Jesus Has Overcome Everything!

2 Corinthians 11:23-24 (NKJV) 23 Are they ministers of Christ?--I speak as a fool--I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often.
24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one.

Once when I was teaching from Paul's words in Second Corinthians 11:23-25, I especially emphasized the afflictions Paul overcame by the power of the Spirit. Later a young man came up to me and said, "It's obvious to me that the apostle Paul had no faith!"

Shocked by his words, I asked him, "What do you mean when you say the apostle Paul had no faith?"

He answered, "If Paul had walked in faith, he wouldn't have gone through any of those ordeals."

The young man's words made me think about the great number of people who have the wrong impression about faith. They think that if a person walks in faith, that somehow means he will escape all adversities in life.

But when you read the New Testament, you find that the early believers and the apostles faced many adversities. Certainly it wasn't God who planned those hardships. The devil was the one who shrewdly planned those attacks in order to stop the preaching of the Gospel. And Satan is still working nonstop to prevent people from stepping into the glorious plan God has designed for their lives.

There is something very encouraging about studying the strategies the devil arrayed against the early believers. You see, regardless of what the enemy tried to do, he was unsuccessful in stopping them! Because they did have faith, they were unconquerable.

So I told the young man who talked to me that night, "Young man, the fact that Paul survived all those ordeals and continued his ministry to the end of his life is proof that he did possess faith. A man with no faith wouldn't have survived those attacks."

Don't get the impression that walking in faith removes you from all challenges. Faith just gives you the ability to overcome the challenges that will attempt to assail you. Even Jesus said, "... In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

The word "tribulation" is the Greek word thlipsis, which describes a situation so difficult that it causes one to feel stressed, squeezed, pressured, or crushed. It can be translated as distress, affliction, or trouble, always indicating a level of intensity that is almost unbearable in the natural.

But Jesus tells us to be of "good cheer." These two words are from the single Greek word tharseo, which literally means to be courageous. It is consistently translated, "Fear not," but a better rendering would be "Take heart!" It is a word that would be spoken to strengthen someone who is facing some kind of hardship or difficult ordeal. Jesus was literally saying, "In this world you will go through some distressing times, but take heart and be courageous...."

Then Jesus tells us, "I have overcome the world." The word "overcome" is the Greek word nikos, which is also the word for victory. But the grammar used in this statement does not imply a single victory in the past, but a continuous and abiding victory. Therefore, the idea that this Greek word presents is this: "I have overcome the world; I am still overcoming the world; and I will always be in an overcoming position over the world!"

The word "world" in Greek is kosmos, the Greek word that is always used to depict the arena where Satan attempts to wield his influence and describes all the human systems of the world. It is the very word Paul uses in Second Corinthians 4:4 when he refers to Satan as the "god of the world." Satan is not god of the earth, but he operates through the human systems in the world—and these systems are what the enemy usually uses to attack the Church and God's people.

When we consider all the things that assailed the apostle Paul, we realize that most of the attacks came through the world systems of government or religion. These were the primary instruments Satan used in his efforts to curb Paul's activities. But Paul learned to take heart in such situations. He never gave up! Paul had obviously grabbed hold of Jesus' words in John 16:33, because he overcame everything Satan ever tried to use against him. The devil simply was unable to stop this man who was determined to finish the assignment Heaven had given him!

Five Times Received I Forty Stripes Save One

In Second Corinthians 11:24, Paul goes on to say, "Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one." This was a Jewish method of punishment, applied to Paul on five different occasions. Deuteronomy 25:2, 3 refers to this method when it specifies how the wicked man should be punished: "And it shall be, if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten before his face, according to his fault, by a certain number. Forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed...."

This was one of the most vicious treatments of the ancient world. The tortured person's clothing was completely removed so he appeared before his persecutors naked. His arms were tied so he could not defend himself. Then the torturer would begin to lash the prisoner's bare body with a whip made of three long cords, one from calf hide and the other two from donkey hide.

Pieces of glass, bone, and metal were often attached to the end of the cords to make the lashing more memorable. The torturer would hit so hard that the pieces of glass, bone, and metal would lodge into the victim's skin. Then as the cords were jerked backward for the next lash of the whip, those pieces of glass, bone, and metal would rip out significant amounts of flesh. This left horrid scars on the victim's body—permanently.

The first third of these lashes were given across the prisoner's upper chest and face, while the remaining two-thirds of lashes were applied to his back, buttocks, and legs; meanwhile, the victim was forced to bend over to make it easier for the torturer to hit his body. Blood flew everywhere as the cords whipped wildly through the air, making snapping noises as they struck the victim again and again.

But let's think a little deeper. If the whip was made of three cords and Paul received thirty-nine lashes each time, this means he received 117 lashes at each beating! And he went through this grueling exercise on five different occasions, which means 585 lashes were laid across Paul's upper chest, face, back, buttocks, and legs. There wasn't a place on his body that hadn't been beaten or had pieces of flesh ripped out of it!

Paul was so committed to fulfilling his God-given call that he wouldn't let anything stop him! After being repeatedly beaten in this terrible manner, he'd get up, put his clothes back on, and go right back to what he was doing before he was beaten. He had already made up his mind. He would not stop until his mission was complete!

Being beaten was an unpleasant experience. It was definitely a part of the journey that no one would relish. But Paul refused to let this experience become a permanent roadblock to his ministry. He pushed the opposition out of the way, got up, and went on. He overcame in the power of Jesus' name and in the power of the Holy Spirit!

What are you facing today? I'm sure it isn't a beating of thirty-nine lashes, yet it may still seem overpowering and overwhelming to you. How are you going to respond to these things? If you've been knocked down, are you going to stay there? Or are you going to get up, brush off the dirt, grab hold of the power of God, and start moving forward again?

Never forget that Jesus said, "In this world you will go through some distressing times. But take heart and be courageous, for I have overcome the world; I am still overcoming the world; and I will always be in an overcoming position over the world!"

If you'll make the choice today to get up, brush off the dirt, tell your mind and emotions to be silent, and submit yourself to these words of Jesus, the Holy Spirit will begin to fill you with new strength so you can come through the difficult situations you are facing victoriously. And as you rely on God's power to bring you to the place of victory you desire, you will learn how to overcome every challenge you will ever face in life!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY
Lord, I am so thankful that You have overcome the world and given me the power to overcome it! I am so sorry for the times I've allowed my flesh to whine and complain when I should have been digging in my heels and latching on to the power of the Holy Spirit. I know that even though victory is mine, I must take it and make it my own. Please help me take charge of my whining, complaining flesh so I can reach out by faith to seize the power of the Holy Spirit—the very thing I need to make me a winner in my situation today. I thank You in advance for this inflow of power!

I pray this in Jesus' name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY
I confess that Jesus Christ has given me the power to be an overcomer in every situation in life! I am not a victim who has fallen to defeat. I don't have to take what the devil tries to send my way. In the power of the Spirit and in Jesus' name, I am well able to stand against each attack, to resist every devilish scheme that comes against me, and to maintain the victory of Jesus Christ in every part of my life. Jesus purchased victory for me, and I will not budge from my decision to have, to hold, to possess, and to enjoy His victory in my life!

I declare this by faith in Jesus' name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER
1.Are you doing your best to walk in the victory of Jesus Christ? Or have you allowed your flesh to moan and groan and drag you down into the language of defeat?

2.What scriptures can you meditate on and confess daily that will take you to a higher place of victory? Why don't you write those verses down and put them in a visible place where you'll see them every day and be reminded to declare them over your life?

3.Can you think of any people in your life who are currently struggling with the temptation to give up in the midst of difficult circumstances? What are some things you could do to encourage these individuals to keep believing and to stand fast in faith for the victory they desire?

If you've been knocked down, are you going to stay there? Or are you going to get up, brush off the dirt, grab hold of the power of God, and start moving forward again?

Become More Determined Than Hell Itself!

2 Corinthians 11:23 (ESV) Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death

I am often amazed by people who say they want to be mightily used by God but yet are so "soft"! It doesn't take much at all to ruffle these people's feathers. A little inconvenience or discomfort is enough to upset them and start them complaining. And if they are asked to do a little extra work for free, they act like martyrs who are doing something extremely sacrificial!

If you're going to do something mighty for God, you have to throw yourself into the call of God and do what is needed, regardless of whether or not it is convenient to you. The fact is, doing what God has called us to do must be paramount in our lives—more important than any comfort or pleasure. Like the examples we see in the lives of Jesus and the apostle Paul, we must be willing to do anything required or go to any length to do exactly what God has assigned to us.

Of course God wants His people to be blessed! But a believer shouldn't start whining and complaining just because he runs into an attack of the devil that affects the level of comfort he is accustomed to. And if he's asked to do a little more than what is usually asked of him, he shouldn't start griping that the extra task is not a part of his job description. When a person does that, we can know that this is someone who will not do something mighty for God—at least not until he makes an adjustment in his attitude!

To push the forces of hell out of the way, you have to be more determined than hell itself. You have to be willing to do anything necessary to get the job done. The vision before you must be more important than your own personal pleasure. When you adopt this mentality for your life, you will always push through hard times and take significant territory for the Kingdom of God.

Paul then goes on to tell us more about his determined attitude to finish God's call, regardless of what he has to do to finish it and the challenges he has to face on his way to victory.

Stripes Above Measure

In addition to working hard, Paul tells us what he has physically endured in order to fulfill his heavenly assignment. He tells us that he has been physically beaten as he pursued the fulfillment of his God-given task, experiencing "... stripes above measure...."

The word "stripes" is the Greek word plege. It means to smite, to hit, to wound, or to violently strike. There are many examples of this word in the New Testament. In Luke 10:30, Jesus tells us, "And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead." The word "wounded" is this Greek word plege.

Notice that the man's wounds were so devastating that when the thieves departed, they assumed he was dead. These were mortal wounds. Now Paul uses this same word to describe the kinds of beatings he received as he sought to fulfill his God-given assignment in life.

This word is also used in Acts 16:33 to describe the kind of beating Paul and Silas received in Philippi. After God's power shook the prison walls and set Paul and Silas free, the keeper of the prison came to them to ask how to be saved. Acts 16:33 tells us that once the prison guard was saved, he "... took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes..." This word "stripes" is the same Greek word plege. Here we see an example of the physical beatings Paul endured.

But this incident in Philippi was just one example of Paul being physically knocked around by opponents to the Gospel. In Second Corinthians 11:23, he goes on to say that he experienced these stripes "above measure."

The words "above measure" are from the Greek word huperballo. It is a compound of the words huper and ballo. The word huper means above and beyond what is normal. The word ballo means to throw. And when these two words are joined together, they depict a very powerful picture!

Imagine an archer who takes his bow and arrows to the field for target practice. He aims his arrow at the bull's-eye, pulls back on his bow, and shoots the arrow. But he misses his target and shoots way over the top or exceedingly out of range. The arrow flies way beyond the range of anything considered normal. This pictures the meaning of the Greek word huperballo.

Paul's use of this word tells us that he was beaten way beyond the range of what we could even begin to imagine. The word huperballo describes both the frequency and the intensity of his beatings. The beatings Paul received occurred frequently. They were cruel, severe, merciless acts of brutality. What Paul's enemies did to his body was way over the top! But Paul never allowed even these acts of physical brutality to affect his commitment to the task God had given him.

You must be more determined than the forces that will try to come against you. Otherwise, it won't take much pressure to make you say, "This is too hard" or "I didn't understand how difficult this was going to be." You'll mentally start packing your bags so you can transfer back to more comfortable territory where less is expected of you.

By no means am I wishing hardships or hard times on you. But I do pray that you make up your mind to be tougher than anything the devil ever tries to throw in your direction. In your flesh alone, you are not strong enough to withstand the devil's assaults. But with the power of the Holy Spirit, you can resist, stand against, and drive back everything the devil will attempt to do to you, to your family, to your business, or to your church or ministry. Isn't it time for you to make up your mind to stick with God's call on your life and press ahead in the power of the Holy Spirit?

Prisons More Frequent

Paul goes on to tell us that he has been "... in prisons more frequent...." The word "prison" is the Greek word plulake. It describes a place of custody a prison ward, or a place heavily guarded by keepers and watchmen. Such a prison was usually a small, dark chamber in which the most hardened, dangerous, and menacing prisoners were confined. The prisoners who were put into this particular kind of chamber were considered so risky that they were usually accompanied by a host of prison guards who guarded them twenty-four hours a day.

This word plulake ("prison") is used in Acts 12:4 for Peter's imprisonment in Jerusalem. Acts 12:4 tells us, "And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people." Peter must have been viewed as especially risky to have four quaternions of soldiers assigned to keep watch over him!

Paul was also kept in this kind of extreme confinement many times during his ministry; this is what he means when he says here that he has been in "prisons more frequent." In fact, Paul became so familiar with this type of confinement that he even spent his final days under similar circumstances: "And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard: but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him" (Acts 28:16).

No one wants to go to jail! But if going to jail meant that Paul would accomplish his apostolic calling along the way, that was what he was willing to do. Paul was ready to undergo any inconvenience, pay any price, and go to all lengths to do what God had commissioned him to do. Even jail would not stop him.

Deaths Oft

In addition to the beatings and imprisonments he endured, Paul also says he was "... in deaths oft." The word "deaths" is from the Greek word thanatos. Here, however, Paul uses the plural form, thanatoi, which is literally translated "deaths."

We know that Paul wrote in First Corinthians 15:31, "... I die daily." We tend to spiritualize this statement, but in reality, Paul faced actual physical death on a regular basis. When he wrote, "... I die daily," he actually meant, "I am constantly confronted with the prospect of death."

Paul faced death so often that he learned how to face it bravely. In Romans 14:8, he wrote, "... whether we die, we die unto the Lord...." In First Corinthians 15:55, we see that he learned to meditate on victory rather than on mortality and fatality: "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" These are not allegorical verses about death. They are the thoughts of a man who faced the prospect of death almost on a daily basis.

Paul never sought to live under this constant threat of murder or execution. It was just a part of the journey to get where he needed to go. But rather than run and hide from imminent danger, he faced it bravely and kept moving forward to do what he was called to do.

Had Paul been less committed, it would have taken only a few of these difficult experiences to knock him out of the race. But because he was totally focused on finishing the assignment Heaven had given him, he pushed beyond each of these attacks, and at the end of his life, he was able to say, "... I have finished my course..." (2 Timothy 4:7).

The Holy Spirit who empowered the apostle Paul to overcome each of these instances is the same Holy Spirit who is available to help you. You never have to be a defeated victim. If you choose to take advantage of the power that is available to you, the Spirit of God will energize and lift you to a place of victory over any obstacle the devil tries to throw in your way. Never forget that you have resurrection power residing inside you (see Romans 8:11). If you'll yield to that power, it will supernaturally quicken you to overcome every time!

So throw open your arms of faith and embrace the Spirit's power to overcome each attack the devil has tried to orchestrate against you. If you'll embrace that power, it will begin to flood you with everything you need to survive and to gloriously succeed in your task! Make the decision to let it start flowing today!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, I thank You that because Your Spirit lives in me, I have everything I need to overcome any attack the devil would try to orchestrate against me. Because Your resurrection power resides in me, I am stronger than the devil; I am tougher than any problem; and I can outlast any time of difficulty. It is not a question of IF I will win, but of WHEN I will win the victory! I thank You for giving me the power of the Holy Spirit to outlast every attack and to persist until I have accomplished what You have asked me to do!

I pray this in Jesus' name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am totally focused on finishing the assignment Heaven has given to me. I will successfully push beyond each attack of the enemy because the Holy Spirit is empowering me. I don't have to be a defeated victim. I choose to take advantage of the power that is available to me. Therefore, the Spirit of God will energize and lift me to a place of victory over any obstacle the devil tries to throw in my way. I have resurrection power residing inside me, and it supernaturally quickens me to overcome every demonic attack that tries to assault me and my purpose in life!

I declare this by faith in Jesus' name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1.Was there a time in your past when you felt extremely weak, but then the Spirit of God suddenly quickened you with such divine energy that you became supernaturally strong to overcome a difficult challenge in your life? If yes, what was that occasion when divine power flooded you so strongly?

2.Can you verbalize the changes that occurred in you when God's power infused you with new strength? Were there immediate changes in your attitudes? Did it have an impact on your ability to endure?

3.How was that difficult situation resolved as a result of the supernatural empowerment you experienced?

GOD'S GOT YOUR BACK

Numbers 22

While God does occasionally give us a glimpse of things that are in our future, our ability to fully see inside the realm of the spirit is limited. There is an invisible world around us where spiritual warfare takes place unbeknownst to us. Satan, the prince of darkness, leads his army of evil (in a losing expedition) against our Great King, and the Kingdom of God. Because of the believer’s allegiance with God, we’ve become targets of Satan and his plan is to destroy anybody and anything associated with the Kingdom of Light. Believers can be assured that The God we serve is protecting us from the attacks of the enemy—even when we don’t see them coming.

In Numbers 22, Balak, king of the Moabites, sent for the Mesopotamian soothsayer, Balaam, to come and put a curse on the Israelites. Balak hoped that Balaam's curse would ensure Israel's defeat (Numbers 22:1-6). As Balaam was headed to see Balak, the Angel of the Lord blocked the path of the travelers. Amazingly, the donkey saw The Angel’s Drawn Sword in His Hand and diverted off the path (Numbers 22:23). Each time Balaam tried directing the donkey’s direction, The Angel would hinder their progress (22:23-27). After Balaam struck the donkey a third time, God opened the mouth of the animal and the donkey initiated a conversation with Balaam! (Numbers 22:28-30). When the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, he was able to see what the donkey had seen and was given instructions not to obey Balak’s request (22:31-35). Balaam, a Mesopotamian soothsayer, informed Balak, king of the Moabites, that he’d only say what God had commanded him! (Numbers 22:38). Although Israel had no idea of the enemy’s plot, our Great God intercepted the plans of the enemy and they didn’t manifest.

One of God’s Promises to us is that, “No weapon formed against you shall prosper…” (Isaiah 54:17). Although the enemy plots and schemes against us, we can be confident in the fact that, “God has our back!”

Let’s Pray: “Father, we thank You that You’re always working in our behalf, even when we don’t see You working. Help us to be confident in the fact that You’re working every situation for our good, in Jesus’ Name, amen.”

Daily Prayer: “Oh, that You would bless me indeed,

and enlarge my territory,

that Your hand would be with me,

and that You would keep me from evil,

that I may not cause pain!”

The Prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 4:10

Daily Confession:

Father, I thank You for making me the head and not the tail

Above only and not beneath

The lender and not the borrower

The conqueror and not the conquered

I thank You for giving me all things that pertain unto life and godliness

And for delivering my life from death and destruction

So that I shall live and not die to declare your works

I thank You that no sickness shall live in my body

For by Your Stripes I'm healed

I confess that I will not be stressed, oppressed, or depressed

Because You're keeping me in perfect peace as my mind is stayed on Thee

I confess that I will not be distracted, disorganized, or in disarray,

but I will be diligent to what God has called me to do

I confess that there shall not be any lack in my life

For my God shall supply all my needs according to His Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus

Thank You that all things are working together for my good

And that You always cause me to triumph

This is the day that you have made

I will rejoice and be glad in it

In Jesus, Name, amen.

THE LONG WAY!!!!!!

Genesis 41:41-43: 41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. 42 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; 43 And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.

There are two doors that can be accessed to enter and exit the building at the barbershop that I patronize. I usually park next to the door where my barber is located and then walk directly into his chair at my appointment time. In the past, I’ve used this door to both enter and exit the establishment without any problems. But an interesting thing happened this past Tuesday as I was leaving. Although I entered the building through the door, when it was time for me to leave, the door was locked! Although my vehicle was less than ten feet away, I had to go the long way around in order to get to it.



Many of us have been shown what God is going to do in our lives; however, it appears as if it’s taking “an eternity” to manifest! Although Joseph’s life was adventurous, it took much longer than he expected to receive what God had promised. At the tender age of 17, God showed him (in dreams) that he’d reign one day over his family. But those dreams didn’t come into fruition until around age 30. Those thirteen years were ones of challenges, conflicts, and confrontations. However, the roller-coaster ride resulted in Joseph being elevated to second-in-charge in all the land of Egypt! The blessing was well worth the pain, the heartaches and the struggles he had to endure and overcome.



Many of you reading this devotional have pondered the questions “Why is it taking so long to get what God has promised?” “Why am I having to take, “The Long Way” to get to my wealthy place? My assignment this morning is to deliver this message: “God’s going to make it worth the wait.”



Let’s Pray:
“Father, thank You for the route You’ve chosen to take us in getting us to our wealthy place. We ask that You’ll give us the tenacity, fortitude, and diligence to ‘hang it there.’ Help us to ‘trust You when we can’t trace You.’ Give us strength for the ‘long haul,’ in Jesus’ Name, Amen.”



Daily Prayer: “Oh, that You would bless me indeed,
and enlarge my territory,
that Your hand would be with me,
and that You would keep me from evil,
that I may not cause pain!”
The Prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 4:10



Daily Confession:
Father, I thank You for making me the head and not the tail

Above only and not beneath

The lender and not the borrower

The conqueror and not the conquered



I thank You for giving me all things that pertain unto life and godliness

And for delivering my life from death and destruction

So that I shall live and not die to declare your works



I thank You that no sickness shall live in my body

For by Your Stripes I'm healed

I confess that I will not be stressed, oppressed, or depressed

Because You're keeping me in perfect peace as my mind is stayed on Thee



I confess that I will not be distracted, disorganized, or in disarray,

but I will be diligent to what God has called me to do



I confess that there shall not be any lack in my life

For my God shall supply all my needs according to His Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus



Thank You that all things are working together for my good

And that You always cause me to triumph



This is the day that you have made

I will rejoice and be glad in it

In Jesus, Name, amen.

GIVE IT TO GOD

1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (KJV)

Yesterday, I read a very interesting suggestion of how to trust God with our troubles. Pastor Craig Groeschel suggests that those of us who worry constantly should get a container and write, “Trusting God” on it. And whenever we’re worried about something we can’t change, we should simply write what’s worrying us on a piece of paper and put it in the container. Once it’s inside the container, it becomes God’s Property, His Responsibility, not yours. From the moment you give your problem to Him, you’re not allowed to worry about it. If you want to worry, then you have to go to the container and physically take the concern away from God. And when you do, you’re choosing to worry instead of trusting God.

Whether you agree or disagree with Pastor Groeshel’s method, we cannot deny the need to offload those things that are troubling us by giving them to God. The word of the Lord through the penmanship of the apostle Peter is, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” (I Peter 1:7) The unfortunate reality is that far too often we pick up burdens that have been placed at The Feet of Jesus. But if we’re going to live stress-free lives, we have to learn how to “take our burdens to the Lord and leave them there.”

My prayer for us today is that we’ll learn how to trust The Lord with the things that trouble us.

Let’s Pray:
“Father, we pray that you’ll help us to not worry about the things we cannot change. We confess that there are some things that we can’t handle by ourselves and we need Your Help. Teach us, we pray, how to trust You with all our troubles, in Jesus’ Name, amen.”

Daily Prayer: “Oh, that You would bless me indeed,
and enlarge my territory,
that Your hand would be with me,
and that You would keep me from evil,
that I may not cause pain!”
The Prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 4:10

Daily Confession:
Father, I thank You for making me the head and not the tail

Above only and not beneath

The lender and not the borrower

The conqueror and not the conquered



I thank You for giving me all things that pertain unto life and godliness

And for delivering my life from death and destruction

So that I shall live and not die to declare your works



I thank You that no sickness shall live in my body

For by Your Stripes I'm healed

I confess that I will not be stressed, oppressed, or depressed

Because You're keeping me in perfect peace as my mind is stayed on Thee



I confess that I will not be distracted, disorganized, or in disarray,

but I will be diligent to what God has called me to do



I confess that there shall not be any lack in my life

For my God shall supply all my needs according to His Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus

Thank You that all things are working together for my good

And that You always cause me to triumph



This is the day that you have made

I will rejoice and be glad in it

In Jesus, Name, amen.

OUR TRAINER

1 Corinthians 10:13- “…God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength; but with the trial he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it.”

Anyone who’s made progress in the area of physical fitness can attest to the value of having a good trainer. From the drill sergeant who trains basic trainees to the “spot man” in the gym, trainers seek peak performance from those being trained while simultaneously maximizing their potential. One of the characteristics of a good spot man is the ability to allow those on the bench to push the weight themselves without intervening until the weight is too hard to bear alone.


How often do we forget that close to the apex of our spiritual profiles is the word solider! Our Heavenly Father sometimes puts us in situations during training so that we’ll be better conditioned to “fight the good fight of faith.” (I Timothy 6:12) But the good news is that our Trainer knows the areas that we need strengthening and He individually selects our training regimen. And when we’ve taken all we can take, He doesn’t allow the burdens of life to overtake us but He intervenes when things have become too much to handle. Paul encouraged the church at Corinth with the following spiritual truth: “...God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength; but with the trial he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it.” (I Corinthians 10:13)

Let’s remind ourselves today that we are being strengthened through life’s trails, tribulations, and traumas to prepare us to carry out our Kingdom assignments. And our Trainer never gives us a burden that we can’t bear.

Let’s Pray: “Father, help us to realize that You’re training us to reign in Your Kingdom. Teach us how to trust You during the difficult moments of our lives, in Jesus’ Name, amen.”

Daily Prayer: “Oh, that You would bless me indeed,
and enlarge my territory,
that Your hand would be with me,
and that You would keep me from evil,
that I may not cause pain!”

The Prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 4:10

Through God’s Eyes

Proverbs 21:2: Every way of a man is right in his own eyes…

Conflict is often a part of our lives. Even in the body of Christ, believers will sometimes disagree with one another. While some people find it relatively easy to say “I’m sorry” or “I was wrong,” it almost takes an act of congress for others to do the same! Have you ever met someone who was “always right?” Are there those that you’ve gone to before with conflict and found it difficult to find resolve?



More often than not, whenever there’s a dispute amongst two or more parties, we want others to see matters from our individual perspective(s). But what gauges whether or not our way is right? The common ground that believers must meet when they don’t see “eye to eye” is The Word of God. Proverbs 21:2 says that, “every way of a man is right in his own eyes…;” therefore, unless our feelings and opinions have been gauged by The Word of God, we could very well be wrong! Whenever Christians are at odds with one another, we must be open and receptive to God’s Word in bringing resolve to any disputes.


The exhortation today is to see life through The Eyes of God.



Let’ Pray:
“Father, help us to always see life through Your Eyes, in Jesus’ Name, amen.”



Daily Prayer:
“Oh, that You would bless me indeed,
and enlarge my territory,
that Your hand would be with me,
and that You would keep me from evil,
that I may not cause pain!”
The Prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 4:10

Today's Daily Devotional shared with us by Christ The Healers very own Elder Rashidah Leverett

On Sunday evening May 16th, 2010 Bishop Calvin Locket preached a sermon entitled "The Question of Identity", the text came from Acts 19:11-15. The seven sons of the chief priest Scheva tried to "call out" a evil spirit in Jesus name (paraphrasing).

This morning as I reflected back on the message, I could not get the words of the 'evil spirit' out of my mind, "but the evil spirit answered them, Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you? (v 15, ESV). How did the evil spirit "know" specifically Paul and Jesus? Because both Paul and Jesus had certain things in common that the sons of Scheva did not. One,they encountered evil on a continuous basis! (WOW! God's been talking to me.)

For example,

1. Jesus was tempted by the devil (Luke 4:1-13)-EVIL!
2. Jesus was rejected by his people (Luke 4:23-28)-EVIL!
3. Jesus was kissed them betrayed by his friend (Luke:47-48)-EVIL!
4. Paul was forceed out of the city for preaching Jesus (Acts13.50)-EVIL!
5. Paul & Barnabas were stoned for preaching Jesus (Acts 14:5)-EVIL!
6. Paul & Silas were beaten and jailed for teaching Jesus (Acts 16:19-30)-EVIL!

Another commonality between Paul and Jesus was "they were filled with the Holy Spirit" (see Luke 4:1 and Acts 13:2,4,19). So for the sons of Scheva to be so bold as to think that they were powerful enough to "call out" a evil spirit and yet not allow the Holy Spirit to "send them" was a very arrogant act.

But I can't judge the sons of Scheva, I too have thought I could claim the power that Jesus had over evil, but not have His power take authority over the evil in my life. We think as long as we are Christians, evil will not touch us. Not so! The truth is because we are Christians "evil is ever present." We have to know that only through the power of the Holy Spirit can evil be defeated. Evil will stand in our faces and make a mockery of our power like it did the sons of Scheva. They enemy knows who the counterfeit believers are. My advice is, don't let evil make a fool out of us!

Dear God, Only through your son Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit can we overcome evil. Give us faith so as to allow Jesus to rule our lives, so when evil comes, it won't make a mockery of our power. In Jesus Name, Amen

EXPECT GOD

Romans 4:19 “Abraham's faith never became weak, not even when he was nearly a hundred years old. He knew that he was almost dead and that his wife Sarah could not have children. 20 But Abraham never doubted or questioned God's promise…” (Contemporary English Version)

The Bible is clear that faith is an absolute necessity in our walk with the Lord. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Five verses later, the Word declares that faithlessness displeases God. (Hebrews 11:6) God’s Word says in 2 Corinthians 5:7 “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” I’d venture to agree with the saints of old that “Prayer is the key to the kingdom, but faith unlocks the door.” Although faith is the foundation to our spiritual victory, there are multiplied masses who don’t exercise it. Why do we find it so difficult to operate in faith?

Many of us have been inadvertently crippled by fear. The longer we wait on God to manifest what He’s promised, the more difficult it becomes to “hold onto our faith.” There are those who have resolved to throw up their hands and say things like, “What’s the use? Maybe it wasn’t for me after all.” I want to remind you that God keeps His Promises! The Contemporary English Version of Numbers 23:19 says, “God is no mere human! He doesn't tell lies or change his mind. God always keeps his promises.” Like Abraham, we must not doubt God or question His Promises. Although he and his wife (Sarah) were well past child bearing age, the miracle child (Isaac) manifested because He refused to doubt what God had promised. The exhortation today is simply to encourage you to hold onto the Promises of God—“it shall come to pass!”

Let’s Pray:
Father, we ask that You’ll help us to hold onto our faith. Lord, we know that all things are possible to those that believe (Mark 9:23), but we pray today that You’ll ‘help our unbelief’ (Mark 9:24). We pray that we’ll “trust You and give you time, no matter how long it takes,” in Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Daily Prayer:
“Oh, that You would bless me indeed,
and enlarge my territory,
that Your hand would be with me,
and that You would keep me from evil,
that I may not cause pain!”


The Prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 4:10