Faith To Endure

Tags

Endurance, Endure, faith, Father, God, Jesus, joy, rejoice, Temptations, Trials

“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations: knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James 1:2-4

In order for us to continue in whatever we have purposed to do this year we’re going to need endurance.   We won’t be able to continue unless we’re able to endure.   

First, we must realize and come to grips with the fact that at some point we are going to come into divers temptations.  It’s a biblical fact, the above scripture tells us so.  But somewhere along the way we believed the lie of the enemy that as Christians we’re not supposed to have any problems or that if we do, they won’t be of long duration.  My Friend, this is the lie the devil wants us to believe so that when trouble and problems come, we’re so focused on the problems and trouble that we’re not using our faith.  And if we’re not using our faith, how can we endure or stand up or hold up under the pressure?  You see endurance is an outflow of our faith.  Jesus is our faith.  We don’t use our own efforts to endure, it’s not our own strength, it’s Christ in us.  We have His endurance to continue pursing the promises of God.   Hebrews 12:2 says, “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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”  Christ endured the cross, despised the shame so that you and I could have victory in the midst of it all.

However, if you continue to believe the lies of the devil and cry and complain when trouble comes as if some strange thing is happening to you, how can you see victory?  You’re too busy looking at the trouble.  Listen to what Peter says,

“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you; But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” I Peter 4:12-13

In other words, get up from that place of pity and petting and start rejoicing.  Because while the devil is meaning it for evil God is working it for your good.

So, listen when you find yourself in the midst of divers temptations know that your faith is being tried. And if you would focus on your faith who is Christ.  You will find that from your faith there will be an outflow of strength and power so that you are able to endure through it all and not only endure but continue pursing your dreams.  Rejoice my friend and again I say rejoice.

Celebrate Through The Process!

Tags

be glad, celebrate, devour, manifestation, praise, process, rejoice, seeing

Deuteronomy 7:22

“And the Lord thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little; thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beast of the field increase upon thee.”

Sometimes when God performs a miracle in our lives we can see the manifestation of that miracle all at once but other times there is a process before we can see full manifestation.  The miracle is done but the manifestation is a process.

Some diet programs are  based upon this very principle.  Each week you go and get weighed in and you’re taught to celebrate every inch or every pound lost.   While their process of losing weight may be slower, it results in the clients ability to maintain his or her goal weight but during the process they celebrate.

Likewise as believers we too must remember to celebrate through the process.   The enemy will never let you see how far you’ve come but he’ll always let you see how far you have to go.   Your situation is changing everyday, the miracle has already been done, it’s up to you to celebrate every sight of manifestation.  The manifestations may be small at first but little by little you’ll see change until you have full manifestation.

Don’t let the enemy steal those little changes.  If you can’t walk and you believe for full manifestation of your legs  but all you are beginning to feel is some sensation in your right foot celebrate that manifestation.   Maybe you’re believing God for restoration in your relationship, beforehand you couldn’t stand to hear one another voice but now you’re talking over the phone.   Don’t let the enemy steal that change celebrate it.  While the manifestation may be a process the miracle is done and as you celebrate what you will possess will be what no beast can devour.

Sing, Sing, Sing!

Tags

happy, joy, music, praise, rejoice, rejoicing, Sing, Singing, worship

Zephaniah 3:1-2

“Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.  The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, He hath cast out thine enemy; the King of Israel, even the Lord is in the midst of thee; thou shalt not see evil anymore.”

Sing, Sing, Sing!  The Lord has given us eternal victory and we need to sing about it!  We don’t need to sing songs of sorrow and despair but songs of victory and praise to our God.  Moses sang a song unto the Lord after the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt saying “…I will sing unto the Lord, for He hath triumphed gloriously the horse and his rider hath He thrown into the sea” (Exd. 15:1).  Moses sang of the glorious victory and the power of God.  Not about what he had done but what God had done.  Not about how much trouble they had in Eygpt but about what God had done.  Listen further, “The Lord is my strength and song, and He is become my salvation; He is my God, and I will prepare Him an habitation ; my father’s God, and I will exalt Him” (Exd. 15:2).   Moses sang of God’s strength and power and prepared a dwelling place for God.   God inhabits the praises of His people.

Zephaniah 3:17, it says that the Lord “will joy over thee with singing.” The Lord joys over us with singing because He has gotten us the victory.  Now since He joys over us with singing we can joy over Him with singing for the same reason He joys over us, because He has gotten us the victory!  David said, “Sing unto Him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works” (1 Chron. 16:9).  If you want to feel the presence of God, instead of saying Lord I need your presence, began to sing a song speaking of His goodness, His mercy, His grace, and His presence will rise up within you and rest in your praises.

Isaiah 54:1 says, “Sing, O barren thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child; for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married with saith the Lord.”  If you are experiencing any kind of barrenness in your life, here is what you need to do, break forth into singing.  Sing of the goodness of God because the Lord has given you the victory!  

“Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord: giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph. 5:19-20). Sing, Sing, Sing!

Standing Strong In Difficult Times

Tags

difficult, faithful, peace, pray, prophecies, quench, rejoice, spirit, strong, Thanksgiving

I Thessalonians 5:16-28

These scriptures in I Thessalonians gives us instruction on remaining strong during difficult times.  They simply say rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, in every thing give thanks, quench not the spirit, don’t despise prophecies, prove all things and hold fast to what is good; abstain from all appearance of evil and the very God of peace will sanctify you wholly and preserve your spirit, soul and body blameless unto the coming of Christ.  Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it.

So often we give to much place to the negative things that happen in our life.  Don’t take the negative situation or circumstance to heart, rejoice instead.  Here’s why.  Ephesians 2:6 says that God “hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” Therefore, if we are sitted together with Christ then we are where He is  “far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in his world, but also in that which is to come” (Eph. 1:21).  This means that no matter how difficult the situation or circumstance may be we are above it because we are in Him. Jesus Christ has placed us above every dark cloud of this world.  This is why we can rejoice evermore.

In addition to being sitted together with Christ, we have the privilege of prayer.   It is our covenant right to ask our Father for anything and expect to receive what we ask.  Mark 11:24 says “Therefore I say unto you , what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”  And not only that but God has given us His Spirit. During difficult times when things seem a bit overwhelming we can pray in the Spirit and find rest and refreshing for our spirit and soul (Isaiah 28:11).    You see, when we are rested and refreshed we are able to see all that God has accomplished for us.  Therefore, we can give God thanks in the midst of it all  because we know that He has already worked it out through Christ.    Jesus told us in John 16:33 “…in this world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

Now as you are rejoicing and praying and giving thanks to God, the Holy Spirit will speak to your spirit and release wisdom to you for your situation.  Don’t quench the Spirit.  In other words don’t surpress or subdue the promptings of the Spirit because God gives His wisdom liberally (James 1:5).  God delights in leading and guiding us.  This is why He has given us His good Spirit to instruct us, so don’t surpress Him.

And then, don’t despise prophesyings.   During difficult times  God will give you a word of prophecy to edify and build you up.  This is what the gift of prophecy is for so don’t despise it.  We have His Spirit in us to prove what is of Him and what is not. Finally, know that the very God of peace is in the midst of you. He is sanctifying you wholly, and preserving your spirit, soul and body blameless unto the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Through it all He is perfecting Himself in you.  And let’s not forget that the very God of peace is faithful and all that He has said He will do!