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Diana Pulliam

Although I’ve been a Christian since the age of 22, it wasn’t until 2008, while going through an especially trying time, that I asked God what He intended for my life. I told Him I wanted my life to give Him Glory, but didn’t see how it was making any difference at all for His kingdom. I asked Him to not hold anything back, I wanted it all – EVERYTHING – He intended for me, that I would do whatever He told me to do.

Two weeks later, during my quiet time with the Lord, I heard the Holy Spirit say, “Clean your house and write.” In 2011, I started the blog http://themightyhandofgod.com/ as a place to write whatever the Lord inspires. I began having dreams and visions in the mid 90’s, mostly about things the Lord wanted to relay to me regarding personal issues. But the last few years, they have become almost exclusively about the times in which we live.

Our Identity in Christ

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          Those of us who are born-again followers of Jesus Christ are no longer just mere men. We are now citizens of Heaven, heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ (Rom 8:17). Sin and death no longer have dominion over us, because Jesus paid the penalty for our sins – our debt is paid in full, we have been redeemed!

Where Is Jesus?

          Jesus has been highly exalted and given a name above all names, and at His name every knee should bow (Phil 2:9-11). When God the Father raised Jesus from the dead, He set him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, FAR ABOVE ALL PRINCIPALITY, and POWER, and MIGHT, and DOMINION, and EVERY NAME THAT IS NAMED. And has put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the HEAD OVER ALL THINGS to the church.

Where Are You?

          Jesus’ position of setting as head over all that exists greatly affects us, because we are in Christ! Eph 2:4, “God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus…” 

          Not only is Jesus seated at the right hand of the Father and given authority over all, but we are seated with Him! And notice Jesus has been appointed to be the head over everything for the Church, which is his body, the fullness of him…. Eph 1:23.  He is the head and we are his body on the earth. We are acting on behalf of Jesus in the affairs of this life.

The Victorious Ones

          When we realize and understand our position and identity in Christ, we can walk this earth in His victory! He has made us more than conquerors! (Rom 8:37). Jesus said he has given us authority to overcome all the power of the enemy (Luke 10:19). It’s a done deal. Jesus has already won the victory for us! We just need to walk in it – be enforcers of His victory!

          Once believers awaken to their identity in Christ, they realize how complete the plan of redemption really is. They understand there is no war to be waged against Satan and his hosts, because they have already been dethroned, conquered, and deprived of their power. The Church is the triumphant one in Jesus! No more defeat for the body of Christ, “Because as He is, so are we in this world” (1 John 4:17). Our job is to stand in the victory Christ has already won over our adversary, to be enforcers of that defeat with the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony! We are to go forth in the name and by the authority of Jesus, proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God.

Hallelujah! Let’s praise the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who through Him, has given us the victory!

 

2HimBeTheGlory!

God’s Boot Camp

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“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, Who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself complete and make you what you ought to be…” 1 Peter 5:10 Amp.

I’ve come across this verse before, always glossing over it. After all, it’s saying we’re in for some suffering before God makes us into what we’re ultimately going to be. That’s not something I want to think about. But recently I asked God, “Why do we have to suffer a while?” I immediately heard in my spirit, “Basic training is not pleasant.” Then a succession of thoughts began to flow.

When one enters the military, they are not immediately deployed for duty. Before a soldier can be a useful part in the lean, mean, fighting machine of an army, a total transformation needs to take place.

Getting in Shape

Just as a soldier in an army of this world goes through rigorous physical and mental training, so does a Christian soldier in the army of God. The following components are crucial in the transformation process:

Diet – The governments of this world make sure their soldiers are fed a diet to build them up, giving their bodies the nourishment needed to make them strong. So it is with a soldier in God’s army. As Christians, we’re to feed on the Word of God. Proverbs 4:20 says, “My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body.” Rom. 12:2, says the Christian soldier is to be transformed by the renewal of their minds. Because the battlefield for the Christian is in the spiritual realm, once the Word of God has transformed their minds, that same Word will be their offense and defense. “The Word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword…” (Hebrews 4:12).

Exercise – Both the mind and body need exercise to maintain physical fitness and overall health. Exercise is defined as any movement that works your body at a greater intensity than your normal level of activity. To build muscle, force must be exerted against an opposing force. A soldier in the military will be put through every training exercise you can imagine: hand-to-hand combat, running, swimming, weapons training, along with making sure you have the proper battle gear on at all times.

A soldier in training for the army of God is trained in much the same way. Paul talked about the training process and likened it to training for a race. “Know you not that they which run in a race run all, but one receives the prize? So run, that you may obtain….Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training…. I keep under my body and bring it into subjection…” (1 Cor. 9:24-27).   Proper battle gear is also emphasized for the Christian soldier. “…Put on the full armor of God so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground…” (Ephesians 6:11-17).

Follow Your Commander – Just as a soldier in this world’s army must be conditioned to listen for, and follow, the orders of his commanding officer, so must a soldier of God. “Endure hardship like a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs – he wants to please his commanding officer” (2 Tim. 2:3-4).  Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). Jesus told his followers that the Holy Spirit would teach them all things (John 14:26), and that the Holy Spirit would tell them what is yet to come (John 16:13).  As soldier’s in God’s army, we must listen for, and follow, the instructions of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus Will Complete & Make You What You Ought To Be

“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself complete and make you what you ought to be…”

“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion…” (Philippians 1:6). Every begotten child of God will go through God’s boot camp. His basic training program is individually designed to prepare soldiers for service in the Army of God. Each will live on a special diet of His Word; they will be exercised through various drills and trials; taught to stay in proper battle gear; and most importantly, to always listen for and obey the voice of their Commander.

Yes, basic training may not be pleasant. But without it, the soldier wouldn’t be fit for service. The exciting part is, once the soldier has completed boot camp, he’s ready for deployment!

To be continued….

 

His Place of Provision

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This world is full of trouble. There’s danger on every side, whether it be wars or rumors of war between nations, or terrorism in our cities.  It’s as if the world’s gone mad. And the violence is not far from home. Parents are killing their children, and children killing their parents. Let’s face it; most of us wouldn’t dare go for a walk alone after dark. If that’s not enough, even the earth itself, and the atmosphere around it, seem to be reeling in turmoil and agony. Every day there’s something in the news about another earthquake, hurricane, flood, or tornado that’s wrecked havoc in the lives of many. Tragedies in themselves are bad enough, but the fear and anxiety felt in the aftermath of such events is just as devastating.

Listening to television interviews, or just standing in line at the grocery store, reveals the panic and sense of dread many people feel over what’s happening in the world. Everyone is anxiously trying to figure out what to do to protect themselves, whether it’s finding a job, having sufficient retirement, health care, or just providing for their family’s basic needs.  If they could just find a shelter, a safety net of some kind, to see them through the storm they’re going through, or the one up ahead they fear may come their way.  But there is good news. Shelter and safety is available. There’s a place where all your needs will be met, a place to ride out any storm that may come your way.

Where Do You Live?

 

God promises His people protection and provision all through the scriptures. That protection is based on where you live – on where you dwell.

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will rest under the shadow of the Almighty.” This person will say, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust” (Psalm 91:1-2).  Notice, there is no panic. The individual who dwells in the presence of God knows and trusts that his safety and provision come from God. He knows he’s not dependant on any person, weapon, or earthly government. It doesn’t matter what war breaks out, or if a terrorist decides to attack his city. It doesn’t matter if a sickness or plague sweeps over the earth, or if the biggest storm ever known to man begins heading his direction.

The Christian who dwells in the secret place of the Most High knows God will deliver him from any trap, disease, war, or destruction of any kind (verse 3-6). Even if a thousand fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; it will not come near you (verse 7).  Why is this? What’s the difference between those who are protected and those who are not?

“Because you have made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, your habitation; there shall no evil befall you, neither shall any plague come near your dwelling” (verse 9). It’s the individual that looks to God as his refuge and defense, and dwells with God night and day.  He lives and walks in the presence of his creator.  He doesn’t just visit God on Sunday, but lives and communes with Him daily.

“Because he has set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high…he shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him” (verse14-15).

Yes, there is a place of safety and shelter. There’s a place where all your needs will be met, a place to ride out any storm that may come your way. It’s available to all who live in the safety shelter of God.  No need to fear anything – ever again!  And the best news of all – EVERYONE is welcome to come to this shelter! No one will be turned away.

ToHimBetheGlory

 

Why the Church?

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I used to think the Church was just a club of folks that got together to talk about Jesus; a place to go and hear some good advice about how to live a better life, and find out how to be a better person. Although all that is correct, the true identity and purpose of the Church is a jaw-dropper, and will shock the average person, not to mention many Christians.

If one wanted to know about the purpose of the Church, it would seem logical to go to the leader, the one who instituted the group in the first place; the one who gave the marching orders so-to-speak. Since that would be Jesus Christ, we need to know what he had to say about his followers. What did he say they were to do? And what was his vision for their future?

Jesus said in John 14:12, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these…” So Jesus’ followers are to be doing what He did – and even greater things than Jesus did! Then clearly, if we know what Jesus did, we’ll know exactly what we’re supposed to be doing.

Jesus’ disciples were with him day in and day out and witnessed first-hand His mighty works. Peter said in Acts 10:38, “…how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil…” Rom 11:22 says we are to continue in His goodness. Jesus went about preaching the good news of the Kingdom of God everywhere he went. As he came upon the oppressed, he touched their situation. 1 John 3:8, “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.” When He came upon the hungry – He fed them; when He came upon the blind – He restored their sight; when He came upon the sick – He healed them; when He came upon the dead – He raised them back to life.  Jesus’ followers are to do the same thing – and even greater things!

Right after the resurrection of Jesus, just before He was taken into heaven, He told his disciples what they were to do and how they were going to do it:

1) His followers were to preach the gospel as He did, Mark 16:15, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. He who believes and is baptized will be saved.”

2) Jesus said signs and wonders would accompany the preaching of this gospel, verse 17-18, “And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and if they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and the sick will be made well.”

So the Church is to carry on the ministry of Jesus! As He did, so are we to do. But how can this be? How can mere men carry out the work of the Living God?

The Church is Clothed with Power

As Jesus was giving instructions to His followers, He told them, “I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” So, just as Jesus repeatedly told the crowds, it wasn’t Him doing the works, but His Father in Heaven, so it is with the Church.  After Jesus was taken into heaven, the saints went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it. In Acts 4:29-30, the disciples prayed that they would be able to preach the word with boldness, and asked that as they did God would, “Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” We know from reading the remainder of the New Testament that God honored those prayers. Acts 14:3, “…for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders.” God performs mighty miracles to back up the gospel message. But Jesus said his followers would perform greater works than Him.

Greater Works Than These Shall They Do

Jesus was taken into Heaven, where He now sits at the right hand of God. He is to remain seated at the right hand of God until something very significant happens. Matt. 22:44, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” Heb. 10:12-13, “…after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool.” We know Jesus has already defeated Satan the devil, and has stripped him of all authority, taking the keys of hell and death from him. The next step is for Satan and his hordes to be disposed, to be trampled underfoot and made a footstool for our King. The Church, Jesus’ body on the Earth, will attend to that task!

Jesus gave His Church the authority to overcome all the power of the enemy (Luke 10:19). The saints are the over-comers. They are the ones who trample Satan underfoot in these last days.  The saints of the Most High God will overcome Satan by the blood of the Lamb and by the Word of their testimony.

Rain is Coming

In several places throughout scripture, the former and latter rains are mentioned. The prophets of the Old Testament referenced those rains to be sent by the Lord. The latter rains are to be greater than the former.  The Holy Spirit poured out and made available on the day of Pentecost is the first (former) rain. There is another rain, a much greater rain, to be poured out on the Church in these last days. This great outpouring of the Holy Spirit will enable the Body of Christ to dispose of the devil – to completely trample him underfoot. Jesus’ enemies will be made His footstool. Then our Lord will stand! And that great white horse will be brought to Him.

Hallelujah! Praise to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! The Church is to be doing exactly what Jesus did while on the Earth, covering the globe with His message, destroying the works of darkness along the way. The Church is to occupy until Jesus comes back. We are to beat down the works of darkness and trample them underfoot – making the enemies of Jesus His footstool.

Let’s be about our Father’s business. While we’re at it, let’s keep our eyes on those approaching clouds. Looks like heavy rain is heading our way.  Wait…, look!  It’s starting to sprinkle!

 

ToHimBetheGlory

 

Feeling Reckless

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While listening to a song recently, it occurred to me that it feels extremely reckless in the natural sense to fully live for the things of God. To fully live for God means to say and do things that are diametrically opposite of the way of this world.  It’s more than a little scary to put yourself out there on the line, vulnerable to ridicule and rejection. But at the same time, we’re told in scripture there is no middle road. You’re either all in, or you’re out.

Actually, the reckless thing to do is be a lukewarm Christian. First, God says He’ll spew them out of His mouth, because He says He would rather you be hot or cold – one or the other. God says in Heb. 10:38, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.” Secondly, there is a devil, and Christians need to remember that he walks around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.  Being a follower of Jesus is not something that should be done half-heartedly, because unless you’re walking in the full power and authority of Jesus, you take the risk of being eaten alive!

Jesus told his followers in Luke 17:33, “Whoever tries to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake, the same will save it.” 11 Tim. 3:12, “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”

Have you suffered any persecution lately? If not, then maybe you’re holding back. Jesus said he only said what he heard his father say, and did what he saw his father do.  And 1 John 4:17 says, “…as He is, so are we in this world.” We’re to walk as Jesus walked. If you start saying what you hear your Father say, and doing what you see your Father do – better be ready for all hell to come against you! You see, only those Christians who walk as Jesus walked can destroy the devil’s work. And that’s what Jesus came to do (1 John 3:8). Those are the ones Satan fears, and he’ll do whatever he can to shut them down. It definitely would be reckless to be one of those – unless you know your true identity and who’s backing you.

Those reckless Christians that dare to walk as Jesus walked, they know the devil is now a defeated foe. He’s a toothless lion. Because Jesus totally disarmed the devil! Colossians 2:15 says, “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” The devil can only defeat you if you let him, if you don’t know who you are in Jesus. In Luke 10:19, Jesus says, “I give you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.” The Christians that walk in the power and authority of Jesus have nothing to fear. If they stay in the secret place of the Most High, they abide in His presence, and nothing can even touch them.

In these last days, the Church, the body of Jesus on the earth, will accomplish the plan of God – to deliver men from the power of darkness by the power of the Holy Spirit. As these seemingly reckless men and women of God yield themselves fully to the Holy Spirit, God will have the vessels needed to fully manifest Himself on the earth.

I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling reckless today! I say to my Father, “Lord, use this vessel to bring glory to your Son, Jesus. Take this life and do something with it. Use my mouth, my hands, my feet – I give myself fully to you. I hold nothing back. Use this life, as part of the glorious Body of Christ, to shine the light of your gospel into the earth; to bring many souls into the Kingdom of God. Come soon Lord Jesus!”

 

2HimBeTheGlory

The Great Deception

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There is a common belief in the world that it is somehow sinful for a Christian to be prosperous and walk in the full blessing of God; to be holy, you must be poor or down trodden. This belief can be traced back to the Garden of Eden, when the first man and woman were lied to by the father of lies – Satan the devil. You can read about it in the first chapter of Genesis. But in a nutshell, Satan implied two things: God was lying and couldn’t be trusted; and God was selfish and stingy. The sad thing is, with the exception of a few, man has believed those lies ever since. But the truth of the matter is diametrically opposite to the belief system of this world. God greatly desires that His people walk in the fullness of His blessing – in every area of their lives.

Why the Deception?

The reason for the deception is pure and simple. Satan has set himself against God. Although he was once an anointed cherub (Ezekiel 28:14-17), he decided he would take over the throne of heaven (Isaiah 14:12-14) and led a rebellion against God. Scripture reveals one third of the angels followed Lucifer in his attempted takeover. But Satan and his followers were cast out. In Luke 10:18, Jesus said, “I saw Satan fall like lightening from Heaven.”

Effects of the Deception

With the Church believing all we should expect is to endure this present fallen world until either we get to heaven, or until Christ returns to the earth to set up the Kingdom of God, Satan has had a field day. But immediately after the death and resurrection of Jesus, the church was on fire. Great miracles were the order of the day. The sick were being healed, the dead raised to life, and many were being added to the church daily. As a matter of fact, in Acts 17:6, the Church was causing such an uproar that the Jewish rulers of the city of Thessalonica became envious of the growing number of converts to Jesus and said, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too…” Now that’s some on-fire Christians! But little-by-little, the Church grew silent. What happened?

The truth of the gospel, including the power and authority that Jesus conferred to His followers, has been suppressed on a grand scale. The enemy suppressed the truth by intense persecution and sending in wicked men to infiltrate the Church, who would subvert and water down the gospel of Christ. For the most part, the Church has taken on the role of a poor, powerless, forsaken group of followers of a man called Jesus. Sure, there’ve been pockets of revival, with miraculous manifestations of the Holy Spirit here and there. By the mercy of God, many great things have been established by the church for the good of humanity – like hospitals and schools, etc. But for the most part, the Church has become impotent. Fast forward to the 21st Century. Instead of the Church – the body of Christ – making a difference in the world, it seems they have taken a back seat and fallen completely silent. Most members of the church are as sick and poverty stricken as the world around them, totally defeated in their own lives and unable to help anyone. Poverty and hunger are running more rampant than ever before. The threat of war on a global level is growing by the day. The persecution of Christians is becoming epidemic. Just as Jesus predicted, they will kill His followers and think they are doing God a favor.

The night is far spent, the darkness is growing darker, and it’s time for the followers of Jesus to awake from their slumber. God did not intend for the Church, the body of Jesus, to have no effect on this world. He intends for the body of Christ to allow the Light of the Holy Spirit, which lives within each member, to shine so brightly that it penetrates this present darkness. The time is now. We are not waiting on God – He is waiting on us! It’s time for TRUTH to be restored to the Body of Jesus Christ!

The Truth of the Matter

The followers of Jesus, the Saints of the Most High God, need to study their covenant – the promises made to them. Deuteronomy 28 gives a list of the blessings God will cause to come upon His people. It also has a list of curses that people bring upon themselves if they walk outside His protection – the curses we see running rampant in the world today. It’s through the sacrifice of Jesus, the shedding of his blood, that we may receive forgiveness of all past, present, and future sins – once and for all! But Jesus didn’t just come to pay the price for our eternal life. He also came to give us a better life in the here and now! He said in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it in abundance to the full.”

Jesus reinstituted the Blessing on the earth! The sad state of the world around us is a result of the works of the devil – the curse. 1 John 3:8, “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.” Everywhere Jesus went, He beat back the works of Satan; he fed the hungry, healed the sick, raised the dead. His followers are to follow in Jesus’ footsteps. 2 Cor. 9:11 “You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion…” David said in Psalms 68:19, “Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits…” 1 Tim. 6:17, “…the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.” Eph. 5:12, Therefore be imitators of God….and walk in love as Christ…” 1 John 4:17, “…because as He is, so are we in this world.” Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these…” That’s huge! Can you imagine what it would look like if all the millions of Christ’s followers around the world did what Jesus did? And even greater things than He did?

Satan is a defeated foe; he was soundly defeated by Jesus. Jesus is now seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven; and we are seated with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus. We, the body of Christ, only need to stand in the victory! The Church is not to be sick, poor, weak or walking in defeat. The Church is Christ on the Earth! We are the victorious ones, beating back the works of darkness, allowing the light of God to shine through to the hearts of men! Jesus said in Luke 10:19, “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.” Nothing can stop us. Now we are to do what Jesus did: take the gospel to the world, feed the hungry, heal the sick, and raise the dead!

The Kingdom of God marches on! Jesus is sitting at the right hand of God until His enemies are made His footstool. Guess who gets to do that? His body, the Church, on the earth! We know how all this turns out. In Rev. 12:11, we are told, “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.”

Yes, Satan knows his time is short. His carefully woven web of deception is unraveling as the Church rediscovers who they are in Christ! All of heaven’s resources are available to the Church, enabling us to to be distributors of the blessing wherever we go.

No wonder the lengths Satan has gone to cover up the truth. After all, the truth will set you free! Hallelujah! What an awesome God we have!

ToHimBeTheGlory!

 

Standing on the Rock

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While listening to a song recently about Jesus Christ being the solid rock upon which we stand, a vision came to mind that I cannot get out of my head. I saw a large statute of a man with one of his arms held up, and the palm of his hand open. The entire statute was made out of solid rock. And there I stood, right in the middle of the palm of his hand.

As I stood in his hand, strong winds came and nearly knocked me off my feet. But when the winds abated, I was still standing. Then the winds came again, but this time harder than ever, and with it rain and hail. I wasn’t able to withstand the force and fell face-down on the rock. I got back up, and was knocked down again. But each time I got back up, it seemed I was stronger and able to stand for a longer period of time, withstanding a lot more force before going down again.

I sensed the rock was providing me with all I needed to stay in the palm of his hand. No matter what came against me, even if the adversity was so strong it knocked me off my feet, when I did fall – I landed on the rock. And I was still in the palm of his hand! I realized that the rock I was standing on was Jesus Christ! One by one, the promises of God began to flood my mind, and as they did, I became stronger. Soon I was immovable. The most fierce wind could no longer knock me down.

Jesus said in Mathew 7:24-25, “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.” We are told in scripture that Jesus is the Rock that His Church is built upon. John 10:29, Jesus said, “My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” Peter said in Romans 8:35, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?…No, in all these things we are more than conquerors…neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons…nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Once we become a begotten child of God, and understand who we are, and the promises given to us, nothing can defeat us. We are more than conquerors! We are told the actual armor of Almighty God is available to us, and once we put it on, WE WILL STAND in the day of adversity. Ephesians 6:10-13 says, “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes…when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”

Hallelujah, God has given us the victory through Jesus! Once we are in His hand, absolutely nothing can take us out. What an awesome God we have!

2HimBetheGlory

 

Healing

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Most people think being sick is just part of living, they accept it like it’s a normal every day thing. They not only accept it, they expect it! You’ll hear comments like, “Here comes the flu season, I better get ready, because I get it every year.” And if you look around, it would appear they are correct – sickness and disease is everywhere. It’s talked about on the TV, Internet, and we can all name someone we personally know that is experiencing some sort of illness right this minute. But our Creator didn’t make us, nor intend for us, to live a life filled with sickness and disease. Quite the contrary. When God created mankind, He pronounced blessings over him. So what went wrong, why all the suffering?

Offer Rejected

From the beginning, God offered man His blessing. He’s made offer after offer to bless our land, our produce, livestock, our health and families. But after Adam and Eve followed the devil’s plan by rejecting God and choosing to decide their own path, they connected to the law of sin and death, and Satan became the over lord of the earth. They had to leave the garden of God and the abundant provision of their Creator.  So man then went about setting up his world, patterned after the way he saw fit (influenced by you know who), and history gives us the rest of the story. The world has been plagued with horrible poverty, sickness and disease ever since. But there’ve been individuals here and there that responded to God, and were incredibly blessed in their walk with Him.

Abraham Partners With God

Abram (who’s name was later changed to Abraham) was a man that responded to God’s call on his life. In Genesis 12:2-3, God promised that if Abraham followed his instructions, “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing…… and all the people on earth will be blessed through you.” Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness. God then blessed Abraham. Gen. 13:2 says “And Abram was very rich….” The remainder of Genesis, and for that matter, the remainder of the Old Testament gives us the story of Abraham’s descendants. God kept His promise and Abraham’s descendants grew into a great nation – the nation of Israel. And Israel was blessed beyond comprehension up through the reign of King David and Solomon. Until they forgot the Source of all their blessings, Israel was the richest, most blessed nation on the earth.

Those blessings included the promise of God to bless their bodies and give them abundant health.In Exodus 15:26, God says, “….. I am the Lord who heals you.” Exodus 23:25 says, “….. and I will take sickness from your midst.” Deuteronomy 28 is what’s called the Blessing and Cursing chapter of the Bible. God gives a list of all the blessings that will come on His people if only they will hearken and follow Him. He also warned them of the consequences if they turned their backs on Him and rebelled. They would again be on their own, subject to the curse the rest of the world lives under, which is to go it alone, to eke out their own existence, and live without the protective umbrella of God’s blessing.  Chapter 30: 19 says “I call heaven and earth to witness this day against you that I have set before you life and death, the blessings and the curses; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live.” Some of the effects of the curse mentioned in Chapter 28 having to do with health are: wasting disease, fever and inflammation, tumors, madness, blindness and confusion of mind.

What’s That Got To Do With You & Me?

The main thing the Old Testament shows us is that no one is able to walk perfectly before God in their own effort and strength. Although the descendants of Abraham told God they chose life, they always fell away into sin and disobedience again. Then they would sacrifice the blood of an animal to cover the sin, crying out to God for forgiveness and deliverance. But that had to happen over and over again. Then just as it looked like all hope was lost, God’s mercy and grace showed up on the scene.

Jesus Came to Reconcile Us to the Father and Re-Institute the Blessing!

Remember when God told Abraham that through his seed all the nations of the earth would be blessed? Well, Jesus was a direct descendant of Abraham!  And it’s through the sacrifice of Jesus, the shedding of his blood, that we may receive forgiveness of all past, present, and future sins –  once and for all!  Jesus didn’t come just to pay the price for our eternal life. He also came to give us a better life in the here and now! He said in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it in abundance to the full.” We know the promises, the Blessing, was given to Abraham and his seed. Galatians 3:6-16, “Consider Abraham; He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham….So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham….Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law…. The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed….meaning one person, who is Christ” Verse 29 says, “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

God’s Promises Are For ALL In Christ

It’s made very clear in scripture. Jesus has reconciled us to the Father. We have all become one in Christ. It no longer matters if you are Jew or Gentile, male or female. If you’re Christ’s then you’re Abraham’s seed and an heir according to the promise! As followers of Jesus, we may all lay claim to the Blessing – the promises of Almighty God! But in order to do that, we need to know what those promises are. So let’s look at some scriptures that deal specifically with how God desires to bless our physical health.

Healing Scriptures

In Exodus 15:26, God says, “….. I am the Lord who heals you.” Exodus 23:25 says, “….. and I will take sickness from your midst.” Isaiah 53 is a prophecy of Jesus’ life and crucifixion, and verse 5 says, “…. and by his wounds we are healed.”

The book of Psalms is chalked full of praises to God for being our faithful healer. Ps 103:2-5, “Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction….so that your youth is renewed like the eagles.”

Proverbs 4:20, “….listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body.”

Jeremiah 30:17, “But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds declares the Lord....”

Let’s look at how Jesus dealt with healing. In Matthew 8:2-3, When a man with leprosy approached Jesus saying that he knew Jesus could heal him if he were willing, Jesus said, “I am willing….” In verse 16-17, “….he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick……He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases.”

Mark 16:17-18, Jesus told his followers, “And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name…. they will place their hands on the sick, and they will be made well.”

After Jesus’ death and resurrection, His followers did just that. Acts 5:15-16, “…Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick….and all of them were healed.” We are told in James 5:13-15, if anyone is sick, they need to call for prayer in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well!

Then Why Are His Sheep So Sickly?

Although healing is included in the benefit package of God, and Jesus gave His followers authority to overcome all the power of the enemy, telling them to do as He had done; and with the word saying, “As He is so are we in this world,”  it seems many of Jesus’ followers are not following in His footsteps.  Jesus lived a life of victory in every area of life: victory over the spiritual realm – the devil, sin and death; and victory over the natural realm – sickness and disease, wind and storms.  But let’s face it, sickness and disease in the Church runs about as rampant as it does in the world.  God’s word says in Hosea 4:6, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge….”

I believe a lot of Christians aren’t aware of the benefits of following God. They think the only benefit is that when they die, they get to go to heaven. Although Jesus acknowledged that his followers would be confronted with the same things the rest of the world deals with, He shows how we can be victorious over them. John 16:33 “.…In this world you will have tribulation, but fear not; I have overcome the world.” Jesus’ followers are to share in His victory and authority. We are heirs of God, joint heirs with Christ! Ephesians 2:6, “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.” We are not weak, sick, poor and defeated. Christians are citizens of Heaven deployed to the earth. We are Christ’s ambassadors, and represent the Kingdom of God to everyone around us!

Jesus is The Good Shepherd

Jesus describes Himself as the Good Shepherd, and he says we are his sheep.  Can you imagine what you’d think if you saw a shepherd leading his sheep, and the sheep were all sickly looking, malnourished, maimed, and just limping along? You wouldn’t think that shepherd was taking very good care of his flock. No, Jesus is the Good Shepherd. His sheep are well nourished, strong, vibrant, nothing missing, nothing broken!

God Needs You Well!

Our loving Father has called us to live a life of victory in Jesus Christ. We represent Jesus on this earth! And Jesus has set us free from the bondage of pain and sickness, by paying the price for sin and death. So when the enemy tries to put the wages of sin on us again, we stand on the blood of Jesus and the promises of God’s Word! We walk in the power and authority of Jesus Christ on this earth, blessing all we come in contact with. When the world sees us, they see Jesus; strong, healthy, vibrant.

Rise up Church! May we allow the streams of living water to flow through us and out to this thirsty world, touching and healing everything in it’s path.  Come soon Lord Jesus!

ToHimBeTheGlory!

Spiritual Warfare (Our Stance)

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     These are dangerous times we’re living in. Wars and rumors of wars are in the news every day. There’s war and fighting between nations, within nations, in our neighborhoods, and even between family members. Despite advances in science and technology, sickness and disease still wreck havoc in many lives. There’s trouble of one sort or another on every side. Jesus warned of these troubling times in Matthew 24. He said that unless these days be shortened, there would no flesh be saved alive. It’s going to get so bad that unless God intervenes, all human life will be wiped out. The good news is, God will not allow that to happen!

     Mankind chose to believe a lie, and built a world that now teeters on the brink of destruction.  But God has provided a way of escape through His Son. A whole new system of government will soon be instituted upon the earth, bringing with it everything man has always wanted; health, prosperity, peace,  happiness; that utopian state which existed in the beginning. But until that government is set up on the earth,  Jesus said, “See that you are not troubled. In this world you will have tribulation, but fear not, I have overcome the world.” So what exactly was it in this world that He overcame?

The Source of Trouble

     When God first created mankind, He blessed him. He told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply, to have dominion over everything created. So in essence, man was given the reins to rule on this earth. The blessing of God provided them with peace, joy, beauty, abundant health and prosperity. God gave them instructions on how to walk and remain in His blessing. They could stay in direct cummunion with God and live under His provision as long as they didn’t eat of the forbidden fruit – didn’t take to themselves the knowledge of good and evil. If they did, it would mean certain death and eternal separation from Him. But the choice was theirs to make. God didn’t force His way on them. At first, everything was wonderful. All their needs were met. There was no sickness, no poverty, no labor and toil.  Then the original liar showed up on the scene.

    Satan cast doubt on everything God had told Adam and Eve. In essence, he said, “You can’t believe everything God’s said. He’s holding out on you. You should decide for yourself.  And God knows when you do, you’ll be like God, deciding for yourself what’s good and evil – and you won’t die either!”  It all sounded great, so they made the decision to go their own way. Basically, they told God, “Thanks, but no thanks! Don’t think we need you telling us what’s good or bad for us, we’re smart enough to figure all that out. We can handle it from here.” Although the Bible says God cast them out of the garden, it was their decision that took them out. It took them out from under the protective provision and blessings of God. They gave their dominion over to Satan, whom the New Testament calls, “the god of this world.” But Satan’s way is the exact opposite of God. Instead of blessing mankind, Satan cursed mankind. The curse produces labor and toil, sickness, poverty, despair, war and death. And since the day they departed from the presence of God, and gave the reins over to Satan, this way of living has become the norm. But God has given mankind a way out of this mess, and provided the path that leads us back to Him and all His blessings.

God’s Answer to Our Trouble

     Jesus, a member of the Godhead, devested himself of his divinity, came to this earth as a human, and lived a perfect life before the Father. He gave his life, poured out His blood, as a sacrifice to pay the death penalty in our stead, to take back the rein of power from Satan, and reconcile us to the Father. Isaiah 53 is a prophecy describing the life and death of Jesus, and states, “For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” Colossians 1:13 says “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son.” II Corinthians 5:18  “…God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ…”  Jesus came to pay the penalty, to redeem us, and became the bridge back to our Father.  John 14:6 “Jesus answered, “I  am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  So Jesus came to pay the penalty and reconcile us to God. He had to suceed where the first man had failed. But to do so, he had to face and defeat the devil.

     Jesus not only faced the devil, but He soundly defeated him. The first head-to-head meeting is described in Matthew 4. Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. First, the devil tried to provoke him to perform a miracle, to prove himself and satisfy his physical hunger.  But Jesus quoted scripture and said, “It is written; Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”  Then he tried to get Jesus to jump off a mountain, just to prove God would rescue him. But again, Jesus quoted scripture saying, “It is also written: Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” Then the devil pulled out his biggest gun. He offered Jesus rulership over all the kingdoms of the world if he would only bow down and serve him. Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For is is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and Him only will you serve.”  Jesus defeated Satan that day by standing on the written Word of God.  And Jesus not only defeated Satan, but displaced him as ruler over the Earth. Jesus took back the dominion Adam had given to Satan.

     Not only has Jesus taken back the authority to rule over the Earth, but Colossians 2:15 says he disarmed Satan and his hordes and made a public spectacle of them. Jesus has been given the keys to the Kingdom of God. And the most amazing thing about this is the fact that it was all done for us.  He redeemed us from the curse! Eph. 1:3 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” Jesus now sits in heaven at the right hand of the Father. Eph. 2: 6 states that God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms.  Eph 1:22 “And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body…”  Jesus is the head of the Church, and we are His body!  Hebrews 1:13 says “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool.” And chapter 10:13 says “Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool.”

Our Stance

     Jesus, the head of the church, is now seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven, waiting for his enemies to be made his footstool. The church, Jesus’ body, though physically on the earth, is spiritually seated with Him in the heavenly realm.  All authority in heaven and earth has been given to Jesus, and he in turn has given that same authority to his followers. Jesus said in Luke 10:19 “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.”  The victory has been won! The Church’s commission is to stand in that victory until all things in heaven and earth are reconciled and made one through Christ Jesus. We’ve been given our marching orders, the commission to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations.

     Although Satan was defeated, he hasn’t been removed from the scene yet. That will take place upon the return of Christ and the literal setting up of the Kingdom of God on the earth. Until that time, our enemy tries to stand against every advancement of the Kingdom. But thanks be to God who always causes us to triumph through Christ Jesus, we have the example of Jesus himself, and thorough instructions on how to trample the enemy under foot. And best of all, we’ve been given the armor of Almighty God, not only as a defense, but as an offensive weapon to destroy the works of the devil!

     As Christians, we need to keep in mind that the battles are actually being fought in the heavenly realm. And 2 Corinthians 10:4 says “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.” These strongholds have been set up by the devil, and he will come against any attempt to remove them.  Eph 6:10-18 gives battle instructions to the saints of God, “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes…… so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand…..with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place……the shield of faith…..and with the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God….”  Notice, we are to stand.  Once we do all God shows us to do, we are to STAND!  The war has already been won by Jesus, and we his soldiers are to occupy the territory until He comes. We stand against the devil’s attacks by standing on the word of God – just as Jesus did. Everything the devil brought against him was shot down by the word of God that came out of Jesus’ mouth!  It doesn’t matter what the evil one brings against us: war, sickness, financial peril – disasters of any kind;  We stand in full assurance of the truth and faithfulness of our God – and we speak that truth out of our mouth! The truth – the Word of God will destroy all the works of the devil!

     We win! You can read about it yourself at the end of the Book.  Revelation 12:11 says, “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.”  And chapter 21 describes the wonderful world that is coming. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.  The Spirit says, “Come! And let him who hears say, Come! Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.”  God is offering this wonderful life to all who will come and receive.What an awesome God we have!

2HimBeTheGlory

Heaven Will Back You!

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Don’t be afraid to speak the truth of God. We have full assurance in His Word that He’ll back us up. I often find myself holding back from speaking the truth about a matter, whether it be with friends, family, or even casual acquaintances, because I’m afraid of what they’ll think.  Every time I feel the Holy Spirit leading me to say or do something, and I back away from doing it, it’s because I know it goes against the grain of popular thinking. I’m afraid of how it’ll make me look, concerned about what people will think. We’re all concerned about our reputation. But since Christians are to be imitators of Christ, we need to know how Jesus handled this.

First of all, scripture says in Philippians 2:7, that Jesus made himself of no reputation and took upon himself the form of a servant.  In John 4:34, Jesus said his mission was “….to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.”  Jesus wasn’t concerned about his reputation. If you read through the gospels, it’s apparent Jesus said and did things that people found odd, disagreed with, and downright thought were crazy. He was accused of being possessed of the devil, a drunkard, hanging around undesirables – you name it.  Mark 3: 21 shows that even Jesus’ own family began to think he was out of his mind. It’s obvious Jesus didn’t concern himself with what people thought. He said he only spoke and did as the Father showed him. And he said his followers are to do the same.

Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these……….” (John 14: 12).  And 1 John 4:17 says, “Love has been perfected amoung us in this …… because as He is, so are we in this world.”  The first century church followed the lead of the Holy Spirit, saying and doing as God led. Jesus promised that signs would follow those that believe. In Mark 16:17-20 he said, “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”  After Jesus was taken into heaven, the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.  In Acts 4:29-30, the church asked God to enable them to speak with great boldness, to stretch out His hand and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of Jesus. And God answered that prayer. Throughout the New Testament, we are told of the great miracles that accompany the preaching of His word. Acts 14: 4 says that the Lord confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders! 

 The God of all creation says that signs shall follow those that believe! If we’ll be bold, saying and doing as the Spirit leads, God will back it up.  He’ll confirm the message of his grace. Our job is to yield to Him, allowing Him to use our hands, our feet, our mouth, to be a blessing where ever we go. Just as Jesus is, so are we to be in the earth.  We’re not to be afraid of what people think, because this world desperately needs the Word of God spoken in it as never before. Can we imagine what it would be like if the BODY of CHRIST rose up and were Jesus Christ in the earth today?  That’s our calling! That’s who lives in us! 

Let’s pray the same prayer our fellow believers prayed;  “Enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Lord, stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” Amen!

ToHimBetheGlory