Thoughts for Life: #51 How to Prepare Your Heart for More Effective Commands

Photos of worship and praise: This Easter, World Vision brings you photos of fellow believers around the world celebrating and worshipping our Lord, Jesus Christ. A boy worships during church services in Kenya.

Dr. Wesley L. Duewel- 1. Be filled with the Spirit. You can realize your greatest spiritual potential only when you are filled with the Spirit. As explained in Chapter 11, (#31 How to Join God's S.O.S. Prayer Network) this experience demands total commitment of the self to God, trusting Him to fulfill His promise. As you continue to live in the Spirit, you can be refilled again and again.

Too many Christians live in the flesh and are powerless to live a consistently victorious Christian life. God may help such defeated believers in emergencies, but to live the enthroned life and to be instantly ready to give the command of faith requires daily living in the fullness of the Spirit. (Google image, Kenya boy worshipping)

If you have reneged on your commitment to Christ, you need to renew your consecration and be filled with the Spirit once again.

2. Face your mountain. Don't try to pretend it doesn't exist. Accept the reality of the mountain and focus your attention on the nature of the obstruction. Recognize the hand of Satan behind it. Perhaps the devil is using good people whom he has deceived.

Your enemy is not flesh and blood, but the demonic forces behind the problem. Perhaps you see a pseudo-mountain of Satan, or a pseudo-growth like the fruitless fig tree that Jesus rebuked. The Spirit can wither all false growth that encumbers and disguises the true situation. Don't fear Satan's bluff. Face your need and expect God's answer.

3. Live in the spirit of faith. Don't be afraid. How many times Christ said, "Fear not!" Doubt gives the Devil a foothold; do not give him that advantage (Eph. 4:27). God's promises are for you. God knows the situation better than you do. Live in an attitude of expectancy, just waiting to see how God is going to handle the problem. The mountain may have taken you by surprise, but God is never surprised or unprepared.

Remember, Satan has already been defeated at Calvary. You have not only died with Christ and been resurrected with Him, but also have spiritually ascended with Christ and are now enthroned with Him. "And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:6).

Don't look up at your mountain with fear. Look down on it from your place beside Jesus! Look down from the throne upon Satan, your defeated enemy. "The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet" (Rom. 16:20). Rejoice in your victory in Christ; live in the triumph of faith. Expect God to take charge of the situation and guide you in moving the mountain.

4. Discern the will of the Lord. You need God's wisdom and guidance in dealing with the entrenched forces of Satan. Don't rush into battle until God has given you His plan. Before each battle David looked to God for fresh directions. God rarely works in the exactly the same way twice.

In 2 Samuel 5:18-20, David in effect asked, "Am I the one to attack? Is this your assignment to me? Again he asked, "When and how should I attack?" Each time God directed him (2 Sam. 5:22-25).

Pray until you feel you have discerned God's will as to how to confront the mountain, when to confront the mountain, and at times with whom to confront the mountain. It may be a situation in which God wants several of you to agree in faith before you issue the command of faith.

As a Spirit-filled believer, you have a right to God's guidance (Rom. 8:14). The Lord can guide you constantly (Isa. 58:17). He wants you to understand His will (Eph. 5:17). It is more important to Him than to you that you take every step correctly.

(Chapter 15, pp. 116-118, italics added for emphasis)

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Let's pray-

"Father, I thank you for choosing me before the foundation of the world. I receive your Word that says that I am holy and without blame. As your dearly beloved child, I clothe myself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. I bear with others and forgive whatever grievances I may have against them. I forgive as the Lord forgives me. Over all these virtues, I put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. Amen."
Luke 23:34 "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do."
Germine Copeland

Today's Bible verses-

Hebrews 10:35-36 (NIV) “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.”

Psalm 62:6 (NIV)“Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.”

Psalm 56:3 (NIV) “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.”

Today's quote:

~ Lisa Buffaloe- "Oh, I want to please God! So after I read Paul’s advice, I looked to find where I could get untangled. — Spend more time in Bible study and prayer. Focus back on the might of our ALL-MIGHTY God. Remember God is our defender and we don’t battle with flesh and blood. Through Christ we are given His power and His strength for any and every battle. God’s heavenly forces are bigger than any earthly or demonic forces. There is nothing impossible with God and He is ALL-powerful."

Today's words of wisdom

~ When we face fears, what is our natural response? Do we see it as an opportunity to trust Jesus? He's willing to replace our fears with His love, as love casts out all fear. When fear has a grip on you, call out to Jesus for His help and protection, and let Him give you His perspective on the situation. He'll remind you that He's in charge, and will enjoy helping you overcome the fear!

Today's Popular post-

Hearing God's Voice

Danny Canning- "There are five main ways that God speaks to me. I thought I would write them out and share with you so that perhaps you will be strengthened to hear him in new ways. "