My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials; knowing that the testing of your faith works patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. ---James 1:2-4
Notice in verse 4 that James didn’t say, “Let those tests and trials have their perfect work.” No, He said, “Let patience have its perfect work…”
You see, tests and trials don’t perfect you. It is what you do with them that counts. You are not perfected because a bunch of problems come along. You are perfected because you stick with the Word of God in the midst of those problems and patiently endure. That’s when patience has its perfect work.
Patience is consistent endurance. When you walk in patience, you remain consistent all the way through situations, no matter what comes along. You aren’t up and down like a yo-yo. You base everything on God’s Word. You don’t get up in the morning and ask yourself how you are. You get up in the morning, open your Bible and tell yourself how you are according to the Word!
I’ve seen people grow in their spiritual walks as a result of using their faith against the circumstances the world has to throw at them. I’ve also seen people go under when they are faced with the same tests and trials. It’s what people DO with their problems that make the difference. Take a look at yourself when you are presented with some news. What is your first reaction? Is it rage or anger? Is it tears and hopelessness? Or is your response in peace knowing that no matter what the news or situation, God will walk with you through it and get you to the other side of that situation in victory?
Faith thrives in the midst of a trial. That doesn’t mean we enjoy the trial. But when it comes our way, we don’t shrink away from it either! We stand on God’s Word and say, “Thank God, I know and trust the One whom I have believed!” Even when the going gets tough, we just dig our heels in and say, “I don’t care what it looks like, seems like, sounds like or feels like. I believe what the Word of God says, and it says I am more than a conqueror!”
Confession: My faith thrives in the midst of a trial. When a circumstance comes that tests me, I will remember or read what the Word of God says. With the confidence that God doesn’t lie and that He will walk with me through all circumstances, I will remain calm and with patient endurance rely on Him to get me through.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Build Your Spiritual Muscles
Yet, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. ---Romans 8:27
Even though you are not of this world, you still live in this world; therefore, tests, trials and temptations are bound to come your way.
Many people think, Well, tests and trials only come to make me strong. Some have even written songs with that message! These people may have been taught that sickness and disease come in their lives to teach them something or to make them more pious. But sickness, disease, tests, trials and temptations will never make you strong. If they did, you’d be Mr. or Mrs. Universe by now! It’s what you do with the tests and trials you face that make the difference.
Think of this principle in terms of weight lifting. A weight lifter wants to develop his muscles, but he’ll never reach that goal unless he lifts some weights. He certainly won’t turn into Charles Atlas if he just sits in an easy chair reading weight lifting books and thinking, I’m going to be strong! And when he lies on the workout bench, the 100-pound weight lying across his chest won’t help his muscles gain strength unless he lifts up the weight and starts pushing it away from himself.
The same principle is true with tests and trials. You have the capacity to believe God’s Word, but you won’t be strong in faith unless you exercise your spiritual muscles. How do you do that? Every time you push your problems away in the name of Jesus, you gain strength.
Our verse today that speaks of us as “more than conquerors” is a very powerful statement. This word describes someone who is super victorious and who wins more than an ordinary victory, but who is overpowering in achieving abundant victory. This is not the language of conceit, but of confidence. (Spirit-filled Life Bible, NKJV, page 1701)
People say, “I want to be victorious and have strong faith.” But victory over circumstances and strong faith only comes by exercising the faith you have against something that’s contrary to the Word of God. We must start thinking of ourselves as “more than conquerors.” Yes, we can conquer our circumstances, but we can also press into our destiny through that difficult circumstance.
So, every time a problem arises, we can say, “Glory to God, here’s just one more opportunity for me to develop my faith muscles and prove that the Word of God works! I am more than a conquerer!”
Confession: Because I am a child of God, I am more than just a conqueror. I am super victorious! I will develop my spiritual muscles by using God’s Word every time problems come against me. The Word works for me because I work the Word!
Even though you are not of this world, you still live in this world; therefore, tests, trials and temptations are bound to come your way.
Many people think, Well, tests and trials only come to make me strong. Some have even written songs with that message! These people may have been taught that sickness and disease come in their lives to teach them something or to make them more pious. But sickness, disease, tests, trials and temptations will never make you strong. If they did, you’d be Mr. or Mrs. Universe by now! It’s what you do with the tests and trials you face that make the difference.
Think of this principle in terms of weight lifting. A weight lifter wants to develop his muscles, but he’ll never reach that goal unless he lifts some weights. He certainly won’t turn into Charles Atlas if he just sits in an easy chair reading weight lifting books and thinking, I’m going to be strong! And when he lies on the workout bench, the 100-pound weight lying across his chest won’t help his muscles gain strength unless he lifts up the weight and starts pushing it away from himself.
The same principle is true with tests and trials. You have the capacity to believe God’s Word, but you won’t be strong in faith unless you exercise your spiritual muscles. How do you do that? Every time you push your problems away in the name of Jesus, you gain strength.
Our verse today that speaks of us as “more than conquerors” is a very powerful statement. This word describes someone who is super victorious and who wins more than an ordinary victory, but who is overpowering in achieving abundant victory. This is not the language of conceit, but of confidence. (Spirit-filled Life Bible, NKJV, page 1701)
People say, “I want to be victorious and have strong faith.” But victory over circumstances and strong faith only comes by exercising the faith you have against something that’s contrary to the Word of God. We must start thinking of ourselves as “more than conquerors.” Yes, we can conquer our circumstances, but we can also press into our destiny through that difficult circumstance.
So, every time a problem arises, we can say, “Glory to God, here’s just one more opportunity for me to develop my faith muscles and prove that the Word of God works! I am more than a conquerer!”
Confession: Because I am a child of God, I am more than just a conqueror. I am super victorious! I will develop my spiritual muscles by using God’s Word every time problems come against me. The Word works for me because I work the Word!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
God Is True to His Word
God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent. ---Numbers 23:19
When we talk about God’s sovereignty, we aren’t talking about the religious world’s viewpoint of sovereignty. Religious people who don’t know the Word say, “God is a sovereign God. If He wants you healed, you’ll get healed. If He wants you sick, you’ll stay sick. If He wants you prosperous, He’ll take care of you financially. But God may want you sick and broke. Whatever will be will be.”
According to that way of thinking, it doesn’t do you any good to believe God’s Word, because you will get whatever God wants you to have. That kind of thinking says, “He is sovereign, and most likely, He will take your money, steal your health and knock you in the head three or four times a week to keep you in line. That’s just the kind of mood God is in most of the time!”
One thing is certain – religious people who think that way don’t know God or His Word!
No, when we say God does something sovereignly, we simply mean God does something according to His Word at His own discretion. He initiates it. But God cannot sovereignly do anything outside the boundaries of His Word, because He has bound Himself to His Word.
Titus 1:2 and Hebrews 6:18 say God cannot lie. He doesn’t have the capacity to lie, be dishonest or fail to keep His Word. So just as surely as you can trust that “whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Rom. 10:13), you can believe that “by (Jesus’) stripes you were healed!” (1 Peter 2:24)
Confession: God’s Word is truth. He says I am healed by the stripes Jesus bore. That healing Word is truth in my life because I believe it and act upon it. I am healed!
When we talk about God’s sovereignty, we aren’t talking about the religious world’s viewpoint of sovereignty. Religious people who don’t know the Word say, “God is a sovereign God. If He wants you healed, you’ll get healed. If He wants you sick, you’ll stay sick. If He wants you prosperous, He’ll take care of you financially. But God may want you sick and broke. Whatever will be will be.”
According to that way of thinking, it doesn’t do you any good to believe God’s Word, because you will get whatever God wants you to have. That kind of thinking says, “He is sovereign, and most likely, He will take your money, steal your health and knock you in the head three or four times a week to keep you in line. That’s just the kind of mood God is in most of the time!”
One thing is certain – religious people who think that way don’t know God or His Word!
No, when we say God does something sovereignly, we simply mean God does something according to His Word at His own discretion. He initiates it. But God cannot sovereignly do anything outside the boundaries of His Word, because He has bound Himself to His Word.
Titus 1:2 and Hebrews 6:18 say God cannot lie. He doesn’t have the capacity to lie, be dishonest or fail to keep His Word. So just as surely as you can trust that “whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Rom. 10:13), you can believe that “by (Jesus’) stripes you were healed!” (1 Peter 2:24)
Confession: God’s Word is truth. He says I am healed by the stripes Jesus bore. That healing Word is truth in my life because I believe it and act upon it. I am healed!
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Learning to Walk by Faith
As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. ---Colossians 2:6-7
We are well equipped to walk in the blessings of God. Therefore, after we’ve had time to grow spiritually, God usually doesn’t move on our behalf with sovereign miracles or manifestations of the Holy Spirit that require no faith on our part.
You see, God holds us responsible to learn how to believe His Word. He expects us to switch over from the natural realm and begin operating in the realm of faith. That is, looking and thinking in the supernatural realm.
When I started to hear and apply the truth of God’s Word, it changed my life. I started receiving answers to my prayers according to my own faith and my confessions. God doesn’t want us to stay in the same place in our knowledge of Him. None of us have arrived to know all about God and His motives and heart. So, we must keep meditating on the Word, spending time with Him and praying for His wisdom to guide our thoughts.
The Word sets our doctrines straight. God won’t force His truth on us. But! If we’re willing to learn, He will show us how to rightly divide His Word. (2 Tim. 2:15) His truth will set us straight and put us on a new course to victory.
Confession: I spend time with my heavenly Father and grow up in Him. I walk by faith, depending on Him to perform His Word in my life. It’s a great privilege to walk by faith!
We are well equipped to walk in the blessings of God. Therefore, after we’ve had time to grow spiritually, God usually doesn’t move on our behalf with sovereign miracles or manifestations of the Holy Spirit that require no faith on our part.
You see, God holds us responsible to learn how to believe His Word. He expects us to switch over from the natural realm and begin operating in the realm of faith. That is, looking and thinking in the supernatural realm.
When I started to hear and apply the truth of God’s Word, it changed my life. I started receiving answers to my prayers according to my own faith and my confessions. God doesn’t want us to stay in the same place in our knowledge of Him. None of us have arrived to know all about God and His motives and heart. So, we must keep meditating on the Word, spending time with Him and praying for His wisdom to guide our thoughts.
The Word sets our doctrines straight. God won’t force His truth on us. But! If we’re willing to learn, He will show us how to rightly divide His Word. (2 Tim. 2:15) His truth will set us straight and put us on a new course to victory.
Confession: I spend time with my heavenly Father and grow up in Him. I walk by faith, depending on Him to perform His Word in my life. It’s a great privilege to walk by faith!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
God Limits Himself to His Word
I will worship toward Your holy temple, and praise Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; for You have magnified Your word above Your name. ---Psalm 138:2
I have heard, and you may have too, people say, “God is sovereign. He can make you sick and He can make you well if He wants to.” But God gave us His Word, the Bible, which says He is our Salvation and promised He’d never go outside its boundaries.
I’ve heard other people say, “I know what His Word says, but God is still God and He can do anything He wants.” In other words, they’re saying, “God’s Word is one thing, but He is God. He has a title, and that title enables Him to do anything He wants.”
Our verse today says, “You have magnified Your word above Your name.” God definitely is the sovereign God of the universe. He always has been and always will be in existence. However, when He spoke His law into existence, even He cannot break it. For instance, when we drop an apple from our hand, will it ever float away? No, because there is the Law of Gravity that is in effect. It can never change! Seasons are God’s Law that will never change. He can never make the seasons Winter Summer Spring then Fall. His law also says that when a seed is planted it will grow and bear its fruit. An apple tree will never bear an ear of corn. A bunny rabbit will never give birth to a cat. So God has limited Himself within the boundaries of His Word.
In this verse, “You have magnified Your word above Your name,” God is saying He can sovereignly manifest anything promised in His Word through signs, wonders, miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit, but He cannot sovereignly steal, kill and destroy. That’s the work of the devil. (John 10:10.) God is not capable of that whole concept. He can’t even speak those words they are so evil and against everything He stands for But in the decree of His own Word, God is a merciful, loving Father who has only good gifts to give. (James 1:17)
So don’t confuse yourself by re-defining Gods sovereignty. He loves you, has set laws in place to protect, provide, heal and seal you to Himself. He will never leave you and will walk with you through any storm you face.
Confession: My God is for me, and He has magnified His Word above His own holy name. So according to that Word, I believe He will defend me, heal me, protect me and provide for me which is all wrapped up in my covenant of Salvation!
I have heard, and you may have too, people say, “God is sovereign. He can make you sick and He can make you well if He wants to.” But God gave us His Word, the Bible, which says He is our Salvation and promised He’d never go outside its boundaries.
I’ve heard other people say, “I know what His Word says, but God is still God and He can do anything He wants.” In other words, they’re saying, “God’s Word is one thing, but He is God. He has a title, and that title enables Him to do anything He wants.”
Our verse today says, “You have magnified Your word above Your name.” God definitely is the sovereign God of the universe. He always has been and always will be in existence. However, when He spoke His law into existence, even He cannot break it. For instance, when we drop an apple from our hand, will it ever float away? No, because there is the Law of Gravity that is in effect. It can never change! Seasons are God’s Law that will never change. He can never make the seasons Winter Summer Spring then Fall. His law also says that when a seed is planted it will grow and bear its fruit. An apple tree will never bear an ear of corn. A bunny rabbit will never give birth to a cat. So God has limited Himself within the boundaries of His Word.
In this verse, “You have magnified Your word above Your name,” God is saying He can sovereignly manifest anything promised in His Word through signs, wonders, miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit, but He cannot sovereignly steal, kill and destroy. That’s the work of the devil. (John 10:10.) God is not capable of that whole concept. He can’t even speak those words they are so evil and against everything He stands for But in the decree of His own Word, God is a merciful, loving Father who has only good gifts to give. (James 1:17)
So don’t confuse yourself by re-defining Gods sovereignty. He loves you, has set laws in place to protect, provide, heal and seal you to Himself. He will never leave you and will walk with you through any storm you face.
Confession: My God is for me, and He has magnified His Word above His own holy name. So according to that Word, I believe He will defend me, heal me, protect me and provide for me which is all wrapped up in my covenant of Salvation!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
The Sovereign Side of God
Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts; I am the First and I am the Last; besides Me there is no God. (vs 8b) Is there a God besides Me? Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one. Isaiah 44:6,8
Let’s talk about the sovereign side of God. Sometimes people hesitate to use that terminology, because the sovereignty of God is a subject that has caused great wars throughout the body of Christ.
But God is the sovereign Creator of the universe, the God of heaven and earth! He does have a sovereign side. He can work miracles within the boundaries of His Word any time and any place He wants to---even without our approval.
Look at the time Jesus was visiting Jerusalem during a feast time. (John 5:1-9) He walked to the pool of Bethesda where men and women were waiting for the waters to be stirred by the angel and be the first to get in the water to receive their miracle. A man had been carried to the pool every day as he had been sick for 38 years. This particular man did not go to Jesus. The man didn’t even beg Jesus to help him. Jesus went to him! Obviously our patient in this story wanted to be healed since he laid by the pool day after day hoping to win the lottery, if you will allow me to bring it into today’s analogy.
Jesus had to have stepped over dozens if not hundreds of sick people and went directly to this one particular man. Why? Jesus had declared that He didn’t do anything unless He saw the Father do it. So it was God’s sovereign will that this particular man receive his healing.
Just think about your own life. Have you ever received something from God that you didn’t expect? You probably have more times than you can count. Most of us wouldn’t have lived this long if God hadn’t sovereignly done some things for us. His love goes a long way.
Another example is Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus. He was on his way to persecute more Christians. He was not seeking to find God but when “suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven.” (Acts 9:3) Jesus appeared to Saul that day on the road to Damascus, and Saul was born again.
You may not have been saved that way. You probably heard the Gospel preached, believed it in your heart and confessed Jesus as Lord of your life. You never saw a bright light from heaven and neither did I. But God has left Himself room to sovereignly intervene in a person’s life, as He did with Saul and the man at the pool of Bethesda. Why did God intervene in their lives? We may never know but God has specific reasons. The one thing I DO know is that God wants the best for us.
It is never His will that we suffer in sickness, be hooked up to machines in the hospital, or die a long lingering death. That is the work of the enemy of your soul. God’s will is to give you life and life abundantly according to John 10:10.
Confession: Sometimes my Father moves in miraculous or unusual ways to help people. But I don’t have to wait for that to happen. I come to Him in faith, believing His Word, and He takes pleasure in prospering me-spirit, soul and body!
Let’s talk about the sovereign side of God. Sometimes people hesitate to use that terminology, because the sovereignty of God is a subject that has caused great wars throughout the body of Christ.
But God is the sovereign Creator of the universe, the God of heaven and earth! He does have a sovereign side. He can work miracles within the boundaries of His Word any time and any place He wants to---even without our approval.
Look at the time Jesus was visiting Jerusalem during a feast time. (John 5:1-9) He walked to the pool of Bethesda where men and women were waiting for the waters to be stirred by the angel and be the first to get in the water to receive their miracle. A man had been carried to the pool every day as he had been sick for 38 years. This particular man did not go to Jesus. The man didn’t even beg Jesus to help him. Jesus went to him! Obviously our patient in this story wanted to be healed since he laid by the pool day after day hoping to win the lottery, if you will allow me to bring it into today’s analogy.
Jesus had to have stepped over dozens if not hundreds of sick people and went directly to this one particular man. Why? Jesus had declared that He didn’t do anything unless He saw the Father do it. So it was God’s sovereign will that this particular man receive his healing.
Just think about your own life. Have you ever received something from God that you didn’t expect? You probably have more times than you can count. Most of us wouldn’t have lived this long if God hadn’t sovereignly done some things for us. His love goes a long way.
Another example is Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus. He was on his way to persecute more Christians. He was not seeking to find God but when “suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven.” (Acts 9:3) Jesus appeared to Saul that day on the road to Damascus, and Saul was born again.
You may not have been saved that way. You probably heard the Gospel preached, believed it in your heart and confessed Jesus as Lord of your life. You never saw a bright light from heaven and neither did I. But God has left Himself room to sovereignly intervene in a person’s life, as He did with Saul and the man at the pool of Bethesda. Why did God intervene in their lives? We may never know but God has specific reasons. The one thing I DO know is that God wants the best for us.
It is never His will that we suffer in sickness, be hooked up to machines in the hospital, or die a long lingering death. That is the work of the enemy of your soul. God’s will is to give you life and life abundantly according to John 10:10.
Confession: Sometimes my Father moves in miraculous or unusual ways to help people. But I don’t have to wait for that to happen. I come to Him in faith, believing His Word, and He takes pleasure in prospering me-spirit, soul and body!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Enter Into Rest
For only we, who believe God can enter into his place of rest. ---Hebrews 4:3 TLB
When you’re in a difficult situation and you need a miracle, locate what you believe. Do you believe what God’s Word says? Or do you believe what people or circumstances say?
Hebrews 4:3 says, “We who have believed do enter into rest.” Belief produces rest, and what you hear determines what you believe. So if you see you haven’t entered to the rest of faith, don’t waste your time feeling condemned, discouraged or upset about it. Just realize your belief isn’t yet strong enough to produce rest.
What do you do? Find out what the Word of God says about your situation. Search for Scriptures that cover your case. Feed on the Word at every opportunity because hearing produces belief. Some people say, Well, when I have time, I’ll do that.” But if you maintain that attitude, you’ll never have time.
If you need healing, listen to good healing tapes again and again. Read good books on healing, such as Christ the Healer by F. F. Bosworth. Don’t just read the books once and set them down; read them from cover to cover several times until you are full of the Word on healing. Then out of the abundance of your heart, your mouth will speak. (Matt. 12:34) You’ll find yourself saying, “It’s so good to be healed!”
This is where Jesus wants you to be; healthy and whole - mind, soul and body, so you can be about His business. What good does it do the Kingdom or the image of Christians for you to walk around talking about how sick or depressed you are and spending all that money on doctor bills and prescriptions? The reason Jesus went to the cross was to take all your sickness, disease and torment is so you don’t have to. Normal Christianity is to be healthy and whole!
When someone asks, “Do you feel better? Are the symptoms gone?” you’ll say “I haven’t checked yet, but I know I’m healed because the Bible said it. I don’t care what anybody says, God says healing is mine and I have whatever God says.”
Remember, hearing produces believe, belief produces rest and the rest of faith produces results!
Confession: The Word of God is firmly lodged down in my heart, and I enter into rest. God’s Word is greater inside me than what I see with my natural eye. It’s so good to be healed!
When you’re in a difficult situation and you need a miracle, locate what you believe. Do you believe what God’s Word says? Or do you believe what people or circumstances say?
Hebrews 4:3 says, “We who have believed do enter into rest.” Belief produces rest, and what you hear determines what you believe. So if you see you haven’t entered to the rest of faith, don’t waste your time feeling condemned, discouraged or upset about it. Just realize your belief isn’t yet strong enough to produce rest.
What do you do? Find out what the Word of God says about your situation. Search for Scriptures that cover your case. Feed on the Word at every opportunity because hearing produces belief. Some people say, Well, when I have time, I’ll do that.” But if you maintain that attitude, you’ll never have time.
If you need healing, listen to good healing tapes again and again. Read good books on healing, such as Christ the Healer by F. F. Bosworth. Don’t just read the books once and set them down; read them from cover to cover several times until you are full of the Word on healing. Then out of the abundance of your heart, your mouth will speak. (Matt. 12:34) You’ll find yourself saying, “It’s so good to be healed!”
This is where Jesus wants you to be; healthy and whole - mind, soul and body, so you can be about His business. What good does it do the Kingdom or the image of Christians for you to walk around talking about how sick or depressed you are and spending all that money on doctor bills and prescriptions? The reason Jesus went to the cross was to take all your sickness, disease and torment is so you don’t have to. Normal Christianity is to be healthy and whole!
When someone asks, “Do you feel better? Are the symptoms gone?” you’ll say “I haven’t checked yet, but I know I’m healed because the Bible said it. I don’t care what anybody says, God says healing is mine and I have whatever God says.”
Remember, hearing produces believe, belief produces rest and the rest of faith produces results!
Confession: The Word of God is firmly lodged down in my heart, and I enter into rest. God’s Word is greater inside me than what I see with my natural eye. It’s so good to be healed!
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