Shalom,

Today I simply want to share, again, from Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional. I learned so much from these as a young believer and today's is one of the best lessons!

Strengthened

"The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" (Psalm 27:1).

"Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed" (Romans 9:33).
The language of faith says:

I can do all things in Christ. The Lord strengthens me. I cannot be conquered. I cannot be defeated. If a natural force comes against me, it can't defeat me, because there aren't enough natural forces in all the world that could conquer the Christ who dwells within me!

Greater is He who is in me, than he who is in the world. I am fortified from within. I've learned how to put Christ to work for me and in me. I have, dwelling in me, the Spirit of God who raised Jesus from the dead! I have God's wisdom, strength, and ability in me. I'm learning how to let that wisdom govern my intellect. I'm letting God speak through my lips. I'm daring to think God's thoughts after Him.

He is the strength of my life, whom shall I fear? God has made me greater than my enemies. God has enabled me to put my heel on the neck of weakness, fear, and inability. I stand and declare that whosoever believeth in Him shall not be put to shame. Therefore, I cannot be put to shame.

Confession: (Make up your own confession from today's scriptures and faith thoughts.)

AMEN! The instructions in the confessioon for today is exactly what we each need to do in order to walk in the fulness of all that God has prepared for us! We must first of all KNOW what He has proomised us in His Word and then we must OWN it! Meditate (Joshua 1:8 AMP) until you KNOW that you KNOW what the Word says, and then speak it with authority over your life and the lives of your loved ones! Here, to encourage you in this, is Hillsong with "Say The Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I have awlays loved this testimony from Kenneth E. Hagin in today's "Faith Food" deovtional concerning worry!

I Can

"I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13).

Many years have come and gone since I cast my cares upon the Lord, and although I will confess that I've been sorely tempted, I have not worried. I have not fretted. I have not had the blues. I have not been discouraged, no matter what. (Some people said I didn't have enough sense to worry. But, thank God, I had too much Bible-sense to worry!)

Worry was the most difficult sin for me to give up. Worry is the greatest temptation you will ever face too. But you can resist it. And you must.

Your worst enemy is the flesh. The flesh and natural human reasoning would limit you to your own ability. You look at the circumstances, influences, problems, cares, tests, storms, and winds, and you say, "I can't."

The language of doubt, the flesh, the senses, and the devil is, "I can't. I don't have the ability, the opportunity, or the strength. I'm limited."

But the language of faith says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Confession: I can! I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

AMEN! I LOVE this verse from that Amplified Bible!

13 I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency].

HALLELUJAH! This IS how God sees us operating! Let's go for it and watch what only HE can do! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "So Will I":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I really identify with today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers.

The Overmastering Majesty Of Personal Power

For the love of Christ constraineth us. — 2 Corinthians 5:14

Paul says he is overruled, overmastered, held as in a vice, by the love of Christ. Very few of us know what it means to be held in a grip by the love of God; we are held by the constraint of our experience only. The one thing that held Paul, until there was nothing else on his horizon, was the love of God. “The love of Christ constraineth us” — when you hear that note in a man or woman, you can never mistake it. You know that the Spirit of God is getting unhindered way in that life.

When we are born again of the Spirit of God, the note of testimony is on what God has done for us, and rightly so. But the baptism of the Holy Ghost obliterates that for ever, and we begin to realize what Jesus meant when He said — “Ye shall be witnesses unto Me.” Not witnesses to what Jesus can do — that is an elementary witness — but “witnesses unto Me.” We will take everything that happens as happening to Him, whether it be praise or blame, persecution or commendation. No one can stand like that for Jesus Christ who is not constrained by the majesty of His personal power. It is the only thing that matters, and the strange thing is that it is the last thing realised by the Christian worker. Paul says he is gripped by the love of Christ; that is why he acts as he does. Men may call him mad or sober, but he does not care; there is only one thing he is living for, and that is to persuade men of the judgment seat of God, and of the love of Christ. This abandon to the love of Christ is the one thing that bears fruit in the life, and it will always leave the impression of the holiness and of the power of God, never of our personal holiness.

AMEN! Here are  Hillsong Kids with "As The World Shakes":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share from Kenneth E. Hagin's "Health Food" devotional. 

The Ministry of Jesus

And he [Jesus] could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. (Mark 6:5)

Many people are healed by a mutual faith - by their faith and the faith of whoever is ministering to them. Most people are healed by knowing and receiving for themselves what the Word of God says. You see, that's the way the majority of people were healed under the ministry of Jesus.

Some people say, "Oh, if only I could have been there when Jesus was on the earth, I would have been healed because everybody always got healed under His ministry, regardless of their faith."

A person who says that has never read the Bible very closely. Mark 6:5 in the Greek reads that Jesus could do no mighty work except lay His hands on a few sick people with minor ailments. Those are the only ones who got healed under the ministry of Jesus in His hometown of Nazareth.

Well, why didn't others get healed? Let's look at the next verse. "And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching" (Mark 6:6). The reason they failed to get healed was because of their unbelief.

So what did Jesus do? He went about their cities and villages teaching in their synagogues. He began to teach, because faith comes by hearing, and hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17).

Confession

I can be healed by simply knowing and receiving what the Word of God says - that healing belongs to me. I receive healing based on the Word of God.

The reason that many people fail to receive their healing is that they are depending on the faith of someone else instead of truly believing that the Word of God will bring that same faith to them! Find out what the Word of God has to say about health and healing, then meditate on those TRUTHS until they rise up inside of you with the faith that cannot be denied! Remember, Jesus never refused to heal anyone, but always said: "Your faith has made you whole."! Here is Hillsong with "You Are Life":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We read Psalm 33 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today. Look at verses 6-9:

6 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all their host by the breath of His mouth. 7 He gathers the waters of the sea as in a bottle; He puts the deeps in storage places. 8 Let all the earth fear the Lord [revere and worship Him]; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. 9 For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.

I LOVE this! The instruction is given to the entire earth to fear (revere and worship) the Lord and to stand in awe of Him! He is the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible! The God of all creation! The God of our Salvation! He warrants our complete worship, devotion and allegiance even if He had never done anything for us personally because HE IS! But then we see what He will do for those who DO put Him first place! Verses 18-22:

18 Behold, the Lord’s eye is upon those who fear Him [who revere and worship Him with awe], who wait for Him and hope in His mercy and loving-kindness, 19 To deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. 20 Our inner selves wait [earnestly] for the Lord; He is our Help and our Shield. 21 For in Him does our heart rejoice, because we have trusted (relied on and been confident) in His holy name. 22 Let Your mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord, be upon us, in proportion to our waiting and hoping for You.

AMEN! While you Worship together today, meditate on this AWESOME GOD Who loves us with His everlasting, all-consuming, never failing LOVE! Then sing THIS song, by Hillsong, called "What A Beautiful Name":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I want to share some very powerful verses from our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan  for today! The first are found in Psalm 32:10-11: 

10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but he who trusts in, relies on, and confidently leans on the Lord shall be compassed about with mercy and with loving-kindness. 11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you [uncompromisingly] righteous [you who are upright and in right standing with Him]; shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

Notice that it is a forgone conclusion from the Word of God that the wicked, who sometimes SEEM to be getting all of the favor and recognition and prosperity BUT, we are told here, WE, when we rely on and lean on the Lord our God, will be surrounded by God's MERCY and LOVINGKINDNESS! So, let's be obedient here and REJOICE in the Lord and SHOUT FOR JOY! Amen! 

Then in Acts 4 we see the disciples bringing healing to a lame man and, of course, the religious leaders were NOT happy about that! They detained them and questioned them. I LOVE Peter's answer to to them on how the man came to be healed! Verses 9-12:

9 If we are being put on trial [here] today and examined concerning a good deed done to benefit a feeble (helpless) cripple, by what means this man has been restored to health, 10 Let it be known and understood by all of you, and by the whole house of Israel, that in the name and through the power and authority of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Whom you crucified, [but] Whom God raised from the dead, in Him and by means of Him this man is standing here before you well and sound in body. 11 This [Jesus] is the Stone which was despised and rejected by you, the builders, but which has become the Head of the corner [the Cornerstone]. 12 And there is salvation in and through no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by and in which we must be saved.

This was the same Peter who had denied that he even knew JESUS before! NOW listen to him preach! What happened? He was reborn by the Spirit of God and then, two chapters ago, he was filled with Holy Spirit and anointed with POWER from on high! HALLELUJAH! Because the religious leaders had no answer to Peter's declaration, they told them to stop using the Name of JESUS and I also LOVE their answer here! Verses 19-20:

19 But Peter and John replied to them, Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you and obey you rather than God, you must decide (judge). 20 But we [ourselves] cannot help telling what we have seen and heard.

AMEN! And they never stopped! They ran their race. They finished their course! Can WE do less? NO! Let's be actively about our Father's business and get the job done! Here is Hillsong with "No Reason To Hide":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share again from Oswald Chambers' "My Utmost For His Highest". This is a very vital message for every bron again believer!

Do You See Your Calling?

…separated to the gospel of God… —Romans 1:1

Our calling is not primarily to be holy men and women, but to be proclaimers of the gospel of God. The one all-important thing is that the gospel of God should be recognized as the abiding reality. Reality is not human goodness, or holiness, or heaven, or hell— it is redemption. The need to perceive this is the most vital need of the Christian worker today. As workers, we have to get used to the revelation that redemption is the only reality. Personal holiness is an effect of redemption, not the cause of it. If we place our faith in human goodness we will go under when testing comes.

Paul did not say that he separated himself, but “when it pleased God, who separated me…” (Galatians 1:15). Paul was not overly interested in his own character. And as long as our eyes are focused on our own personal holiness, we will never even get close to the full reality of redemption. Christian workers fail because they place their desire for their own holiness above their desire to know God. “Don’t ask me to be confronted with the strong reality of redemption on behalf of the filth of human life surrounding me today; what I want is anything God can do for me to make me more desirable in my own eyes.” To talk that way is a sign that the reality of the gospel of God has not begun to touch me. There is no reckless abandon to God in that. God cannot deliver me while my interest is merely in my own character. Paul was not conscious of himself. He was recklessly abandoned, totally surrendered, and separated by God for one purpose— to proclaim the gospel of God (see Romans 9:3).

So much of the early teaching that I received as a new believer was all about how to 'be a better Christian'. That is SO NOT what Jesus instructed His disciples to do! He sent them out to proclaim the Gospel! Why? Because, as He said Himself in Luke 19:10, He came for THIS reason:

10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.

We are sent to be the Lightbearers! To be the living witnesses of all that JESUS came and accomplished on our behalf! The only way to effectively do this is to get to know JESUS more intimately, and to do so consistently, day by day. He will lead, guide and direct us by His Spirit in all of the ways to carry out this commission that He has given us. Begin right now to get to know HIM better, and to care more that people see JESUS than what they think of you! Here is Hillsong with "King of Kings":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share from Joseph Prince's "Grace Inspirations" devotional. You can find it every day on his website!

The Teacher of All Things Is In You

John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things…

If you are asking whom or where you can go to to get the help you need, ask no more. Just turn to God who has already promised you the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom He has sent in Jesus’ name to dwell in you.

The Holy Spirit will teach you all things. Yes, teach you all things! Do you really believe that? Or are you like some who believe that you seek God’s counsel only for spiritual things, but consult “professional” help for all other things in your life?

God does not want you to run to and rely on worldly wisdom. Now, there is nothing wrong with going to a doctor or engaging a financial consultant, but God wants you to come to Him first for counsel and direction. That is why He has sent the Holy Spirit, the Counselor (see John 16:7, NIV), to teach you all things. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth and He will guide you into all truth (see John 16:13).

The apostle John said, “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things…the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things” (1 John 2:20, 27).

So the way God teaches you is through the anointing within. It is a continuous anointing. In any particular situation, He is anointing you from within, teaching you by the presence or absence of His peace.

For example, a deal you are considering may sound very reasonable. But if you don’t have the peace in your spirit, don’t sign on the dotted line. Sign only when you have the peace. Be led by His peace and you will find that your heart will not be troubled, neither will it be afraid (see John 14:27).

When you follow that peace which only God can give to you as an inward witness, good things and even miracles will come forth!

AMEN! HE always and only leads us by His Spirit and in line with HIS PEACE and JOY! Get ready to be led intimately by Holy Spirit within you! Here is Hillsong with "Here's To The One":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We read Psalm 29 today in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan and I am sharing the entire Psalm here! I LOVE this!

Psalm 29

A Psalm of David.

1 Ascribe to the Lord, O sons of the mighty, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

2 Give to the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness or in holy array.

3 The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders; the Lord is upon many (great) waters.

4 The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; yes, the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.

6 He makes them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion (Mount Hermon) like a young, wild ox.

7 The voice of the Lord splits and flashes forth forked lightning.

8 The voice of the Lord makes the wilderness tremble; the Lord shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.

9 The voice of the Lord makes the hinds bring forth their young, and His voice strips bare the forests, while in His temple everyone is saying, Glory!

10 The Lord sat as King over the deluge; the Lord [still] sits as King [and] forever!

11 The Lord will give [unyielding and impenetrable] strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.

Notice how many times this Psalm refers to the voice of the Lord! Jesus said this in John 10:27:

27 The sheep that are My own hear and are listening to My voice; and I know them, and they follow Me.

If you have received JESUS as Lord and personal Saviour, then you KNOW His voice! You have heard His voice! He speaks through through His Word and BY HIS SPIRIT IN YOU! Take time to really get used to hearing and receiving from HIS voice IN you! We, the Church of Jesus Christ, members of His family and of His body, are so blessed beyond measure and beyond God's people who lived at any other time before or after us! WE are unique in that Holy Spirit lives IN us and makes His voice known! Once you've established confidence in your ability to hear Him, then get busy obeying what He is telling you to do! Sing this song of commitment to JESUS and then as He leads you out, make those steps! AMEN! Hillsong's "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

The entire 'key' to walking by faith if found in today's "Faith Food" devotional by Kenneth E. Hagin!

Act Like It's True

"Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth" (John 17:17).

The crises of life come to all of us. If you do not know how to act on God's Word when a crisis comes, you will be at a disadvantage.

No matter what the problem is, God's Word has something to say about it. God's Word has the answer. Find out what the Word says, and act like it's true!

When someone asks the question, "What in the world are we going to do now?" Just smile and answer, "We're going to act like the Bible is true!"

Many people mentally agree that the Bible is true, but that's not enough. You must act like the Bible is true! If you know God's Word is true, and you act like it is, then it will become real in your life. You will bring God on the scene in your life!

Confession: God's Word is truth. I act like God's Word is true. I act like First John 4:4 is true. I act like Matthew 6:25-34 is true. I act like Hebrews 13:5-6 is true. I act like Philippians 4:19 is true. I act like Matthew 8:17 and First Peter 2:24 are true. I act like all the "in Him" scriptures are true. I act like it, and they are a reality in my life!

Amen and Amen! Remember, ALL of the promises of God are YES and AMEN - IN HIM (1 Corinthians 1:20)! Find the promises Hillsong with "Say The Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

David had developed such great confidence in the Lord that He sang/praised this song to HIM! Psalm 27:1-5:

1 The Lord is my Light and my Salvation—whom shall I fear or dread? The Lord is the Refuge and Stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When the wicked, even my enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. 3 Though a host encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, [even then] in this will I be confident. 4 One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek, inquire for, and [insistently] require: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord [in His presence] all the days of my life, to behold and gaze upon the beauty [the sweet attractiveness and the delightful loveliness] of the Lord and to meditate, consider, and inquire in His temple. 5 For in the day of trouble He will hide me in His shelter; in the secret place of His tent will He hide me; He will set me high upon a rock.

With this kind of condfidence it is hard to imagine that David ever had a down day or a moment of fear, but we KNOW from spending all of these years in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan that David DID grow weary sometimes and that on occasion he would feel desperate! He would always encourage himself in the Lord! WE CANN, TOO! Look at verses 13-14 show us this:

13 [What, what would have become of me] had I not believed that I would see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living! 14 Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.

Let's make it our 'determined purpose' to continually encourage ourselves in the Lord so that we never lose even a minute of effectiveness in sharing the great GOOD NEWS with everyone we come in  contact with! Here, to help you in encouraging yourself in the Lord, is Hillsong with "Here's To The One":

                                     
Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers is another one that challenges our traditional thinking and cause us to digg deeper into God's Word for the TRUTH!

Look Again and Consecrate

If God so clothes the grass of the field…, will He not much more clothe you…? —Matthew 6:30

A simple statement of Jesus is always a puzzle to us because we will not be simple. How can we maintain the simplicity of Jesus so that we may understand Him? By receiving His Spirit, recognizing and relying on Him, and obeying Him as He brings us the truth of His Word, life will become amazingly simple. Jesus asks us to consider that “if God so clothes the grass of the field…” how “much more” will He clothe you, if you keep your relationship right with Him? Every time we lose ground in our fellowship with God, it is because we have disrespectfully thought that we knew better than Jesus Christ. We have allowed “the cares of this world” to enter in (Matthew 13:22), while forgetting the “much more” of our heavenly Father.

“Look at the birds of the air…” (Matthew 6:26). Their function is to obey the instincts God placed within them, and God watches over them. Jesus said that if you have the right relationship with Him and will obey His Spirit within you, then God will care for your “feathers” too.

“Consider the lilies of the field…” (Matthew 6:28). They grow where they are planted. Many of us refuse to grow where God plants us. Therefore, we don’t take root anywhere. Jesus said if we would obey the life of God within us, He would look after all other things. Did Jesus Christ lie to us? Are we experiencing the “much more” He promised? If we are not, it is because we are not obeying the life God has given us and have cluttered our minds with confusing thoughts and worries. How much time have we wasted asking God senseless questions while we should be absolutely free to concentrate on our service to Him? Consecration is the act of continually separating myself from everything except that which God has appointed me to do. It is not a one-time experience but an ongoing process. Am I continually separating myself and looking to God every day of my life?

AMEN! Let's ALWAYS change OUR thinking to agree with God when we find oursleves differing from Him and from His Word! Remember, God is ALWAYS right!When we change our thinking to agree with Him (repentance), then we become right, also! Here is Hillsong with "So Will I":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We read Psalm 25 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan for today and I have always loved verses 4-5:

4 Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. 5 Guide me in Your truth and faithfulness and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You [You only and altogether] do I wait [expectantly] all the day long.

1 John 5:14-15 tell us that when we ask for something that is according to God's will, He hears us,  and if He hears us,  then we have what we have asked for. The above is most definitely according to His will! Ask and you shall receive, that your joy may be FULL (John 16:24)! THAT is the heart of our wonderful GOD! 

Another part of our Bible Plan reading for today that I love is Job 42:1-5:

1 Then Job said to the Lord, 2 I know that You can do all things, and that no thought or purpose of Yours can be restrained or thwarted. 3 [You said to me] Who is this that darkens and obscures counsel [by words] without knowledge? Therefore [I now see] I have [rashly] uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. 4 [I had virtually said to You what You have said to me:] Hear, I beseech You, and I will speak; I will demand of You, and You declare to me. 5 I had heard of You [only] by the hearing of the ear, but now my [spiritual] eye sees You.

Job had been having wrong ideas of how our God operates and now he saw the error of his thinking. I especially love verse 5 where Job now SEES! We also must stay in the Word of God and in the fellowship of Holy Spirit so that we, too, can say "now my spiritual eye sees YOU"! Amen! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "Whole Heart":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share again from "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers.

God’s Overpowering Purpose

I have appeared to you for this purpose… —Acts 26:16

The vision Paul had on the road to Damascus was not a passing emotional experience, but a vision that had very clear and emphatic directions for him. And Paul stated, “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision” (Acts 26:19). Our Lord said to Paul, in effect, “Your whole life is to be overpowered or subdued by Me; you are to have no end, no aim, and no purpose but Mine.” And the Lord also says to us, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go…” (John 15:16).

When we are born again, if we are spiritual at all, we have visions of what Jesus wants us to be. It is important that I learn not to be “disobedient to the heavenly vision” — not to doubt that it can be attained. It is not enough to give mental assent to the fact that God has redeemed the world, nor even to know that the Holy Spirit can make all that Jesus did a reality in my life. I must have the foundation of a personal relationship with Him. Paul was not given a message or a doctrine to proclaim. He was brought into a vivid, personal, overpowering relationship with Jesus Christ. Acts 26:16 is tremendously compelling “…to make you a minister and a witness….” There would be nothing there without a personal relationship. Paul was devoted to a Person, not to a cause. He was absolutely Jesus Christ’s. He saw nothing else and he lived for nothing else. “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2).

AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Who You Say I Am":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional for today is one of my very favorites! 

Demand

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it" (John 14:12-14).

The verses in today's text have nothing whatsoever to do with prayer. In yesterday's devotion, we saw how Jesus said to use His Name in prayer to the Father. But here we see a different use of Jesus' Name. Here, the Greek word translated "ask" can also mean "demand."

An example of this use of the Name is seen at the gate called Beautiful. Peter said to a lame man sitting at the gate, "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk" (Acts 3:6).

Jesus said, "Whatsoever you demand in My name, I will do it." Let that soak in a little. When we use the Name of Jesus, it is as though Jesus were here Himself. All the power and authority invested in Jesus, is in His Name!

You're not demanding anything of the Father. (After all, it wasn't God who had bound that lame man; it was the devil who had him bound.) No, you're demanding that the devil give way to the Name of Jesus!

Confession: The Name of Jesus belongs to me. Whatever I demand in the Name of Jesus according to God's Word, He will do it!

We MUST learn to DEMAND that the circumstances line up with the Word of God and that the eneny give way! Remember that JESUS said that ALL authority was given to HIM and that WE should then "Go therefore"! We go forth in HIS Name, with HIS authority over all the power of the enemy! Meditate on these TRUTHS until they become so real to you that doubt cannot stay! AMEN! Here is Hillsong again with "Not Today"! Another command to the enemy, putting him in his place. The one that JESUS relegated him to! 

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We are in Psalm 22 today, which is referred to as "The Psalm of the Cross" because JESUS quoted this while on the cross and because it references things that happened to JESUS while on the cross. I want to share this again in its entirety, but this time from The Passion Translation!

A Prophetic Portrait of the Cross

22 For the Pure and Shining One King David’s song of anguish
To the tune of “The Deer at the Dawning of the Day”
1 God, my God!  Why would you abandon me now?
2 Why do you remain distant, refusing to answer my tearful cries in the day
and my desperate cries for your help in the night? I can’t stop sobbing.
Where are you, my God?
3 Yet I know that you are most holy; it’s indisputable. You are God-Enthroned, surrounded with songs, living among the shouts of praise of your princely people.
4 Our fathers’ faith was in you— through the generations they trusted and believed in you and you came through.
5 Every time they cried out to you in their despair, you were faithful to deliver them;
you didn’t disappoint them.
6 But look at me now; I am like a woeful worm, crushed, and I’m bleeding crimson.
I don’t even look like a man anymore. I’ve been abused, despised, and scorned by everyone!
7 Mocked by their jeers, despised with their sneers, as all the people poke fun at me, spitting their insults,
8 saying, “Is this the one who trusted in God?  Is this the one who claims God is pleased with him? Now let’s see if your God will come to your rescue!
We’ll just see how much he delights in you!”
9 Lord, you delivered me safely from my mother’s womb. You are the one who cared for me ever since I was a baby.
10 Since the day I was born, I’ve been placed in your custody. You’ve cradled me throughout my days. I’ve trusted in you and you’ve always been my God.
11 So don’t leave me now; stay close to me! For trouble is all around me and there’s no one else to help me.
12 I’m surrounded by many violent foes; mighty forces of evil are swirling around me
who want to break me to bits and destroy me.
13 Curses pour from their mouths! They’re like ravenous, roaring lions tearing their prey.
14 Now I’m completely exhausted; I’m spent. Every joint of my body has been pulled apart. My courage has vanished and my inward parts have melted away.
15 I’m so thirsty and parched—dry as a bone. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.
And now you’ve left me in the dust for dead.
16 They have pierced my hands and my feet. Like a pack of wild dogs they tear at me,
swirling around me with their hatred. They gather around me like lions to pin my hands and feet.
17 All my bones stick out. Look at how they all gloat over me and stare!
18 With a toss of the dice they divide my clothes among themselves, gambling for my garments!
19 Lord, my God, please don’t stay far away. For you are my only might and strength.
Won’t you come quickly to my rescue?
20 Give me back my life. Save me from this violent death. Save my precious one and only
from the power of these demons!
21 Save me from all the power of the enemy, from this roaring lion raging against me
and the power of his dark horde.
22 I will praise your name before all my brothers; as my people gather I will praise you in their midst.
23 Lovers of Yahweh, praise him! Let all the true seed of Jacob glorify him with your praises. Stand in awe of him, all you princely people, the offspring of Israel!
24 For he has not despised my cries of deep despair. He’s my first responder to my sufferings, and he didn’t look the other way when I was in pain. He was there all the time, listening to the song of the afflicted.
25 You’re the reason for my praise; it comes from you and goes to you. I will keep my promise to praise you before all who fear you among the congregation of your people.
26 I will invite the poor and broken, and they will come and eat until satisfied.
Bring Yahweh praise and you will find him. Your hearts will overflow with life forever!
27 From the four corners of the earth, the peoples of the world will remember and return to the Lord. Every nation will come and worship him.
28 For the Lord is King of all, who takes charge of all the nations.
29 There they are! They’re worshiping! The wealthy of this world will feast in fellowship with him right alongside the humble of heart, bowing down to the dust, forsaking their own souls. They will all come and worship this worthy King!
30 His spiritual seed shall serve him. Future generations will hear from us  about the wonders of the Sovereign Lord.
31 His generation yet to be born will glorify him. And they will all declare, “It is finished!”

AMEN! IT IS FINISHED! There is nothing more to be done but the RECEIVING! Remind yourself often of all that JESUS has done for you and you will never find yourself being down, depressed, or without hope! He IS our HOPE! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "GO":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today I want to share from Kenneth E. Hagin's "Health Food" devotional.

God's Goodness and Mercy

O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.  (Psalm 107:1)

When we think about the goodness and mercy of God, we instinctively think about His goodness and mercy in remitting our sins as sinners and forgiving our sins as Christians.

But God's goodness and mercy go further than that; it's stated a number of times in the four Gospels as those who were sick cried out to Jesus, "Have mercy on us" (Mark 10:47).

Again and again, Jesus had compassion on people and healed them (Matthew 14:14; 20:34; Mark 1:41). Now the New Testament was originally written in Greek. And in the Greek, the word "compassion" is translated mercy.

So literally, the original Scriptures read, "He had mercy on them and healed them." That's what Jesus did. People cried out for mercy, and He had mercy on them and healed them.

I want you to think about God's goodness in healing - about His healing mercy. Acts 10:38 says, "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him." What was the good that Jesus went about doing? He was healing all that were oppressed.

Think about the fact that God is good, not only to save, but to heal. He's merciful, not only to forgive, but to heal. He wants to heal you just as readily as He wants to forgive your sins.

Confession  For the Lord is good, and His mercy endureth forever. He wants to heal me just as readily as He wants to forgive my sins.

Amen! Here is Hillsong UNITED with one of my favorite songs, "Say The Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today's "Faith Food" by Kenneth E. Hagin is another one that I have to share!

For His Body, the Church

And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and 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, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fullness of him that fills all in all (Ephesians 1:19-23).

In every place where the Bible mentions the Name of Jesus, it also refers to His Body, the Church, because the Name was given to Jesus so that the Church might use it.

The ones who need to use His Name are those who have become joint-heirs with Jesus Christ; and those who are in contact with men and women in need of deliverance from Satan.

All that Jesus is by inheritance is in that Name! All Jesus has done through conquest is in that Name! And that Name belongs to the Body of Christ: It belongs to you and me! God has made this investment for the Church. The Church has a right to draw upon this deposit for her every need! That Name has within it the fullness of the Godhead.

Confession: I have a right to use the Name of Jesus against the enemy. I have a right to use that Name in prayer. I have a right to use that Name in praise and worship.

AMEN! We need to learn much more than we know now about how to properly use the Name of JESUS! Holy Spirit is our Teacher and He will teach us all that we need to know if we will come to Him with a teachable heart and attitude and become a DOER of the Word! Let's make His Name KNOWN! Here is Hillsong with "What A Beautiful Name":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I really love today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers! It really speaks to my own experiences!

Vision And Darkness

An horror of great darkness fell upon him. — Genesis 15:12

Whenever God gives a vision to a saint, He puts him, as it were, in the shadow of His hand, and the saint’s duty is to be still and listen. There is a darkness which comes from excess of light, and then is the time to listen. Genesis 16 is an illustration of listening to good advice when it is dark instead of waiting for God to send the light. When God gives a vision and darkness follows, wait. God will make you in accordance with the vision He has given if you will wait His time. Never try and help God fulfil His word. Abraham went through thirteen years of silence, but in those years all self-sufficiency was destroyed; there was no possibility left of relying on commonsense ways. Those years of silence were a time of discipline, not of displeasure. Never pump up joy and confidence, but stay upon God (cf. Isaiah 50:10-11).

Have I any confidence in the flesh? Or have I got beyond all confidence in myself and in men and women of God, in books and prayers and ecstasies; and is my confidence placed now in God Himself, not in His blessings? “I am the Almighty God” — El-Shaddai, the Father-Mother God. The one thing for which we are all being disciplined is to know that God is real. As soon as God becomes real, other people become shadows. Nothing that other saints do or say can ever perturb the one who is built on God.

The message here is that if God has laid something on your heart to do, do NOT go immediately and share it with other people. Commit yourself to spend time in His presence as He instructs you on your first steps of obedience in this. I was instructed by Holy Spirit to begin spending time in the early morning praying AT our church FOR our church, and others inour comminutiy. Instead of simply listening to Holy Spirit instructions, I began to share it with other members with the idea that someone else would have the same idea and I wouldn't be alone in doing this. Not one person was interested! AT ALL! I was SO disappointed because I KNEW that Holy Spirit had told me this. When I prayed, asking Him, He said: "I did not tell you to speak to anyone else about this. i told YOU to do it." I was SO CORRECTED in my thinking and INSTRUCTED further in how Holy SPirit operates! One thing that I learned that day and have never forgotten: I (and YOU) are NOT anyone's 'Holy Spirit'! HE alone has that 'job' and He shares it with no one! So, make your decision based on the Word of god and the  leading of the Spirit of God and JUST DO IT! HE will take care of every other detail! Side note: After praying by myself from 6-7am every morning (since 1985!) People began to receive their own intructions from Him and joined with me! But I HAD to do this myself in obedience or I would never have grown into the ministry that He has called me to! I hope this helps you as much as it did me! Here is Hillsong with "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)", because HE won't, and we can count on that!

Shalom in Him!