Condemnation. You have done well to keep your heart open to Me like a book. You are a quick repenter. In this way, as you live a daily life of repentance and focus on Me, you can withstand assaults that may come. I tell you today there will be those who will seek to condemn you with their judgments and criticisms. When those attacks come, humble yourself and consider whether they are from Me. Your will know in your heart the truth. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus as Savior and Lord. My mercy triumphs over judgment every time. Let these attacks only strengthen you so that you can stand strong when other attacks surely come. Condemnation.
James 2:13 "For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment." 1 John 3:19-21 "We shall know by this that we are of the truth, and shall assure our heart before Him, in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God."
Eagles know when to climb and when to dive.
I am not defined by what I do or don't do. I am defined by whose I am.
I am who God says I am, nothing more and nothing less!
1 Corinthians 15:10a KJV - But by the grace of God I am what I am.
The Lord celebrates you today!
Zephaniah 3:17 KJV - The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.
If words mean anything in the scripture above, then the Lord is actually singing over you today!
The Lord rests in His love for me. I should rest in my love for Him!
Jesus knew His worth. (Mike Murdock)
It is the responsibility of others to discern your worth. (Mike Murdock)
Integrity cannot be proven; it must be discerned. (Mike Murdock)
Jesus never allowed the opinion of others to change His own opinion of Himself. (Mike Murdock)
Jesus forgave those who misjudged his motives. (Mike Murdock)
What is criticism anyhow? It is merely someone else's opinion. (Mike Murdock)
Are you a Refreshing Oasis to your pastor or a Thorny Cactus in his side?
Hebrews 13:17 NIV - Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.
Are you serving your pastor in the spirit of Aaron and Hur as he serves you, or are you critical and rebellious like Jannes and Jambres?
Exodus 17:10-13 KJV - So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
2 Timothy 3:8 KJV - Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
Do you stand with your pastor like Onesiphorus did with Paul, or do you cut and run like Demas?
2 Timothy 4:10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.
2 Timothy 1:15-18 KJV - This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes. The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me. The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.
You must decide. Will you stand fast with your pastor when he comes under criticism, cynicism and misunderstanding, or will you listen to the rumors, slander, and gossip and become another casualty.
1 Timothy 5:19 KJV - Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.
The immature believe whatever they hear about a leader and do not even give the God-appointed and God-anointed leader the benefit of the doubt. The mature refuse to entertain an accusation against a leader and go to the leader to ask questions if their ears inadvertently got filled by the critics.
Proverbs 24:21 NLT - My child, fear the LORD and the king. Don’t associate with rebels.
The name Devil means "Accuser of the Brethren."
The devil's plan is Either/Or: Either smite the shepherd and so scatter the sheep. Or just scatter the sheep and so smite the shepherd.
The mark of a true believer is the unmistakable presence of contagious joy!
Philippians 4:4 MSG - "Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in Him."
Nehemiah 8:10d KJV - ...neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
The joy of the Lord will make you "TOO SLICKERY" for the devil to hold onto.
The joy of the Lord is the strength of your testimony.
The joy of the Lord is the strength of your marriage.
The joy of the Lord is the strength of your home.
The joy of the Lord is the strength of your ministry.
The joy of the Lord is the strength of your vocation.
Without joy, EVERYTHING is a drudgery. With joy, ANYTHING can be turned into an adventure with God!
Joy was imparted into your spirit the moment you received Jesus. This joy is a permanent attribute of your born again spirit... it's in there... it never leaves you. There is really no such thing as losing your joy... you have only to stir it up again from time to time. This joy is stirred up from the inside out as you boldly praise Jesus aloud, and get close to Him in prayer and Bible reading.
Galatians 5:22-23 KJV - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
2 Timothy 1:6 KJV - Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee...
If you cannot joy over the present circumstances, at least joy over the fact that you are saved and not going to hell. At least joy over the surpassing greatness of personally knowing Christ Jesus your Lord. YOU CAN STIR UP YOUR JOY AGAIN BY VOICING ALOUD YOUR EXCITEMENT OVER YOUR SALVATION!
Habakkuk 3:17-19 KJV - Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.
Train yourself to see yourself as God sees you.
Train yourself to name yourself as God names you.
Train yourself to forgive yourself as God forgives you.
Enjoy your spouse to the uttermost.
Enjoy your children exceedingly.
Enjoy your parents by showering honors on them and regularly thanking them for all they have done for you and mean to you.
Enjoy the sunshine as if it were golden drops of love sent to you from Heaven.
Enjoy the blue sky as if it was a beautiful velvet quilt gently caressing your face.
Enjoy the Father's great outdoors as if it were His fresh gift to you every day... because it is!
Throw yourself into your ministry and calling today.
Abandon yourself into the Father's arms today.
Give yourself to your gifting because your gifting is what gives God back to you.
When you are doing what God has called you do, you are a "happy camper." When you are not doing what God created and called you to be, you are a "grouch."
God celebrates anything He creates, and He created YOU!
"My Father is celebrating me today!" How overwhelming the thought!
What God chooses to me to be, He infuses me to be!
Wherever God places me, there He graces me.
There is matching grace for whatever I face!
Some things are worth dying for.
If it's really worth living for, then it's also worth dying for.
Success at anything requires total dedication, concentration, and focus on that one thing.
Mike Murdock says, "You will only have significant success in something that has become your obsession."
Too many pursuits in life can result in failing to accomplish that which is truly important. We must refuse scattering our energies in too many directions, and choose to focus on those few things that are truly worth of our pursuit. Philippians 3:13c NLT - "...but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing..."
Occasionally we must rededicate ourselves to something that, over a period of time, we have accidentally become half-hearted about.
Someone has rightly said, "Doing Good can often be a cop-out for Doing God!"
If we are not careful, the most valuable things of life can become too common to us.
The danger of having a precious privilege for a long period of time is that we can begin to take it for granted and cease to be grateful for it.
To win in life requires deciding in advance the few things that truly matter to us.
The happiest place in the universe is the center of God's will.
The safest place in the universe is the center of God's will.
The most prosperous place in the universe for me is in the center of God's will.
To be successful in life, one cannot be WORKALLERGIC. As someone noted long ago... "I've yet to see anyone drown in their own sweat." There is no substitute for HARD WORK and SMART WORK. One can also be successful in a single compartment of their life by becoming a WORKAHOLIC. However, workaholism automatically means neglecting some other aspect of one's life, that finally results in failure. So BEING BOTH A HARD WORKER AND A SMART WORKER is the key to lasting success, avoiding either extreme of being a WORKALLERGIC or a WORKAHOLIC. Striking a Biblical balance is a challenge to be sure, but A BALANCE IS DEFINITELY ATTAINABLE through regular prayer and occasional re-evaluation of one's priorities.
Oral Roberts says, "Without God I CANNOT, but without me, God WILL NOT!"
FRESHNESS IS A BIBLICAL MANDATE as well as a MOST NATURAL NEED. Ps 92:14 NIV - "They will... stay fresh and green." Ps 92:10 KJV - "But my horn shalt thou exalt like [the horn of] an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil." Psalm 92:10 NLT - "But you have made me as strong as a wild bull. How refreshed I am by your power!" So have for your immediate reference and reading pleasure several Bible versions. I recommend at least two literal versions (KJV, NKJ, NIV, NRSV, NASB) and two paraphrase versions (NLT, TLB, Phillips, The Message by Peterson, among others). Of course, you will have your favorite literal version in which you do most of your Bible memorization, but having several versions will prevent you from sliding into a reading rut where you are no longer receiving much as you read. Stay FRESH in you Bible reading by occasionally switching translations.
An aircraft carrier heads INTO the wind before it launches its airplanes. An eagle FACES the wind before sailing off the cliff. Likewise, the successful leader must learn to LEAN INTO LEADERSHIP! A leader cannot be passive, or even just reactive; rather the leader must be proactive! ...ahead! ...before!...first! ...creative!
Don't tithe haphazardly. Tithe expectantly.
Don't give offerings carelessly. Sow strategically.
God vindicates His own vision.
God watches over any seed He sows. (Mike Murdock)
What God directs, God protects.
God stands behind anything He starts.
If He sows it, He grows it.
If He favors it, He'll flourish it.
MOTIVE CHECK: To Serve? -or- To Be Seen? That is the question!
GRACE CHECK: Working FOR God's Favor? -or- Working FROM God's Favor?
Full Version: Whose I Am!
Glenn H. Jackson
March 25th 2007:
+ It is as My children incline their ear towards My statutes and commandments that they shall be enabled to hear the voice of My Spirit - thus enabling them to walk in perfect obedience in "all" things, and at all times.
+ It is certain that there is a spirit of darkness hovering over those who are in the world, and if My children "allow" themselves to be conformed to the world and its ways then that darkness shall have a very negative affect upon them also, and they shall surely be lead into sin and disobedience. Hence the exhortation to those in the Church at "Philadelphia", to hold fast to that which they have already received from Me [to walk in all the revealed knowledge they have continually], in order that they might continually receive more. In holding fast there surely will be a battle but the victory is already won - for I shall perfectly empower those whose hearts are toward Me, in all that they do.
+ Great fear and trepidation [feeling of alarm or dread] of those who are walking in the anointing of this Third Day shall come upon those who have been held captive by Satan to do his will and to carry out his plans [2 Timothy 2:26] - and because of this they shall in no way be able to carry those "orders" out in the days ahead.
+ As one confesses My Word and My Name [character] boldly in "every circumstance" they find themselves in, it puts into motion those aspects of the Covenant which bring about their perfect protection and continual victory through My power - and no weapon formed against them shall ever prosper.
+ In this most critical season, all those of My children who truly sense their utter need of Me shall spend the proper amount of time "ministering" unto Me - and shall reap a great harvest of love, wisdom and revelation. Those who still have a strong dependence upon their own understanding [self-sufficiency] shall forsake that quality time spent with Me in the secret place of My presence [the inner chamber], and continue to pursue their "own" goals"[self-agenda] in darkness - at great peril to themselves.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Let us hear the words of the Father:
"BY THE WORDS WHICH PROCEED FORTH FROM THEIR MOUTH"
...."It is much easier for My children to stand in faith as they gain a deeper revelation of the power of the Blood of Jesus. For in gaining this revelation, they shall begin to understand that My power transcends both time and space. And because of this, BY THE WORDS WHICH PROCEED FORTH FROM THEIR MOUTH, they shall be able to "control" every circumstance [situation] with which Satan has attempted to lure them into an area of fear"....
"WORDS SPOKEN IN LOVE [FAITH] WILL BRING ABOUT MY MANIFESTED PRESENCE"
...."Words spoken in love [faith] will bring about My manifested presence in every situation. Words of pride will bring about the manifested presence of Satan [darkness, confusion]. Words spoken in love will ALWAYS control any given situation - and Satan shall surely suffer defeat"....
...."Hearing the voice of My Spirit should be clear; when "all" the "obstructions" have been removed"....
...."Love takes no offence because love understands "all" things"....
...."Always remember, My children, that there is power within your "inner man" that you are not even aware of at this time. Go forth and freely speak My Word in every circumstance you find yourself in and you shall surely see the fruits of your time spent in fellowship with Me in the "inner chamber"....
...."Spending time fellowshipping in My presence is not an "escape", it is a necessity for those who would walk in the "fullness" of My authority!"....
[quote name='LoisFaith2000' date='Mar 24 2007, 09:14 PM' post='106691']
Condemnation. You have done well to keep your heart open to Me like a book. You are a quick repenter. In this way, as you live a daily life of repentance and focus on Me, you can withstand assaults that may come. I tell you today there will be those who will seek to condemn you with their judgments and criticisms. When those attacks come, humble yourself and consider whether they are from Me. Your will know in your heart the truth. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus as Savior and Lord. My mercy triumphs over judgment every time. Let these attacks only strengthen you so that you can stand strong when other attacks surely come. Condemnation.
James 2:13 "For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment." 1 John 3:19-21 "We shall know by this that we are of the truth, and shall assure our heart before Him, in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God."
THE TRUMPET
"Set the trumpet to your mouth!" Hosea 8:1
Set a watch for the enemy, for he will come to sow seeds of discord and discouragement. He will spread his lies and cause you to fear. But, I say, do not forget the LORD. I am more powerful than all the works of the enemy, and I will encourage you and be with you. Encourage yourself in the LORD, even as David did, and you shall recover all. You shall receive back all that has been stolen or lost to the enemy. You will overrun his camp if you will dare to believe and if you will rise up, take up the sword and shield, put the helmet upon your head, and go forth in faith, then you will overtake the enemy and plunder his camp. You shall be victorious, for this is My purpose. I came to destroy the works of the enemy, and I have made an open show of him and disarmed him. You must only declare that by My power and by My deed he is defeated. No weapon formed against you shall prosper. Only believe and rise up. Rise up! Run to the battle, and I will give you the victory, says the Lord.
March 25th 2007:
+ It is as My children incline their ear towards My statutes and commandments that they shall be enabled to hear the voice of My Spirit - thus enabling them to walk in perfect obedience in "all" things, and at all times.
+ It is certain that there is a spirit of darkness hovering over those who are in the world, and if My children "allow" themselves to be conformed to the world and its ways then that darkness shall have a very negative affect upon them also, and they shall surely be lead into sin and disobedience. Hence the exhortation to those in the Church at "Philadelphia", to hold fast to that which they have already received from Me [to walk in all the revealed knowledge they have continually], in order that they might continually receive more. In holding fast there surely will be a battle but the victory is already won - for I shall perfectly empower those whose hearts are toward Me, in all that they do.
+ Great fear and trepidation [feeling of alarm or dread] of those who are walking in the anointing of this Third Day shall come upon those who have been held captive by Satan to do his will and to carry out his plans [2 Timothy 2:26] - and because of this they shall in no way be able to carry those "orders" out in the days ahead.
+ As one confesses My Word and My Name [character] boldly in "every circumstance" they find themselves in, it puts into motion those aspects of the Covenant which bring about their perfect protection and continual victory through My power - and no weapon formed against them shall ever prosper.
+ In this most critical season, all those of My children who truly sense their utter need of Me shall spend the proper amount of time "ministering" unto Me - and shall reap a great harvest of love, wisdom and revelation. Those who still have a strong dependence upon their own understanding [self-sufficiency] shall forsake that quality time spent with Me in the secret place of My presence [the inner chamber], and continue to pursue their "own" goals"[self-agenda] in darkness - at great peril to themselves.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Let us hear the words of the Father:
"BY THE WORDS WHICH PROCEED FORTH FROM THEIR MOUTH"
...."It is much easier for My children to stand in faith as they gain a deeper revelation of the power of the Blood of Jesus. For in gaining this revelation, they shall begin to understand that My power transcends both time and space. And because of this, BY THE WORDS WHICH PROCEED FORTH FROM THEIR MOUTH, they shall be able to "control" every circumstance [situation] with which Satan has attempted to lure them into an area of fear"....
"WORDS SPOKEN IN LOVE [FAITH] WILL BRING ABOUT MY MANIFESTED PRESENCE"
...."Words spoken in love [faith] will bring about My manifested presence in every situation. Words of pride will bring about the manifested presence of Satan [darkness, confusion]. Words spoken in love will ALWAYS control any given situation - and Satan shall surely suffer defeat"....
...."Hearing the voice of My Spirit should be clear; when "all" the "obstructions" have been removed"....
...."Love takes no offence because love understands "all" things"....
...."Always remember, My children, that there is power within your "inner man" that you are not even aware of at this time. Go forth and freely speak My Word in every circumstance you find yourself in and you shall surely see the fruits of your time spent in fellowship with Me in the "inner chamber"....
...."Spending time fellowshipping in My presence is not an "escape", it is a necessity for those who would walk in the "fullness" of My authority!"....
[quote name='LoisFaith2000' date='Mar 24 2007, 09:14 PM' post='106691']
Condemnation. You have done well to keep your heart open to Me like a book. You are a quick repenter. In this way, as you live a daily life of repentance and focus on Me, you can withstand assaults that may come. I tell you today there will be those who will seek to condemn you with their judgments and criticisms. When those attacks come, humble yourself and consider whether they are from Me. Your will know in your heart the truth. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus as Savior and Lord. My mercy triumphs over judgment every time. Let these attacks only strengthen you so that you can stand strong when other attacks surely come. Condemnation.
James 2:13 "For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment." 1 John 3:19-21 "We shall know by this that we are of the truth, and shall assure our heart before Him, in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God."
THE TRUMPET
"Set the trumpet to your mouth!" Hosea 8:1
Set a watch for the enemy, for he will come to sow seeds of discord and discouragement. He will spread his lies and cause you to fear. But, I say, do not forget the LORD. I am more powerful than all the works of the enemy, and I will encourage you and be with you. Encourage yourself in the LORD, even as David did, and you shall recover all. You shall receive back all that has been stolen or lost to the enemy. You will overrun his camp if you will dare to believe and if you will rise up, take up the sword and shield, put the helmet upon your head, and go forth in faith, then you will overtake the enemy and plunder his camp. You shall be victorious, for this is My purpose. I came to destroy the works of the enemy, and I have made an open show of him and disarmed him. You must only declare that by My power and by My deed he is defeated. No weapon formed against you shall prosper. Only believe and rise up. Rise up! Run to the battle, and I will give you the victory, says the Lord.
THE ONE IN WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED--WALKING WITH HM TO MOVE THE MOUNTAINS 3/25 on: Today at 05:14:48am
Started by WWJD | Last post by WWJD
Victoria Boyson:
"THE ONE IN WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED--WALKING WITH HIM TO MOVE MOUNTAINS"
"Jesus is all, and as we abide in Him, we have access to all that we need: all power, all wisdom, and all strength."
All we will ever want, need, or desire is found in Jesus Christ. If we lack power, wisdom, or prosperity, we will find it in Him. He is, and He has all that we will ever need. We have no lack when we are in Him.
Jesus told His disciples, "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).
If we pull away from the Vine, who is Christ, we will discover we have little power to affect this world on our own. But when we are connected to the Vine, our source of power, we find that we are able to do all things through Him!
Our source of power is not found in ourselves, but as we abide in Christ, we have all the power we need. "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you" (John 15:7).
Knowing Him
If we abide in Him and His words abide in us, whatever we ask will be done! When we first come to know Jesus, we mainly know Him through the experiences of others or through the Word of God. But as we seek to know Him for who He is and develop a relationship with Him, we find a place of great power and authority in the supernatural realm. We can indeed do as God does, who "calls into being that which does not exist" (Romans 4:17).
Instead of spending all our time rebuking the enemy, we will find that when we are abiding in Him, we simply say the words and find the enemy fleeing. It is not us or our words that the enemy fears, but it is our connection to the Vine that terrifies him. As long as we will abide in Him, we have all the power we need. Our words have great power in the supernatural realm as we ABIDE IN CHRIST.
His Wisdom
Have you ever faced a problem and you just did not know what to do about it? Well, in Jesus, we find the answer to all life's problems. He is our source of great wisdom. He has the answer to every question. He knows all and, as we abide in Him, we have access to all the wisdom of the ages. Our wisdom is only limited by our level of intimacy with Him.
It isn't enough to just pray; to truly effect the realms of darkness, we must pray with the wisdom of the Lord. His wisdom can only be obtained by abiding in Him. When we try to acquire God's wisdom through our own minds and methods, it becomes, at best, a perverted mess. We become puffed up and of little use to God.
As we abide in Christ, He shows us how to pray and who to pray for. And when we are led by His Spirit, we can effectively target the enemy. We can hit him with great accuracy and not wear ourselves out with repetitious, complicated prayers and methods. Jesus is all, and as we abide in Him, we have access to all that we need: all power, all wisdom and all strength.
The Good Shepherd
Even our ability to abide in Him is found in Him. As we seek Him, He draws us to Himself. He is truly the Good Shepherd that David spoke of in Psalm 23 (paraphrased):
"The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall never be in want, because in Him I have all I need. My Loving Shepherd anticipates my needs and provides for me before I even know I am in lack. He leads me to places of blessing where I can rest. He restores my soul with His peace and comfort, and makes me righteous so that I may become one with Him.
I shall have no fear, because even in the face of death He prepares a feast of blessing for me to enjoy as my enemies look on in defeat. He gives me all I need and fills me with His power. His goodness and loving kindness are with me as I walk and live in Him. I will never ever leave Him, because He holds me close and keeps me walking with Himself. I will abide with Him forever!"
In the midst of the fiercest battle, I experience the greatest peace--I enjoy the greatest joy. Though satan rages, I still experience the feeling of God's protection and love. I am made fearless, because His perfect love for me casts out all fear (see 1 John 4:18).
This Bears Repeating
"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the Vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me" (John 15:4).
Our authority does not lie in ourselves! It is a trick of the enemy to get us to focus either on our greatness or our unworthiness and take our eyes off Him. It is not about us at all, but Him. Only as we abide in Him will we have lasting victory and fruit.
It is God's will that we bear fruit, but we cannot apart from Him. We will only exhaust ourselves, and our work will not be of lasting value to the Kingdom. Only in God are we victorious. He is our platform of power; apart from Him we can do nothing!
To Know Him
"I know whom I have believed" (2 Timothy 1:12). Of course you believe in Jesus, but do you believe, trust in, and rely on Him? Do you believe in the greatness of His power? Are you proud of who He is and what He's done? Are you putting ALL your faith and trust in Him, or are you holding back a bit of your heart just in case He does not come through for you? If you know the One in whom you have believed, you will walk in His power and authority.
If we truly know God and how great our God is, we will move mountains for Him. The great problem today is our lack of knowledge of who He is and how awesome He is. If we could indeed see His greatness, we would walk in a spiritual authority that would astonish the world.
Our relationship with God determines the authority we walk in everyday. Without a relationship with Christ, we are only walking blindly through this life, guessing at what we believe is God's will for us. If we truly know Him, we will walk confident in His authority as His messengers. We will not hold back from aggressively believing in His power and trusting in His power to raise the dead to life.
In John 4:10, Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that says to you; 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water." Jesus said to her "If you knew (Him)" you would ask and He would give. The answers to all life's problems are found in those words, "If you knew."
We should seek to know God--not just know about Him, but know Him. As His children, our prayer should be that He would help us to know Him. For if we know Him, we will become His ambassadors on this earth and do the things He did. If we know Him, we will be His friend and bring His light into the darkness. As we begin to know Him, we can experience His glory and power--and then walk in it.
We don't have to be satisfied with knowing about God, we can truly know Him. We can walk with Him like Enoch walked with Him. And, knowing Him is more wonderful than anything else in this life. He is Life! He is the air we breathe and the reason we live!
The more we know God, the greater our faith in Him becomes, because we begin to see just how awesome He is. When we see how big He is, our faith in Him rises, and we see there is nothing He cannot handle. All things were created by Him and all things are summed up in Him (see Colossians 1:16).
How Big is Your God?
One day when my son Cole was only four years old, he was riding in our car with his daddy. They were both very quiet, just enjoying the ride and being together, when suddenly Cole spoke up. He said, "God must wear a really big shirt!" At four years old, as he sat silently in our car, the God of the universe was revealing Himself to this young man. Cole's remark was evidence that he knew God. Even as a child, and maybe especially as a child, he could understand that if God was big enough to hold the whole world in His hands, He must wear a really big shirt.
It was especially important to Cole to know that his "God-friend" is really big, because he has always been small for his age. So, to know that he had a really BIG God, who wears a really big shirt, was comforting to him. Do you feel that way sometimes? Do you need to know how big your God is?
To find a mental picture of how big God is, we can look at Isaiah 66:1. The Lord describes Himself, "Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me?" If God's throne is the Heavens and this enormous world of ours is His footstool, He must, indeed, wear a really big shirt.
Can you see now how big God is? And, this great big Daddy God loves you and wants to be your friend. He wants to take care of even the smallest details of your life. He loves you, and you can take refuge in Him and live confidently in His love for You.
Can We Trust Him?
When we understand His greatness and believe in His power, we will move mountains for Him and astonish the world. As we know Him and how much He loves us, we will walk in His authority and power; then our light will shine before all men, that they might glorify our Father in Heaven (see Matthew 5:16).
Asaph prayed in Psalm 83:18, "Let them know that You, whose name is the Lord--that you alone are the Most High over all the earth." He prayed that we would understand--He is Lord of the Heavens and of the earth; He is Lord over every living thing. Every knee will bow and confess His Name, because He has created all things.
We do not put our faith in a little God, but one who created all things. He really is an awesome God and no matter how big our trouble looks, He is bigger. He laid the foundations of the earth and commands the sun to rise each morning. He told the seas how far to come up shore and understands the expanse of the earth (see Job 38:4-18).
He is able to take care of us at all times. He is able to keep us from falling. He is able to keep us in victory and power.
Pray this with me: Dear Father, release me from the shackles of my fleshly knowledge of You, and show me just how awesome You are, so I might be found in You, and reveal Your greatness to a world that needs You desperately. Help me to know the One in whom I have believed.
In Jesus' name, amen.
Victoria Boyson
Started by WWJD | Last post by WWJD
Victoria Boyson:
"THE ONE IN WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED--WALKING WITH HIM TO MOVE MOUNTAINS"
"Jesus is all, and as we abide in Him, we have access to all that we need: all power, all wisdom, and all strength."
All we will ever want, need, or desire is found in Jesus Christ. If we lack power, wisdom, or prosperity, we will find it in Him. He is, and He has all that we will ever need. We have no lack when we are in Him.
Jesus told His disciples, "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).
If we pull away from the Vine, who is Christ, we will discover we have little power to affect this world on our own. But when we are connected to the Vine, our source of power, we find that we are able to do all things through Him!
Our source of power is not found in ourselves, but as we abide in Christ, we have all the power we need. "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you" (John 15:7).
Knowing Him
If we abide in Him and His words abide in us, whatever we ask will be done! When we first come to know Jesus, we mainly know Him through the experiences of others or through the Word of God. But as we seek to know Him for who He is and develop a relationship with Him, we find a place of great power and authority in the supernatural realm. We can indeed do as God does, who "calls into being that which does not exist" (Romans 4:17).
Instead of spending all our time rebuking the enemy, we will find that when we are abiding in Him, we simply say the words and find the enemy fleeing. It is not us or our words that the enemy fears, but it is our connection to the Vine that terrifies him. As long as we will abide in Him, we have all the power we need. Our words have great power in the supernatural realm as we ABIDE IN CHRIST.
His Wisdom
Have you ever faced a problem and you just did not know what to do about it? Well, in Jesus, we find the answer to all life's problems. He is our source of great wisdom. He has the answer to every question. He knows all and, as we abide in Him, we have access to all the wisdom of the ages. Our wisdom is only limited by our level of intimacy with Him.
It isn't enough to just pray; to truly effect the realms of darkness, we must pray with the wisdom of the Lord. His wisdom can only be obtained by abiding in Him. When we try to acquire God's wisdom through our own minds and methods, it becomes, at best, a perverted mess. We become puffed up and of little use to God.
As we abide in Christ, He shows us how to pray and who to pray for. And when we are led by His Spirit, we can effectively target the enemy. We can hit him with great accuracy and not wear ourselves out with repetitious, complicated prayers and methods. Jesus is all, and as we abide in Him, we have access to all that we need: all power, all wisdom and all strength.
The Good Shepherd
Even our ability to abide in Him is found in Him. As we seek Him, He draws us to Himself. He is truly the Good Shepherd that David spoke of in Psalm 23 (paraphrased):
"The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall never be in want, because in Him I have all I need. My Loving Shepherd anticipates my needs and provides for me before I even know I am in lack. He leads me to places of blessing where I can rest. He restores my soul with His peace and comfort, and makes me righteous so that I may become one with Him.
I shall have no fear, because even in the face of death He prepares a feast of blessing for me to enjoy as my enemies look on in defeat. He gives me all I need and fills me with His power. His goodness and loving kindness are with me as I walk and live in Him. I will never ever leave Him, because He holds me close and keeps me walking with Himself. I will abide with Him forever!"
In the midst of the fiercest battle, I experience the greatest peace--I enjoy the greatest joy. Though satan rages, I still experience the feeling of God's protection and love. I am made fearless, because His perfect love for me casts out all fear (see 1 John 4:18).
This Bears Repeating
"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the Vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me" (John 15:4).
Our authority does not lie in ourselves! It is a trick of the enemy to get us to focus either on our greatness or our unworthiness and take our eyes off Him. It is not about us at all, but Him. Only as we abide in Him will we have lasting victory and fruit.
It is God's will that we bear fruit, but we cannot apart from Him. We will only exhaust ourselves, and our work will not be of lasting value to the Kingdom. Only in God are we victorious. He is our platform of power; apart from Him we can do nothing!
To Know Him
"I know whom I have believed" (2 Timothy 1:12). Of course you believe in Jesus, but do you believe, trust in, and rely on Him? Do you believe in the greatness of His power? Are you proud of who He is and what He's done? Are you putting ALL your faith and trust in Him, or are you holding back a bit of your heart just in case He does not come through for you? If you know the One in whom you have believed, you will walk in His power and authority.
If we truly know God and how great our God is, we will move mountains for Him. The great problem today is our lack of knowledge of who He is and how awesome He is. If we could indeed see His greatness, we would walk in a spiritual authority that would astonish the world.
Our relationship with God determines the authority we walk in everyday. Without a relationship with Christ, we are only walking blindly through this life, guessing at what we believe is God's will for us. If we truly know Him, we will walk confident in His authority as His messengers. We will not hold back from aggressively believing in His power and trusting in His power to raise the dead to life.
In John 4:10, Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that says to you; 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water." Jesus said to her "If you knew (Him)" you would ask and He would give. The answers to all life's problems are found in those words, "If you knew."
We should seek to know God--not just know about Him, but know Him. As His children, our prayer should be that He would help us to know Him. For if we know Him, we will become His ambassadors on this earth and do the things He did. If we know Him, we will be His friend and bring His light into the darkness. As we begin to know Him, we can experience His glory and power--and then walk in it.
We don't have to be satisfied with knowing about God, we can truly know Him. We can walk with Him like Enoch walked with Him. And, knowing Him is more wonderful than anything else in this life. He is Life! He is the air we breathe and the reason we live!
The more we know God, the greater our faith in Him becomes, because we begin to see just how awesome He is. When we see how big He is, our faith in Him rises, and we see there is nothing He cannot handle. All things were created by Him and all things are summed up in Him (see Colossians 1:16).
How Big is Your God?
One day when my son Cole was only four years old, he was riding in our car with his daddy. They were both very quiet, just enjoying the ride and being together, when suddenly Cole spoke up. He said, "God must wear a really big shirt!" At four years old, as he sat silently in our car, the God of the universe was revealing Himself to this young man. Cole's remark was evidence that he knew God. Even as a child, and maybe especially as a child, he could understand that if God was big enough to hold the whole world in His hands, He must wear a really big shirt.
It was especially important to Cole to know that his "God-friend" is really big, because he has always been small for his age. So, to know that he had a really BIG God, who wears a really big shirt, was comforting to him. Do you feel that way sometimes? Do you need to know how big your God is?
To find a mental picture of how big God is, we can look at Isaiah 66:1. The Lord describes Himself, "Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me?" If God's throne is the Heavens and this enormous world of ours is His footstool, He must, indeed, wear a really big shirt.
Can you see now how big God is? And, this great big Daddy God loves you and wants to be your friend. He wants to take care of even the smallest details of your life. He loves you, and you can take refuge in Him and live confidently in His love for You.
Can We Trust Him?
When we understand His greatness and believe in His power, we will move mountains for Him and astonish the world. As we know Him and how much He loves us, we will walk in His authority and power; then our light will shine before all men, that they might glorify our Father in Heaven (see Matthew 5:16).
Asaph prayed in Psalm 83:18, "Let them know that You, whose name is the Lord--that you alone are the Most High over all the earth." He prayed that we would understand--He is Lord of the Heavens and of the earth; He is Lord over every living thing. Every knee will bow and confess His Name, because He has created all things.
We do not put our faith in a little God, but one who created all things. He really is an awesome God and no matter how big our trouble looks, He is bigger. He laid the foundations of the earth and commands the sun to rise each morning. He told the seas how far to come up shore and understands the expanse of the earth (see Job 38:4-18).
He is able to take care of us at all times. He is able to keep us from falling. He is able to keep us in victory and power.
Pray this with me: Dear Father, release me from the shackles of my fleshly knowledge of You, and show me just how awesome You are, so I might be found in You, and reveal Your greatness to a world that needs You desperately. Help me to know the One in whom I have believed.
In Jesus' name, amen.
Victoria Boyson
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