Mark 11:24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
God’s Word tells us that we can have what we ask for in prayer — by simply believing that we already have it!
As you are praying, know that you already have your answer, miracle or breakthrough. The Bible tells us that we already have whatever we are praying for because we are already blessed with all blessings in Christ. (Ephesians 1:3)
And you are in Christ the moment you received Him as your Saviour. So when you pray, you are actually releasing your faith to lay hold of what you already have in Christ. And as you keep saying that you have it already (Mark 11:23), you will see the manifestation of it in the natural realm.
In one of our church camps, a church member shared about her back problem of 15 years as a result of a fall from her rooftop. She needed an operation for the shooting pains in her tailbone. She had also been taking anti-stress pills for five years.
After coming to church, she realised that she had already received her healing through the finished work of Christ. Refusing the operation and even the pills, she would rebuke the pain which kept coming back, saying, “In Jesus, I believe I am healed. I am not trying or going to be healed. I am already healed. I have a brand new backbone for I am in Christ. For as Christ is, so am I in this world.” It was not very long before this sister saw the manifestation of her healing.
Sometimes, the devil will try to bring back symptoms of the sickness or lack to make you feel and think that you still have not received your blessing. That is the time to release your faith and believe that you have it already. You are not confessing to get it, you are confessing because you already have it in Christ!
My friend, the Bible tells us that Christ is in us. (Colossians 1:27) This means that right now, in you, is your healing, prosperity, wellness, family’s well-being and everything your heart desires. So say, “I have everything I need in Christ right now!”
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Reflection from "He Chose the Nails"
by Max Lucado
John didn’t know on that Friday what you and I now know. He didn’t know that Friday’s tragedy would be Sunday’s triumph. John would later confess that he “did not yet understand from the Scriptures that Jesus must rise from the dead” (John 20:9).
That’s why what he did on Saturday is so important.
We don’t know anything about this day; we have no passage to read, no knowledge to share. All we know is this: When Sunday came, John was still present. When Mary Magdalene came looking for him, she found him.
Jesus was dead. The Master’s body was lifeless. John’s friend and future were buried. But John had not left. Why? Was he waiting for the resurrection? No. As far as he knew, the lips were forever silent and the hands forever still. He wasn’t expecting a Sunday surprise. Then why was he here?
You’d think he would have left. Who was to say that the men who crucified Christ wouldn’t come after him? The crowds were pleased with one crucifixion; the religious leaders might have called for more. Why didn’t John get out of town?
Perhaps the answer was pragmatic; perhaps he was taking care of Jesus’ mother. Or perhaps he didn’t have anywhere else to go. Could be he didn’t have any money or energy or direction … or all of the above.
Or maybe he lingered because he loved Jesus.
To others, Jesus was a miracle worker. To others, Jesus was a master teacher. To others, Jesus was the hope of Israel. But to John, he was all of these and more. To John, Jesus was a friend.
You don’t abandon a friend? not even when that friend is dead. John stayed close to Jesus.
He had a habit of doing this. He was close to Jesus in the upper room. He was close to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. He was at the foot of the cross at the crucifixion, and he was a quick walk from the tomb at the burial.
Did he understand Jesus? No.
Was he glad Jesus did what he did? No.
But did he leave Jesus? No.
What about you? When you’re in John’s position, what do you do? When it’s Saturday in your life, how do you react? When you are somewhere between yesterday’s tragedy and tomorrow’s triumph, what do you do? Do you leave God? or do you linger near him?
John chose to linger. And because he lingered on Saturday, he was around on Sunday to see the miracle.
Psalm 40:2
He brought me out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock and established my goings.
Gina held onto the branch for dear life. The floodwaters swirled around her, pulling at her, threatening to carry her off in the raging torrent. The pouring rain blinded her, and large clumps of mud kept bumping into her. Her arms ached and throbbed. The last of her strength gave out, but as she let the branch slip through her fingers, a strong hand gripped her wrist. Gina felt herself slide up onto the bank of the swollen river, and she spread herself out to feel the firm ground beneath her.
There are days that feel like a struggle for life. How wonderful it would be to have someone come along and lift us up out of the struggle. God can do that. His Spirit renews and strengthens us. Through the loving power of God, we are pulled out of the darkest pit and set upon solid ground.
Prayer:
Lord, hear me as I call out to You. Whether my prob lems are huge or tiny, I find I need Your help to get me through. Pull me up into Your loving arms, and surround me in Your love. Amen.
Psalm 40:12
For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: theref ore my heart faileth me.
Church made Sue feel uncomfortable. She wanted to be there, but she felt so unworthy. Just sitting in the church made her feel like a hypocrite. She asked forgiveness for her sins, and she believed that God gave it to her, but there was so much to forgive. All her life, she had been told that God was great and that human beings were unworthy of the attention He gave them. Sue figured she must be about the most unworthy of all.
Too often we come before the Lord with the feeling that we shouldn't be there. True, we have sinned, but God does not want us to dwell on the fact that we have sinned, but that we have been forgiven, and that we are His chosen people. The love of God is greater than any sin we might commit. God makes us able to look up, because He lifts the burden of guilt from our shoulders.
Prayer:
Your grace has made me worthy, Lord. What I could not do on my own, You have done for me. Thank You, Father, from the depths of my soul. Amen.
Church made Sue feel uncomfortable. She wanted to be there, but she felt so unworthy. Just sitting in the church made her feel like a hypocrite. She asked forgiveness for her sins, and she believed that God gave it to her, but there was so much to forgive. All her life, she had been told that God was great and that human beings were unworthy of the attention He gave them. Sue figured she must be about the most unworthy of all.
Too often we come before the Lord with the feeling that we shouldn't be there. True, we have sinned, but God does not want us to dwell on the fact that we have sinned, but that we have been forgiven, and that we are His chosen people. The love of God is greater than any sin we might commit. God makes us able to look up, because He lifts the burden of guilt from our shoulders.
Prayer:
Your grace has made me worthy, Lord. What I could not do on my own, You have done for me. Thank You, Father, from the depths of my soul. Amen.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Reflection on 13 April at 3am in the morning...
You are blood bought and heaven made.
A sweet child of God who is forever saved.
So be grateful, joyful for isnt it true?
What you dont have is much less than what you do...
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Sanctification: The Process
2 Timothy 2 Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness." In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
Imagine walking into a room and noticing two ceramic vessels. One is a gracefully curved gold pitcher. The other is a plain pot. Which would catch your eye and draw you in for a closer look?
In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul used this metaphor to explain how some Christians honor the Lord with their life and service. Others bring shame to the Gospel through selfish living. Scripture commonly uses the vessel image because believers should be “filled with” the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 5:18 says the Holy Spirit trains us in righteousness and strengthens us in suffering. His work begins on the inside, where He adjusts our thinking to align with God’s Word. Our beliefs affect our actions. The Lord wants our behavior to conform to the perceptions the Holy Spirit places on our spirit.
If a person cooperates with the Lord in removing ungodly actions and attitudes, then he becomes a “vessel of honor.” He can be used for God’s kingdom. As believers, our responsibility in the sanctification process is to work with God to eliminate sin from our lives.
The believer’s job is to deal with sin. We must flee from it, or confess and repent when necessary. When we’re vigilant about keeping a sinless life, then the Holy Spirit can work to mature our faith. This makes us golden vessels who pour God’s love upon the world.
Imagine walking into a room and noticing two ceramic vessels. One is a gracefully curved gold pitcher. The other is a plain pot. Which would catch your eye and draw you in for a closer look?
In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul used this metaphor to explain how some Christians honor the Lord with their life and service. Others bring shame to the Gospel through selfish living. Scripture commonly uses the vessel image because believers should be “filled with” the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 5:18 says the Holy Spirit trains us in righteousness and strengthens us in suffering. His work begins on the inside, where He adjusts our thinking to align with God’s Word. Our beliefs affect our actions. The Lord wants our behavior to conform to the perceptions the Holy Spirit places on our spirit.
If a person cooperates with the Lord in removing ungodly actions and attitudes, then he becomes a “vessel of honor.” He can be used for God’s kingdom. As believers, our responsibility in the sanctification process is to work with God to eliminate sin from our lives.
The believer’s job is to deal with sin. We must flee from it, or confess and repent when necessary. When we’re vigilant about keeping a sinless life, then the Holy Spirit can work to mature our faith. This makes us golden vessels who pour God’s love upon the world.
Monday, April 9, 2007
Doubt : When Doubt is at Work
Exodus 4:10-13 Moses said to the LORD, "O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." The LORD said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD ? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say." But Moses said, "O Lord, please send someone else to do it."
Doubt is destructive. It fills us with uncertainty and makes us indecisive. It affects our ability to connect with God and receive His wisdom. We will know doubt is at work when we struggle to believe the following truths:
First, God loves us all the time. Most of us accept the Lord’s deep affection for us when we’re “good.” But how about when we’re disobedient? Our behavior doesn’t change His love. We can be certain of this because of the promises in Romans 5:8, which says, “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” God loved us while we rebelled against Him. That’s amazing grace.
Second, doubt is working in our lives when we struggle to believe that God has forgiven our disobedience. We know God promises to forgive us when we confess our sins. But we may have trouble believing we’re forgiven. Feelings don’t determine truth. We know God’s word is true. Psalm 103:12 says, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” That’s a description of complete forgiveness.
Finally, we know doubt is a problem when we forget that God has called us to serve Him. The Lord often invites believers to join Him in His work. This can include teaching a Sunday school class, helping a family in need, taking a leadership role, or telling another person about Jesus. Doubt can cause us to make excuses for our disobedience, just as Moses did in Exodus chapter four. In Ephesians 2:10, God promises that He’s equipped us with everything we need to follow His will.
The opposite of doubt is faith.
Which word best describes your state of mind?
Doubt is destructive. It fills us with uncertainty and makes us indecisive. It affects our ability to connect with God and receive His wisdom. We will know doubt is at work when we struggle to believe the following truths:
First, God loves us all the time. Most of us accept the Lord’s deep affection for us when we’re “good.” But how about when we’re disobedient? Our behavior doesn’t change His love. We can be certain of this because of the promises in Romans 5:8, which says, “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” God loved us while we rebelled against Him. That’s amazing grace.
Second, doubt is working in our lives when we struggle to believe that God has forgiven our disobedience. We know God promises to forgive us when we confess our sins. But we may have trouble believing we’re forgiven. Feelings don’t determine truth. We know God’s word is true. Psalm 103:12 says, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” That’s a description of complete forgiveness.
Finally, we know doubt is a problem when we forget that God has called us to serve Him. The Lord often invites believers to join Him in His work. This can include teaching a Sunday school class, helping a family in need, taking a leadership role, or telling another person about Jesus. Doubt can cause us to make excuses for our disobedience, just as Moses did in Exodus chapter four. In Ephesians 2:10, God promises that He’s equipped us with everything we need to follow His will.
The opposite of doubt is faith.
Which word best describes your state of mind?
Doubt : Winning the Struggle with Doubt
James 1:5-8 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
Doubt can lead to anxiety, frustration, and fear. All of those emotions can short-circuit our faith. A nagging sense of insecurity can come from a variety of sources:
First, uncertainties can develop from a lack of knowledge about God’s character, confusion regarding His promises, or a misunderstanding of His plans.
Second, insecurity can result from the presence of sin in our lives. Sin may prompt us to question biblical truth in an attempt to justify our actions.
Third, focusing on circumstances instead of the Lord’s sufficiency can drain away our hope and joy.
Fourth, insecurity can be caused by past failures which can result on a more pessimistic outlook on life.
Finally, other people’s criticism can also make us feel insecure. Whatever the cause, when we’re overwhelmed with doubt, our usefulness to God is limited.
Believers’ fears are a tool of the Enemy. Satan will often add his own words to increase our negative thinking. He reminds us of past mistakes and seemingly unanswered prayers. His age-old technique of questioning God’s direction makes us wonder if we truly know the Lord’s will. As the Father of Lies, Satan tries to twist the truth to serve his purposes.
When doubts surface, confess them as sin. Remember other times you trusted God and His faithfulness, and meditate on His promises. The Holy Spirit will guide you into truth so you can overcome.
Doubt doesn’t fit who we are as children of God. We are permanently adopted into His family, heirs, and co-heirs with His Son, Jesus. As believers, our character is defined when we walk in step with God.
Doubt can lead to anxiety, frustration, and fear. All of those emotions can short-circuit our faith. A nagging sense of insecurity can come from a variety of sources:
First, uncertainties can develop from a lack of knowledge about God’s character, confusion regarding His promises, or a misunderstanding of His plans.
Second, insecurity can result from the presence of sin in our lives. Sin may prompt us to question biblical truth in an attempt to justify our actions.
Third, focusing on circumstances instead of the Lord’s sufficiency can drain away our hope and joy.
Fourth, insecurity can be caused by past failures which can result on a more pessimistic outlook on life.
Finally, other people’s criticism can also make us feel insecure. Whatever the cause, when we’re overwhelmed with doubt, our usefulness to God is limited.
Believers’ fears are a tool of the Enemy. Satan will often add his own words to increase our negative thinking. He reminds us of past mistakes and seemingly unanswered prayers. His age-old technique of questioning God’s direction makes us wonder if we truly know the Lord’s will. As the Father of Lies, Satan tries to twist the truth to serve his purposes.
When doubts surface, confess them as sin. Remember other times you trusted God and His faithfulness, and meditate on His promises. The Holy Spirit will guide you into truth so you can overcome.
Doubt doesn’t fit who we are as children of God. We are permanently adopted into His family, heirs, and co-heirs with His Son, Jesus. As believers, our character is defined when we walk in step with God.
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