Let God pick your battles:

God fighting

 

As I read this morning’s Bible reading in One Year Bible, I began to think about broken people trying to leave broken lifestyles. Let’s read it together.
Ex 13:17 When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land. God said, “If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”

18 So God led them in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea.[a] Thus the Israelites left Egypt like an army ready for battle.[b]

 

We all know the story, 10 plagues, Moses and Pharoah, “Let my people go!”

 

Imagine if you will the mindset of these people. Beaten, broken, enslaved for as long as anyone could remember, suddenly delivered by the hand of God, yet not yet fully trusting God fully yet.

broken people

Remember when God called David, and Samuel had a hard time accepting it:

 

1 Samuel 16:7 But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

 

He knows what we are made of, and what it takes to build a strong foundation of faith into our hearts, that one day will allow us to be the warriors, delivers, and victors in life’s battles.

 

If any of you have seen the movie ‘Captain America’ there is a scene where the commanding officer says something like, ‘there is no way we can make a soldier out of him’, then in one of the drills, Cap falls upon a grenade to protect the other guys in his platoon, and the hardened soldier gets some instruction. He had looked at the small stature and fraility of the man, yet his courage in battle revealed his heart.

In this case, God knew the children of Israel were not ready for a battle yet with the Philistines, so He led them on a longer route.

 

Anyone read the Christian classic: ‘Hinds Feet on Hinds Places?”

Hinds Feet

It is the journey where a fictional character named ‘poor little much afraid’ is transformed through a journey with the Shepherd, to receive her hinds feet to be able to leap around the mountains with a new name: ‘Grace and glory” It’s a great read, but the point that comes to mind is the way that that Shepherd leads her on their journey, the horror of being led directly away from her destination into the desert, instead of up the mountain.

Seems the Shepherd was wiser than her though, because near the end of the book, she discovers the extra miles in the desert had strengthened her to climb the steep dangerous cliffs, and in exhilaration she discovered she had conquered her fears, and was able to leap the tall heights with ease and joy.

 

Over the years, I have worked with broken people, each struggling with some deep dark secret pattern of destructive behavior. Addicts especially come to mind, and how relevant this verse is in their lives. They cannot be around alcohol or drugs of any form for some time, until they become strong, the temptation is too great.

addict way out

In this Bible reading, the children of Israel were about to come in between a rock and a hard place, with far worse than the Philistines to face, the entire army of Egypt was about to back them up to the Red sea, and you know the rest of the story, God fought for them that day, as a whirlwind, a sea parter, and One who is altogether faithful.

Fear not

Maybe you are in a fight for your life today. Literally, or spiritually, it doesn’t matter.

 

1 Corinthians 10:13  (ASV)

13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that ye may be able to endure it.

Jesus is the way, and also the waymaker. He will provide, He will deliver, He will lead you away from battles you are not yet qualified to fight. He knows, He cares, He loves.

waymaker

Let’s Pray:

“Father, I need you to lead and guide me today. Show me Your will and Your way. Deliver me from the brutal circumstances that seek to destroy me, and show me the straight and narrow way Jesus promised is available to me. Amen”

Speak to Your Mountain!

Mountain Moving Faith! Mark 11:22-25 King James Version (KJV) 22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. 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 […]

Mountain Moving Faith!

mountain

Mark 11:22-25

King James Version (KJV)

22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

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.

24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Zechariah 4:6-7

King James Version (KJV)

6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

7 Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.

Funny how the whole counsel of God comes together! In yesterday’s Bible reading, we read of a prophetic declaration to Zerubbabel, talking about how mountains move when we shout to it!

shout-unto-god

What do we shout?

Grace!

Not some kind of sloppy agape, limp wristed kind of greasy grace, but the manifest power of God in the earth.

Jesus told us to speak our faith, to speak to mountains, so let the redeemed of the Lord say so!

Let’s do it!

“Father, you see the adversities I face. Now, I take my place in Jesus, and I speak to poverty, debt, lack, sickness, fear, depression, oppression, and every curse, snare, or hindering or soulical prayer prayed against me, now, and command these things MOVE! In the name and authority of Jesus, Amen.”

Mountain Moving Faith!

Finding Strength to Stand!

Strength To Stand!

lord stoodToday, I read again:

Ps 138: 3 In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.
4 All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth.
5 Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD.
Very interesting how this psalm reads!

It begins:

Ps 138 I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.

I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

Here in verse two, we see God establishing the integrity of His Word, and then the psalmist shows us his response to God’s Word.

Field of sunflowers on a grunge background

God gives us promises, that must be walked out in the earth, in sometimes very, difficult circumstances. God gives the promise, and when we are having difficulty holding on to what He said, we can call unto Him, and He strengthens us when we cry out to Him.
cry-out-to-jesus
So, my dear friend, remember what God has spoken to you! Do not give up! When it looks impossible, and you are so weary in well doing that you think you have enough, you can cry out to Him, and He will answer and strengthen you with strength in your soul!

Let’s do that today, together!
“Father God, I cry out to You, right now! Father, strengthen me in what you have said! Give me courage, boldness, tenacity, endurance, and joy in the journey, I pray, in your name Lord Jesus!”

cry out

Making a ‘Supply’ of the Holy Spirit Available Today!

Philippians 1:19(KJV) 19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, Are you in ministry? The gospel always goes forward on its knees, as broken hearted servants cry out to God for His servants, and God delivers them, and they do what […]

Philippians 1:19(KJV)

19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

Holy Spirit supply

Are you in ministry?

The gospel always goes forward on its knees, as broken hearted servants cry out to God for His servants, and God delivers them, and they do what we do – preach the gospel, heal the sick, cast out devils, teach, make disciples, build projects, and perform the acts of Jesus love that alleviate human suffering wherever we can – the stuff.

That involves all of us, not just five-fold ministry gifts and offices:

And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
ministry reconciliation

Yet, in the midst of this we quickly learn that strict obedience to Jesus is mandatory, for we often find ourselves in brutal tests, trials, that require the power of God to extricate ourselves. In this opening verse, history tells us the apostle Paul had been shipwrecked, and wrote from prison. He saw how he was going to get out too, through the supply of the Spirit made available to him, as his friends in Phillipi prayed for him!

What the Church needs today is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more novel methods, but men whom the Holy Ghost can use–men of prayer, men mighty in prayer.

E.M.Bounds

We are the Body of Christ, and quickly we discover there are no big ‘I’s’ and little ‘you’s’ in the kingdom of God, we are all called, we are all needed, and the kingdom grows ONLY as we work together, in our place.

Ephesians 4:16King James Version (KJV)

16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Eph 4-16

We must each do OUR part, bringing our particular supply of the Holy Spirit, the life blood of the Body, and so the kingdom grows, becomes healthy, strong, victorious.

The moment you wake up each morning, all your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists in shoving it all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other, larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in.

C.S. Lewis

PRAY FOR US!

And so the intercessors enter the fray, and they begin to pray for us, with prayers that slap heaven and earth together, and as they do, rivers from the throne, supplies of His Spirit, become available to us.

When almighty God shows up, we get delivered from our current trial, with great glory to His name.

Holy Spirit help

MOBILIZE PRAYER!

So, if you are a Christian leader, mobilize prayer. Without it, your troubles may well destroy you.

I heard Dr. Negiel Bigpond say that true intercessors are assassins, trained killers. They attack and kill things in the spirit that would surely kill you, if they had not prayed.

build church key

Are you a prayer warrior? Please add me and other missionaries to your daily prayer list, we cannot do it without you.

Are you called to Go, preach teach and make disciples?

“…Men may spurn our appeals, reject our message, oppose our arguments, despise our persons — but they are helpless against our prayers.”

Sidlow Baxter

After 25 years in this thing, I am convinced that the most important thing that we can do is mobilize prayer for the Spirit inspired directives we are called to perform in the earth.

https://chrisaomministries.com/2016/08/06/the-purpose-of-this-blog/

Let’s Pray:

‘Father, I ask you would raise up intercessors, and faithful prayer warriors for me, my family, and my mandate in this generation. I ask that we remain faithful to pray for those providing leadership to the kingdom of God, and for those you have called us to serve today. Holy Spirit, I need You. Touch me, deliver me, direct me, work in and through me today for Your good pleasure. I ask this, knowing I am heard, for I ask in Your name Lord Jesus, Amen.’

Shout Unto God With A Voice of Triumph!

The Shout of a King! Num_23:21 He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them. 2Ch 13:14 And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind: and they cried unto the […]

The Shout of a King!

Num_23:21 He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.

shout1
2Ch 13:14 And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind: and they cried unto the LORD, and the priests sounded with the trumpets.

2Ch 13:15 Then the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass, that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

2Ch 13:18 Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the LORD God of their fathers.

In this account, we read how the kingdom of Israel was divided into the camps of Judah, under the leadership of king Abijah, and Israel being lead by Jeroboam. Abijah, set the house of the Lord in order, and served the Lord, according the manner prescribed in the Word of God. Jeroboam, did not.

So, there was war between them.

Yet, even as the battle lines were drawn, Abijah tried to convince Jeroboam to go home, because God was not with him in the battle. Yet Jeroboam attacked, in what appeared to be a great strategy, surrounding the army of Abijah, and attacking from the rear, in ambush. Yet he did not count the words of Abijah…for the shout of a king was among them!

shout-unto-god

They blew the trumpets and shouted unto God in the battle, and God delivered them, and the children of Judah saw victory that day.

Remember Jericho? Here a good shouting song:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFb8LraKMMY

So I see in the earth today, a similar situation arising in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

There are those of us, pursuing Him, with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength, determined to hear His voice, align our lives with His Word, and to live for Him, daily, in spirit and in truth.

passionate pursuit

Yet, enemies have arisen in the land: here in America they come from the political system espousing abortion, same sex marriage, lies, treachery, and compromise with Islam.

Many Christians say that we are too radical, that we just need to accept that the political winds have changed, simply live and let live…while our enemies seek to attack all that is right, true, noble, honorable, loving, kind, and righteous in this nation.

Up from deep within me rises a SHOUT!

shout1

It is a shout of Holiness unto the Lord, the cry of the Victory of Jesus over all of our enemies.

Do I look like a fool in meetings where conventional wisdom requests things be done decently and in order?

Perhaps, but I feel like David facing Goliath, and hearing his many brothers, and I echo his words:

1Sa_17:29 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?

There is a cause!

The cause of Christ demands a shout!

There is a fight of faith to be won, for the fate this nation, the United States of America, hangs in the balance, as we rise up in violent faith, to fight for her, from ‘enemies within, or tyranny without!’. The battle is fierce in prayer, but we must win it here, or the payment that sin always exacts will be paid upon the soils of this land, for the wages of sin, is death.

We will win this battle, this war, for God is with us, and He that marches with us, is mighty to save, deliver, and prevail against wicked spirits, and godless men that serve them….

So?

Get in your car, your bedroom, your backyard and shout unto God with a voice of triumph! Scream your passion, your frustration, your cry for deliverance unto Him, and watch, like Jericho, the walls of complacency, containment, apathy, fear, and religion crumble at YOUR feet, as Jesus, mighty warrior, arises to fight for YOU, His child…SHOUT!

shout

Making a ‘Supply’ of the Holy Spirit Available

Philippians 1:19(KJV) 19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, Are you in ministry? The gospel always goes forward on its knees, as broken hearted servants cry out to God for His servants, and God delivers them, and they do what […]

Philippians 1:19(KJV)

19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

Holy Spirit supply

Are you in ministry?

The gospel always goes forward on its knees, as broken hearted servants cry out to God for His servants, and God delivers them, and they do what we do – preach the gospel, heal the sick, cast out devils, teach, make disciples, build projects, and perform the acts of Jesus love that alleviate human suffering wherever we can – the stuff.

That involves all of us, not just five-fold ministry gifts and offices:

And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
ministry reconciliation

Yet, in the midst of this we quickly learn that strict obedience to Jesus is mandatory, for we often find ourselves in brutal tests, trials, that require the power of God to extricate ourselves. In this opening verse, history tells us the apostle Paul had been shipwrecked, and wrote from prison. He saw how he was going to get out too, through the supply of the Spirit made available to him, as his friends in Phillipi prayed for him!

We are the Body of Christ, and quickly we discover there are no big ‘I’s’ and little ‘you’s’ in the kingdom of God, we are all called, we are all needed, and the kingdom grows ONLY as we work together, in our place.

Ephesians 4:16King James Version (KJV)

16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Eph 4-16

We must each do OUR part, bringing our particular supply of the Holy Spirit, the life blood of the Body, and so the kingdom grows, becomes healthy, strong, victorious.

PRAY FOR US!

And so the intercessors enter the fray, and they begin to pray for us, with prayers that slap heaven and earth together, and as they do, rivers from the throne, supplies of His Spirit, become available to us.

When almighty God shows up, we get delivered from our current trial, with great glory to His name.

Holy Spirit help

MOBILIZE PRAYER!

So, if you are a Christian leader, mobilize prayer. Without it, your troubles may well destroy you.

I heard Dr. Negiel Bigpond say that true intercessors are assassins, trained killers. They attack and kill things in the spirit that would surely kill you, if they had not prayed.

build church key

Are you a prayer warrior? Please add me and other missionaries to your daily prayer list, we cannot do it without you.

Are you called to Go, preach teach and make disciples?

After 25 years in this thing, I am convinced that the most important thing that we can do is mobilize prayer for the Spirit inspired directives we are called to perform in the earth.

https://chrisaomministries.com/2016/08/06/the-purpose-of-this-blog/

Let’s Pray:

‘Father, I ask you would raise up intercessors, and faithful prayer warriors for me, my family, and my mandate in this generation. I ask that we remain faithful to pray for those providing leadership to the kingdom of God, and for those you have called us to serve today. Holy Spirit, I need You. Touch me, deliver me, direct me, work in and through me today for Your good pleasure. I ask this, knowing I am heard, for I ask in Your name Lord Jesus, Amen.’

The Spirit of Faith! USE IT!

The Spirit of Faith! 1 Thessalonians 3:10 Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith? This is the heart of any true minister. You need faith for your marriage, faith for protection, faith to receive wisdom and revelation from God. Faith to […]

The Spirit of Faith!

The Spirit of Faith!

Read with me: 1 Thessalonians 3:10 Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?

This is the heart of any true minister. You need faith for your marriage, faith for protection, faith to receive wisdom and revelation from God. Faith to eat your meals, faith to raise your family, faith to provide for your family. Faith to be a good steward over your money.

The Bible says: 2 Corinthians 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

Acts 16:5 And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.

I want God’s church to grow, so I must continue to preach the Word to you, because faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Some of you need faith just to get to church every Sunday. Well,

Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. Or if you want a teaching on it: https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/12/04/why-go-to-church/
https://chrisaomministries.com/2016/04/15/eagles-still-go-to-church/

You now see that regular church attendance is actually in the Word of God, so now, you simply have to agree with the Word, for faith came when you heard it, now do what you believe!

Romans 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
faith

Once you recognize that your very world is framed by the Word of God, you will have no problem getting to church to hear the good word of God.

Why?

Well, I’m commanded by God to 1 Peter 5:2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind

;feed

Now, if you understand that your life is going to be adversely or positively affected according to your hearing of the Word of God, you will reprioritize some things. ‘Seek ye first’is still in the book, not in a legalistic sense but so that God can add all things unto you.

2 Corinthians 4:13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;

2 Corinthians 4:13 (BBE) But having the same spirit of faith, as it is said in the Writings, The words of my mouth came from the faith in my heart; in the same way, our words are the outcome of our faith;

faith voice

Romans 4:17 ¶ (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

Romans 10:8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

Throughout the week, I spend countless hours praying out mysteries in other tongues, for you.

1 Corinthians 14:19 Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.

tongues1

Why, because faith comes by hearing.

Matthew 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

692 argov argos ar-gos’

from 1 (as a negative particle) and 2041; TDNT-1:452,76; adj

AV-idle 6, slow 1, barren 1; 8

1) free from labour, at leisure

2) lazy, shunning the labour which one ought to perform

For Synonyms see entry 5814

My question to you today is what do you believe about your life? Like that old comedy:”Doom misery and despair, if I didn’t have bad luck I’d have no luck at all?”

Like Eeyor in Winnie the Poor, are you down at the mouth, just barely getting by?

eeyore

Well, you’re carnal then. The children of Israel died in the desert by grumbling and complaining. What are you doing day to day? Calling those things that are not as though they were? Standing boldly on the promises of God, more than a conquerer in Him? Or like the ten spies, do you have grasshopper mentality, all your problems are giants in the land? Where are the Joshua’s and Calebs of this generation who will stand up and boldly declare the victory Jesus bought and paid for in His own blood?

I like the statement I read of the Moravian Christians that went as missionaries to the Virgin Islands to bring the gospel to the slaves there, knowing that it may cost them their lives, that they might need to become slaves themselves, in order to reach the slaves there.

They prayed, “Dear Lord, that we might grant you a reward worthy of Your sufferings..”

reward

They had such a deep revelation of the depths to which Jesus went for us, when He died upon the cross for all mankind, in light of eternity, no sacrifice was too great, in comparison of what He did, to redeem people back to Himself.

Faith, established upon the promises of God despises obstacles. He is the resurrection and the life. He is Almighty God, Creator of Heaven and earth, He lives, and He reigns.

Lets see this spirit of faith in action in the Word of God

David

david

Did David say to Goliath, “You big mighty man of war. You fearsome giant, and undefeated warrior?”

Not!

He was so in tune with His walk with the Lord, and the promises of God, He saw the problem from God’s perspective. ‘Who is this uncircumcised Philistine to raise up against the army of Almighty God?’

He saw himself from God’s perspective, with a covenant with God.

He saw Goliath from God’s perspective, without protection, and without a covenant.

Can’t you see, this man is without protection, and He dares to raise His hand against God? This should be fun, what’s in it for the man who chops off his head?

Did he run from the giant? No! He ran to him! Faith is not waiting for Jesus to come and deliver them but enforcing Jesus victory in every arena of life.

What about Jonathon?

jonathon

1 Samuel 14:1 ¶ Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines’ garrison, that is on the other side. But he told not his father.

14 And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armourbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were an half acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plow.

15 And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling.

16 ¶ And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down one another.

One man, with God, walking by faith got victory over an entire enemy nation. Why, because when he did in the natural, God did in the supernatural,

and:

15 And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling.

God backed up Jonathon, and the earth quaked.

Where are the giant killers today?

The David’s that will look enemies in the eye and tell these mountains to move?

The Jonathon’s that will take the battle to the enemy, not run from it or pretend it doesn’t need to be fought!

He went to the enemy, and he won.

How about the three Hebrew children? Let’s pick up their story in the midst of their challenge.
furnace

Danial 3:10 Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image:

11 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.

14 Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?

15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?

Notice the attack is against the glory of God, we must keep our attackers focused on Him, not us.

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.

Spirit of Faith – They knew God, and knew He would deliver them!

17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

17 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

If you throw us in the furnace O king, God will deliver us and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

That kind of stand of faith will really tick a controlling person off. They think they are in charge.

19 ¶ Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.

20 And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

22 Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

Enemies were destroyed in their own flames.

No weapon formed against you shall prosper.

23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.

25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

In your trial of faith, in the firey furnace of your affliction, the object of your faith will appear!

fourth man

Jesus, your Lord and your king, shows up, for He will never leave you or forsake you. When He does, you get delivered for God acts!

26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire.

26 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.

The kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our God and of His Christ. Kings come to the light of God’s glory.

Isaiah 60:3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

10 And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee.

1 Peter 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. (God shows up, you get delivered, and yes, you get really grateful and glad!)

1 Peter 4:14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

27 ¶ Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.

29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.

God gets the glory, you get the promotion, and the real purpose of your trial is revealed – the harvest! God has eternity on His mind, and we are the only hope this generation has. Sometimes we go through things at the hands of satan and wicked people, that God allows for a season to perfect us, glorify Him, and most importantly, allow others to come into the kingdom of God.

2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.

Notice the gospel was preached by the government as a result of the stand of faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They did not bow, they did not burn, and the entire nation came back to God through their stand of faith, and they were promoted!

Ps 75:5 Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck.

6 ¶ For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.

7 But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

promotion

So who are you anyway? A grumbler, destined to spend forty years in the desert in despair, or more than a conquerer in Christ Jesus?

You can choose what you are going to do right now, COMPLAIN AND REMAIN (In your present trial), or PRAISE AND BE RAISED (seeing the power of God make your mess a miracle!) Praise Him in the midst of your madness, and He will deliver you!

Deuteronomy 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

Jesus made it plain,

John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

victory1

So your bills look like they have you whipped? Are they a mountain of bills yet? God said something about mountains in Mark 11:24. Are you down so low you have to look up to see bottom? Not! Never! You are the head and not the tail, a child of the king, made to sit with Him in heavenly places. There is no circumstance that can lord over you, unless you let it. Whatever your circumstance is, get over it with the Word of God.

Jesus is your Lord, and He has the final say.

arms Jesus is Lord

1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

If it is in the world, your faith in God is well able to whip it. Are you a grasshopper? Or are you well able to take the land?

Stand in the presence of our king, and let’s reaffirm our faith in Him again.

I don’t care what your bankbook says:

God says:

Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

2 Corinthians 8:7 Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.

2 Corinthians 8:9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

You are a giver aren’t you?

Let’s believe the Word together!

The Bible says now 1 Corinthians 16:13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Isaiah 35:4 Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.

Now how are we to be strong, when we feel so weak?

In the Lord, using our faith-filled words!

Mark 11:22-25New King James Version (NKJV)

22 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

I am a whosoever, and so are you! (https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2013/11/12/mountain-moving-faith/)

We are mountain-moving, history making disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Joel 3:10 Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.

mountain-moving-faith3

You say it, and God will back you up, and you will be strong.

Is 53:4 ¶ Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Thank you Father, we were healed. We believe it and receive it, now, by faith.

Now normally, I end these exhortations with a prayer, but not today. The Word of the Lord given to me by the Holy Spirit is PRAISE!

Ps 67:5 Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.

6 Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us.

Praise is the weapon of the day, the key to unlock our victory, today.

Hurting, discouraged, feeling beat? Been there, done that…

Sing!

I don’t care if you are choking on every word join me:

‘We bring the sacrifice of praise, into the house of the Lord’

‘We bring the sacrifice of praise, into the house of the Lord’

‘And we offer up to You, the sacrifices of thanksgiving’

‘And we offer up to You, the sacrifices of joy!’

Praise paralyses devils, it is the shout of victory that overcomes the world, for God inhabits the praises of His people!

I remember hearing a testimony of a women doctor, dying of cancer and a heroin addiction named Dr. Lillian Yeoman. She had been asking God to heal her, and bringing His promises of healing before Him in prayer, yet was still dying. One night, lying on her pain-wracked bed, she had a vision, that changed her life. She saw a balance, with one side that was labeled PRAYER, and the other side PRAISE. The side that was labeled PRAYER was weighted down completely, while there was nothing on the praise side to counter-balance the load. She claimed she heard the voice of God speak to her, to PRAISE, and that when the weight of her praise, equaled the weight of her prayer, she would be miraculously healed. So, she began to sing praises to God, like a croak at first, but as she gave herself to it, she began to get stronger, and her voice clearer. She stayed with it, until she literally sang herself off of that deathbed, totally healed of cancer, and totally delivered of her heroin addiction.

praise

He is worthy!

https://chrisaomministries.com/2016/08/06/the-purpose-of-this-blog/

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paypal

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Give in faith!

1 Corinthians 9:11 If we have sown [the seed of] spiritual good among you, [is it too] much if we reap from your material benefits?

1 Corinthians 9:14 [On the same principle] the Lord directed that those who publish the good news (the Gospel) should live (get their maintenance) by the Gospel.

Paul goes on to say, that he did not use his position as a minister of the gospel to take up offerings, rather he worked, making tents, to support himself. You might notice here, that Paul was not married, nor did he have children. Family responsibilities take time, and just as you bust a move on your job to provide for your family, I work every bit as hard, doing this, faithful to the Lord in prayer and the ministry of His Word, to you.

I will never charge for this: it my responsibility to God, my calling. Freely I have been given, now, I freely give…

As you give, hear Holy Spirit what to give, and honestly expect God to reward you for your giving.

Matt 10: 41 He who receives and welcomes and accepts a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward, and he who receives and welcomes and accepts a righteous man because he is a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 And whoever gives to one of these little ones [in rank or influence] even a cup of cold water because he is My disciple, surely I declare to you, he shall not lose his reward.

I am a five-fold ministry gift and office – this is my life – I pray, I hear, I write, and wonderful things happen. You have your job description, I have mine – this is mine….

I have ‘see through’ faith for you, in this: Gal 3: 9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

I believe I have a responsibility before God to be like Jesus, in every offering I receive. I receive it with thanksgiving, just like Jesus did the little boys lunch.

Then, because I walk and live by faith according to the blessing of Abraham, I believe that God will take your seed sown, and multiply it, according to what the blessing of Abraham promises:

Genesis 22:17 In blessing I will bless you and in multiplying I will multiply your descendants like the stars of the heavens and like the sand on the seashore. And your Seed (Heir) will possess the gate of His enemies

It has been a joy to me, to see the hand of the living God act in the lives of those of you who have supported us this year!

Many have seen tremendous blessing come into your households, and for this we give thanks, and give Jesus all the glory!

Mountain Moving Faith! USE IT!

Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Mountain Moving Faith!

Speak to Your Mountain!

This is a message, I first preached, over 10 years ago. I have edited it some, to make it easier to read, but it’s truths have never changed! They are eternal! I have changed, and my understanding of these things has deepened, as I have grown in character and the fruit of the spirit, yet I am still a faith preacher, and God is still only pleased, by faith!

I have learned over the years, that faith works by love, and that love is an action. To make any of what I am about to teach you actually work, you need to believe, act, and first speak and live:
love-shed-abroad

The love of God, shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Spirit, is Jesus, loving people through us. This is what we must do, to be actually living the love of God:

1 Cor 13:4 Love is patient; love is kind. Love isn’t envious, doesn’t boast, brag, or strut about. There’s no arrogance in love; 5 it’s never rude, crude, or indecent—it’s not self-absorbed. Love isn’t easily upset. Love doesn’t tally wrongs 6 or celebrate injustice; but truth—yes, truth—is love’s delight! 7 Love puts up with anything and everything that comes along; it trusts, hopes, and endures no matter what. 8 Love will never become obsolete.

In one version, verse 8 reads: Love never fails.

love-never-fails1

If you determine to walk in love, no matter what, you won’t ever fail either.

If you have true faith in God, you will be full of love, for God is love, and whenever we authentically meet with Him, He meets with us, and fills us with His love, so that His love is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

“The fruit of faith is love, and the fruit of love, is service’ Mother Theresa

If you think about it, Jesus commanded us to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, preach the gospel, visit the sick and the prisoner, and overcome evil with good. These actions of our faith, are only possible from a living vital relationship with an Almighty loving God!

In order for the rest of what I must teach on faith, the muscle of God in the earth, you must be:

1. Established and walking in the love of God.

2. Committed to doing the Will of God

3. Calling those things that be not as though they are.

4. Speaking to your mountain!

Let’s look at our decision to commit to doing the Will of God.

committed
Now most of us who have been on here know that I am committed to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

In previous lessons and blogs, we have looked at the concept of Lordship. That is, if Jesus is our Lord, we need to do what He says. It is clearly established from the Word of God, that we need to seek Him first. How you meet with Jesus, first thing in the morning, may differ for each person, but seek, is an action word, and whether you are a prayer, praiser, or studier, we all need to seek Him first, every day. Like the Nike ad, as far as putting God first goes in your life ‘Just Do it!”. Establish your morning watch.
seek

We have looked at whether or not Jesus was Lord of our time. We introduced you to Mr. Tel E. Vision, and told you that most North Americans spend 2-1/2 hours each day glued to the tube. Finding now, that as I look at my time, Social Media can also become a distraction…It is a great ministry tool, but like anything, the question is ‘What am I doing with my time spent on the internet’. The Scripture is clear, that we are ‘to redeem our time’

Take that time, and put it into praise and worship, prayer, reading your Bible or listening to it on cassette, or simply changing the station and watching some good solid Bible teachers, or other fine television ministries instead of the sit-coms and soaps, and watch your life change!

In previous lessons, we looked at our vocations. Our jobs. Making Jesus Lord of our employment and doing our work unto Him, so that we could receive the promotions, raises, and better jobs that He has for us, remembering:

Psalms 75:6 For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.

7 But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

God wants to promote us, to place us in positions of greater effectiveness for the kingdom of God. Yet He judges your heart attitude, not just your outward performance. Seems He first judges our faithfulness and character, then promotes:

Proverbs 28:20

A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.

Yet, I am a faith preacher, and we are going to get back over to looking at faith here in a couple of minutes.

Yet, I need to make sure ‘seek ye first’ is working in your life, or you are not in position to have all these other things added unto you.

Isaiah 1:19 (KJV)

19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:

2. Commit thy way unto Him:

Psalms 37:5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

Proverbs 16:3 Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.

Now, many of us are determined to live for Jesus, and to walk with Him every day. Before I preach faith to you, I need to talk about commitment.

Commit: Oxford Dictionary says

1. To do, to perform

2. To entrust for safe keeping.

3. To pledge, to bind with an obligation

Today I need to preach for a commitment. Many of us take Jesus as our Saviour, but how many of us are committed to making Him Lord of our lives? You see the first definition of commitment is to do, to perform. We need to do what He says, both in the written Word, and in the hearing of the Holy Spirit.

Henry Ford said it this way, “You can’t make a reputation on what you are going to do.”

I still like that quote by Will Rogers, “Even if you are on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”
right-track
Helen Keller, you remember, the lady who lived her life blind and deaf, said this: “I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. I will not refuse to do the something I can do.

I get really frustrated with people who refuse to move on in their lives. Why? I remember visiting CHEO (The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario) and seeing the receptionist there, who was a quadriplegic, answering the telephone with his headset, and operating his computer with a mouth stick. He was cheerful and happy, and doing a great job. Yet, I see people that can walk, see, talk and learn, yet who refuse to invest their lives in anything, and it ticks me off. Look at Nick Vujicic, if you want to see what a man with no arms and no legs can do! He is a husband, father, adventurer, and incredibly gifted public speaker.

nick

Self Pity is from hell! Why? Because it mocks God’s power. It says that the God we serve is not big enough to help us move beyond our own little world. It is blasphemy in light of what Jesus died to provide for us.

“Winners are just ex-losers who got mad”, Van Crouch

The second, is easy, we have entrusted Jesus Christ, the Son of God, to save us, and to take us eternally to heaven to live with Him. Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. More than a children’s bedtime prayer, it’s our eternal security. Yet, before I preach here a bit, I need to talk about our pledge, our obligation. You see if we decide to commit to the Lord, we make a solemn pledge to live for Him. We bind ourselves to the plan of God, determined to die if necessary rather than fail in it.

I pray for you every day:

Colossians 1:9-12  (KJV)

9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

I desire that you might KNOW the will of God, and understand it.

I pray that you DO the will of God.

know-do

I pray you INCREASE in the knowledge of God.

I pray God grant you STRENGTH, to endure joyfully all the challenges this world throws at you.

I pray you remain humble and GRATEFUL, as He shows you your inheritance, and who you are by royal decree and privilege. (We a king’s kids!)

Many of us have been tossed to and fro by every wind of the Media, and teaching that comes across our path.

Why?

Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

We need to recall the plan of God. We need to plead the Blood of Jesus over our homes and families. We need to tell others the great things God has done for us, for our testimony is a weapon of war enforcing Satan’s defeat. Yet, look at the final part of this verse, ‘loving not our lives unto death.

I heard a minister say it this way. If you have received a promise of God, and you are determined to believe it, stand upon it, unto death if necessary, you won’t be standing very long. There needs to be in the heart of every Christian the willingness to die rather than compromise the Word of God. If you want to read a few stories along this line, pick up a copy of ‘Foxes book of Martyrs, many have paid the ultimate price for our faith.
martyrs

Freedom is not free, and I am prepared to live for Jesus, beyond death if necessary: you cannot threaten a true Christian with heaven!

Yet, I’m not going to die, for it is written: ‘With long life, will He satisfy thee!’ I will live and not die, and declare the glory of God! Seems, as a warrior, I am more use to Him, here, in the earth, than up in heaven!

This type of commitment to truth, will cause true Bible faith to produce anything you need in this life.

A missionary society wrote to David Livingstone and asked, “Have you found a good road to where you are? If so, we want to know how to send other men to join you.” Livingstone wrote back, “If you have men who will come only if they know there is a good road, I don’t want them. I want men who will come if there is no road at all.”

Good News Broadcaster, April, 1985, p. 12
road-make

The Bohemian reformer John Hus was a man who believed the Scriptures to be the infallible and supreme authority in all matters. He died at the stake for that belief in Constance, Germany, on his forty-second birthday. As he refused a final plea to renounce his faith, Hus’s last words were, “What I taught with my lips, I seal with my blood.”

Source Unknown

Some of us need to make a fresh commitment to Him today. Sure He is still the Lord, but He has not been YOUR Lord for quite some time. You haven’t sought Him and obeyed Him like you need to. We are going to do that publically now, so that you qualify for the rest of this teaching:

Let’s Pray:

‘Jesus, I know you are the Lord, yet today, I ask You to become my Lord. Show me Your way, and plan for my life, and give me courage and grace, to live for You, without compromise, all the days of my life, Amen’

We are talking about faith here today. It is going to take commitment. Let’s look at a couple of classic faith Scriptures:

extreme faith

1 Corinthians 16:13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

Romans 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

2 Thessalonians 1:3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;

1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

Philemon 1:6 That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 6:12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

Hebrews 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

Hebrews 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Hebrews 11:33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions.

Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

1 Peter 1:9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

Jude 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

Jude 1:20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

Revelation 17:14

These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful

2 Corinthians 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

2 Corinthians 4:13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;
faith voice
Faith has a voice. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!

2 Corinthians 8:7 Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.

Notice here, that as we abound in faith, we also abound in utterance, because again we see, that faith has a voice!

Romans 4:17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

3. Let’s look at ‘Calling those things that be not as though they were’

Certain things belong to us from the Word of God.

Some of these include: healing, direction, comfort, provision, wisdom, supernatural favor from heaven with people, protection, encouragement, and deliverance.

How I wish these things were automatic if you simply followed Jesus! Some of them are, but most require violent faith to actually appropriate and receive.

If you want to receive healing, you need to know that Jesus took stripes in His body that your body be healed.

If you want divine direction for your life, you need to believe that the Holy Spirit actually wants to show you your future:

John 16:13

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

You need to know how to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, how to recognize the inward witness He provides, how to recognize the peace of God leading you in your heart. I wrote a seven part teaching entitled ‘Knowing Your Future’ in my book, ‘The Parable of the Sower’.

 

Here is an excerpt:  https://chrisaomministries.com/2013/11/21/your-future-revealed/

Or here, on Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Parable-Sower-Christopher-Walsh-ebook/dp/B00E9I9H1M/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1384288775&sr=1-1&keywords=The+parable+of+the+Sower+Christopher

If you are lonely or discouraged, and you need the comfort and strength of the living Holy Spirit, then call to your remembrance: Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Matthew 6: 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
faith wave

A little faith will get you a little provision, yet if you are going to prosper in God financially, you are going to have to tithe, give offerings, exercise stewardship, and then use your faith to work and aggressively to reap.

Don’t know how to do something? Ask God.

He will give you supernatural wisdom.

wisdom-gift

James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Don’t know how to deal with a person, who is not a Christian?

Colossians 4:5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

God couldn’t ask you to walk in wisdom towards sinners, if He did not provide that wisdom you need for you.

How about favor? There is supernatural favor to be received from heaven, simply by asking for it. Esther fasted and prayed, and asked God for favor from the king. God gave it to her. Nehemiah prayed as asked God for favor with the king. God gave it.
thank you for favor

Like Jesus, God expects you to Luke 2:52 increase in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

Psalms 5:12 For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favor wilt thou compass him as with a shield.

Psalms 5:12 (Douay) (5-13) For thou wilt bless the just. O Lord, thou hast crowned us, as with a shield of thy good will.

Because you have been made righteous in God’s sight, you have the right to ask Him for supernatural favor with people. Glory! See if that doesn’t help your business and family life!
faith protection

Protection: Read the 91st Psalm. You are a child of faith Gal 3:7-9 declares, that the blessings of Abraham are yours. As God was for Abraham, so He is to you. He is your shield and exceedingly great reward. Gen 12:1

Deliverance: Ps 91: 14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him.

16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

When the day of trouble comes to your life, if you serve God. He will deliver you!

Now, these are things we need to be in faith about, every day. Deliberately pleading and possessing the promises of God, before His throne. We need to press into God for them. These are things that if they are not happening, need to happen, and they will if you believe and obey God. Each day, I call for these things into my life, whether I feel like it or not. I believe God’s Word on purpose. So should you. This is how we call those things that be not, as though they are.

These things have been freely given to us, but they must be received, by faith.

Ephesians 6:16

Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

Notice here, that the shield of faith does us no good, unless we actually take it!
mountain

4. Now, let’s talk about mountains.

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.

Let’s look at a couple of versions of this:

Mark 11:22-25 The Voice (VOICE)

Jesus: 22 Trust in God. 23 If you do, honestly, you can say to this mountain, “Mountain, uproot yourself and throw yourself into the sea.” If you don’t doubt, but trust that what you say will take place, then it will happen. 24 So listen to what I’m saying: Whatever you pray for or ask from God, believe that you’ll receive it and you will.

Mark 11:22-25 Amplified Bible (AMP)

22 And Jesus, replying, said to them, Have faith in God [constantly].

23 Truly I tell you, whoever says to this mountain, Be lifted up and thrown into the sea! and does not doubt at all in his heart but believes that what he says will take place, it will be done for him.

24 For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will [get it].

25 And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and [a]let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop.

Remember, faith has a voice. You need to discover what are the roadblocks in your life, and then call them what they are, mountains. You need to command them to move. Your mountain needs to hear your voice. Your voice is your address in the realm of the Spirit, it is the place God delivers your personal blessing to.

Do you have problems in your life that never have seemed to go away? They do not mean that you are not a royal heir, a child of the king, and that you are out of the will of God. Satan is still alive, and not in hell yet (tick, tick, but his time is running out!) and whether you like it or not, he is opposing the plan of God in your life. He sets up roadblocks that only the power of God can move, but hear this. If you do not speak to them, they will not move.

Some may say, “I heard that before, and I tried that, and it didn’t work”

Well let me tell you something about mountains. I have my CIL blasting ticket, that I took as part of my commercial diving training.

Ever seen a road crew build a road?
blast

Pastor Kenneth Hagin(Jr) gives the following testimony that bears repeating:

“Ever watched a road crew remove a mountain so they can put in a road? It’s a big job. It doesn’t happen overnight. Sometimes it takes days and weeks to bring that mountain down to size.

I remember as a child, traveling with dad back and forth to California holding meetings.

I remember seeing those road construction crews out there blasting their way through the sides of mountains.

They literally blew up a mountain, piece by piece.

All the traffic was stopped on that stretch of the road, and we had to turn off our radios and two-way equipment because the road crew was getting ready to blast. They’d drilled into the mountainside, and now they were getting ready to set off the charges.

Once they pushed the button on that detonator, you could see rocks flying everywhere. It looked like a volcano going off. Some of the small fragments even came sailing down on top of the cars, that were parked quite a distance from the mountain.

Then the workman would go back to the mountain site, clean up the rocks and debris, start drilling again, and pack the mountain with dynamite again. Then they would set off another blast, and it would cause the mountain to crumble some more.

After a few days, they had blasted out of their way what had seemed to be an impenetrable mountain. What was once a mountain of hindrance was reduced to flat land, and the road crew would go back in and start laying roadbed.”

That’s the way it is in the spiritual realm when you start quoting God’s Word against the mountains in your life.

When you quote God’s Word in faith, and authority, you are setting off the detonator of a powerful blast of God’s power that is demolishing your mountain, piece by piece. That’s why you can’t give up after quoting a few Scriptures one time.

As you faithfully quote the Word, give the Word time to work on your problem. Many times these mountains in your life are not going to leave, overnight. Some of them took years to develop, and are bigger than you think. Ever seen a ship, a tanker go by?

It’s moving, but it is so big that it takes a long time to pass from view. Yet, if you keep your confidence in God’s Word, and diligently quote it over your problems, they will leave.

I heard a minister say: ‘When you speak to your mountain, it begins to move. However, you may be unaware of just how big the mountain is, and how long it took to develop in your life. It’s moving, powerfully out of your way by the hand of God, but it may take some time to disappear from view”
pick

Today, we are going to blast a few mountains in our lives, according to the Word of God, but first of all let’s pray:

col-pray

‘Heavenly Father, I thank you that your Word declares that I have the authority to speak to the mountains in my life. Therefore I exercise my rights and privileges according to Mark 11:23.

Father, your Son, my Lord Jesus said that if I would speak to the mountains in my life, that are hindering me, and not doubt in my heart, that they would be removed. So, as I stand before your throne today, I ask you Holy Spirit to grant me wisdom as to the mountains in my life, and in the life of my church, now.’

Now, I am not going to pretend that I am the Holy Spirit. As He shows you what the obstacles are in your life, give them a name, and command them, in violent faith, to MOVE, in the name and authority of the Lord Jesus Christ!

They gotta go!

(name) move! Repeat

FIRST Words…Life or Death!

First Word!
first-words
We had a great time sharing with Mike Schmidt and Dove Schmidt yesterday at Crossroads ranch, and we shared testimonies of Gods provision, protection, and miraculous interventions in our lives.
death and life
Karen made the statement that is literally life or death for a believer –

“When an accident occurs or something horrible comes, it is the FIRST Words out of your mouth that determine the outcome of the trial’

When a car wreck comes, we yell ‘Jesus’ and discover we come out of an impossible situation, unscathed.

A thug pulls a gun on you to rob you, and you proclaim ‘the blood of Jesus’ and slap him, and he ends up on the ground by the power of God.

A tree limb falls on you from 70′ up, and dislocates your skull, but before losing consciousness, you SAY: ‘Jesus, I’m healed’, and within a couple days, your head is fine.

You get bit by a recluse spider in the forehead, and through the searing burning pain, you cry: ‘Jesus, I’m healed‘, and you lose no tissue, and do not die, because the FIRST Words out of your mouth are words of faith and authority, calling on our covenant, forcing God to honor His Word and to deliver you.

We have lived these things for several decades now, and these are real life stories, and if we had time and space, we could share hundreds more.

We must keep out hearts full of the Word of God, so that out of the overflow, come our words-not merely empty, memorized stale bread from yesteryear’s, but words gestated, grown, day by day, year by year, alive with intimacy with Holy Spirit from the fire of our own personal alter established each morning before His throne – that produce signs, wonders, miracles, and acts of His power in our life that make headlines in heaven- and we create a testimony to the glory of Jesus that others can follow.

prophecy testimony

FIRST Words – each day and each trial, become precedent setting events in our lives – that establish our course – a victorious journey with Jesus.

This morning, we must be refilled with precious Holy Spirit, stirring up the gift of God within us, and we must eat fresh of the Word of God, the bread of life, feeding our hearts with what only heaven can bring. Words of life, birthed in prayer, that establish our world, and prepare us for anything this life might attempt to throw at us.

NOW faith is, and His name is I AM – our ever present help in time of trouble.

Today, is the day of salvation, Today is the day to believe, Today is the day to live for Jesus, NOW!
show up1

Let’s Pray:

‘Father, I come to you again, looking to heaven again, Today. Fill me afresh with Your Word and precious Holy Spirit as I stir myself up in the gift you have given me. May there be fresh passion, life, fire, enthusiasm, and Your love shed abroad in our hearts that ignites our faith and causes it it to work today. I ask this Dad, knowing I am heard and answered, for I ask in Your mighty and matchless name Lord Jesus. Amen.’

His Glory is a Defense!

The glory shall be a defence!

Chris Karen Walsh's photo.
Is 4:5 And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence.
6 And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.

As I read these words, and think of the very real spiritual warfare we face when we exercise Jesus authority over demons, and wickedness in the earth, I am reminded of the armor of God given to us in Ephesians chapter 6. There is much teaching on this armor, but notice that it is all this armor is for moving forward, attacking and taking ground for the kingdom.

Truly Jesus is building His church, and the gates of hell are not prevailing against us, and we are vessels of His glory!
Chris Karen Walsh's photo.

Joh 17:22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

In Jesus, His glory is revealed, reconciling the irreconcilable, redeeming the nonredeemable, forgiving the unforgivable, healing the incurable, delivering those without hope or God in this world!

In battle, strategists plan for attacks from the rear, yet when we pray, fast, and fully obey Holy Spirit, we find this precious promise tucked into fasting chapter of Is 58:

Then shall thy light break forth as the morning,
and thine health shall spring forth speedily:
and thy righteousness shall go before thee;
the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward.

This word rereward, is Strongs number: 622, the Hebrew word: 

asaph: to gather, remove

Original Word: אָסַף

Strongs lists four definitions here, but I believe that the applicable ones used here, are definitions 3 and 4, which are 3:bring up the rear of Isaiah 58:8 יַאַסְפֶ֑ךָ ׳כְּבוֺד י i.e. be thy rear-guard

4:gather and take away, remove, withdraw

The picture I see in these words is of the Lord, with the host of heaven, angels that encamp around us that fear Him, literally protecting our rear, and gathering together demonic forces, and wicked people that serve them, and TAKING THEM AWAY FROM OUR LIVES!
warrior bible

As His church, His bride, His family, His covenant people, we are covered by His glory, and His glory shall be our defense!

These are the last days, and dangerous times. It is time to pray dangerous prayers, for the God of glory to perform ‘suddenlies’: Breakthroughs into our daily human existence, acts of power demonstrating His glory. I cry out for boldness and courage, that Holy Spirit again manifest in our lives like in Acts 4, where the places we meet are literally shaken by His power, and demonstration. We serve a very living God…

Let’s Pray:
‘Father, I believe I receive the glory Jesus gave us, today! I believe that very glory is doing for me, and my house, what I could never even conceive in and of myself! I ask you for You to breakthrough into my life, shaking what must be shaken, that I become everything You have created me to be, and see again, the mighty, notable, miracles you have recorded in Your Word, NOW, Today! In this, my generation. Thank You Lord Jesus! Amen’

Chris Karen Walsh's photo.