Let's lay some groundwork.
Isaiah 55:11--So shall my Word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that I please, and it will prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Jesus firmly believed (as we all should) that whatever God said was true and would come to pass just like He said it would. The entire history of the Jewish nation was built on that principle. God said for the sun to shine and hasn't told it to stop yet. He said for the stars to shine and they have stopped shining. He told all the animals to multiply and they haven't stopped yet. And that's just the easy stuff.
God told Noah to build an ark because He was going to flood the earth with water. It had never rained a drop before. But that didn't keep the rain and the flood from coming. When Abraham was 75 God told him that he and Sarah were going to have a son. God even waited for 25 more years. It would have been hard enough at 75 much less 100. But it happened like God said.
After 400 years of being slaves, God brought the Hebrews out of bondage to the mightiest nation on the earth at that time. And they didn't have to fight. They were poor but came out extremely rich. And then God destroyed the Egyptian army all by Himself.
And the list goes on. Jesus knew the history of the children of God. When things looked like they would vanish from the face of the earth, God brought something to pass that made everybody have to say, "That had to be God."
He knew from Mary and Joseph that He had been born of a virgin just as God said in Isaiah 7:14. He knew that He was born in Bethlehem just like God said in Micah 5:2. He knew that He was of the lineage that God said He would be in Genesis, Numbers and 2 Samuel. He knew that He had lived in Egypt for a while like God said in Hosea. He knew that there was a massacre in Bethlehem around the time of His birth just like God said in Jeremiah. He was called a Nazarene just like God said in Isaiah 11.
It was only natural that Jesus' thinking process would work like this. Everything God has said about me has come to pass so far. So, I can rest assured that my future is going to come to pass just like God said.
Jesus was not going to be surprised when: He would bring light to the Gentiles--Isaiah 9, He would be a prophet--Deuteronomy 18, He would be declared the Son of God--Psalm 2, He would speak in parables--Psalm 78, He would heal the brokenhearted--Isaiah 61 and much more.
Then He knew that He shouldn't be surprised when: He would be betrayed--Psalm 41 and Zechariah 11, He would be falsely accused--Psalm 35, He knew that He should be quiet before His accusers--Isaiah 53, He knew that He would be able to heal people--Isaiah 35, He knew that He would be crucified--Isaiah 53, He knew that He would rise again--Psalms 16 and 49. Jesus anticipated that a lot of other things would happen only because His Father had said so.
He knew that God was in charge and the humans weren't. Now hold on for a hot news flash. Here is something that probably never dawned on you before. GOD DID NOT HAVE TO ASK THE DEVIL'S PERMISSION THE DEVIL HAD NO SAY SO IN ANY OF THE PLANS. JESUS DIDN'T HAVE TO BIND OR LOOSE ANYTHING OR WORRY ABOUT A HINDRANCE BECAUSE GOD'S WORD WAS THE LAW OVER THE DEVIL, ALSO.
When the people of His own home town wanted to throw Him off a cliff, He thought, 'This isn't the way that I'm supposed to die.' And he walked right through the middle of them. That was pretty gutsy. When the people accused Him of being full of the devil, Jesus knew different. He just thought, 'I'm the Messiah and I'll die and rise again. What do these guys know. I'll go find some sick folk to heal.' When the religious people gave Him a hard time, Jesus thought about His Father's Word that did not return to the Father void, 'I know they are going to crucify Me. But, I know that I'll rise again and create a way so the blood bought mankind can once again fellowship with the Father.'
Jesus never let what anyone said or did trouble His heart. Instead His thought pattern was always, it's going to be just like my Father said.
Spend some time meditating on what God's Word has promised you. Spend some time in the presence of the Holy Spirit and grow on the inside. Then you will be like Psalm 1. You'll be like a tree this is planted by the rivers of water. You'll bring forth your fruit in due season.
We'll go over some of the promises in the next blog.
Friday, August 11, 2017
What Was Jesus Thinking--Let's Play Pretend
For the past couple of years I have struggled with adrenal fatigue. There were times that I only got a few hours sleep each night. In vain, I would lay there for hours thinking I could settle down and go back to sleep. When I couldn't,I figured that while I was awake I may as well pray. After I prayed for all that I could think of to pray for, I would just spend time sensing His presence. As I lingered in His Presence with no real agenda on my mind, the reality of the Holy Spirit became more alive in me. I began to realize Who He really is and what His main purpose inside of us was supposed to be.
Take a look at these scriptures: 2 Corinthians 13:14--The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all.
Phil. 2:1--If there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit,
According to Strong's Concordance the word for communion and fellowship in the Greek is 'koinonia'. It's definition is: fellowship, communion, communication, joint participation. The Word of God here is discussing something a lot deeper than just a fleeting prayer, a few moments of speaking in tongues and one of those ooshy gooshy feel goody things. Paul, the great soul winner and church planter. talked about the utmost importance of spending some quality time in the Presence of Almighty God instead of just throwing a few hot prayer requests His way.
As I mentioned, as I laid there waiting in the Presence of the Holy Spirit, a new awareness of Who He was and what He wanted to do in me, for me and all around me grow stronger and stronger. I began to re-think all the old standard ways that I had been taught all of my life.
Can I say that there has been anything instantaneous? Nope. There was no great vision. God didn't let down a sheet with a prophesy for me like he did Peter. He didn't catch me up to the third heaven like He did Paul. It was like being a kid and realizing one day that you were no longer as high as your mother's waist. You were now as tall as her shoulder. It is called "growing."
2 Peter 3:18--But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
John 15:5--I am the vine, ye are the branches, he that abides in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit.
These are just a few verses that indicate that as a child of God we are expected to be actively growing in the Lord. See also, Ephesians 3:17-19, 1 Peter 2:2, Ephesians 4:15, 1 Corinthians 13:11, Col. 3:9-10, Heb. 6:1-2
One of the things that the Holy Spirit urged me to do was to role play as Jesus as He went through various situations. I had been studying along the lines of John 14:1 where Jesus told us that we shouldn't allow our hearts to be troubled. Of course, the opposite of that is that we should allow our hearts to be happy and at peace throughout our lifetimes. And I had been wondering how to do that.
Since what we think about either troubles us or makes us happy, the Spirit challenged me to role play. What was Jesus thinking in specific time periods of His life and especially when He was going through a rough time?. One of the first times that I chose was when Jesus was crucified, spent time in hell and rose again. We'll get into that later.
But first, let's dig into our last lesson. The gospel writers call it His temptation. I would prefer to call it His confrontation. Now remember, after Jesus was baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit, He spent 40 days fasting and communicating with the Holy Spirit. He was a fleshly man just like all of us humans are. Even though He knew what the Word of God said about Him, He spent some private days and nights talking with and listening to the Creative God Power that He was now filled with.
Christians have been preached to, taught the Word of God and sung into oblivion. And STILL the body of Christ is not the power house of healing and deliverance that it should be. We have done everything else in the world BUT wait in His presence and grow in our relationship with the Spirit of God. And because of that, our thinker is wrong.
Jesus was EXCITED about meeting one-on-one with the devil. He wasn't nervous at all. (Hang with me now.) This was what was running around in His brain. He knew what the Word said about Himself, the devil and the devil's demise. Just like us, He had known that for years. BUT NOW, He had been filled with, spent time with, talked to, LISTENED TO, got intimate with and had a deep, deep relationship with the Creative Power of the Universe.
Please listen to what I say next because this reflects what is happening to me as I spend time in deep communion with the Spirit. Since the Holy Spirit communes with us through our spirit, our emotions begin to reflect God's emotions concerning everything we come in contact with. As I face the things that used to bother me, the comfort of the Holy Spirit with in me quietly says, "That's not bigger than I am. I'll take care of it My way." I kid you not, I immediately settle down and get happy about the situation. I know God's got it.
Jesus spent quality time with the Creator/Destroyer of satan. Why would He be worried about a confrontation. Think about it. BEFORE Jesus began His deliverance ministry He considered it extremely important that He face His biggest adversary. He WANTED a one-on-one, face-to-face showdown with the loser that stole God's glory from mankind. He wanted to call satan's bluff and let him know right off the bat that He was there to carry out the will of God. He wanted to set the tone for a new world order ruled by Holy Ghost filled human beings. AND He wanted the privilege of telling the devil to 'git' and watch him run away with his tail between his legs.
Scared? No. Jesus was never scared. Anxious? No. He wasn't anxious either even in times when it looked like the devil had the upper hand. Even when He went to the cross, He went willingly. BECAUSE DOWN INSIDE OF HIM HE KNEW HOW IT WAS ALL GOING TO COME OUT. IT WAS GOING TO BE JUST LIKE GOD SAID IT WAS GOING TO BE. AND THE ABIDING PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS ALWAYS THERE TO GIVE HIM THE STRENGTH AND ASSURANCE.
I've got to close this one. But I'll continue along these lines in future posts. If you have any questions or comments I would be glad to hear from you and possibly so would some of my readers.
Take a look at these scriptures: 2 Corinthians 13:14--The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all.
Phil. 2:1--If there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit,
According to Strong's Concordance the word for communion and fellowship in the Greek is 'koinonia'. It's definition is: fellowship, communion, communication, joint participation. The Word of God here is discussing something a lot deeper than just a fleeting prayer, a few moments of speaking in tongues and one of those ooshy gooshy feel goody things. Paul, the great soul winner and church planter. talked about the utmost importance of spending some quality time in the Presence of Almighty God instead of just throwing a few hot prayer requests His way.
As I mentioned, as I laid there waiting in the Presence of the Holy Spirit, a new awareness of Who He was and what He wanted to do in me, for me and all around me grow stronger and stronger. I began to re-think all the old standard ways that I had been taught all of my life.
Can I say that there has been anything instantaneous? Nope. There was no great vision. God didn't let down a sheet with a prophesy for me like he did Peter. He didn't catch me up to the third heaven like He did Paul. It was like being a kid and realizing one day that you were no longer as high as your mother's waist. You were now as tall as her shoulder. It is called "growing."
2 Peter 3:18--But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
John 15:5--I am the vine, ye are the branches, he that abides in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit.
These are just a few verses that indicate that as a child of God we are expected to be actively growing in the Lord. See also, Ephesians 3:17-19, 1 Peter 2:2, Ephesians 4:15, 1 Corinthians 13:11, Col. 3:9-10, Heb. 6:1-2
One of the things that the Holy Spirit urged me to do was to role play as Jesus as He went through various situations. I had been studying along the lines of John 14:1 where Jesus told us that we shouldn't allow our hearts to be troubled. Of course, the opposite of that is that we should allow our hearts to be happy and at peace throughout our lifetimes. And I had been wondering how to do that.
Since what we think about either troubles us or makes us happy, the Spirit challenged me to role play. What was Jesus thinking in specific time periods of His life and especially when He was going through a rough time?. One of the first times that I chose was when Jesus was crucified, spent time in hell and rose again. We'll get into that later.
But first, let's dig into our last lesson. The gospel writers call it His temptation. I would prefer to call it His confrontation. Now remember, after Jesus was baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit, He spent 40 days fasting and communicating with the Holy Spirit. He was a fleshly man just like all of us humans are. Even though He knew what the Word of God said about Him, He spent some private days and nights talking with and listening to the Creative God Power that He was now filled with.
Christians have been preached to, taught the Word of God and sung into oblivion. And STILL the body of Christ is not the power house of healing and deliverance that it should be. We have done everything else in the world BUT wait in His presence and grow in our relationship with the Spirit of God. And because of that, our thinker is wrong.
Jesus was EXCITED about meeting one-on-one with the devil. He wasn't nervous at all. (Hang with me now.) This was what was running around in His brain. He knew what the Word said about Himself, the devil and the devil's demise. Just like us, He had known that for years. BUT NOW, He had been filled with, spent time with, talked to, LISTENED TO, got intimate with and had a deep, deep relationship with the Creative Power of the Universe.
Please listen to what I say next because this reflects what is happening to me as I spend time in deep communion with the Spirit. Since the Holy Spirit communes with us through our spirit, our emotions begin to reflect God's emotions concerning everything we come in contact with. As I face the things that used to bother me, the comfort of the Holy Spirit with in me quietly says, "That's not bigger than I am. I'll take care of it My way." I kid you not, I immediately settle down and get happy about the situation. I know God's got it.
Jesus spent quality time with the Creator/Destroyer of satan. Why would He be worried about a confrontation. Think about it. BEFORE Jesus began His deliverance ministry He considered it extremely important that He face His biggest adversary. He WANTED a one-on-one, face-to-face showdown with the loser that stole God's glory from mankind. He wanted to call satan's bluff and let him know right off the bat that He was there to carry out the will of God. He wanted to set the tone for a new world order ruled by Holy Ghost filled human beings. AND He wanted the privilege of telling the devil to 'git' and watch him run away with his tail between his legs.
Scared? No. Jesus was never scared. Anxious? No. He wasn't anxious either even in times when it looked like the devil had the upper hand. Even when He went to the cross, He went willingly. BECAUSE DOWN INSIDE OF HIM HE KNEW HOW IT WAS ALL GOING TO COME OUT. IT WAS GOING TO BE JUST LIKE GOD SAID IT WAS GOING TO BE. AND THE ABIDING PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS ALWAYS THERE TO GIVE HIM THE STRENGTH AND ASSURANCE.
I've got to close this one. But I'll continue along these lines in future posts. If you have any questions or comments I would be glad to hear from you and possibly so would some of my readers.
Thursday, August 10, 2017
What Was Jesus Thinking--The Temptation
Phil 2:5--KJV--Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus
The NLT reads it this was: You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
When I looked up the word 'let' in Strong's Concordance, part of the definitions of the original Greek word means: to be of the same mind, and cherish the same views.
Therefore, it would be safe to say that Paul was encouraging believers to think like Jesus thought.
Let's expand that in Phil. 2:6--KJV--Who being in the form of God
Jesus was all man because he was born of a virgin, and was in the form of God because God made man in His image. See Gen. 1
Phil. 2:6--KJV--thought in not robbery to be equal with God.
Jesus didn't think that it was robbery to think about things the way that God thought about them.
His mother Mary and his stepfather Joseph told him all of his life that He was the Son of God. He grew up being told the truth about Himself. That truth happened to be what God said about him and what the Old Testament prophets prophesied about Him. Who He was and what God had planned on doing with and for Him had been ingrained in Him all of His life.
Let me interject this point right here. How powerful and successful could we be as born again believers if all that we thought about was what the Word of God said about us. Admit it. We, and our finite minds are our own worst enemies because we have been trained to think about ourselves only in the realm of what everybody else thinks about us and what circumstances around us dictate.
Let's go a step further. How would our children turn out if all we talked about at home was who they were in Christ Jesus and the plans that God had for them. (Health, wealth, love, joy, peace, etc.) Wouldn't that change the future quite a bit?
Back to Jesus. Remember, we want to think like Him so let's dabble a little into His thought life. He grew up knowing Who He was and what He was going to do. (Remember, thanks to Mom and Dad) When it came time, He found His cousin, John the Baptist, and offered Himself to be baptized. As He came up out of the water, the Holy Spirit descended on Him like a dove. Matthew 3:17 declares--And lo, a voice from Heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased.
Jesus was raised by parents who constantly told Him Who He was and now God Himself declares to all that heard it----This is My Beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased. On top of that, He was filled the the Holy Presence of the Creator God.
Now keep in mind that there are no second or third rate Holy Spirits. There is only one Holy Spirit. Romans 8:11 reminds us that we are filled with the same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead. We didn't get a watered down or cheap version of the Presence of the Creator God. We got the real and only deal. The Holy Spirit doesn't age and weaken as time goes by. He is just as strong, energetic and viable today as He was long before Creation. And He will work Himself just as strong inside believers (not doubters) as He has always done. He will not fail to carry out God's Word for any believer.
Still wet with the water of the Jordan River, Matthew 4:1, Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit to go into the wilderness to be tempted. The Greek word 'peirazo' has a very interesting meaning. Let me quote from Strong's Concordance. "to try, to make trial of, for the purpose of ascertaining his quality, or what he thinks, or how he will behave himself."
Jesus had lived as a man for thirty years. Now He is filled with The Creative Force. Before He started any kind of healing and deliverance ministry, He gladly followed the leading of the Holy Spirit to have a confrontation with the devil. Why? It was more important for Him to 'ascertain the quality' of this Abiding Presence than it was to revel in the glory of man's praises. It was more important for Him to test His thinking and behavioral characteristics than to preach a sermon on a mountain top to 5,000 people.
I sincerely believe that it was more important to Jesus that He personally, one-on-one, meet face-to-face with His ages long personal enemy, the devil. Just like armies used to do as described in 1 Samuel when David defeated Goliath. Armies used to line up some distance apart and yell insults at each other before they went to battle. Jesus wasn't going just to see if He could spar with the devil. Jesus knew that the devil's defeat and destruction was a forgone conclusion. He was now a human being filled with the Creative Power of Almighty God.
While he was still alive and racing cars, Dale Earnhardt was known as The Intimidator. But, he wasn't the first one. Jesus eagerly went into the wilderness to fast for forty days and then to meet His, His Father's and the entire world's No. 1 enemy, satan himself. Jesus was going to 'ascertain the quality' of the Holy Spirit inside of Himself. He knew that satan was no match for the Creative Force that brought him into being in the first place and that kicked him out of Heaven in the second place.
Satan opened up with, "If you are the Son of God." Jesus had no doubt that He was the Son of God. Turning stones to bread and jumping off a pinnacle of the temple wasn't going to prove to anybody Who He was. Casting demons out and healing the sick would do that.
Bet you didn't realize that Jesus had a little smart aleck streak in Him did you? When satan suggested that Jesus jump off a pinnacle of the temple, Jesus told the devil that it was wrong for him to tempt the Lord his God. With a backhanded slap in the face, Jesus continued to enforce the rules of engagement in this eternal war. Jesus thought and He spoke from the vantage point of Who God said He was and Who God made Him to be. Filled with the Creative Force of God, Jesus told the devil, "I don't bow down to you. You bow down to the God that lives inside of Me."
Jesus never thought of the devil as being the superior force that He needed to conquer. He thought of the devil as the powerless pest he really was. He never once thought that the devil would be able to refuse a command that He made. As a matter of fact, one of the next things that Jesus said was for the devil to get away from Him. And guess what. That's exactly what the devil did.
Paul learned this by spending time in God's Holy Presence and not just from knowing the Word only. That's why he told us in Romans 12 NOT to be conformed to the way the world does things but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. It would behoove all of us to spend more time in God's presence and allow the Creative Force to revitalize our thinking. Fill your mind and you thought patterns with the promises of God and be aware of what God wants to do through you. He surely sent the Holy Spirit to us for more than just a feel-goody type thing. He sent the Holy Spirit to destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8
More Jesus thinking stuff to come.
The NLT reads it this was: You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
When I looked up the word 'let' in Strong's Concordance, part of the definitions of the original Greek word means: to be of the same mind, and cherish the same views.
Therefore, it would be safe to say that Paul was encouraging believers to think like Jesus thought.
Let's expand that in Phil. 2:6--KJV--Who being in the form of God
Jesus was all man because he was born of a virgin, and was in the form of God because God made man in His image. See Gen. 1
Phil. 2:6--KJV--thought in not robbery to be equal with God.
Jesus didn't think that it was robbery to think about things the way that God thought about them.
His mother Mary and his stepfather Joseph told him all of his life that He was the Son of God. He grew up being told the truth about Himself. That truth happened to be what God said about him and what the Old Testament prophets prophesied about Him. Who He was and what God had planned on doing with and for Him had been ingrained in Him all of His life.
Let me interject this point right here. How powerful and successful could we be as born again believers if all that we thought about was what the Word of God said about us. Admit it. We, and our finite minds are our own worst enemies because we have been trained to think about ourselves only in the realm of what everybody else thinks about us and what circumstances around us dictate.
Let's go a step further. How would our children turn out if all we talked about at home was who they were in Christ Jesus and the plans that God had for them. (Health, wealth, love, joy, peace, etc.) Wouldn't that change the future quite a bit?
Back to Jesus. Remember, we want to think like Him so let's dabble a little into His thought life. He grew up knowing Who He was and what He was going to do. (Remember, thanks to Mom and Dad) When it came time, He found His cousin, John the Baptist, and offered Himself to be baptized. As He came up out of the water, the Holy Spirit descended on Him like a dove. Matthew 3:17 declares--And lo, a voice from Heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased.
Jesus was raised by parents who constantly told Him Who He was and now God Himself declares to all that heard it----This is My Beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased. On top of that, He was filled the the Holy Presence of the Creator God.
Now keep in mind that there are no second or third rate Holy Spirits. There is only one Holy Spirit. Romans 8:11 reminds us that we are filled with the same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead. We didn't get a watered down or cheap version of the Presence of the Creator God. We got the real and only deal. The Holy Spirit doesn't age and weaken as time goes by. He is just as strong, energetic and viable today as He was long before Creation. And He will work Himself just as strong inside believers (not doubters) as He has always done. He will not fail to carry out God's Word for any believer.
Still wet with the water of the Jordan River, Matthew 4:1, Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit to go into the wilderness to be tempted. The Greek word 'peirazo' has a very interesting meaning. Let me quote from Strong's Concordance. "to try, to make trial of, for the purpose of ascertaining his quality, or what he thinks, or how he will behave himself."
Jesus had lived as a man for thirty years. Now He is filled with The Creative Force. Before He started any kind of healing and deliverance ministry, He gladly followed the leading of the Holy Spirit to have a confrontation with the devil. Why? It was more important for Him to 'ascertain the quality' of this Abiding Presence than it was to revel in the glory of man's praises. It was more important for Him to test His thinking and behavioral characteristics than to preach a sermon on a mountain top to 5,000 people.
I sincerely believe that it was more important to Jesus that He personally, one-on-one, meet face-to-face with His ages long personal enemy, the devil. Just like armies used to do as described in 1 Samuel when David defeated Goliath. Armies used to line up some distance apart and yell insults at each other before they went to battle. Jesus wasn't going just to see if He could spar with the devil. Jesus knew that the devil's defeat and destruction was a forgone conclusion. He was now a human being filled with the Creative Power of Almighty God.
While he was still alive and racing cars, Dale Earnhardt was known as The Intimidator. But, he wasn't the first one. Jesus eagerly went into the wilderness to fast for forty days and then to meet His, His Father's and the entire world's No. 1 enemy, satan himself. Jesus was going to 'ascertain the quality' of the Holy Spirit inside of Himself. He knew that satan was no match for the Creative Force that brought him into being in the first place and that kicked him out of Heaven in the second place.
Satan opened up with, "If you are the Son of God." Jesus had no doubt that He was the Son of God. Turning stones to bread and jumping off a pinnacle of the temple wasn't going to prove to anybody Who He was. Casting demons out and healing the sick would do that.
Bet you didn't realize that Jesus had a little smart aleck streak in Him did you? When satan suggested that Jesus jump off a pinnacle of the temple, Jesus told the devil that it was wrong for him to tempt the Lord his God. With a backhanded slap in the face, Jesus continued to enforce the rules of engagement in this eternal war. Jesus thought and He spoke from the vantage point of Who God said He was and Who God made Him to be. Filled with the Creative Force of God, Jesus told the devil, "I don't bow down to you. You bow down to the God that lives inside of Me."
Jesus never thought of the devil as being the superior force that He needed to conquer. He thought of the devil as the powerless pest he really was. He never once thought that the devil would be able to refuse a command that He made. As a matter of fact, one of the next things that Jesus said was for the devil to get away from Him. And guess what. That's exactly what the devil did.
Paul learned this by spending time in God's Holy Presence and not just from knowing the Word only. That's why he told us in Romans 12 NOT to be conformed to the way the world does things but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. It would behoove all of us to spend more time in God's presence and allow the Creative Force to revitalize our thinking. Fill your mind and you thought patterns with the promises of God and be aware of what God wants to do through you. He surely sent the Holy Spirit to us for more than just a feel-goody type thing. He sent the Holy Spirit to destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8
More Jesus thinking stuff to come.
Thursday, August 25, 2016
The devil Ain't in Control Part 2
Part 2
Daniel 2:44—KJV—And in the days of these kings shall the God
of Heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom
shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all
these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.
Isaiah 9:6, 7—KJV—For unto us a child is born, unto us a son
is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulders: and His name shall be
called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince
of Peace. Of the increase of his government there shall be no end,
Even though Daniel was a captive, God used him to declare His
Almighty purpose to the conquering ruler, Nebuchadnezzer. Through
Nebuchadnezzer’s dream, God revealed three other kingdoms that would conquer
the same area that the Babylonians now occupied. Those three kingdoms were the
Medio-Persians, the Greeks and the Romans.
The real point that God was making was that He was only using
those four kingdoms to set up His kingdom that would rule forever. Notice in
verse forty-four that God said that this kingdom shall not be left to other
people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it
shall stand forever. Isaiah foretold of a child that would be born Who would
create a government that would continue to increase and would never end.
There are many other prophecies listed in the Old Testament
that describe the same thing but let’s get to the real point. The child Isaiah
talked about is Jesus. Through His death on the cross and subsequent
resurrection, Jesus defeated….forever…..the devil and all of the devil’s evil
forces.
Let’s investigate this point even further. Jesus described His
enemy and his evil kingdom like this in John 10:10—KJV—The thief cometh not, but
for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. But Jesus further defines the
difference between Him and His enemy by continuing to say, “But I am come that
they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” More about
this in a later blog.
The main point I want to zero in on through this blog is the
fact that the devil ain’t in control. Does he steal control? Yes. Remember,
‘The thief’ is what Jesus called him.
Jesus described him again in He was talking to the religious
rulers of His day in John 8:44—NIV—You belong to your father, the devil, and
you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the
beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he
lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
Out of all the things that Jesus said about the devil, He
never said that the devil is in control. Does the devil lie, and steal, and
murder? Yes. He has done it since the beginning of time and he’ll continue
until he is destroyed in the lake of fire. Which, by the way, he and his angels
KNOW that they are destined to go there. Read the demons response to Jesus in
Matthew 8:29.
This is further proof that the devil ain’t in control. They
CANNOT control the fact that they will be destroyed just like God said they
would be. While they are here, they will continue to steal, kill, destroy,
murder and lie wherever they can. But they know that their time is limited.
AND……now get this…….they also know that their power is limited. As a matter of
fact, ALL of their power can be nullified.
Here
is the most important point. You will NOT find anywhere in the scripture where
ANY power was given to the devil over God’s creation and/or especially mankind.
BUT, in Luke 10:19—NIV—Jesus declared, “I have given you authority to trample on
snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will
harm you.” In Mark 16:17, Jesus describes the characteristics of a believer,
“And these signs shall follow those that believe; In My name they shall cast
out devils; they shall speak with new tongues.”
Jesus NEVER said for us to just sit back and let the devil lie
to us, steal from us, kill us or destroy us in any way. Yet, that is what is
happening to believers and non-believers alike. We see terror, hatred, and
wholesale slaughter going on all over the world. People demand that politicians
do something about it and they can’t. People take things into their own hands
and here goes stealing, killing and destroying again.
Every born again believer has the ability to overthrow the
kingdom of the devil. When we received Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, the
same Spirit that empowered Jesus to rise from the dead came to reside in us
(Romans 8:11). Yet, we haven’t tapped the resources of the Holy Spirit. Why?
Because we are too busy believing that what we see can’t be changed or stopped.
Jesus, and those that chose to believe on His name---changed
Jesus haters into Jesus lovers and preachers of the gospel, cast demons out of
spiritualists and mediums, healed hopeless cripples that were crippled from
birth, prayed disciples out of jails, turned towns “upside down” for Jesus.
Why? Because they believed that God had empowered them to change the way things
were. They were NOT content to live the way that the devil said they had to
live. They CHOSE to control the devil and not be controlled by doubt and fear.
The CHOSE to rejoice in the Lord always. They CHOSE to pray without ceasing and
to pray effectually and fervently.
They CHOSE……NOT……to live life the way that it was handed to
them. They CHOSE to live….life and live it abundantly like Jesus said that He
came to give them.
There are demonic forces stealing, killing and destroying
mankind all over the earth. It is up to the Body of Christ all over the world
to rise up out of its slumber and slothfulness and come against the spiritual
forces of darkness. The devil doesn’t have power over us. We LET him steal,
kill and destroy us. Let’s deny him that right and begin taking back the lives
and the abundant life that rightfully belong to us through the blood of Jesus
Christ.
Pray with me.
Father, in the name of Jesus, we bind those ungodly powers
that are stealing from us and lying to us. We pray for a fresh anointing of the
Holy Spirit to rise up inside of your people as we bind together as a mighty
prayer army for you. We pray for every corner of the world to be filled with
your power to overthrow the lying powers of darkness. Give us wisdom,
understanding and courage to fight the good fight of faith to bring your body
into the strength and power of the Holy Spirit. Open our eyes to the abilities
that are dormant within us that You desire to empower. Help us to lay aside the
things that divide us so we can come together in your power. As Jesus taught
us, let Your kingdom come and let Your will be done on this earth as it is in
Heaven. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Wednesday, August 24, 2016
The devil Ain't in Control Part 1
The devil
Ain’t in Control
Part 1
Daniel 2:44-45 (KJV)—And in the days of these kings shall the
God of Heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom
shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all
these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the
stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces
the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath
made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is
certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
Let me lay some foundation for the next several blogs. Israel
had refused to obey the God that had brought them out of bondage and gave them
their own land. God sent prophet after prophet after prophet to warn them that
they would once again be brought into bondage if they didn’t repent. They
didn’t so God had no other choice but to do what He said.
However, not everyone was guilty of the nation of Israel’s sin.
The book of Daniel talks about four individuals that, though they were
captives, they lived like God had commanded. Because they honored God, God
honored His covenant Word that he had spoken to their forefathers when the
Hebrew nation was first established. These four men (and I’m sure there were
others) found favor with their captors. And, much to the angst of the native
Babylonians, the ‘captives’ were made rulers over sections of their ‘captors’.
(See Deuteronomy 28:1-14)
In the second year of King Nebuchadnezzer’s reign, God sent a
troubling dream to him. He was upset about it but he couldn’t remember it. It
unsettled the king so much that he called for all of his magicians, soothsayers
and fortune tellers with a most unusual request. He told them to tell him what
his dream was and also to tell him the interpretation. They told the king to
tell them what the dream was and they would be glad to interpret it for him.
The king told them to do it or die. They couldn’t and the king commanded to
kill all the wise men in Babylon.
The guards were sent out to arrest all the magicians in the
kingdom. When they got to Daniel, he asked why and they told him. He went to
the king and asked for time to pray about it. The king gave Daniel what he
didn’t give to his own people. He gave to this captive some time. That’s divine
favor, folks. That is divine favor from a tyrant.
I’ll get to the rest of the story in subsequent blogs, but I
need to stop right here and share something that I hope is ‘Christian-shaking’.
That’s kinda like ‘earth-shaking’ only a whole lot more important. As I
mentioned earlier, some of the Hebrews that Nebuchadnezzar had taken captive
were God-fearing, covenant-trusting men of God. To the Babylonians they were
just captured slaves that didn’t deserve to be more than their menial servants.
But, to God, these men were more honorable than the
back-slidden Jews. Even though God had to bring judgement on the nation of
Israel for their collective sins, He would ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS honor EVERY
ONE of those who honored Him and His Word. Please, understand the Godly precept
here. Even though these Godly men had lost their freedom along with the other
Hebrews, they had NEVER….not even for one day….not even for one fleeting
second….lost ANY of the respect that God had for them. They were in a strange
land but it didn’t matter to God. He was covenant bound to honor His word. They
were surrounded by ungodly people and subjected to ungodly circumstances. But
God never forsook them for even the shortest of moments.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, this dream came to King Nebuchadnezzer
BECAUSE of the captives. Later on, in Daniel chapter six, we find that it had
always been Daniel’s habit to pray towards Jerusalem three times a day. Every
day since setting foot in a strange land, Daniel prayed in accordance to God’s
promise in 2 Chronicles 7:14 where God promised deliverance if they were ever
in bondage. Daniel believed God’s Word to be true and he prayed for deliverance
three times every day.
Here’s my point for today. A God-fearing, Bible-believing
person made a quality decision concerning the dire conditions that he found his
nation to be in. Did his nation deserve it? Yes, God spoke it and there it was.
BUT, a God-fearing, Bible-believing, continuously praying person brought about
a God-change in several areas.
First of all, his constant prayer and faith in the Word of God
worked in his own life. It gave him courage to proclaim to the ungodly ruler
and the ungodly captives that the God that he served could answer prayer and
reveal the king’s dream. Next, constant prayer and faith gave him covenant
standing with a covenant keeping God. God granted his request, gave him the
dream and the interpretation.
Second, and this is important, Daniel’s God habits worked on
and changed the king. Because of Daniel’s behavior, God was the one who sent
the troubling dream to the king and then made him forget it so that He could
honor His servant and His Word. When the king heard the dream and the
interpretation, THE KING fell on his knees and bowed down to Daniel. The king
not only honored Daniel, he promoted him over the vast majority of his captors.
The captured slave became a ruler. How about that for a Godly
turn around? This not only happened to Daniel, but it happened to the three
Hebrew children also. Although it’s not mentioned, I believe that God honored
many others even though they were in captivity.
Here’s the point of today’s blog. A bold God-fearing
Bible-believing prayer warrior made the best of his situation by praying and
honoring God constantly. Today we are faced with some of the ungodliest of
situations any of us have ever heard of in our entire lives. The story of
Daniel is only one that proves that the devil ain’t in control. He might have
instigated things and ramped up hatred and violence but the devil DOES NOT have
the final say in ANY situation.
UNLESS…..God-honoring, Spirit-filled prayer warriors……do
nothing. When God’s people refuse to pray, pray improperly, pray without power,
pray amiss, cringe and cry, fight each other, refuse to humble themselves and
refuse to honor God then the devil is free to do whatever he wants.
Whatever you decide to do is your business. AND whatever I
decide to do is my business. I’m going to dare to be a Daniel. I’m praying hard
and often. I dare to come boldly to the throne of Grace with a heart full of
the promises of God that I lay before him. Just like the poor widow in Luke 18,
I don’t have the power to get these things accomplished in my own strength.
But, He said He would answer these prayers and I believe He will.
I want to be like Daniel and pray so hard and fervently that
the leaders of this land will not be able to succeed with their ungodly plans.
I specifically pray for confusion to come into their camps. (Isaiah 19:14) I pray
that God would show up in such a way that the ungodly would have to admit that
it had to be God.
I believe that bold, fervent prayer could bring peace to
troubled lives and troubled areas. I believe that crime, murders, rapes,
kidnappings and hatred can be stopped when people continue calling on God. Just
like God did with Elisha, (2 Kings 6:8-14) I believe that God can reveal the
secrets of our enemies to our security forces. One of the things that I have
been praying for is that the Godly men and women that serve in our country
would receive “nudgings” or “words of knowledge” from the Holy Spirit that
would lead to capturing criminals or stopping crime before it happens.
And I don’t believe in giving the devil any slack. I believe
in worshipping and praising God with all of my heart, mind and soul. Psalms 8:2
tells us and Jesus repeated it that praise paralyzes the enemy. C’mon folks
let’s not only pray with boldness, let’s praise and worship Him with all that
is within us.
Let’s put God in control and let the Jesus Force arise.
Monday, January 25, 2016
Pursue Your Enemies
Leviticus 26:7 & 8--KJV--And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. 8--And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.
Note: Pursue your enemies also appears in Joshua 10:19 and Psalm 18:37
I get a daily devotional every morning in my e-mail and this was today's topic. It immediately struck a chord with me because I have been putting in some prayer hours lately. I have seen some changes and I have faced some challenges. It seems like the enemy, satan, just doesn't want to leave me alone. You might say that he's after me. He can't have me and he has his hands full trying to handle me.
Then when the devotion concerning this verse hit my e-mail this morning it struck me in a positive way. Yes, I know the devil gets after you and hounds you to no end. So why not turn the tables on him and give him more than just a taste of his own medicine.
That's what this verse talks about. The devil is the cause of all of the bad things that happen to us. He is the main source of inspiration for all of the evil that goes on in this world. This verse promises that if we will pursue our enemy (the devil) he will fall before us by the sword (the Word of God Ephesians 6:17).
The Word of God is the Sword of the Spirit. When we pray in line with the Word of God it unleashes the power of the Holy Spirit against the forces of evil. When you begin praying in the strength and the integrity of the Word of God the power of your prayers becomes and unstoppable force.
All that is left to do is the obvious. Let's Pray. This is just one example.
Ephesians 6;12--For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Father, in the name of Jesus, we bind the powers of these forces of darkness and spiritual wickedness in this world. We set ourselves in battle against these forces that are deceiving many. We bind these forces in Jesus' name and demand that they loose their hold over our unsaved loved ones and our city, Savannah, Ga. We demand you, devil, to loose those souls that you are keeping from coming to Jesus Christ. Holy Spirit convict the sinners stronger and stronger. Father we pray that the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ would shine into those sin darkened souls and help them to realize their need for You. Stay after them Holy Spirit until they make Jesus Christ their Lord. In Jesus Name we pray, Amen.
Note: Pursue your enemies also appears in Joshua 10:19 and Psalm 18:37
I get a daily devotional every morning in my e-mail and this was today's topic. It immediately struck a chord with me because I have been putting in some prayer hours lately. I have seen some changes and I have faced some challenges. It seems like the enemy, satan, just doesn't want to leave me alone. You might say that he's after me. He can't have me and he has his hands full trying to handle me.
Then when the devotion concerning this verse hit my e-mail this morning it struck me in a positive way. Yes, I know the devil gets after you and hounds you to no end. So why not turn the tables on him and give him more than just a taste of his own medicine.
That's what this verse talks about. The devil is the cause of all of the bad things that happen to us. He is the main source of inspiration for all of the evil that goes on in this world. This verse promises that if we will pursue our enemy (the devil) he will fall before us by the sword (the Word of God Ephesians 6:17).
The Word of God is the Sword of the Spirit. When we pray in line with the Word of God it unleashes the power of the Holy Spirit against the forces of evil. When you begin praying in the strength and the integrity of the Word of God the power of your prayers becomes and unstoppable force.
All that is left to do is the obvious. Let's Pray. This is just one example.
Ephesians 6;12--For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Father, in the name of Jesus, we bind the powers of these forces of darkness and spiritual wickedness in this world. We set ourselves in battle against these forces that are deceiving many. We bind these forces in Jesus' name and demand that they loose their hold over our unsaved loved ones and our city, Savannah, Ga. We demand you, devil, to loose those souls that you are keeping from coming to Jesus Christ. Holy Spirit convict the sinners stronger and stronger. Father we pray that the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ would shine into those sin darkened souls and help them to realize their need for You. Stay after them Holy Spirit until they make Jesus Christ their Lord. In Jesus Name we pray, Amen.
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Start Your Day Rejoicing
We used to worship with a song with these words, Rejoice for the steps of a righteous man are ordered of God. That was taken from Psalm 37:23 which says--The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord; and he delighteth in his way.
What we need to understand is that each day brings a new trial. And each new trial is not meant to destroy us. Each new trial we face is an opportunity for God to prove us as one of His children whom He delights in. And each new trial we face is an opportunity for God to prove to us and the world that He is indeed Lord God Almighty.
Daniel in the lion's den didn't prove how mean the king or the people were as much as it proved Daniel's faith in God. The end result was that Daniel proved God's word to be greater than anything that the king would put him through.
The same could be said of the three Hebrew children. The fiery furnace was designed to destroy them. Instead it exalted the Lord God Almighty and God's men were promoted.
So face this day and every other day with a sense of joy that whatever comes your way, God is going to prove you as His child and prove to the world that His Word is true.
Let's rejoice and enjoy what God has ordained this day to bring to us.
What we need to understand is that each day brings a new trial. And each new trial is not meant to destroy us. Each new trial we face is an opportunity for God to prove us as one of His children whom He delights in. And each new trial we face is an opportunity for God to prove to us and the world that He is indeed Lord God Almighty.
Daniel in the lion's den didn't prove how mean the king or the people were as much as it proved Daniel's faith in God. The end result was that Daniel proved God's word to be greater than anything that the king would put him through.
The same could be said of the three Hebrew children. The fiery furnace was designed to destroy them. Instead it exalted the Lord God Almighty and God's men were promoted.
So face this day and every other day with a sense of joy that whatever comes your way, God is going to prove you as His child and prove to the world that His Word is true.
Let's rejoice and enjoy what God has ordained this day to bring to us.
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