HE'S NOT FIGHTING YOUR BATTLES!!

And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s." - 1 Chronicles 20:15 (NKJV)


Have you ever heard someone say that God is going to fight their battles for them?
It's a nice thought ... but it's wrong.

You see, God isn't interested in fighting your battles,  He isn't going to join in your side of the fight.  Why?  Because they aren't your battles to begin with.  Once we make Him Lord over our lives, everything that we have (both the good and the bad) become His.  He has ownership, authority, and responsibility over our lives.

Of course that's a two-sided coin.  On the one hand we give up our rights to do as we see fit.  We submit to His word, His direction, His instruction, and His plan.  He really does have to become our Lord.
But the flip side of that is that the problems that seem impossible to solve, the attacks that seem impossible to resist, and the battles that seem impossible to win - they belong to Him now.  They are in the hands of the God of the impossible.  And He isn't simply joining with us against our enemies.  Those who come against us are HIS enemies!!

I remember how liberating it was when I first realized this.  An issue would pop up and instead of "God, please help me get through this" my prayer became "Lord, this isn't my problem.  This is your problem.  You're going to have to fix it.  Just tell me what you want me to do."  It wasn't a matter of shirking my responsibility in these situations, but of recognizing His authority.  When we realize that the battles don't belong to us, when we realize that God is claiming responsibility for those things, suddenly our fear is replaced with faith.  Our worry is replaced with the incredible assurance that our God has the victory well in hand.

So stop saying God is fighting YOUR battles!!! You don't have any battles!!! They're HIS...and He always wins His battles.  RELAX and rest in the Lord!!

GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISES

"Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice."
Isaiah 41:10

Sometimes, we can read certain verses from Scripture a hundred times and fail to take them to heart, the way the Lord wants us to. Other times, we can linger on a verse or two, and let them minister life, healing, and comfort to us. Isaiah 41:10 is so rich with the promises of God, that it warrants some special attention from us.

The first thing that the Lord wants to impart to us through this verse is that He doesn't want us to be afraid. "Fear not [there is nothing to fear]." It's been said that there are 365 "fear nots" in the Bible, one for every day of the year. One reason why God warns us against fear is that it can short-circuit the answered prayers and blessings that He has in store for us. Just as the Lord has plans for our lives, Satan and his dark forces do, too. While God's plans for us are good plans (Jeremiah 29:11), the devil's plans for us are evil (John 10:10). And the Lord knows that while faith in Him and His Word opens the door to His plans and purposes for us, fear can open the door to Satan's. If we keep these things in mind when adversity hits, we will do everything in our power to resist becoming fearful--including praying, praising, and immersing ourselves in God's Word.

"I am with you." And here's the best reason of all for us not to give in to fear--we have the Lord's presence to accompany us at all times, everywhere we go. (Joshua 1:9) Jesus Himself said, "I am with you always, even to the end of the world." (Matthew 28:20 TLB) In desperate times, our feelings will often tell us that we're all alone in our troubles. We can live by feelings, or we can live by faith--the choice is ours. If we choose to live by faith, as the Bible instructs (2 Corinthians 5:7), we will position ourselves to receive the rewards and victories that the Lord has in store for us.

"Do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God." When we give the Lord His rightful place in our lives, He becomes responsible for our welfare and well-being. He becomes our Protector and Provider. He fights our battles for us. And He makes Himself available to us every moment of every day. If we will let God be God in our lives on a daily basis, we will witness Him moving heaven and earth to fulfill His purposes for us, and to bless us with His best.

"I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you." Sometimes, we may feel as though we've been "ambushed" by sudden calamities or troubles, but nothing that comes our way is a surprise to God. That should give us great comfort in desperate times. Before we ever have a problem, God's got a custom-made solution prepared for us. And we know that no matter what happens, we can endure it--and even overcome it--when we rely on Him to strengthen and help us.

"Yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice." The Bible tells us repeatedly that our God is a God of justice. Because of that, He is committed to seeing that His faithful ones eventually come out on top in every situation. It may seem at times that we are the losers, but whenever we deal with our problems using godly principles, our victory can be delayed, but it can never be denied.

Let me challenge you today to take these precious promises to heart. Make them your own by claiming them in faith, and open the way for our loving and mighty God to reveal Himself to you like never before!

Prayer:

 Lord, thank You for all of the blessed promises of Isaiah 41:10. Give me revelation from heaven where this verse is concerned, and help me to apply it to my life. Thank You that as I delve into the limitless treasures in Your Word, I will live the abundant, victorious life that You have planned for me! In Jesus name, amen.

SECRET WEAPONS REVEALED

The enemy uses so many methods to try to discourage the faith of believers. But out of all of Satan’s strategies, he has a favorite "double duty secret weapon" which has been more effective in destroying Christian lives than anything else in his arsenal. He delights in this wicked device. Each time it succeeds, I can imagine that he gleefully prances about, celebrating the downfall of another poor soul.

Unfortunately for many Christians, Satan’s ultimate "double duty weapon" still remains a secret. Even though its lethal strike has caused countless numbers of believers to stumble away from God and the Church, and into the clutches of the Devil, most never actually recognized what the weapon was.

Are you very curious and wonder why the Bible didn’t warn us about this weapon? Well, it does warn us. As a matter of fact, Jesus taught about it repeatedly. He certainly knew its danger and made it a priority to instruct His followers of how to protect themselves against it. The Apostle Paul also exposed the weapon, teaching believers how to be protected from it, and made it clear that no one should be ignorant of its dangers. He said, "A further reason for forgiveness is to keep from being outsmarted by Satan; for we know what he is trying to do" (2 Cor. 2:11 The Living Bible).

Now, have you figured out what the Devil’s secret weapon is? If it’s not yet obvious, you can find one more clue in the writings of John. He also taught how to overcome this scheme so that it would never make us stumble. He wrote, "Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble" (1 John 2:10 NIV).

Are you catching on now? Satan’s double duty secret weapon is "Unforgiveness and an Absence of Love!" Satan knows that if he can deceive us into harboring anger, bitterness, or grudges toward our fellow Christians, he can actually cause us to fall from the grace of God. The scripture says, "looking diligently lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled" (Heb. 12:15).

According to the Bible, it brings grief to the Holy Spirit if we will not forgive and love one another. The Apostle Paul said, "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you" (Ephesians 4:30-32).

Is it really possible to lose one’s salvation by merely holding a grudge against someone? Jesus left no room for doubt on the subject. He clearly stated that we cannot have God’s forgiveness if we choose to withhold forgiveness toward others. "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" (Matt 6:14-15).

It’s no wonder why Satan works so hard to stir up turmoil, and tries to keep us from forgiving and loving each other. If he can deceive us into harboring bitterness, he knows that we will exempt ourselves from God’s forgiveness of our sins, and will ultimately go to the lake of fire (Rev. 20:15). The consequences of unforgiveness is reiterated in many scriptures: Matt. 18:21-35, Mark 11:25-26, Matt. 6:12, Luke 6:37, Luke 11:4.

The scriptures make it very clear that the person who withholds forgiveness in not right with God. Their prayers go unanswered, they lack the Lord’s joy and peace. They will usually mainfest a critical and judgmental attitude, along with a dissatisfaction with with the people and circumstances around them. They may blame their unhappiness on a variety of other things, but the problem lies within themselves -- they’re simply out of fellowship with the Lord.

Friends, it’s time to wise up and become aware of Satan’s most effective weapon! Many believers still seem to be ignorant of these tactics of the enemy. They coddle offenses and grudges as though they were "pets" to be fed and watered. There is probably nothing else that has been more devastating to the body of Christ than unforgiveness. It has split Churches, destroyed families, and ruined lives forever! No wonder Christ spent so much time on the subject.

Jesus taught that loving God and loving one another were the highest ideals of His followers (Luke 10:27). Love and forgiveness is the most basic standard of Christianity -- it is the mark of followers of Christ -- the highest display of spiritual maturity! Love is the evidence necessary to convict you as a true follower of Jesus Christ. "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35).

Therefore, Satan’s secret weapon is not really so secret after all! Every Christian can be totally protected and immune from its effect by merely obeying this simple scripture:

"Dear friends, let us practice loving each other, for love comes from God and those who are loving and kind show that they are the children of God, and that they are getting to know Him better. But if a person isn’t loving and kind, it shows that he doesn’t know God - for God is love" (1 John 4:7-8 The Living Bible).

 

Prayer:

Gracious Heavenly Father, I come to you today asking that you help my unforgiveness.  Give me the strength and courage to forgive anyone who has done wrong toward me in any way.  I want to have a clean heart before You, so today I forgive and release any wrong doing or hurt that has been inflicted upon me.  Wash my heart Lord, and cleanse my soul of the filthy spirit of unforgiveness right now in Jesus name.  I take on the spirit of love as I have forgiven others.  Thank you for your grace and mercy. Thank you for washing me clean. In Jesus name, amen.

 

IT HAPPENS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

 

 

 

 

“And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.”  (John 20:26)

 

We've all been there.  Confused, worried, upset, alone, helpless, or all of the above.  You knew the Lord heard your prayers, and you knew He would answer...but you still felt all alone.  You probably even asked "Where are you, God?"  The feeling of being "shut out" rises up in your heart. 

In today's scripture, the disciples were locked up in a room for eight days!  Their faith was really being tried.  They wondered why things happened the way they did...the miracle of Jesus death and resurrection.  Then SUDDENLY, out of nowhere, Jesus appeared to them!  There was no open door, not even an open window - yet there He was right in the midst of them.

In His presence, confusion is cast out, doubt and unbelief are destroyed , and faith is nurtured.  But our natural mind wants to work things out on our own.  We worry ourselves into depression trying to figure it all out...without God's help.  Why? 

It's because we get impatient.  Remember, He works in His own time and we must have faith that He has it all under control.  There will be times when there are no open doors, no open windows, and no way out.  This is the perfect time to allow God to show you exactly who He is!
 

"Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken." (Psalms 55:22)

"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7)

As Children of God, we should have an  intimate relationship with Him.  Set aside some time alone with Him each day behind closed doors.  When you take time to talk to Him and cast all your cares upon Him, you'll find that all your answers are right there, behind closed doors.

“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.”

( Matthew 6:6)

 

 

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, I long to be closer to you.  My heart is heavy when I'm not near you.  I want to know you more each day, not just when I'm in a desperate situation.  Help me to set aside time to fellowship with you regularly.  I realize that it's behind closed doors that all my doubts will be dispelled, my faith cultivated,  and your presence will manifest in my circumstances.  Thank you for loving me enough to want me in spite of my weaknesses.  I honor you and lift your name above all!  In Jesus' name, Amen.

 

Shut the door and open your heart!

TURN THE LIGHTS ON

 ^"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)



We all want to be happy and enjoy fulfilling lives.  We, as Christians, want to please our Father and have that feeling of accomplishment in doing so.  But we must remember, in all aspects of our lives, there must be balance.  For instance, we can't just workout and not eat healthy, it won't do much good.  You can't work all hours of the day to buy anything you want, and never have time to enjoy it. 

Followers of Christ can easily fall into this trap as well.  Churches focus on ONE doctrine and not the others, this is what created "denominations".  Christians often do great works like feeding the hungry, providing clothing to the needy, offering rehabilitation centers, and doing community work- but they lose balance.  How?  Sadly, they are often "helping" others physically, but they aren't sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with these dying souls. 

On the other hand, you have street corner evangelists spreading God's word, or door-to-door bible study saints offering God's word...but they won't give a dime to a hungry person. 
As true Believers, we must balance out our priorities for the Kingdom.  Our light must stay on at all times.  Let God use your hands AND your heart in His service. 

In order to brighten the path for others to come out of darkness, we must be well-rounded and willing to do the WHOLE job that God is calling us to do.  Physically helping others is great!  But please remember to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ as you do it.  Let the people know that Jesus loves them and wants to come into their hearts...not just provide a blanket and a hot meal for today.  There is healing, restoration, miracles, prosperity, love, and so much more waiting for them in the arms of our Lord!  It's our job to let them know that they have a package that needs to be opened...and it's a gift from Almighty God!

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for using me for your glory.  I may have fallen short on the things I should be doing, but I ask that you forgive me.  Give me the words to say and the deeds to do in order to be a light for someone who may be in darkness.  Help my light to shine brighter than ever before. In Jesus name, Amen.

Now, turn that light on!! 

THE SEED

⁷ Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. ⁸ Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. ⁹ Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. ¹⁰ Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Galatians 6:7-10)

 

We are in the middle of harvest season. Farmers are gathering their final crops that they worked so hard for all year long.  I've been going through a lot of my old study guides from the classes I taught to the troubled youth several years ago, and I ran across this ancient story.  I'm not the original author, no one seems to know who the author was, but it's a very good story that we can all learn from...and share.  

 

The Seed

 

In a far away country in the East,  the Emperor was getting very old and knew it was time to choose his successor. Instead of choosing one of his assistants or his children, he decided to do something different. He called young people in the kingdom together one day. He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next Emperor. I have decided to choose one of you."

The children were shocked, but the Emperor continued. "I am going to give each one of you a seed today--one very special seed. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from this one seed. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next Emperor."

One boy, named  Lee, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his mother the story. She helped him get a pot and planting soil, and he planted the seed and watered it, carefully. Every day, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other youths began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Lee kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants, but Lee didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure. Six months went by--still nothing in Lee's pot.

He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Lee didn't say anything to his friends, however. He just kept waiting for his seed to grow. A year finally went by and all the youths of the kingdom brought their plants to the Emperor for inspection. Lee told his mother that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But his mother asked him to be honest about what happened.

Lee felt sick at his stomach, but he knew his mother was right. He took his empty pot to the palace. When Lee arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other youths. They were beautiful--in all shapes and sizes. Lee put his empty pot on the floor and many of the other children laughed at him. A few felt sorry for him and just said, "Hey, nice try."

When the Emperor arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted the young people. Lee just tried to hide in the back. "My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown," said the emperor. "Today one of you will be appointed the next Emperor!"

Suddenly, the Emperor spotted Lee at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered his guards to bring him to the front. Lee was terrified. He thought, "The Emperor knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me killed!"

When Lee got to the front, the Emperor asked his name. "My name is Lee." he replied. All the kids were laughing and making fun of him. The Emperor asked everyone to quiet down. He looked at Lee, and then announced to the crowd, "Behold your new Emperor! His name is Lee!"

Lee couldn't believe it. Lee couldn't even grow his seed. How could he be the new Emperor?

Then the Emperor said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone here a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds that would not grow. All of you, except Lee, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Lee was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Emperor!"

 

If you plant honesty, you will reap trust.
If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.
If you plant humility, you will reap greatness.
If you plant perseverance, you will reap victory.
If you plant consideration, you will reap harmony.
If you plant hard work, you will reap success.
If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation.
If you plant openness, you will reap intimacy.
If you plant patience, you will reap improvements.
If you plant faith, you will reap miracles.

But

If you plant dishonesty, you will reap distrust.
If you plant selfishness, you will reap loneliness.
If you plant pride, you will reap destruction.
If you plant envy, you will reap trouble.
If you plant laziness, you will reap stagnation.
If you plant bitterness, you will reap isolation.
If you plant greed, you will reap loss.
If you plant gossip, you will reap enemies.
If you plant worries, you will reap wrinkles.
If you plant sin, you will reap guilt.



Two thousand years ago someone else told the same story with fewer words, "What you sow, so shall you reap". If you know who said this, nothing else needs to be said.

DEFENDING THE TITLE

"And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha."
(2 Kings 6:15-17)


Have you ever noticed that the closer you get to God, the harder the enemy tries to come against you?  People will say things to get under your skin, you have troubles on your job, sickness tries to take over your loved ones, and so much more.  These are all common tactics of the enemy.  He'll use everything in his power to try to overtake you.  But don't you worry. Be encouraged because the word says "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them". We are not alone!  God has never lost a battle, and He's not about to lose one now!  As long as you stay on the Lord's side, you can be guaranteed victory!!


Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,  today I want to thank you for VICTORY over my circumstances!  I am so glad that with Jesus on my side, I will always be a conqueror...never defeated.  I praise your Holy Name today as I go out onto the battle field.  I hold my head up high with all confidence, knowing that all is well.  Watch over me, strengthen me, and give me the wisdom to use the tools you've given me to win this battle today.  Let the victory in my life be an inspiration to someone else. In Jesus' name, Amen.