Army of the Dawn (Day 4) - Rick Joyner on The Jim Bakker Show

Watch here: Army of the Dawn (Day 4) - Rick Joyner on The Jim Bakker Show

Rick Joyner, MorningStar Ministries

Rick Joyner

Jim Bakker Show 2016 | Show# 2945 | Aired on March 7, 2016

Hebrews, I Corinthians, I Peter, II Peter, Matthew

Jim Bakker Show © 2016 • Morningside Studios

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Do Your Natural Actions Line Up With Your Faith? - KATHY DEGRAW CHARISMA MAGAZINE

Do Your Natural Actions Line Up With Your Faith?

 2/17/2016 KATHY DEGRAW  charisma magazine

If something stands in the way of your victory over trials and tribulations, declare your faith in the name of Jesus! (iStock photo )

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Jesus said when healing the blind man, "What do you want Me to do for you?" (Mark 10:36).

I believe Jesus is modeling the power of our words. All through the Bible it talks about the spoken word. The Bible tells us to speak to our mountain (Mark 11:23), that death and life are in the power of the tongue (Prov. 18:21) and to call things that are not as if they are (Rom. 4:17).

We need to align our words and actions with our faith. When Jesus went to heal a man, He said, "Stretch out your hand" (Mark 3:5). That man did a prophetic action. He aligned his faith with a natural action by stretching out his hand. Jesus was putting this man's faith to action, a prophetic action.

Another time Jesus went to heal, he made the man speak out what He wanted. The blind man said, "That I may receive my sight." The words "that I may receive my sight" were a declaration. He was declaring and speaking into the spiritual atmosphere what He wanted to see manifest in the natural realm. There is power in our words!

The Word says, "You will also declare a matter, and it will be established unto you" (Job 22:28). I believe that will happen when it is in alignment with God's will, and we can see what His will is by reading the Scriptures. The blind man didn't say, "Please pray for my eyes. I want to see." He declared out what he wanted: "that I may receive my sight!"

This reminds me of a time I was diagnosed with needing a root canal and a crown. I thought, "Really, God, I know of a better way to spend $2,000 of Your money." I stood in faith for a few months to receive my healing. In fact, when the dentist diagnosed it, I said, "How long do I have?" He said, "What?" I said, "How long do I have, because I am going to pray and my God is going to heal me." I declared and spoke to my mountain, which was my tooth and commanded it to be healed in Jesus' name.  

I did go up to receive healing prayer one day, but instead of asking for prayer, I spoke out as a declaration what I wanted. I said, I have been diagnosed as needing a root canal and I am expecting God to heal me so that I don't need the procedure. I claimed what I expected to see manifest. I laid hands on my mouth and said, "Root be recreated, and inflammation, go in Jesus' name." I spoke to every element associated with my diagnosis and believed by faith I would see the manifestation of my healing.

I did receive my healing, verified by three tests and one x-ray that said I didn't need a root canal! Glory to God! I had to take the prophetic action and speak it out, like Jesus made the blind man.

Speak out! What do you want Jesus to do for you? Where do you need a miracle? What do you need to believe God for? Where do you need to take an action in the natural to have it line up with what God wants to do for you?

Put your natural circumstance into a prophetic proclamation and believe for your situation to change.

Kathy DeGraw is the founder of DeGraw Ministries, a prophetic ministry releasing the love and power of God, igniting people in the prophetic and releasing people from emotional bondage. She's passionate about teaching people the power of prayer through declaring. She speaks at conferences and travels hosting evangelistic love tours. She has written her own prophetic and deliverance training manuals in order to assist other ministries. She is the founder of Change into Colorless, an anti-racism corporation and co-pastors a church. Kathy is the author of Spiritual Warfare Declarations, A Worship Woven Life, Time to Set the Captives Free, and Flesh, Satan or God. Connect with Kathy at degrawministries.org.

For a limited time, we are extending our celebration of the 40th anniversary of Charisma. As a special offer, you can get 40 issues of Charisma magazine for only $40!

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How to Regard Trials as Pure Joy - R.T. KENDALL CHARISMA MAGAZINE

How to Regard Trials as Pure Joy

2/14/2016 R.T. KENDALL  charisma magazine

Here's how you can turn your trials into pure joy. (Lightstock )

How are we to regard trials as pure joy? Only by sufficient motivation.

In Moses' case it was because of the reward he believed would be his later (See Hebrews 11:24-26). It was even what motivated Jesus. Imagine that! It was the joy that lay ahead that kept Him going (Hebrews 12:2). He was not enjoying the cross, not for a second. But it was because of the great joy that was going to His that He was able to endure the cross. He considered it pure joy because pure joy was coming. And it came!

James tells us, therefore, that trials are a good thing—if we have a positive attitude toward them when they come. He certainly doesn't say we will enjoy them. Instead, we endure them. But we regard the thought of them as pure joy because of what these trials can do for us. They are, says Peter, more precious than gold (1 Pet. 1:7).

The greater the suffering, the greater the anointing. If it is anointing you want, then expect suffering. If it is a great anointing you want, anticipate great suffering at some stage. The anointing is the power of the Holy Spirit to make us do what we do with ease and without fatigue.

The main reason for burnout and fatigue is almost certainly because someone has gone beyond his anointing; he went outside it rather than functioning within it. It was because he could not accept the limits of his ability. None of us can do everything, but to the person who is not content with the anointing or gift that he or she has, there will be trouble ahead.

It is humbling to accept our limits, but there is considerable joy and peace in doing so, not to mention an increase of anointing. We can pray for a greater anointing—namely, an ability to do what we previously could not do in our own strength—but until that anointing has come, we must accept the limits of our faith and ability.

I myself would prefer a greater anointing than anything. It is literally what I want most in the entire world. In a word: more of God. This way, I can achieve all He wants of me. He never promotes us to the level of our incompetence. As long as we are content with the calling He has chosen for us, we will live and move at the level He has seen fit to give us.

This is partly what is meant when the psalmist said, "He chose our inheritance for us" (Ps. 47:4). It can be a testing in itself when we come to terms with His determination of what talent He has decided to give us. We may envy another's anointing. It is the way Peter felt when told how he would die, and all he could apparently think of is how John would die. Jesus replied, in so many words, "That's none of your business—just follow Me and quit looking over your shoulder." (See John 21:18-23).

A.W. Tozer used to say that we could have as much of God as we want. When I first came across this comment, I disagreed. But now I know what he meant. We do not prove how much we want of God merely by the intense desire at the moment. We prove it by how we react to circumstances in life, and the opportunities given to us to do such things dignify the trials He hands us on our silver platter.

When we are content with the anointing God chose for us, we do what we are called to do without fatigue. "I can do everything through him who gives me strength" (Phil. 4:13). When I become mentally and emotionally fatigued in what I am doing, it is a fairly strong hint that I have chosen to move outside my anointing and what God specifically asked me to do. As long as I do what He called me to do and no more, I will not be edging toward burnout.

And yet I would like to have more anointing than I have! This is a legitimate desire because Paul told us to desire earnestly the greater gifts (1 Cor. 12:31). God will answer this request so long as it is sought with His glory in mind; He will answer the request if it is His will (1 John 5:14), God will consequently supply the need for this by granting the necessary anointing required for what I am called to do.

If, then, it is a greater anointing I truly want, and I wake up with one big enormous trial before me, I should grasp it with both hands! I must consider this pure joy! This is because the trial is a fairly strong hint from the Lord Jesus that I am going to receive the anointing for which I long. He knows what I want more than anything, so if He sends a trial or testing my way, then I have every reason to believe that the anointing I long for is coming—if I dignify the trial at hand.

James sees a time ahead for the person who dignifies the trial that will bring indescribable peace, the highest level of anointing, the soul uncluttered by greed, and a heart filled with the very presence of God. It is pure joy.

In other words, if you consider a trial to be pure joy, it will lead you to pure joy. Count it pure joy, call it pure joy, regard the trial as pure joy, and one day you will experience pure joy for yourself. I promise it!

Adapted from Pure Joy by R. T. Kendall, copyright 2015, published by Charisma House. The Christian faith promises inexpressible and glorious joy. This book will show you the difference between trials and temptations and how trials can lead you to joy. It will help you experience the four levels of joy and see how you can receive God's gift of gladness in every trial. To order your copy click here.

Prayer Power for the Week of February 14, 2016

Although you can't avoid trials in this life, determine this week to ask the Lord to help you "dignify the trial" when it comes and count it as "pure joy." Bring your thoughts and feelings into agreement with the Word of God and cry out for His grace (enabling power) to help you to do all things, even give thanks in the midst of your most challenging circumstances. Ask the Lord to show you ways in which you can meet needs, share love and be a blessing to others who are hurting and suffering loss. Continue to pray for the nation and worldwide revival (1 Thess. 5:18).

For a limited time, we are extending our celebration of the 40th anniversary of Charisma. As a special offer, you can get 40 issues of Charisma magazine for only $40!

NEW from CHARISMA: Do you want to encounter the Holy Spirit and hear God speak to you? Increase your faith, discover freedom, and draw near to God! Click Here

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Love of the Truth - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Love of the Truth

Now Think On This

Steve Martin

“For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.

The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” (2 Thessalonians 2:7-10 (NKJV)

In a classic quote many of you have heard spoken on the big screen, from over 20 years ago in the movie, A Few Good Men (1992), Col. Nathan R. Jessep (Jack Nicholson) responded to the fierce questioning of military lawyer Lt. Daniel Kaffee's (Tom Cruise) with this outburst, “You can’t handle the truth!”

Seems like it was a prophetic word recorded back then, as in today’s world truth is what many would consider is whatever you want it to be. Because the one foundational, solid, eternal Word of God has been rejected and replaced with man’s contemporary knowledge, whatever you say, whenever you say it, is now taken as the “gospel truth”, whether it is or not. Many times it is simply a lie.

As the Gospel has been watered down in many assemblies on each Sunday morning, lack of knowing the truth has left a void for anything solid on which to stand on. Therefore, as the tide rolls in and rolls out, as public opinion goes, so does the beach sand on which it flows over.

In Matthew 7:24-27 there are two foundations which Jesus describes, as He graphically reveals what will result, when each building choice is challenged. Did we build on the solid rock or sand?

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. 

Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”

Jesus clearly states that rejection of truth, found only in His word, will result in a great fall, when the times of testing come for each person. Either from lack of knowledge or from an earlier specific choice that was made, what happens in each trial experienced will prove the existence of faith in the Son or not.

Our Lord says that each foundation will be tested. Our “house”, that which consists of our spirit, soul and body, will either stand or fall apart, based on decisions we made in the building process, to do our own thing, go the way of the world, or choose the solid truth of the Almighty God’s written Word, as found in the Bible.

Those who had chosen to love the truth will have the ability to withstand the wearing down that comes in trials. Their bedrock faith will be revealed, while even growing more, through those testing times.

Love of the truth will protect us from unrighteous deception, lying wonders, and acts of Satan. We will be able to see through the fog that others have allowed to cover them. We will be able to know what is counterfeit, and what is true. Our discernment will be sharp.

I encourage you to go deeper in your pursuit in getting to know Him Who is Faithful and Ture. Hearing Yeshua’s voice, reading His Word, receiving sound teaching, and walking in obedience will keep your heart, mind and spirit prepared to challenge the lies of the enemy that come daily.

We will especially need to know God’s biblical truth in order to resist falsehood and stand strong in these end times.

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

  

P.S. I would be most grateful if you'd share this encouraging word with your family and friends. They might need it. You can easily use the social media icons below. Thanks! Steve

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Todah rabah! (Hebrew – Thank you very much.)

Love For His People, Inc. is a charitable, not-for-profit USA humanitarian organization started in 2010 to share the love of the Father in the nations.

Email: loveforhispeople@gmail.com  

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Now Think On This - In the year of our Lord 12.05.15 - #216, “Love of the Truth ” – Saturday at 6:30 am in Charlotte, NC.

All previous editions of Now Think On This can be found on this Blog, and on the website: Now Think On This

Again, I would be most grateful if you'd share this encouraging word with your family and friends. You can easily use the social media icons below. Thanks! Steve

Sharing Love From Sweden - "In the Storm" by Eva Haglund

IN THE STORM

In this life on earth we have not been promised as Christians to live without being in difficulties sometimes. That is like a film but not reality. Many times fruit can come out of difficulties. 

When we are in difficulties we sometimes draw nearer to God and seek Him more then we would do otherwise. Sometimes in pain it forms us for a burden for things to do. Thoughts and visions, can also be born in pain. People who sing or write poems sometimes do so in the valley. 

God also can  use difficulties to form our character. We can learn things for help when we meet other people needing our counsel. If we have suffered in one way we can learn to see others who suffer in the same way and know how to meet them. In Isaiah 53:11 is written, "He shall see the labor of his soul and be satisfied.".

When Jesus suffered for us He saw fruit. When we have suffered we can see fruit that will be used in help for other people.  Sometimes we can feel abandoned but we are not abandoned in difficulties. Our names are written in His hands and He is so close. God is a refuge and we are under His wings. When we feel alone we can seek the Lord more and learn to know Him more as our Friend. God can give back in relations about friendship.

We can read in Job that Job went through a test of his faith in the difficulties in Job 1. The devil wanted Job to leave God when he faced many trials but he refused. Job's wife wanted him to curse God in the difficulty. She said in Job 2:9  "Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!" But Job did not listen to her. In the end after the test he got back. 

Joseph also suffered also very much. He was hated by his brothers, sold and in a prison, though innocent for years. But he never left God and God gave him back.

In Isaiah 61:7 we see,  "Instead of your shame you will have double honor." We can get double back.

When we feel weak we can think about that God is our strength. In Ps 66: 10 is written about God testing us, "For you, O God have tested us, you have refined us as silver is refined" and in verse 12 "We went through fire and through water but You brought us out to rich fulfillment." God can bring us out of everything.

In Isaiah 43:2 we see "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. And through the rivers, they shall not owerflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned. Nor shall the flame scorch you." God protects you from getting drowned and burned in fire but also when you walk through difficulties. At times we can feel like a fire that we will go through, as did the Israelites also went through the sea and came to the other side. But God was with them and they survived.

We need to stand on  God's  promises in the Bible in different situations.  It is written in Isaiah 54:10 "For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but My kindness shall not depart from you. Nor shall My covenant of peace be removed, says the Lord who has mercy on you." It can feel like this  for us in a difficulty, but then God is with us and His grace has not left us, but His covenant of peace shall not be moved, nor His mercy. He is with us and can help us. 

David also went through different trials and not always an easy way. When he was with the sheep he could feel alone but he drew near to God and it was a strength to worship Him. He learned to take care of the sheep not just when it was easy but to protect them from animals who were dangerous. God prepared him for other things ahead of him and difficulties, too.

When we follow Christ we can meet persecution. In Luke 5:22 is written "Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your name as evil for the Son of Man`s sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, for in like manner their fathers did to the prophets." We get a reward in heaven if we are persecuted for His name`s sake.

Rev. 2:10 says "Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life." Paul went through many difficulties. He was beaten and stoned. He knew what it was to go through sufferings. We can also have spiritual attacks and pressure.

 I think we are in a time where there can come more persecutions but also in a time when there will be more strong things from God. God as Person is most important and I think we will see more worship and more of His power. I think when we are in the storm we need to rejoice in the Lord. When it is tough we need to worship. Worship is a help when it is tough.

In Acts 16:25 we can read: "But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them." We understand that they were singing to Jesus when they were in prison. It was a strength. We can also see in the text that after this was an earthquake and the foundations of the prison were shaken. Spiritual things happen when we worship, when we lift up Jesus and He is in the center.

I also have noticed that when you are in the storm that you feel better when you dance to Him. I love to dance to God and I think it is a help when it is tough. In Psalm 140:2 is written "Let Israel rejoice in their Maker. Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. Let them praise His name with the dance." Here we can learn to rejoice in God. The text say that dance can be a way to praise God. It is worshiping God with the body.

When we are in  storms in life it is important to read the Word, which is our daily Bread. We can stand on God's promises in His Word. His Word is steady, more than the mountains and strong like a fire. It is good to speak His Word loud  in the "stormy weather." In the difficulties we need to take time with God. It is good to learn to know His voice and it needs time with Him. When we read the Word much and learn to know God more as a person that it is easier to hear  His voice inside. God also speaks to us reading the Bible. There is also an audio Bible some listen to. We need the Word in difficulties. 

There is also much comfort in the Bible and we need these words of comfort. In Ps 23:4 we read,

"Yeah, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me, Your rod and Your staff they comfort me." In 1 Cor:3 we also read that God is a God of comfort.  

It is important to know that Jesus loves us so much in our different situations. His name means salvation. He can help us in  difficulties. He who receives Jesus/Yeshua receives Him with a name who means salvation. It is salvation for eternity in His name. It means hope.

When we are in the valley it is good to read about Jesus' sufferings. It shows how much Jesus suffered for us because of His love. He also knows what it is to be badly treated. He was badly treated for us. He went through this suffering by free will for us. It is good when we suffer to know that Jesus was scourged for us because He loves us so much. He also was abandoned by people as we as human beings can experience. He suffered because of His love and felt the deepest pain of rejection at the cross for us. He loves us so much and this is important to know in the storm.  He was crucified in deep pain because of His love to us.

He showed us how to show love for each other. John 15:12-13 "This is My commandment that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this than to lay down one`s life for his friends." It is written in the Bible to carry each other's burdens. We need each other also in the stormy weather. Jesus is a Friend who is close in things. We read in Romans 8 that nothing can separate us from His love.

To believe in Jesus/Yeshua  means hope in eternity for people. He is our hope.

Eva Haglund

What Is Your Itch? - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

What Is Your Itch?

- Now Think On This

by Steve Martin

“But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.” 2 Thess. 3:13 NKJV

 “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” Gal. 6:9 NKJV


Day in and day out. Sometimes the mundane gets to be too mundane, and we wonder how we are going to keep on keeping on. Doing that which we know to do can get wearisome, but we do know we have to keep doing it.

Faithfulness coming from within, empowered by His Holy Spirit, enables us to keep going, even when we don’t have the strength – mentally, spiritually, physically and emotionally. We can be thankful the Holy Spirit, empowering us from within, is there as our Helper. He was sent by the Father to be with us in our walk up the mountain of life.

Have you ever wondered why you get an itch? A continual irritation that doesn’t seem to go away, and it causes you to give attention to it when you’d rather not have that issue to deal with?

One simple example comes to mind, and I share this illustration because many of you also have a pet. Our mini Dachshund Zoe, going on eight years old now, either has a skin rash, an allergy, or whatever that irritation is that has continually caused her to itch all the time. Day, night – it doesn’t matter. Not only is it annoying and bothering her, but it has become that to us also.

I watch my good wife Laurie do all she can to stop the irritation that keeps causing Zoe to keep having to scratch the itch – a daily bath with medicated shampoo, prescription pills, rubbing lotion on the red area – yet nothing seems to stop it. It has been a daily, wearisome task for a long time now. But Laurie has been faithfully doing all she knows to do to. She has been very diligent in heeding advice, researching causes and remedies. By God’s grace she will eventually prevail. Her faithfulness in this regard will be rewarded with an “itch-free” dog! Yeah!

Zoe - don't you just love that face??!!

Both you and I have things in our lives that itch. They cause irritation needing our attention. We’d rather be spending energy and focus on other things having more pleasurable moments, but these “itches” are not going to go away if we don’t pay attention to them.

So what is the point in all this?

I like how Paul gives us a clear perspective on how to approach these matters that we face and must deal with, whether we like it or not.

“These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever.” 2 Cor. 4:17-18 (THE MESSAGE)

Here is another version of 2 Corinthians 4:17-18, from the New American Standard Bible, “For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

Living 40, 50, 60 years is a very small time compared to the length of eternity, for time there has no end. We can’t fathom that, but at least we can comprehend that this time, on this planet, with its many trials, temptations and “itches”, is nothing compared to that time with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Keeping this firmly implanted in our brains and hearts will help us overcome that which will come our way. These light afflictions, or hard times, will come to an end. With the help of Ruach Hakodesh, the Holy Spirit given to us since Pentecost, He will see us through.

Be blessed with the itches, knowing that they are only temporary. You are made to be an overcomer, and so you shall. Be blessed in keeping faithful to the end.

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

Love For His People. Inc.

Love For His People, Inc. is a charitable, not-for-profit USA humanitarian organization started in 2010 to share the love of the Father in the nations.

If these messages minister to you, please consider sending a charitable gift of $5-$25 today, and maybe each month, to help us bless families we know in Israel, whom we consistently help through our humanitarian ministry. Your tax deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation. Fed. ID #27-1633858.

Go here for safe ONLINE GIFT GIVING THROUGH OUR WEBSITE using major credit cards: Love For His People If you don't have a PayPal account you can also use your credit card or bank account (where available). 

Contribution checks can be sent to: 

Love For His People, Inc.  P.O. Box414   Pineville, NC 28134

Todah rabah! (Hebrew – Thank you very much.)

Please share Now Think On This with your friends.

Email: loveforhispeople@gmail.com  

martinlighthouse@gmail.com

Facebook pages: Steve Martin and  Love For His People  

Twitter: martinlighthous, LovingHisPeople 

Blogs: Love For His People,   Now Think On This

Full website: Love For His People

YouTube: Love For His People Inc.

Now Think On This #154 “What Is Your Itch?” by Steve Martin 

Date: In the year of our Lord 2014 (06.08.14) Sunday at 8 am in Charlotte, NC.

All previous editions of Now Think On This can be found on this Blog, and on our newest website: Now Think On This

How Trials Can Help You Fall More in Love With Jesus BY JOHN BEVERE

(lusi/rgbstock.com)

How Trials Can Help You Fall More in Love With Jesus

3/3/2014 BY JOHN BEVERE  CHARISMA MAGAZINE

We grow in the tough times, not the easy times. Hard places will always come in our journey with the Lord. We cannot escape them but need to face them, for they are part of the process of becoming perfect in Him. If you choose to run from them, you will seriously hinder your growth.

As you overcome different obstacles, you will be stronger and more compassionate. You will fall more in love with Jesus. If you have come out of hardships and do not feel this way, you have probably not recovered from offense. Recovery is your choice. Some people get hurt and never recover. As cruel as this may sound, it was their choice.

Jesus learned obedience by the things He suffered. Peter learned obedience by the things he suffered. Paul learned obedience by the things he suffered. What about you? Have you learned? Or are you hard, calloused, cold, bitter and resentful? Then you did not learn obedience.

Yes, it’s true that there are some offenses that will not go away like “water off a duck’s back.” You will have to work through them, striving to get free. But in that process you will grow and mature.

Maturity does not come easily. If it did, all would attain it. Few reach this level of life because of the resistance they face. There’s resistance because the course of our society is not godly but selfish. The world is dominated by the “prince of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:2).

As a result, to enter into the maturity of Christ there will be hardships that come from standing against the flow of selfishness.

Paul had returned to three cities where he birthed churches. His purpose was to strengthen the souls of the disciples. However, it is interesting to see how he strengthened them. He encouraged them by “exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, ‘We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God’ ” (Acts 14:22).

He did not promise them a life of ease. He did not promise them success according to the world’s standards. He showed them that if they were going to finish their course with joy, they were going to meet up with much resistance that he called tribulation.

If you are rowing on a river against the current, you will have to row continuously in order to progress against the flow of the river. If you stop rowing and relax, you will eventually flow with the current. Even so, when we are determined to go God’s way we will meet up many tribulations. The trials will all show the answer to one main question: Are you going to look out for yourself as the world does, or are you going to live a self-denied life?

Remember that when we lose our life for the sake of Jesus, we will find His life. Learn to fix your focus on the end result, not the struggle.

Peter put it so well: “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy” (1 Peter 4:12-13).

Notice that he compares the extent of suffering to the extent of rejoicing. How can you rejoice to that extent? When His glory is revealed, you will be glorified with Him. This glorifying is to the degree that you allow Him to perfect His character within you. So don’t look at the offense. Look at the coming glory. Hallelujah!

Adapted from The Bait of Satan: Living Free from the Deadly Trap of Offense by John Bevere, copyright 2014. This best-selling book first published in 1994 exposes one of the most deceptive snares Satan uses to get believers out of the will of God—offense. With declaration-style prayers and testimonials from people whose lives have been changed by this message, this book will inspire you to stay free from offense and its destructive power. To order your copy click here.

PRAYER POWER FOR THE WEEK OF 03/03/2014

This week fix your focus on the end results of your faith and not the struggle. Declare that you will rejoice even in your trials, tribulations and suffering as you look to the revelation of His glory and the perfecting of His character within you. Continue to pray that God’s people would unite in prayer and purpose, revival would sweep through the nation, and that the Lord of the harvest would send more laborers into His harvest fields. Remember those suffering from the ravages of the weather and ask God how you can be a blessing to them. Pray for Israel’s continued protection and that it would fulfill God’s plan and purpose. Remember the persecuted church and pray for those in authority over you. 2 Chron. 7:14; Acts 14:22; 1 Peter 4:12-13.

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