"For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD. Psalm 27:5-6
In the Bible we see that King David was in distress and persecuted by his adversaries, but he looked up to God and said, “Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, until He has mercy on us” (Psalm 123:2).
David found mercy in the eyes of the Lord Who delivered him from his enemies when he surrendered himself to Him. Similarly, when we commit our lives to Him, we shall experience the fullness of His mercy and deliverance.
We also see in the life of King David that he had many enemies who were constantly after his life. But the Lord gave him victory over his enemies because he followed the Lord and sought His counsel when in trouble. As a result King David said, “The LORD has broken through my enemies before me, like a breakthrough of water” (2 Samuel 5:20). David was steadfast in his trust in the Lord. He was bold and courageous like a lion (Proverbs 28:1). When we trust in the Lord with all our hearts, God will grant us victory in our lives.
As King David sought God’s counsel and wisdom when he faced troubles in life, we need to ask God to help us to seek Him likewise and grant us victory over our enemies in life. When the devil tries to put us down through sorrow, pain or through any of his ways, we need to ask God to crush him under our feet and give us victory.
Therefore David blessed the LORD before all the assembly; and David said: "Blessed are You, LORD God of Israel, our Father, forever and ever. Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, The power and the glory, The victory and the majesty; For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, And You are exalted as head over all. Both riches and honor come from You, And You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; In Your hand it is to make great And to give strength to all. Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, The power and the glory, The victory and the majesty; For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, And You are exalted as head over all. 1 Chronicles 29:10-12
Salvation, healing, deliverance, miracles and victories come from God and not from men or their different methods. And David knew this to be true and he would most of time inquire of the LORD as to what to do about His enemies and the Lord would tell him including "Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?" And He answered him, "Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all." (1 Samuel 30:8). Then the Philistines went up once again and deployed themselves in the Valley of Rephaim. Therefore David inquired of the LORD, and He said, "You shall not go up; circle around behind them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees. "And it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly. For then the LORD will go out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines." And David did so, as the LORD commanded him; and he drove back the Philistines from Geba as far as Gezer. (2 Samuel 5:22-25)
Yes David, just like Hannah knew from experience, that The LORD kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and brings up. He brings low and lifts up. The LORD makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up. They knew for by strength no man shall prevail. The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken in pieces; from heaven He will thunder against them.
So obviously if anyone doesn’t inquire from the LORD He will not have victory. But unfortunately for many Christians they are not hearing from the LORD but from deceiving spirits as they have no real discernment as they are not praying in the Spirit!
And you can pray until you drop dead but if God says no you will not have your desired answer because God looks at and deals with the heart of man and not just his words and deeds! Both Judas and Peter betrayed Jesus but Judas was not forgiven while Peter was. We see this in the statements Jesus made about these men:
"The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had never been born." Mark 14:21
And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. "But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren." But he said to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death." Then He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me." Luke 22:31-34
"Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. "While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. John 17:11-12
And God also sees your motives and the evil people you associate just like He saw and knew about Korah:
Now it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men with Korah, with all their goods. So they and all those with them went down alive into the pit; the earth closed over them, and they perished from among the assembly. Then all Israel who were around them fled at their cry, for they said, "Lest the earth swallow us up also!" And a fire came out from the LORD and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering incense. Numbers 16:31-35
Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, "to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him." These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. Jude 1:11-16
If God says “woe to you” because you are a grumbler, complainer, walking according to your own lusts you are in deep trouble and require immediate totally repentance or else your due reward will be destructive? God’s word is true:
Woe to you who are full, For you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, For you shall mourn and weep.
Woe to you when all men speak well of you, For so did their fathers to the false prophets. Luke 6:24-26
"Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them." Luke 11:42-44
Jesus the epitome of love and character didn’t go around blessing people with words. He didn’t bless the religious and political leaders of His day but cursed them. ‘Woe to you’ doesn’t mean something good is going to happen to you. He called them all kinds of names including hypocrites, murderers, serpents, brood of vipers, liars, blind guides, sons of hell, etc. He told them they would not escape the condemnation of hell (Matthew 23:15, 33, Luke 11:24-25, 23:38-31) and they didn’t!
The bible tells us what when God spoke as a result of His word heaven and earth came into existence? In other words, when God speaks a miracle happens? But not all of God's miracles are positive ones as Pharaoh and his mighty army can testify when God parted the Red Sea and closed it on His enemies! When Jesus spoke miracles also happened because He is God. So what happened when Jesus spoke to the false ones of His day and our day and said "Woe to you?" They died in the judgments that followed in 70 A.D. at the hands of God's other ministers, the Romans, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil (Romans 13:4).
But when it came to the poor and needy Jesus attitude and approach to such as these was completely different. The bible says of Jesus ‘A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench, Till He sends forth justice to victory; And in His name Gentiles will trust’ (Matthew 12:20-21). He demonstrated His love for them by His miracle deeds. He healed the blind and cleansed the lepers. He was and is very kind and compassionate towards those who are poor and needy and need a miracle. When he saw a bereaving widow whose only son had died, he had compassion and brought the son back to life and presented him to his mother (Luke 7:12-15). When He saw a great multitude, He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick (Matthew 9:36, 14:14). When the blind men asked for healing, He had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him (Matthew 20:30-34).
Yes, Jesus Christ loved the poor and didn’t cast them aside like others have done. He healed their sick, cleansed their lepers, raised their dead, and cast out their demons. But he didn’t have nice things to say to the rich and powerful even if it was King Herod. The bible records:
On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, "Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You." And He said to them, "Go, tell that fox, 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.' Luke 13:31-32
Jesus Christ was not and never will be a respecter of persons and doesn’t show partiality to any one including the rich and mighty. As a matter of fact the Word of God’s tells us it’s sin to show partiality and to be a respecter of persons. God’s word is unchanging:
Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called? If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you do well; but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For He who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. James 2:1-13
Apostle Paul who loved people and wanted to bless them and see them made perfect whole and complete in each one of his epistles wrote the following words, Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Supernatural grace or favor is what God’s people require to live the normal Christian live in total victory including divine health, divine wealth and divine prosperity. These are things that they cannot achieve on their own and need grace from God the Father to enable them to be and have all that they can be and have. And the good news is that "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. He gives as much grace or favor as they need! Yes, God’s word is unchanging:
Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:20-21
Yes, God is able to make all grace abound toward us, that we, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have abundance for every good work. The grace of God is the favor and kindness that He gives without regard to the worth or merit of the one who receives it, in spite of what that same person deserves. Yes God is being kind and good to us even if we don't deserve it. His grace and favor come as a tangible presence upon our lives as an anointing that can be imparted and transferred.
Because God loves and delights in us He wants to give us daily favor just like a good father will give His children. God give us favor and grace even if we haven’t worked for it or fasted for it or asked for it! And that is what the word grace is all about - a gracious, friendly, or obliging act that is freely granted. Yes, it's a friendly or favorable regard, approval or support from God just because we are His children and He loves us so. And why should be surprised about it when we live in the acceptable or favorable year of the Lord. God’s word is true:
Yes, say there is an anointing of God's Spirit to bring us into the acceptable year, a place of liberty and release just like the year of Jubilee. It come son us like Joseph's coat of many colors—like a tangible anointing when everything in our lives will increase as far as the opportunities of God. Yes, we can come into the Jubilee anointing and blessing. Jubilee is the cancellation of all debt, the release of all our property, the release of all slaves: all the bondage in our lives. Jubilee heralds the return of our sons and daughters, and the release of our investments. All these things! God released them on Jubilee! And under the anointing of God's Spirit, we can prophecy, proclaim and decree favor and Jubilee, and everything that comes in Jubilee will come into our lives the moment we speak the word. Through the anointing of grace and favor God breaks the Spirit of poverty and lack that has come into our lives and He releases His grace and we can do things that we never did before and lives rich and full lives full of God’s glory and His provisions and His presence. God’s word is true:
Through the anointing we can come into favor with God and men and see increase, not decrease, in our hearts and lives. Through the anointing of grace and favor we can see blessing on us in our storehouses and in all to which we set our hand, We can be blessed when we come in, and blessed we be when you go out. And through the anointing the LORD will cause our enemies who rise against us to be defeated before our face; they shall come out against us one way and flee before us seven ways. God’s words:
But my horn You have exalted like a wild ox; I have been anointed with fresh oil. My eye also has seen my desire on my enemies; My ears hear my desire on the wicked Who rise up against me. The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the LORD Shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing, To declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. Psalm 92:10-15
It shall come to pass in that day That his burden will be taken away from your shoulder, And his yoke from your neck, And the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil. Isaiah 10:27
One reason God is not dismayed by anything that is negative in our lives, is that He knows what the power of His anointing will do. God’s anointing breaks every yoke that the devil puts on our lives be it yokes of poverty, lack, sickness and disease. God’s word is true:
What we need more off in life is not new homes, cars and boats but a great outpouring of God’s Spirit upon the land so that dead bones can have life and dead flesh can live! Then the blessings of God will be everywhere and the works of the devil be destroyed. There is a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit par of the latter rain where abundance and plenty will be restored to God’s true people. What was stolen and lost from God’s people will also be restored:
Be glad then, you children of Zion, And rejoice in the LORD your God; For He has given you the former rain faithfully, And He will cause the rain to come down for you- The former rain, And the latter rain in the first month. The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil. “So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, The crawling locust, The consuming locust, And the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you.
You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, And praise the name of the LORD your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you; And My people shall never be put to shame. Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel: I am the LORD your God And there is no other. My people shall never be put to shame.
“And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. “And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. Joel 2:23-30
And the LORD restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. Then all his brothers, all his sisters, and all those who had been his acquaintances before, came to him and ate food with him in his house; and they consoled him and comforted him for all the adversity that the LORD had brought upon him. Each one gave him a piece of silver and each a ring of gold. Now the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys. He also had seven sons and three daughters. Job 42:10-13
But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me, And my Lord has forgotten me." "Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me. Your sons shall make haste; Your destroyers and those who laid you waste Shall go away from you. Lift up your eyes, look around and see; All these gather together and come to you. As I live," says the LORD, "You shall surely clothe yourselves with them all as an ornament, And bind them on you as a bride does. "For your waste and desolate places, And the land of your destruction, Will even now be too small for the inhabitants; And those who swallowed you up will be far away. Isaiah 49:14-19
Blameless and upright Job who feared God and shunned evil was the greatest of all the people of the East. Seven sons and three daughters were born to him. His possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household. And due to no fault of his one but because of a jealous devil he lost all his possession as well as his children and was afflicted with terrible boils. Yet in spite of his losses and suffering Job held in to Go and stated “For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God, Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! (Job 19:25-27).
Job endured his terrible trial and many afflictions until the end of them. And Lord Himself appeared and brought an end to his losses and sufferings and the Lord to very compassionate and merciful and saw the end intended by the Lord –one of blessing and prosperity, not one of curses and poverty. Yes the Lord in the blessing business and the bible tells us:
Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. 1 Peter 3:8-9
Yes He shall bless us and prosper us. Job says, “I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You” (Job 42:2). Job lost all his children, his possessions, and his cattle. He had boils all over his body and was scratching it with a potsherd (Job 1:1-13) His wife told him to curse God and die (Job 2:7-9). Everybody forsook him but the Lord came seeking him. He told Job that He would manifest His love and power and He did. He restored all Job had lost in a double fold (Job 42:10).
God doesn’t lie His promises are true all of them in due season for His trusting whom He has inscribed on the palms of His hands! The same Lord Who came seeking Job and blessed him in a double fold manner has come seeking us. People may have forsaken us and we may live in a hopeless circumstance. But the Lord says He will embrace us and bless us. He will not only comfort us but He will prosper us with His love. We would have heard of the love of Christ but from today, we shall taste His love in our life. The Bible says, “God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him (1 John 4:16). So, as we invite Him into our heart and we shall be a blessed person in this world. We shall know that He loves us and is there for us especially when we face dark times in life. And as we are deep rooted in His love and manifest His love to others, He will fill our life with His goodness and lovingkindness. His word is true:
Love is expressed primarily not by words but by deeds. God so loved us that He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, His wonderful Counselor, the Holy Spirit, and all things. His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue (2Peter 1:3). He desires that we may prosper in all things and be in health, just as our soul prospers (3 John 1:2). Our flesh and blood bodies are NOW the Temple of the Holy Spirit. We no longer have the "Spirit of the Lord" upon us. We have the "Spirit of the Lord" IN US:
We don’t have to go to Bible college and have several degrees after our name before we can become a POWERFUL holy Ghost filled witness for the Lord Jesus Christ. We don’t have to know a lot about the Bible and Christian doctrines before we can become a POWERFUL witness for the Lord Jesus Christ. We don’t have to FEEL THE POWER of the Lord upon we before we lay hands on someone to be healed, delivered and set free from what the Devil has bound them under. All we need is simple child like faith to DO THE WORKS OF JESUS! Lost, sick and hurting humanity is wating for the sons and daughters of God to be revealed. God’s word is unchanging:
Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, "My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!" So he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces. He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan. Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, "Where is the LORD God of Elijah?" And when he also had struck the water, it was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over. 2 Kings 2:8-15
The Bible says Elijah was a mighty prophet of God whom the Lord used to perform mighty miracles to manifest His power. He had a servant called Elisha who was faithful to him. Elisha knew that the Lord would take up his master Elijah into Heaven by a whirlwind, and he asked Elijah to impart a double portion of the Lord’s anointing to him (Elisha). As Elisha saw his master being taken into Heaven, the mantle of Elijah fell upon him which signified a double portion of the anointing on him (I Kings 19:19; 2 Kings 2:9-10). The Lord performed mighty miracles through Elisha as his master Elijah.
Although Elijah said it Elisha had asked a hard thing God put a double portion of the Spirit that was upon Elijah upon Elisha and the bible records that Elisha did double the amount of miracles that Elijah did. Now God in Christ Jesus is no respecter of person and He is more than willing to give His children a double portion of anointing that they had lost for whatever reason to revive their spiritual life and use them for His glory! If they ask in pray for the Lord to fill them with the Holy Spirit He will answer their prayer. And when they have faith in Him they will do mighty things like the Lord Jesus Christ who said “He who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also.” (John 14:12). The Bible says that he who asks will receive. So they must ask and receive.
God is a God of Miracles and Hope. The bible says in Acts 10:38 "how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. It says in Romans 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. It says in Hebrews 11:1-2 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.
The Lord Who came seeking Job and blessed him in a double fold manner has come seeking the hopeless. People may have forsaken them and they may live in a hopeless circumstance. But the Lord says He will embrace you and bless them. He will not only comfort them but He will prosper them with His love as they invite Him into their heart and they shall become a blessed person in this world.
In the dark times that we live in we must be zealous and trust in the Lord and be deeply rooted in His love and manifest His love to others. We must be filled with His goodness and lovingkingdness as we wait upon Him in His word and in prayer. As we have taken the Lord as our Strong Tower, in our day to day life, and depend on Him totally, He will give us victory in our lives. No weapon formed against us shall prosper (Isaiah 54:17).
We may be oppressed by various burdens and troubled on all sides. Yet, when we place our whole trust on the Lord He will help us, protect us and deliver us. The Bible tells us of Job who went through the path of tribulations. He made the Lord His only trust and as the Strong Tower and boldly proclaimed, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him (Job 13:15). “When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:10). For this reason, the Lord blessed him in His divine name, prospered his life and made Him the most blessed person on earth. When problems crush us, we are not to be disheartened but trust in the Lord casting all our cares upon Him. Then the Lord will give us victory and our mouth shall be filled with praises of thanksgiving for as He fought the battle and gave victory to Kings Asa, against the huge army of one million men, He will fight the battles in our life and give us victory. His word is unchanging:
Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion! For He has strengthened the bars of your gates; He has blessed your children within you. He makes peace in your borders, And fills you with the finest wheat. He sends out His command to the earth; His word runs very swiftly. Psalm 147:12-15
People rich or poor, high or low are in pursuit of peace because there is no peace in their lives and in their borders. But the peace of the Lord shall rest in the lives of His children. So, as we seek the Lord faithfully and He shall fill our borders with peace. He will enlarge our borders, place His bountiful blessings upon the borders and make them peaceful. When the peace of God rests upon our borders, no thief or evil power can enter your borders. The Lord Jesus Christ says, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).
So, when we are filled with the peace of God, we shall work in peace; we shall raise up our children in peace; us shall receive your blessings in peace. Everything shall be a blessing to us and everything we shall enjoy in peace. Anger, strife, hatred, blasts of the wicked ones, vain words etc., shall never enter our borders. This peace shall always be in us, no matter what comes against us. The Lord who is the source of every good thing shall bless us more abundantly and keep us in perfect peace as we put our trust in Him and Him alone. If we humble ourselves and follow the Lord without giving up our faith in Him, He Lord shall bless us with the needed miracle and make our faces radiant with joy. He does not and will not disappoint those who trust in Him but will also restore all things that they have lost including joy! the Lord became poor for our sakes so that we might become rich. He forsook everything for us on the cross so that we would be blessed in life. God’s word is unchanging:
Return, O LORD! How long? And have compassion on Your servants. Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy, That we may rejoice and be glad all our days! Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us, The years in which we have seen evil. Let Your work appear to Your servants, And Your glory to their children. And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us, And establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands. Psalm 90:13-17
For those who may have lost their dear ones and languish in sorrow, or them may live in depression due to loss in their business or debts may crush them or them maybe in any other distress, whatever maybe the reason, the Lord will restore joy to them in a double measure. The Lord says, “Today I declare that I will restore double to you” (The Bible says, “He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.” (Isaiah 53:3). So, He understands our sufferings and agony that rob us of our joy and restore joy in a double measure.
We are to cheer up and seek the Lord Jesus Christ who scarified Himself on the cross for us to give us a blessed life. The Lord says, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick (Matthew 9:12).” The Lord Who loves us shall descend as a physician and deliver us from our problems and bless us. He will restore joy in a double measure and prosper us! He will bless our life and as He gave King David victory over his problems, will do to us likewise. In answer to our prayers He will fill our days with His joy in double measure like Moses prayed. And His mercy and goodness will fill our life. He will break all bondages that make our life miserable. When His Holy Spirit comes into our lives, we are set free from all that which binds us and torments us. He shall deliver us totally from all kinds of bondages. His word is true:
Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:17-18
MAl4:2 But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves. 4: 3 You shall trample the wicked, For they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet On the day that I do this," Says the LORD of hosts.
6:9 "In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.6: 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.6: 12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.6: 13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
10: 1 And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.
11: 28 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 11: 29 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 11: 30 "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
16:19 "And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
18:18 "Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 18: 19 "Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.
17:7 But Jesus came and touched them and said, "Arise, and do not be afraid." 17:8 When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.
12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, -12:2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 12:3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.
28: 18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 28:19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,28: 20 "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
12:29 Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, 0 Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. 12:30 'And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. 12:31 "And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."
17:11 "Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.
17:17 "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. 17:18 "As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 17: 19 "And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.
4:29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 4:30 "by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus." 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
2: 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we mi.ght know the things that have been freely given to us by God. 2: 13 These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 2: 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 2:15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 2: 16 For "who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ.
1:2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. 1:3 For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth.
ROM 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
ROM 15: 19 in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
1JN 2:27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.
The Holy Spirit conducts all true ministry. The Holy Spirit is the source of our ability to minister life and to facilitate His special work in people. The foundation of ministry is the Word of God, the Bible, which was written under the direction of the Holy Spirit. Ministry is to help people accept biblical values that will make positive changes in their behavior and lives. The focus of ministry is to help people develop a close personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Spiritual, physical, and mental healing comes through the process of identity recognition, which is the result of this relationship with Jesus Christ. The hope of ministry is to remove obstacles that keep people from an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ and, to allow them to walk obediently to His purposes for their lives. All health is found in the presence of Jesus Christ. Helping people understand who they are in Him is a balm that heals wounds and scars of past relationships and generations.
Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 1Peter 5:5-10
The bible, the word of God, tells us God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.! A God fearing person may be crushed in life, waiting for blessings, expecting for a good opportunity, expecting a good thing to happen in life, etc., waiting in patience and humility. The Lord will reward their humility and says He will elevate everyone who is humble. The Lord will lift the person up in life when they humble themselves elf under His mighty hands.
The Almighty God came down to earth as Lord Jesus Christ and lived like an ordinary person. He humbled Himself and was obedient to the point of death on the cross. In Philippians 2:9-11, the Bible says that Father God exalted Lord Jesus Christ above every person and above everything in this world and in Heaven. Secondly, the Father has exalted Him, that every knee should bow down at the name of Jesus Christ. Thirdly, God has exalted Him that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord. And because God is no respecter of persons and loves His children equally He will give them the same inheritance as He gave Lord Jesus Christ because they love the Lord. He will give them grace that makes them highly exalted on this earth and men of power and demons shall bow before them. Their Heavenly will exalt them to make them enjoy all goodness in life. God’s word is true”
For the LORD'S portion is His people; Jacob is the place of His inheritance. "He found him in a desert land And in the wasteland, a howling wilderness; He encircled him, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye. As an eagle stirs up its nest, Hovers over its young, Spreading out its wings, taking them up, Carrying them on its wings, So the LORD alone led him, And there was no foreign god with him. "He made him ride in the heights of the earth, That he might eat the produce of the fields; He made him draw honey from the rock, And oil from the flinty rock; Curds from the cattle, and milk of the flock, With fat of lambs; And rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, With the choicest wheat; And you drank wine, the blood of the grapes. Deuteronomy 32:9-14
The Lord, Who called Abraham alone, and blessed him and increased him, LORD will comfort His trusting ones. He will comfort all their waste places; He will make their wilderness like Eden, and their desert like the garden of the LORD; Joy and gladness will be found in it, thanksgiving and the voice of melody. He will make them ride in the heights of the earth and feed them with produce of the fields. He will make them draw honey from the rock and oil from the flinty rock. The Lord calls the things that do not exist though they existed and He shall make them draw honey from the rock. The Lord will give them supernatural blessings and elevate them in life. He will speak miracles and blessings in their life and they shall be blessed So they can rejoice in their humility for their reward of trusting Him is on the way! God’s word is unchanging:
Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:31-39
The Bible tells us there was young man named Daniel who trusted God with all his heart. He prayed to God at all times. Because of his faith in God, he had to face many afflictions. But the Lord delivered him from them all because he trusted in Him (Psalm 34:19). We need to trust in God and depend on Him at all times like Daniel. If we seek the Lord with all our heart. He will be our help. Psalmist David made the Lord his help and said, “Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings” (Psalm 63:7). Then, we are sure to be strengthened and comforted by God Almighty for the Lord Jesus Christ is a compassionate and loving person. When He was in this world, multitudes thronged Him everywhere He went. He was moved with compassion. It was this compassion for the needy person that made Him perform a miracle.
The Bible says that when He was on a mountainside, great crowds thronged Him. They brought the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and He healed every one of them. He knew the heart of every man and knew their problems. That’s why the people stayed with Him for three days and three nights even forgetting about food. They knew the Lord would turn their sorrows into joy and that’s why they were at His feet without food. But the Lord grew concerned about them and did not want to send them away hungry. Though His disciples were with Him, they did not have any compassion on the people. The Lord fed the people and healed the sick and delivered them of their problems. He wiped their tears and sent them home happy (Matthew 15:30-36).
The Lord is alive today and is the same forever. Yes, the compassion He had for the people two thousand years ago is the same even today. He knows the problems we go through and will wipe away our tears. Our sorrow will be turned to joy. The Lord came down to earth and sacrificed His life on the cross to turn our sorrows to joy. It is His delight to bless us and exalt us in life.
We may be suffering in life but the Lord will exalt us very soon. We are to seek the Lord and holdfast to Him in our troubles and the Lord will lift you up. He will turn your sorrows into joy. The Bible says, “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time” (1 Peter 5:6). There is a time to be exalted and God has that time in His hands. In Ecclesiastes 3:11, says God has made everything beautiful in its time. So, we need to cheer up! He will exalt us to high positions in our spiritual life, family life, studies, workplace etc. The Lord will wipe away our tears and exalt us in life and we shall be in a blessed state. His word is true:
And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, "Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you." And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. Hebrews 6:11-14
"He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil." 1 Peter 3:8-12
Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded, Because you disdained all my counsel, And would have none of my rebuke, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes, When your terror comes like a storm, And your destruction comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you. Proverbs 1:24-27
The wicked plots against the just, And gnashes at him with his teeth. The Lord laughs at him, For He sees that his day is coming. The wicked have drawn the sword And have bent their bow, To cast down the poor and needy, To slay those who are of upright conduct. Their sword shall enter their own heart, And their bows shall be broken. Psalm 37:12-15
David was encompassed by many enemies. These criminals and murderers rose up to destroy him. They were strong men - lurking in secret for his soul...prowling around like dogs... shouting insults at him and cursing his God...while being confident that no one could hear or see them. He cried out to God for help, and the Lord heard his cry. He came to David's defense, protected him, and turned his enemies' schemes into ridicule and contempt. He disappointed their counsels... sent them back to their camps in shame and confusion...and exposed them to the derision of others.
What happens when God calls out to people to turn from their wicked ways and turn toward Him and they won't come...when He pleads with them but all is in vain...and when they spurn His counsel and rebuke? In return, He promises to laugh at them and their distress...show no compassion toward them or have any mercy upon them...and mock when their storm of terror surrounds them.
Here we see the wicked plotting against the just. They gnash upon the poor and needy with their teeth and seek to "butcher" those who are upright in character. God - Who regards any assault against the righteous as one against Himself - laughs at these enraged schemers. He considers all their attempts to be vain and ineffectual. He disappoints their designs and confuses their practices. He knows certainly that destruction is following upon their heels. Just as they thought to crush the poor, needy, and righteous -even so will the foot of Justice trample them underfoot. Their day of long delayed punishment - appointed by God - is right around the corner. Connie Giordano - The Sheer Horror Of Having God Almighty Laugh At You
Although God is love and is good, there are those who will not know His love or goodness but only His laughs and mockery because they have disdained all His counsel, and would have none of His rebuke! So now God also will laugh at their calamity; He will mock when their terror comes, When their terror comes like a storm, and their destruction comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon them.
They in their foolishness were too smart to read what God has said would happen to them because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD, they would have none of His counsel and despised His every rebuke. As a result they shall eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled to the full with their own fancies. The turning away of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them (Proverbs 1:28-31)!
Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; "for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood." Matthew 12:41-44
Jesus watched how people put money into the treasury and the rich though they had put in much. But in reality the poor widow gave the most. For she had put in all she had. As a result her reward in heaven would be great, while the reward of the rich would be very small. For the words of Jesus are true even this day:
"There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. "But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, "desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. "So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom.
The rich man also died and was buried. "And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. "Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.'
But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. 'And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.'
"Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, 'for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.' "Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' "And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' "But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.' " Luke 16:19-31
Life is only a once around thing. We do not get a second chance at life. Our real decisions, choices and actions here on earth determine our eternal consequences. If we live only for this temporal world we are nothing but fools just like the rich man. For one day it will all pass away and then we shall be in an eternal world.
Now for some it might be in places they never expected to be. While for others they will be in heaven but only at the bottom level or in the outer courts. Their mansion and kingdom will not be as it could have been, as they had lived quite well here on earth spending things on themselves and ignoring the work of God, as well as others. So Jesus wisely told His disciples:
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; "but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21
A wise man loses what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose and will be with him forever. For the kingdom of God will last forever and will outlast ever other kingdom. Now Jesus went onto state about how we look at things and whom we serve:
"The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. "But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
"Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? "Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? "Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
"So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; "and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. "Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Matthew 6:22-30
It’s true that God’s people cannot serve both God and Mammon they have to make a choice of one or the other. But God, who feeds the birds of the air and clothes the lilies of the field, is able to take care of His own. Not all can accept this fact and some feel that God helps those who help themselves. Such people usually end up in trouble and really will need God’s help. While others lean to their own understanding and make poor and faulty decisions and pay the resultant price for their foolishness. For God’s word is true:
Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:6-12
According to the Word of God we brought nothing into the world and it is certain we will take nothing out. Those who desire to be rich will fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. Due to the love of money some will stray from the faith in their greediness, and pierce themselves through with many sorrows. Definitely this not a nice circumstance to be in. For God’s word is true:
The waywardness of man places him in very precarious position that leaves him far from the purposes God has called him to. Man is destroyed by his own ways. He has forgotten to listen to God’s voice and heed His words. Then he cries when he receives no answer to his prayers. His ways lead to death and destruction. Man harbors only fair opinions of himself and God. Yet he does not do what takes courage to do. God has told him in His Word to be of good courage and do His judgments and follow His statutes. But no, he has to ignore the truth and follow after the vain philosophies of men. Rather doing what men think best than what God thinks is best.
Men’s carnal, frail ways have quickly taken them away from God and have destroyed them. So too now they will be truly destroyed because they have ignored God’s warning through His humble servants and refused to listen to His voice within them. They have chosen the world and vain philosophies to serving God in simplicity and truth. God will do to them as they did to His humble servants. When they cry He will not hear. When they face calamity He will not see. When they draw their last breath He will not sigh. As they had no compassion for the suffering of their own brethren He has no compassion for them. Their destruction has come upon them and they will be no more shortly.
A man's stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth, From the produce of his lips he shall be filled. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit. He who finds a wife finds a good thing, And obtains favor from the LORD. The poor man uses entreaties, But the rich answers roughly. A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:20-24
In times of trouble and injustice God is a just Judge and will do justice to those who cry out to Him. For those who wait upon Him to do justice He will rise up to do justice. And the wicked cannot stand in His presence and He will humble them before the people whom they have oppressed.
The Bible says David was young man who loved the Lord with his heart. He feared the Lord and walked His ways even as a young man. So, God made him a king of Israel after Saul. Shimei who belonged to the family of Saul insulted and humiliated David at the time when all forsook him. Shemei spoke rude words and cursed him. This broke the heart of David. Yet, David said, “May God see my sufferings. May He look at my afflictions". God made him to rise to higher position to be respected by people. He made the same man Shimei to come back to David and seek his forgiveness for the sin of cursing he uttered against him (2 Samuel 19:18-20).
Those who suffer or had suffered are not to lose heart because God loves justice (Isaiah 61:8) and He still is the Judge of all the earth who destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah was great, and because their sin was very grave (Genesis 18:25). Yes, there are serious consequences to great and grave sin that is not repented off.
And because God loves justice He will lift His afflicted ones up in the same place where they were once humiliated. When they depend on God and humble themselves before Him, He will surely lift them up and change all their burdens and honor them (James 4:10 just as He lifted King David in life before his enemies and Hannah before her enemy.
In the Bible we read about Hannah who was a barren woman. She was constantly provoked by her rival severely which made her agony bitter and unbearable. She poured out the bitterness of her soul to the Lord in tears and made supplication to Him. The Bible says that after she poured out her agony to the Lord, her face was no longer sad. The reason was that the Lord had filled her with His peace (1 Samuel 1:2, 6-11, 15, 18) and the Lord answered her prayer causing her to state by the Spirit of the Lord:
There is none like the Lord who gives victories over real enemies. Who is a God of knowledge and by Him actions and not just words are weighted. He breaks the bows of mighty men. He kills and makes alive. He makes poor and makes rich. He sets the beggars among princes to inherit the throne of glory. For the pillars of the earth, righteousness, justice and truth are the LORD'S. He guards the feet of His saints and makes the wicked silent in darkness. For by strength no man shall prevail as the Lord will thunder against them. The Lord will judge the earth and exalt His anointed. Therefore, Hannah and her son Samuel were exalted in a time when the Word of God says:
It’s amazing, how even prominent servants of God, failed to do what God has required of them to do in raising up their children properly. They didn’t teach them to walk in the ways of the Lord and avoid stealing from God’s people. God doesn’t forget nor does he forgive such evil behavior, unless those who did it repent and make restitution. Though, God in His wisdom and patience He delays His judgments, nevertheless, He will require man to pay for all he does wrong.
The foolish religious ones who created the doctrines of fundamentalism, dispensationalism, redemptionalism and other ‘schisms’ say this cannot happen today- that ‘He will not judge the false ones in the house of God?’ Why? Has God changed? Has His method of dealing with the wicked ones changed? Does He condone sin and is now tolerant of wrongs and injustices in the House of God? Obviously, the answer is No! So God’s people should be very careful what they do in the house of God, especially to His children or else their fate is guaranteed. Just like Eli’s they will end up in a place they never expected. In a place where unfaithful and wicked servants God are as Jesus told us:
"But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' "and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, "the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, "and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 24:48-51)
In the days of the high priest Eli, the real Word of the LORD was rare in those days and; there was no widespread revelation of the heart and mind of God just like in America for the last forty years. When the enemies of God’s people passed foolish abortion laws and rulings and discriminated against God’s people. The real men of God had become perverse and corrupt as seen by all the prominent ones who fought over the PTL Club.
It was a time period when the gospel of half-truths, especially about prosperity and giving was preached but not the gospel of whole truths, such as responsibility, accountability, integrity and of seeking justice, righteousness and truth. A gospel that did away with Apostles and Prophets and replaced them with false ones or none at all. A Gospel that did away with judging and judgments and only preached the half-truth of a God of love, redemption and compassion. However, they didn’t preach a God of anger, judgment and vengeance. As every true believer will agree there has to be a balance struck between both sides of God’s truth presented in His Word. The balance between God’s blessings and provisions and God’s judgment upon disobedience.
It was a Gospel, with great emphasis on money but little emphasis on doing things for the least. A Gospel of sissies who ‘tiptoed through the tulips’ so not to offend anyone, while God’s people were being robbed, raped and even murdered by wolves in sheep’s clothing. These prominent ones who preached to others forget the Word of God that spoke about them stating:
The LORD will send on you cursing, confusion, and rebuke in all that you set your hand to do, until you are destroyed and until you perish quickly, because of the wickedness of your doings in which you have forsaken Me. (Deuteronomy 28:20)
God who never had changed had his Hannah’s, Samuel’s and men of God who had integrity and listened to the voice of the Lord and didn’t do what others did. They spoke the Word of the Lord without the niceties and corruption’s that many false ones had done. Hence, God had no choice but to move on their behalf against those who did such evil and wicked things in the house of God and caused the rains of revival to be held back. And move He did! God’s word is unchanging:
Then the LORD rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the LORD out of the heavens. So He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. Genesis 19:24-26
When Judgment fell on Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot’s wife was delivered but then she looked back and became a pillar of salt? Yes, those who don’t obey God’s word will be destroyed just like the others will be about whom Jesus said:
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. “You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? “Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. “Therefore by their fruits you will know them. Matthew 7:15-18
It’s a fact of life that as Christians, as believers, we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. But it’s also a fact that we have at our disposal the use of the name of Jesus which is far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. Everything must bow to the name of Jesus including sickness, disease, poverty, lack, trouble and mountains. God’s word is unchanging:
In ourselves we are nothing and do not have the strength or power to move mountains into the sea. But in God through Christ Jesus we are extremely powerful and we can have whatever we say and believe. Yes, if we have faith and do not doubt, we can say to a mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done. In ourselves we are not sufficient to meet the needs that we face, but in Christ Jesus God shall supply all our need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Our sufficiency is God. There is no defeat or failure in God. God’s word is unchanging:
Yes, God plus one is a majority against any negative circumstances or enemy. More are those who are for us than those who are against us. We are surrounded by innumerable angels whose power is unlimited. In Jesus most distressing hour He could have prayed to His Father, and He would have provided Him with more than twelve legions of angels (Matthew 26:53). But so that the Word of God would be fulfilled Jesus did not. But nevertheless according to God’s word in Hebrews 1:14 each child of God can ask his or her ministering angels to minister to them any time that they need just like they did for Abraham. God’s word is true:
Now Abraham was old, well advanced in age; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. So Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, "Please, put your hand under my thigh, "and I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell; "but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac." And the servant said to him, "Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I take your son back to the land from which you came?"
But Abraham said to him, "Beware that you do not take my son back there. "The LORD God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my family, and who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, 'To your descendants I give this land,' He will send His angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. Genesis 24:1-7
Yes, just like Abraham promised the LORD, who had blessed Abraham in all things, sent His angel with his servant and prospered his way to take a wife for Isaac from Abraham’s family and from his father's house. Yes God has ordained for heirs of salvation to have angels to minister to them just like they did for Jesus and Jacob:
Now Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran. So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep. Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And behold, the LORD stood above it and said: "I am the LORD God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. "Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. "Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you."
Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it." And he was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!" Genesis 28:10-17
Yes, God has promised to send His angels before His children and to protect and bless them and be with them wherever they go and to be an enemy to their enemies and an adversary to their adversaries. His word is unchanging:
"But if you indeed obey His voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries. "For My Angel will go before you and bring you in to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites and the Hivites and the Jebusites; and I will cut them off.
"You shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their works; but you shall utterly overthrow them and completely break down their sacred pillars. "So you shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you. "No one shall suffer miscarriage or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days. "I will send My fear before you, I will cause confusion among all the people to whom you come, and will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. Exodus 23:20-27
Just because men don’t see God’s angels doesn’t mean they are not real. The bible in Hebrews 13:2 tell us ‘Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.’ Men also underestimate the damage that one angel of the Lord can do when he defends God’s people. One angel of the LORD went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand men. The bible records:
"Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the king of Assyria: 'He shall not come into this city, Nor shoot an arrow there, Nor come before it with shield, Nor build a siege mound against it. By the way that he came, By the same shall he return; And he shall not come into this city,' Says the LORD. 'For I will defend this city, to save it For My own sake and for My servant David's sake.' "
And it came to pass on a certain night that the angel of the LORD went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses-all dead. So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and went away, returned home, and remained at Nineveh.
Now it came to pass, as he was worshiping in the temple of Nisroch his god, that his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him down with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat. Then Esarhaddon his son reigned in his place. 2 Kings 19:32-37
And when he came to the den, he cried out with a lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?"
Then the king was exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, because he believed in his God. And the king gave the command, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions-them, their children, and their wives; and the lions overpowered them, and broke all their bones in pieces before they ever came to the bottom of the den. Daniel 6:21-24
Let those be put to shame and brought to dishonor Who seek after my life; Let those be turned back and brought to confusion Who plot my hurt. Let them be like chaff before the wind, And let the angel of the LORD chase them. Let their way be dark and slippery, And let the angel of the LORD pursue them. Psalm 35:4-6
Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. Psalm 91:11
"To whom then will you liken Me, Or to whom shall I be equal?" says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, By the greatness of His might And the strength of His power; Not one is missing. Why do you say, O Jacob, And speak, O Israel: "My way is hidden from the LORD, And my just claim is passed over by my God"? Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:25-31
“My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:19
The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, the Compassionate Lord, who calls out things that do not exist as though they existed and performs miracles (Romans 4:17), has promised to meet and supply all the needs of His trusting ones according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus, even miraculously.
When He was in this world, Jesus was moved with compassion on seeing the huge crowds that came to listen to His preaching. He said that He would not send them away hungry without food (Matthew 15:32). The Lord multiplied the seven loaves of bread and the two fish and fed the multitudes. That was His compassion. He not only fed the multitudes but also took the fragments after every one had eaten well (Matthew 15: 36, 37). Similarly He will meet all the needs of His trusting ones in abundance. It is for this purpose that He came down to earth to give them blessed life as they call upon Him saying, “Speak miracles in my life and remove the lacks in my life through Your power. Let your healing power flow in my and my loved ones. Bless the labor of my hands and my income. Fill my life with Your goodness and lovingkindness in Jesus name!” His word is true:
"Now therefore, stand and see this great thing which the LORD will do before your eyes:1 Samuel 12:16
Yes God is our defense, our rock, our shelter, our salvation and our glory and we can trust in Him at all times and pour out our heart before Him. No matter what our condition is today be it struggling with insufficiency in our life, having no house to live in or no work to earn a living or no blessing of a child in the midst of all these troubles, we can look up to the Lord. We can talk to Him through our prayers, read and meditate on His word and He will come and help us and blessing. The Bible says, “God will never disappoint those who trust in Him (Psalm 62:6). Whatever circumstances we face in life, we can hold fast to the Lord and He will never disappoint us. Our face shall radiate with the joy at His faithfulness, provision and prosperity.
The word of God tells us, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). So, we should first seek Him faithfully, walk in His strength and power and none can stand against us. If we fail to seek the Lord and depend on our wisdom, understanding and power, then surely we will run into trouble. It is the Lord alone Who can preserve us from all evil and dangers (Psalm 121:7). Therefore we must seek Him by reading and meditating on His Word and in prayer and give room to the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives!
When we are joined with the Lord, you become one spirit with Him. “He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him” (1 Corinthians 6:17). It is by prayer that we become joined with the Spirit of the Lord and the fear of this world will leave you. The Lord’s Spirit will overcome our spirit and we shall be more than a conqueror.
When the Holy Spirit abides in us, He will bless us with wisdom, knowledge and understanding. He will put our adversaries to shame. The word of God says, “He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him” (Psalm 91:15). The Lord is near to us and He will help us. He will destroy our enemies and give us victory. He is our Helper and Deliverer (Psalm 70:5). So, we can call upon Him today and see His delivering power manifested in our life.
The Lord has no problem to enable us to overcome any sickness and restored us to good health. He will also help us conquer the problems in our life and lead us victoriously in life for after all Victory is His middle name. The Lord has promised us, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest” (Exodus 33:14). He will go before us and make the crooked places straight in our life (Isaiah 45:2). The Lord Jesus Christ gave up everything for us on the cross to fill our life with goodness and give us eternal life and every good thing. As we hold fast to the Lord He shall abide with us and we shall live a victorious life on earth. He will fill our life with goodness and loving kindness. And He will not let the works of the enemy prosper against us and our family.
The word of God tells us that King David walked with God closely. Whenever he faced problems, he cried to the Lord to sustain him with His grace. “Unless the LORD had been my help, My soul would soon have settled in silence. If I say, ‘My foot slips," Your mercy, O LORD, will hold me up’” (Psalm 94:17,18). When we traverse the path of sufferings, we face problems. When we cry out to the Lord to show us mercy, He will uphold us with His mercy and lead us. However saintly we may be, we stumble in many things (James 3:2) and at such times, when we look up to Him and tell Him, “Lord! please help me”, He will surely help us in our distress. He will cause peace and joy to abound in our lives and His blessing and loving kindness to follow us through our lives. His word is true:
The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, And in the night His song shall be with me-A prayer to the God of my life. Psalm 42:8
The victory that Lord Jesus Christ gives is a perfect victory. Problems may surround us on all sides but the Lord shall give us victory over them. No sufferings of this world can separate us from the love of Christ including tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (Romans 8:35-36). The Lords knows our problems and has an account of them all. The Lord says He will give us total victory over each of your problems. It is His desire to crown us with victory. When you seek the Lord, He will help us to overcome them in perfect victory. It is true that the sufferings of this world are like strong water currents that will drown us. But we do have to worry because He has made us a conqueror in Lord Jesus Christ. As we seek him diligently and obey His voice He will crown us with victory in everything. His word is true:
The worldly life is an evil one. It is full of troubles and sufferings. Yet, those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing (Psalm 34:10). He has the power to say to the waves, “This far you may come, but no farther, and here your proud waves must stop!” (Job 38:11). What He speaks will be done. What He commands will stand fast (Psalm 33:9). Job was a devout man who shunned evil. The Bible says he was the greatest man in the East. God had blessed him because he feared God and followed His ways diligently. But he lost all his children, possessions, and cattle in a day! Like adding fuel to the fire, he was struck with painful boils all over his body. His pain and agony was indescribable. But, Job was steadfast in his faith and said, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (Job 13:15). This indomitable faith in God made Him give Job twice as much as he had before (Job 42:10).
Jesus told that when the people of this world give good gifts to their children, the Father God Who is the source of goodness will surely give every good thing in abundance to those who ask Him (Matthew 7:11). When we ask God for wisdom, He will surely bestow it upon us. James told us “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him”(James 1:5). So, we are to pray fervently and God will bless us with wisdom and every good thing! Our loving Heavenly Father is the source of every good thing and just for the asking He fill our life with His goodness in abundance. He will remove all our lack. He will fill us with more of His love, knowledge and wisdom and understanding for we are His trusting children. He will bless us and make us blessing to the world. His word is true:
How God is very good and great. He is the One who never makes a mistake and never delays. He loves us. But it is necessary that us should wait patiently for Him to act. We should also wait for Him. He will take all responsibilities regarding our future. The Lord will neither forget nor forsake us. The word of God’s tells us that once when David set out for battle against Philistines, the Lord said, "And it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly. For then the Lord will go out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines" (2 Samuel 5:24). David waited for God to take His move. The Lord fought for him and he was victorious. Be not be troubled over anything. God will go before us and do everything for us in perfection. His word is true:
We don’t know the mind of God and as matter of fact we don’t know much at all. We can only receive by faith all the gifts that the Father has for us and others including the gift of faith and wisdom and then use them. We must learn to speak the words that God has whispered in our hearts, and understand that He watches over His word to perform. Then we can rest in Him to do what He said He will do. God’s has promised that there will be seedtime and harvest but he has not told us when? Our responsibility after the seed falls into the ground and dies, is to continue in faith ‑yes, even in wavering faith ‑ believing that the seed of His Word will not fail to produce a bountiful crop even a hundred fold.
Father, You said if we had faith the grain of a mustard seed, we could speak to the mountain and it would be removed. So I speak to my mountain of sickness, poverty and lack in my life and in the name of Jesus Christ, I command it to be removed, uprooted, and cast into the sea. In the name of Jesus, I command it to die at the root, and never to spring up again. By the authority of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, I claim total restoration of every organ, every cell, every part of my body, and in the name of Jesus my body will function in perfection, the way God made it to and for my finances that my storehouse be filled to the brim and be overflowing . I loose great and wonderful miracles of healing and restoration and blessing of every kind spiritual, physical and financial for me my family my loved ones my special friends and for your people in Jesus name.
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. "And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly." Genesis 17:1-2
We can trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. We can delight ourselves in the LORD, and He shall give us the desires of our heart. We can commit our way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth our righteousness as the light and our justice as the noonday because He is a faithful covenant keeping God.
And Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: 'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself. 'Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. 'And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel." So Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before them all these words which the LORD commanded him. Exodus 19:3-7
'You shall not make idols for yourselves; neither a carved image nor a sacred pillar shall you rear up for yourselves; nor shall you set up an engraved stone in your land, to bow down to it; for I am the LORD your God. You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary: I am the LORD. 'If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments, and perform them, then I will give you rain in its season, the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. Your threshing shall last till the time of vintage, and the vintage shall last till the time of sowing; you shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely. I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none will make you afraid; I will rid the land of evil beasts, and the sword will not go through your land. You will chase your enemies, and they shall fall by the sword before you. Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight; your enemies shall fall by the sword before you. 'For I will look on you favorably and make you fruitful, multiply you and confirm My covenant with you. You shall eat the old harvest, and clear out the old because of the new. I will set My tabernacle among you, and My soul shall not abhor you. I will walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people. Leviticus 26:1-12
"Therefore know that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments; Deuteronomy 7:9
The new covenant, taught by Jeremiah in the Old Testament and by Jesus, Paul, and the writer of the Book of Hebrews in the New Testament, is the renewal, restoration, and completion of the covenant God made with Abraham. Consequently, no such thing as a "new" covenant exists. Hence for those who are of the seed of Abraham, God has a covenant to be their God, to bless them, to heal them, to deliver them, to prosper them, to fight for them and to give them power to get wealth! For those who fear Him, the Lord will show them His covenant (Psalm 25:14)! He will not break His covenant with them nor alter the word that has gone out of His lips (Psalm 89:4). He remembers His covenant forever for His word is true:
The works of His hands are verity and justice; All His precepts are sure. They stand fast forever and ever, And are done in truth and uprightness. He has sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever: Holy and awesome is His name. Psalm 111:7-9
Yes God will always bless His chosen ones, His anointed ones, His treasured possessions, the apple of His eyes who call upon Him and put their trust in Him alone! He will not forget them because they are graven on the palm of His nail scarred hands. He is ever mindful of His covenant with His chosen ones! But a covenant has obligations of both sides in order to be valid and not void. We must obey God’s voice and do according to all that He commands us. God’s word is unchanging:
The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, "Hear the words of this covenant, and speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem; "and say to them, 'Thus says the LORD God of Israel: "Cursed is the man who does not obey the words of this covenant "which I commanded your fathers in the day I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, 'Obey My voice, and do according to all that I command you; so shall you be My people, and I will be your God,'"that I may establish the oath which I have sworn to your fathers, to give them 'a land flowing with milk and honey,' as it is this day." ' " And I answered and said, "So be it, LORD."
Then the LORD said to me, "Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying: 'Hear the words of this covenant and do them. 'For I earnestly exhorted your fathers in the day I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, until this day, rising early and exhorting, saying, "Obey My voice." 'Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but everyone followed the dictates of his evil heart; therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but which they have not done.' " Jeremiah 11:1-7
Because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ God has made a new covenant where He puts His law in our minds, and writes it on our hearts; and He is our God, and we are His people. The new covenant was cut between God and Jesus and it cannot be broken. As a result of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection, the covenant has been extended to us. By making us a joint-heir with Him, Jesus allows us to share in His covenant relationship with the Father. Jesus, the last Adam, took back man’s authority and dominion. God gave Jesus to die for our sins. When Jesus said on the cross, “It is finished,” He was referring to the Abrahamic covenant. God promised Abraham that his seed will be blessed and that through his seed all nations shall be blessed.
(Blessing is a key word in the Abrahamic covenant. It includes: Conferring and transference of beneficial power. Fertility in men. livestock. and land. Continued growth of succeeding generations. Peace. Security from enemies. Good fortune. Well-being. Posterity. Liberation from vain toil. Liberation from carefraught wandering. Liberation from base servitude. Liberation from destructive choas of the nations. Political unity. Harmony with neighbors. Victory over enemies. Abundance in the kneading trough.and Protection. Blessings are: Unconditional. Irrevocable. Permanent.)
Jesus is the Seed! Jesus entered hell where death, hell and corruption couldn’t hold Him there. He took back the keys to death, hell and the grave and made it possible for us to partake of the covenant He has with the Father.
Jesus has all power and authority in heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18). Since we were raised with Him, we have all power and authority as well (Ephesians 2:4-7). As a part of the body of Christ, we have been given the authority to declare what is lawful and unlawful in this earth (Matthew 16:18-19). We have been given authority to permit or to forbid things on the earth—even over death (Matthew 18:18-19). We can exercise our power over the Devil (Luke 10:19). Yes, all the promises of God belong to all descendants of Abraham’s descendants (Galatians 3:13-16). We possess the promises of God by right of inheritance through Jesus (Galatians 3:29). As a result belief in Jesus gives us life through His name and authority over the Enemy (John 20:31). Our mindset must align itself with God’s Word and not walk in the flesh, or think carnally. We don’t have put up with whatever the Devil throws at us; God’s Word says that believers have the authority to tell the Devil to flee and to do the works Jesus did:
So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel. Matthew 15:31
Real miracles of God don’t have to be faked they can be seen by all including the mute speaking, the maimed being made whole, the lame walking, and the blind being made to see! And God always has been a miracle working God who miraculously raised Jesus Christ from the dead after the world has done their worst to Him. He also raised Lazarus from the dead! And since God is alive and well and the Lord Jesus Christ stated to His true Children, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20) then not only salvation, healing and deliverance are the birth right of His trusting ones but also miracles. God’s word is unchanging:
When they brought to Jesus those who were demon-possessed He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick (Matthew 8:16). And now God expects His anointed ones to do exactly the same.
Jesus, our pattern for being a son of God, experienced all that He taught. He healed the sick and was never sick Himself. He cast out demons and was never oppressed by any. He carried virtue for prosperity and was not a pauper. Similarly we must rise up vehemently against that stagnation or sickness or any other anti-covenant thing that is hanging around us because the husbandman must be the first partaker of the fruits. It ridiculous for a believer who is to lay hands on the sick to be sick himself, for one who should cast out devils to be oppressed by demons. Every unction passing through us to benefit mankind should benefit us first and foremost. God’s word is unchanging:
"And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; "they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen. Acts 16:17-20
Good and great miraculous signs and wonders should follow believers! By virtue of their status, they are to be followed by signs, not sorrows. The devil himself is under their feet, so wherever they appear he must disappear! However, until they can grasp the reality of their heritage in God as sons of God and who they are in Christ, they can never walk in the miraculous.
A Christian should be ashamed of sickness the way he is of sin. He should be embarrassed at defeat or failure in his life the way he would be at being caught in adultery. Why? By virtue of his new status in Christ, he should not be under anything anymore. So, God is upset when His children are cheated, defeated and manhandled, because on His part, He has done all He needs to do to ensure they live a victorious life. God’s word is unchanging:
God has a plan in place for His beloved people whom he has blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly paces in Christ to enjoy divine health and divine prosperity. Next to salvation from sin, God's desire is that they experience salvation from sickness and lack. When God made the first man, he was physically sound and had an abundance of everything. There was no provision made for any form of medication as sickness was not a part of God's plans for man. Sickness came in with the entrance of sin. In other words, the moment Satan took over the government of this world, and in consonance with his name — "the wicked", the first thing he did was to create sickness. Therefore, as long as a person is a child of the devil, sickness, poverty and lack are a part of his inheritance. However, when anyone escapes the kingdom of Satan, into the kingdom of the Son of God, he has also escaped from the horror of sickness and disease and lack.
Until sin came, sickness and poverty did not exist; so when sin goes, sickness and poverty goes with it. More often than not, the presence of sickness in the body of a believer is as a result of ignorance, because sickness thrives on ignorance. But once a believer can contact the truth of the Word, he has located the final solution to any type of sickness or disease in his body. A believer must understand and appreciate that:
3. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law; therefore, any sickness in our body is a curse from the enemy.
4. Until we curse that sickness and the spirit behind it by ourselves, God is not going to curse it for us.
The good news is that once we are born again, Christ has redeemed us from every curse of the law (Gal.3:13-14), so none can have a hold on us any longer. We are now longer in the domain where curses have a legal right over us. That was why Jesus not only shed His blood, but hung on a tree as well — to secure our redemption from the curses of the law. Therefore the cross of Christ crushed the curse of the law. When sickness or poverty is not a function of sin in a man's life or of ignorance, it can also operate freely under the guise of the curse of the law. God’s word is unchanging:
God’s word tells believers, Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers (3 John 1:2). God wants believers to prosper and be comfortable as well as healthy. He saw them in discomfort and sent Jesus Christ to come and give them the abundant life. Man's discomfort was a result of Adam fall from grace and being driven out of the Garden of Eden where he did not lack anything, he was super comfortable. When Adam fell he was driven out of the Garden of Eden into the wilderness and the gates were shut. Thus, no one could gain access into the garden until Jesus came out of the grave and the gates of life flung open (Psalm 24:7). Among those gates was the gate that led back to Eden. That is to say that God is bringing His people back into their Eden of abundance. Therefore, financial signs are a part of believer’s redemptive rights in God and their Abrahamic blessing.
Satan could not prevail in heaven, so he was cast down to the earth. Two kingdoms are brought to light here. The earthly and the heavenly. Only those who reside in the earthly kingdom are under the wrath of Satan. Those who are born again have been translated from the earthly to the heavenly kingdom. And in the heavenly kingdom there is rejoicing, because there is no place found for Satan there anymore. As a new creature in Christ, we can safely conclude that Satan has no right to be anywhere around us. In our heavenly citizen status therefore, we should be able to display "the riches of His glory" in the face of the devil, not suffering as those in earthly places do. Just like Enoch who was translated so that he did not see death, we have been translated too, so that we do not experience the same buffeting as the world.
The fact that we have been redeemed guarantees us absolute liberty from all forms of oppression of the devil. We are no longer his captive, so he cannot plague our body or tamper with the works of our hand. This knowledge should spur us into reacting against the gimmicks of hell in all areas of your life. Everybody may be complaining about the devil, but God is complaining about the ignorance of His people! There is no mountain anywhere; every man's ignorance is his mountain.
Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone. You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. "Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation." Psalm 91:9-16
God has promised great and wonderful things for those who have made the Lord, even the Most High, their dwelling place. God makes such as these mighty warriors. He places within them His strength and His authority that they might overcome all things and be more than conquerors. He sets them on high places and gives them complete victory. In God’s eyes they are already overcomers and He has already given them the victory. All they have to do is to see it with the eyes of faith and take the victory because Jesus Christ has already defeated their enemy on Calvary. He has Baptized them with His own Holy Spirit and has given them power including power and authority over the enemy. Their power is so much greater than the power of the devil for greater is He that is in them than he that is in the world. God’s word is unchanging:
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Ephesians 6:10-11
They are to fight not in their own strength or in their own power, but in power of God’s might. And God is mighty and through the Spirit that He has place within them He is able to make them mighty and to strengthen them. As they listen to His voice and see what He sees He will lead and guide them to victory. He will pour out His presence and His strength and His authority and wisdom and His love into them. He will enable them to do great and mighty feats not only in battle, but for the people around them. He is after all the God of all power, the God of Breakthrough, the God of miracles and that God of victory. His word is unchanging:
"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." John 14:12
Knowledge without action has no value. They must by faith tap into this knowledge that all that God has and is belongs to them and that His plans for them are good not evil. And what God has promised He will do for those who believe and trust in His name. As a result His trusting ones will do the works that Jesus did and great works than these as they love Him and obey Him with a willing heart. He will bless them and bring prosperity to them and make a way before them as He has promised to do. His word is true:
Yes, God will bless and increase them. He will comfort all their waste places. He will release health and healing over them. He will make their wilderness like Eden, and their desert like the garden of the LORD; Joy and gladness will be found in it, thanksgiving and the voice of melody. For those who fear His name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings; and they shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves. They shall trample the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of their feet. God’s word is true:
Those who choose to obey God and His word and honor Him in all they do, He will honor them and give them the gifts of abundant life and peace and joy and contentment. He will cause them to grow strong and mature, and will place a greater measure of His anointing on their life. And when the enemy comes in, like a flood the Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him (Isaiah 59:19) For God is a God of promise who keeps all His promises and performs His word for those who do their part including trust God and taking Him at His word. They need to trust Him with all their heart and believe the promises that He gives them for then they will be success and prosperous. His word is unchanging:
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones. Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine. My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor detest His correction; For whom the LORD loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights. Proverbs 3:3-12
The Lord’s chastening comes to all of God’s true children to purify them, to refine away the impurities from their life and to remove the pollution of their carnal nature, where God purge away the lusts of the flesh and the sinful attitudes and thinking patterns that so easily beset them. In the fires of tribulation by His Spirit God builds and forms His character and His nature within them as they look only to Him and walk by faith, not by sight. God’s word is unchanging:
Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears. Hebrews 12:11-17
God takes all of His servants through His refining process to cause them to grow and mature. He teaches them in the storms and troubles of life to walk by faith and not by sight and to look only to Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of their faith. Even the very hairs of their head are numbered and it’s their Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom- all of it. God’s word is unchanging:
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith-the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:6-9
Bring back our captivity, O LORD, As the streams in the South. Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him. Psalm 126:5-6
by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant. Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:22-25
There is no one who will do for them what God will do for them including cleansing them from all their filthiness and from all their idols; giving them a new heart and putting a new spirit within them; taking the heart of stone out of their flesh and giving them heart of flesh; putting His Spirit within them and causing them to walk in His statutes, and keeping His judgments and doing them; delivering them and prospering them; taking all famine away from them and rebuilding and restoring all things. No one can bless and prosper them like the Lord who riches and resources are unlimited. His word is unchanging:
Yes, the God who took nobodies like Joseph, David and Mordecai and made them into somebody’s is alive and well and able to do the same for anyone who trusts in Him and walk with Him no matter what the negative situation and circumstance. God’s word is unchanging:
"And I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, 'Your eyes have seen all that the LORD your God has done to these two kings; so will the LORD do to all the kingdoms through which you pass. 'You must not fear them, for the LORD your God Himself fights for you.' Deuteronomy 3:21-22
The LORD thundered from heaven, And the Most High uttered His voice, Hailstones and coals of fire. He sent out His arrows and scattered the foe, Lightnings in abundance, and He vanquished them. Psalm 18:13-14
King David, whom God took from following the sheep be ruler over God’s people, over Israel, knew from first hand experience that the greatness, the power and the glory, the victory and the majesty belongs to the LORD and all that is in heaven and in earth is His included the kingdom, and He is exalted as head over all. He knew from experience that both riches and honor come from the Lord who reigns over all. And in whose hand is power and might; in His hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. Hence David the anointed one, before he became king, told cowardly and fearful king Saul about the mighty Goliath "Let no man's heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine."
King Saul said to him, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth." But David said to Saul, "Your servant used to keep his father's sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. "Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God." Moreover David said, "The LORD, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." And Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you!" (1 Kings 17:33-35).
David made his confession of faith and put his faith in God and went and took on the Philistine in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom he had defied. The bible records:
And the Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!" Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. "This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. "Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD'S, and He will give you into our hands."
So it was, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hastened and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David. Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. 1 Samuel 17:44-51
Victory comes from the LORD through the method of His choosing for those who confess and stand on His word. David used one stone, not a sword, and brought the mighty enemy down. He then had to take Philistine’s sword to kill him and cut off his head with it. David’s vanquish over Goliath was only one of many battles that he was to fight in his life until the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies all around (2 Samuel 7:1); as well Saul's house and Saul's wives into his keeping, and gave him the house of Israel and Judah (2 Samuel 12:8). David discovered the secret of victory for himself. The bible records:
Then the Philistines went and made a raid on the Valley of Rephaim. And David inquired of God, saying, "Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?" And the LORD said to him, "Go up, for I will deliver them into your hand." So they went up to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there. Then David said, "God has broken through my enemies by my hand like a breakthrough of water." Therefore they called the name of that place Baal Perazim. And when they left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire.
Then the Philistines once again made a raid on the valley. Therefore David inquired again of God, and God said to him, "You shall not go up after them; circle around them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees. "And it shall be, when you hear a sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall go out to battle, for God has gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines." So David did as God commanded him, and they drove back the army of the Philistines from Gibeon as far as Gezer. Then the fame of David went out into all lands, and the LORD brought the fear of him upon all nations. 1 Chronicles 14:9-17
David secret was that in time of trouble he would inquire of God what to do. And God would tell him what to do to have the victory. As a result of his obedience and faith, something supernatural happened on that battlefield. David described it as the power of God or the anointing of God coming on the scene like the breaking forth of waters. It was like a flood that could not be contained.
And similarly if we will inquire of God what to do in the time of trouble and distress, He will tell us and He will be for us the “God of Breakthrough” for just like Jesus was for others. Jesus told the blind man "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" and to his Simon, Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch" and they received their needed breakthrough. The bible records for our profit and instruction:
When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing. John 9:6-7
So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net." And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. Luke 5:1-7
Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:29-31
The poor and needy always have a friend in Jesus, whose understanding is unsearchable. Having lived as a man and was in all points tempted as they are, yet without sin they have some one who sympathize with their weaknesses, and understands all that they are going through. And being God the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, He has more than enough power to move and act on their behalf. He who walked the shores of the sea of Galilee is still the same healing and miracle working Jesus. God’s word is unchanging:
And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons. Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean." Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed." As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them." testimony to them." However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction.Mark 1:39-45
Therefore the LORD will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him.For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem; You shall weep no more. He will be very gracious to you at the sound of your cry; When He hears it, He will answer you. Isaiah 30:18-19
For those who come to Jesus Christ and touch Him by faith He is able to do for them exceedingly abundantly above all that they ask think or pray just like Jesus promised, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes" (Mark 9:23). "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them (Mark 11:24). But for some people the whole process is a complete waste of time because they don't mix the word of God with faith and it doesn't profit them. God’s word is unchanging:
Unbelief if unchecked robs us of all the things that God has for us just like it robbed the children of Israel who were miraculously delivered from their Egyptian captors and spoils with the wealth and riches of Egypt from going into the promised land. Only Joshua and Caleb who had a different spirit in them and has followed the LORD fully, did He bring into the land where they went, and their descendants inherited it. God’s word is uchanging:
Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Psalm 51:11-12
Then she named the child Ichabod, saying, "The glory has departed from Israel!" because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband. 1 Samuel 4:21
Since Satan is the great deceiver and even Christians can be deceived it is possible and it happens to men that they are deceived and led away from the truth without knowing it. If the person being deceived knew they were being deceived, then deception would not have occurred. One must believe that one is not deceived in order to be deceived. It is just that simple.
And Christians get deceived with they put their own perspective on things instead of God’s and when they seek their own kingdom instead of God’s! The word of God tells us in Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. So what may seem right, can lead to death because the consequence of sin is death. In other words a Christian can be confident that he or she is serving the Lord when he is actually deceived. This is because what we do things that “seems to be right” in our eyes.
It is a very sad thing when the glory of God has departed due to deception or willful sin from a person, a church or a denomination. Just because a person or a group of people started out serving God, being led by the Holy Spirit and continuing in His Word, doesn’t mean they will not fall away or be deceived when God’s blessings will be abundant and they begin to rely on their own strength, wisdom and power rather than God’s strength, wisdom or power. Yet God’s word is unchanging:
Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears. Hebrews 12:11-16
The word of God tells us the God’s chastening is profitable only for those who have been trained by it and not for those who reject it by not strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and making straight paths for their feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. Those who don’t pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord will find themselves in places they never expected to be along with those who have fallen short of the grace of God; allowing root of bitterness springing up causing trouble, and by this many become defiled; becoming fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright and afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.
In the world and in Christian ministry and churches power and greed do corrupt even pastors who forgot when they came from. They were once nothing or a nobody and God again can make them to be a nothing or nobody by turning the church into a corporation. And operating like a corporation not a church. As a result their members of their church corporation become more loyal to a man than to the Jesus Christ and spirituality turns into carnality. And carnality that is further driven by the obsession for power, position and possession often is the perfect recipe for disaster causing the Spirit to depart and deceiving demons to take its place. God’s word is true:
And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, "Do you come peaceably?" And he said, "Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice." Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons, and invited them to the sacrifice. So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, "Surely the LORD'S anointed is before Him." But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
So Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, "Neither has the LORD chosen this one." Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, "Neither has the LORD chosen this one." Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, "The LORD has not chosen these." And Samuel said to Jesse, "Are all the young men here?" Then he said, "There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the sheep." And Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and bring him. For we will not sit down till he comes here." So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking. And the LORD said, "Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!" Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah. But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the LORD troubled him. 1 Samuel 16:8-14
Yes the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.” Men forget the story of Samson. Once empowered by the Spirit there came a time when the LORD departed from him and Samson was not even aware that it happened (Judges 16:20). When the Spirit of God departs we no longer have real life but death and it’s only a question of time when the death will manifest itself to all! God’s word is unchanging:
"And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ' These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: "I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. "Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. "Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. "You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. "He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Revelations 3:1-6
The church in Sardis had a name that it was alive but in reality it was dead. The Spirit of God had departed from their midst. Instead of overcoming all things they were overcome and needed to “Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.” And now Jesus warned them that He would blot the name of all the individual members of the church in Sardis who had defiled their garments and were overcome!
Yes God has no great love or respect for losers when He made them to be winners and His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2 Peter 1:3-4).
It’s not wonderful thing to be a hollow shell of what used to be full of life or Ichabod just because some people were deceived by the deceiver! But God’s word is unchanging:
Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. James 1:16-27
Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 1 Corinthians 12:29
Yes the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all and the bible tells us to some are given the work of miracles and they are workers of miracles. Yes, the gift of miracles is for the church. And if you are a born-again believer, then you are the church and you are a candidate for a miracle, today. For there are things in our lives and circumstances which will not change except for a miracle from God. But God is a good God and a Miracle working God. His word is true:
But he stationed himself in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. And the LORD brought about a great victory. 2 Samuel 23:12
Jesus said, "For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Mark 11:23
Miracles exist because God exists, but God's marvelous, miracle-working times have been preceded by times of marvelous, miracle-working praying. Jesus constantly prayed during the ministries. And the disciples prayed after Jesus left for the Holy Spirit and His power and they received it to do miracles. Prayer is simply asking God to do for us what he has promised us he will do if we ask him. The answer is a part of prayer, and is God's part of it. God's doing the thing asked for is as much a part of the prayer as the asking of the thing is prayer. Asking is man's part. Giving is God's part. The praying belongs to us. The answer belongs to God.[i]
I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification. 1 Corinthians 14:5
Amongst fundamentalist Christians there is a great sacred debate about how the bible is the inspired word of God. God so guided the authors of Scripture as to enable them to write exactly the words which convey His truth to men, and in doing so preserved their judgements from error in the original manuscripts. The Word of God as given to us in the Bible is a product of two free agents, human and divine. Through (fallible) human authors, God manifested the infallible and errorless writings, which convey His messages. And then these fools reject the gifts of the Spirit including tongues that the inspired word of God says is necessary to the Christian life! Now that doesn’t make sense at all! Yet God’s word is unchanging:
Many people have not learnt yet that soulish prayers are useless but prayers prayed in the Spirit are always answered by God because they orginate with God. God the Father knew we would not know how to pray as we ought, that is why he filled us with the Holy Ghost and gave us a prayer language, (Rom. 8:26,27). Some of our prayers are not answered because we ask improperly, but when we pray in tongues we know that we are praying according to the will of God. God’s word is unchanging:
Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:6-7
Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel. Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. 1 corinthians 14:12-15
God has called His people to walk in love and understanding. He wants them to be unified and in agreement because that is when they are most effective for the kingdom. But the enemy stirs up strife and confusion through foolish words from an uncontrolled tongue. God’s word is unchanging:
An ungodly man digs up evil, And it is on his lips like a burning fire. A perverse man sows strife, And a whisperer separates the best of friends. Proverbs 16:27-28
Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh. Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. James 3:10-18
Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered. 1 Peter 3:7
Yes divisions including between a man and wife hinder our prayers when we don’t walk in love and understanding. Our prayers are answered when we walk in the power of agreement and unity. We are called to walk worthy of our calling with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. We are called to balance the gift of the Spirit with the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. God’s word is unchanging:
Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. Galatians 5:19-26
Yes, the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, we must also walk in the Spirit, not in the flesh!
God has never planned nor intended that the gifts and fruit of the Spirit lay dormant in the lives of His people. When He gave them His only begotten Son, Jesus, and His wonderful counselor the Holy Spirit, He had planned that they would walk in love and adorn their lives with the single fruit of the Spirit including love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. He had willed that they should be 'filled with the fruits of righteousness' (Philippians 1:11). They should be 'neither barren nor unfruitful' (2 Peter 1:8). "For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth." (Ephesians 5:9)
God has given His people the fruits of the Spirit only with a view to fill us with the qualities of goodness, righteousness and truth. The gifts of the Spirit and the fruits are to go hand in hand together with love being the unifying force because God’s word is unchanging:
"Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith."1 Timothy 1:5
Yes, the fruits of the Spirit come from love born out of a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith. That is why God works on us to develop in us a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith so that the great fountain of Love will spring in us, only if Love is genuinely born in our hearts, the fruits of the Spirit will emerge in us. A man with mere 'Gifts' is not an effective man. Only with two wings can a bird fly; the loss of even a single wing will hamper its flight.[ii]
We are not perfect if Gifts and Fruits don’t work together in unison in our Spiritual life. We need to allow 'love' to flow from our minds by the power and anointing of the Spirit. We need to continually walk and live in the Spirit and not in the flesh. Yes we need for God to fill us with His Spiritual 'Gifts' and decorate us with the 'Fruits' so we can minister by the Spirit to a lost, hurt, and dying humanity that is need of the demonstration of God’s power. God’s word is unchanging:
Yes, our Lord Jesus Christ has authority over all the evils. Many times, the devil brings sicknesses to us. He enters into our body and dwells in us. Lord Jesus Christ came into this sinful world to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). He destroyed the devil on the Cross of Calvary and overcame him. According to Philippians 2:10, "At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth." God wants the might, which was in Jesus, to be in us too! When Jesus sojourned on this earth, He gave His authority to His twelve disciples and asked them to go and heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead and cast out demons (Matthew 10:8; Luke 9:2). As He said, they received His authority and performed miracles.
Yes, the power of God operating through a yielded vessel walking love can do in a split second that years of perspiration cannot do including healing a broken heart, removing cancer from a sick body, giving sight to the blind, and setting free the oppressed and possessed. Yes, Our heavenly Father gives His Holy Spirit to those who ask Him (Luke 11:13). We need to pray earnestly that the Lord should grant us a mighty anointing of His Holy Spirit and help us to shine as a witness for Christ in the days to come.(Acts 1:8 & 2:17).
We can also receive God's Spirit and do His ministry with signs and wonders. We can come to the creator of Heaven and Earth, our Almighty God and surrender ourselves completely. We can ask Him to heal all our physical, emotional and spiritual ailments. Relieve us from all the bondages of the flesh. Fill us with His Holy Spirit in Jesus name and grant us His strength and might so that we can be a channel of blessing to others. And meet and supply all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Our God is an embodiment of great love and compassion. When we fear and obey Him, He will grant us rich blessings. He knows our heart's desires and yearnings. He will fulfill all our desires. We can pour out all our cares and worries at the feet of Lord Jesus. He loves and cares for us. He intercedes for us to the Heavenly Father and meets all our needs. God will always remember us and save us from destruction.
"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. John 14:12-13
The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule by their own power; And My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end? Jeremiah 5:31
"Behold, I am against those who prophesy false dreams," says the LORD, "and tell them, and cause My people to err by their lies and by their recklessness. Yet I did not send them or command them; therefore they shall not profit this people at all," says the LORD. Jeremiah 23:32
The word of God is very clear there is no profit from prophets who prophesy falsely and cause God’s people to err by their lies and their recklessness! We have an excellent example for modern day false Third wave prophets such as Georgian and Winnie Banov, Bobby Conner, Patricia King, Tracey Armstrong, Ben Dunn, Rich & Dottie Kane, Kathleen Peck, and David Piper of “New Day World Ministries” and their “Healing Reign” Unleashing God’s Healing Power Over Tampa Bay, FL! March 19-22, 2009 – advertized:
The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead is calling the Body of Christ to rise up and command the spirit of sickness and death to leave our bodies, to leave our families, and to leave even our neighborhoods, cities and regions.
This Healing Reign Conference and Pre-Conference Healing Rally is a call to gather the bold eagles of God. We are lifting up the ‘out of proportion’ solution that Christ offered through His death on The Cross, and we are declaring the defeat of cancer and all other terminal diseases. He has empowered us with His shed Blood and we the Body are standing up in boldness declaring Tampa Bay a “cancer-free zone.”
A simple checking of the cancer wards and hospices in Tampa Bay showed that Tampa Bay was not a “cancer-free zone.” Yes liars lie and deceivers deceive especially Patricia King of Extreme Prophetic is a weirdo and a demon possessed individual!
Not surprising Patricia King is a speaker at Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship May 13 - 16, 2009 along with Marl Stibbe. And the bible tells us about the Church of the False Prophetess in Thyatira:
“Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repented of their deeds And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts and I will unto every one of you according to your works. But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden,” (Rev. 2:18-24).
The Prophetess led members into practices of immorality and idolatry. The things of Satan: Twice we read of “the synagogue of Satan” (Rev. 2:9; 3;9) at Pergamum was “The throne of Satan” (Rev. 2:13); In the letter to Thyatira mention is made the “deep things of Satan” (Rev. 2:24).
“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils: Speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth,” (1 Tim. 4:13).
1. “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you.”
“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like; of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God,” (Gal. 5:19).
Forgive us Lord Jesus. Open the eyes of our hearts, Lord, that we may see You, once again. David Wilkerson
1) They teach the deification of man and deny exclusive deity of God. Proponents of this teaching believe we will be as God and that this army literally BECOMES Christ!
2) They teach and believe in the immortality and glorification of the elect “New Breed” or “Manifested Sons of God” aside from the literal presence of Christ.
4) They believe that scripture is NOT the ONLY source of redemptive truth but rather there is progressive revelation through angelic visitations, dreams, and visions that are discouraged from being examined in the light of scripture.
6) Their agenda is political- they want to take over the world (for Jesus of course) and believe that those in opposition to this should die.
This New Breed is “an elite group of believers endowed with supernatural power that would enable them to be part of the army of “dread warriors” that God was said to be raising up in our generation. According to John Wimber this is a type of “Joel’s Army” who will overcome all opposition to the gospel and eventually subdue the nations. This teaching is part of what is known as “dominion theology” which teaches that an elite army of “overcomers” will either destroy or subdue all the enemies of Christ until they eventually gain power and authority throughout the world. The government of the nations will be upon their shoulders and when all the secular authorities, governments, princes and kings have finally submitted to them, Christ will return and they will present the kingdom to him. (Prophecy Today, Vol. 7, No. 1, England)
The last enemy to be conquered is death. Who will conquer it? A mature Church will come forth with the kind of authority and power that will be able to stand in the very face of Satan [“Joel’s Army,” ed.]. When the Church reaches that state of maturity, God will be able to say, “This generation of the Church does not need to die. She has reached a place of maturity. I will translate her because her maturity pleases me.” What was the testimony about Enoch? He pleased God. When the Church becomes so mature that as a Body we achieve the unity of faith, God will find her pleasing and say, “She is mature enough now. She doesn’t have to die…” [“Manifest Sons of God,” ed.] Earl Paulk – in “The Wounded Body of Christ”
Who is being glorified in these teachings? The Church! According to these teachers apostles, and prophets, the Church that is now coming forth and being manifest is the coming Christ we’ve been looking for!! This is not just error it is blasphemy! Source http://www.deceptionbytes.com/JoelsArmy
Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. 'And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. "And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." Mark 12:29-311
"You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. "No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. "These things I command you, that you love one another. John 15:14-17
In many so called Christian churches we have another gospel preached than the one that Jesus preached including that the first commandment 'Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. 'And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' And in this false gospel who cares about 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself' or "These things I command you, that you love one another?”
We actually have preachers and churches who teach us “God’s plan for you is health, wisdom, and prosperity and with the complete absence of sickness or lack.” “God’s plan for you is the wealth of the wicked is stored up for the righteous." “God's plan for you is houses we didn’t build, wells we didn’t dig, fields we did not plant.” “God’s plan for you is total obedience to your Pastor(s)!” And were in the world does the first and second commandments come into play in all this when all of this false gospel is man centered not God centered?
"For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother." Matthew 12:50
Seeking the blessings of God and doing the will of God are two completely different matters! And there are many who choose to their own harm to heed the word of God that James gave My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment ( James 3:1). There is a stricter judgment by God for those who have assumed and presumed things that did not come from the Holy Spirit or teaching wrong doctrine causing dissensions. God’s word is true:
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope, To Timothy, a true son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. As I urged you when I went into Macedonia-remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith. Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm. 1 Timothy 1:1-7
The LORD of Lords, the King of kings is not a King without authority. He is not a Father without love for His children. He loves His children dearly. He is the King Who has the authority and power to save His people. His will manifest His power to His sons/daughters. He will reveal that He is a Father Who is not silent about their agony but cares about them. He will prove that He is the King as well as the Almighty God with all authority to deliver them from their problems. The Lord will do justice to them and bless them. The Lord will answer their prayers and turn all their sorrows into joy for He is after all the might God. He will manifest His power and defeat the evil powers that creates problems in their life. He will do a miracle now by answering their prayers and bless me. He will turn all their sorrows into joy.
God’s true ones are not to be shy. They are to ask God what they will and He will do it because He loves them so much. He has promised to do whatsoever they ask in Jesus name. They can come to His throne boldly and He will hear their prayers and He will deal with their concerns. For they have His promises, His person and Him. Hence they can walk in the assurance of God’s Presence in their life. For as God walked with Noah, Joseph, Moses, Daniel, Elijah, and Jesus so now He walks with them. God in Christ Jesus has given to us His P’s. The P’s of His presence, promises, person, power, protection, provision, prosperity, providence and promotion:
Angels only respond to the voice of God's Word that we decree (Bless the LORD, you His angels, Who excel in strength, who do His word, Heeding the voice of His word. Bless the LORD, all you His hosts, You ministers of His, who do His pleasure. Psalm 103:20-21). Then, they can carry out His pleasure in our life--our prosperity (Psalm 35:27). We can command them to hearken to the voice of God's Word that we speak. We can command them to go to the north, south, east and west to divinely clear the path to our wealthy place. We can rejoice, knowing that our covenant is established with God. Concentrating on circumstances rather than on God's promises causes many people to struggle. Our situation may seem impossible, but we focus on our covenant instead. We walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).
Those who cannot do the greater works than Jesus did are not true ministers of the gospel but false ones. True ministers of the gospel minister in the power of the Spirit to the lost and hurting ones and make a real difference in the lives. They minister love, healing, joy, wisdom, strength, edification and power just like Jesus did. They minister the gifts of the Spirit and other gifts as true apostles and prophets of God. They freely give what they have freely received from God. God’s word is true:
Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, Until these calamities have passed by. I will cry out to God Most High, To God who performs all things for me. He shall send from heaven and save me; He reproaches the one who would swallow me up. Selah God shall send forth His mercy and His truth. Psalm 57:1-3
One of the criticisms leveled against “Word of Faith” crowd is “If we can produce whatever our hearts desire by simply demanding what we want by faith, if we can manipulate the universe and perhaps even God, then we have our own personal genie just waiting to fulfill our wishes. Frederick K.C. Price wastes no words when he writes:
"Now this is a shocker! But God has to be given permission to work in this earth realm on behalf of man. … Yes! You are in control! So if man has control, who no longer has it? God. ... When God gave Adam dominion, that meant God no longer had dominion. So, God cannot do anything on this earth unless we let Him or give Him permission through prayer" (Prayer: Do You Know What Prayer Is. ... and How to Pray? The Word Study Bible, p. 1178).
But we do have the psalmist David appearing to manipulate God and having his own personal genie just waiting to fulfill his wishes when he states “I will cry out to God Most High, To God who performs all things for me. “ And Jesus clearly told believers:
So how can “Word of Faith” critics restrict or complain about what God will or will not do for a believer? They cannot! However the Word of God is also very clear about the value of mountain moving faith without love:
For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.1 Corinthians 3:12-17
According to scriptures doing anything without having love profits us nothing. And anything means just about anything! According to scriptures every one’s work will be tested by fire to see if its gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw. If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. And if anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. So even legitimate things and works such as mountain moving faith can be burnt up for being devoid of love?
Yet all of this doesn’t change the fact that God has a covenant with His true trusting ones to be a God unto them, an enemy to their enemies and an adversary to their adversaries (Exodus 23:32). Critics of Word of faith don’t like the concept of "The first step to spiritual maturity is to realize your position before God. You are a child of God and a joint-heir with Jesus. Consequently, you are entitled to all the rights and privileges in the kingdom of God, and one of their rights is health and healing". But scripture doesn’t tell us that Jesus or any of the Apostles as the “son of God” were sick or remained sick? On the contrary Apostle Peter, James and John clearly tell us:
So the scripture truth is that God wants us to prosper in all things and be in health, just as our soul prospers and has made provision for healing through the prayer of faith! It’s biblical and it’s in the bible no matter what Word of Faith critics say or think about it! Yes God’s word is unchanging about fleshly people even so called Christians being undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, and unmerciful:
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. Romans 1:28-32
Yes the word of God tells us that the natural man, the carnal man, does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But the spiritual man is taught by God by the Holy Spirit and speaks not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches! Babes cannot handle the solid food of the word of God because solid food belongs to those who are of full age.
Because babes have not come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, they are children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, and don’t speak the truth in love, as they have not grown up in all things into Him who is the head-Christ. And God’s word is unchanging:
"He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. Revelations 3:5
The bible tells us when God delivered the Children of Israel from their Egyptian oppressors He not only spoiled them with the wealth of Egypt by bringing them out with silver and gold, but there was none feeble among His tribes (Psalm 105:37).
This modern materialistic society with its great emphasis on intellectualism and humanism has rejected the many commandments of God including:
In the midst of the storms of life when we are assailed by the curses of sin, suffering, poverty, lack and death, we can trust in God to turn all things around and meet and supply all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. We can also take great hope in the fact that no storm on this earth no matter what magnitude is greater than our God!
Samuel also said to Saul, "The LORD sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore, heed the voice of the words of the LORD. "Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. 'Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey. 1 Samuel 15:1-3
The bible, the word of God, tells us that God repays men even groups of men for what they have done to His people or His servants! With God justice delayed is not justice denied but God given men a chance to repent while they have time! And even in the current time of life God’s rewards to men for their deeds are positive and negative! God destroyed evil and wicked Sodom and Gomorrah making it to be a nonexistent thing and blessed greatly Abraham who obeyed God when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. The bible tells us:
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude-innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. Hebrews 11:8-12
"Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; "but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. "Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed. "In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back. "Remember Lot's wife. "Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.. Luke 17:28-33
After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. Then He said to them, "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. "Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. "Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road. "But whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house.' "And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you. "And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house. "Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. "And heal the sick there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.' "But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 'The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.' "But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city. Luke 10:1-12
Evangelical Christians don’t talk about being lambs amongst wolves “But whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house.' "And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you. But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 'The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.' "But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.
Jesus Christ gave His true ones the right to give peace to a city or to take it away by their words in return for their acceptance or rejection by men! And when there is no peace in a city it becomes hell on earth! God’s word is unchanging:
Jesus cursed the fig tree and immediately the fig tree withered away! And when the disciples saw it, and they marveled, saying, "How did the fig tree wither away so soon?" Jesus didn’t tell them they should do what He did or curse any other thing? Rather Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done. In other words if they believe there is great power in their spoken words for Jesus also told His disciples:
In other words for believers the works that they can do by their words is only restricted by their unbelief because with God "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." God’s word is true:
But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible." Mark 10:27
Whatever God has done before He can and will do again for those who believe! And it’s doers of the word, and not deceived hearers only, who are blessed in what they do and say (James 1:22-25). Yes faith without works is dead (James 2:20). Abraham, a man of faith, demonstrated works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar believing that God was able to raise him up from the dead (Hebrews 11:17-20)! And the bible tells us that works of faith produce great results in the current time of life even making the walls of Jericho fall down after they were encircled for seven days:
By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace. And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Hebrews 11:30-34
and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you,' and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.' " Matthew 4:6
Theologians and preachers who are bankrupt in things that are God including miracles, signs, wonders, love, the gift and fruits of the Spirit tell us many lies including we cannot ask for angels to come and help us and fight our battles or that we must constantly be aware of angels and even worship them! Yet the bible clearly tells us:
"Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. Matthew 18:10
Multiple angels have been assigned to each child of God and just for the asking God can provide his trusting children with more than twelve legions of angels to minister to them and help them in time of need! And that is why Elijah wasn’t worried when there was an army surrounding the city with horses and chariots who had come against him! The bible tells us:
And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?" So he answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them." And Elisha prayed, and said, "LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, and said, "Strike this people, I pray, with blindness." And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. Now Elisha said to them, "This is not the way, nor is this the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek." But he led them to Samaria. So it was, when they had come to Samaria, that Elisha said, "LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see." And the LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and there they were, inside Samaria Now when the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, "My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?" But he answered, "You shall not kill them. Would you kill those whom you have taken captive with your sword and your bow? Set food and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master." Then he prepared a great feast for them; and after they ate and drank, he sent them away and they went to their master. So the bands of Syrian raiders came no more into the land of Israel. 2 Kings 6:15-22
Elijah was aware of the power of God and what faith in God can do and he had no qualms to pray to God to move Him to do something about this negative situation. So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, and said, "Strike this people, I pray, with blindness." And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. And Elisha led them to Samaria. Amazingly Elisha prepared a great feast for them; and after they ate and drank, he sent them away and they went to their master. So the bands of Syrian raiders came no more into the land of Israel. And the bible clearly tell us that God wants us to be aware of what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power:
So instead of worrying about and struggling with the needs in our life, we can just walk boldly into the throne room of our Father and receive help to get those needs met. As a blood-bought child of Almighty God with a big brother like Jesus we now have available to us a God of power, An Almighty God who loves us so much that He desires, above all, to give to us! Yes God is a giver and a lover who loves His people and desires to give them things just for the asking! Yes God made loving promises of blessing and protection. But He's always faced that same obstacle--human beings who just couldn't bring themselves to believe those promises were true.
The Lord has promised since He has chosen us He will make us bear much fruit in life and shall grant all our prayers including for the spirit of wisdom and revelation so that we might know what is our inheritance and what belongs to us. Through the new birth making us sons of God we has access to everything they God has and is! And since we are God`s chosen vessel, He will make us enjoy His peace on all sides and provide us the finest blessings (Psalms 147:14) and will exalt us above others soon, as He pours His Holy Spirit upon us. God’s word is true:
After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward." But Abram said, "Lord GOD, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?" Then Abram said, "Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!" And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, "This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir." Then He brought him outside and said, "Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be." And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. Then He said to him, "I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it." Genesis 15:1-7
"How lovely are your tents, O Jacob! Your dwellings, O Israel! Like valleys that stretch out, Like gardens by the riverside, Like aloes planted by the LORD, Like cedars beside the waters. He shall pour water from his buckets, And his seed shall be in many waters. "His king shall be higher than Agag, And his kingdom shall be exalted. "God brings him out of Egypt; He has strength like a wild ox; He shall consume the nations, his enemies; He shall break their bones And pierce them with his arrows. Numbers 24:5-8
The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry. The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all. He guards all his bones; Not one of them is broken. Psalm 34:15-20
Since the Garden of Eden and continuing through when God called Abraham, prosperity, not poverty, has been God’s will and desire for His people. And the bible doesn’t tell us that the so called “Acts of God” are of God who has come to steal, kill and destroy? On the contrary the bible tells us prosperity, promotion, salvation, healing, deliverance and every good thing comes from God to His friends and servants just like it came to Job after the devil attacked him and stole everything from him:
Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 5:6-11
Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. James 1:16-18
My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord-that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful. Job 5:10-11
And He said: "Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and, 'The time has drawn near.' Therefore do not go after them. Luke 21:8
But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:3
The bible tells us that deception by Satan has been with us since the beginning of time when he deceived Eve in the garden. It also tells us But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 2 Timothy 3:13. It also tells us in Titus 3:3-6 We ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another until the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, and according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior. So we see that it’s in the nature of man to be deceived and disobedient and to deceive! Hence the word of God commands and tells us:
Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. Revelation 19:20
The Word of God is the final authority on anything! And when we are deceived by lack of knowledge of the Word and not being in constant communication with the Holy Spirit who is our Guide, Helper, and Spirit of truth we can end up in serious trouble and even be destroyed! To avoid being destroyed we must stay in the Word of God and pray in the Spirit to have wisdom, and discernment on all matters. God’s word is true:
Yes, the Scriptures tell us we can have the same Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD resting upon us just like it rested on Jesus and others (Exodus 31:3, 35:31, Numbers 11:17-26, Deuteronomy 24:9). Yes the Scriptures tell us we have the mind of Christ! Yes the Scriptures tell us we can have as much wisdom as we need from God to discern and deal with anything! And the Scriptures tells us that the Lord Jesus Christ said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). He further says, “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:18). It is enough that we have gone seeking man’s help for a solution for our problems. We can go to the Lord with all our problems and cast all our burdens onto the Lord for He will not only turn our sorrows into joy but give us victory. And we have the word of a God who doesn’t lie that surely He will deliver us:
I will love You, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies. Psalm 18:1-4
He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation."Psalm 91:15
Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Let Israel now say, "His mercy endures forever." Let the house of Aaron now say, "His mercy endures forever." Let those who fear the LORD now say, "His mercy endures forever." I called on the LORD in distress; The LORD answered me and set me in a broad place. The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? The LORD is for me among those who help me; Therefore I shall see my desire on those who hate me Psalm 118:1-7
Then a man of God came to Eli and said to him, "Thus says the LORD: 'Did I not clearly reveal Myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house? 'Did I not choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be My priest, to offer upon My altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod before Me? And did I not give to the house of your father all the offerings of the children of Israel made by fire? 'Why do you kick at My sacrifice and My offering which I have commanded in My dwelling place, and honor your sons more than Me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel My people?' "Therefore the LORD God of Israel says: 'I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever.' But now the LORD says: 'Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed. 'Behold, the days are coming that I will cut off your arm and the arm of your father's house, so that there will not be an old man in your house. 'And you will see an enemy in My dwelling place, despite all the good which God does for Israel. And there shall not be an old man in your house forever. 'But any of your men whom I do not cut off from My altar shall consume your eyes and grieve your heart. And all the descendants of your house shall die in the flower of their age. 'Now this shall be a sign to you that will come upon your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die, both of them. 'Then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind. I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before My anointed forever.1 Samuel 2:27-35
God, who kills and makes alive, promotes and demotes, honors and dishonors men, makes rich and makes poor, has no love for thieves, liars or hypocrites especially in the house of God! Our loyalty in life must be first of all to God, and we must seek first His kingdom--even when things seem to be going wrong. God never forgets. He never forgets those in the heat of the battle, when others give up, those who are faithful and loyal to God no matter what. And He never forgets those who betrayed Him by doing what He has not told them to do!
May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble; May the name of the God of Jacob defend you; May He send you help from the sanctuary, And strengthen you out of Zion; May He remember all your offerings, And accept your burnt sacrifice. Selah May He grant you according to your heart's desire, And fulfill all your purpose. We will rejoice in your salvation, And in the name of our God we will set up our banners! May the LORD fulfill all your petitions. Psalm 20:1-5
The word of God is very clear as to what God wants to do for those who have put their trust in Him. He wants to answer them in the day of trouble, help them, strengthen them, grant them according to their heart’s desire, and fulfill all their purposes and all their petitions. And being God almighty and unlimited in riches, resources, power and abilities He is able and will do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, the same power that enable Jesus to do miracle like raising Lazarus from the dead, and the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead!
Because Jesus Christ has gone through all that we are going through and understands all things we don’t have to be shy but can come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Yes, God is in love with us--so in love, He's given us everything He has! He's given us all the healing, all the wisdom, all the wealth, all the strength we could ever need. Bible victory is ours, and we can believe God, and no one else, to give us victory in all ways needed spiritually, physically and financially. Victory is far better than defeat and God’s word is unchanging:
Oh, sing to the LORD a new song! For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory. Psalm 98:1-2
As the words of the chorus by Eugene M. Bartlett, Sr “Victory in Jesus” tells us, “O victory in Jesus, My Savior, forever He sought me and bought me With His redeeming blood; He loved me ere I knew Him And all my love is due Him, He plunged me to victory, Beneath the cleansing flood.” And the word of God tells us in Roman 8:32 “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”
No man including any preacher give us the victory in life but Jesus Christ can and does! God gives us with Jesus freely all things and not without Him. Jesus is our victory and Victory is Jesus’ middle name. He won the victory for us. There is no victory in life without Jesus who told us all clearly:
For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns-broken cisterns that can hold no water. Jeremiah 2:13
An enthusiatic audience of parents, Rotarians and teachers together with year 6 children witnessed a keen contest at this year’s “Top of...