* Through The Storm

 

Another word of encouragement to help us as we enter into the new year.  Without a doubt, we've got to do better as a whole; as the body of Christ.  We need to mature in God and  be good soldiers able to overcome everything and everyone that comes against us.  Overcome in a Godly way.

But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.  1 Corinthians 15:57-58

I translate this to mean, 

• when I’m wrong send s storm, 
• if I’m led or go astray, send a storm, 
• when I’m weak, send a storm, 
• when my faith is low, send a storm, 
• when I’m fainting, send a storm.  

We don’t want it, but we need it.  The bible tells us that we learn, increase our knowledge and grow because of the storms in our lives.  Not only that, we learn how to weather and navigate the storms by being faithful and obedient to the word of God.

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:  Matthew 7:24

Being faithful and obedient builds a solid, unshakeable foundation.

√    Spiritual blessings come through the storm:  

If you are a follower of Christ, you know storms are coming.  Peter admonishes us to arm ourselves or prepare our minds for them.  Jesus lets us know during storms of persecution:

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake; for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.  Matthew 5:10-12

√    Obedience comes through the storm:  

Jesus himself, though being the word in flesh, was obedient to the Father:  

Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered;  Hebrews 5:8

√     The word of God is tested within us through the storm:  

We cannot be an instrument for God without knowing that for which you stand.  That is why it is so imperative that while we are suffering that we continue or start reading our word and make it a daily part of our lifestyle.  

The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.  Psalms 12:6

√     The storm humbles us: 

We learn that without God, we are nothing, was nothing; would be nothing.  

For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said , For we are also his offspring.   Acts 17:28  

God’s word stands up in us as we realize that we are to humble ourself under God’s mighty hand.

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:  1 Peter 5:6

It was Moses who said:  

Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint; Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that He might humble thee, and that He might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end.  Deuteronomy 8:15-16

√     Storms take us to a higher spiritual level:  

This means you grow spiritually, our spiritual territory is enlarged:  

Thou has enlarged me when I was under pressure.  Psalms 4:1

√     Storms help us to come to know God in a better way:  

You come to know God on a more intimate basis Because of the storm. Job, who suffered much, learned this truth and after the storm was able to say:

I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes.  Job 42:5-6  

Some of us only know God through other people's experience.  When we are experiencing the blessings of life, God is often a luxury instead of a necessity. But when you have a real need, God becomes a necessity.  Jonah came to know God much more intimately through storms; he gained a greater understanding of the love and compassion of God. Before he suffered, he only had a working knowledge of God Afterwards, he knew Him by experience. It was Apostle Paul who said:  

That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death.  Philippians 3:10 

How was he made conformable?  Through his storms! 

Though it may look as if all is lost and you are facing defeat, if you are disoriented by the storms in your life; remember Jesus' words:

. . . be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.  John 16:33

Just like God was with those of old in their storms He is with us also.  Just learn how to trust and obey Him.  And remember, don't count yourself out, it's not over until God says it's over! 

Blessings to you all!

* God Is

 

For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:  Colossians 1:16

I just want to encourage you today to know for yourself that GOD IS, WAS AND ALWAYS WILL BE.  Put your full confidence in the one who is!

As we enter into the new year, let's go in with the mindset to possess everything that God has promised us!   We have to know without a doubt that God is.

God is very explicit in His word regarding Him being the one true living God.

But the Lord is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king:. . . Jeremiah 10:10

We have to have faith to believe that He is indeed the one true living God; 

√     the one who created heaven and earth, 

√     the one who knows the number of hairs on our head, 

√     the one whom through we live, move and have our being, 

√     the one who declared power belongs to Him,

 √    the one who said that He would never leave us nor forsake us,

√     the one who told us not to fear what mere man can do to our mortal body but rather to fear the one who has the power to put us in heaven or hell.

 Yes!  That one; the one who is, was and will always be; that one – that one, the one true living God!

No matter what our situation looks like, no matter what it feels like, no matter how badly we may want to give up or throw in the towel, just keep on believing and holding on to God's word; focus beyond the dark clouds and believe what God tells us in his word; 

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.  1 Peter 5:10

He’s the one who will restore us, support us, strengthen us, and ground us.  Trust and believe that God’s able; even when He does not show up in the way or at the time or manner that we desire of Him. Believe that He’ll give us the strength to endure when we think we can't go another step!  Be encouraged by the 3 young men; Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who because of their belief in God, would not bow to the customs of another king. They said:

. . . we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.  (in other words, we know the God we serve; the one true living God) If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.    Daniel 3:15-17

Their faith in God was so great that they let it be known that even if God did’nt deliver them they would never stop serving him.  There faith in the God who is, was and always will be, they went on to say:

But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.    Daniel 3:18

When we have faith in God, just like that, it gives us the ability to wait.  To 'wait' on the Lord is not just a matter of a length of time; it means to trust that God will deliver you.  Trust God no matter what you are going through; believe him to help you through all the difficult situations in your life. 

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.  Isaiah 40:31

The beloved physician, Luke, tells us that we should always pray and not faint.  

And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;  Luke 18:1

 In other words, don't lose your faith in God.  Be persistent in your faith. 

Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:  Isaiah 40:29-30

Again, I encourage you:  don't give up on the one who is, was and always will be - God, our Heavenly Father.

God bless you.  

 

 

Solemn Assembly - Activated Kingdom: 12/15/22

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zETvkBzosCA&ab_channel=AbundantLifeCCM

Activated Kingdom Solemn Assembly - 12/02/2022