Numbers 33:4 "The Lord had defeated the gods of Egypt that night with great acts of judgement!"
Israel realized that the gods of Egypt that had held them captive for so long were defeated through the ten plagues. For example, the "god of the Nile" was defeated when the mighty river was turned to blood (Exodus 7:20-21),and the "sun god" was defeated by the darkness that fell upon the land (Exodus 10:21-23). After the final plague concerning the firstborn, the Israelites were free to go. Triumphantly they left the land of their captivity. They did not slither out of town or run for their lives in the night. Instead, they "left defiantly, in full view of all the Egyptians" (Numbers 33:3).
As New Testament believers, we have the same privilege of boldness as did the Israelites. Jesus has conquered our enemies: "The time of judgment for the world has come, when the prince of thie world will be cast out" (John 12:31). Therefore, we should exhinit the same boldness against the devil as did Jesus when He openly ordered the demon to "be silent" (Luke 4:35). Jesus saw sickness and demonic possession as an unfair encroachment of the enemy, and so should we.
Rise up today and boldy break free from Satan's chains and bondage. The price has been paid for your freedom. Purpose to serve Pharaoh no more!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Lessons From The Desert
Psalm 63:1 "O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water."
Jesus spent His first forty days after baptism in the wilderness east of Jerusalem. Far from the distractions of life, He passed through the fires of temptation and learned total dependence upon God.
Moses said to Israel, "Anything made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, or lead - that is, metals that do not burn - must be passed through fire in order to be made ceremonially pure" (Numbers 31:22-23). Nothing is acceptable to God unless it has been passed through the fire.
Temptation proves the quality of your "metal." Though Jesus was severely tempted three times by the devil, He came forth as purest gold.
While Jesus was passing through the temptation, a second dynamic was taking place in His life: He was drawing into close communion with the Father. His soul and His body, though fasting, were satisfied with "more than the riches of foods" (Psalm 63:5) as He learned to cling to God (v.8) in close communion.
These two lessons are our greatest challenges: "Resist the Devil" and "draw close to God" (James 4:7-8). Are you ready for the lessons of the Wilderness?
Jesus spent His first forty days after baptism in the wilderness east of Jerusalem. Far from the distractions of life, He passed through the fires of temptation and learned total dependence upon God.
Moses said to Israel, "Anything made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, or lead - that is, metals that do not burn - must be passed through fire in order to be made ceremonially pure" (Numbers 31:22-23). Nothing is acceptable to God unless it has been passed through the fire.
Temptation proves the quality of your "metal." Though Jesus was severely tempted three times by the devil, He came forth as purest gold.
While Jesus was passing through the temptation, a second dynamic was taking place in His life: He was drawing into close communion with the Father. His soul and His body, though fasting, were satisfied with "more than the riches of foods" (Psalm 63:5) as He learned to cling to God (v.8) in close communion.
These two lessons are our greatest challenges: "Resist the Devil" and "draw close to God" (James 4:7-8). Are you ready for the lessons of the Wilderness?
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Our Deposit Is Safe
Psalm 62:8 "O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge."
Faith is trust, and trust is faith. When a deposit is placed in a trust account, we can be confident that it is safe. Do we trust God like that? It is easy to trust Him when we are in control, but what about when the situation moves outside our control? Can we trust Him at all times? DAvid went through perilous times, but in each situation he would pour out his heart to Goed (v.8) as his chief Confidant and Refuge.
Everyone trusts someone or something, and with many, it is their money. "Don't try to get rich by extortion or robbery. And if your wealth increases, don't make it the center of your life"(Psalm 62:10). Paul told Timothy to "tell those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which will soon be gone. But their trust should be in the living God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment" (1Timothy 6:17).
We must unplug our trust from anything in this world: our money, the promises of others, even ourselves. We must then transfer our total trust to God and relax, knowing that our deposit is safe!
Faith is trust, and trust is faith. When a deposit is placed in a trust account, we can be confident that it is safe. Do we trust God like that? It is easy to trust Him when we are in control, but what about when the situation moves outside our control? Can we trust Him at all times? DAvid went through perilous times, but in each situation he would pour out his heart to Goed (v.8) as his chief Confidant and Refuge.
Everyone trusts someone or something, and with many, it is their money. "Don't try to get rich by extortion or robbery. And if your wealth increases, don't make it the center of your life"(Psalm 62:10). Paul told Timothy to "tell those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which will soon be gone. But their trust should be in the living God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment" (1Timothy 6:17).
We must unplug our trust from anything in this world: our money, the promises of others, even ourselves. We must then transfer our total trust to God and relax, knowing that our deposit is safe!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Psalm 61:5 "For you have heard my vows, O God. You have given me an inheritance reserved for those who fear your name."
Your spiritual inheritance is the most important thing you possess. The daughters of Zelophehad knew that and thus demanded their inheritance (Numbers 27:4). They refused to let any factor stand in their way of possessing what their father had left to them, and consequently, God honored their faith.
Your spiritual inheritance may be the transer of someones else's anointing to you before that person's death. Moses transferred his anointing to Joshua by the laying on of hands (Numbers 27:23). Jesus received His inheritance when He went into the Jordan and was baptized by John (Luke 3:21-22). Elisha appropriated his inheritance when he saw Elijah go up in a whirlwind and drop his mantle from the charriot (2Kings 2:11-13).
God has given you a mantle on inheritance - some ministry, some mission, some calling - that belongs to you alone. Will you be like Esau who despised his inheritance and birthright and sold it all for a little bowl of soup? Never forfeit or throw your inheritance away as though if were worthless. Instead, seize it, claim it, and believe that God will use it to glorify His name.
Your spiritual inheritance is the most important thing you possess. The daughters of Zelophehad knew that and thus demanded their inheritance (Numbers 27:4). They refused to let any factor stand in their way of possessing what their father had left to them, and consequently, God honored their faith.
Your spiritual inheritance may be the transer of someones else's anointing to you before that person's death. Moses transferred his anointing to Joshua by the laying on of hands (Numbers 27:23). Jesus received His inheritance when He went into the Jordan and was baptized by John (Luke 3:21-22). Elisha appropriated his inheritance when he saw Elijah go up in a whirlwind and drop his mantle from the charriot (2Kings 2:11-13).
God has given you a mantle on inheritance - some ministry, some mission, some calling - that belongs to you alone. Will you be like Esau who despised his inheritance and birthright and sold it all for a little bowl of soup? Never forfeit or throw your inheritance away as though if were worthless. Instead, seize it, claim it, and believe that God will use it to glorify His name.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
More Than Conquerors
Psalm 60:4 "But you have raised a banner for those who honor you - a rallying point in the face of attack."
God is a God of victory. The Church is not on the defensive, but displays a banner of victory. We see this banner as DAvid went into battle, for he reminded himself of God's overwhelming strength against the enemy. We see this banner in Romans 8:31, where Paul wrote, "If God is for us, who can ever be against us?"
The nations of the world do not belong to the devil, but to God. His Church is the means by which the nations will be conquered. The first part of Psalm 60:8 declares, "Moab will become my lowly servant," meaning that the nations will serve the Church. The second part of that verse says, "Over Edom will i cast out my shoe" indicating ownership. (In biblical times, ownership was marked by a person's taking off his shoe and thorwing it down upon his inheritance.)
How many nations are waiting to be claimed by the Body of Christ? Let's "take our shoes off" and begin in prayer to "Throw them down" upon our inheritance. Let's lift high the banner of the cross of Christ, valiantly defying the claim of the enemy over our God-given heritage. May we never forget that "in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us" (Romans 8:37).
God is a God of victory. The Church is not on the defensive, but displays a banner of victory. We see this banner as DAvid went into battle, for he reminded himself of God's overwhelming strength against the enemy. We see this banner in Romans 8:31, where Paul wrote, "If God is for us, who can ever be against us?"
The nations of the world do not belong to the devil, but to God. His Church is the means by which the nations will be conquered. The first part of Psalm 60:8 declares, "Moab will become my lowly servant," meaning that the nations will serve the Church. The second part of that verse says, "Over Edom will i cast out my shoe" indicating ownership. (In biblical times, ownership was marked by a person's taking off his shoe and thorwing it down upon his inheritance.)
How many nations are waiting to be claimed by the Body of Christ? Let's "take our shoes off" and begin in prayer to "Throw them down" upon our inheritance. Let's lift high the banner of the cross of Christ, valiantly defying the claim of the enemy over our God-given heritage. May we never forget that "in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us" (Romans 8:37).
Monday, November 17, 2008
The Omniscience Of The Holy Spirit
Acts 10:19-20 "Meanwhile, as Peter was puzzling over the vision, the Holy Spirit said to him, "Three men have come looking for you. Go down and go with them without hesitation. All is well, for I have sent them.”
The spiritual gift of the word of knowledge enabled both Peter and Ahijah (1Kings 14:5) to know the purpose of their household visitors. Without a direct revelation from the Holy spirit, neither of these men would have had any idea who their guests were or why they were visiting.
The Holy Spirit knows all things and occasionally releases into our minds critical information that does not come from our own investigative powers. How miraculous it was for the blind prophet Ahijah not to be fooled by a masquerading queen! Instead, he called the queen by name and told her the reason she had come. He even gave an accurate prediction of her son’s imminent death, which came to pass exactly as he had said (1Kings 14:12, 17).
Let us reverence the Holy Spirit’s gifts, for they are incredible tools that enable us to know both the circumstance and the motives of human hearts. Also, because he knows us as well as He knew Ahijah’s and Peter’s visitors, it would be well for us to keep our own lives pure!
The spiritual gift of the word of knowledge enabled both Peter and Ahijah (1Kings 14:5) to know the purpose of their household visitors. Without a direct revelation from the Holy spirit, neither of these men would have had any idea who their guests were or why they were visiting.
The Holy Spirit knows all things and occasionally releases into our minds critical information that does not come from our own investigative powers. How miraculous it was for the blind prophet Ahijah not to be fooled by a masquerading queen! Instead, he called the queen by name and told her the reason she had come. He even gave an accurate prediction of her son’s imminent death, which came to pass exactly as he had said (1Kings 14:12, 17).
Let us reverence the Holy Spirit’s gifts, for they are incredible tools that enable us to know both the circumstance and the motives of human hearts. Also, because he knows us as well as He knew Ahijah’s and Peter’s visitors, it would be well for us to keep our own lives pure!
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Children Of Destiny
1Kings 13:2 “Then at the Lord’s command, he shouted, O altar, altar! This is what the Lord says: A child named Josiah will be born into the dynasty of David. On you he will sacrifice the priests from the pagan shrines who came here to burn incense, and human bones will be burned on you.”
This remarkable prophecy reminds us of the foreknowledge of God, for King Josiah of Judah was not born until nearly three hundred years after the word of the Lord had foretold it! Imagine if someone on the Mayflower had announced the exact name of a recently elected American president and had described in detail his policies and actions. Such a scenario would be similar to what happened with Josiah, for he fulfilled the prophecy concerning his life down to the smallest detail (2Kings 23:15-16).
Our lives are not accidental, but are carefully purposed by god to bring glory to His name. We are indeed children of destiny. The Lord told Jeremiah, “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my spokesman to the world (Jeremiah 1:5). Rest today in the foreknowledge of God concerning your destiny. From the beginning of time, God has had His eye upon you!
This remarkable prophecy reminds us of the foreknowledge of God, for King Josiah of Judah was not born until nearly three hundred years after the word of the Lord had foretold it! Imagine if someone on the Mayflower had announced the exact name of a recently elected American president and had described in detail his policies and actions. Such a scenario would be similar to what happened with Josiah, for he fulfilled the prophecy concerning his life down to the smallest detail (2Kings 23:15-16).
Our lives are not accidental, but are carefully purposed by god to bring glory to His name. We are indeed children of destiny. The Lord told Jeremiah, “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my spokesman to the world (Jeremiah 1:5). Rest today in the foreknowledge of God concerning your destiny. From the beginning of time, God has had His eye upon you!
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