Jesus-The Will of God in Action

And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever: And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them. ---Matthew 8:14,15

When Jesus came to Peter’s house, Jesus didn’t fast and pray to see what the Father wanted Him to do. He just knew that God’s will is healing for all. Therefore, it had to be God’s will for Peter’s mother-in-law to be healed and whole.

You can come to that same conclusion yourself just by studying the Gospels. For example, think about this: How many people did Jesus walk up to and make sick? None. How many people did He tell, “This sickness is for the glory of God, so keep it awhile?” None. How many times did He say, “No, I can’t heal you?” Never. How many people who wanted healing did He turn down? None. How many times did He say, “No, wait until later; I’ll do it in My own good time?” Never.

Remember, Jesus’ every move in His earthly ministry was the will of God in action. He was to bring the Kingdom of heaven to earth so He could demonstrate what God desired upon the earth. He said, “If you’ve seen Me, you’ve seen the Father.” So when we see that Jesus never turned anyone down, that tells us that God never turns anyone down. Jesus never said, “Wait,” so God never says, “Wait.” Jesus never said, “This sickness is good for you,” so God never says, “This sickness is good for you.” Jesus did nothing but set people free; therefore, God does nothing but set people free.

Jesus is all the proof we need that it is God’s will to heal everyone!

Confession: I see my Father when I look at Jesus. Just as Jesus is the same, yesterday, today and forever, so also my Father never changes. His will was healing then, and His will is healing for me now. So I say, “Let Your will be done, Lord!”

from Prescription for a Miracle by Mark Brazee

What is the Fear of the Lord?

The fear of the Lord is to hate evil. . . ---Proverbs 8:13

God has established laws that are to benefit mankind and promote life and health. These are laws that we may look at and thumb our nose at because we don’t like to be “bound” with rules. However, we end up being bound anyway because when we rebel against God’s laws, we step into the camp of our enemy, Satan. Rebellion is one of the main reasons we don’t experience the blessings of God. It is evil because is challenges God and His wisdom in what is best for His children.

When we become self-reliant and feel we don’t need God, we are prideful. We have resources, government programs, medicine, our wit, skills and abilities in which we accumulate stuff, achieve awards, receive recognition and on and on. We reason we don’t need God or even care if He is involved in our lives because we are so “self-sufficient.” That, again, is where Satan wants us to be. He wants us to be successful in and of ourselves because he knows that God cannot bless the proud. James 4:6 says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

Another mark of evil is a perverse mouth. Now, we can take this several ways. First of all it indicates the words spoken that are hurtful, cruel or slanderous. That includes gossiping, speaking lies, malicious conversation and causing dissention. It also means speaking blasphemous words towards God, His laws, His love. The Ten Commandments says, “You shall not take the Lord God’s name in vain.” That means don’t use it out of the context of scripture. We are not to swear by His name, speak it in a string of profanity or even flippantly use God or Jesus Christ as an expletive. Proverbs 17:20 says, “A man (or woman) of perverse heart does not prosper; but whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble.”

I want to encourage you with this from Proverbs 8:32-36. “Now therefore, listen to me, my children. For blessed are those who keep my ways. Hear instruction and be wise, and do not disdain it. Blessed is the man who listens to me. Watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoever finds me finds life, and obtains favor from the Lord; but he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; all those who hate me love death.”

Confession: I realize that I have not been honoring God with my attitude or my words. I humble myself before the mighty hand of God that He will find mercy upon me. I will strive to love everyone and seek God’s help in all my activities. I desire to receive God’s blessing on my life.

Restoring the Fear of the Lord

He will bless those who fear the Lord, both great and small. ---Psalm 115:13

I have been writing about the emotional fears that we may have as we walk through this life; fears that come from sudden startle to dreading the future and the unknown. Today, I want to take you to some scriptures that will help us become aware of the importance of a fear of God. God never wanted us to tremble in terror as we think of Him, His Omnipotence, Omnipresence, and Omniscience. We must remember that God is Love. All throughout the Old Testament God was constantly revealing to His people about His character. All of it was rooted in His love for the Israelites, even though they complained, whined, rebelled and even fought against God and His laws. When He chastened them, it was to teach lessons. When He withdrew His hand from them, it was because they had pressed their rebellion beyond that which God could allow. But God was always ready to redeem them when they repented.

Today, we not only have the Old Testament, but we have the life of Jesus and the New Covenant that was established as a result of His life on this earth. Again, all rooted out of love, to give His children victory in life on this side of Heaven.

When we look at how fear, or reverential honor and obedience, of the Lord will bless His people, it is apparent that if we want to live a blessed, successful, honorable life, we must fear the Lord. Here are a few examples:
The angel of the Lord encamps all round those who fear Him. Psalm 34:7
There is no want to those who fear Him. Psalm 34:9
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him. Psalm 103:11
He has given food to those who fear Him; He will ever be mindful of His covenant. Psalm 111:5
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Psalm 111:10
The fear of the Lord prolongs days. Proverbs 10:27
In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence. Proverbs 14:26
The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life. Proverbs 14:27
By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life. Proverbs 22:4
But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings. Malachi 4:2

It is our responsibility to know our God and to be humbled, reverent, and to honor and tremble at His dominion, power and authority in this earth. We will learn in the coming days what God considers “fear of the Lord.”

Confession: I will admit that I have not feared God as I should. I understand through scripture how God wants to bless me when I humble myself before Him, honor who He is and revere His power to alter my life and circumstances as a result of my actions.

We Are Not To Carry Worries

. . .casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. ---1 Peter 5:7


The reason we are overwhelmed with fear, dread or anxiousness is because we are trying to handle our situations ourselves. So many of our worries are never spoken to others, we just let them go round and round in our mind. Then we get ourselves worked up into thinking those possibilities will turn in to realities. That is where we become anxious. Philippians 4:6 says, “Be careful (anxious) for nothing…” God did not send Jesus to this earth to die so that we could be anxious. We are not to be worried or anxious because God is faithful to those who love Him and Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil which involves fear!

You may ask, “How to I stop being anxious? What can I do to get peace back in my life?” That is a great question, because you are realizing that ANXIOUSNESS AND FEAR IS NOT NORMAL for the Christian! It is not the kind of life we have inherited from our King Jesus. He wants you to be able to live with confidence, that you will sleep peacefully all night, and that you can handle difficult situations with a calm, assertive, sound mind.

Scripture tells us how to deal with these day-to-day issues. Many people will say “Pray and God will take care of your problems.” Then, when they pray, things don’t change. God will answer prayers, but not when they are still full of anxiety and fear. It is true that Phil. 4:6 says “Be careful (anxious) for nothing,” but how do you do that? By “casting all your cares upon Him.” That word “cast” means to throw, fling, to deliberately hurl something. When we “cast our cares” we must deliberately release our problems by throwing them on to God. If there is anything that bothers us, we have been given permission to throw them on to God. But it doesn’t stop there. Here are six steps to give you peace:

1) Once you have “cast” your cares, don’t run back and pick them back up!
2) After you have prayed about a situation, don’t think about it anymore. Keep your mind focused on the answer to your prayer.
3) If thoughts about the situation come to your mind, don’t try to fight thoughts with thoughts. Speaking the Word of God aloud is the best way to fight thoughts. Speak what God’s Word says about your problem.
4) Stop trying to figure out the answer to your situation. Instead, trust in God’s ability to work it out for you.
5) If the devil tries to bring a picture of your problem to your mind, put it out of your mind immediately. Make yourself think on those things which are honest, just, pure, lovely, and of a good report. (Phil 4:8)
6) Use the words of your mouth and the thoughts of your mind to praise God for His Word and for the Word working in your life. Praise is a good way to keep your mind on the Lord – and off the problem. (Satan hates praise!)

Confession: Thank you, Father for caring enough for me to have sent Jesus to show us your love and care. Thank you for taking all my concerns, worries, and anxieties. I will let you have them and not come back for those things that bother me any more. I release them to you through Jesus’ Name.

We Are Not Alone

Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” Hebrews 13:5 & 6

It is amazing to me that anxiousness, anxiety, fear, phobias and condemnation have such a grip on not only unbelievers, but also on God’s children. This is not the reason Jesus died on the cross! He willingly went to the cross so we did not have to carry our sins, our sicknesses, or our mental torments.

I have learned that everything that happened at the cross had incredible spiritual meaning. First, the stripes on Jesus’ back indicated the 39 basic diseases that are at the root of every disease known to man. Jesus took those stripes upon His body explaining the scripture “by His stripes, we were healed!” (Isaiah 53:4 & 1 Peter 2:24) The thorny crown that was pressed into His scalp where the points of those thorns were actually piercing his skull was representing the mental torment. "The chastisement for our peace was upon Him." (Isaiah 53:4) Then, of course, were the nails that pierced his hands and feet that represented the sin of mankind that we attained through the rebellion of Adam in the Garden of Eden. "He was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities." (Isaiah 53:4)

I said all that to say that Jesus desires us to be free from mental torment. He bore all that on the cross. The one who wants you to be fearful, full of anxiety, have phobic tendencies and self-condemnation is Satan. It is his purpose to 1) keep you in the bondage of those fears so you will not realize the power you hold as a child of God, 2) that you will be consumed with yourself, 3) to keep you from realizing the destiny that God has planned for you and 4) to keep you from defeating him (the devil) with your knowledge of what Jesus had done through the cross.

It is Satan who likes to heap condemnation, past failures, and the unknown future in your mind which will immobilize you with fear. He just blows or whispers those thoughts in your mind because he knows when you take that seed of insecurity or inability into your thought process and nurture it like a mama nurtures a baby, that it will incapacitate you from moving ahead with confidence in God which Jesus has made available to you through His death on the cross.

It is time that we are no longer ignorant of the strategies of the devil. We must be wise to the fact that negative thoughts come from our mortal enemy. If we become scared, anxious, condemned, uncertain about yourself or the future, it is NOT from God but from Satan. When it happens, you must speak to the devil like you speak to a naughty child like this:

Declaration: Satan! I know what you are up to and I will not accept these lies you are telling me. I have been redeemed, purchased and covered through the blood of Jesus and you have no right to my life. If you have any condemnation, fear or anxiety to deliver to me, you have to take it to Jesus because He is the one who has all my sins, sicknesses and torments. They are no longer mine. In Jesus Name, leave my thoughts NOW and do not return!

Jesus Destroyed Fear!

For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. ---1 John 3:8

It is very easy to be caught up with the world’s way of thinking. We start thinking about what “could” happen… “if.” I am not exempt from looking at the stock market, the job losses, and the downward spiral of the products being produced. I see how it affects my pocketbook and look at what the media has to say. It would be easy to get caught up in that mindset of “dread.” That is the fear of what might be. If we allow it to happen, it will become part of the fabric of our lives which will eventually turn us into unlovable people. We will always see the glass “half empty,” we will be negative with the attitude that nothing will turn out good.

That dread, which is a type of fear, is exactly what Satan wants you to embrace. He does this to freeze you from depending on the shield or hedge of God. Satan knows the scripture better that you or I and he does not want you to know how much power you have over him. This power was given to you after Jesus allowed Himself to be crucified on the cross for the purpose of taking on all your sins, all your sickness and all your torments. That word torment comes from fear. …Fear involves torment. (1John 4:18) When we are tormented, it is usually mentally. Tormented thoughts are things we fear that might happen which is again, dread.

You may ask, “Why do I have these fears?” Well, they came from Adam and Eve! The very first negative emotion that was experienced by the human race was FEAR. Read Genesis 3:10 “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” From that point on, fear was upon the earth. It became a curse to mankind. But let’s read what Jesus did for us in Galatians 3:13 “Christ has (past tense) redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.”) When Jesus hung on the cross, He took on all the curses that God had spoken on mankind because of the rebellion of man. Jesus took your sins, He took your sickness, diseases, oppression, depression and FEARS!

Confession: Thank you Jesus for taking all my fears when you hung on the cross. Thank you for destroying the works of the devil so I can live without fear. I will be open to learn more about your protection, your love and your heart.

Fear Is Not From God

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
---2 Timothy 1:7

The prophet Hosea wrote as God charged the children of Israel with Truth. In chapter 4 verse 6, God said, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” It is no different today as it was in the days of Hosea. God’s people (Christians) are dying and are being destroyed emotionally, physically and spiritually because they don’t understand the Word: God’s heart, His passion, or His laws. We also don’t understand the enemy of God, Satan. For this reason I am going to attempt to share the strategy of the enemy. Let’s start with Satan’s number one tool, fear.

There are two types of fear. One is a reverential, honoring fear which is healthy. This fear is what God wants from us. We must honor God as the Creator of the universe, the One True Living God, the Most High God. He is the One who holds the universe and our lives in His hand. If we fear Him reverentially, He will bless us with all His promises of health, wholeness, safety, and prosperity. But if we dishonor and disobey Him, He has the power to correct, and withhold the blessings. Also our disobedience and rebellion opens spiritual “doors” in our lives where God will have to allow the enemy (Satan) access.

There are a couple other fears mentioned in the Bible. Their meanings would encompass; shake or quake, be afraid, terror, and sudden alarm. Another word for fear is dread; causing great fear or anxiety. This is an abiding fear that resides with you day after day in anticipation that something bad is going to happen.

In John 10:10 Jesus was telling us what the devil’s job description is: “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.” The ONLY thing Satan wants to do is make our lives miserable or take us out. He has all the time in the world to wait and pick at us, waiting for us to become weak, fall, to become incapacitated and unable to live out the destiny God has established for us. It is interesting to find that the word “kill” means to breathe hard, blow or to rush.

In 2 Timothy 1:7 it says, God has not given us a spirit of fear. The word for spirit is a current of air, breath or breeze. So, if God has not given us that spirit then who has? Of course, the devil! He is breathing on us to put into us all kinds of fear. It is interesting that the words “kill” and “spirit” have the same kind of meaning. You may be in a situation where your response is fright, heart-thumping fright. Or you may have that slow breath blowing on you constantly, creating a feeling of dread; an anticipated situation that will be bad. Regardless of the type of fear, understand that your mortal enemy, Satan, wants to keep you in fear; afraid of the past, afraid of the present, afraid of the future. But it is not from God. Tomorrow we will find that fear has been destroyed, so stay with me because it will get better!

Confession: I understand that fear is not from God. Fear is a tool of the enemy of my mortal soul, Satan, to keep me from walking in victory and reaching the destiny God has established for me. I will not be moved by fear.

The Result of Knowing God and Trusting Him

Therefore do not worry, saying ‘What shall we eat?’ Or ‘What shall we drink?’ Or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles (unbelievers) seek, For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. ---Matthew 6:31-33



I have met many Christians who are overwhelmed with life. They are confronted with situations that either makes them frustrated, angry, or fearful. They find themselves with these feelings because they feel out of control of the circumstances in which they are surrounded. I know they don’t want to feel this way but it just wells up from inside. That is what we call the soulish realm. It comes from the mind, the will and the emotions. Those emotions are negative, agreed? Negativity is not the result of staying in the Word of God or being a person of prayer.

Jesus came to this earth for the purpose of bringing peace to your soul. In John 14:27 Jesus was talking to His disciples. “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” The world would not understand what kind of peace Jesus is talking about unless they understood the messenger.

Jesus did not come to this world to establish religion. He didn’t come to condemn sinners. He didn’t come to change culture. He came to re-establish the Kingdom of God on this earth, which includes health, wholeness of mind, peace of heart and spirit, and to destroy the works of the devil. He accomplished all that when he died on the cross and took upon himself all our sins, all our sicknesses and all our torments. He destroyed the work of the devil by making it possible for every human being on the face of the earth to accept Jesus as the Son of God, to step into the family of God as a Believer and to engage in Covenant with God the Father. When we do that, we no longer have to worry about how we are going to eat, whether we will have a place to live, or have money to pay for necessities.

We should never worry about our health, wealth or future. God has it all covered. Our anxiety should dissolve. We should not feel “out of control” because God is in Covenant with you. He is legally bound to take care of you. He is responsible to protect you. Our job is to believe this is the case, trust that God will do what He says He will do and tell yourself through your confession that you will walk in peace because God promised He will take care of you.

Confession: Fear has no place in my life. I will not receive the lies of the devil because God has me covered. I will trust Him with my life, my possessions, my wealth, and my family. I will rest in Him… “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” (2 Cor. 1:20-22)

Speaking the Good Things

(God) Who satisfied your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. ---Psalm 103:5

Speaking the Good Things

I know many of us would like this scripture to mean that God will give us wonderful, succulent morsels of food that will be tasty and make us look and feel young! But, I’m sorry to report that is not the case. God is always concerned with your expansion of spiritual growth and maturity. Not your physical expansion! In Proverbs 12:18 it reads, There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, but the tongue of the wise promotes health. God’s desire is that we become knowledgeable in His ways, His character, His acts, and His faithfulness. When we realize that God is for us and not against us, we will embrace Him as the promoter of our lives; that He will fight for us because we are in covenant with Him.

So when we understand His love and commitment to us, we must use our mouth as the voice of understanding. To declare back to God what He has established for our lives will make God realize you know His Word. To speak love and forgiveness to people in your life, demonstrates you know God’s love and aren’t afraid to share it. There was a song several years ago that said, “I am loved, I am loved, I can risk loving you; for the One who knows me best, loves me most.” When we are confident in the Father’s love, we are more loving people.

Let’s break down some of the words in Psalms 103:5 in Hebrew. God “satisfies our mouth” means that He will fill to satisfaction and have plenty to advance or pass on and continue the good and wonderful things of God. I know when I share God’s healing covenant with people, I am passing on the wonderful things of God with my words. When we forgive others, we are using wisdom and advancing the forgiveness model to them. When we tell others how God has protected us from a scary and dangerous situation we are witnessing the faithfulness and protection of God.

As a result of our passing on these wonderful things through our testimonies and confessions, God says He will renew our youth like an eagle. The eagle is a large bird that undergoes a dramatic physical change periodically where he looses all his feathers with the results of health and vivaciousness and lives to a very old age. In one circumstance an eagle lived at least 104 years. Proverbs 12:18 tells us that when we speak our wisdom from scriptural references it will promote health!

Confession: It may take some time, but I want my mouth satisfied so I can speak of God’s love, forgiveness, healing, and so much more to those I love, work with and meet. I know that as I witness to others, I will feel renewed in strength and vitality.

The Protection of the Angels

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits, . . . who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies. ---Psalm 103:4

When we are worshipping and celebrating God for who He is and how He has blessed us, we must remember He has given us, as His children, benefits. So far we have talked about 1) His forgiveness of our sins; 2) He has healed all our diseases (physical); 3) He has redeemed our life from destruction and now, Benefit 4 is how He crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies.

When we use the word “crown” we think of the item that is placed on the head of one honored or of the position held. However, according to the original Hebrew, this particular word does not mean the diadem. When God crowns you with lovingkindness, which is to favor with gentleness and bow as to an equal, God’s crown is encircling you with protection from an attack.

If you look at Psalm 103:4 and read the whole verse together, God is redeeming your life from destructive thoughts and physical attacks, and it says He encircles you to keep you protected! Why? Because He loves you more than you can imagine. He has compassion on you. That is what tender mercies means. There is a love God has toward you like a mother loves the baby growing inside her womb. He caresses you, talks to you, and dreams of the wonderful future ahead of you. God doesn’t want your life shortened by sickness, accident, or tragedy to keep you from the wonderful destiny He as for you.

In past devotions, we have been considering the hedge of protection and the shield that guards you. In Psalm 91:10 it reads “No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; vs 11 For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” God has set in place a hedge of protection here on earth for His children and that is His angelic host. Notice this scripture has more than one angel set to protect you. So that means we have at least two “crowns” encircling you with protection from attack.

These angels are guarding you. It is your hedge provided by God, your Father who loves you, and they will keep you and protect you. When there is a situation where you or your loved ones are traveling, going into unknown areas, work in dangerous vocations, are in places where disease abounds, etc, put your guardian angels on notice that you know they are there, that you expect them to protect you and thank them for bearing you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone (get hurt in any way). It is our inheritance as children of the King! What good is a benefit if we don't use it?

Confession: God has given me the benefit of protection from harm. I believe that protection comes from the angels assigned to me. I will be more aware of the supernatural forces that God has established so I can reach the destiny that God has planned for my life.

The Joy of Those Who Trust God

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go… ---Psalm 32:8


I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul (mind, will and emotions) shall make its boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear of it and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt (lift up) His name together.

I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears (anxieties & terrors). They looked to Him and were radiant and their faces were not ashamed (brought to confusion). This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved (rescued preserved, made him safe and free) him out of all his troubles. (sickness, calamity, financial woes, relationships)

The angel of the Lord encamps (dwells) all around those who fear (reverence and honor) Him, and delivers them. Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints (believers)! There is no want to those who fear Him. The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek (diligently inquire, search) the Lord shall not lack any good thing. (health, success in business, success in relationships, finances)

Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Who is the man who desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good?

1. Keep your tongue from evil (don’t talk about your problems and speak double-mindedness.)
2. And your lips from speaking deceit (lying, bitterness, offense, backstabbing)
3. Depart from evil and do good (be a blessing to everyone and walk in love)
4. Seek peace and pursue it (no revenge, but ask forgiveness and forgive others)

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous (those who are right with God), and His ears are open to their cry. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near those who have a broken heart (seeks forgiveness) and saves such as have a contrite(bruised, crushed) spirit.

Many are the afflictions (evil, physically, socially or morally) of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He guards (to hedge or protect) their bones (car crashes, calamity, and accidents), not one of them is broken (crushed, destroy, hurt). Evil shall slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous shall be condemned. The Lord redeems (rescues) the soul (mind, will and emotions) of His servants, and none of those who trust (relies and has confidence) in Him shall be condemned (found guilty).
Psalm 34

Confession: I will trust in the Lord who will guard me, protect me, forgive me, and provide for me. I will bless the Lord at all times. I will keep evil from my tongue, I will not speak deceit, I will be a blessing to everyone I meet and seek peace and pursue it.

The Shield and Trust Go Together

As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. ---Psalm 18:28


I had a horse once that must have had a bad owner or handler in his youth. I knew this because he never trusted me. I would try to feed him out of my hand. He wanted it and would start to take the feed, then throw his head up and back away. To catch him to ride was a battle of wits! I got so frustrated that he eventually became a “field horse.”

Many of us have experienced relationships where trust in someone was broken. That person did or said something that made us realize that we will simply have to put them “out in the field” and not get attached or put the effort in that relationship again.

God is not like that! Not at all! God is the only One that is totally trustworthy. The word trust means to be positively confident in someone or something. Today, there is not a whole lot that we can be positively confident in. Our government will let us down, our employer will let us down, our spouse will let us down, our church will let us down even your pet will let you down! But God is one who will always be there for you. It is in God that you must place your trust.

You may ask, “How do I trust someone I can’t even see?” Abraham didn’t see God, but He trusted Him to give him and his wife a baby in their old age so there would be heirs to his name. Joshua didn’t see God, but trusted that they would get to the other side of the Jordan to conquer the land promised. David was a youth when anointed king, yet through years of persecution he trusted that he would one day reign. What is it that got them through the hard times? It was their faith! Believing in those things they couldn’t see, yet having a hope that it would come to pass. They were expecting.

It is time that we live in expectation; believing that God will protect our bodies, our possessions, our families and our future. It is time to understand that God means what He says and says what He means. There is no double standard with God. He has no favorites, but we are all His favorites. It is time to know that when we trust in Him and we are obedient, that He will place a shield around your life to protect you from destruction.

Confession: I now understand that God will do what He says and the destruction I have experienced has been because I have not totally trusted or expected God to do what He says. I will continue to search God’s character and become more intimate with Him as I read His roadmap to a victorious life.

He Is A Shield

Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
---Proverbs 30:5


We have watched movies where those in battle carried a shield to defend themselves from the aggressor’s knives, swords, spears, etc. Those shields protected the men’s bodies from possible wounds and even death. As I have been researching how God protects us, I have found an abundance of scripture that reveals God’s passion for protecting us from destruction. Destructive wounds and even death can come physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually.

I found most scriptures mentioning “shield” located in the Old Testament. I believe it is in the Old Testament (Covenant) that God was revealing His nature and character to the Hebrew children. Abraham was the first of His people and God told him in Genesis 15:1, “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” In the original Hebrew, shield means a hedge, an armed protector for defense.

In Psalm 91:4 the Psalmist declares “He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid…” My friend, we may live in a different century with different kinds of problems, but perilous times have been with mankind throughout time. The same God that protected David, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is the same God that will be your shield today. God wants to be your hedge, and protect you.

The word shield and buckler in Psalm 91 has a little different meaning. The word shield here means a prickly thorn, like a cactus hedge. It also means a pointed hook. Buckler means to travel around on the alert, intensively. I can envision God guarding us with this thorny hedge with an angel walking guard duty carrying a spear, just to protect YOU.

There is a condition for this shield to be in place. Look at today’s scripture; He is a shield to those who trust Him. Will you place your trust in Him today? That means to totally rely on Him with your life and everything connected to it. In order to do that, you must know your God intimately.

Confession: I desire to know my God and trust Him with all my heart, soul and mind. When I do that, God will set up such a high security defense system that I will be guarded from destruction of my body, soul and spirit. I trust You, oh Lord, with all that I know about You.

Missionary Journeys

The calling I have on my life is to reach into the world to disciple and equip the saints. For this reason I make an effort to travel to nations to teach God's Good News. This year I have a schedule developing that will take me to Central America, India and possibly Africa. If you would like to be a part of the Great Commission and "Go" into the nations, but you cannot find the time or all the resources, you would be considered a "Goer" by sending me. I am giving you an opportunity to plant seed into good soil that will produce good fruit.

My first trip will be to LaCeiba, Honduras, February 16 - 28. While there I will be teaching women in Honduras about the position they carry as a child of God in the Kingdom of Heaven.

As the "mission season" begins this year, you may want to take a team on a missionary journey but don't know where to begin. I can help you. As a short-term missionary for over 10 years, I have contacts all over the world and have trained dozens of teams to make their first missionary journey out of the United States. You may contact me at this post if you are interested in help or even a guide into the nation of your choice.



You may make a donations through my covering, "THE ROCK Ministries - Missions" with a note with my name on it.
Send donations to: THE ROCK of Habersham, 350 Ansley Road, Demorest, GA 30535

God Promises to Protect Us

For you, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield
---Psalm 5:12


Many Christians have not been able to grasp the depths and breadth that God wants to protect, defend and fight for those who will obey Him. We have been so taken up with what the world has to say what could happen, that we have missed an extremely important truth about God. The truth is, as stated in Psalm 5:12 that when you do obey Him, He will bless or praise and benefit you. He loves you so much He wants to protect you as shown by the Psalmist; that God will surround you as with a shield.

Psalm 91talks abundantly about the one who seeks God, dwells or makes his foundational roots in God, that he will find a refuge. That God will deliver you from those who seek to destroy (including Satan) and will cover you with His protective wings. When we rest in His Truth, (that is believing what the Bible says about God’s promises to those who trust Him) we will not have any fear.

Whatever happens, (and stuff will happen) when we trust God with our lives, our possessions, and our family … and I mean totally leave it in God’s hands, then He will fight, protect and be our shield. And it is His will that we come out of that circumstance victorious. We will see our friends, even Christian friends fail in finance, relationships, and morals. But listen to what Psalm 91 says in verse 7 “A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you. Only with your eyes shall you look and see the reward of the wicked.” How accurate is that prophetic message when we see what has happened as a result of bank and Wall Street corruption!

Listen to what we can trust in: “Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling!" Sounds like of those “benefits” mentioned in Psalm 103! He heals all sickness and He has redeemed our lives from destruction. (vs 3,4)

Exactly what is God’s shield? Let’s talk about that tomorrow as we explore more about how God protects us. But for today say this confession out loud.

Confession: I will admit that I have not totally trusted you with my life, my possessions, my bank account, my family but today I turn it all over to You. You, Oh God, know how best to take care of my stuff and my family. You are my refuge and my fortress, in You I will trust.

Jesus Redeemed Our Lives from Being Destroyed

Bless the Lord, O my soul and forget not all His benefits: Who redeems your life from destruction ---Psalm 103:4

Jesus Christ came to this earth to bring His Kingdom from heaven to re-establish the domain that was intended for the children of God. If you are a Believer in the Trinity and the life, burial and resurrection of Jesus then you are in the Kingdom of God. Your Father, God desires your life to be blessed, first by being forgiven of all your sins. Just as important, God wants you to be healthy in your body. Remember Jesus was challenged by the Pharisees when He told the paralyzed man, Your sins are forgiven you. (Matt. 9:5) They wanted to know by what authority He said this. Jesus’ response was basically OK, I’ll show you that forgiving sins and healing are equally important so He told the man to rise up and walk. It is God’s will that we not only walk in health, but that we walk through life without accidents that would kill, maim or destroy your body.

You might say, “That is impossible! Look at so-and-so who is accident prone, and they’re a Christian!” We must change the way we think and talk because all I see in the Bible is that God’s will is that we be healthy, have a life of God and live abundantly! (John 10:10) Jesus told us to pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” What is heaven like? Is it full of crippled people? Are people experiencing accidents in heaven? No, and neither should you.

I will give you a secret; start using your voice and making declarations over your life, the life of your spouse and children. Again, in John 10:10, Jesus told us that our enemy is Satan and his whole job description is to kill, steal and destroy. But Jesus came to give us God’s kind of life. So, if someone in your life has a hazardous job, start declaring safety, a sound mind, acute senses and protection over them. If you have a teenager that is a new driver or even anyone driving a car declare the blood of Jesus over them and send your angels to protect them. If you are prone to physical accidents, say this:

Confession: I declare and the decree that the devil has no right to my body. I have been bought by the blood of Jesus and am His child. Therefore no weapon formed against me shall prosper. My body is strong from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet. I will not fear ‘what might happen’ because God is my defender and protector. If God is for me, who can be against me? Praise God I am protected.

We Are Protected

He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge, His truth shall be your shield and buckler. ---Psalm 91:4


We have been discussing benefits from being in Covenant with God in Psalm 103. In verse 4, let’s unwrap how the next benefit should be enjoyed by His children. “Bless the Lord, O my soul and forget not all His benefits: (4a) Who redeems your life from destruction." I know I am not alone if I share with you how vulnerable I sometimes feel in this wicked, perilous world. We hear of tragedies, bazaar accidents taking place, reckless behavior resulting in broken bodies and even simple annoying incidents like twisting an ankle. Even our thought life affects our behavior and health. We can get a thought in our mind and start to believe the negative message that landed there, meditate on it, nurse it and eventually believe that lie the enemy has planted.

The benefit that is mentioned in Psalm 104:4a is that God redeems us from a life of destruction. Let’s start with the word redeems which means to buy back or purchase. God is saying here that He has got you covered. We know that Jesus redeemed our sins by going to the cross. Well, because Jesus went to the cross, we are also purchased back from a life of destruction! If it was so in the Old Testament (Covenant) how much more true it is when Jesus established a new and better Covenant? It is interesting that redeem is in the plural. It is an ongoing process. The attacks will be constant and so must your confessions and your prayers.

Now, let’s look at that word, destruction. It means a sinking pit (especially as a trap), corruption, the grave, destroyed. Let’s face it, our enemy is not God, so that means it will be Satan… or we can be our own enemy. Satan loves to set traps for us to choose to step in that will eventually lead to sickness and death. Let’s say our diet. Foods that taste good aren’t necessarily good for our bodies. Yet we continue to eat unhealthy or way too much and eventually our body starts to show signs of sickness and disease. Did Satan put that spoon or fork in your mouth? No, you did. But it is your thoughts that set it up. Does Satan make you gossip, criticize or speak judgment over someone? No, you did, but your thoughts drove you to do that. Now you have disfunctional relationships. Did Satan buy the pack of cigarettes or liquor? No, you did, but the temptation came into your mind first, then you acted.

We must come to the point where we get righteously angry by the way we are being manipulated by Satan. God is ready, willing and quite able to deliver us from our lives of destruction. We have been and are being redeemed. The attacks will come constantly because we are children of God and Satan hates us. So, even though he has lost us from an eternity in hell with him, Satan will do his best to make our hell on earth! Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners: and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (James 4:7,8)

Confession: I will not let the enemy of my soul continue to destroy me. I resist the devil and all his maneuvers in his attempt to destroy my life, my body, and my mind in Jesus Name. I will be aware of traps being set for me and seek God for guidance and instruction, then follow what He puts in my heart.

Benefits: Forgiveness and Health

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases. ---Psalm 103:2,3

I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned and by which they have transgressed against Me. ---Jeremiah 33:8


The Church, as a whole, focuses on the salvation message, which is good, but so many people have not let it sink in that God has forgiven them! In Psalm 103:3 the word “forgives” means to pardon, spare someone; to relieve someone of the burden of their offense. The forgiving is done by God, your Creator, the All Sufficient One. In Jeremiah 33:8 he proclaims God’s eagerness to forgive His people.

By stepping into Covenant with God, everything that you ever did, said or thought are wiped away, never to come up in God’s face again. You have a clean slate in His eyes. We must also learn to forgive ourselves as well. If God Almighty can forgive you, then you must forgive yourself. It is only Satan that keeps condemning you and when you learn to tell Him that it has all been absolved at the Cross and He must never remind you of that again, then you will begin to walk in total freedom.

The benefit of healing is also the same thought process. May I point out the word all? God forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases. All means total, complete, and not skipping over one! There is not one disease that God has not healed for YOU! Remember we are talking about benefits for those in Covenant with God. As you obey, trust and honor Him, He in turn will take care of everything that effects your life. There is not one disease that is too difficult for God to eliminate, heal, dissolve, shrink, knit together, etc. Nothing is impossible to God.

Our problem is we put limits on God. We must start trusting God’s Word which is more powerful than any doctor’s report or even Satan’s report. Many times, all Satan has to do is whisper something in your mind and before you know it, you’re convinced that you’re going to die and start imagining your funeral. Is that not true? It’s time to start making this declaration:

Confession: I am a child of God and the blood of the Lamb has covered my life. I declare and decree that no weapon formed against me shall prosper. I will live and not die! My mind is sound and I will not listen to the lies of the enemy of my soul. Jesus is my Rock and my Salvation and it is in Him that I will trust.