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Feb
Knowing GOD Being Strong
Daniel 11:32 “They that know their God shall be strong and do exploits.” It is important to understand and meditate on the strength of God in us. Paul in the Epistles says “Be strong in the Lord and in the might of His power.” Knowing God is different from being strong in the Lord. We know our God and the more we know Him, the more we become stronger. Weak people let things happen. Strong people make things happen. This is true in the spiritual aspect as well. Spiritually weak people or those who are weak in faith let things happen or see what will happen. They do not take control of the circumstances. Conversely, spiritually strong people or people with faith make things happen. It is true that God is not in control of the circumstances. This world is given to man and we have to take control over the circumstances and situations by the power of God in us. So if we know God and His power we will seek and do things to overcome the situations around us. To face challenges, we need to believe that we are strong in Christ. In the time of trouble, if we lose our hope, we lose everything. If we lose the faith and the knowledge of Christ in us, we have nothing to hold on to. But if we build ourselves with the knowledge of Christ in us, it brings the hope of glory. In the Bible, great men and women accomplished mighty acts by tapping into the power of God within them. They actively operated in this power to triumph over challenges. Conversely, spiritually weak individuals often resort to passive prayer, hoping for some magic to happen. On the other hand, spiritually strong individuals not only pray but also speak and adopt an attitude that aligns with receiving God’s power. They rise and take action, ensuring that whatever they undertake prospers. Many people in Biblical history possessed significant callings, yet their simple and spiritually weak mindset hindered them from achieving greatness. In contrast, a select few underwent a transformation, renewing their minds and adjusting their attitudes. This shift allowed them to dream, imagine, and fully embrace the available power of God. Their ability to see and interpret things differently became a catalyst for their success. 2 Chronicles 16:9 “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” NKJV For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him (NIV) For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth so that He may support those whose heart is completely His. (Amplified Bible) The Lord’s eyes are actively searching for hearts that are wholeheartedly committed, diligent, and reliant on Him. When the Lord finds such people, He will stand on their behalf and strengthen them. He is in us and with us but doesn’t work directly but works on our behalf. To measure our commitment to God, we can examine our response when faced with challenges like Goliath, the lion, the Red Sea, Jericho, or the Anakites. Being fully committed means taking the next step even when these obstacles surround us. It involves trusting in God, the destiny placed upon us, and the anointing bestowed upon us. This commitment extends to taking the next step, even to the point of risking one’s life. If our faith fails, we are dead. God seeks individuals who are proactive and engaged, those who are willing to act. He anoints people, but they must accept, believe, and act upon that anointing. Weak people wait for something to happen and let things happen. David, faced with the giant Goliath, although he had no clear plan, he knew he had to confront the challenge. In contrast, the Israelite camp, including King Saul, prayed, worshiped, and sacrificed, but they waited passively for 40 days. But there came David who believed the anointing upon him and a man of faith a man like Isaac who in the time of famine saw no rain but sowed. His decision wasn’t a rash decision but rooted in his understanding of God. David, although uncertain about the strategy, did not wait for things to happen. He embraced the power and fire of God within him, seeking the Lord through prayer and meditation. Empowered by the Spirit’s leading, he confronted and defeated Goliath, showcasing the transformative results of active faith and commitment. To measure our commitment to God, we can examine our response when faced with challenges like Goliath, the lion, the Red Sea, Jericho, or the Anakites. Being fully committed means taking the next step even when these obstacles surround us. It involves trusting in God, the destiny placed upon us, and the anointing bestowed upon us. This commitment extends to taking the next step, even to the point of risking one’s life. If our faith fails, we are dead. God seeks individuals who are proactive and engaged, those who are willing to act. He anoints people, but they must accept, believe, and act upon that anointing. Weak The power of God is accessible to all of us; He is in us, with us, and desires that each person operates and walks in His power. The pivotal question is the strength of our faith and belief in our capabilities. Do we truly believe that our words can bring about change and transform the spiritual atmosphere? Consider the example of Esther, who firmly believed in her calling, the anointing upon her, and her purpose for that specific time. In the face of King Xerxes seeking a beautiful bride from numerous women, Esther’s attitude and actions set her apart. She didn’t opt for extravagant adornment but chose to fast for three days, cultivating an attitude and glory of the Lord within her. When she entered the king’s presence, she carried a
28
Oct
Transforming Mindset to Claim Our Inheritance
“Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.” Joshua 14:12 The story of the twelve spies who explored Canaan illustrates how ten of them provided a negative report, while Caleb and Joshua delivered a positive one. Unfortunately, the Israelites heeded the negative report, leading to forty years of wandering in the wilderness until that generation passed away. Following Moses, Joshua took leadership and began allocating land to the tribes. Caleb approached Joshua when he was eighty-five years old, requesting the hill country promised to him by the Lord. This region was inhabited by the Anakites, ancient giants who occupied large, fortified cities. Caleb was sure that with the Lord helping him he would be able to drive them just as the Lord said. We need to have this assurance in our hearts that the Lord loves us unconditionally and that He is for us and never against us even when we mess up, fail or disobey. He knows our weaknesses and never judges us based on that. Even when we face life’s darkest moments, He stands by us, providing empowerment and support. As Jesus took victory over every demonic force, we are also called to overcome and conquer any authority that opposes us. Caleb’s desire for the hill country, even at the age of eighty-five, serves as an example for us. He disregarded his age and the challenging circumstances, focusing solely on the Lord’s promise. The only thing that mattered was that ‘the Lord said and therefore it belonged to him’. Missed opportunities or the passage of time should not stop us. May we be inspired by Caleb’s determination. Our ability to achieve God’s calling doesn’t depend on external circumstances but on what God has called us inside. If the Lord has called us to take the hill country it doesn’t matter even if we are eighty-five, we can still take it. Joshua 14:13-14 13Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance. 14So Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite ever since, because he followed the Lord, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly. When Caleb made his request for the hill country, Joshua granted his blessing and assigned Hebron as Caleb’s inheritance. Notably, this exchange between Caleb and Joshua took place outside the borders of the land itself. The hill country remained occupied by the Anakites, but for Caleb, the only thing of significance was that the Lord had assured him it was his to claim. Even before he physically conquered the land, it already belonged to him spiritually. It teaches us that our inheritance, whether it’s a promise God gave us, our health, our financial prosperity, our miracles, or business success, belongs to us through the power of God, even before we tangibly possess them. Can we fathom this profound truth? Caleb serves as a remarkable example of a man who operated based on the promises the Lord had given him. He didn’t rely on facts or attempt to calculate the feasibility of conquering the hill country. Caleb possessed a deep understanding that it was already his. In the same way, we too should cultivate such a profound understanding that every promise, healing, and deliverance is rightfully ours. Even if we haven’t witnessed their physical manifestation in our lives, we should firmly grasp the truth that they belong to us. HOW TO DEVELOP THE UNDERSTANDING Amidst challenges such as problems, sickness, and debt, cultivating the understanding that physical appearances aren’t the ultimate reality, but rather what the Lord has promised us, can be achieved through – Meditation Imagination Meditation doesn’t mean sitting still in some posture. But it’s the thoughts that occupy our minds throughout the day. It is the thoughts that we force into our minds. It can be either be the promises of God or the medical diagnosis we receive from the doctor. The doctor’s words are just facts often reliant on what they see in the medical tests. However, we are not like everybody else as being His children we have His glory shining upon us. (Isaiah 60:2) Though darkness covers the earth, the Lord rises over us and His glory will shine upon us. This sets us apart; while people around us may grapple with sickness, we are shielded from its grip. Cultivating such thoughts is essential. With Jesus in us, we stand undefeated. Our reliance is on God’s words that assure us that we are the apple of His eyes and He has engraved us on the palm of His hands. Our light is distinct, and it draws kings to the radiance of our dawn. We are unique, and to manifest this uniqueness, we must nurture both meditation and imagination. Our imagination attracts the power of God. The meditation of our heart is important. That is why David says, “Let the mediation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight”. It doesn’t talk about the sinful thoughts. It’s about thinking the thoughts that God has for us. We must meditate on the truth of God contrary to what the physical realities would tell us. Jesus said, “And you will know the truth, and that truth will set you free.” (John 8:32) “IF WE MEDITATE ON THE TRUTH, THE TRUTH WILL SET US FREEIF WE MEDITATE ON THE FACT, THE FACT WILL DESTROY US.” Out of the twelve spies, ten meditated on the fact and spoke the fact and made all the assembly of people accept the fact. In contrast, Joshua and Caleb denied the fact. Similarly, when Abraham though knowing his wife’s barrenness and his own old age, considered not the facts but embraced the truth of what God had promised him. This transformation in our mindset is attainable only through meditation, consistently infusing what God has spoken into our
28
Oct
Preparation for Breakthrough in Prayer
As a church, we are called to engage in offensive prayer to pull down strongholds and proclaim the victory of Jesus Christ by challenging every authority. We are called to join in this agenda to prepare for the great things that God has in store for us. All the remarkable events we witness are a result of waiting in the presence of God as the Word says that those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength and mount up with wings like eagles. (Isaiah 40:31) Consistency Matters Consistency holds great significance in prayer. It involves a regular routine. Think of a mother hen diligently incubating her eggs, providing constant warmth and protection. Deviating from this care, even for just a day, can result in the spoilage of theegg. Similarly, we must consistently be under the shadow of the Almighty. We are a spirit living in this body with a soul. As we wait in the presence of God, we are shutting down the senses of our body and we are allowing our spirit to become effervescent. It’s as if our spirit is confined within the body, like an effervescent substance without water, trapped in an airtight container, lacking vitality and power. The flesh is often full of anxiety, tension, plans and strategies and our spirit is squeezed into it. However, as we wait in the presence of God, it’s as though water is poured into the container, causing our spirit to be effervescent. It rises like incense, connecting with God. Our spirit is inside our bodies loaded with worry and stress that we do not have time to think about the vision, dreams and prophecies. It has become the least forgotten thing. But when we wait, the Holy Spirit acts like the water mingling with our spirit triggering effervescence. This dynamic interaction empowers us to pursue God’s promises. We can only articulate these promises when we have the spiritual strength to do so. Without such strength, our attention is consumed by our problems, and God’s promises remain neglected. Instead of the promises, we would be talking only about our problems. But when we wait upon the Lord, we may tend to think about the problem for some time but eventually, the Holy Spirit goes deep into us and understands our call and promises and brings it out to put it in our mind. We begin to imagine, dream and connect to that promise and we would be transformed even in the midst of fear, sickness and problems. We would be able to think about the promises subconsciously. Conversely, when we lose touch with the power of the Holy Spirit, these promises recede into the background, and our problems take center stage. That is why consistency is important. We have to be consistent in prayer so that we can receive the power of the Holy Spirit aligning our dreams, visions, and imaginations with God’s promises and His destined path for us. REJOICE ALWAYS “Rejoice always,” 1 Thessalonians 5:16 “Rejoice always” doesn’t refer to mere happiness. Happiness comes based on the happenings but joy is based on the power of the promise of God in us. When we think of the promise, we will sense joy if we have the power of the Holy Spirit in us. PRAY WITHOUT CEASING “Pray continually,” 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Praying without ceasing doesn’t mean that we have to kneel and pray or speak in tongues continuously. Instead, it is maintaining the awareness of the Spirit of God or a continuous sense of God-consciousness. This awareness signifies that we recognize God as being with us at all times, and it cannot be created through our conscious mind. Oftentimes, when we encounter challenges, we might attempt to consciously focus on and believe in God’s promises with our mind. However, the genuine connection with God’s presence resides in our subconscious mind. We cannot be happy or peaceful by our conscious efforts. It comes spontaneously. It’s a subconscious emotion based on many conscious things. Similarly, prayer is a subconscious connection that we feel that someone is close to us always. We develop that feeling by waiting upon the Lord. For example, when we pray in the right atmosphere our spirit connects with God, and this connection can persist until the following day. During this time, we experience God’s presence, a profound sense of joy, and increased confidence. However, the adversary, in the form of worries and tensions, often challenges this connection, causing it to weaken. When we return to God’s presence, we find renewal and regain our spiritual strength. By consistently doing it, we accumulate the strength needed to conquer the battles we face. Jesus asked Peter to walk on water. As long as Peter maintained his connection with Jesus, he was able to walk on water. However, when he allowed himself to be distracted by the wind and waves, he lost that connection, and the miracle ceased. This shows the significance of consistency. In our daily lives, we encounter challenges in various aspects such as work and family, which can lead to a loss of connection with God. However, it’s essential not to become disheartened or discouraged. Each time we return to the presence of God, we become stronger, day by day. Ultimately, we reach a point where we are undefeatable. GIVE THANKS “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 “All things work together for good to those who love God” offers a reason for us to give thanks. Regardless of thecircumstances, no matter what obstacles the devil may throw our way, we can trust that God will transform every challenge into a stepping stone for our advancement. When we wholeheartedly believe in the presence of God’s power with us, we have the ability to take whatever the devil throws at us, bundle it up, and elevate ourselves, using it as a foundation for progress. This process is essentially a way to turn adversity into