[ecko_quote source="2 Peter 1:19"]We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts[/ecko_quote]
So many times when we need insight into a problem, we try to get it by focusing our attention on that problem. We study it. We ponder it. We examine it from every angle. But the Apostle Peter gives us a different approach. He says we should take heed (or focus our attention) to the written Word of God until the answer to that problem dawns on us through the light of revelation.
We use the term seeing the light in the natural all the time. We say, “Have you seen the light on that yet?” meaning, “Do you have insight into that situation?” Well, the entrance of God’s Word into our hearts brings light (Psalm 119:130). It brings the insight we need.
Have you ever been in a dark room and tried to find your way out? Or been lost outside in the night? What is the first thing you look for in these situations? Light!
It could be coming from under the door or shimmering from a lamp in a house far off. But either way, you head straight for it. You don’t waste your time studying the darkness. You don’t focus your attention on that. You fix your eyes on the light because you know its brightness will drive out the confusion of the darkness and orient you to your surroundings.
If you need insight on some problem or situation you’re facing, pay attention to the Word. Head for the Light and the answer you need will dawn on you.
[http://jonah.uec.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/bible.jpg] Kenneth Copeland
[ecko_quote source="1 Peter 2:2"]Like newborn babies, you should crave (thirst for, earnestly desire) the pure (unadulterated) spiritual milk, that by it you may be nurtured and grow unto [completed] salvation[/ecko_quote]
Have you ever been in a room full of babies? Infants crying. Crawlers hollering for certain toys. Toddlers pushing and whining to get their way. It can be quite a handful, can't it?
When a bunch of spiritual babies get together, it's just about the same way! Of course, there's nothing wrong with being a spiritual baby. All of us start out that way. When we're first born into the kingdom of God, we're much like physical new-borns. We're not very strong or well-developed. We blunder around trying to learn how to operate in our new environment. That's how we all have to begin. But God never meant for us to stay that way.
That's why in 1 Peter 2:2 He says we should "desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow...." He intends for us to grow up! He intends for us to feed on His Word, moving from the milk of the Word to the meat of the Word until we grow up into mature sons and daughters.
Begin now finding your nourishment in His Word and enjoy the reward of growing up in Him!
[http://jonah.uec.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/grow-up.jpg] Kenneth Copeland
[ecko_quote source=" Isaiah 43:19"]God says "Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; do you not perceive it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert[/ecko_quote]
There are messy moments on the road to Destiny, you cannot have progress without a mess. When you are in the process to progress, things get a little messy on the way to getting there. But when you get thru this mess, progress is waiting on you.
Don't let the mess fool you, don't let the enemy distract you into thinking that the mess is all there is. Real ministry comes out of mishaps, messes, mayhem, sorrow and tragedy.
God uses people who were broken, battered, tattered and torn to heal other people. So don't give up, don't be discouraged, God is making a message out of your mess!
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[ecko_quote source="2 Timothy 2:3"]Endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ[/ecko_quote]
Times of hardness are inevitable. You need to know that. It's true that we've been redeemed from the curse, and there's nothing Satan can do to reverse that, but he is going to challenge you on it.
So don't be surprised when things get tough. Times will come when you have to stand strictly by faith when you'll have to speak and act as though what God says is true even when you can't feel it or see it happening around you. There will be times when everything looks terrible. That's when you must endure hardness as a good soldier.
So many people hear the word of faith about healing or prosperity and they think, Hey! I'm going to try that. Then when the hard times come, they give up and cave in.
Let me warn you, living by faith is not something you try. It's a lifestyle. You do it when it's hard. You do it when it's easy. You do it all the time because you're not doing it just to get in on the benefits. You're doing it because you know that faith pleases God (Hebrews 11:6).
Things may get a little rough at times, but let me assure you, you'll always come out on top if you endure hardness as a good soldier. If you refuse to faint and fall away, you will have the victory. The only defeated Christian is the one who quits!
Image Source:
[http://jonah.uec.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/maxresdefault.jpg= Kenneth Copeland
[ecko_quote source="John 3:3"]Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God[/ecko_quote]
Born again. Do you know what Jesus had in mind when He said those two words to Nicodemus? He was talking covenant talk. He was telling Nicodemus what it meant to have a covenant with God.
Let me paint the picture I believe was in Jesus’ mind. Imagine a baby, a little baby born of an unwed mother. No one knows who its daddy is and no one wants to know. He is a child no one wants. He doesn’t belong to anyone.
Now, picture the best kind of family you can think of. A family that loves God. The man has a good job. They’re blessed financially. They’re givers and lovers of people, and they fall in love with this baby. Before long, they adopt the baby.
What’s happened? That baby was reborn. He got a new set of parents. Through adoption, he has now become an heir. Why? Not because of anything the baby has done. Those parents didn’t say, “I want you to look at that baby. I’m so impressed with all that that child has done for us. He has certainly earned our love and respect.”
No, it’s a baby. It couldn’t have done anything to earn its new life. This man and this woman agreed together out of the love in their hearts and bestowed grace on that child. Now he has access to everything they have. When they offer him a bottle of milk, he doesn’t knock the bottle away and say, “I’m so humble and undeserving. Just give me water.”
Of course not. That baby acts like part of the family—and not just part of the family but the best part of the family. Because in Jesus’ day a covenant or adopted child had the same birthright as the firstborn son.
That’s what Jesus was talking about when He said, “You must be born again.” He was talking about grace. He was talking about a new relationship of favor. A new family. A new authority. A new power.
If you feel unworthy to receive the rich blessings God has for you today, think about that. Meditate on it, so instead of worrying about and struggling with the needs in your life, you can just walk boldly into the throne room of your Father and receive help to get those needs met.
Discover what it really means to be a blood-bought child of Almighty God with a big brother like Jesus. Discover what it means to be born again!
Image Source:
[http://jonah.uec.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/born-again.jpg]= Kennith Copeland
[ecko_quote source="2 Kings 6:17"]And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And 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. [/ecko_quote]
King of Syria planned a war against King of Israel several times. But when the information and details about the war were passed onto King Israel, the King of Syria was greatly troubled; and he called his servants and said to them, “Will you not show me which of us is the King of Israel? And one of his servants said, “None, my lord, O King; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the King of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom”.
So he said, Go and see where he is, that I may get him. And it was told, saying “Surely he is in Dothan. Therefore, he sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city. And when the servant of Elisha arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And Elisha’s 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.”
To the servant, this must have sounded ridiculous because there were thousands ready for battle all around the city. As far as he could see, there were only two - Elisha and himself - who are standing against this great army. Elisha was not young in the faith. He was seasoned with the things of God and sensitive to the Spirit of God. He had learned that the power of God is not diminished because of the great appearance of the enemy. Instead of reacting to what he saw and stepping into fear, he acted upon the word of God and stepped into faith. It coincides quite well with what Faith is all about. It's about believing in things we cannot see and blindly placing our trust in God.
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. As the story continues, the Syrian’s were struck with blindness (v18) and the story ends with a victory. The great and mighty army of God did not arrive when Elisha prayed. The army of God was already there; it was just invisible. When Elisha prayed, the young man’s eyes were opened, and he was able to see what had been there all along.
My dear ones, I do not know your situation, but one thing you must always remember is that "the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world" (1 John 4:4). There are angels all around us ready to help us out. When we walk by faith and base our actions on what God says; instead of walking in fear looking at the appearance of the enemy/situation. We will soon realise that this is when the power of God will be manifested, and we are bound to see victory.
Image Source:
[http://www.thearisingchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/elisha.jpg]
[ecko_quote source=" Romans 6:4"]Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life[/ecko_quote]
As a believer, you actually have residing in you the same new life God gave Jesus when He raised Him from the dead. The old sinner you once were has died. You’ve become a new creation on the inside.
You are full of the resurrection life of God!
But sin, disobedience and living a selfish, carnal life will keep that resurrection life from flowing out. Sin will separate you from the power of God, even though you’re born again. Resurrection life will lay dormant in you if you walk in sin.
You can’t overcome sin by trying to stop sinning, however. You overcome it by walking after the new life God has put within you, by spending time in the Word and in prayer. As you do that, the Spirit of God will strengthen you and enable you to put that sin under your feet.
Remember, though, the Holy Spirit will not subdue those old fleshly habits of yours on His own. He’ll wait on you to take the initiative. Then He will strengthen you to follow through with your decision. He will teach you how to walk in the new life that is on the inside of you.
Take the first step today by asking for His help. Say, “Lord, I desire to experience the power to live by this new life every day. By a decision of my heart, I put down the dictates of sin. I declare myself dead to sin. In Jesus’ Name, I will spend time in prayer and in the Word today. As I do, I believe I’ll receive a Holy Ghost refreshing in my life. I believe I’ll begin to live out the resurrection power that You’ve placed in me!”
[http://jonah.uec.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Doves-doves-38537875-1024-768.jpg]
[ecko_quote source=" 1 John 3:21-22"]Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.[/ecko_quote]
You can never get away with disobeying God.
Some people think they can. They think that if no one finds out about it, it won't hurt anything. After all, God is merciful. He's not going to hold it against them, right? And if no one else knows...what's the difference?
What they don't realize is that their own hearts will start giving them problems. Their own hearts will start to condemn them. Everyone else may think they're great. They may be spouting faith talk all over the place, but when they come before God in prayer, they'll be filled with doubts and fears that keep their prayers from being answered.
That's one of the reasons why it's so important to live in obedience to the Lord. A life of obedience will give you a spiritual boldness you've never had before. It will give you a boldness in prayer, a boldness in faith. It will give you a confidence toward God, as the Apostle John says, that those who are trying to get away with sin don't have.
I'm not saying that you have to be perfect—that you should never make a mistake. Just that you should walk in obedience to the light you have. Take the time to listen and be responsive to the Spirit of God. When He tells you to do something, do it.
As you do, that confidence will rise up within you. It won't be something you mentally drummed up or talked yourself into. It will just be there. Instead of being consumed with doubts and feelings that the Word of God isn't going to work for you, you'll find yourself filled with faith that it will. You'll begin to trust God and to flow with Him. You'll come to a place the Bible calls "rest in the Lord."
Remember this: Even though the eternal price for your sins has been paid, a life of disobedience will still cost you dearly. It will cost you the boldness that is rightfully yours in Jesus. It will rob you of faith and rock you with fear.
Don't let the condemnation of your heart cut your confidence short. Do the things that are pleasing in God's sight and walk tall in the kingdom of God.
[http://jonah.uec.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/confidence-is-key-michelle-balaun-2000x500.jpg]
[ecko_quote source=" Mark 11:23"]For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith[/ecko_quote]
Notice that this scripture says, "shall not doubt in his heart." It never said a word about doubting in his head. You see, faith will work in your heart with doubt in your head. You can have doubt in your head, because the devil has access to our physical senses.
He is the god of this world, and he can bring doubt to you. If you see that things are not working out right - maybe your body doesn't feel well - your mind will begin to doubt that you're healed.
What must you do? Hold yourself in the arena of faith by casting down negative thoughts and by believing with the inward man.
Proverbs 3:5 says, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding." Don't lean on what your head tells you. Faith will work in your heart with doubt in your head.
I know from my own personal experience that my head fought me all the way concerning some of the greatest things that have ever happened to me in life. My head said, "It won't work. It's not so. You don't have it." But I refused to entertain those thoughts. I refused to listen to my head. On the inside of me, I held steady.
All kinds of thoughts were flying through my head - faster than machine gun bullets can fly! Thoughts went through my head, such as, "You've messed up this time. You've made a fool of yourself. That's not going to work."
Yes, I had doubt in my head, but I didn't lean to my own understanding. I trusted the Lord with all my heart, and He brought it to pass. Now if I had given in to those thoughts and listened to my head, I would have been defeated.
Confession:
I can have doubt in my head, but still, have faith in my heart. I follow my heart. I don't lean unto my own understanding. I trust the Lord with all my heart to bring His Word to pass in my life.
[http://jonah.uec.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/WHATWEBELIEVE-11.jpg]
[ecko_quote source=" Matthew 6:25, 31–33"]But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well[/ecko_quote]
Some people have the idea that prosperity means all our needs should be provided for well ahead of time. Jesus addressed this misconception when He told His disciples, Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?...So do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:25, 31–33)
Do people worry about something they already have? No. Worry isn’t related to our present supply. It is related to a perceived or potential lack in the future. Jesus concluded His statements on the provision by saying, “Tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (v. 34). Prosperity doesn’t mean that tomorrow’s need is met today; it means that today’s need is met today.
We find the same concept in the Lord’s Prayer: “Give us today our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). Jesus tells us not to worry about tomorrow because it has its own supply (see verse 34), and tomorrow we may need even more than we do today. When we get to tomorrow, the supply will be there. We must understand what prosperity really is in order to grasp the foundational principle of how God provides for our visions.
Prayer: Father, Jesus ‘words from the Sermon on the Mount bring me such freedom from worry. As I seek Your kingdom and Your vision for my life, may I trust You more each day for provision in every way. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Thought: Prosperity means that today’s need is met today
References: Myles Munroe
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