When People Overlook You

The prophet was sent by God to anoint the next King. The prophet Samuel was told by God to go to the home of a man named Jesse. Jesse had several sons, one of whom would become king. But Jesse didn’t present all of his sons, only the ones he deemed as possibly capable of being God’s choice for king.

10 Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.” - 1 Samuel 16:10-11 (NIV)

The son that was left out was David, the very one God chose to become king. Man overlooked him. In fact, one could speculate that his own father intentionally tried to push him out of an opportunity. Still, the Lord had called him. The prophet spoke adamantly, “we will not sit down until he arrives.”

Once God has chosen you, it’s not possible for others to prevent your promotion. Once God has selected you for a purpose, even the most jealous, competitive, or ambitious people can’t stop the mantle from falling onto your shoulders.

So when others overlook you or attempt to block your way, relax. Trust God. Be at peace. God knows where to find you.

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Believe Big!

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” – Ephesians 3:20-21 (NKJV)

Lately, my heart has been stirred by the Holy Spirit again. In every season, the Lord will challenge me to stretch my faith. I think about all of the souls I’ve seen come to Jesus, all of the bodies I’ve seen made whole by God’s healing power. While thankful, I am emboldened to ask the Father to do even more.

Dear reader, God wants to widen your reach, stretch your faith, and expand your vision. Believe it! Too often do we sacrifice the miraculous on the altar of practicality. We talk about a big God, yet pray little prayers. But I want to challenge you to believe big.

No more little prayers. We want to be used for the glory of God!

I want to see more souls come into salvation. I want to see more people healed. I want to see more mighty men and women of God raised. I want to see the world changed.

Is this too much to ask?

By no means! We serve a big God.

If this season has discouraged you, drained you, then now is the time to let your faith come alive again. If the enemy has come against you, push back even harder in faith. Lay hold of God’s every promise. Take every Word He has spoken to you and commit your heart to accept it as your only reality.

Nothing is outside of God’s reach. No heart is so hard that it cannot be turned toward Jesus. No sickness is too potent that it cannot be healed. No life is so normal that it cannot be used to touch the world for God’s glory.

Now is the time to believe big. Do you believe it? Do something that won’t work without a miracle!

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Don’t Quit: Your Harvest Is Coming

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. – Galatians 6:9

An impossible situation is the perfect setting for a miracle. Difficult places are the very same where the hand of God will move. If where you were didn’t require faith, it wouldn’t require God. What a privilege that you and I have – that we can share in the adventure of faith, that we can walk the risk-filled path of miraculous potential.

The scripture is perfectly clear. If you don’t quit, you will reap a harvest. The seeds that you have sown will grow. Just don’t faint. Stand firm in faith. It is an irrefutable, immovable law of scripture: persistence in well-doing produces the harvest of blessing. The laws of God’s Word are more certain than the physical laws under which our world operates.

The major difference between those who reap and those who regret is persistence. Of course, we must persist in well doing – this includes our actions and attitudes while we patiently persist. Continuing without the right attitude or perspective does not persist in the Biblical sense – it is mere movement.

Ignore the voices of negativity. Some will say, “I’ve persisted for years, but it hasn’t worked for me!” Those who claim to have persisted without results are fooling themselves, for true persistence and actual faithfulness are judged upon God’s timetable, not ours.

We cannot forget that, at times, we need to reevaluate strategies and approaches. Growth always demands change. However, it is the very act of persisting, the resolute commitment to continue, that becomes the foundation upon which destiny is built.

Persistence always produces. Don’t grow weary. Become excited about the future. Don’t judge your future breakthrough based upon today’s needs. Instead, use all that you possess today to persist, with gratitude and hope, to the best of your ability. The law of persistence will prevail, and you will, when the timing is just right, reap the harvest.

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Faith in Action

Faith is the key to the miraculous. Nothing is impossible when you put your hope in God Himself. That is the reality that ten lepers experienced.

11As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria. 12As he entered a village there, ten men with leprosy stood at a distance, 13crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14He looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy. (Luke 17:11-14, NLT)

Jesus spoke it. The lepers believed it. And their confidence in His Word was demonstrated by their actions. The lepers were healed as they went. They simply dared to believe the Lord at His Word.

Dare we believe the Lord at His Word?

All too often, we wait for God to move when He’s waiting for us to move by faith. Too many are frozen in fear when they should be progressing in God’s promises. Rest assured, if God promised it, you can believe it. And if you truly believe it, faith will move you to action. 

Some miracles are instant, and sometimes the miracle happens as you go.

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The Potter's Hand

The rebellious nature has been crucified with Christ, but it seems that the rebellious nature often tries for a resurrection. We surrender things to God and then try to control them again. We place things in His hands and then try to hold them for ourselves again. We put things on the altar and then try to pull them off. We tend to forget that God is the potter, and that we are the clay.

“What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot argue with its maker? Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, ‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’ Does the pot exclaim, ‘How clumsy can you be?’ (Isaiah 45:9, NLT)

This is why we so desperately need the help of the Holy Spirit; it is only through the Holy Spirit that we can truly learn to surrender. 

Let God break your will and mold His. Let God reshape your thinking to be like His. Allow God to fashion your nature, your character, your speech, your thought patterns, and your conduct. Don’t fight Him. 

Realize that God’s vision for your life will often contradict your vision for your life. But considering the fact that you surrendered your life to Him when you got saved, can you truly say anymore that it’s “your” life?

Don’t fight the process. Don’t resist the movement of the Potter’s hand. Let Him break what needs to be broken. Let Him remove what needs to be removed. Let His desire take shape in you. 

Indeed, we are just the clay; He is the Potter. 

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Ask. Seek. Knock.

Through persistent prayer, by faith, we pull the wandering, broken pieces of creation into alignment with the will of God. Persistent prayer isn’t about convincing God; it’s about aligning creation. Jesus Himself taught us to persevere when we pray:

7 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8, NLT)

When you’re praying according to the will of God, you can be sure that what you pray will eventually come to pass. But in the waiting, discouraging thoughts like these may assault your mind: 

“If it was going to happen, it would have happened by now.”

“You’re being unrealistic. There’s no way it will ever happen.”

“Maybe God would do it for someone else, but it can’t happen for you.”

“The odds of it happening are just too difficult to overcome.”

“It just doesn’t look like it’s going to work out.”

When believing big, I myself have had to confront doubtful thoughts. The truth is that I’d rather believe until the end than to risk giving up just before the miracle happened. I wonder how many miracles have been missed simply because someone gave up even just an hour too soon.

Though it may be difficult to believe, though even doubt-filled Christians may tell you to quit, it’s best to side with what Jesus said: Ask, seek, knock.

Ask until you get the answer. Seek until you find. Knock until that door opens. 

You don’t know what tomorrow holds, and any moment can be your miracle moment. By the end of the week, you may be celebrating the miracle. All things are possible. Only believe. He makes a way where there seems to be no way. Persist in praying according to the will of God, for nothing is impossible with God.

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Faith and Fire

If you were told that the promise of the gospel was a perfect life, then you were lied to. Certainly, God blesses and protects His children. But trials and troubles are not just unavoidable - they’re necessary for your spiritual strengthening and growth. Here’s what the Bible says:

These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold--though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. (1 Peter 1:7, NLT)

Just as fire purifies and tests gold, so trials purify and test your faith. When the pressure is on, when there seems to be good reason to doubt, when troubles come from every side, when you don’t know how you’ll make it - that’s when the nature of Christ is made manifest in you. Fire reveals and eliminates impurities from gold. Trials expose and correct the impurities of heart, mind, and motive. 

When the temperature rises and you feel as though you’ve reached the breaking point, if you’ll trust the Lord, He will make good use of the testing. Not a moment of sorrow, anguish, or pressing will be wasted by the masterful hand of God. 

When gold is under fire, the refiner will watch the process. He will patiently wait. It’s not until he can see his reflection in the gold that he knows it has been purified. Likewise, in every trial, as those flaws in our character and nature are burned and melted away, God sees that the trial has served its purpose when He can see Himself in you. 

So when the testing of your faith comes, and it will, just remember that, in the end, you will be that much more like Jesus in every way. Tried by fire, made like Christ.

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How to Never Backslide: 5 Keys

Following Jesus is a lifelong commitment, but many believers are afraid that they won’t make it. Worried about the temptations and distractions that are offered by the world, some fear that they may… backslide.

Now that word “backslide” is an interesting word, because it’s come to mean different things to different people. Arguing that Christ would never let them go, some would say that true believers would never return to their old ways - while others think it’s possible for believers to once again be ensnared by the world because of their own free will. Whatever you believe, and no matter where you stand on that question, it should be your desire to remain committed to Christ for life.

19 They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you. 20 And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before. 21 It would be better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life. 22 They prove the truth of this proverb: “A dog returns to its vomit.” And another says, “A washed pig returns to the mud.” (2 Peter 2:19-22, NLT)

So whatever you believe about the state of a backslider, the Scripture makes it clear that it is possible for believers to have major spiritual setbacks. 

That doesn’t mean that backsliding is to be expected. Sadly, some modern church teachings seem to imply that “backsliding” is a normal phase in the Christian journey. It’s not. Saying, “I’m in my backsliding phase,” as a believer is the equivalent of saying, “I’m in my cheating phase,” as a spouse.

So how can you prevent yourself from falling into spiritual decline?

Here are 5 simple keys:

#1 Read God’s Word Faithfully

If you practice the spiritual basics, you can avoid spiritual crisis. The Word of God is your first line of defense against spiritual decline. 

Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock. (Matthew 7:24, WEB)

#2 Pray Consistently 

The strength of your spiritual life is directly proportionate to the consistency of your prayer life.

Never stop praying. (1 Thessalonians 5:17, NLT)

#3 Attend Church Regularly

It’s not possible to fulfill all of the New Testament commands without the connectivity of believers. You cannot love, honor, encourage, or make use of your spiritual gifts in isolation. Gathering with other believers will help to keep you spiritually sharp.

And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. (Hebrews 10:25, NLT)

#4 Repent Immediately 

When you make a sinful mistake, it’s important that you correct and turn from that sin immediately. By living a lifestyle of constant correction, you can avoid becoming deeply entrenched in sin.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9, NLT)

#5 Evangelize Passionately 

Seeing others receive Christ can inspire greater levels of appreciation for salvation. Evangelism will keep you on the spiritual cutting edge. Christ Himself received spiritual satisfaction upon witnessing the conversion of the woman at the well.

32 But Jesus replied, “I have a kind of food you know nothing about.” 33 “Did someone bring him food while we were gone?” the disciples asked each other. 34 Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. (John 4:32-34, NLT)

By continuing to practice the fundamentals of the faith, you will continue to grow in spiritual strength. Through the practice of spiritual basics, you avoid spiritual crisis.You don’t have to settle for up and down, back and forth commitment. You can live in the constant flow of surrender to the Holy Spirit. You don’t have to lose ground. By walking in simple, daily obedience and trust toward God, you can know with confidence that you will never backslide.

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No More Excuses

Rightfully, we think of Moses as a powerful servant of the Lord, a hero in the faith. But, like many of us, when Moses was called, he responded to God’s commands with excuses.

9Look! The cry of the people of Israel has reached me, and I have seen how harshly the Egyptians abuse them. 10Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.” 11But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?” 12God answered, “I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.” 13But Moses protested, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?” (Exodus 3:9-13, NLT)

We have the tendency to disqualify ourselves. When God gives us a mission, we recount our mistakes. When God gives us an assignment, we hide behind our imperfections. And while it might seem humble to count yourself out, think of the arrogance of saying, “I know better than God.” Think of the audacity of saying, “God’s power within me isn’t enough to make up for the flaws within me.”

I love the Lord’s response to Moses.

God replied to Moses, “I Am Who I Am. Say this to the people of Israel: I Am has sent me to you.” (Exodus 3:14, NLT)

In other Words, all that He is, the all-encompassing, eternal Being - God Himself - has sent you. Whatever you lack, He doesn’t give; whatever you lack, He is. Whatever your shortcomings, you can go because “I AM” goes with you. No more excuses. Go. Respond to the call of God.

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No Longer Desperate

Sometimes God has to break you before He can bless you. Never underestimate God’s ability to make use of a desperate situation. The Scripture is filled with examples of people who sought God in the midst of trying times. Sometimes, life will present challenges to you that are beyond your ability to handle. The death of a loved one, a dreaded diagnosis, the addiction of a friend, an unexpected financial calamity - no one is exempt from trials. 

And God uses hardships to draw people closer to Him. In fact, desperation is a part of my testimony. God used desperation to free me from religion and bring me to life in the Spirit. 

No doubt, in desperate times, one should call upon God. Biblically speaking, desperation definitely has its place. So not all desperation is a bad thing.

But, to be honest with you, I believe that desperation is overrated, and its place is all too often misunderstood. While we should call upon God when we face hardships and while God will use tough consequences to bring forth repentance, desperation should neither be the persistent posture nor the lifestyle of the Spirit-filled believer.

We mustn’t believe the idea that we have to plead and press in order to invoke a response from God. In the first place, none of us are so persuasive as to be able to convince God to do anything. Here’s the reality: Our persistence doesn’t move God; He’s unmovable. Rather, our persistence positions us to receive. 

And it’s not as though God is looking down from Heaven withholding His presence and power from us, waiting for us to become “desperate enough” in order for Him to move. “Oh if only you had shouted louder. If only you had jumped up and down during the song service. If only you had cried for five minutes longer, I would have heard you, I would’ve responded.” 

Sadly, some Christian leaders push the idea of a “desperate lifestyle” either by sincere mistake or out of a need to hype an atmosphere. Perhaps some even want to create a desperation culture so that it appears that the people are responding more strongly to their preaching or worship-leading. Whatever the reason, it must be noted that the believer doesn’t have to beg for an audience with God.

I imagine the conversation between the believer and God sometimes goes something like this:

Father, do you hear me?

Yes, I hear you.

Father, please, listen to me!

I’m listening.

God, please, don’t ignore me!

I’m not ignoring you.

You don’t need to beg for God’s presence when He lives in you. You don’t need to plead to be heard when He’s already listening. You don’t need to cry out for something that’s already been given to you. Believer, you’re already one with God:

But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him. (1 Corinthians 6:17, NLT)

Imagine how much time you could save in prayer if, instead of begging God to hear you, you simply believed that He already does. 

Could it be that the reason we’re so often desperate for God is because we’ve not been connecting with God daily as we should? If I eat regularly, I still become hungry. If I skip too many meals, I become starving. Spiritually hungry? Yes. Spiritually starving? No. Desire God? Yes. Desperate for God? No. 

Our pleading is too loud. Servants beg. Strangers beg. Sons come boldly with faith. Desperation is a great initiator but a terrible sustainer. Desperation initiates, but only faith sustains. Desperation is what brings me to the Lord, but once I have Him, why would I ever be desperate again? You don’t enter the glory through noisy desperation; you enter through faith-filled confidence. Confident faith, not desperation, is the way to know the presence of the Holy Spirit.

There’s no need to punish yourself or exhaust yourself. Just come boldly through faith.

And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. (1 John 5:14, NLT)

I don’t pray to connect with God; I pray from connection with God. I don’t worship to connect with God; I worship from connection with God.

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The Healing Touch of Jesus

The woman with the issue of blood. The blind beggar. The paralyzed man. These are just some of the many Biblical examples of people who experienced the healing touch of Jesus. 

And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole. (Mark 6:56, KJV)

I love the way the Scripture words that: “…as many as touched him were made whole.”

And the wonderful reality is that Jesus still heals. Nowhere in all of Scripture does it teach that Jesus has stopped working miracles.

Everything Jesus was anointed to do while here on the earth, the Holy Spirit continues to do for and through us.

I’ve seen it with my own eyes - miracles of healing. The blind see, the deaf hear, the mute speak, the paralyzed move, and the afflicted are set free from their pain. Years of suffering, seasons of pain, can all come to an end. 

I recall one instance in particular. A little girl attended one of my services with her mother. The girl had developed crooked legs. Her legs were turned inward. That little girl and her mother came to the service believing for a miracle. They came early but could only find seats in the back of the building. Nevertheless, they persisted in faith, knowing that God’s healing touch could reach them even where they were. 

During the worship, they began to believe for the miracle to take place, for the little girl’s legs to straighten. Though nothing happened immediately, the little girl insisted that Jesus would heal her. After the service had ended, they began to drive home. The miracle had yet to transpire. But sitting there in the car, that little girl held on to hope. Suddenly, the girl began to hear a popping sound. She remarked to her mother, “Mom, do you hear that? Something is popping like popcorn!” 

They didn’t know it until the next morning, but that girl’s legs had become perfectly straight. To their joy and amazement, the miracle had happened. 

A miracle can instantaneously turn any situation around. The lesson to be learned is one of simple faith. Don’t worry; only believe. And keep believing, because any moment can be your miracle moment.

There’s no trick to it. There’s no formula, no method, no special approach - it’s just the healing power of God meeting simple faith.

So reach out in faith and touch Him. All it takes is a single touch from the hand of Jesus to make you whole. That same mighty power which flowed through the very body of Jesus, that same healing virtue, still rushes like a river today. Jump into the river of healing.

Be encouraged. Yesterday, today, and forever, our Jesus, the Jesus of the Bible, is a healing Jesus.

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The Truth About Church

You’ve heard it said, “I don’t go to Church; I am the Church.” You’ve also likely heard the often repeated phrase, “Outside the four walls of the Church.” Though such sayings are usually innocent and almost accurate, they are many times used as excuses to live disconnected from other believers.

Certainly, we are to each develop a personal relationship with the Lord, and, of course, we should seek to spread the gospel to people who do not themselves attend church. But we are taught in the Scripture to assemble together as believers.

24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. (Hebrews 10:24 & 25, NLT)

The Bible is clear: believers are to regularly gather together. There’s something about gathering that stirs the soul and spirit - it strengthens your faith.

12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. 14 Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. 15 If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? 18 But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. 19 How strange a body would be if it had only one part! (1 Corinthians 12:12 & 14-19, NLT)

The body does not consist of one part. You yourself do not make up the Church in its entirety. It is the togetherness of individual believers that makes up the body.

Think of how difficult it would be to fulfill certain commands in isolation. How would one use their spiritual gifts in isolation if they’re away from other members of the body? How are we to lay hands on the sick if we never connect with each other? Loving, demonstrating patience, forgiving, fellowshipping, sharing meals, encouraging - all of that requires closeness and connectivity. 

So don’t let the enemy keep you from gathering. He is a defeated foe.

Don’t allow governments to keep you from gathering. Many fellow believers have given their lives in times of tyranny.

Don’t allow bitterness to keep you from gathering. There is healing in connectivity.

Don’t allow apathy to keep you from gathering. Keep your spiritual fire burning. 

Don’t allow self-reliance to keep you from gathering. We all need each other.

The notion that the individual alone makes up the body of Christ just isn’t Biblical. Yes, we are the body of Christ, but we are the body of Christ together. 

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God Over Government

The Bible makes it clear that, as believers, we are to honor and obey governing authorities.

Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. 2 So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. 3 For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. 4 The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. 5 So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience. (Romans 13:1-5, NLT)

Romans 13 is specifically referring to situations where the government is enforcing just and moral laws - for the Scripture says, “They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong.” By obeying the laws of the land, we keep a clear conscience. Only those who do what is wrong should fear the government. But what happens when doing what is right is prohibited by a governing authority? 

What are we to do when the government itself becomes corrupt or puts laws in place that are anti-Biblical? There are actually several examples in Scripture of civil disobedience.

The Hebrew midwives disobeyed Pharaoh’s order to murder baby boys. They disobeyed the law of the land. (Exodus 1:17)

Obadiah hid the prophets of God from Jezebel - in doing so, he disobeyed the governing authority. (1 Kings 18:4)

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego disobeyed the laws of the land that commanded them to bow to and worship a statue of the king. (Daniel 3)

The early church disobeyed the laws of the land by proclaiming the gospel.

27Then they brought the apostles before the high council, where the high priest confronted them. 28“We gave you strict orders never again to teach in this man’s name!” he said. “Instead, you have filled all Jerusalem with your teaching about him, and you want to make us responsible for his death!” 29But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. (Acts 5:27-29, NLT)

Even today, persecuted churches around the world meet in underground services. They do so at the risk of their own lives. 

It is clear, from both Scripture and church history, that whenever the church is faced with the decision to obey God’s Word or the Government’s laws, we are to choose obedience to God’s Word. 

And that’s not always easy. The right thing to do isn’t always clear. Programmed, hypnotized mobs and masses of people wag their fingers at anyone willing to stand for truth. Thinking themselves virtuous for repeating the popular opinions of the day, many well-meaning people can actually become hindrances to the truth. 

They say, “You’re setting a bad example.” But shouldn’t our example be to obey God?

They say, “You’re going to cause us to lose what freedoms we have.” But if the exercise of a freedom can cause me to lose it, is it really a freedom? What then would be the point of having that freedom if I’m not free to carry it out without losing it? 

They say, “Love your neighbor.” Is standing for truth not loving?

Disobedience toward the Word of God - whether done in the name of love, convenience, or even safety - is ultimately still disobedience. 

My point is simple: we ought to work with and honor governing authorities, even in the difficult-to-navigate circumstances. But when a clear line is crossed, we must be willing to respectfully resist. As much as is possible, work together with governing authorities. But if their hands become so heavy that we cannot move, if their demands become so unreasonable that we cannot practice all of God’s commands, then it is time for action.

And, believer, it is time for action.

It’s simple: if ever there is a conflict between what we are commanded to do in Scripture and what we are commanded to do by a government, we are to obey the Word of God. Always. No exceptions.

Let us not trade obedience in the name of safety and peace. Let us not act in fear and call it wisdom.

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The River of the Spirit

Wherever the river of the Holy Spirit flows, there is abundant life. It’s true that the Holy Spirit gives to us a divine energy that never weakens. It’s true that we have all the power we could ever need, already within us, because of the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit empowers us unto holiness, inspires sincere worship, cultivates love, leads into the depths of prayer, reveals the Word of God, and so much more.

John 7:38

Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, “Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.”

Indeed, the Holy Spirit is that river of life.

If ever there is a moment when you feel tired, wearied by the demands and responsibilities of life, you can come to the river. At the river of the Spirit, life grows. At the river of the Spirit, there is refreshing for your soul. This river, this mighty flow of God’s unstoppable power, rushes through the chaos and clears away the spiritual hindrances of life. Shame, anger, guilt, sin, fear, depression, and confusion are washed away by the streams of the Spirit.

But here’s the reality: many believers are not experiencing the life-giving effects of the Holy Spirit’s power simply because they are afraid to jump into the river. Some say to the river, “Flow  just far enough to refresh me but not enough to take me. Holy Spirit, move in my life enough to bless me but not enough to challenge me.”

Whether it be for fear of loss of control or a hesitation about total abandonment, some simply sit along the river banks. Unsure of where the river might take them, they choose to remain dry. They can see the river. They may even be somewhat refreshed by the mist that hovers about the atmosphere. They may even sip from the river now and then. But one cannot experience the flow of the river until he jumps in.

It’s time to stop hesitating. It’s time to say, as the Psalmist said, “As the deer panteth for the waters, so my soul longer after thee!” It’s time to stop sipping from the river; it’s time to jump into the river.

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Praying with Boldness

When teaching his disciples how to pray, Jesus began by saying this:

Matthew 6:9

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Notice that Jesus didn’t begin His prayer with a plea to be heard. He did not beg for God’s attention. He did not cry out to be received. He prayed with a confident knowing. Assured of His identity, Jesus prayed with a holy boldness. 

The key to praying with boldness is knowing that God is your Father and that you are His child. We find our confidence when we can sincerely pray, “Our Father.” 

When the believer is assured of his divine identity, he can pray unhindered by doubt and shame. Doubt and shame are the great destroyers of your prayer life. Doubt tells you that God can’t hear you; shame tells you that God won’t hear you.

And both doubt and shame can be overcome by knowing one simple yet powerful truth. That Truth is found in the book of Hebrews.

Hebrews 4:15-16

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Because of what Christ accomplished on the cross, because we have a High Priest representing us before the Father, we can approach the throne of God with confidence and boldness.

The disciple of Christ does not doubt God’s existence, but the disciple of Christ does, at times, doubt God’s ability to perform His Word. And it’s not that we imagine that God is powerless. Instead, we imagine that we ourselves are unable to receive. That’s the great hindrance of doubt. In the same way, shame causes us to question whether or not God will hear our prayers. 

Shame and doubt go hand-in-hand. Shame and doubt energize one another, and they are rooted in the same lies. 

“Your past isn’t forgiven.”

“God is unwilling to hear you.”

“You’ve made too many mistakes.”

“It’s too late for you.”

Shame and doubt can hinder your prayer life, yes. But there is a holy boldness within - a boldness that has the power to destroy the weakening bondages of shame and doubt. 

When you begin to pray, start from the place of identity. Maintain a divine audacity. Know to Whom you belong. Know that you are accepted and forgiven. Cry out, “My Father!” Let the Holy Spirit persuade you. Let Him convince you that you belong to God.

Romans 8:15

The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."

Trust the voice of the Holy Spirit. Ignore the voices of doubt and shame. When you pray with boldness, you’re not afraid to ask of God. When you pray while free from shame, your confidence in the Lord is renewed.

Imagine how much time you could save while praying if, instead of begging God to hear you, you simply believed that He already did. Imagine how boldly you could approach the throne if you knew the sin that causes you shame was wiped from God’s records. You’re already His. You belong to Him. Remember: we don’t pray to connect with God; we pray from connection with God. Go boldly before God.

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Only Believe

A man approached Jesus’ disciples. The man was distraught, scared. His son, who was possessed by a demonic spirit, was tormented. The father was desperate for his son’s deliverance. He explained to Jesus:

One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, “Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won’t let him talk. And whenever this spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn’t do it.” (Mark 9:17-18, NLT)

Imagine how disappointed the man had become once he realized that the demon wasn’t going to obey the commands of the disciples. I speculate that the disciples were, in his mind, the very last hope of his son ever living a normal life. 

He had likely, up until that point, visited numerous physicians, spiritualists, and so-called experts. However, his son remained bound by chains of darkness. He had been disappointed time and time again. With every failed attempt to make his son well, his faith diminished just a bit more. 

He must have heard the stories about how the disciples were able to work miracles and cast out demons. Yet what little hope he could have mustered was suffocated under the weight of yet another disappointment. The disciples, the man learned, were not able to free his beloved son.

But that’s when Jesus approached him. When you read the narrative in the gospel of Mark, you’ll notice that the man did not approach Jesus - Jesus approached him.

Possibly still glowing with Heavenly glory from his transfiguration, Jesus asked about the boy’s suffering:

“How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father. He replied, “Since he was a little boy. The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.” “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” (Mark 9:21-23, NLT)

I love the Master’s straight-forward approach. With an almost indignant tone, Jesus asked, “What do you mean if I can?” I believe the emphasis was on the “if”. Jesus certainly knew His own identity. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”

All things are possible; Only believe. 

The man had tried all that he knew to try. He had gone to every expert. He had tried every remedy. He had looked at every potential solution. But, when it came down to it, all he needed to do was believe. And I love his honest response.

The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24, NLT)

After the man’s candid prayer, the Lord delivered his son completely. The boy was freed from the demonic spirit that tormented him.

What do you do when you’ve done all there is to do? What can be attempted when all of your ideas have already failed? What do you do when you need a miracle?

It’s that place of frustration and waiting. Though beneficial to your character, it can be painful. Truly, a miracle is only needed when all other ways have proved to be ineffective. When you’ve come to the end of yourself - talent, intellect, resources, emotion, energy - that’s when the miracle can happen. 

Like that father, perhaps you too face a situation that cannot be overcome with human effort alone. Don’t worry; this is when Jesus steps in. You may have doubt, but He can help your doubt. You may be weary of having your hopes crushed. He won’t disappoint you. You can trust Him. 

Leave it to Him. When you’ve done what you can, rest and trust. Relax. Only believe. He’ll take it from here.

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How to Speak with Power and Authority

I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, 'May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. (Mark 11:23, NLT)

What incredible power the Lord has given to us. There is power in your words. When you, by faith, declare a thing, it is so. But from where does that power come? Are we able to simply will anything we desire into existence? Concerning what we speak in prayer, this is what the Scripture says:

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: (1 John 5:14, KJV)

As we should, we celebrate the reality of our ability to “ask anything”, but we mustn’t forget “according to his will.”

We have the tendency to stray into superstition. Indeed, many believers live under the bondage of superstition. Perhaps you have heard the threatening phrases: “Don’t speak that! There’s power in your words. Be careful what you say; you might speak death upon yourself.”

And while I am fully committed to speaking life over myself and those around me, I don’t live ruled by the paranoia of unintentional curses.

Is there power in our words? Yes. Can we declare things to be so? Certainly. Do our words affect us and our situations in profound ways? Absolutely. But you can thank God for the limitations that He has placed within the power of our Words.

When God speaks, He speaks with unquestionable, unlimited authority. When we speak, we have the authority “according to his will.” When God speaks, He creates. When we speak, we shape. And aren’t you glad that not everything you declare manifests as reality? God speaks as the Creator. You and I speak as influencers, shapers of the creation. We cannot will worlds into existence, but we can will worlds into alignment with God’s Word.

For example, a police officer cannot legally come to your house and rob you of your valuable possessions. If he attempted to even enter the premises, he would legally need a warrant. If for some unfortunate reason he decided to step outside of the law and rob you, he would legally need to return whatever was taken, even if he wore a badge and claimed authority while robbing you. You see, the police officer has been given the power to enforce the law, not his own will. The law limits his authority. He can only make demands, as far as the law allows.

In the same sense, we are given power in our words according to God’s will and Word. We can declare healing, deliverance, salvation, and blessing. Why? Because that’s God’s will. You cannot expect your words to have power if they contradict God’s Word or if they are born of your own will. We cannot simply will anything we desire into existence, because the power is not in human will. We can speak, but God must first will.

When we obey God, we position ourselves in a place of authority and our words become as certain as the will of God itself. Our authority comes from submission to God’s authority. When we submit to that authority, we align ourselves with the power of Heaven. The power in our words comes from our obedience to His Word. Therefore, speaking in faith does not obligate God, it positions us.

You’ve heard it said, “We can speak things into existence.” However, perhaps it might be more helpful, more accurate even, to say, “We speak things into order.” If something contradicts the Word or will of God, we can speak it into order. We can command all things to bend to the will of God.

The power of your words is directly proportional to the depth of your surrender.

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The Touch of Healing

And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole. (Mark 6:56)

I love that portion of scripture - as many as touched Him were made whole! When it comes to miraculous healing, there really is nothing more to it. It really is simply the touch of God.

There's no natural way to manufacture such power. There's no set of rules to follow, no system to apply. It's just the healing power of God. With just one touch, in a single moment of time, Jesus can make you whole. All you need is one touch.

How does one touch Jesus? It's by faith. You reach out and touch the hem of His garment by faith. You receive of His healing virtue by faith. Be confident in His promises, and be calm in your approach.

They begged for a touch, but you don't have to. You don't need to beg or plead. You just need to receive. Faith is confidence in what God has promised, and confidence is calm. It's difficult to receive from the Lord when we're all worked up with emotion, pleading, and doubtful desperation.

Whenever I minister to the sick, I try to bring people to the posture of faith. Rarely have I ever seen someone, who was so worked up with the fear of not receiving, actually receive. Many times, people are too panicked to receive.

The key to calm and confident faith is focusing on Jesus. His gentle and loving countenance will bring peace to your troubled mind and emotions. The sense of His power brings reassurance. Kathryn Kuhlman put it this way: "When Jesus becomes more real to you than your sickness, you'll be healed."

Trust the Lord. Trust His willingness. Trust His ability. Trust His timing. And know that it takes just one touch to change everything, to make you whole.

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Holy Spirit: The Breath of Breakthrough

Wind and breath can be symbols of the Holy Spirit. In the book of Acts, the coming of the Spirit was accompanied by the sound of a mighty rushing wind. In the book of John, Jesus breathed upon His disciples and instructed, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

It was the wind of Heaven that opened an impossible path for the Israelites to move through the red sea.

At the blast of your breath, the waters piled up! The surging waters stood straight like a wall; in the heart of the sea the deep waters became hard.
(Exodus 15:8, NLT)

It was the breath of God that was released through the shouts of the Israelites - causing the walls of Jericho to fall.

When the people heard the sound of the rams’ horns, they shouted as loud as they could. Suddenly, the walls of Jericho collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight into the town and captured it.
(Joshua 6:20, NLT)

Rest assured, it was not the shouts of the Israelites that caused the walls to crumble. The mere breath of men cannot accomplish such a thing. Nor was it the wishful thinking of Moses that caused the Red Sea to open. It was the breath of God, the wind of Heaven - it was the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit caused the water to rise like walls and the walls to fall like water.

When the Holy Spirit begins to breathe upon your life and ministry, everything changes. What seemed before impossible, what seemed before too difficult, becomes easy. He makes a way where there seems to be no way.

Just when you think it’s over, just when you feel like quitting - that’s when the Holy Spirit’s power is best displayed.

He works beyond your ability; He even works beyond your timeline. He accelerates the timeline! The Holy Spirit can accomplish more in a single moment than can your best efforts in 100 years. The miracle that seems so distant, so far away, is closer to you than you think.

The wind of the Spirit is blowing afresh upon you. Your breakthrough is just an act of faith away. Lift your hands and say, “Breathe upon me, breath of God.”

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Persistent Faith

Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Gentile woman who lived there came to him, pleading, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter is possessed by a demon that torments her severely.” But Jesus gave her no reply, not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away. “Tell her to go away,” they said. “She is bothering us with all her begging.” Then Jesus said to the woman, “I was sent only to help God’s lost sheep—the people of Israel.” But she came and worshiped him, pleading again, “Lord, help me!” Jesus responded, “It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.” She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their masters’ table.” “Dear woman,” Jesus said to her, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” And her daughter was instantly healed.
Matthew 15:22-28, NLT

The woman who approached the Lord did so in desperation. After insisting upon her request, the woman finally received the miracle she sought.

There is something powerful about persistence. In fact, the portion of scripture you just read makes it perfectly clear that persistence and faith are tied together.
Persistence is consistent faith.

Perhaps there is a stubborn issue in your life that will not move. Or maybe you struggle with something from which you desire to be free. Keep going; don’t quit.

Persistent faith overcomes all. You’re not going to climb the mountain; you’re going to move the mountain. Ask, seek, knock. The door will open.

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