GOD IS IN COVENANT WITH ME!

Luke 22:20 “…This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is shed for you.”

You are in Covenant with God! Better yet, God is in Covenant with you! When you are in a personal relationship with Almighty God through faith in Jesus’ sacrifice on Calvary’s Cross and His subsequent Resurrection, you have been entered into a legal binding agreement with Him.

A covenant is defined as a binding agreement or contract in writing under seal, for the performance of a specified action. The Covenant which God Himself has entered into with you, has been signed, sealed and ratified by the precious Blood of Jesus. There can be no more powerful seal than the Blood of Jesus! We are told in Leviticus 17:14 “…the life of all flesh is in the blood…” When you break it down, this simply means that the Covenant which God has contracted with you is backed up with the very LIFE OF GOD which is in the Blood of Jesus!

The good news today is that God is in Covenant with you! He is in a legally binding Contract, ordered by the Supreme Court of the Universe (Himself), because the Blood of Jesus has been shed for “YOU!”

OK… God has entered into an agreement with me, but what exactly does that mean for me? There are some very unique characteristics that are involved in Biblical Covenants. The one I want you to see today is what I call the “Joint Heir” stipulation. Romans 8:16-17 “The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ…”

In Biblical times when two families or tribes entered into a covenant, they each brought unique giftings and talents into the relationship. For example the Jones family had wealth, wisdom, creative imagination, and a talent for conducting wise business practices. The Smith family was know for their brute strength, and had a reputation as fierce warriors. They were men and women who could work the land and produce the most abundant harvest on the smallest piece of land.

When they entered into Covenant, they each pledged to one another everything they had and all the talents each had to offer. Now as the Smith-Jones tribe, it appeared that they were lacking no good thing. The wealth of the Jones family now flowed into the Smith family and when anyone would arise against the Jones family, the warriors from the Smith clan would rise up to defend the Joneses! They became joint-heirs, meaning that they both owned/shared everything both families possessed one hundred percent. There was no holding back on anything they had!

NOW PAY VERY CLOSE ATTENTION: Since God initiated a Covenant agreement with you; HE HOLDS BACK NOTHING! Now read these Covenant Words written to you! Romans 8:31-32 “What can we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since God did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t God, who gave us Christ, also give us everything else?

God has given you everything…His Name..His Son…His Blood…His Angels…His Promises… His Ability…His Power…His Authority..His Spirit within us…His Righteousness…His Healing...His Provision…His Protection…His Wisdom…His Direction…His Deliverance… His Rest…His Care…His Security…His Reward…His Refreshment…His Presence…His Restoration… and the List goes on endlessly! Can you even name one thing that God has withheld from you? Of course you can't!

God did not spare His most prized possession…His Son. He gave us Jesus so that He could enter Himself into a legally binding Eternal Covenant with us, thereby offering US everything He is and everything He has! Jesus “…has been given a ministry that is far superior to the ministry of those who serve under the old laws, for he is the one who guarantees for us a better covenant with God, based on better promises.” Hebrews 8:6

You would do well to daily rehearse the terms of your Covenant with God. David did! (Psalm 103 ) The whole deal is not about what you can bring to the table of Covenant, ITS ABOUT WHAT GOD HAS BROUGHT INTO THE COVENANT RELATIONSHIP!

NOW ACCEPT THE TERMS AND LIVE THE LIFE HE EXPECTS! (John 10:10)

NUMBER ONE PRINCIPLE OF GOD!

Matthew 22: 37-38 "Jesus said to him, you shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.

The Bible plainly tells us that loving God is the greatest principle contained within it's pages. Loving God is the reason you were created. To live within a love relationship with Him is the highest of all life purpose and without this intimacy we will live a life that remains frustrated, meaningless, stagnant, empty and without purpose!

So many people do not know the very basics of Loving God. Let's keep in mind we are commanded (it's not optional) to love Him with "all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our mind."

We are so often concerned that if we love God in this manner that we won't have any time or affections left for others in our lives. The opposite is true. We are told in Matthew 6:33 that if we put God "first" and the affairs of His "Kingdom" and "righteousness" then all the "things" of life are taken care of!

Let's think for a moment about some of the principles we employ when we set our affections on others close to us. If we apply these same tactics to our relationship with God, we will be off to a good start in loving Him, as well.

1) Set aside time to spend with Him. I remember when I first met my wife, Debbie, I believe that I invested enough in fuel taxes to repave all of Richie highway as I traveled back and forth between Pasadena & Annapolis. She became a priority on my daily schedule. it was amazing how much time I had for her when I re-prioritized my life and other interests. You cannot build a relationship by remaining separated or without spending good quality time together.

Time chatting while eating or riding down the road is good, but true intimacy only develops when our sole focus of the moment is on the one we love. Set two or three times a week, initially and have a date with God. Do not cancel, it may harm your relationship!

2) Good love relationships are not easy to develop. They take a lot of effort and good old fashioned work. "...Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him." Hebrews 11:6 Another translation says He rewards those who "diligently seek Him." Sincerely seeking and diligently seeking, both speak of working to build relationship with God. After all the years of relationship with the world, it takes a concentrated effort to focus on God.

3) Communication is essential! Most of us have no problems bombarding God with our problems and needs, but when it comes to listening to his heart, we need to employ the skills the prophet Samuel learned. "...Then God came and stood before him exactly as before, calling out, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel answered, “Speak. I’m your servant, ready to listen.” 1 Samuel 3:10

We need to learn to be open and honest with God (He knows all of our thoughts anyway), and we need to allow God to be open and honest with us! This is one of the biggest obstacles to developing intimacy with Him. We don't want to hear what He has to say and oftentimes when He does begin to speak into our hearts correction or conviction, we begin to shout Him down with our religious banter! Sometimes heart exchanges with our loved ones can be painful! However, if we wish the relationship to deepen these exchanges of truth need to be allowed in our time together.

4) We willingly and affectionately lay down our own self centered desires to reap a harvest of love from our loved one. "Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God..." Ephesians 5:21 We become givers as a result of our new natures. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ..." 2 Cor 5:17-18 We remain givers by the continual oversight and review of our will.

We, as a result of our continued, deepening relationship with God, commence to take on the character and nature of God, Himself. " For God so loved the world, that he gave...: John 3:16 We too become givers as we spend time with Him.

5) We discover and share each others giftings and talents. The more time we spend in reading His Word and in discovery of His character and nature, the more we fall in love with Him. The more time we spend basking in His presence the more He begins to reveal Himself to us. (In our own relationships, we DO NOT reveal our innermost thoughts, impressions, motivations and desires to those who are mere acquaintances.) When we first encounter a loved one , we simply "love" them based on first impressions and external observations. The more time we spend together, the more we are able to observe the intangibles which form the very foundation for any long lasting, intimate relationship. (loyalty, faithfulness, trustworthiness, etc...)

The more you know Him, the more your heart goes out to Him and the deeper relationship you develop. "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord..." 2 Peter 1:2 Here's the way it develops...The More you know Him, the More you love Him!The More you love Him, the more you trust Him!The more you trust Him, the more you obey Him!

6) Finally as your intimacy progresses, you couple together to produce offspring.When you spend time with Him, you discover that His heart goes out for other hearts who desire to be with Him. 2Chronicles 16:9 "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect (loyal) toward him." His desire is that you remain so intimate and connected to Him (Two operating as one) that your life is filled with much fruit. John 15:5 in The Message says it this way. "I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. "

Then out of our Love relationship, and having laid down our own interests and desires, we begin to pursue the desires of His heart. We allow His Holy Spirit to influence others through our lives and the anointing which flows out of us. Out of His love for us and our love for Him, we obey Him and He manifests Himself to us and others.

"He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” John 14:21

Do we really love God with all all your heart, soul, strength and your mind, as He desires and commands?

I Think Not!

Let's begin or intensify (Whichever place you're at) the journey into the heart of God.
Begin Today.

WATER WALKING

Matthew 14:24-27 “…the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came to them, walking on the water….But Jesus spoke to them at once. “It’s all right,” he said. “I am here! Don’t be afraid.”

One thing I know for sure, is that whenever I am caught up in one of life’s storms, I want to make sure my eyes are on Jesus and that I am close enough to get a good look at Him! The disciples never expected Jesus to handle the storm in this manner. It appears that they didn’t expect him at all, much less come walking across the water! Matthew 14:26 “…when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.”

We expect Him to show up at Church, or praise and worship; perhaps in our own private time with him, but in the middle of a storm? We never expect to see Him in the middle of marital stress, wayward children, financial problems, or sickness and disease. It’s extremely important for us to remain close to Jesus through fellowship with Him and obedience to His commands and promptings. Let me make it simple for all of us. The closer we stay to Him, the easier it is to take our eyes off the storm and to clearly focus on Jesus, the One Who stills the most violent storms.

Peter took his eyes off of the One who commands peace to the storms of life, or at the very least , He commands peace to us in the midst of the storm! Matthew 14:30 “But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”

Let these words of Jesus resound in your inner being! “It’s all right,” he said. “I am here! Don’t be afraid.” Perhaps the main theme of this passage is where we are to look in the middle of the storms of life. If you are giving the storm more attention than the One who calms them, then you too like Peter, will be overwhelmed with the strength of the storm! Read these words very carefully!

Psalm 121: 2-8 “My help comes from the LORD, who made the heavens and the earth! He will not let you stumble and fall; the one who watches over you will not sleep…The LORD himself watches over you! The LORD stands beside you as your protective shade…The LORD keeps you from all evil and preserves your life. The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.” David knew!

Remember that storms often cause us to embark on expeditions we would never have ventured into without the storm. For a few brief moments Peter was thrust into the midst of the miraculous! “So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.” Matthew 14:29 Imagine his conversations after they reached the other side. How many times do you believe that Peter rehearsed that experience? Perhaps he even embellished the scenario each time he repeated the event! In the midst of his personal storm, He was graced by God to experience the Supernatural movement of the Hand of God!

Think back over the storms in your life. Reflect on the Goodness and faithfulness of God! Command your mind to rehearse the Goodness of God like David. Psalm 103:2-5 “Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

The most efficient way to prepare for a storm in life is….

1) Know that they will come. It happens to everyone!
2) Stay connected in intimate fellowship with Jesus (Before the storm approaches) through loving obedience.
3) Keep your eyes fixed on Him, He will guide you through the storm.
4) Know Him as your Help in the Time of trouble! (Psalm 27:5)
5) Be filled with anticipation and expectancy. Listen for His Word as He directs your path in the middle of the tempest. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
6) Do whatever He tells you when He tells you.
7) Focus on His promise! “It’s all right,” he said. “I am here! Don’t be afraid.”

Suddenly my heart finds peace, no matter what life throws at me! I am no longer afraid and I know it will be alright! Remember, some of Jesus' greatest moments have come in the midst of the storm! Now that I think of it. so have mine!

FORGET IT?

James 1:23-24 “For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.”

Many Christians fall under this same category that James describes. We love to dive into the depths and mysteries that we find in the Word of God, however, when it comes to applying those same truths in our own lives, we often become very resistant. I believe that we have the answer to this problem found in the Scripture stated above.

The mirror, spoken of, represents the Word of God in this passage. This passage simply declares to us as Christians, that we are to journey into the Word of God, with hearts and minds that are ready and willing to apply (obey) any principle that we encounter.

The passage further states that if we do not apply the principles, we discover that we will soon forget the liberating truths we have uncovered, especially when we face opposition. There is something about applying (obeying) the principles in the Word of God that causes these discoveries to stick with our spirit man. If we practice discovery and application of the principles contained in God’s Word, there are two things that occur as a result. This is a Spiritual Law!
1) We will not forget who God has made us to be!
2) We will not forget with what ability we have been enabled!

We find this exact principle summarized in Deuteronomy 28: 1-2 “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey (apply His Principles) the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments…, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey (apply His directives) the voice of the Lord your God.”

The other truth that James states is that when we do NOT apply the principles (commandments) of God and we face an attack, we forget “what kind of man” we are. The spiritual glue, or power of the Holy Spirit, is activated in our lives when we obey. If we refuse to obey, the Holy Spirit can not activate the Reality of the Truths contained in His Word in our lives and we enter into the struggles of life, powerless, and uncertain of the great things God has done for us!

1Corinthians 2:9 “…it is written, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him.”

If you are walking in unforgiveness or bitterness, it is not worth the price you pay. God’s Principles declare the necessity to forgive. If you don’t forgive, then you will never reach the level where you realize Who You are in Christ and you will continue to walk in defeat!

John 1:12 “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God…”

If you discover and obey God's Principles, you too will, like the kitten pictured above, will turn into a lion. When you encounter obstacles in your life, they will be transformed into stepping stones!

Does God Will to Heal Me?

MARK 1:40 "Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”

Cancer...its everywhere...front page news today is "tanning beds cause serious cancer." Over the last week or so, I have heard people tell me that well over twenty five people have been stricken with cancer. The State we live in (Maryland) has one of the highest rates of cancer in the entire United States and a great percentage of the population is being struck down.

Arteriosclerosis (Hardening of the arteries) is running rampant and taking the lives of additional thousands, not to mention diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, liver disease etc.. Even though science now dramatically points to the consumption of fat and/or bad carbohydrates in the diet as one of the major culprits, to those who already have the damage done, it is stealing, killing and destroying the lives of thousands of additional.

Jesus said "The thief's purpose it to steal, kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness" John 10:10 What is one to do in the midst of these trying times? Is sickness and disease just an acceptable part of life, or is there something that can be done to defend ourselves against these attacks when they come? Is it too late if we're already facing the inevitable? My standard response is to discover and apply whatever the Manufacturer's Handbook has to say concerning this matter.

The leper in the introductory Scripture listed above asked the question that most people, including Christians still do. "I know you can; BUT are You willing to heal me?" No one doubts that God can heal anyone. No one questions His ability to make one whole. We all believe in miracles; just not for ourselves. I believe that the greatest obstacle to those who are seeking healing or desire to walk in divine heath, is the uncertainty in their minds as to the Will of God in the matter.

Exodus 23:25And ye shall serve the LORD your God...and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee...the number of thy days I will fulfil."Exodus 15:26 " ...I am the LORD that healeth thee." Translated in plain old English it goes this way. "I am the Lord Who is healing you now!" (Present tense ad-infinitum)Until you believe that God wants you, His child, to be healed, there will always be doubt in your mind as to whether or not you will be healed according to His Will.

Hebrews 11:6 " But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him." This Scripture says that God rewards (In this case heals) those who believe that He is The Healer and He can heal us. Now here's the key to this verse. We don't pursue healing; we pursue the Healer! When you get to the best physician, the odds of being healed increase. He is the great Physician!When we go to God and ask our petitions of Him, we need to go in a certain attitude of faith (Simple childlike faith...God said it; that settles it!) James 1:6-8 "But when you ask Him, be sure you really expect Him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a waveof the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. People like that should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. They can't make up their minds. They waiver back and forth in everything they do."

What this Scripture states is pretty straightforward. Anyone who prays the faith destroying prayer "Lord if it be thy will, please heal me." can not ask him like you "really expect him to answer..." And they usually don't expect to receive anything (healing) from the Lord; resulting in exactly what they believed!We begin with the simple basic Bible truths. If you can't seem to believe that you will be chosen to be one of the fortunate ones to be healed, I ask you this question. Do you believe that God will keep His promise to you? If you do...That is simple belief...spelled F-A-I-T-H!

Numbers 23:19 "God is not a man, that he should lie...has He spoken, and will he not do it? or has he spoken, and will he not make it good?"1 Kings 8:56 "...there has not failed one word of all his good promise..."Psalm 119:89 "For ever, O LORD, your word is settled in heaven." When God makes a promise...he keeps it. He's not like people who continue to modify our promises and declarations. When He speaks a Spiritual Law into existence, there is enough power behind that Word to enforce it throughout eternity.

Let me give you an illustration. In Genesis 1:3 "God said, Let there be light: and there was light." When God spoke that Word, He infused that Word with enough power to sustain it throughout all eternity, unless He says "Light Cease!" The universe is still expanding from that Command at the rate of 186,000 miles per second! When God spoke the Word in Exodus 15:23 "I am the Lord that healeth thee.", He empowered that Word to endure and empower throughout all eternity, as well.God's Word is law! A law is something that always works. It may be a fact that you are sick right now, but there is TRUTH that over-rides that fact.

Romans 8:2 "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." Obviously you've heard and understand the "Law of Gravity." The Law of Gravity simply states that whatever is dropped within the earth's atmosphere begin to fall. Take an airplane, for example. If the engines quit in midflight, what happens? It falls to the ground. That is Fact! However there is a Truth that over-rides the law of Gravity; its called the Law of Lift. When an airplanes engines accelerate and with certain aerodynamic principles in effect, the Law of Lift supercedes the law of Gravity and they plane doesn't fall, it rises!

The fact may be that you have cancer, or are facing precancerous conditions, or your family has a history of cancer. The fact may be that right now you're in the fight of your life, BUT the Truth of God's Word, His law, supercedes that fact!

Where do I begin?

1) Get into the Word of God and begin to discover what it has to say about healing.

2) Look at the life of Jesus as recorded in the Gospels. He said "if you've seen me, you've seen the Father." If you look at His life and Ministry, God's desires become much clearer!

3) Pray that the Holy Spirit would reveal to you the Truth about God's Will concerning your healing.

4) Get yourself some good books on healing ...T.L. Osborn's "Healing the Sick" or F.F Bosworth's "Christ the Healer" read them and back up what they claim with the Scriptures.

5) Memorize Healing Scriptures that you discover.

6) Find others who want to discover the Truth, who will make the journey with you!

7) Get in a Church that believes that Divine Healing is for you!

PLEASE LET OTHERS KNOW ABOUT THIS WEBSITE. KNOWING THE TRUTH WILL SET ANYBODY FREE. DON'T KEEP IT FOR YOURSELF IF IT BLESSES YOU. WE ARE UNDER A PHYSICAL ATTACK ON THIS EARTH LIKE NEVER BEFORE. YOU HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING YET. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING, AND WE NEED TO KNOW GOD'S WORD ON THIS TRUTH!PASS IT ON... http://heart2heartblog.blogspot.com/

Do Not Be Afraid!

Matthew 17:7 "And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and do not be afraid.”

Jesus said that the greatest commandment is “You shall love the Lord thy God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:37-39 According to His Words these are the two single greatest commandments.

Do you know what ranks a close number three? If we can judge by the number of times in the four gospels that He addressed individual issues with specific commands, the answer is clear. The Gospels list some one hundred twenty plus commands from the lips of Jesus. The two Great Commandments listed above are mentioned only eight times, while the Commands related to fear appear twenty one times. (Not be afraid, not fear, have courage, take heart, be of good cheer) If the number of times a topic is mentioned by Jesus is any indication then Jesus takes the “fear issue very seriously!

Matthew 6:25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life,
Matthew 9:2 “Take heart, son! Your sins are forgiven.”
Matthew 10:28 “…do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.”
Matthew 10:31 So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to him than a whole flock of sparrows.
Matthew 14:27 But Jesus spoke to them at once. “It’s all right,” he said. “I am here! Don’t be afraid.”
John 14:1 “Don’t let your heart be troubled: you believe in God, also believe in me.”
John 14:27 “Don’t let your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

The List goes on!

Jesus does not wish for us to live a life dominated by fear! Jesus was in the boat with His disciples on a storm tossed sea, when he was awakened from a deep sleep. Waves were crashing over the boat and He was asleep. Oh to know that intimacy with God that we can endure peaceful sleep in the midst of the storm. Before He sprung into action and calmed the turbulence He posed this question. “…Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Matthew 8:26

Occasion to fear may surround us day to day. It may be attacking our minds on a daily basis, or even moment to moment, BUT it does not have to be able to fill our hearts. Remember that “…God has not given us a spirit of fear” 2 Timothy 1:7 Recognize that fear is a “spirit” and it is attacking you and your very spiritual foundation. Fear is the reciprocal (opposite) of faith. If your enemy can get you to operate in fear instead of faith, your boat may go under in the middle of the tempests of life!

Whenever you entertain fear filled thoughts, “take…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,” Ephesians 6:17 and begin to swing your sword. Do you believe that it is possible to control your own thoughts? Our Creator certainly knew what He was doing when He made these incredible houses that we live in.

Try this simple illustration! Begin to count silently in your mind backwards from 100 to 1. When you get to 90 say “Jesus!” three times out loud. What happened to your counting? Amazing, that God has given us a very simple tool to combat stinking thinking, the power of speech. Proverbs 18:21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue…”

The Word of God is your weapon. Fear is a temptation. How did Jesus combat temptation in the desert? “It is written…” (Matthew 4) Jesus took the Sword of the Spirit and thwarted the attack of the enemy. The power is in the Word of God when it is spoken by you lips! My favorite is Psalm 118:6 “…the Lord God is on my side, I will not fear…”

Remember, Jesus commanded “Do not fear…” Isn’t today a good day to obey! Speak His Word and walk in victory. How long do I speak the Word? Speak the Word until the fear subsides. If it raises it’s ugly head again, start swinging your Sword again!

How to Destroy Fear in Your Life!

"That roused the Philistine, and he started toward David. David took off from the front line, running toward the Philistine. " 1 Samuel 17:48

Fear is one of the most amazing tools that the enemy has to paralyze our lives.

I was at a conference for people with Prophetic giftings some years ago, when a brother preached on the topic of fear. At the end of his message he gave an altar call and of the over 1000 people in attendance, all but 3 or 4 of us got out of their seats and ran toward the altar. I was floored!

It really opened my eyes to the enormity of this spiritual stronghold in the lives not only of the world, but in the hearts of believers as well, even in the five-fold ministry gifts.

Whether it's fear of failure, rejection, opposition, exposure, relationships, involvement, separation, inadequacy, inability, insecurity and so on, the fact remains that this is one of the major bondages that stifles the flow of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

How do we defeat fear?

1) Let the Holy Spirit be honest with you? Ask Him to reveal where in your life fear is making it's presence known. Set aside time to be quiet before the Lord with pen and paper in hand. Write down what he reveals to you! John 16:13 "...when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth..."

2) Understand that fear does not come from God. 2Timothy 1:7 "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." Fear comes from the input( in your thought life) and influences of the devil and the direct result of walking in sin. Genesis 3:10 "I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself."

Fear is the reciprocal (opposite) of faith and whenever we exit faith we enter into sin! Romans 14:23 "...for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. "

3) Know that God is with you...He's on our side! Psalm 118: 6 "The LORD is on my side; I will not fear..." God is with you, for you and in you! 1 John 4:4 "You are of God, little children, and have overcome...because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." No matter who or what comes against us, they need to know Who is coming against them on our behalf! (You need to know too!) Romans 8:31 "If God is for us, who can be against us? "

4) Choose not to fear...your will is involved...you make the choice... Psalm 118: 6 "The LORD is on my side; I WILL not fear..." We must will not to fear. Check out the classic battle in 1 Samuel 17 between David and Goliath. Fear can be the Giant in your life and may be holding you back from engaging in the battle at hand. Goliath was unusually large (Huge problem) and kept on taunting the people of God with words.

1 Sam 17:10-11 "I defy the armies of Israel! Send me a man who will fight with me!” When Saul and the Israelites heard this, they were terrified and deeply shaken" Sound familiar?

5) Remember and rehearse what the Lord has done in your past. 1 Samuel 17:37 "The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine." Think about all the things God has done both great & small in your own life. Remember His faithfulness and His greatness. Psalm 103: 2 "Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits."

6) Begin to speak the Word of the Victory of the Lord to the giant of fear in your life! read the following classic out loud right now and let these words of Faith reverberate in your spirit. They will begin to come alive as you speak them over and over again. Listen to what these words are speaking to you!

1 Samuel 17: 45 "Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’S, and He will give you into our hands.”

7) Now here comes the best one... RUN TOWARD THE GIANT David took off "running toward the giant" 1 Samuel 17:48 Scare the hell out of that giant!

In Africa when a pack of lions hunt, the old toothless lion with the loudest roar sets himself on one side of the prey. Even though he can not run like he use to, he still roars a good game. The young able bodied hunters await the victim on the other side. When the prey hears the roar, their natural instinct prompts them to run away from the roar; right into the mouths of the young hunters! Don't run from fear... RUN TO THE ROAR! If you're afraid of the dark and you hear a noise in the house that arouses fear, start speaking the word and walk toward the noise. The spirit of fear will break! Fear of heights...find the tallest glass elevator you can find; stick your nose on the exterior and ride up and down, speaking the Word "The Lord God is on my side, I will not fear!" until the spirit of fear breaks. Ephesians 6:17 "And take...the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God..."

Every time the spirit of fear raises it's ugly head, purpose in the Spirit that you will take the Word of God and cut it's head off. James 4:7 "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you... (in stark, shear terror)"

Now let's go kill a few giants and have ourselves some fun!

A WORK IN PROGRESS!

Phillipians 1:6 “And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again.”

When I first came to know the Lord personally, someone came to me and told me that THEY hadn’t sinned since they had gotten saved several years ago. That statement floored me, because I was still struggling in certain areas of my life. Thank God I found the Scripture above. Exactly what it states is this. “Until the day I pass on, or Jesus returns, I am a work in progress and that there are no perfect people in this earth."

Even Paul struggled with his post conversion life. Romans 7: 14-24 “…I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do…. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice…I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.”

Paul needed to know, even as we do, that in fact, we are not perfect when we are saved, except within our spirit. Remember you are a spirit. We have a soul (mind, emotions, intellect, willpower, imaginations, etc.,) and we live in a house called a body. During your life time you will be on a continuous journey to working toward perfection in Christ. I’m sorry to say, but even people who are of the family of God, still do sin.

Thank God that He does not demand that I change immediately and completely. My little mind would explode in the face of the impossibility! Paul felt the same way. Romans 7:24 “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” The Word for you today is to be patient!

Get into the presence of God today and ask Him what He wishes to work on, at this time in your life. Then respond in loving obedience. His wish list and priority list may be quite different than yours. When He “began the good work within…” me, He chose areas of my life that were different than I would have chosen! He wanted to work on my “love” life instead of the drugs and alcohol, first! Know this, that what He commands you to do, He will also empower you to finish! Phillipians 2:13 “For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him.”

When you first come to a saving knowledge and personal relationship with Jesus, all of your sins are forgiven. As long as you continue in developing your relationship with God and believing in His free gift of eternal life, when you do stumble and sin, what is effected is your fellowship with Him, not your eternal destiny! Sin effects your intimacy level with God, your ability to hear, receive, and walk in his promises and His divine ability

When we do fall in sin, His method of restoration to fellowship is to confess our failure as sin. 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The area that really effects our fellowship with Him is the habitual, repetitive sins. 1 John 1:6 “So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness.” This Scripture carries the idea that habitual sin destroys our intimate fellowship with God.

So the order of the day is to…
1) Find out what God is interested in developing in our lives day by day.
2) Receive His willpower and His ability.
3) Confess our sin instantly upon conviction of the Holy Spirit.
4) Repent. Stop the specific sin!

OR WE RUN THE RISK OF LOSING THE CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN THE VINE AND THE BRANCHES JESUS SPEAKS OF IN JOHN 15, RESULTING IN FAILURE!

John 15:5 “…apart from Me, you can do nothing!”

You are a work in progress. Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus…” While the work is heading toward completion, stay connected with God and receive everything He has to offer through your loving obedience. Deuteronomy 7:9 “Know therefore that the LORD your God, he is God, the faithful God, Who keeps covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments…”