This morning I was crying out to the Lord for a friend in impossible dire circumstances.  Stuck.  No way to turn to the right or to the left.  I asked the Lord to give me words from His heart for this family.

He took me immediately to Exodus 2:23-25.  Allow these words to speak to your heart in your trial.  It says, “…Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage.  So God heard their groaning…and God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them.”

Remember the children of Israel were slaves in Egypt.  Exodus 3:7 says that He has seen their oppression and knows their sorrows.  Verse 8 says, “So I have come down to deliver them…”

He hears our cries.  He sees every detail in our lives.  He knows our oppressions.  Luke 4:18 Amplified says, “…He has sent Me to announce release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed (who are downtrodden, bruised, crushed, and broken down by calamity).”

Here are verses of true hope that will pull us up from our seemingly impossible trial to stand steadfast in God’s all-powerful nature.  Think about the circumstances these verses were addressing at the time.  They are God’s eternal word.  They are true for us as well because He never changes.

Luke 1:37 says, “For with God nothing will be impossible.”

Luke 18:27 says, “But He said, “the things which are impossible with men ARE possible with God.”

Genesis 18:14 says, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?  At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”

Job 42:2 says, “I know You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.”

Isaiah 59:1 says, “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear.”

Here is our present encouragement.  Psalm 17:6 says, “I have called upon You, for You will hear me, O God; incline Your ear to me, and hear my speech.”  The word incline means to listen attentively.  Cry out to Him in your hard trial.  He hears!  He listens!  He is our Mighty Deliverer!

 

 

 

 

 

There is an interesting verse in Galatians 3:5.  It says, “Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?”

How does faith come?  Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”  Hearing faith, according to the Amplified, means that He is able to do His work in us because of our believing and adhering, and trusting and relying on the message we hear.

What do you hear when you are quoting God’s word?  You hear truth that activates your faith.  Let’s take Philippians 4:13.  It says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”  Great words when we are facing the impossible.  It is not up to us, it is up to Him.  1 Thessalonians 5:24 says, “He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.”

Let’s take the opposite scene.  Numbers 13.  The twelve spies went in to spy out the promised land.  10 gave a bad report.  2 gave a good report.  Listen.  Verse 30 is Caleb speaking.  He says, “…Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.”  Hear his faith?  He was probably thinking back to how the Lord brought them through countless impossible situations, and He would continue to lead them into what He promised.

Numbers 14:9 are Joshua and Caleb’s words.  “Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us.  Do not fear them.”

Our motive for doing things or not doing things comes from our experiences.  Our motives are borne out in our thoughts.  Our thoughts precede our actions.  Our actions and attitude become our habits.  The 10 spies “saw” things differently from Caleb and Joshua.  Numbers 13:33 says, “There we saw the giants…and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”  Wrong.  Their words came from their focus only on the giants.  Joshua and Caleb only saw their God who delivers.

The 10 spies heard doubt, fear, unbelief through their perception of the circumstances.  Joshua and Caleb heard the promises God had given them about their inheritance in the promised land.  Are you hearing what you are saying?  Words such as, “I can’t, I’m overwhelmed, it’s too much, it’s impossible” ~ or overcoming words such as, “He is able, He is with me, His grace is sufficient, He is my Ever Present Help.”  One activates fear, the other activates faith.

Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith (active) is the substance (realization) of things hoped for, and the evidence (confidence) of things not seen.”  Parenthesis are mine to help define.  Mark 11:22 says, “…have faith in God.”  Faith is a spiritual reality not a “name it and claim it” futile exercise.

2 Corinthians 5:7 says, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”  Faith declarations strengthen our faith and give it substance.  We believe the testimony of God’s word and live in agreement with it.

Psalm 119:2 says, “Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart!”  Verse 15 says, “I will mediate on Your precepts, and contemplate Your ways.”  Precepts: something appointed or authorized by God.  Contemplate: look into.  Verse 24 says, “Your testimonies are my delight and my counselors.”

Revelation 12:11 says, “They overcame him (accuser) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony…”  Jesus blocked satan’s temptations by saying, “It is written” which totally thwarted the enemy.  Our faith declarations keep us standing in the authority of God’s word.  They become part of our shield of faith to quench his fiery dart lies.

Faith declarations bring our thoughts into a living expression of God’s word.  Each time we say them, we are bringing a greater realization to our heart.  We are literally bringing reality into our hearts from His truth that never changes.  Luke 4:4 Amplified says, “…Man shall not live and be sustained by (on) bread alone but by every word and expression of God.”

Psalm 19:7 says, “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul (mind, will, emotions); the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.”  We glorify the Lord when we make His word our own.  That is activating faith.  It brings His living word into our heart which transforms our mind.  We say it, believe it, stand in it, and walk in the reality of it.

I’m always changing my faith declaration cards.  I take the word-revelations He gives me in my quiet time and make them my own.  Here is one of my latest from Hebrews 5:14 which says, “…having their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”  I declare this truth as my reality so that it literally guides my decisions and actions throughout my day.  Here it is: my senses are being exercised so I can keenly discern temptations that would pull me off course.

Looking back is a temptation to pull us off course.  When a farmer plows a field, he has to focus on a point ahead of him or his rows will be off course.  We have an innate pull to look back to our past.  It pleases our flesh.

James 1:14 explains the process of a temptation.  It says, “Each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.”  That’s the innate or natural fleshly pull.  To entice is to urge to lead astray.

To keep looking back to our past, is an inner desire born from unresolved issues.  We play them out in our mind, but they are futile thoughts.  Romans 1:21 says, “Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts…”

Here is the Strong’s definition for futile: fruitless, empty, hollow, unreal, unproductive, ineffectual, and worthless.  Rehearsing our past in our mind changes nothing except to pull us off course.

Trials purge the dross from our faith.  What God has allowed has a divine purpose.  To longingly look back into our past, while in a trial, is a signal that something is unresolved.  The Lord is bringing the hidden dross to the surface, because anything hidden undermines our faith.  It is time to release it to the Lord.  Let Him skim it off the gold of your faith.

Years ago, I was traveling over the causeway between Sacramento and Davis (CA).  There were signs of “Do Not Stop” at various intervals.  My red light came on.  I ignored the light because I knew I couldn’t stop.  I burned out my motor.  Don’t ignore the unresolved-issue-indicator-light on the dashboard of your life.  It’s a warning.

Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.”  They spring out when we least expect them.  The Lord is ready to receive the hurts and emotional pain that you have buried.  It’s time to let them go.

Yesterday I started to gather the information I needed to do my 2016 income tax.  I filed an extension for 2016 and 2017 because I still could not read or decipher numbers.  I had a hard time writing down my sales.  There were only six.  I could not remember how to figure out how much sales tax was included in my sales.  I’m a retired accountant.  It should be second nature.  However my brain fatigued and I had to quit.  The struggle disappointed me.

Do you ever feel impatient in your trial?  This morning the Lord took me to James 1:4.  It says, “But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be complete, lacking nothing.”

No lack.  Lacking nothing.  I thought about these words.  Psalm 34:10 says, “The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.”  The Amplified says beneficial things.

Obviously these verses are talking about our standing and not our state.  In our standing in Christ we lack nothing.  Ephesians 1:3 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.”

Spiritual blessings such as grace, mercy, forgiveness, peace, etc.  You can continue the list.  He took me back to Psalm 107.  Verse 1 says, “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!”

In each of these sets of verses the Lord documents His goodness.  Verses 6 and 8, 13 and 15, 19 and 21, 28 and 31 all say the same things.  Here are verses 6 and 8.  “Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses.  Oh, that men would give thanks in the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works in the children of men!”

We have a tendency to focus on our lack in our changing-present-state-trials.  Instead, let us consistently lift our hearts in giving thanks to the One Who secured us eternally.  The art of perseverance is to cling to the Lord through our standing which never changes.

I want to go back to my February 12 blog.  I gave the definition for endurance from the Strong’s.  The note in my Bible says: …not with passive complacency, but with a hopeful fortitude, that actively resists weariness and defeat.

Let’s start with passive.  It’s a inactive word.  It means doing nothing, procrastination, hopeless, defeated, just getting by, and simply existing.  Fortitude on the other hand is a very active word.  It is intentional, alert, watchful, and standing in truth and grace.

John 1:14 says of Jesus that He was full of grace and truth.  Verse 17 says that grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.  Now verse 16 in the Amplified says, “For out of His fullness (abundance) we have all received (all had a share and we were all supplied with) one grace after another and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing and even favor upon favor and gift (heaped) upon gift.”

That is our standing!

Picture it like this: each one ~ grace~spiritual blessings~favor~gifts~ is leap frogging over  and piling onto the other.  Can you see it?  It is ours now to live in, actively participate with, and be vitally united to Him through an intimate communion relationship.

Faith declarations: personalizing and standing in God’s promises.  As we make them our own, we are transformed into His character through our trials. Romans 5:3-4 gives us this progression.  It says, “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character, and character, hope.”

Our trials develop our character to be like Him.  There is an old hymn.  “O To Be Like Thee” has a stanza: stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.  As we abide in Him through our trials, we are beholding Him through intimate communion.

2 Corinthians 3:18 says, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”  We become who or what we behold.

Beware of what or who captures your heart (thoughts, time) other than the Lord.  Dwelling (abiding) in bitterness because of what has happened to you will make you a bitter person.

The Lord is our Sufficiency.  He has given us all the provision we need.  2 Peter 1:3 says, “As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him…”  Grapes are the fruit of the vine.  Abiding is intimate communion that bears the fruit of His character.

Verse 4 says, “By which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of His nature…”  John 15:4 Amplified says, “…Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me.”

Here is the first part of a new song that describes intimate communion: I lift my unveiled face, to gaze into Your face.  Face to face, I behold You as You behold me.  No veil separates us, no fear of being known.  We have intimate communion, our hearts are knit as one.

Acts 4:13 says of Peter and John, “…they realized that they had been with Jesus.”  Do others see the Lord reflected through you life?  They will as you stand in His promises, and abide in His love as you go through your trials.  Your fruit from abiding will be succulent, and they will want more.

What is the difference between discerning something and judging it?  Matthew 7:1 says, “Judge not, that you be not judged.”  The context is about having a plank in your eye.  Verse 5 says, “Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

Judging another with a critical spirit is the characteristic of a flesh reacting faultfinder.  Romans 2:1 cuts to the chase.  It says, “Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.”

Discernment is a gift-empowerment from the Holy Spirit.  We discern through our spirit man.  The flesh has no part.  1 Corinthians 2:14 says, “…the things of the Spirit of God…are spiritually discerned.”  Natural reasoning cannot comprehend the things of the Spirit.

I love verse 10 which says, “But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit.  For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.”  The Amplified says, “…(the divine counsels and things hidden and beyond man’s scrutiny).”

Jesus said in John 8:15, “You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.”  2 Corinthians 5:16 says, “Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh.  Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.”  According to the flesh is external. Only the Lord knows hearts.

In my word search this morning I also added discretion.  I love Proverbs 2:10-11 which says, “When wisdom has entered your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, discretion will preserve you; understanding will keep you.”

Negative judging is assessment with a critical spirit.  Discernment is a gift from the Holy Spirit at the moment of need.  Discretion is the fruit of walking in His wisdom and knowledge.

 

 

 

The Lord has equipped us with powerful, effective weaponry through His word.  We wield our sword and hack each temptation to bits!  Hebrews 4:12.  His word is living and powerful. It pierces into then splits, divides, and discerns between our fleshly and spiritual thoughts.  It reveals the very innermost parts of our heart.

Ephesians 6:17 says, “…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”  That’s not the whole Bible, but one Scripture wielded against the enemy.  Matthew 4:4 says, “…man shall…live…by…every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”  A Rhema word brings light and life through a moment of His revealing its truth to our heart. It comes to empower and encourage us in our walk with Him.

1 Corinthians 2:14 says, “But the natural (fleshly) man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God…nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”  Walking in the Spirit means that we are attentive, watchful, listening, sensitive, discerning, submitted.  Galatians 5:16 says, “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”

Anatomy of a temptation: first it is a thought.  If we don’t cut it off with our sword, it will germinate in our minds.  We think about it until it becomes an impetus to sin.  All sin is first a thought.  James 1:14-15 says that the thought becomes a desire that conceives and births.  Verse 16 says, “Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.”

Hebrews 5:14 says that when we eat the strong meat of His word, our senses will be exercised to discern between good and evil.  A temptation begins with a thought.  We hack that thought to bits through His Rhema word.  As you read His word daily, He will highlight verses for you to put in your Rhema weaponry: verses that will help you stand and resist every temptation to sin.

I’m reading the book of Matthew now.  Here is something that I picked up this time around for my own arsenal against the enemy of my soul.

Jesus was intentionally led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit.  After fasting 40 days and 40 nights, the devil crafted his temptation to Jesus’ present need.  He was hungry.  That is how he works against us also.

Notice the way Jesus countered the temptation.  In its kind.  In Matthew 4:4 Jesus quoted His word according to its kind: hunger, true bread.  “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”

Back in creation, Genesis 1:11 says what God said.  “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself…”

Jesus quoted His word that was relevant to the temptation.  The key: when we are tempted, we grab a verse related to the temptation.  It becomes our sword to whack the enemy’s temptation to bits!  Tempted to be angry?  James 1:19-20 says, “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”

As we hide His word in our heart, it is there as a ready sword.  I love Psalm 18:42.  It says, “Then I beat them as fine as the dust before the wind; I cast them out like dirt in the streets.”  That’s what we do when we quote His word out loud, wielding our mighty sword for the pulling down of strongholds.  There is nothing left.

We fight the temptation according to its kind.  The word of God is a seed whose seed is in itself.  As we speak His word, it seeds into our heart.  It overtakes the weed temptation and renders it impotent.  It cannot reproduce.

God’s word prevails and reproduces fruit after its kind.  It breaks the power of the enemy’s temptation, but seeds truth into our heart at the same time so we can stand.  In Acts 19:19 they burned their books on magic.  Verse 20 says, “So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.”  Don’t leave a foothold for the devil to encroach.