* Settled In God

Since Jesus went through everything you're going through and more, learn to think like him. Think of your sufferings as a weaning from that old sinful habit of always expecting to get your own way.  Then you'll be able to live out your days free to pursue what God wants instead of being tyrannized by what you want.

1 Peter 4:1-2 (Message Bible)

First of all, we certainly want to praise God from whom all blessings flow!  And always, we want to thank God for Jesus, the sacrificial lamb who made salvation possible for us.

Praise God for yet another day that He has made.  We should certainly rejoice and be glad in it.  I thank God for this day and for all that He has done  in my life and in yours that is moving us ever closer to the design He has purposed in our life.

Paul gives  a wonderful exhortation to the Roman church when explaining to them what their dedication to God should be like.  In Romans 8:35 – 38, it reads: 

35    Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or

         persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

36    As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered

         as sheep to be slaughtered."

37    No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved

         us.

38    For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,

         neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,

39    neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to

         separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

At some point, we have to make up in our mind that our desire to live for Christ outweighs any other desire we may have.  Our desire for Christ should be so strong that no matter what our concerns are, or our issues, or what our situations  may be, our hope in an eternal life with God should rule our actions accordingly.

When you read, I Peter 4:1, it tells you that even as Jesus suffered, we should arm ourselves likewise to suffer.  To arm yourself means to prepare yourself, be ready to suffer for the name of Jesus.  So we should not be surprised when hardship enters our life for it is only for a season.  Neither should we be dismayed for Peter concludes in I Peter  5:10,  But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while , make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

We need to get to a place where we, like Paul says:

We are troubled on every side, yet we not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;we are Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;  (2 Corinthians 4:8-9)

When we allow God to rule in our lives, nothing is impossible.  He is the same God yesterday, today and forever.  He sees our sufferings, He knows what we are going through in our bad times and the good thing is, He doesn't leave you there to suffer all alone, He is right there with you, and if you allow Him, leading and guiding you to the place where He needs you to be in order for Him to work His good, acceptable and perfect will in your life.

When we understand that God is the author and finisher of our faith and that there is no greater power than that of God,  our situations won't seem so bleak.  That which He began, He will finish! 

Psalms 8:5-8 tells us that we were made a LITTLE LOWER than the angels and we are given dominion over the works of his hands which includes all creatures on land and in the air and in the sea.  However, in the spiritual realm, Satan has dominion of this world, he is the prince of darkness and he is currently ruling the things of this world, he is the prince of the air and as such is able to suggest, entice, lure and deceive man into all types of greed, lust, deceitfulness, strife, envy, emulation, hatred, lewdness, lasciviousness, murder, slander, and lots of other evil spirits.   But, we, who have received the comforter into our lives should rejoice that through Jesus Christ and the precious gift of the holy ghost, we are much more than overcomers, we are conquerors through the mighty power of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

So we should be comforted and rest assured that by being on the Lord’s side the battle is already won because victory belongs to God.

Having said that, with all minds being on one accord, let us pray:

Dear heavenly father, we come to You today with grateful hearts and praise on our lips that You kept us just one more day; that you allowed us to wake this day with our health and our strength and clothed in our right mind.  We thank You because we have a continued mind to serve You.  And because we serve and trust You Lord, we have a blessed assurance that You are our refuge and our fortress; no battle is too big or too small for You to handle; and heavenly father when our situations, cares, concerns and issues overwhelm us, we thank You because we can hide in the shadow of Your wings, oh mighty God, we can have safety in the shelter of the most high.   We can say with assurance that this battle belongs to You God; and in You will we trust.  We know that it is not over until You say it is over; that gives us assurance of our victory!

We know that this is a suffering way, that even as Jesus suffered, we must suffer also.  Help us Lord to stay donned in the armour of spiritual warfare and graced with the fruit of Your holy spirit so that in all our ways, we are able to withstand and stand against the influences of evil and be a shining light to a dying world darkened by sin and shame.  Help us Lord to be good laborers for You.

Help us dear Lord to throw off everything that hinders us and break every yoke of sin that so easily entangles us.  Help us to run this race with perseverance.  Help us to fix our eyes on Jesus, who is the author and perfecter of our faith.  We want to hear You say, ‘well done, thy good and faithful servant, enter into my rest’.   A place where there is peace and joy forever more.   Help us not to grow weary in our good works for You, to have patience and wait on You for all things.

In all of our ways, You said Lord, that we are to acknowledge You; that You will direct our path.  Lead us and guide us today; allow us to be ambassadors for You, Jesus, remembering at all times that we are walking in the holy spirit with the anointing that You, the sovereign one, the king of kings and Lord of Lords have placed within us.

We ask Lord that You help us to keep our minds stayed on You.  Help us to be prayerful in our actions so that we are pleasing in Your sight.  There is none greater than You Lord.  It was You who sent us Your son to purchase our salvation.  We thank you Lord for the comforter, the precious Holy ghost that was sent to keep us and intercede on our behalf.  And with the Holy ghost and the name of Jesus, we are victorious, we are more than conquerors because there is power in the name  of Jesus, that in the name of Jesus there is victory, there is healing, there is salvation.  At the name of Jesus, demons flee, yokes are broken, strongholds are cast down, souls are saved.  Through the name of Jesus and the precious holy ghost within us, we are more than overcomers, we are conquerors and we are no longer victims – but we are victorious through You!

Dear heavenly father, in the name of Jesus, we plead the blood against everything that is not like You.  We pray in the name of Jesus that You bind up every wicked and perverse thought, action and deed within and around us.  We ask that You command Your angels to guard us in all our ways; in our comings and in our goings; to protect us from all hurt, harm and danger of those things seen and unseen.

Lift us up in Your righteous hand and help us not to grow weary while doing good, help us not to faint while fighting this fight.  Keep us dear Lord; we know that You are able because all power belongs to You! 

Give us increased faith, Lord God, when we call on You, to know that You will rescue us, that You will protect us and keep our minds in perfect peace.  Help us to be faithful to believe that all things are possible through You.  Help us to remain steadfast in You so that when we call upon You, You will not only hear our cry from above but You’ll answer us, You’ll be with us and deliver us in our times of trouble. 

Dear God, we thank You for great and everlasting faithfulness!  We thank you for your goodness and for your mercy.  We know that when we walk in obedience according to your word that you will supply every need we have according to your riches in glory. 

We need you, oh God, in our lives.  Remember all of those who are suffering both physically and mentally.  We pray, oh Lord God that You bring peace and deliverance to those that are troubled, that You bring comfort to those in sorrow, healing to those who are sick.  We pray in the precious name of Jesus that You bind everything that is not like You.  Help us O God to keep our minds stayed on You.

And now, Lord we pray that You be with us, that You lead us and guide us, give us wisdom and knowledge to speak and act according to Your will; that we may be laborers in Your field; that Your manifested glory be revealed through us dear God. 

We ask all these things and we thank You for all things, in Jesus wonderful name we pray, amen

I pray something was said that will bless us and keep us today and that our minds will be in perfect peace with the Lord.

Let me leave this final scripture with you:  2 Corinthians 12:9

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

God bless you all and have a wonderful Jesus-filled day.

08/30/13