Everything we will ever need is in Christ Jesus. He has saved us in every way from sickness, sin and death.
2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
When we give our lives to Christ for the first time we become a new creature. Our old life and way of doing things have passed away, and who we are becomes new. We have a new path laid out before us. One of truth and honor. But the enemy will try to get us to fall into a place that we lack integrity. He will do everything he can to draw us back into the sinful life we had before Christ.
Col 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
The enemy will try to get us to doubt ourselves, doubt our salvation, doubt every choice we make in life. But the answers we need are all in him. Complete means entire and full. The fullness of the godhead is in him. The fullness of everything we need is in him.
Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
The life we live now is by our faith in Christ because he gave his life for us. The work of the cross completed the plan for everything we would ever need. We have no reason to allow fear to overtake us. Fear comes from our enemy. If we are complete in Christ there is no room for fear or anxiety. Every time the enemy comes with his fear, send him away with a reminder that you have no reason to fear, because you are complete in Christ.
Why do we want what we know we can’t have? This is the age-old question. For example, when you decide you’re going to try to cut back to lose weight, suddenly you want to eat everything in sight. It’s like you are afraid you are going to starve to death.
Some of the motivation is fear, some of it is not wanting to be without what we need. But when the temptation is to sin, it is an attack of the enemy. He paints a pretty picture of how things would be better if you do what you know you shouldn’t.
Look how he approached Eve with questions that made her wonder if God really said they couldn’t eat of the tree. He made her question God’s motivation. Until she got it in her heart that they should have the knowledge of good and evil. He painted a picture for her that God was trying to hold her back and keep her from knowing the truth.
God always makes a way for us to escape the temptations of the enemy. They are lies, Satan tries to manipulate, he is a master at making us think we can’t live without that cake, that drink or whatever he is tempting us with. We have to be stronger than the lies.
Changing our focus from where we are to where we want to be remembering that truth is stronger than lies. The light of truth shines on the lies of the enemy and evil is exposed. Often it is said that the mind is where the battle is fought. What gets past the mind enters our hearts. The mind is the gateway to control over our entire being. Think about it this way, whoever controls the gate to a city, controls the city.
As children of God, we must make sure that the holy ghost is the one guarding the gate to our minds. If we keep our god focus and allow the holy ghost to lead, we will not be destroyed by the enemy, because he will not get past the gate.
Spiritual fortification comes through our faith. We put on our armor according to Ephesians chapter six and resist the enemy. As long as God is our focus, we will be strong. Using the word as our weapon.
Prov 25:28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.
Think about a city without walls, it can be easily over ran by the enemy. This is why it is necessary to fortify our walls against the attacks of the enemy. Stand strong in defense of the gate of your being. We will prevail over all the lies of the enemy, as long as we put our trust in God.
Until next time,
BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS LIKE, SHARE AND SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE ENCOURAGMENT
God chooses the ordinary with something special inside. He looks for those who will be vessels that he can use. Think about Jesus’ disciples, he chose fishermen, a tax collector, a physician, and one that was a scam artist. Each one had a job to do. Each one was different in their upbringing and abilities.
Over time he molded and shaped their lives. He took them from ordinary vessels to extraordinary vessels. All that growth happened during the firing process. They learned to have faith while Jesus walked with them, but that faith was tested in the furnace of life after Jesus ascended.
We often talk about the three Hebrew men that were thrown into the fiery furnace. It had been turned up seven times hotter than normal. We walked into the middle of their story. We didn’t see all that happened in their lives to give them the strength to say, we are vessels of use to Jehovah. We will not bow to an idol; we don’t care if it is the law of the land. We don’t care that it can mean death. We only worship Jehovah.
How many trials had they walked through previously that gave them that boldness. They were individuals that had consecrated their lives to live for Jehovah. They would not betray him just because the politician in charge, the king said so.
How do we get to be vessels God uses? We prove that we are worthy to be used by getting to know the God of the universe. He created each of us for a purpose. Many never fulfill that purpose because they choose to not follow God or his path for them. But we have chosen to follow him. He will not allow us to sit on the shelf too long.
Is 43:2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
He has promised to be with us and to not allow us to be overtaken. We can be sure he will go with us and not allow the enemy to prevail. All he asks of us is to be willing vessels of honor and integrity. Ones that will follow him and not bow to the world.
2 Tim 2:20-22 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. 21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work. 22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
It doesn’t matter what the vessel looks like what matters is the heart. Is the heart pure and willing to be obedient? Because God cannot use a vessel that wants to do their own thing. Imagine a pitcher telling the potter, you cannot use me right now to serve iced tea, I plan on holding water and some flowers. There is nothing wrong with either thing. But by wanting to hold water and flowers, the pitcher is not doing what the designer chooses (it is being disobedient).
Human beings have an overwhelming desire and thirst for knowledge. History has judged Eve too harshly. She made a bad choice and trusted the wrong voice. If we are honest, I don’t believe one of us could say that we haven’t been taken in by someone who was manipulative.
But I want to discuss with you today the garden itself. God gave them everything they needed. There was peace in the garden. It was a place that God came down and talked to Adam and Eve. He desired people to commune with and he wanted to be their God.
When given a chance to be thankful for what God had done for them, they were disobedient. It should not have mattered the amount of knowledge that the tree would give them if their friend asked them to not eat of that tree. Even the threat of death didn’t stop them from seeking knowlege.
Adam can blame Eve all he wants, but he knew they were being disobedient. That is why God kicked them both out of the garden. That didn’t stop God’s desire to communicate with mankind.
He made a better way. He sent Jesus to die for our sins, so that his spirit could dwell within us and commune with us. God is still wanting someone to talk with, just as he came down to the garden and talked with Adam and Eve, he wants to talk to us.
Prayer time should not just be a quick thank you for what you have done, here is my wish list, thank you, Amem. Prayer time should be us quietly worshipping until he speaks to us. Now more than ever before we need to know his voice. We need to not be deceived by the sneeky snake.
Just as Adam and Eve got kicked out of the place God created, many church leaders have listened to the enemy and have eaten the forbidden fruit. These evil pastors have large followings, because they give people a feel good fifteen minutes. He never tells them to choose life and not death. The best way to know if what is being preached at your church is God’s truth, is to know the word for yourself and ask God himself for direction.
John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
God gave the church his spirit, not just so that we could witness, as some say. But he gave us his Spirit so that we can be connected to God. He didn’t fill us with His Spirit just so we could speak in tongues and rejoice, but so that we could be empowered by God to do his will. So that we could be led by His Spirit. If we will listen to the leading of the Holy Ghost we will not be misled by the snakes of this world.
The Holy Ghost is not given to us so that we can become self-righteous and judgmental. He came so that we could have a connection to God. One that will lead us to fulfillment. God’s desire is to have a relationship with us. His Spirit will show us things to come. If we take the time to sit quietly and wait up on him to speak to us through that still small voice.
God desires for us to worship him in Spirit and Truth. He doesn’t want us going through the motions. He wants us to be led by His Spirit and not our will.
I grew up near an artesian well. As a kid it was amazing to go get a drink out of the fountain that didn’t need a pump. There was not a handle to turn it off and on, it ran all the time. As an adult, I understand that it has to do with pressure in the water table. To a kid it seemed almost like it was magic. Even on hot days it was ice cold, which made it more magical.
Other wells, like the one my grandfather had, was a big hole in the ground that water flowed into and stayed until it was dipped out with a bucket. This is how the wells were in the bible times. In order to stop the flow of water these types of wells must be filled with dirt or rocks.
After Abraham’s death his enemy the Philistines stopped up his wells. Issac came along and dug them out again. Each time he fought with the enemy over the wells. He would walk away and try the next well until he came to a place that the enemy gave up. That well he called Rehoboth which meant the Lord has made room.
At the well of living water God too has made room. He wants us to share the living water with everyone. God has made room for everyone who is thirsty to come and be filled with is Spirit or living water.
It is impossible for an artesian to become stagnated. Water becomes stagnated when it quits flowing. This allows decaying leaves and other things to build up and contaminate the water. Our spiritual lives can be like either type of water. If it is like the artesian well, we are living close to God allowing the things he wants to pour into our lives to flow. If our living water becomes still and doesn’t flow out of us, we can become contaminated by the world and become stagnate.
John 7:37-39 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
Out of our bellies will flow rivers of living water. We need God’s spiritual water to be an artesian well springing up in our lives. The spiritual water (Holy Ghost) will continuously flow and keep out impurities. As long as we stay in the flow of the Spirit of God we will not become stagnate.
But more than having enough God in us to keep us on the right path and not stagnate, we have to share the water. Some want to share God’s Spirit according to church by laws or man’s traditions. Some want to share him on their own terms. But there is only one way.
John 14:6- Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Are you ready to be one of God’s wells that will pour out his living water to the lost and thirsty souls? God needs us to be ready to spread the gospel to the lost. He pours into us and gives us wisdom and understanding for us to take and share with those who are dying to know God’s ways. The world is in desperate need of a savior, now more than ever. We can be that well that springs up and shares Jesus with them before they die lost.
Prov 10:11-12 The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. 12 Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.
I always think of the woman at the well when I think about God’s living water. Jesus was telling her that He was God and man and Holy Spirit all in one. He was telling her that even though she had been disappointed in people that he would not disappoint her. All she wanted was someone to love her and accept her. But instead, she was left with an unsatisfied life, going from relationship to relationship. To make matters worse, everyone treated her badly because of her choices. Instead of having compassion and showing her God’s love. She had been hurt and judged by the religious self-righteous people of her day. I know many who have been judged harshly by self-righteous people. These judgmental people need more of God’s living water inside of them.
The enemy will do all he can to keep the flow of the Holy Ghost from accomplishing a good work. We are the earth that can get in the way of that flow. Today, I want you to think about how much earthly flesh you allow to stand in the way of the flow of God’s Spirit. We don’t want a trickle or small stream of God’s living water in our lives. We need the artesian well, so that there is room for everyone to have a drink. The word tells us to not quench the Spirit. How many times do unintentionally do that very thing?
As children of God we often say that we are in his hands. There is safety and strength in God’s hands. Today I want to take you through the scriptures and share more about God’s hands.
When I think about being in his hands I think of safety. Being in his hands means we are protected from the storms of life. One verse says we are under the shadow of his wings. We are safe when we put ourselves in his hands.
Because it is a choice, and we have free will, we can choose to leave the safety of his hands and choose to walk away. Nothing can take us out of God’s hands. There is nothing or no one bigger and more powerful.
Jer 18:6 O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.
We are in his hands so that he can shape our lives, like a potter does clay. He knows how long to allow us to be fired in the kiln of trials and adversity. In the times of fiery trials we become who God wants to make us.
Is 64:8 But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
God spoke everything into existence, but he formed man with his own hands. Like a master potter, he forms us and molds us into the people we need to become. As long as we are moldable clay. As long as we yield to the way he tries to shape our lives. We can become usable vessels. Vessels that can be used to pour out the goodness of God in witness to the lost. We can pour our encouragement to those who are hurting.
If we do not yield to God and are not moldable clay in His hands. We will never become the vessels that God can use for his glory.
Is 41:13 For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.
We have every reason to trust that he will help us. We are not to fear, he has promised to help us. His hand is not too short that he cannot reach us. It doesn’t matter how far we fall, he will pick us up.
WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING, I AM THRILLED TO BE BACK AND HAVE EVERYTHING WORKING AGAIN.
THE TITLE FOR TODAY’S EPISODE: EMPTY TO OVERFLOW
I often think about Peter fishing all night without a catch. He was ready to give up. Peter had used his equipment and experience, all that he had within his power to catch fish. We too can do everything in our power to get a good outcome, sometimes, but in spite of our best efforts we fail. Then Jesus came by and said go out and cast your net on the other side. I am sure the last thing Peter wanted to do was go back out after a long night. But he listened to Jesus and went back out. He was obedient.
The first time he was out he was fishing in his own strength and wisdom. The second time he went on Jesus’ word. He caught so many fish; he had to call for another boat to help him. We may accomplish thing on our own. But it is always more profitable to listen to the leading of God.
When we are obedient, we go from an empty vessel to one that is overflowing. When we are obedient, not only will God bless us, but he will bless those around us. It doesn’t say, but I think it is safe to assume that the boat which came to help Peter had fished all night too without much to show for it.
The blessing that God gives us will always overflow onto others. He pours into us so that we can pour out to others. He fills us with encouragement so that we can encourage others. The hope he gives us to give us something to share with others. He gives us faith to share the good news of salvation.
When we are tired of trying, like Peter was that morning, remember God has a plan. We may be empty like the boat Peter was in, but God can fill us up to overflowing. We just have to cast our net on the other side. If we follow God’s instructions and are obedient, we will be blessed and many around us.
Now is not the time to sit in the empty boat feeling tired and frustrated. The world is depending on us to try again. We need to keep fishing, keep trying to win the lost to Jesus. Now is the time to look for answers, listen for God’s direction. He will not leave us empty handed but will tell us to launch out into the deep.
The title of today’s episode: LOOKING FOR THE CLOUD
I want to encourage you today with a thought God gave me while driving home from work yesterday. The enemy will hold on with everything he has to try to destroy us. It’s like on TV you see the person hanging over the side of a building by their fingertips. They do everything in their power to hang on, but when the time comes that they can’t hold on, they fall. Satan too will have to let go, he knows he cannot hold on to us forever. The stronghold he may have built, will crumble if we turn it over to Jesus. The battle always gets the most intense right before the enemy falls.
We have to be encouraged and determined not to give up. When we turn it over to God, he will give us what we need for our battle-weary souls. It takes us being just as determined to hold onto God and his promises.
I Kgs 18:41-43 And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain. 42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees, 43 And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.
What if Elijah was like a lot of us. He sent his servant, and he came back and said there was not a cloud. Most of us would complain or say, “well I don’t know if there is any use to keep praying or not.” But Elijah was not shaken by how things appeared; he simply told him to go look again. This happened seven times.
He would pray and send his servant. I am sure by the sixth trip the servant was starting to wonder if Elijah was just trying to run him ragged. Elijah didn’t give up, but knew God would answer in his perfect time.
I Kgs 18:44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down that the rain stop thee not.
The seventh time the servant saw a little cloud come up out of the sea. The cloud represents God’s presence. We have to hold on and keep praying until we see God’s hand in our situations.
Think about the tent of the tabernacle that was a place God designed, and the children of Israel built. It was a place of worship. When God’s presence would come down and rest upon the tabernacle, it would be overshadowed by a cloud. It is interesting how His presence shows up in a cloud.
We need to keep our focus on God and look for him in every situation. He is not far from us when we seek him. He will answer. Sometimes we have to pray several times before we see his hand, like Elijah. But we cannot give up. Breakthrough comes from persistence and prayer.
Keep looking up, don’t give up, you will reap great things if you keep looking for God’s hand in every situation.
Today I want to talk to you about oppression. Oppression means that a person is being controlled by prolonged unjust and cruel treatment. We think about communist countries and how their people are oppressed. We may think of the millions of people are being held against their will and are being forced into all sort of cruel treatment.
But I want to talk to you about spiritual oppression. It is possible for a child of God to be oppressed by the devil. If we are filled with God’s Spirit we cannot be possessed by the enemy, but we can be oppressed. Many things in life can open up opportunities for the enemy to come in and oppress us.
He sends spirits to try to distract us from our appointed duties. He will use fear, anxiety, depression, anger to control us. It is hard to sum up this subject in just a few minutes. I grew up in church, but we were never taught about how we can open portals to the enemy. Music, entertainment, the way we speak, doing things like yoga, astrology, psychic readings, and celebrating Halloween.
I know many think that yoga is just breathing and relaxing the muscles and the mind. But in doing this practice you are opening yourself up to being controlled by a spirit. Don’t take my word for it, research for yourself.
You may not think it’s a big deal to own a Buddha statue, or statues of wizards, dragons and witches. But spirits are often attached to these things. When you bring them into your home, you are opening your home to the enemy. You are giving him legal rights to torment you.
Halloween is an all-out holiday of real witches. I am not talking about the ones on television that are green with big warts on their noses. Ones with pointy hats and are afraid of water. There are people that practice the arts of darkness. They have opened their lives up to the evil things of the world. Satan is their god. The very ritual of dressing up as something that you are not is in its very nature deceptive. But many Christians every year allow themselves to be drawn into the enemy’s trap.
Let me say, I would never mistreat a child that came to my door dressed like their favorite cartoon or candy bar. As Christians, it is our responsibility to show kindness. Children don’t understand, to them, it is just dressing up and getting candy. It is all about the candy.
But we have to understand as Christians that Halloween is evil. The same people who don’t want to hear about the blood Jesus shed on the cross because it is too gruesome or graphic, are the first ones in line for the next horror movie. The people that make these movies are evil. They have real witches on set casting spells and then people willing to submit themselves to take it all into their spirit by watching.
Psalm 101:3 I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.
We are supposed to come out from among the evil and be set apart for the good of God. We are not supposed to allow our spirit to take in the evil of this world. There is nothing new under the sun. God’s people have always struggled with staying away from evil and keeping themselves pure. How many times did Israel go after false gods?
For many years, even as an adult Christian, I didn’t understand a lot of the things that I am starting to learn. Like for many years, I didn’t realize that all the false gods of the bible are backed by real spirits. Of course, they are all evil spirits, but I thought that these people just made up a religion and built a statue to have something that they could see.
When the word says we do not fight against flesh and blood, but spiritual wickedness in high places, it is referring to all the false gods of this world and the spirits behind them. In bible times they always built their altars to the false gods in high groves and high places.
It is time we walk closer to God. People always want to know how close they can walk to the world and still make it. That is the wrong question. We need to change our mindsets and ask How close can I walk to Jesus.
God will set us free from spiritual oppression if we ask him to, ask that he reveal places that you have opened to the enemy. They tell him you want the access to the enemy closed. Repent of allowing him in and ask for God to set you free. He will break the chains of oppression and set you free.
This was not my typical words of encouragement, but it was something that I felt needed to be said, many people are opening doors to things they are not equipped to deal with, then end up bound.
Prov 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
If we can keep our hearts right, the enemy will not be able to get a stronghold. He will not be able to oppress us if we can keep our minds on Jesus. I am completely convinced if we can keep our God Focus and not allow the things of this life to take control, we will prevail.
I am stirred in my spirit as I try to write out what I want to share with you today. The old hymn, “Just A Closer Walk With Thee,” has been going through my mind most of the evening. I feel like God is trying to get his people’s attention. He’s saying come up a little higher. Dig a little deeper. Learn of me, know me.
When it is all said and done, he is not going to ask you if you attended a fancy church with stained glass windows. He won’t ask if you pastored a church with 500 or 5000 people in Sunday school. He won’t care how many good deeds and kindnesses we shared. It is not about quantity, it’s about quality time with God. It is about a relationship.
John 8:22-24 Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come. 23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
What will matter is what we believed about Jesus, that we know he is God. Not head knowledge, but heart knowledge and understanding. What will matter is that we are born again of the water and the spirit.
John 3:3-5 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
I am often reminded of people in the bible that did out of the box things to get to Jesus. Blind Bartimaeus cried out for him. Everyone one else was quiet, and his loud desperation made them uncomfortable. But sometimes we are in the middle of our struggles we need to cry loudly to Jesus. In spite of what anyone thinks.
The woman with the issue of blood didn’t let people get in her way. She pressed into the crowd to just reach the hem of his garment. She was desperate for healing. He was her only hope.
The problem with the modern-day church is that we are too dignified to cry out to Jesus. Many are afraid of what others think. “My God in Heaven, I pray that the body of Christ can break free from people pleasing.” It is not about other people. It is a personal relationship. If your church and your relationships do not encourage you to dig deeper into the word and draw closer to Jesus Christ. Run, run as if your soul depends on it. Because it very well could. I say this often, surround yourself with people that makes you hungry for God. People who encourage your faith walk.
God gives us a new day, what we give back to him will determine our destiny. “Just a closer walk with thee.” The song writer who wrote those words, was desiring a deeper relationship with God. If we are his children, we should desire a closer walk with him. God could be saying the same thing. He desires a close walk with us too.
James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
We want clean hands and a pure heart. We are not to be double-minded or stuck between two opinions. Today is the day to make up our minds to draw closer to Jesus.
God desired a relationship so much that he came and died on a cross for us. He ascended into heaven and came back in the form of the Holy Ghost to live and dwell within us. If he is in us, how can we get any closer? It is not physically possible, but spiritually feeling that connection to God sometimes is difficult. This is when we start quietly saying, “I want just a closer walk with thee. Grant it Jesus is my plea.” We can have a daily walk that is close, but we have to invest in the relationship. It is about being sold out to the cause of Christ. It is about being willing to step out in faith and not care about what others think.
Are you willing to leave your comfort zone to see someone set free? Are you willing to be rejected by people when you tell them the truth? Until we can set aside our fears, we cannot walk in faith. It is time to say goodbye to the comfort zone.
A closer walk and new adventures of faith are awaiting those who are bold and brave enough to take the next step. Are you one who is brave enough? I am trying to be, I don’t want to miss anything God has for me.
GOD FOCUS--Psalm 34:3 O magnify the Lord with me.... 