Jesus said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation. . .,” John 16:33a. He knew that there would some days where we face trouble and discouragement; there would be times when we feel like we are in this alone. In those times, He wants to reassure us that He is for us. He has never left us. He has never forsaken us. His plans for us is a glorious end so don’t let any circumstance make you believe that God doesn’t have your back because He does. He’s here and He is for you!
Jesus went on to days, “. . . but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world,” John 16:33b; and if you are in Him and stay with Him and believe in Him, you will too. Because God is for you!
There’s an old congregational song that just dropped in my spirit that says, “If you been through what I’ve been through, you would be in shouting shoes. I can dance, dance, dance dance, dance, dance, dance all night!”
Sometimes God delivers you in such a way all you can say is RELEASE!
What a blessedness to know the sovereign Lord of all has made personal time for us, to come near where we are, to hear the pleas and the cries of our hearts. Don’t bypass this time. Don’t waste this treasure. Hold on to the grace that grants us access to the throne where we can unload every care, burden, and trouble; every worry, fear, and hope. This is such a special meeting. Thank You, Lord, for gracing me with Your presence and attending.
Love is more than the flowery speech of some. It is commitment and devotion put into action for the whole world to see. This is the same kind of love God showed toward us and this is the same kind of love we are commanded to have toward others. Learn from Jesus, our best example, so that you too can be an overcomer of love.
1 Johnn 4:7 “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.”
John 13:34 “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”
Matthew 5:44 “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”
John 15:12 “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.”
In the name of Jesus Christ, we are praying against hopelessness and discouragement. We are praying for healing in lives that need restoration; that need to feel Your peace. We are praying for loved ones to find their way to You before it’s everlasting too late. We know that You are a God of deliverance and You can work out any situation and circumstance.
There is nothing too hard for you, O Lord. With that, we lay every burden and tear at Your feet. Even in the midst of pain and confusion we believe Your word that tells us, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him,” (1 Cor. 2:9). And Father God, we can’t wait to see the blessedness that You bring about after the storm. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen!
Have you ever felt like you were paddling upstream in life? As if all your energy is being exerted, yet you’re not really going anywhere? When you’re working in any type of ministry, outreach, mission field, or just helping out in the church or the like, this can be especially hard because you want to be fruitful; you want to make a positive impact in the lives of others, but it doesn’t seem to be panning out.
Being at the end of ourselves to the point when we realize we have no more strength; where we realize we cannot do this on our own is actually a step in the right direction. It is then we find out nothing depended on us in the first place. Our talents, gifts, and works all depend on the power and the leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Wherever He is the director, that which seems impossible to us becomes very possible through Him. When He takes the wheel our destination becomes more pointed to where He needs us to be, work, and move so that lives can be affected for the Kingdom of God. With the Holy Spirit at the helm, we can do this. We can successfully live and work in everything He has called us to do and be when we give it all over to Him.
The Holy Spirit not only acts as a seal for those that belong to God (Ephesians 1:13), but He is there to guide us in all truth (John 16:13) and to reveal to us the things of God (1 Corinthians 2:9-11). And, anything we do in this life revolves around God and His will for us. Thus, we need the power of the Holy Spirit to continue to be our leading force to enable us to walk and work in the life He has planned for us.
The Holy Spirit is more concerned about the inner man being strengthened (Ephesians 3:16-17) than our outward comforts or marks of success. Whenever we are struggling in life, the Holy Spirit is there to help us and to make intercession for us (Romans 8:26). When we allow Him free access in our lives we give proof to whom we really belong (Romans 8:14). And, if we feel devoid or depleted of the Spirit’s power, the Bible tells us to simply ask. Jesus spoke and said, “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” (Luke 11:13). Ask for a refilling if you have to, just don’t try to do life alone.
I can’t do this alone! You can’t do this alone! We can’t do this alone! We all need a touch from God. We all need the power of His Spirit working on the inside that we might work outwardly all He has called us to do.
“The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build,” Nehemiah 2:20
You have felt that burden in your heart or that niggling of the mind. The pull or the call to step out in faith to take on a new project, yet the enemy has thrown disturbing thoughts your way thinking to frustrate what God is pulling you to do.
Nehemiah felt such a burden from God. He received word that the people in Jerusalem were in distress and the walls were broken and the gates burned, (Neh. 1:3). What could he possibly do all the way in Shushan? The Bible tells us he fasted and prayed and confessed the wrongs of his people before God, (Neh. 1:4). Then, God gave an opportunity for King Artaxerxes to take notice of his plight and support the project that had burdened his heart.
Arriving in the area of Jerusalem with letters from the king should have made things easy for Nehemiah. But, the plain and simple truth is there are those who don’t want to see God’s people blessed. There are those who don’t want to see God’s people prosper and favored. This is what Nehemiah faced. Nehemiah 2:10 tells us this of his enemies, “They were deeply disturbed that a man came to seek the well-being of the children of Israel.”
As soon as the work began and they took steps toward the goal of their heart, their enemies laughed at them and despised them and put accusations against them, (Neh. 2:19). But, Nehemiah’s response was one of total faith and reliance upon God. He said, “The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build,” (Neh. 2:20).
Know this, anytime God lays a burden on your heart to do something for Him, there will always be enemies that try to stop the plan of God in you. Sometimes it could even be just our own doubts and insecurities about our own ability to get the job done. But, if God called you to it, He will see you through it. Prosperity belongs to God! All He has ever asked us to do is to step out in faith and do the work and depend on Him to increase it and cause it to grow. No human on this earth has any say so about what God is doing in your life!
Word For Life Says... 