - 'Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou
camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet
unto the nations.'

The gift that God has put into you is so important. It is the very essence of your existence. You are dead without it. It's what makes you you! It's the call of God that spoke you into existence and it's the word that was spoken about you that called you to be.

When you were created, you started out as a word, just as God spoke light in the beginning and it was here. He called you what you were to be before he called you into time and space. You are what he said and if you tap into that, you will find out why you are still here. Don't you know that if you didn't have a purpose, you would be dead? The devil tried so many times before to kill you, but he couldn't because God had a plan for you.

You are hear by divine order and you cannot be stopped unless you stop yourself. The devil does not have the power to stop you. If he did, you would not be reading this. You would have been dead a long time ago, but because there is a word over you and a calling on you, you cannot die! God is giving you opportunity to transform into that word that he spoke about you before you were ever made.

Don't waste your time struggling in areas that you have struggled in for years. Overcome those areas and walk in the word that God spoke about you. If you don't know what that word was, ask him. God will give it to you, but first you must commit to him fully. You think God is going to be careless with the very meaning of our lives? No! He is going to make sure we can handle that word and walk in that word. He is not going to just tell us something that powerful and life changing on a whim.

God is waiting for us to seek it out of him. He's wanting us to drop the sinful lifestyles, the crazy mistakes, and the selfish motives, so he can have our undivided attention. After that, you will hear him clearly speak the meaning of life for you. After all, who knows your purpose better than the one who created you?

Suggested Reading: Jer 1, Eph. 4:8, 2Th. 1:11

Nothing Changes If Nothing Changes

Nothing Changes If Nothing Changes

Proverbs 26:11 - 'As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool
returneth to his folly.'

God can do anything but fail. He can take nothing and make something out of it. He can take what is blind and give it sight. He can take what is wrong and make it right! He is God.

So, the problem is not whether or not God can change you, but the real dilemma is whether or not you change your mind about your situation! I hear women all the time talking about how they are seeking God for this or that, but yet and still, they make no effort to break away from the people in their lives that are tormenting them!
I hear men by the thousands talk about how they do good for a while and then they fall back into poverty, lust, or other sinful desires every time, but they hold on to negative people, places, or things that they embraced before they fell.


People listen to this. NOTHING CHANGES IF NOTHING CHANGES!!! You can fast and seek God for a year, but if YOU don't make changes, then nothing will change! Why seek God if you won't get past your family's opinion of you? Why pray to God if you won't allow him to free you from what binds you? Why are you regurgitating that old word you got from a conference in 2000 when you won't let go of those things that are hindering you in 2012? God can do anything, but you MUST do some things! God wants to fix you up, but you have to make some changes.

That man or woman that you should have never got involved with because they serve absolutely no Spiritual purpose in your life! That friend or family member that is always needing but never giving, just bringing up stuff they did for you years ago to keep you bound! That dead-end job or church home where the pastor is no good and the members are all shady!

Change your unproductive surroundings and then believe God for change. Change will not occur as long as you hold on to the things that keep you where you are. Regardless of your fasting, praying, or seeking, if you don't make changes things will stay the same!

Shalom!

Suggested Reading: Ezek. 24:14, 2Tim. 2:4, 2Cor. 11:15, 1Tim. 6:12

The Gethsemane Times in our Life

'Jesus went...to a place called Gethsemane...' Matthew 26:36

The word Gethsemane means 'crushed olives.' And from crushed olives comes oil that heals, illuminates, and nourishes. We all have our Gethsemane. To understand and embrace yours, look at the night Christ spent there before going to the cross: 'Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them..."My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch [pray] with me." Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will' ' (vv.36-39 NIV).

Notice:
1) Gethsemane is where your prayers are not answered as you'd like them to be. God understands how you feel, and He has a better plan in mind.

2) Gethsemane is where those closest to you cannot help. Like Christ's disciples, they will pray with you for a while but then grow tired and give up. At this point, you pray alone. You go on alone.

3) Gethsemane is where you feel the full weight of God's will. The Old Testament prophets spoke of 'the burden of the Word of the Lord.' Luke tells us that in Gethsemane Jesus was ' in anguish' and that 'his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground' (Luke 22:44).

We used to sing in church, 'All that I have, all that I am, all I shall ever be; cannot repay the love debt I owe; I surrender to Thee!' If you're finding it easier to sing than to surrender, you're in Gethsemane!

Eliminate Distraction

Mark 813-18
And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side. 14 Now the disciples had forgotten to takebread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf. 15 And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. 16 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread. 17 And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened? 18 Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?

INTRO:
Back when the telegraph was the fastest method of long distance communication, a young man applied for a job as a Morse code operator.
Answering an ad in the newspaper, he went to the office address that was listed. When he arrived, he entered a large, busy office filled with noise and clatter, including the sound of the telegraph in the background. A sign on the receptionist’s counter instructed job applicants to fill out a form and wait until they were summoned to enter the inner office. The young man filled out his form and sat down with the seven other applicants in the waiting area. After a few minutes, the young man stood up, crossed the room to the door of the inner office, and walked right in.
Naturally the other applicants perked up, wondering what was going on. They muttered among themselves that they hadn’t heard any summons yet.  They assumed that the young man who went into the office made a mistake and would be disqualified.
Within a few minutes, however, the employer escorted the young man out of the office and said to the other applicants, “Gentlemen, thank you very much for coming, but the job has just been filled.”
The other applicants began grumbling to each other, and one spoke up saying, “Wait a minute, I don’t understand. He was the last to come in, and we never even got a chance to be interviewed. Yet he got the job. That’s not fair!”
The employer said, “I’m sorry, but all the time you’ve been sitting here, the telegraph has been ticking out the following message in Morse code: ‘If you understand this message, then come right in. The job is yours.’
None of you heard it or understood it. This young man did. The job is his.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Are our ears tuned to His voice??
Now, there are some things that interest me about this story!
1.)   This young man was not the FIRST one there!
2.)   There were probably men with higher qualifications!
3.)   There may have been men who were better dressed.
4.)   Maybe they were comparing themselves among themselves, and touting their own qualifications!
5.)   Maybe each one was telling the other why he deserved the job!
6.)   Maybe they were arguing about who was right and who was wrong for the position!
But, while they sat there this young man waltzed right in and got the job!
But, the reason this young man got the job was because he was listening for the right voice!
Somehow he had eliminated all distractions, all outside influences!

While others were pre-occupied with other conversations, although worthwhile they may have been, they missed the main message!
While others were talking among themselves, the small, unobtrusive voice of the telegraph machine went unnoticed! Even though the quietest sound, it was the most important sound in the room, and the one who heard it was the one who eliminated all outside influences and distractions!

I.)            THE ONES WHO WILL HEAR THE STILL, SMALL VOICE OF JESUS IN THIS GENERATION ARE THE ONES WHO ELIMINATE DISTRACTIONS!
The ones who block out all outside influences and concentrate on what God is saying amid the clutter, and hubbub of every day life!

WE HAVE ALL HAD PEOPLE SAY SOMETHING TO US AND WE WERE DAYDREAMING, OR OTHERWISE PRE-OCCUPIED.
And, so when we finally come back to ourselves, we say. “What did you say? I didn’t HEAR you!”
When, what we really mean is, I heard, but didn’t understand you!
I heard you speaking, but what you said didn’t register with me.
I knew you were talking to me, but my mind was preoccupied with other things, and I didn’t understand what it was that you wanted me to hear.
I was riding in the truck with my father-in-law the other day and said something to him and he said, “Mike, I didn’t understand what you said, the doctor has told me I have lost 50% of my hearing. I can HEAR, but I don’t UNDERSTAND sometimes what has been said.”
And then he said this, which really stuck with me, “The only way I can really understand what someone says is if I am looking directly at them when they speak!”

II.)          IN ORDER TO HEAR WHAT GOD IS SAYING, WE MUST REMOVE ALL DISTRACTIONS AND KEEP OUR EYES ON HIM!
Isaiah 6:1-10
In the year that king Uzziah died I SAW also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.  2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.   4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.  6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:  7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. 8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

King Uzziah had become a distractioin to Isaiah, and it was only when he died that Isaiah saw the Lord!
Uzziah - a contracted form of Azari’ah the Lord is my strength. (1.) One of Amaziah’s sons, whom the people made king of Judah in his father’s stead (2 Kings 14:21; 2 Chr. 26:1). His long reign of about fifty-two years was “the most prosperous except that of Jehosaphat since the time of Solomon.” He was a vigorous and able ruler, and “his name spread abroad, even to the entering in of Egypt” (2 Chr. 26:8, 14). In the earlier part of his reign, under the influence of Zechariah, he was faithful to Jehovah, and “did that which was right in the sight of the Lord” (2 Kings 15:3; 2 Chr. 26:4, 5); but toward the close of his long life “his heart was lifted up to his destruction,” and he wantonly invaded the priest’s office (2 Chr. 26:16), and entering the sanctuary proceeded to offer incense on the golden altar. Azariah the high priest saw the tendency of such a daring act on the part of the king, and with a band of eighty priests he withstood him (2 Chr. 26:17), saying, “It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense.” Uzziah was suddenly struck with leprosy while in the act of offering incense (26:19-21), and he was driven from the temple and compelled to reside in “a several house” to the day of his death (2 Kings 15:5, 27; 2 Chr. 26:3). He was buried in a separate grave “in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings” (2 Kings 15:7; 2 Chr. 26:23).

Isaiah learned that position was not what he should be seeking!
Uzziah gave him a position, and when he got his position, he lost sight of God!

I want you to notice Isaiah’s 3-fold vision:

1.) When the man who had taken care of him died, Isaiah turned again to the Lord, and it was then that he received his vision!
In the year that king Uzziah died I SAW also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
Isaiah said, when my distractions were eliminated, then I saw the Lord!
When I stopped looking to the arm of the flesh, I saw the Lord!
When I got my focus off of the things that man could do for me and to me, I saw the Lord!

2.) After Isaiah saw the Lord, he saw himself!
5 Then said I, Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
Isaiah realized how far he had drifted away from God when he finally saw God again! He realized how unclean he was after he got a vision of God! And, immediately he began to repent!

3.) And, finally, after he saw God and himself, he got a vision of the world that he was sent to witness to.
Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
I am saying to this church tonight, God has a job for someone to do!
There is a work to be done, and the position is open, who will fill it?
Who will go and do the work of God in this generation?

III.)        THE JOB POSITION IS OPEN, AND THE ADVERTISEMENT HAS GONE FORTH!

Matthew 28:19
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Mark 16:15-16
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Matthew 9:37-38
37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

Acts 1:8
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

The job?
Reach the lost at any cost!

The Pay?
Matthew 16:26-27
26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.


The benefits?
Romans 14:17
17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
And a life insurance policy that is out of this world!
And, the applicants have come from near and far, and are sitting in the interview room, waiting for their turn!
But, I would say to you today, that it is not the most qualified, not the most well-dressed, not the first on the scene, or not the ones with the most ability that will get the job, but the ones that will get the nod from the Lord of the Harvest are those who will hear his still, small, voice and understand what the purpose of the church is in this day!

Those whose attention is not diverted by the other sounds that clamor all around, those who don’t think that they have already arrived and deserve the job because of their superior qualifications, but those who are listening and understanding the voice of God!
We can argue all day long amongst ourselves, and use scripture to back up why we are right, and everyone else is wrong, but while we are crossing theological swords, people are dying and going to hell!

IV.)        THE ONES WHOM GOD WILL WORK THROUGH IN THIS GENERATION ARE THE ONES WHO HAVE ELIMINATED THE DISTRACTIONS IN THEIR LIVES.
Not the most educated,
Not the best dressed,
Not the ones with the most impressive pedigree or heritage,
But, those who have eliminated distractions!

Psalm 24:3-6
3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.  5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.
It’s interesting to note that one of the meanings of both of the words used here, CLEAN and PURE, is CLEAR!
Not muddled or double-minded, but a clear, unhindered direction.

Matthew 6:22
22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
One of the definitions for SINGLE in this passage is SIMPLE, or CLEAR!
I truly believe that what God is looking for in this generation is not talent, ability, pedigree, heritage, etc.

I BELIEVE THAT GOD IS SIMPLY LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WHO WILL ELIMINATE DISTRACTIONS!
PEOPLE WHO WILL KEEP THEIR PURPOSE CLEAR, THEIR LIVES UNCLUTTERED, AND FREE FROM THE THINGS OF THE WORLD THAT WILL DIVERT OUR ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE STILL, SMALL VOICE OF GOD!
People that will not only hear, but understand what God is saying.

CONCLUSION
How do I hear and understand the voice of God?
It’s not enough to hear the voice of God; I must understand what God is saying.
SAMUEL HEARD THE VOICE OF GOD, BUT RAN TO ELI TO ASK HIM WHAT HE WANTED!
It’s one thing to hear the voice, but another to know from where it is coming and what it is saying.
John 10:27
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
The way that I can hear the voice of God is only through prayer, fasting, spending time in the Word and eliminating distractions.
We are going to work on ELIMINATING DISTRACTIONS.

Liberty to be Transformed

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.  (2Co_3:18)

Living day by day under the new covenant of grace allows the Holy Spirit to liberate us spiritually. "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty" (2Co_3:17). Where the Holy Spirit is allowed to work, there is liberty to be transformed.

This transformation process is for every believer who is willing to live by the terms of the new covenant: "But we all." The terms are simple: renounce self-sufficiency ("Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves" — 2Co_3:5) and rely on God's sufficiency ("but our sufficiency is from God" — 2Co_3:5). Those who reject human resources (the flesh) seek God "with unveiled face." They come humbly, without any veils of pretense or self-justification.

Coming to the Lord in this manner brings an ongoing blessing: "beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord." Three mirrors reflect the glory of Christ from heavenly places into the experience of the redeemed here on earth: the creation, the church, and the scriptures. The universe declares His glory. "The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork" (Psa_19:1). Also, the Lord can be seen living in His people. "For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh" (2Co_4:11). These two mirrors are helpful, but they can be distorted by sin. The mirror that reflects the Lord's glory flawlessly is His word. "The law of the LORD is perfect . . . these  (the scriptures) are they which testify of Me" (Psa_19:7; Joh_5:39).

As we humbly seek the Lord in His word, we behold His glory therein. The wonderful consequence is we "are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory." From one area after another, from one degree to another, we are being changed into the likeness of the glorious one we are beholding. This process is carried on as only the Holy Spirit could do it: "just as by the Spirit of the Lord."

Prayer
 Dear Heavenly Father, I long to be more like Your Son. Forgive me for neglect of Your word. Please draw me consistently to the scriptures, that I might humbly behold the glory of Jesus. Thank You for the work of Your Spirit, who is able to transform me into a growing Christlikeness, Amen.

Eliminate The Distraction

Mark 813-18
And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side. 14 Now the disciples had forgotten to takebread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf. 15 And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. 16 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread. 17 And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened? 18 Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?

INTRO:
Back when the telegraph was the fastest method of long distance communication, a young man applied for a job as a Morse code operator.
Answering an ad in the newspaper, he went to the office address that was listed. When he arrived, he entered a large, busy office filled with noise and clatter, including the sound of the telegraph in the background. A sign on the receptionist’s counter instructed job applicants to fill out a form and wait until they were summoned to enter the inner office. The young man filled out his form and sat down with the seven other applicants in the waiting area. After a few minutes, the young man stood up, crossed the room to the door of the inner office, and walked right in.
Naturally the other applicants perked up, wondering what was going on. They muttered among themselves that they hadn’t heard any summons yet.  They assumed that the young man who went into the office made a mistake and would be disqualified.
Within a few minutes, however, the employer escorted the young man out of the office and said to the other applicants, “Gentlemen, thank you very much for coming, but the job has just been filled.”
The other applicants began grumbling to each other, and one spoke up saying, “Wait a minute, I don’t understand. He was the last to come in, and we never even got a chance to be interviewed. Yet he got the job. That’s not fair!”
The employer said, “I’m sorry, but all the time you’ve been sitting here, the telegraph has been ticking out the following message in Morse code: ‘If you understand this message, then come right in. The job is yours.’
None of you heard it or understood it. This young man did. The job is his.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Are our ears tuned to His voice??
Now, there are some things that interest me about this story!
1.)   This young man was not the FIRST one there!
2.)   There were probably men with higher qualifications!
3.)   There may have been men who were better dressed.
4.)   Maybe they were comparing themselves among themselves, and touting their own qualifications!
5.)   Maybe each one was telling the other why he deserved the job!
6.)   Maybe they were arguing about who was right and who was wrong for the position!
But, while they sat there this young man waltzed right in and got the job!
But, the reason this young man got the job was because he was listening for the right voice!
Somehow he had eliminated all distractions, all outside influences!

While others were pre-occupied with other conversations, although worthwhile they may have been, they missed the main message!
While others were talking among themselves, the small, unobtrusive voice of the telegraph machine went unnoticed! Even though the quietest sound, it was the most important sound in the room, and the one who heard it was the one who eliminated all outside influences and distractions!

I.)            THE ONES WHO WILL HEAR THE STILL, SMALL VOICE OF JESUS IN THIS GENERATION ARE THE ONES WHO ELIMINATE DISTRACTIONS!
The ones who block out all outside influences and concentrate on what God is saying amid the clutter, and hubbub of every day life!

WE HAVE ALL HAD PEOPLE SAY SOMETHING TO US AND WE WERE DAYDREAMING, OR OTHERWISE PRE-OCCUPIED.
And, so when we finally come back to ourselves, we say. “What did you say? I didn’t HEAR you!”
When, what we really mean is, I heard, but didn’t understand you!
I heard you speaking, but what you said didn’t register with me.
I knew you were talking to me, but my mind was preoccupied with other things, and I didn’t understand what it was that you wanted me to hear.
I was riding in the truck with my father-in-law the other day and said something to him and he said, “Mike, I didn’t understand what you said, the doctor has told me I have lost 50% of my hearing. I can HEAR, but I don’t UNDERSTAND sometimes what has been said.”
And then he said this, which really stuck with me, “The only way I can really understand what someone says is if I am looking directly at them when they speak!”

II.)          IN ORDER TO HEAR WHAT GOD IS SAYING, WE MUST REMOVE ALL DISTRACTIONS AND KEEP OUR EYES ON HIM!
Isaiah 6:1-10
In the year that king Uzziah died I SAW also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.  2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.   4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.  6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:  7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. 8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

King Uzziah had become a distractioin to Isaiah, and it was only when he died that Isaiah saw the Lord!
Uzziah - a contracted form of Azari’ah the Lord is my strength. (1.) One of Amaziah’s sons, whom the people made king of Judah in his father’s stead (2 Kings 14:21; 2 Chr. 26:1). His long reign of about fifty-two years was “the most prosperous except that of Jehosaphat since the time of Solomon.” He was a vigorous and able ruler, and “his name spread abroad, even to the entering in of Egypt” (2 Chr. 26:8, 14). In the earlier part of his reign, under the influence of Zechariah, he was faithful to Jehovah, and “did that which was right in the sight of the Lord” (2 Kings 15:3; 2 Chr. 26:4, 5); but toward the close of his long life “his heart was lifted up to his destruction,” and he wantonly invaded the priest’s office (2 Chr. 26:16), and entering the sanctuary proceeded to offer incense on the golden altar. Azariah the high priest saw the tendency of such a daring act on the part of the king, and with a band of eighty priests he withstood him (2 Chr. 26:17), saying, “It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense.” Uzziah was suddenly struck with leprosy while in the act of offering incense (26:19-21), and he was driven from the temple and compelled to reside in “a several house” to the day of his death (2 Kings 15:5, 27; 2 Chr. 26:3). He was buried in a separate grave “in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings” (2 Kings 15:7; 2 Chr. 26:23).

Isaiah learned that position was not what he should be seeking!
Uzziah gave him a position, and when he got his position, he lost sight of God!

I want you to notice Isaiah’s 3-fold vision:

1.) When the man who had taken care of him died, Isaiah turned again to the Lord, and it was then that he received his vision!
In the year that king Uzziah died I SAW also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
Isaiah said, when my distractions were eliminated, then I saw the Lord!
When I stopped looking to the arm of the flesh, I saw the Lord!
When I got my focus off of the things that man could do for me and to me, I saw the Lord!

2.) After Isaiah saw the Lord, he saw himself!
5 Then said I, Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
Isaiah realized how far he had drifted away from God when he finally saw God again! He realized how unclean he was after he got a vision of God! And, immediately he began to repent!

3.) And, finally, after he saw God and himself, he got a vision of the world that he was sent to witness to.
Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
I am saying to this church tonight, God has a job for someone to do!
There is a work to be done, and the position is open, who will fill it?
Who will go and do the work of God in this generation?

III.)        THE JOB POSITION IS OPEN, AND THE ADVERTISEMENT HAS GONE FORTH!

Matthew 28:19
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Mark 16:15-16
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Matthew 9:37-38
37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

Acts 1:8
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

The job?
Reach the lost at any cost!

The Pay?
Matthew 16:26-27
26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.


The benefits?
Romans 14:17
17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
And a life insurance policy that is out of this world!
And, the applicants have come from near and far, and are sitting in the interview room, waiting for their turn!
But, I would say to you today, that it is not the most qualified, not the most well-dressed, not the first on the scene, or not the ones with the most ability that will get the job, but the ones that will get the nod from the Lord of the Harvest are those who will hear his still, small, voice and understand what the purpose of the church is in this day!

Those whose attention is not diverted by the other sounds that clamor all around, those who don’t think that they have already arrived and deserve the job because of their superior qualifications, but those who are listening and understanding the voice of God!
We can argue all day long amongst ourselves, and use scripture to back up why we are right, and everyone else is wrong, but while we are crossing theological swords, people are dying and going to hell!

IV.)        THE ONES WHOM GOD WILL WORK THROUGH IN THIS GENERATION ARE THE ONES WHO HAVE ELIMINATED THE DISTRACTIONS IN THEIR LIVES.
Not the most educated,
Not the best dressed,
Not the ones with the most impressive pedigree or heritage,
But, those who have eliminated distractions!

Psalm 24:3-6
3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.  5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.
It’s interesting to note that one of the meanings of both of the words used here, CLEAN and PURE, is CLEAR!
Not muddled or double-minded, but a clear, unhindered direction.

Matthew 6:22
22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
One of the definitions for SINGLE in this passage is SIMPLE, or CLEAR!
I truly believe that what God is looking for in this generation is not talent, ability, pedigree, heritage, etc.

I BELIEVE THAT GOD IS SIMPLY LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WHO WILL ELIMINATE DISTRACTIONS!
PEOPLE WHO WILL KEEP THEIR PURPOSE CLEAR, THEIR LIVES UNCLUTTERED, AND FREE FROM THE THINGS OF THE WORLD THAT WILL DIVERT OUR ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE STILL, SMALL VOICE OF GOD!
People that will not only hear, but understand what God is saying.

CONCLUSION
How do I hear and understand the voice of God?
It’s not enough to hear the voice of God; I must understand what God is saying.
SAMUEL HEARD THE VOICE OF GOD, BUT RAN TO ELI TO ASK HIM WHAT HE WANTED!
It’s one thing to hear the voice, but another to know from where it is coming and what it is saying.
John 10:27
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
The way that I can hear the voice of God is only through prayer, fasting, spending time in the Word and eliminating distractions.
We are going to work on ELIMINATING DISTRACTIONS.

Living Letters of Christ

You are manifestly an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.  (2Co_ 3:3)

Another significant characteristic resulting from living by grace is that we become living letters of Christ. "You are manifestly an epistle of Christ." The Lord wants to turn our lives into a "walking and talking letter of Him." He wants to make us a living explanation of who Christ is and all that He offers. What a great opportunity this presents. As we go about our daily responsibilities, others are often "reading our lives." While they are observing us, they can actually be learning of the truth and love of our Lord Jesus, as He is working in and through our lives. Although this may sound like too much to hope for, the Lord declares in His word that this process can become very clear to those who are watching us: "You are manifestly [that is, "to be plainly recognized as"] an epistle of Christ."

Remember, this is what is available for "ministers [i.e., servants] of the new covenant" (2Co_3:6). This is what happens in those who live by the grace of God. This is something that God does in us, not something we manufacture for Him. Certainly, people are involved in the process. We become fully engaged by humbly and dependently seeking after the Lord who wants to work in us. Others also get involved by ministering to us. "You are manifestly an epistle of Christ, ministered by us." Paul had ministered God's truth to these saints at Corinth. Yet, these living letters of Christ were not being written by ink, as ordinary letters would be.

"You are manifestly an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God." God's Holy Spirit was at work writing the letters that their lives were becoming.
Notice where the Lord was inscribing these living letters: "not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart." The old covenant message of law was written on stones. The new covenant message of grace is written on the hearts of all who will walk in humble dependence upon God. This heavenly work changes us from the inside out, making us living letters of Christ!

Prayer
Dear God of all grace, I humbly admit that I need to be more and more changed into a living letter of Christ. So often, those who read me see only me. I ask You in faith to inscribe the character of Christ upon my heart, that others may see Him in my daily walk, Amen.

The One Necessary Thing

That I may know Him . . . Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do . . . one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.  (Phi_3:10, Phi_3:13, and Luk_10:42)

Paul's goal in life was to grow in intimacy with the Lord  "That I may know Him." He wanted to know the Lord so well that his life would be transformed into "resurrected living" in this spiritually lifeless world. He humbly admitted that he had not yet reached such spiritual maturity. "Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended." Thus, in light of his own need to grow, coupled with the excellence of the goal, he had a single focus in his life: "one thing I do." This one thing was his ongoing quest to know the Lord more and more.

This focused quest is similar to the heart that Mary demonstrated, as recorded in the gospel of Luke. When Jesus visited the home of Mary and Martha, Mary "sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word" (Luk_10:39). Martha was functioning as a busy hostess, desiring to bless her Lord. However, her busy labors distracted her from the one she was attempting to serve. "But Martha was distracted with much serving" (Luk_10:40). The solution was obvious to Martha. She would insist that Jesus send her sister to help. "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me" (Luk_10:40).

How startled Martha must have been when Jesus indicated she was the problem, not Mary. "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things" (Luk_10:41). The many concerns of Martha's ministry were causing anxiety and inner turmoil. Her desire to serve the Lord had deteriorated to self-pity and irritation. Then, Jesus offered an astounding revelation that put everything into perfect spiritual perspective. "But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her" (Luk_10:42).

What an amazing truth: "one thing is needed." That one necessary matter is Jesus. Mary chose Jesus. She was at the feet of her master, getting to know Him, listening to His words of truth and grace. This was Paul's heart: "one thing I do . . . that I may know Him."

Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus, shape in me a heart like Paul, like Mary. Stir in me a passion to know You better. May this become the consuming goal in my life. Forgive me for allowing busy service to eclipse You, the one I desire to please. Help me to spend frequent quiet times at Your feet. Then, when I rise up to serve You, may my heart always remain at Your feet, abiding in You,

It Takes More Than Feelings

It Takes More Than Feelings

(2Co 10:4) For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds

Many times, in our churches, we get caught up in the wrong things. And usually, once it starts, it becomes the religious norm these days. People seem to be getting so caught up in emotions that their faith begins to be built upon what and how they feel physically more than what they know definitely! There are some churches that, when there is no organist, drummer, or musician present, service cannot begin. Or if the preacher does not yell, hype the crowd, or become heart attack prone, he was not anointed. If the choir doesn't turn cartwheels down the aisle while marching in, or if super-saved people aren't squakin' all through the service making it sound like a rain forest, then church was not filled with the spirit. Well, we have to learn that God is Spirit and our emotions don't dictate his presence.

I would much rather go to church and allow the presence of God to move in a way that people have something to take home and live on rather than just getting an emotional fix during service with no substance or real word from above. We can dance and party all we want in the service, but if it's not God, then we will leave the same, only tired and worn out. Now, I do believe the Spirit of God moves upon us and we may shout, dance, sing, run, etc. to express our joy, but I also believe that when the Spirit of God comes, he brings more than a feeling. He also should bring healing, deliverance, blessings, direction, peace, love, etc. He can't show up in your service and only cause everyone to go crazy. There is always change after the presence of God is here. There should be attributes of his presence, not just emotional stuff, but deep, spiritual things should take place. The preacher yelling and mixing in your favorite R&B tunes in his message won't do it. The organist playing fast music on the organ won't do it. The soloist doing rolls and riffs that give you chills up your spine won't do it. It may make you feel good, but God is bigger than that. When his true presence fills the place, you will be changed.

Suggested Reading: 2 Cor. 10:1, 1 Tim. 3:15

Daily Warfare Prayer

Daily Warfare Prayer

Begin with Praise and Thanksgiving, then continue,

Heavenly Father, I come to You in the Name of Jesus, and I ask You to forgive me of anything I have done that could displease You in any way. I ask You to cover me with the Blood of Jesus and fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Cause my thoughts to be Your thoughts, my desires Your desires, my will Your will, and put a guard across my mouth that I can say no more or no less than You would have me say. Keep me on the path that You have laid out for me today, and show me Satan's tactics in advance.

I acknowledge the whole armor of God. I pray that every thought that Satan or any of his kingdom tries to put in my mind will bounce off the helmet of salvation and return to the sender. Heal every memory that could hold me back from being all that You want me to be. I recognize that I have on the breastplate of righteousness, my loins are girded with the truth and my feet are shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. I take up the sword of the spirit and the shield of faith.

Now, for myself and all the people I am going to refer to, I ask You to draw us to Yourself, convict us mightily of our sins, keep us from temptation, deliver us from evil and cover us with the Blood of Jesus. Dispatch angels (and I now dispatch them) to keep us from any kind of accidents, harm, injuries, illness, death, destruction, disease, pain or infection.

Bind our marriages together and make us one in You. Bind our families together and make us one in You. If there is anyone in our lives that You do not approve of, I ask You to move them out and move in the people that You do approve of. Bless every bite of food we eat, the air we breathe and any medication we take; let it help us and not hurt us. Bless our finances and give us as much as we can handle without sinning against You.

Now, Satan, I come against you and your entire kingdom and I declare, in the Name of Jesus, that you cannot and will not have any part in my life or the lives of the people I refer to, in any way shape or form. You can have nothing to do with our minds, bodies, souls, spirits, emotions and wills; our marriages, finances,
friendships, acquaintances and fellowships; our homes, schools, workplaces and places of recreation; our transportation, or any vehicle that could come close to us; or any decision that is made concerning anyone of us. (Now call out the name of every person that you pray for daily.)

For every person I have referred to, I now break every curse, spell and hex that may have been put out against anyone of us. I break the power of any curse from a witch, warlock or satanist; every Santeria curse, roots curse, Indian curse, voodoo curse, and curse of words spoken, or anything written or any objects. I reverse the curse and send it back to the demon that brought it in the first place, AND I COMMAND THAT DEMON TO GO BOUND INTO THE PIT IN THE NAME OF JESUS. I break every ungodly emotional soul tie that is connected to any of us, in the Name of Jesus.

In the Name of Jesus and through His living blood, I bind and sever every cord of any prince or principality, any strong man and every spirit of darkness over my house at (your address). I put a Jesus Christ bloodline in between each one of you and I cut off your communications, confuse your camp, render you inactive, and cast you out, in
Jesus' Name.

I bind and cast out every spirit of poverty, lack, confusion, cloudiness, mind binding, selfishness, anxiety, and procrastination. I bind and cast out every spirit of fear, heaviness, jealousy, bondage, boredom, lying, perversion, slumber and infirmity. I plead the blood of Jesus around the property line, above the roof, and below the foundation of my home, and I bind you, Satan, and your entire kingdom from crossing the bloodline. I command you for myself and the people I have just referred to, that you can have nothing to do with us or any aspect of our lives in any way, shape or form! I now call on God's warring angels to make it happen.

In the Name of Jesus, I loose myself and each family member to the power of the Holy Spirit and I speak forth blessings of prosperity, clarity, wisdom, understanding, knowledge, discernment, abundance, and good health. I also speak creativity and a sound mind. I take control of my mind and reject every evil thought and receive every good thought, in the Name of Jesus. I loose myself and my children to the ministry of the Holy Spirit and speak love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance into our lives.

Satan, I take authority and command you and all your evil spirits to loose our family household and all the things you have stolen from us, including our property, income and investments, and return it seven-fold, in Jesus' Name.

I ask you, Father, that You send Your warring angels and cause to come into our family all the monies, treasures, properties, assets and things Satan has stolen from us that have been ours through the blessings of Jesus Christ.

In the Name of Jesus, I take authority and bind every principality and strong man over (name business, job and any endeavors) at (name locations). I come against and cast out every spirit of fear, mismanagement, poverty, confusion, lack, failure and bankruptcy. In the Name of Jesus and through the power of the Holy Spirit, I loose sound management, prosperity, clarity, wisdom, knowledge, blessings, profit, honesty, success, and favor from any business associates. Father, I ask You, in the Name of Jesus, that You send warring angels to go before me to accomplish these blessings and create favor in my business.

In the Name of Jesus Christ and through His living blood, I bind you Satan, and your entire kingdom so that you cannot and will not be active in (your community), in any person or animal. I come against your strongholds over every place dealing in drugs, pornography, prostitution, bars and nude bars, places selling witchcraft paraphernalia, palm readers and any place worshiping a false god. Through the power of the Holy Spirit vested in me, I tear down and curse these businesses at the roots and command them to dry up and go away. Lord, don't let me be just a warrior
in Your Kingdom, but let me be a mighty warrior and front line soldier, so that when I
see You face to face You will say, "Well done, good and faithful servant; come on in." Amen.

ARE YOU BEING TEMPTED?

ARE YOU BEING TEMPTED?

'...We will receive...grace to help us when we need it.' Hebrews 4:16

No matter how spiritually mature you become you will never outgrow temptation. When you conquer it on one front it attacks you on another. And the closer you get to God the more satan will try to tempt you. Paul explains it this way: 'The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants...These two forces are constantly fighting each other...' (Galations 5:17 NLT).

So what's the answer? Here are two ways you can overcome temptation: First, be honest about it. Ask yourself, 'When am I tempted most?' Usually we are most vulnerable when we are under stress: when we are hurt, angry, worried, alone, bored, tired or after a big success or spiritual high. Learn to identify your patterns: 'God's people...protect themselves by watching where they go' (Proverbs 16:17 CEV). Second reach for God's help. 'Call on me in times of trouble. I will rescue you...' (Psalm 50:15 GWT).

So why don't we call on God more often? Because sometimes we just want to do what we want to do, right? Or we are embarrassed because we keep giving in to the same temptations. Don't be discouraged; God won't give up on you. His Word says, 'Let us...come before God's throne where...we [will] receive...grace to help us when we need it' (Hebrews 4:16 NCV). If you have to cry out for God's help every hour of the day, He will be there for you! Just as the roots of a tree deepen when storms come, each time you stand up to a temptation you become stronger.

Spirit Fullness: A Way of Life, Not Merely Events

Spirit Fullness: A Way of Life, Not Merely Events

Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire . . . And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit . . . Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them . . . the place . . . was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit . . . And do not be drunk with wine . . . but be filled with the Spirit. (Act_2:3-4; Act_4:8, Act_4:31; and Eph_5:18)

When we are born again through faith in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in our lives thereafter (1Co_3:16). At times after new birth, our lives may be repeatedly filled to overflowing by the empowering presence of the Spirit. The testimony of the early disciples illustrates this.

On the day of Pentecost, the 120 followers of Jesus were filled with the Spirit. "Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire . . . And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit." Subsequently, the Apostle Peter, who was originally filled on Pentecost, was again filled as he stood before the religious hierarchy of Israel. "Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them." After this encounter, Peter joined the other disciples for a prayer meeting. "And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit." In this event, those who had been filled with the Spirit at Pentecost were filled a second time. Peter, who had been so filled twice before, was filled a third time. Therefore, it is evident that the filling of the Spirit is not a once for all time matter.

Furthermore, being filled with the Spirit is not automatic or universal for Christians, as is the indwelling of the Spirit. This fact can be clearly seen in the instruction given in Eph_5:18. "And do not be drunk with wine . . . but be filled with the Spirit." Since this is a command and not a description, it only becomes a personal reality to those who respond properly.

Additionally, the form of this command contains tremendous insight concerning the fullness of the Spirit and God's desire for us. The injunction to "be filled with the Spirit" is in the present tense, indicating an ongoing condition. It could properly (though awkwardly) be translated "be (always) being filled." This imperative is a call to a way of living, not merely periodic events. It is the will of God that we actually live, day by day, more and more, by the fullness of the Spirit's empowering work. We should humbly pray for the fullness of the Holy Spirit as we face each day, each challenge, each opportunity of life.

Prayer
Lord God of all power and might, I rejoice that Your Holy Spirit dwells within my heart. I thank You for those times when Your Spirit has worked powerfully upon my life. Help me to see that the fullness of Your Spirit is not merely an event-to-event experience, but a lifestyle to be developed. Lord, with great expectation I humbly seek You now for a fresh, ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in me. In the name of Jesus, I pray, Amen.

Heart & Mind

Romans 12:2 - 'And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by
the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and
acceptable, and perfect, will of God.'

Your mind does according to what is put into it. Your mind can either "act" or "react". When things happen to you, your mind will pull from what it has been feeding on and address the issue based on what is in it! You see, it's like your mind is a tool box and whatever tools you have put into it are the tools you have to work with. Thus, when circumstances, trials, tribulations, etc. come your way, you have to use the tools that you have to deal with the crisis.

If all you put into your mind is garbage, then your decision making will suffer because your mind cannot deal with situations properly. And it will also cause you to live according to your thoughts instead of living according to the Word. See, the more God we put into our mind, the more of him we will have to handle our situations and circumstances when they arise. Reading the Word and understanding it will begin to saturate our minds and renew us from the wrong thoughts. And our thinking will be subject to his Word instead of our own way and we can effectively give our problems to him.

To truly give it to God, we have to make sure we have allowed him access to our minds as well as our heart. Many of us only allow him access to our hearts and therefore, when we talk to him, he feels far from us. We sometimes try to carry him around as a tool to use when we need him, while we constantly fill our minds with negative things via sinful lifestyles, people, places, music, movies, etc. that showcase immoral things instead of the Spiritual things from God. Eventually, that takes a toll on us. It begins to out weigh the "God" in our minds.

So, when problems or situations come, our minds "react" to them based on what we have filled our minds up with! The more evil in there, the more we react evilly. The more God in there, the more God can act for us. Sure you may have salvation in your heart, but your mind can definitely lead you away from the presence of God and you can be a gospel disaster! How many Christians do you know like that? Come to church, serve in church, talk about church, but their homes are a mess! That's because they have accepted Christ in their hearts, but their minds are not sober.

To be sober minded requires you to protect your mind from corruption so that you do not walk according to worldly thoughts, but you govern your life by thinking on things above. Sure it's good to have a clean heart, but for your heart to STAY clean, you must have a renewed mind.

Suggested Reading: 1Pet. 1:13, Rom. 12:2, Eph. 2:3, Phil. 2:5

Beware!

Beware!

Col 2: 6 - 8."As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ".

There are a whole lot of ministries and men of God preaching and teaching the wisdom of men based on philosophy and vain deceit in fulfillment of their own desires. The Bible warns us of such people and ministries. (Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ").

All they are interested is your money. They have now diluted the True Word of God into sayings of Wisdom of men and to what the congregation want to hear ignoring the truth which brings life, repentance and the righteousness of God. Many ministries can't preach against sin because they will lose members if they do. And the their offering is going to reduce, thus they dare not to.
The Bible says Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled (Matt 5:6).

The hour and the time has come for us to hunger and thirst after the righteousness of God. We need to arise from the deceptions and misleading of we don't need to worry about righteousness because we are the righteousness of God through faith in Christ Jesus. (Rom 3:22) and can lead any kind of life.

This teaching is coming from the pit of hell. YES it is through that we are the righteousness of God but shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? (Rom 6:1-4)

The Bible says He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. (1 John 3:8-9).

We all know that we are working towards perfection and there are at times we fall but that doesn't mean we should remain in it. The fact that we feel guilty of the sins we commit is an indication that the Spirit of God is still working it out in our life.
And you have to arise and continue the race.

But the moment you don't feel any guilt what so ever and enjoy doing that which does not subject to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians. 10:5) is an indication that the Spirit of God has left you and you need to watch out because life without the Spirit of God is full of lifeless.
You wouldn't see it now but it's a mater of time. Always remember that, where your flesh leads you, it will leave you.

I pray in the name of Jesus that God grants us a willing Spirit to sustain us in all dimensions of our lives to live, hunger and thirst for righteousness that we may be filled.

God bless you.

Shalom!

Your-In-Christ.

Andy.

Beware!

Beware!

Col 2: 6 - 8."As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ".

There are a whole lot of ministries and men of God preaching and teaching the wisdom of men based on philosophy and vain deceit in fulfillment of their own desires. The Bible warns us of such people and ministries. (Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ").

All they are interested is your money. They have now diluted the True Word of God into sayings of Wisdom of men and to what the congregation want to hear ignoring the truth which brings life, repentance and the righteousness of God. Many ministries can't preach against sin because they will lose members if they do. And the their offering is going to reduce, thus they dare not to.
The Bible says Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled (Matt 5:6).

The hour and the time has come for us to hunger and thirst after the righteousness of God. We need to arise from the deceptions and misleading of we don't need to worry about righteousness because we are the righteousness of God through faith in Christ Jesus. (Rom 3:22) and can lead any kind of life.

This teaching is coming from the pit of hell. YES it is through that we are the righteousness of God but shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? (Rom 6:1-4)

The Bible says He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. (1 John 3:8-9).

We all know that we are working towards perfection and there are at times we fall but that doesn't mean we should remain in it. The fact that we feel guilty of the sins we commit is an indication that the Spirit of God is still working it out in our life.
And you have to arise and continue the race.

But the moment you don't feel any guilt what so ever and enjoy doing that which does not subject to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians. 10:5) is an indication that the Spirit of God has left you and you need to watch out because life without the Spirit of God is full of lifeless.
You wouldn't see it now but it's a mater of time. Always remember that, where your flesh leads you, it will leave you.

I pray in the name of Jesus that God grants us a willing Spirit to sustain us in all dimensions of our lives to live, hunger and thirst for righteousness that we may be filled.

God bless you.

Shalom!

Your-In-Christ.

Andy.

God Speaks His Word

God Speaks His Word

1 Peter 2:2 - 'As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word,
that ye may grow thereby:'

We need the bible! There is so much hype going around in the body of Christ about this book and that book until people are putting just as much stake into Christian books than they are the bible and that is not wise. Of course there are good Christian books on the market that help us, but nothing can take the place of the Word of God. You need it to grow and it doesn't take a man to always break it down for you. There is truth in the bible that everyone can live by and there are translations of the bible that everyone can understand plainly. The bible is not being pushed because it's not as profitable to sell as a man's book is, so we are starting to hear less about the bible and more about men and their accomplishments. But the fact still remains that if you plan to really grow, you must grow by reading the Word. This is why so many Christians are immature and babes forever. They think they know, but they really don't because they do not read the Word. Or, they read it but it doesn't take root because they follow their own way instead of following what the Lord says. And you can always tell a Christian that doesn't spend anytime in the Word. They begin to tell you how God "told them this" or "said that" to them. Then they start going back on what they said God said and changing their minds about it after if fails or doesn't work out for them. That's because God speaks through his Word and what he says can be referenced in the Word. Even when he speaks to mature believers through his Spirit it will always line up with scripture and never contradict it.


The bible is one of the hardest books in the world to consistently read but not because it can't be understood. It's hard to read because the devil doesn't want you to read it! It's hard sometimes to find time to do it, and it takes perseverance to get disciplined enough to stick to a reading pattern. But the devil is behind it all! The devil knows the power of the word and he knows that you will grow if you read it, so he starts speaking into your mind, saying good things at first, to make you think it's God. He wants you to feel like you are hearing the voice of God in the beginning so you will never have a need for the word! It's a trick! Then he starts using that same voice to lead you astray eventually. Many times by causing you to follow crooked ministries and greedy television evangelists, the enemy will begin to make you dependent upon man to be God's voice for you and at that point, there is no need for the bible at all! But God said, "my sheep know my voice." Well, they know it because it will line up with his Word. The Word of God is your milk to grow. Without it, you will never be mature enough in Christ to hear him speaking and you definitely won't be able to know who's really saying what God said.

The battle for the mind

The battle for the mind is not a power encounter – it is a truth encounter.
This is not a battle that we win by binding and loosing. This is a battle we win by exposing lies and receiving truth.

When you expose the lie with the truth, you break the power of that lie. You don’t have to accept every thought that comes into your mind. You have to bring it into obedience.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5: “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

Messing With Your Blessing

Messing With Your Blessing

Luke 6:38 - 'If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you
in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more,
and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving-large or small-it
will be used to measure what is given back to you.'

Is stinginess from God? Is God stingy towards us? No, not in the least. He gives perpetually to us, grace, love, etc...... So where does stinginess come from? Well if we research the word of God, stinginess caused the first murder in the bible. Cain was stingy to God and did not please God with his sacrifice. Cain gave a fruit sacrifice which was not acceptable to God because God required a living sacrifice.

So, Cain got upset at his brother when he really should have been upset with himself. Abel gave God the best offering he could, and it was not his fault that God was more pleased with him than his brother. He was just obedient and gave what was required of him. What Cain failed to see was that Abel pleased God because Abel stayed open to receive of God by giving what was required. When you give what is required, you open yourself up so that you can receive. Cain wasn't hurting God by holding back, but God was displeased with him because he was cutting off his own ability to receive! We must learn to give cheerfully and not hold on to what really belongs to God.


The living sacrifice was God's and the fruit of the earth was mans. God wanted a sacrifice that would bring him glory and his own living creation could do that. But the fruit of the land gave glory to man because it was of the earth. God always wants what is his and when we try to keep it, we become stingy and cut off our own blessings. Your offerings belong to God and not you, so when you hold on to it, it hurts you and when you give it back to God, it blesses you. God is not upset with you about you keeping your money because he wants it so bad. He just doesn't want you cutting off your own blessing by keeping what is his!

Imagine playing catch with someone. If you throw them a ball, they cannot catch it if they are holding on to something else right? It will bounce right off their tight fists and hit the ground.
Well, when we are holding on to things, our hands are closed. How do we expect to receive the blessings that God is sending us if we don't let go of things we are already holding? When we give we make more room in our hands to receive. Are your blessings hitting your fists and landing on the ground around you? Give your best to God. Give what is required of you. Your offerings are not yours, but God's, so do not keep them. But even more important, give your body, a living sacrifice, holy unto God and don't hold on to your own will.

Don't mess with your blessing but rather give willfully and you will be blessed bountifully.


Suggested Reading: Gen. 4:7, Gen. 14:20, Mal. 3:8, 2Cor. 9:6,

The Gethsemane Times in our Life

The Gethsemane Times in our Life

'Jesus went...to a place called Gethsemane...' Matthew 26:36

The word Gethsemane means 'crushed olives.' And from crushed olives comes oil that heals, illuminates, and nourishes. We all have our Gethsemane. To understand and embrace yours, look at the night Christ spent there before going to the cross: 'Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them..."My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch [pray] with me." Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will' ' (vv.36-39 NIV).

Notice:
1) Gethsemane is where your prayers are not answered as you'd like them to be. God understands how you feel, and He has a better plan in mind.

2) Gethsemane is where those closest to you cannot help. Like Christ's disciples, they will pray with you for a while but then grow tired and give up. At this point, you pray alone. You go on alone.

3) Gethsemane is where you feel the full weight of God's will. The Old Testament prophets spoke of 'the burden of the Word of the Lord.' Luke tells us that in Gethsemane Jesus was ' in anguish' and that 'his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground' (Luke 22:44).

We used to sing in church, 'All that I have, all that I am, all I shall ever be; cannot repay the love debt I owe; I surrender to Thee!' If you're finding it easier to sing than to surrender, you're in Gethsemane!

Psalm 23

The Lord is my Shepherd = That's Relationship!

I shall not want = That's Supply!

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures = That's Rest!

He leadeth me beside the still waters = That's Refreshment!

He restoreth my soul = That's Healing!

He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness = That's Guidance!

For His name sake = That's Purpose!

Yea, though I walk through the valley of t he shadow of death = That's Testing!

I will fear no evil = That's Protection!

For Thou art with me = That's Faithfulness!

Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me = That's Discipline!

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies =That's Hope!

Thou annointest my head with oil = That's Consecration!

My cup runneth over = That's Abundance!

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life =That's Blessing !

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord = That's Security!

Forever = That's Eternity!

Nothing Changes If Nothing Changes

Nothing Changes If Nothing Changes

Proverbs 26:11 - 'As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool
returneth to his folly.'

God can do anything but fail. He can take nothing and make something out of it. He can take what is blind and give it sight. He can take what is wrong and make it right! He is God.

So, the problem is not whether or not God can change you, but the real dilemma is whether or not you change your mind about your situation! I hear women all the time talking about how they are seeking God for this or that, but yet and still, they make no effort to break away from the people in their lives that are tormenting them!
I hear men by the thousands talk about how they do good for a while and then they fall back into poverty, lust, or other sinful desires every time, but they hold on to negative people, places, or things that they embraced before they fell.


People listen to this. NOTHING CHANGES IF NOTHING CHANGES!!! You can fast and seek God for a year, but if YOU don't make changes, then nothing will change! Why seek God if you won't get past your family's opinion of you? Why pray to God if you won't allow him to free you from what binds you? Why are you regurgitating that old word you got from a conference in 2000 when you won't let go of those things that are hindering you in 2012? God can do anything, but you MUST do some things! God wants to fix you up, but you have to make some changes.

That man or woman that you should have never got involved with because they serve absolutely no Spiritual purpose in your life! That friend or family member that is always needing but never giving, just bringing up stuff they did for you years ago to keep you bound! That dead-end job or church home where the pastor is no good and the members are all shady!

Change your unproductive surroundings and then believe God for change. Change will not occur as long as you hold on to the things that keep you where you are. Regardless of your fasting, praying, or seeking, if you don't make changes things will stay the same!

Shalom!

Suggested Reading: Ezek. 24:14, 2Tim. 2:4, 2Cor. 11:15, 1Tim. 6:12

Daily Warfare Prayer

Daily Warfare Prayer

Begin with Praise and Thanksgiving, then continue,

Heavenly Father, I come to You in the Name of Jesus, and I ask You to forgive me of anything I have done that could displease You in any way. I ask You to cover me with the Blood of Jesus and fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Cause my thoughts to be Your thoughts, my desires Your desires, my will Your will, and put a guard across my mouth that I can say no more or no less than You would have me say. Keep me on the path that You have laid out for me today, and show me satan's tactics in advance.

I acknowledge the whole armor of God. I pray that every thought that satan or any of his kingdom tries to put in my mind will bounce off the helmet of salvation and return to the sender. Heal every memory that could hold me back from being all that You want me to be. I recognize that I have on the breastplate of righteousness, my loins are girded with the truth and my feet are shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. I take up the sword of the spirit and the shield of faith.

Now, for myself and all the people I am going to refer to, I ask You to draw us to Yourself, convict us mightily of our sins, keep us from temptation, deliver us from evil and cover us with the Blood of Jesus. Dispatch angels (and I now dispatch them) to keep us from any kind of accidents, harm, injuries, illness, death, destruction, disease, pain or infection.

Bind our marriages together and make us one in You. Bind our families together and make us one in You. If there is anyone in our lives that You do not approve of, I ask You to move them out and move in the people that You do approve of. Bless every bite of food we eat, the air we breathe and any medication we take; let it help us and not hurt us. Bless our finances and give us as much as we can handle without sinning against You.

Now, satan, I come against you and your entire kingdom and I declare, in the Name of Jesus, that you cannot and will not have any part in my life or the lives of the people I refer to, in any way shape or form. You can have nothing to do with our minds, bodies, souls, spirits, emotions and wills; our marriages, finances,
friendships, acquaintances and fellowships; our homes, schools, workplaces and places of recreation; our transportation, or any vehicle that could come close to us; or any decision that is made concerning anyone of us. (Now call out the name of every person that you pray for daily.)

For every person I have referred to, I now break every curse, spell and hex that may have been put out against anyone of us. I break the power of any curse from a witch, warlock or satanist; every santerian curse, roots curse, Indian curse, voodoo curse, and curse of words spoken, or anything written or any objects. I reverse the curse and send it back to the demon that brought it in the first place, AND I COMMAND THAT DEMON TO GO BOUND INTO THE PIT IN THE NAME OF JESUS. I break every ungodly emotional soul tie that is connected to any of us, in the Name of Jesus.

In the Name of Jesus and through His living blood, I bind and sever every cord of any prince or principality, any strong man and every spirit of darkness over my house at (your address). I put a Jesus Christ bloodline in between each one of you and I cut off your communications, confuse your camp, render you inactive, and cast you out, in
Jesus' Name.

I bind and cast out every spirit of poverty, lack, confusion, cloudiness, mind binding, selfishness, anxiety, and procrastination. I bind and cast out every spirit of fear, heaviness, jealousy, bondage, whoredom, lying, perversion, slumber and infirmity. I plead the blood of Jesus around the property line, above the roof, and below the foundation of my home, and I bind you, satan, and your entire kingdom from crossing the bloodline. I command you for myself and the people I have just referred to, that you can have nothing to do with us or any aspect of our lives in any way, shape or form! I now call on God's warring angels to make it happen.

In the Name of Jesus, I loose myself and each family member to the power of the Holy Spirit and I speak forth blessings of prosperity, clarity, wisdom, understanding, knowledge, discernment, abundance, and good health. I also speak creativity and a sound mind. I take control of my mind and reject every evil thought and receive every good thought, in the Name of Jesus. I loose myself and my children to the ministry of the Holy Spirit and speak love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance into our lives.

Satan, I take authority and command you and all your evil spirits to loose our family household and all the things you have stolen from us, including our property, income and investments, and return it seven-fold, in Jesus' Name.

I ask you, Father, that You send Your warring angels and cause to come into our family all the monies, treasures, properties, assets and things satan has stolen from us that have been ours through the blessings of Jesus Christ.

In the Name of Jesus, I take authority and bind every principality and strong man over (name business, job and any endeavors) at (name locations). I come against and cast out every spirit of fear, mismanagement, poverty, confusion, lack, failure and bankruptcy. In the Name of Jesus and through the power of the Holy Spirit, I loose sound management, prosperity, clarity, wisdom, knowledge, blessings, profit, honesty, success, and favor from any business associates. Father, I ask You, in the Name of Jesus, that You send warring angels to go before me to accomplish these blessings and create favor in my business.

In the Name of Jesus Christ and through His living blood, I bind you satan, and your entire kingdom so that you cannot and will not be active in (your community), in any person or animal. I come against your strongholds over every place dealing in drugs, pornography, prostitution, bars and nude bars, places selling witchcraft paraphernalia, palm readers and any place worshipping a false god. Through the power of the Holy Spirit vested in me, I tear down and curse these businesses at the roots and command them to dry up and go away. Lord, don't let me be just a warrior
in Your Kingdom, but let me be a mighty warrior and frontline soldier, so that when I
see You face to face You will say, "Well done, good and faithful servant; come on in." Amen.