Graced To Do God's Will

Jeremiah 17:7, 8 AMP [Most] blessed is the man who believes in, trusts in, and relies on the Lord, and whose hope and confidence the Lord is. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters that spreads out its roots by the river; and it shall not see and fear when heat comes; but its leaf shall be green. It shall not be anxious and full of care in the year of drought, nor shall it cease yielding fruit.

As a believer, the conditions of the world shouldn’t frighten us or cause us to panic. In spite of the world’s conditions, we (the believers) will flourish. It’s not because we’re so good and perfect but, it’s because we put our total trust in God.

If they are laying everyone off at our job we say…so what, God is our Provider. If the stock market is down, we say…God is our Source. If gas prices are high, we say…God is our Way-maker.

Once again, we don’t panic because of the conditions of the world. We place our entire trust in God.

1 John 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 19 We love him, because he first loved us.

1 John 5: 2By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 3For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not burdensome.

Accepting Christ as Savior is acknowledging that God loves us. Making Him Lord of our lives, is taking advantage of the opportunity to love Him back. To make Christ Lord is to spend time with Him, getting to know Him and His Word more intimately. It is allowing His Word to direct our decisions, regardless of Its peculiarity when contrasted with the world’s perspective. It is sacrificing ourselves to become all that He has called us to be. Loving God, making Him Lord of our lives, requires our time, obedience, and sacrifice. And now, finally, we get to love Him, Who loves us beyond measure, back!

Inspired by “To Love You Back” by Jamie Grace

John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

So many times we want to handle situations that arise in our lives on our own. In reality, we need to step back, and allow God to handle our situations and fight our battles. Our ideas, thoughts, and suggestions only lead to death and destruction (Prov 14:12). God’s plan will always work in our favor.

We decrease when we allow the Holy Spirit to direct and govern our lives. If He tells us to “shut up” and hold our tongue at a specific time, that’s what we should do. If He tells us to be bold and take a stance, that’s what we should do. If He tells us to pray for the person who harmed us, that’s what we should do. Whatever He tells us to do, that’s what we should do and anything we do outside of God’s will, is done out of our flesh.

Decrease so that God may increase every area of our lives.

Mark 3:24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.

Church of God in Christ (COGIC), Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist, Non-Denominational, and whoever else, we all believe Jesus is the Son of God and He died for our sins. With this foundation, let’s put away our differences and advance the Kingdom of a God.

Unfortunately because of this division, the Kingdom of God has not impacted the world as much as it could. The world should be coming to us for answers. The reason why we see so many miracles and manifestations in the bible is because the Kingdom of God, in those days, were all on one accord. The enemy has created division in the body of Christ by magnifying the minors.

If we can put away our pride, doctrines, and ideologies from now on and be on one accord, we could turn this world upside down.

John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.

This type of freedom covers every area of bondage in our lives. If we choose to accept this freedom, we can be free from sin, low self-esteem, lack, disease, fear, worry, pain, and so much more. But, we must accept this freedom in its entirety.

We may quickly accept being free from lack but, how quickly will we accept being free from pride? We may accept being free from disease but, how quickly will we accept being free from worry? The only reason we hold on to these bondages is because we feel like WE need to handle these situations instead placing our trust in GOD. We feel like once WE overcome these bondages in our own way, WE can feel good about ourselves and overcoming this bondage made us stronger. The truth is, we can’t overcome anything without the help of God. The bondage that some of us choose to hold on to is destroying us like a cancer.

People of God, it’s time to walk in this freedom that Jesus so graciously provided.
Stand up and be FREE!

Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.

For those who want to know the next steps in life, read the Word of God. Some may say, how will reading the Word of God show us our future? As we meditate in the Word of God, the Holy Spirit reveals things to us that will bring clarity towards our next steps.

We could be reading Mark 11:24 and the Holy Spirit could remind us to have faith for that job we’ve observed on the internet. We could be reading Isaiah 53:5 and the Holy Spirit may have us declare we are healed even though we don’t have any symptoms of sickness. He has us declare we’re healed to prevent us from a future attack He knows about. We could be reading about pride in Proverbs 16:18 and the Holy Spirit may reveal areas in our lives where we have pride. With the removal of this pride, the Holy Spirit could be preparing us to meet the love of our lives.

Don’t discredit the power in the Word of God. Choose to read the Word of God to see what’s next.

John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

If we hear His voice but don’t follow Him, we have to ask ourselves are we really His sheep? Jesus desires that we make Him Lord over our lives. The word “Lord” encompasses every area of our life at all times. When we pick and choose the days and areas we want to follow Christ, we make ourselves lord. When man makes himself lord, his ways lead to death (Proverbs 14:12).

Follow the ways of Christ because He knows what’s best for us.

Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

Since everything we do flows from the heart, our motives, actions, and words, then how do we make our hearts flow Christ? We choose to be mindful of the thoughts we dwell on and the words we say (Romans 12:2). To exude confidence, we confess who we are in Christ (Galatians 3:29). To exude love, we meditate on God’s love for us and seek Him for ways to show that love to others (1 John 4). To manifest prosperity, we seek His direction regarding our health, wealth, and life (Proverbs 3:5-6).

At the root of heart flow is what we ‘feed’ ourselves. When we fill ourselves with the Word, meditating on it, declaring and hearing it, and renewing our minds to it, we will outpour the power of the Word. So, to guard our hearts, let’s stay full of the Word.

John 1: 1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:17 (AMP) For while the Law was given through Moses, grace (unearned, undeserved favor and spiritual blessing) and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Law- Is a set of over 600, God-given, commandments we must keep to the letter. If we fail do just one of these commandments, we are guilty breaking them all (James 2:10).

Grace- Is where we believe in the finished works of Jesus Christ. We believe that Jesus Christ has fulfilled the law just like He said He would do (Matthew 5:17). It doesn’t take any work or effort on our part. All we have to do is believe.

Which one sounds better? Which one sounds easier to live by?

Grace is something we must receive by faith. When we live under grace, we accept EVERYTHING Jesus has done for us. Anytime we feel like we need to do or say something to earn God’s approval of us, we are living under the law. God approves us because of what Jesus accomplished.

Believe in the finished works of Jesus Christ and live under grace.

Joel 3:¹⁰ Beat your plowshares into swords And your pruning hooks into spears; Let the weak say, ‘I am strong.’”

Why would God want us to say something we’re not? It’s called the law of confession. There is a concept in the Word of God that allows us to speak life or death, blessings and curses. We have the ability to bind and loose and call those things that be not as though they were. We have this authority just by speaking.

With this understanding, let’s say what we want to see. If we’re poor, say we’re rich. If we’re weak, say we’re strong. If we’re emotionally unstable, say we’re emotionally stable. This law not only applies in our life, but in every area. If our children are “acting up,” speak life by saying our children respect all authority. If it’s too cold and icy, speak warmth into the area.

Just remember, whatever we say, we shall have (1 John 5:14).

Speak Life.

John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

One of the greatest deceptions by the devil is the deception of a problem-free life when we become Christians. Many people believe that once we get born again, we won’t have any problems, issues, or situations like the rest of the world. This is far from the truth. Jesus said, “In this life, we will have tribulation.” The benefit for the believer is we come out victorious ALL THE TIME.

The deception of a problem-free life is making people lose hope, faith, and confidence in our God. They feel like because they are going through trials, God is not present, God is angry with them, or God is testing them. These are all lies. One thing we must remember is although we go through a trial, that’s exactly what we’re doing, going through. On the other side of our trial, is our victory.

Be Blessed.

For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live]. (Ephesians 2:10 AMP)

There is a good life that God prearranged however, there are some steps we must take to partake of this good life.

1. We must ask ourselves, are we recreated in Christ?
We get recreated by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

2. Are we doing good works that God predestined specifically for us?
We can’t be associated with drama and mess. We must do good works.
Those works must be specifically for us. We can’t look at someone else and desire to do their works. We must do what we are called to do.

3. To do those good works, we have to know those good works. To know those good works, we have to hear those good works. To hear those good works, we have to spend quality time with God.
How much time are we spending with God?
The more time we spend with God, the more clarity we receive towards this predestined path He has previously made available.

Enjoy the good life!

Jude 1:14 It was also about these men that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, 15 to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” 16 These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage.

Have you ever heard a person who listened to a plan, once the plan was expressed, that person points out what’s wrong with the plan? Or, have you ever attempted to show a person something you were excited about but, when they see it, they magnify the flaws? The Bible refers to this as fault-finding. Fault-finding is where a person is critical, judgmental, or negative towards everything that is presented to them. Don’t be that person.

2 Corinthians 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

We are designed to be extensions of our Father. Never allow a trial to be debilitating, rather rely on our Source of comfort and peace. We then position ourselves to sow into the life of others. And those seeds of comfort may just save the life of an unbeliever, or improve the lives of believers as we exemplify Christ.

So, when in the midst of challenging times, know that while God does not cause the trials, He has an awesome way of guaranteeing that it all works out for our good. And when given the opportunity to comfort others, be willing to be a vessel directing others to Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Jesus had nothing to gain when he came down to earth and sacrificed himself for mankind. God didn’t promise him anything in return for his sacrifice. Jesus did this out of love for mankind and love for his Father. Jesus has so much love for mankind and his Father until he bought into the God ordained plan to redeem and reconcile mankind with God. As a result of his obedience, God exalted Jesus and made his name above every name (Philippians 2:9). But prior to this honor, he was redeeming us out of love.

Praise God for Jesus who redeemed mankind (Galatians 3:14).
Praise God for Jesus who healed us through his stripes (1 Peter 2:24).
Praise God for Jesus who gave us victory (1 Corinthians 15:57).
Praise God for Jesus who gave us peace (John 14:27).
Praise God for Jesus who shed his blood so that we could be forgiven of our past, present, and future sins (Colossians 1:13-14).

There is more…so praise God for Jesus!

Have you ever had a prompting to pray? We go a day or two without praying and something in us has us saying, “I need to start praying more.” That something’s name is the Holy Spirit. God wants to be so involved in our lives until He’ll use the Holy Spirit, people around us, and messages like this to prompt us to pray.

It’s pretty awesome to know we have a God Who wants to converse with us daily. We have a God Who desires to be a part of our lives. God doesn’t need us to pray for Him to still be God. He will still be God if no one prays, however, He desires an intimate relationship with His children.

I encourage the body of Christ to increase their time with God. God has things He wants to show us and things He wants to manifest in our lives but, it can only be done through the power of prayer.

Pray.

Proverbs 15:29 The LORD is far from the wicked: but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’ (Matthew 20:9-12 NKJV)

In the Kingdom of God, it doesn’t matter if we have been a Christian for 10 years or 10 seconds, we all (Christians) have an equal opportunity to receive all of the promises of God. God doesn’t look at the veteran Christian and say, “I’m going to bless you more because you’ve been a Christian longer.” Once we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, in God’s eyes, we’ve been a Christian all of our lives. With this Christian privilege, we all have a blood bought right to receive all of His promises equally.

Align your faith with God’s Word and expect to receive His great promises.

Psalm 47:6 Sing praise to God, sing praises: Sing praises unto our King, sing praises.

Our God is amazing. He is a great God. He blesses us time and time again. Even when we don’t deserve good things, He provides them to us anyway. The successes we have in our life are because of Him. The blood of Jesus has allowed us to receive eternal life, all the promises of God, and victory. He has healed us from all sickness, disease, and pain. He protects us from all hurt, harm, and danger. For that, we should be grateful.

Today’s Challenge:
Let’s take at least one literal minute out of our busy day and tell God what He really means to us.

Acts 9:20 Immediately he (Paul) preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.

So many times we think we need to be saved X amount of years in order to be used by God. We may think we need to have our house in order with every “i” dotted and every “t” crossed. The only thing we need to have in order to be used by God is a willing heart. Look at Paul. Paul was not raised in a church, his background was far from perfect and yet, God used Paul to write over half the New Testament and perform a number of miracles. Once Paul got saved, he was committed. All we need is a willing heart.

Let’s not be so quick to disqualify ourselves based on our past or where we presently are, because once we accept Jesus Christ as Lord, we are qualified.

We must build our faith by declaring the peace and protection that God has promised us. When we choose to believe those promises, we are prepared when the enemy attempts to thwart our peace by interrupting our sweet sleep, or trying to get us to succumb to fear based on the reports of the world. So, declare and believe the covering that God has prepared for us:

Psalm 91: 9If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, 10no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent.
11For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; 12they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. 14“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

Nehemiah 7:2 I gave my brother Hanani, with Hananiah the ruler of the castle, charge over Jerusalem, for Hananiah was a more faithful and God-fearing man than many.

Nehemiah appointed his brother ruler of the castle and Jerusalem because Nehemiah knew his brother was a faithful God-fearing man. It’s interesting to see that the more faithful God-fearing person was put in a position of power. This was also seen in the life of Joseph. Joseph was a faithful God-fearing man and he was eventually made a ruler (Genesis 41:41).

What do people say about you? Do they say he/she is a person after God’s heart? Or, do they say he/she is a wild somebody and they can’t figure out if you’re saved or not? Our faithfulness to God will put us in a position of power and great influence. If we want to be exalted by God, we have to become and remain faithful to Him.

Be Blessed

Matthew 9:28 When He entered the house, the blind men came up to Him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, “It shall be done to you according to your faith.”

Whatever we desire from God is going to be according to our faith. Some people want a lot from God and some people want a little. No matter if it’s a lot or a little, everything is going to be according to our faith.

We shouldn’t get upset because someone has great expectations and wants a lot from God. We definitely shouldn’t get upset when these same people start receiving their desires from God. It’s according to their faith. If we want a lot also, we need to increase our expectations. Likewise, we shouldn’t be upset if someone only wants the bare minimum from God.

Just to be clear, it doesn’t make someone more spiritual because they’re living beneath their means and it doesn’t make someone worldly because they have a lot. Everything we have or don’t have is according to our faith.

Psalm 55:22 Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.

We were never intended to carry the stresses of life on our shoulders. That’s why God commands us to give our cares to Him. Not everyone looks at this scripture as a command but, it is. Whatever God’s Word instructs us to do is a command. That’s how much God cares for us.

Once we give our cares to the Lord we have the promise of being sustained during trials, the promise of never falling or suffering, and the sense of knowing God cares for us.

Let’s give our problems, cares, and concerns to the Lord because He knows what’s best for us.

1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you.

Acts 2:32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it.

When referring to Jesus, we emphasize the cross and his death. There are numerous sermons magnifying the death of Jesus Christ. But, truth be told, if Jesus was never raised from the dead, he would have just been another prophet who died for the Kingdom of God. When Jesus was raised from the dead, his blood was placed on the mercy-seat of God (Hebrews 9:12). That blood gives us eternal life, makes us righteous in the sight of God, and purifies us from ALL (past, present, and future) our sins.

It’s not solely in His death but, also in His resurrection. Praise God for sending Jesus who died and was resurrected for EVERYONE.

Receive Jesus today.

Daniel 6:22 (AMP) My God has sent His angel and has shut the lions’ mouths so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent and blameless before Him; and also before you, O king, [as you very well know] I have done no harm or wrong.

With the acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we too are found innocent and blameless before God. Our innocence is not based off of our good works and efforts but, the blood of Jesus. Even if we sin after salvation, through our repentance, God has forgiven us of our sins (1 John 1:9). We may recall the sins we committed but, God does not. God said He will forgive us of ALL of our sins and our sins He will NOT remember (Hebrews 8:12).

Since we are found innocent through the blood of Jesus Christ, God has removed the power of the enemy to hurt us. Nothing will be able to touch our life, family, or assets. We don’t have to worry or fear anything.

Remove the guilt, shame, and condemnation because we are free.

Isaiah 29:13 The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.

God desires more than a mere religious affiliation with His children. He wants us to seek Him in and beyond the church or cathedral walls. This may begin with inviting Him to be a part of and lead our day, each day. Then, we pray, read the Word and a devotional, and continue on in our day acknowledging Him throughout it. And, then at the end of each day, pray, thank, and praise Him. Please note, this process is not a law, but a potential guide as we seek deeper encounters with God.

2 Samuel 2:1 After this, David inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the Lord said to him, Go up. David said, To which shall I go up? And He said, To Hebron.

When David inquired of the Lord, the Lord gave him specific instructions regarding what he should do. How many times do we go through life on our own without consulting the Lord? The Word of God says that we should acknowledge Him in all our ways (Proverbs 3:6). This means we should consult God in major and minor decisions.

It may seem “too deep” to ask God what or where we should eat lunch but, by acknowledging Him in everything, God could be protecting us from food poisoning, bad customer service, or a car accident.

Consult God in everything and receive the best from God.

Allow this scripture to sink in for a second.

1 John 4:^{15 (AMP)} Anyone who confesses (acknowledges, owns) that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides (lives, makes His home) in him and he [abides, lives, makes his home] in God.

The Creator of the universe, our Savior and Lord, and the Almighty God lives inside of us. When we truly internalize this truth, there are some things we shouldn’t want to do. Would we really want to get “high” if we understood that God is in us? Would we really choose to commit an adulterous affair if we knew that God is with us? Would we be so quick to curse someone out when we get mad if we knew God is with us?

Although it may appear we’re by ourselves in the natural, for the born again believer, God is ALWAYS in us and with us. Allow His presence to change your life for the better.

Matthew 21:14 The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them.

When the Bible refers to Jesus opening the blinded eyes, it’s usually referring to the physical eyes. I submit to you that through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Jesus also opened our spiritual eyes. When we accepted Christ into our lives, God made His home within us (1 John 4:15). If God, Who knows the past, present, and future lives within us, we have the opportunity to see our future.

The word of God also says, And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son (John 14:13). There are no restrictions in the word “whatever.” With the development of our relationship with the Lord, we have an opportunity to ask God about anything we want including seeing our future. This may seem strange, weird, or even impossible to some but, with God ALL things are possible.

Let’s increase our faith, allow God to open our spiritual eyes, and ask God the big question that’s on everyone’s mind…What does the future hold for me?

Matthew 21:22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

Every born again believer should have or be on their way to receiving the desires of their heart. The same steps we took to receive salvation are the same steps to receive the promises of God.

We…

1. Ask the Father for the desire.
2. Believe that you received that desire when you pray.
3. Receive that desire in the name of Jesus.

There are certain reasons why we don’t receive the desires of our heart.

We…

1. Ask then doubt along the way (James 1:6).
2. Ask with the wrong motives (James 4:3).
3. Ask outside of God’s will/God’s Word (1 John 5:14-15).

The promises of God are available to every born again believer. Don’t hinder yourselves from receiving God’s best.

Psalm 91:5 You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, 6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. 7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.

Have you ever walked down the street and all of a sudden you get startled because a dog starts aggressively barking at you? At first, you want to run but, you then become at ease because you realize there is a barrier between you and the dog.

As we journey through life, the enemy will “bark” and “growl” but, we can be at ease when we realize Jesus cut off the enemy’s ability to harm us. There are some things that will attempt to place us in fear but, we can be at ease when we realize the Lord has us covered. The Bible says it this way, I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you (Luke 10:19).

Those who don’t realize the Lord has them covered and don’t walk in this authority are destined to live a life of fear. Be at ease by walking in the authority and protection of Jesus Christ.

Proverbs 11:25 A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.

1 Peter 3:8 To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; 9 not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.

Be willing to be a blessing to people. Some people will give to those in need, but be willing to give to someone who may have more than you. We should be willing to allow God to use us to send a message, to encourage and bless, others. And as we allow God to use us as a vessel to bless others, the principle of giving works in our lives and we will always reap more than we gave.

Hebrews 10:19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,

When entering the presence of God, the two things we must have is faith and boldness. There is not going to be any physical evidence around us letting us know we’ve entered the presence of God therefore; we need faith. Not just any faith but, faith in the blood of Jesus. The blood of Jesus gives us 24-hour access to enter the presence of God. Take advantage of this access and enter the presence of God.

Hebrews 4:16 says, let us boldly come to the throne of grace. Our boldness goes along side with our faith. By knowing and having faith in what Jesus Christ accomplished, we can boldly enter the presence of God. If we don’t have boldness, we can’t expect to receive help from God in our time of need.

Start entering the presence of God by faith and with boldness.

Hebrews 10:22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

Psalm 16:11 You will show me the path of life: in your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.

We get so excited about receiving the promises of God until we forget about being in the presence of the Provider of those promises. We excitedly believe that we received our house, car, employment, and financial gain but, what good are all those things if we don’t have God’s guidance and direction? What good is it having materialistic possessions without His peace, joy, and understanding?

Being in the presence of God provides more than just materialistic possessions. The presence of God gives us revelation and clarification of God’s plan for our life. The presence of God gives us peace in the middle of our seemingly negative circumstance. The presence of God allows us to enjoy God being God over our life.

Make the presence of God bigger than the presents He provides.

Exodus 12:^13(AMP) The blood shall be for a token or sign to you upon [the doorposts of] the houses where you are, [that] when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall be upon you to destroy you when I smite the land of Egypt.

Is this familiar to anyone? For those who haven’t noticed, the world is still being destroyed today, however, for the believer, we are protected. Instead of the blood of lambs protecting us for a season, we have the blood of Jesus protecting us forever. The blood of Jesus is over the doorpost of our lives. The enemy can’t enter, touch, taint, hurt, or destroy any part of our lives because of the blood of Jesus.

Whatever the world experiences, we are only spectators. When the world experiences any negativity of any kind, we live a life of joy, peace, and abundance.

Praise God for the protection we have because of the blood of Jesus.

We as a body of believers have been giving the devil too much credit. Some may say the devil made them do a certain thing or the devil was busy doing this or that. The truth is the devil is defeated. When Jesus rose from the grave over 2000 years ago, the devil was stripped of all his powers. The devil has nothing to fight with. For the believer, he can’t hurt or harm us or our family. He can’t touch our finances, our property, or any part of our lives.

The only power Satan has is the power we allow him to have. We give Satan power when we open our mouths to speak death over a certain area of our lives (Proverbs 18:21), and when we continually practice sin. Word to remember: The consequences of sin, allows the devil in.

Let’s walk in the authority and victory that Jesus made available for us.

Hebrews 2:¹⁴ Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,

For this is like the days of Noah to Me; as I swore that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I will not be angry with you or rebuke you. (Isaiah 54:9 AMP)

When God makes a promise, He swears to Himself. If He should ever violate that promise, He would release His title of being God. God’s not angry.

When God states that He’s not angry, He really means that. God’s not like man who says they’re not angry but, they secretly hold something against the other person. When God makes a promise with man, this promise will forever hold true. God’s not angry.

No matter what we’ve done and how long we’ve done it, God’s not angry. God loves us, and He desires to see His children blessed.
Don’t let anyone or our enemy (Satan) tell you, God’s angry with you.

Live free.

Philippians 4:12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Whether we are at the point of manifestation or still in the process of it, there can be contentment. Continue on in faith and don’t allow time or the process to cause doubt. Choose to be content and enjoy life during the process, and be convinced of the manifestation.

James 4:10 (AMP) Humble yourselves [feeling very insignificant] in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you [He will lift you up and make your lives significant].

A humbling experience is when we realize we can’t make it without God. From the simplest of task, to the major things in life, we need God.

As we go throughout life, we sometimes forget how we exist and Who causes us to exist. We get wrapped up in going to work, attending class, raising our family, and fulfilling our dreams. Let’s take a step back and realize that God made all of this possible. If it were not for God, we wouldn’t have the energy in our body to get to work or have the intelligence to receive an education. If God was not involved, we wouldn’t know how to keep or raise a family. If God was not holding all of this together, our dreams would become nightmares.

Let’s humble ourselves and realize we can’t make it without the Lord.

Exodus 3:¹¹ But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

Exodus 4:1 Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?”

Exodus 4:¹⁰ Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”

Here we see Moses coming up with numerous excuses for why he couldn’t do what God told him to do. How many times have we done the same thing? Before we come up with excuses for why we can’t do something, we should consider that God, Who knows all, already has a solution to eliminate our excuses. If He told us to do something, He’s made everything available. We may not see how it’s going to happen but, God has already paved the way.

Let’s eliminate excuses and do what God told us to do.

#obedience