The concept of "safety in numbers" doesn't hold up when we're dealing with our own personal nemesis. The armies of Israel were terrified of this one giant. Perhaps that fear came down from the top, as King Saul was afraid too. The challenge was to fight this giant one-on-one, and nobody wanted to do that.
The truth is, we really stand alone against the world, the flesh and the devil. Are you thinking, "that's not right!" Did you ever think about the fact that Jesus Himself stood against Goliath in the wilderness-- alone? ("And the Philistine drew near and presented himself forty days, morning and evening." 1 Samuel 17:16) Goliath isn't just the devil, it's anything that defies God. Dares you to get past it. Intimidates you.
I say that David had already faced his nemesis, and found his Champion! The Scriptures call David a prophet, and I can see why. In some way or another, he saw Jesus in the wilderness defeating the very giant David faced in the Valley of Elah. Seeing himself covered by the Lord, he could easily stand in confidence to face each and every Goliath in his life, and become a champion himself.
This is your destiny! This is your champion mindset; this is what you say to your giant: “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world." John 8:23
You are more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus! Find yourself in Him! He has already conquered your nemesis; therefore, there is nothing that can defeat you. You have the five stones of the grace of God. And all it takes is one.
Showing posts with label encounters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label encounters. Show all posts
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
May 5, 2010 A True Witness
"A true witness delivers souls, but a deceitful witness speaks lies." Proverbs 14:25 There is more to being a true witness than telling true facts. Jesus demonstrated this in His witness to the Samaritan woman. His true witness won her to Truth. He also taught her how to be a true witness. Then her true witness won others to Truth. We cannot of our own ability win souls, but we can be in a place where the Spirit of Truth can work to draw people to Christ. Let's see what Jesus had to show and tell about being a true witness.
First of all, Jesus did not hide Who He was or what He had to offer. He didn't try to cover anything up-- He was a true witness in that He did not use any kind of deception. Darkness and deception had no place in Christ, and that is His work in us, to reveal these things by His light of truth. He was spiritually transparent, and the light and love of God shone through. He told pure truth. He had no "fear of man," and He had no need to use tricks to try and win people.
Jesus did not ignore the darkness in the woman to whom He was witnessing. He let the light shine right on it. If we were to do this in a sense of judgment, as probably the woman had often experienced before, the opportunity to share the truth would be over. Even though Jesus' light was shining with nothing but the Father's love and compassion, the woman's habit was to deflect the conversation away from her darkness-- she changed the subject, even though previously, she had been very interested in the offer of living water.
Since the woman began the topic of worship, Jesus took up that topic. [The whole time He was talking to her, He was always steering her away from looking at everything in the natural and helping her to focus upon the spiritual instead. This was really a key in getting her free from her sinful lifestyle.] "You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4: 22-24 He showed her how needful it was that she allow the light in and not hide from it, even to cover up her shameful darkness. He was telling her that God already knew about it, and yet was still willing to reveal Himself to her. She was ready for the revelation, and believed that Jesus was the Messiah, Who was to be her covering.
When the Samaritan woman went to be a witness to the people of her town, she no longer was trying to cover up and hide. She had received His word about being a true witness, and her statement was: “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” Then they went out of the city and came to Him. John 4: 29-30 Something about this was enough to make the whole town want to come and meet Jesus. Once they had heard Him themselves, they too believed.
Whenever Jesus speaks to us, He shows us that He is the provision for whatever it is that we're needing. He also lovingly shows us what it is that is keeping us from receiving whatever it is that He has for us. He does this because He loves us. Every place that is dark in us is a place that can be inhabited by Jesus' light. The light will always overcome the darkness, so all we have to do is let the light in.
One of the best ways to become more filled with Him, which is how we become a true witness for Him, is to worship Him. True worship is not happening when our bodies are doing one thing and our hearts are somewhere else. It also doesn't happen when we're not being honest with the Lord. So true, unveiled worship in God's presence is one of our most important preparations for work in the harvest. This is where we become transparent enough for His light to shine forth into the world. Worship in spirit and in truth needs to become our lifestyle.
The "fear of man" will compel us to cover up (or deflect people's attention away from) things we think will not be acceptable to others. It is always based on our own perceptions, or that which others have taught us. It is not related to how God really sees us, but sometimes to how we think He sees us. The more we encounter the love of God through Christ, the more we realize how very much He loves us. Even if He reveals darkness in us, He shines in His light and dispels it, filling us with His love. We can run and hide from it if we choose, but it is wise to choose truth.
Personally, I have to keep on opening up to the presence of God to overcome the fear of rejection that keeps me struggling with the desire to hide. He keeps on reassuring me of His love, filling me up with His light, and helping me to lay down anything that I might use to hide from Himself and others. This motivates me to continually seek His help: if I am hiding behind something, for example, a mask of cheerfulness when I am depressed, then I have become a deceitful witness telling lies instead of the truth I want to tell. This may sound very harsh, but it is probably one of the greatest reasons in the Church for not seeing a much greater harvest of souls into the Kingdom.
The process of becoming a true witness is often painful, but always rewarding. The joy comes when we get to enjoy the fruit of the harvest with the Father and the Son. "And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together." John 4:36
First of all, Jesus did not hide Who He was or what He had to offer. He didn't try to cover anything up-- He was a true witness in that He did not use any kind of deception. Darkness and deception had no place in Christ, and that is His work in us, to reveal these things by His light of truth. He was spiritually transparent, and the light and love of God shone through. He told pure truth. He had no "fear of man," and He had no need to use tricks to try and win people.
Jesus did not ignore the darkness in the woman to whom He was witnessing. He let the light shine right on it. If we were to do this in a sense of judgment, as probably the woman had often experienced before, the opportunity to share the truth would be over. Even though Jesus' light was shining with nothing but the Father's love and compassion, the woman's habit was to deflect the conversation away from her darkness-- she changed the subject, even though previously, she had been very interested in the offer of living water.
Since the woman began the topic of worship, Jesus took up that topic. [The whole time He was talking to her, He was always steering her away from looking at everything in the natural and helping her to focus upon the spiritual instead. This was really a key in getting her free from her sinful lifestyle.] "You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4: 22-24 He showed her how needful it was that she allow the light in and not hide from it, even to cover up her shameful darkness. He was telling her that God already knew about it, and yet was still willing to reveal Himself to her. She was ready for the revelation, and believed that Jesus was the Messiah, Who was to be her covering.
When the Samaritan woman went to be a witness to the people of her town, she no longer was trying to cover up and hide. She had received His word about being a true witness, and her statement was: “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” Then they went out of the city and came to Him. John 4: 29-30 Something about this was enough to make the whole town want to come and meet Jesus. Once they had heard Him themselves, they too believed.
Whenever Jesus speaks to us, He shows us that He is the provision for whatever it is that we're needing. He also lovingly shows us what it is that is keeping us from receiving whatever it is that He has for us. He does this because He loves us. Every place that is dark in us is a place that can be inhabited by Jesus' light. The light will always overcome the darkness, so all we have to do is let the light in.
One of the best ways to become more filled with Him, which is how we become a true witness for Him, is to worship Him. True worship is not happening when our bodies are doing one thing and our hearts are somewhere else. It also doesn't happen when we're not being honest with the Lord. So true, unveiled worship in God's presence is one of our most important preparations for work in the harvest. This is where we become transparent enough for His light to shine forth into the world. Worship in spirit and in truth needs to become our lifestyle.
The "fear of man" will compel us to cover up (or deflect people's attention away from) things we think will not be acceptable to others. It is always based on our own perceptions, or that which others have taught us. It is not related to how God really sees us, but sometimes to how we think He sees us. The more we encounter the love of God through Christ, the more we realize how very much He loves us. Even if He reveals darkness in us, He shines in His light and dispels it, filling us with His love. We can run and hide from it if we choose, but it is wise to choose truth.
Personally, I have to keep on opening up to the presence of God to overcome the fear of rejection that keeps me struggling with the desire to hide. He keeps on reassuring me of His love, filling me up with His light, and helping me to lay down anything that I might use to hide from Himself and others. This motivates me to continually seek His help: if I am hiding behind something, for example, a mask of cheerfulness when I am depressed, then I have become a deceitful witness telling lies instead of the truth I want to tell. This may sound very harsh, but it is probably one of the greatest reasons in the Church for not seeing a much greater harvest of souls into the Kingdom.
The process of becoming a true witness is often painful, but always rewarding. The joy comes when we get to enjoy the fruit of the harvest with the Father and the Son. "And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together." John 4:36
Saturday, May 1, 2010
May 1, 2010
The essence of evangelism: "We have found the Messiah. Come and see." First of all, we have to have a revelation of the Lord. It helps to tell people how we got that revelation. Next, we introduce them to Jesus. Telling about Him is never enough-- people have to meet Him themselves. Then, in His presence, they experience Him-- He looks at them and speaks into their heart. Then they know He is God. After that, it is between them and God. People have to make their own choice, but trying to convince them without introducing them to a REAL PERSON is of little value. Once you've done that, though, you've done your part, except to pray for them and be a good example of a person who maintains a real relationship with Christ.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
March 13, 2010
Reading the Luke account of the story of Zechariah's visitation in the temple, I saw a different scenario than I had ever seen before. Not that anything different happened, but I saw it in a different way.
The angel Gabriel says to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard." Luke 1:13. Gabriel went on to tell him that his wife Elizabeth would finally bear him a son. I had always assumed that Zechariah had been praying for that son; but then I realized that, since he was standing before the altar of incense in the temple doing his priestly duties, when "the whole assembly of the people was praying outside," vs 10 that his prayers were for Israel: that God would "turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God." vs 16.
If bearing a son had simply been a private matter for Zechariah and Elizabeth, perhaps Gabriel would have visited them at home. But the angel's visit to the temple during worship and prayer marked a significant turn of events for Israel. I don't think Zechariah would have been quite so terrified when the angel showed up if it was usual then for the glory of God to appear in the temple. This must not have happened to him before, and was unexpected.
I also don't think that Zechariah had an expectation of receiving an answer to prayer about finally having a son. His reaction to the news, and Gabriel's response to it, indicate that he had given up having faith about that. I think it was Elizabeth who had the faith to have her womb opened. Her statement was, "This is what the Lord has done for me when he looked favorably on me and took away the disgrace I have endured among my people." vs 25 I don't believe she had ever stopped entreating the Lord about her barrenness.
God's goodness and wonderful timing are showcased here, answering two separate prayers concerning barrenness: a woman's and a nation's. God had a plan to not only bless a righteous couple who served Him, but to prepare His chosen people to receive the promised Messiah and the redemption He would bring.
I see an application for us personally. When we see the trouble around us, and take our cities and nations before the Lord in intercession, He will find a way to make us part of the answer. It may just be that the long-awaited answer to the deepest longing of our heart is part of God's plan to bring His redemptive power to work in our own personal area of influence. Isn't God awesome?
The angel Gabriel says to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard." Luke 1:13. Gabriel went on to tell him that his wife Elizabeth would finally bear him a son. I had always assumed that Zechariah had been praying for that son; but then I realized that, since he was standing before the altar of incense in the temple doing his priestly duties, when "the whole assembly of the people was praying outside," vs 10 that his prayers were for Israel: that God would "turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God." vs 16.
If bearing a son had simply been a private matter for Zechariah and Elizabeth, perhaps Gabriel would have visited them at home. But the angel's visit to the temple during worship and prayer marked a significant turn of events for Israel. I don't think Zechariah would have been quite so terrified when the angel showed up if it was usual then for the glory of God to appear in the temple. This must not have happened to him before, and was unexpected.
I also don't think that Zechariah had an expectation of receiving an answer to prayer about finally having a son. His reaction to the news, and Gabriel's response to it, indicate that he had given up having faith about that. I think it was Elizabeth who had the faith to have her womb opened. Her statement was, "This is what the Lord has done for me when he looked favorably on me and took away the disgrace I have endured among my people." vs 25 I don't believe she had ever stopped entreating the Lord about her barrenness.
God's goodness and wonderful timing are showcased here, answering two separate prayers concerning barrenness: a woman's and a nation's. God had a plan to not only bless a righteous couple who served Him, but to prepare His chosen people to receive the promised Messiah and the redemption He would bring.
I see an application for us personally. When we see the trouble around us, and take our cities and nations before the Lord in intercession, He will find a way to make us part of the answer. It may just be that the long-awaited answer to the deepest longing of our heart is part of God's plan to bring His redemptive power to work in our own personal area of influence. Isn't God awesome?
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
January 13, 2010
Of all there is in life, nothing is more precious to me than close encounters with God. Jacob had his ladder encounter Genesis 28:12; everywhere Jesus went, people had encounters with God-- the dead were raised, the blind got their sight, people were delivered, Matthew 9. Not a day goes by when I'm not touched by Him in some way. Most of the time it's seemingly small things-- the guidance of the Holy Spirit or the strong conviction of the Word. But it's what makes my life worth living. Psalm 11:7 "the upright shall behold his face." How aware are you of the presence of God? Can you look in the mirror, view yourself and say "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." ? Can others?
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