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Romans 8:37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
The worst outcome in any situation we could face is death. Jesus conquered death. This same Jesus Who died and rose again, lives inside of us (Galatians 2:19-20). If death is the worst outcome in any situation, and Jesus (Who lives inside of us) defeated death, how hard would it be for us to conquer any sickness? How hard would it be for us to conquer lack in our finances? How hard would it be for us to conquer problems in our relationships?
In actuality, if Jesus has conquered all with His death and resurrection, we too have conquered everything including death. It’s already done. We just have to seek the wisdom of God and be Spirit-led to manifest our victory.
Let’s renew our minds to the truth that we have conquered every situation we will ever face.
Philemon 1:25 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
At times, we’ll hear someone say, “You should be ashamed of yourself.” That’s not true. That’s the basis for guilt and condemnation. Guilt and condemnation does not better the behavior or performance of a person. It only makes people feel worthless inside. For every born again believer, there is no guilt or condemnation to those who are in Christ (Romans 8:1).
Let’s free ourselves from this guilt, shame, or condemnation and receive God’s grace.
For those who are being told something like, “You should be ashamed of yourself,” simply respond by saying, “I don’t receive it, I receive God’s grace.”
For those who are or even think they’re condemning others for their behavior…stop it! There is nowhere in scripture where we are instructed to condemn others for their behavior. We are to pray for and hold others accountable but, never condemn.
Receive God’s grace!
1 Peter 5:7 (NLT) Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
In order to have a stress free life, we have to cast our cares on the Lord. However, we can’t cast our cares on the Lord without first trusting in the Lord to handle our cares and concerns. Most of us don’t trust someone we don’t know. The same is true with God. We can’t fully trust God without knowing Who He is. We get to know God by reading His Word. We can’t believe the things written in the Bible about God without having faith in His Word. Faith doesn’t come automatically. We develop faith by continuously hearing the Word of God. The very first step of faith is believing and accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Without that initial step of faith, nothing else will work.
The root to a stress free life is hearing, receiving, and applying the Word of God in every area of our life.
Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Luke 12:31 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.
As we develop our relationship with God, we should get to a place where it’s not about us but, it’s about impacting the Kingdom of God for the glory of God. We shouldn’t only be approaching God with our “God give me” list. We should have the mindset of, “God, what else do You want me to do?”
When we get to this place in our spiritual maturity, God can depend on us. We have to start looking at life like a football or basketball game. God is our coach and our goal is to be His most valuable player. God should always be able to look at us and depend on us to get His assignments done in the earth. With God being our head coach, He will supply all of the necessary things we need to get His assignments completed (Philippians 4:19). And like a pro athlete, as we become more and more successful at impacting the Kingdom of God, we’ll receive all of the materialistic things we desire (Psalm 37:4).
Strive to be God’s most valuable player and impact the world.
Psalm 16:11 You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
The secret to our purposes, the intel of tough decisions, the roadmap of our lives, is found through relationship with God. The more we develop that communication with Him, allowing Him to direct us, the more we understand our purposes. The more we walk in our purposes, reveling in His presence, the more we remain filled with His joy. And we access eternal pleasures, those things that defy the limitations of the flesh.
Find out your path and purposes by speaking with God!
Hebrews 13:5 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise–the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.
It’s called a sacrifice of praise for a reason. We may not feel like it or our life may not seem praiseworthy from all the turmoil we may be facing but, praise is what God expects.
As we give God our best praise, things begin to shift. First, spiritual maturity begins to develop based on the fact we’re allowing our spirit to be in control instead of our flesh. Secondly, our faith is growing based on the fact we’re not allowing our current situation to dictate our praise and expectation. Finally, praise is contagious. As we praise, it encourages the next man or woman to do the same in spite of how they feel and in spite of what they are going through.
Offer the sacrifice of praise for spiritual maturity, development of faith, and to encourage one another.
Praise Him!
Isaiah 60:1 (AMP) Arise from the depression and prostration in which circumstances have kept you—rise to a new life! Shine (be radiant with the glory of the Lord), for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you!
People of God it’s time to arise out of this state we are in. It’s time to stop going through the motions of life and taking whatever life presents. We are children of The Almighty God. It’s time to act like we know Who our Father is.
Jesus provided this wonderful life and some of us are accepting the scraps. The scraps are for the world. For His children, God has prepared a table before us (Psalm 23:5). There are wonderful promises for us and every promise we’re entitled to has been approved by God (2 Corinthians 1:20).
Shake the hurt, pain, and idleness off and live.
Luke 22:42 Saying, Father, if you be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but yours, be done.
Jesus attempted to plead His case with the Father regarding going in a different direction concerning our salvation. His flesh did not want to endure the pain and torture but more importantly, He didn’t want His Spirit to be separated from the Father.
Jesus had to catch Himself and make a “nevertheless” decision. Jesus was showing us anything outside the will of God is considered the less. Our plans will be less impactful, less effective, and less fulfilling.
Whatever God is telling us to do, even if we don’t feel like it or don’t completely understand it, make a nevertheless decision and obey the voice of God.
1 Samuel 15:23 Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the LORD, he has rejected you as king.”
When we think of idolatry, we usually think of serving other gods like Buddha or Ganesha however, when we choose to be stubborn and do things our way instead obeying the instructions of God, we participate in idolatry by elevating ourselves above God.
For example, if someone is being extremely rude or has an attitude with us, we have to make a decision. Either we can do what God says, which is love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44), or elevate ourselves above God by being rude, using offensive language or starting an altercation.
Let’s remove ourselves from idolatry, obey the Spirit of the Lord, and let God be God over every area of our lives.
Inspired by Pastor F. Price
Philippians 4:19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
The basic hierarchy of needs for mankind is physiological, safety, love, esteem, and self-actualization.
When most of us read this scripture, we think of physiological needs such as food, clothes, and shelter. But, how many of us consider God meeting our additional needs such as love, touch, and safety? God can meet those needs as well. When we need affirmation, God can meet that need. When we need someone to comfort us, God can meet that need. When we need to feel or be protected, God can meet that need.
Do not limit God to physiological needs. Allow Him meet every need, internally and externally.
Inspired by the teachings of Dr. Johnson
Ephesians 2: 13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off are made near by the blood of Christ. 18For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. 22In whom you also are built together for a habitation of God through the Spirit.
Have you ever been in a service and felt the presence of God? What you felt was your soul connecting with the Spirit of God. In reality, once we become saved we have the Spirit of God. But, it is a choice to activate a relationship with the Spirit. Just as real, long-lasting relationships don’t always have that ooey-gooey feeling, our relationship with God may not always have that church-presence of God feeling. But, we do not forsake that relationship; we continue to have conversations and create time to enhance that relationship. Treat the Spirit the same way; build, grow, nurture, and maintain relationship with the Holy Spirit.
James 4: 7a Submit yourselves therefore to God. 8a Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.
1 Corinthians 2: 9But as it is written, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him. 12Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
Speak with God throughout the day (this does not have to be a formal structured prayer), then give Him the opportunity to respond. When He responds you may ‘hear’ Him, or you may have a peace about a decision; listen and obey. Just as we would willingly give advice to someone who is receptive to it, we should adhere to the guidance of the Spirit. If you’re not sure if you heard Him correctly, ask Him to reiterate or confirm His instructions. The Spirit not only guides us, but makes our prayers more effective.
It’s time to grow, through insight from the One who guides us knowing our past, present, and future, and to manifest the abundantly more that God called us to!
Romans 8: 26Likewise the Spirit also helps our weakness: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Psalm 139:1 You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. 2You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
As well as God knows us, how well do we know Him? Relationships are most valuable when two people know each other well and treat one another accordingly.
God has supplied us with the opportunity to know Him well. The Spirit of God knows the thoughts of God. Through Jesus’s resurrection, we were given the opportunity to commune with the Spirit of God. Just as you would invest time and conversations into getting to know a person, the Spirit is the Person of God; invest into that relationship. The more we get to know someone, the better the opportunity we have to understand how to best communicate with them.
Start talking!
1 Corinthians 2: 10But God has revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11For what man knows the things of a man, except the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knows no man, but the Spirit of God.
There is a song called “I Give Myself Away” by William McDowell. We know the song and we sing it, but do we live out what that song means? For those who don’t know, the song simply says, “I give myself away so You (God) can use me.”
We say we want God to use us but anytime it conflicts with our schedule, we shy away from being used. We want to be used when it’s convenient for us. It wasn’t convenient for Jesus to separate Himself from the Father, die on the cross, and go to hell for people who rejected Him, but He did it anyway.
It’s time to live out this song. Be used by getting involved in your church. Be used by sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with others. Be used by knowing and fulfilling your assignment for the Kingdom of God.
It’s time saints.
Luke 22:42 Saying, Father, if you be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but yours, be done.
1 Peter 5:7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
God’s Word tells us to cast our cares on the Lord. Most people usually cast or make the attempt to cast their cares on the Lord to avoid the stress of worrying about them. However, there are some people who have the tendency to pick their cares back up again. We may cast our cares on the Lord one day, but two weeks later, we’re worried about the same thing we supposedly gave to God. Leave them out there. Anytime we feel we’re picking our cares back up again, we have to remind ourselves that there is no one better qualified to handle our problems than the Lord.
Let’s leave our cares on the Lord to maximize on this abundant, stress free life that Jesus provided for us.
Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
As a body of believers, what good works are we displaying so that God can be glorified? Are we serving in our church (usher, choir, children’s ministry, etc.)? Are we giving of our time to help the poor? Are we making disciples as it says in Mathew 28:19? Are we ministering to the unsaved? Are we making a difference in someone’s life?
These are the good works that this scripture is referring to. If all we’re doing is making sure all of our needs and desires are met and we’re not doing any good to glorify God, then we become what 2 Timothy 3:2 calls a lover of ourselves.
Display the good works so that God can be glorified.
The most important thing a parent can give a child is love. Love is something a child will remember throughout their lifetime. Love is being involved in our children’s lives. It’s not just sending money or working so much until our children never sees us.
God owns everything. Initially, God could have given us all of the wealth in the world. Instead, He got involved in our lives and demonstrated His love when He sent His only Son Jesus to die for our sins. With this demonstration, we are now worthy to be called sons and daughters of the Most High.
Let’s imitate God and demonstrate our love towards our children.
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Psalm 130:5 I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. 6 I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.
Waiting on The Lord is not a replacement for operating in faith. Remaining in faith is how we wait on The Lord. We remain in faith when speak life over our situation, when we act on the Word of God, and when we live in expectation. That is our way of saying, we trust in You, God, and we know that your promises to us will manifest.
Romans 1:17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
Revelations 4:1 (AMP) After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice which I had heard addressing me like [the calling of] a war trumpet said, Come up here, and I will show you what must take place in the future. 2 At once I came under the [Holy] Spirit’s power, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with One seated on the throne!
Notice, John was unable to see the vision without the power of the Holy Spirit.
God has some visions and dreams He wants to show us however, if we’re not sensitive to the Spirit, we’ll miss some of these great things. Not only will He show us these visions but, He’ll give us the steps to receive these visions.
We become sensitive to the Holy Spirit by constantly interacting with Him in all our affairs. From what clothes we should wear to who we should marry, let’s allow the Holy Spirit to direct us in our daily lives.
Establish or continue to develop a closer relationship with the Holy Spirit.
Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Luke 10:19 Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you.
If we’re experiencing negative circumstances in our lives or we’re unsure about the events happening in our lives we’ll say, “God is in control.” It’s easier to give it to God, however, the responsibility has been given to us.
If we don’t like what’s going on in our lives, it’s up to us to change it. Control and authority has been given to us by God. If we don’t like our financial status, we should release our faith, speak to our finances, and declare them to change for the better. If we don’t like the current state of our health, let’s release our faith, speak to our body, and declare by the stripes of Jesus we’re healed.
Anything we want changed, we have the authority and ability to change them by releasing our faith, speaking to that specific thing, and declaring the will of God over that thing.
Your turn.
Philippians 2:14 Do all things without complaining and disputing,
There are a lot of areas where we have the opportunity to complain. We can complain about traffic, we can complain about the decisions made at work, or we can complain about things that occur in the world. There is one thing that holds true. Complaints don’t create change.
What does create change is our praise. Anytime we feel like complaining we should substitute our complaints with praise. Praise God traffic flows smoothly and we’re not in an accident. Praise God we have employment and all decisions work for our good. Praise God that He supplies our needs and whatever is happening in the world won’t affect us or our family.
Think of how much glory God will receive, and how less stressed we will be by giving God praise instead of complaining.
2 Chronicles 20:22 As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.
This is Jesus speaking.
Revelations 2:9a (AMP) I know your affliction and distress and pressing trouble and your poverty—but you are rich!
Jesus lets us know not to consider our afflictions, distress, and trouble because we are rich. We are not only rich in our finances but, we are rich in victory, we are rich in health, and we are rich in peace.
It does us no good if Jesus provided wealth, victory, and peace but, we can’t reap the benefits of these blessings in our lifetime. Our responsibility is to tap into the wisdom that Jesus also provided to receive the manifestation of these things. We are to be Holy Spirit led in the direction He wants us to go. As we follow His instructions, He will lead and guide us to the place of manifestation.
Word- hear and receive God’s written or audible Word into our lives. (Romans 10:17)
Faith- acting on the Word of God through speech and action. (Hebrews 4:2; James 2:17)
Things- after hearing and acting on the Word, the manifestation of the things we desire comes to pass. (Mark 11:22-26)
This is the core of the faith process. This is the only thing God wants us to focus on when releasing our faith. Everything else is not needed. Details cause doubt. When we start thinking about how these seemingly impossible things will come to pass and when these things will manifest themselves, doubt (from the devil) begins to set in. It doesn’t matter how or when, just know it will be done.
Hear and receive the Word of God, have faith in the word of God, and expect to receive the manifestations of the Word of God.
Matthew 21:21 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
Inspired by the teachings of Pastor B. Winston
Proverbs 13:22 A good person leaves an inheritance to his grandchildren, but the wealth of the wicked is reserved for the righteous.
The wicked or sinner is an unsaved person who has not received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
Some may think we will get a knock on the door or a check in the mail for a large sum of money. This may happen. Nothing is too hard for God. However, there are other ways we can receive this wealth. We must first be led by the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit may tell us to buy land or a certain home. The land may have been previously owned by the wicked. After purchasing that land, we may discover the ground possesses oil that can make us wealthy.
Another example: The Holy Spirit may instruct us to apply for a position. We are hired for that position making 50K a year. What we didn’t realize was that a wicked person was also applying for that position, however, God reserved that 50K for us, the righteous.
We are the righteous and we are entitled to receive the wealth of the wicked. Receive and expect to see this promise from God.
Jeremiah 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, says the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
The totality of the cross does not end at we were so sinful that we needed a Savior to cleanse our sins. It does not include attempts on our part to become perfect to be worthy of God. The resurrection ushered in Christ inside of believers through the Holy Spirit. We are not under a law. Because we were saved through Christ, we are now subject to direction through the Holy Spirit. This direction is better than the law in that it is personalized to our specific circumstances.
No longer reside in the condemnation of the law, rather, speak with God through the Holy Spirit and enjoy the gift of freedom!
John 14: 15If you love me, keep my commandments. 16And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; 17Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it sees him not, neither knows him: but you know him; for he dwells with you, and shall be in you.
Philippians 3: 8c that I may win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10a That I may know him,
The resurrection of Jesus from the grave signified our permanent branding of righteous, forever freeing us from self-effort. We are not under the law. Because we were saved through Christ, we are now subject to direction through the Holy Spirit. This direction is better than the law in that it enhances our communication and relationship with God.
No longer reside in the condemnation of the law, rather, speak with God through the Holy Spirit and enjoy the gift of freedom!
When we magnify God, God will magnify us. How do we know this? Because God’s Word says whatever we sow, that’s what we will reap (Galatians 6:7). This is also seen in Abraham’s life. God said to Abraham, “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:2-3). God magnifies Abraham.
How do we magnify God? We magnify God by making Him larger than any and everything in our lives. We magnify God when we include Him in our decisions. We magnify God when we have a Kingdom first mentality. We magnify God by making Him our only source. Stop everything you’re doing and start magnifying the Lord.
Luke 1:46 Then Mary said, My soul magnifies the Lord,
1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Samuel 17:47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”
1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
A war is series of battles. A battle is a series of fights.
Praise God that we serve a God Who not only gives us the victory and wins the war but, fights our battles within the war. Secondly, praise God as we stay in faith, God allows us to win every fight within a battle. It’s a good fight because we win.
We win every war, every battle, and every fight. The key to our victory is our faith. Faith in Jesus Christ. Faith that Jesus Christ has given us the victory in every situation.
Stay in faith and guarantee yourself a win.
Philippians 4:15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. 17 Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account.
Although Paul was grateful in receiving aid from the church of Philippi, he desired that more be credited to their account. Paul understood the principle in giving. Paul understood that when anyone gives (especially to the Kingdom), they will receive. It’s a spiritual law. Giving will work for anyone who is willing to work the system.
As we give to the Kingdom of God or wherever the Holy Spirit instructs us to give, God promised a return on our seed. We see this multiple times in the Word of God. Luke 6:38 which says give and it will be given to you. Proverbs 19:17 Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done. 2 Corinthians 9:6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
Giving is a law. It’s a spiritual principle that will always benefit the giver.
Be a Giver.
Isaiah 30:1 (AMP) Woe to the rebellious children, says the Lord, who take counsel and carry out a plan, but not Mine, and who make a league and pour out a drink offering, but not of My Spirit, thus adding sin to sin;
Are you orchestrating a plan (out of your flesh) and want God to bless it but, you haven’t consulted God to see if He ordained that plan? Do you have your own agenda in your own life and for your own family but, have not sought the agenda of God? If so, now is the time to repent.
This message is not to bring guilt or condemnation to anyone. This message is to help us reprogram our mind to make sure we have a Kingdom first mentality. God did not give us faith, all spiritual blessings, and the abundance of life to only seek our needs and desires while forsaking the Kingdom of God. God provided everything we need and desire to bring Him glory and establish the Kingdom of God on the earth.
As we go through life, be sure we’re not solely focused on us and our needs while forsaking Kingdom agendas.
Graced To Do God's Will 