Thursday, June 21, 2018

Know Your Authority!

Hello Everyone,

Today I want to share a truth with you that Kenneth Hagin called “...the mightiest working of God for the believer”. The Apostle Paul thought it was a pretty big deal too; he prayed that we would receive a spirit of wisdom and revelation to see and understand it. What is it? It’s the authority that every believer has been given to exercise here on earth. The reason it’s so significant is: when we know and act in our authority, it affects the way we see and react to things in this life. In fact it changes the ‘game plan’, so to speak, to where we do more of the action and less of the reaction! It’s where we move from a place where life just happens to us, to where life actually comes from us. That’s very powerful!

First, let’s agree with what the Word says: we have an enemy, the devil, who is determined to prevent us from living free and victorious in this life. Ephesians 6:12 tells us our enemy is not flesh and blood, but principalities and powers of darkness. 1 Peter 5:8 says our enemy, the devil, goes around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to seize upon and devour. But, because of the finished work of the cross, this happened: Colossians 2:15, “[God] disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them...” Even though Jesus destroyed the power of the enemy over God’s children, we have to stand our ground and enforce his defeat.  

You see, the devil knows that while you are ignorant of the authority you have over him, and the power of God that is in you to back it, you will never stand your ground against him. So he will reap havoc in every area of your life that you stand back and allow him free reign in. But the moment you understand and have a revelation of who you are in Christ, you can exercise your authority and cause great damage to his kingdom – while you live the best life possible here on earth.

So, let’s take a look at the authority you have in Christ Jesus. In Matthew 28:18, Jesus said that all power and authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him. Then, He immediately transferred that authority to us. The Bible says that the power invested in the Name of Jesus and obtained by Him, through His overcoming the enemy, belongs to the church. Ephesians 2:5-6 says that even when we were dead in sin, He quickened us by His resurrection power and raised us up to be seated with Him in heavenly places – the place of authority. Moreover, Ephesians 1:22 tells us that all things were put under His feet, under His authority! That scripture goes on to say how Christ has become the head of the church. He is the Head, we are the body, and all things are under our feet. Hallelujah!  

Listen to this: when God raised Jesus, the Head of the church, from the dead, He also raised us, the body. The head and the body are one! The authority was conferred to the head and the body together. When it comes to exercising authority on this earth, the head and body work inseparably together! 

Look at what Jesus said in Luke 10:19, “Behold! I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and [physical and mental strength and ability] over all the power that the enemy [possesses]; and nothing shall in any way harm you.”  

Then, in Ephesians 6:10-11 Paul says: “In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides]. Put on God’s whole armour [the armour of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil.”

1 John 4:4 says, “Little children, you are of God [you belong to Him] and have [already] defeated and overcome them [the agents of the antichrist], because He Who lives in you is greater (mightier) than he who is in the world.”

Having said that, it is really important for us to understand the difference between authority and power...I actually heard Kenneth Hagin explain it this way: 
He spoke about a small framed policeman boldly standing in front of a stream of traffic with his hand held out, signalling them to stop. Now there is no possible way that policeman has the power to stretch out both hands and, with his physical strength and might, hold back those vehicles. The only thing that is stopping that man from becoming road-kill is the fact that the drivers of those vehicles recognise his authority! They know that that policeman has the full power of the law backing him and, if they don’t obey, the consequences are more than what they care to deal with.

Just the same: when we understand the full force of the power of God that is in us, ready to back us, our authority becomes a terrifying signal to the devil. He recognises authority; more importantly, he recognises when a believer knows and acts in his authority – and he is powerless against that.

Anything the Word of God says is ours, through the finished work of the cross, we have been given the authority to take a hold of, by faith. So when the devil puts the symptoms of sickness, lack, worry, fear of failure, or any devilish thing on you, don’t stand for it. Know who you are in Christ and the power of God that is in you to back your authority. Then kick the devil right out of your life – and out of everything that concerns you!

James 4:7 says, “So be subject to God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him], and he will flee from you.”

Next week we will learn how to grow in our confidence to use our God-given authority! Until then, stand strong in the Lord and don’t let the devil push you around!

Love you dearly,
Jen


Sunday, June 17, 2018

Don’t Just Sit There, Reign

Hello everyone,

For some time now, my heart has been stirred to really understand what the Bible says our inheritance in Christ is and how to fully appropriate it in our lives. If we can get this settled inside us, I believe we can use it as a platform to do the work of God with great power and authority. Our desire is to see the miraculous, supernatural force of God’s power at work not only in our own personal lives, not just in the lives of those in our immediate sphere of influence, but to have the reach far greater than we could have ever dreamed or imagined. Why? Because we are living in the time where it’s crucial for the manifestation of God’s power to be seen everywhere! The sleeping giant, called the church, must rise up in the authority, power, and dominion of God, to shake this world, hold back the tide of evil and bring in a mighty harvest of souls before we go to be with Jesus.

Now don’t say this isn’t for you, if you are a born-again child of God, or you feel His tug on your heart to know Him as your Saviour, you must see and understand the life Jesus desires for you to live here on earth. It will revolutionise everything about you! Having said that, I cannot over-emphasise that the life of power we can have has everything to do with our personal, inseparable connection with the Holy Spirit. Our intimate partnership with Him involves our full commitment to see His will lived out in us. It’s all about reigning with Him in victory! So, if you’re ready for change and a shift to go to another level in your walk with God, today is your day!  

For those of you who want to surrender your heart to Jesus before we go further, Romans 10:9-10 says, “...if you acknowledge and confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and in your heart believe (adhere to, trust in, and rely on the truth) that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Verse 13 says, “For everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord [invoking Him as Lord] will be saved.”

If you do believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that He died on the cross to carry the weight and penalty of your sin that has separated you from truly knowing God. And you believe that He rose again from the dead, victorious over sin, so that if you believe in Him and receive Him into your heart, He will not only wash away your sin and make you in right standing with Him; He will come, by His precious Holy Spirit and make His home in your heart. If that is what you desire, then say this prayer out loud now, with your whole heart, believing every word you say…

"Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for what you did on the cross over 2000 years ago;  I believe You are the Son of God, and that You died for my sins and rose again on the third day. I believe You are Lord and I ask You to come into my heart, remove my sin and live in me. Become my Lord and Saviour, and fill me with Your precious Holy Spirit. I surrender my life to You now. Teach me to walk in Your ways and baptise me with the power of Your Holy Spirit. I believe I receive You now, thank You Jesus. I am Your child, washed clean by Your blood and filled with Your Spirit of power and peace. Amen"

Hallelujah! Welcome to the family of God. Now you can come on this journey with us.

Let’s read a scripture I have often referred to, Ephesians 1:17-21, “[For I always pray to] the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation [of insight into mysteries and secrets] in the [deep and intimate] knowledge of Him...”.  Stop right there - did you notice God wants us to have a deep and intimate knowledge of Who He is? So before we go any further, if that’s what you are truly desiring, then expect to really know God more by His Holy Spirit as we walk together in His Word today! Look out for every reference to His nature and how He feels about you in the scriptures we are going to read. I can guarantee you won’t find anything indicating He is mean, selfish or egotistical; in fact, you’ll find the very opposite to be true.

Let’s keep reading, verse 18 says, “By having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints (His set-apart ones)...” There is a hope God has called us to and it has to do with us sharing or partaking in Jesus’ glorious inheritance. The Word says His inheritance is our inheritance. Since the word hope means an earnest expectation: Christ’s inheritance in us is something we can press into and, by faith, expect to live in now.  

How is this possible? When Jesus died and rose again, He secured the legal right for us to live in His inheritance now, before we get to heaven one day. Hebrews 9:16-17 says, “For where there is a [last] will and testament involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. For a will and testament is valid and takes effect only at death, since it has no force or legal power as long as the one who made it is alive.” When Jesus gave His life as a sacrifice for our sin, His life blood had to be shed to make the testament or legal agreement for our inheritance valid and effective. Then, the moment He rose from the dead and took His rightful place next to His Father in heaven, Jesus was given all authority, power and dominion, and the Name that is above every other name. The moment we accepted Him as our personal Lord and Saviour, the Bible says we became one spirit with Him (1 Corinthians 6:17) and since we are now in Him, and He is in us, what He has been given has become ours too!

Too good to be true? Well, take a look and see for yourself: verse 19 of Ephesians 1 says, “And [so that you can know and understand] what is the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His power in and for us who believe, as demonstrated in the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His [own] right hand in the heavenly [places].  Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named [above every title that can be conferred], not only in this age and in this world, but also in the age and the world which are to come.” 

Now, take a look at Ephesians 2:4-5, “But God—so rich is He in His mercy! Because of and in order to satisfy the great and wonderful and intense love with which He loved us, even when we were dead (slain) by [our own] shortcomings and trespasses, He made us alive together in fellowship and in union with Christ; [He gave us the very life of Christ Himself, the same new life with which He quickened Him, for] it is by grace (His favour and mercy which you did not deserve) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation).”

What does all this mean? It means your salvation is far more than a ticket to heaven, my friend. It’s the very life of the victorious Christ, alive in you to live and reign with Him now. He has made us partakers, partners with Him, by the very same power that has made Him alive!  The same power that raised Christ from the dead, lives in you (Romans 8:11) and it’s there for a purpose! 

Verse 6 says, “And He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together [giving us joint seating with Him] in the heavenly sphere [by virtue of our being] in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One).” It’s completely possible for our spirit man, who is inseparably connected to the Spirit of Christ, to be seated with Him in heavenly places - the place where, together, we have full authority and reign - while our natural bodies are here on earth.  

Verse 7 says, He did this that He might clearly demonstrate through the ages to come the immeasurable (limitless, surpassing) riches of His free grace (His unmerited favour) in [His] kindness and goodness of heart toward us in Christ Jesus. For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favour) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God;”

Jesus expects us to live and reign with Him right here and right now - and has given us everything we need to do so! The power of God is a real, tangible force living inside us. Just knowing and understanding this truth is enough to set you on the right course of victory and power.  

Did you remember to take careful note of the references to God’s good character and how He feels about you? Every part of our reigning with Christ is held together and fuelled by His unexplainable, overwhelming love for us. 

What kind of God is this that would give us all of Himself, including every aspect of His glorious inheritance, when we least deserve it? This love is what I choose to receive, and know, and live in. So I choose to receive, and know, and live in Him - because He is love.

Next week we will look at the authority we have in Christ Jesus!

All my love,

Jen

Thursday, June 7, 2018

Time to Get Violent!

Hello everyone,

Ever heard of experiencing days of heaven on earth? Does it sound too good to be true? Well, Jesus taught us to pray this very thing and by faith see it become our daily reality. In Matthew 6:10, He said we are to pray that His kingdom would come and His will would be done on earth as it is in heaven. Now, the kingdom of heaven is run on the principles and authority and power of God, with no resistance. The Bible tells us Jesus came to earth to demonstrate how to access and operate in God’s kingdom way of living in this world, where there is much resistance to it. That’s why He placed so much emphasis on living controlled by the Holy Spirit; to operate in His power, authority, and dominion, while we are in this world.  

Jesus showed us how to take authority over the devil and the elements, and made a practical and tangible exhibition of God’s goodness to all people, everywhere He went. Then…He went to the cross, defeated the devil, rose again and handed the baton over to the Holy Spirit to do His work through us!

To experience days of heaven on earth is only possible through the dominating power of the Holy Spirit that resides within us. It also requires a strong and radical commitment and determination for those who choose to live it. A determination that requires us to forcefully stand our ground and deliberately push back all resistance from the devil, who mercilessly seeks to steal, kill and destroy this inheritance we have as children of God.  

This kind of action requires a violent kind of faith! Look at what Matthew 11:12 says: “And from the days of John the Baptist until the present time, the kingdom of heaven has endured violent assault, and violent men seize it by force [as a precious prize—a share in the heavenly kingdom is sought with most ardent zeal and intense exertion].”

In the original Greek, this verse conveys the idea that Jesus set up the kingdom of heaven as a powerful movement, or reign, among men; which requires of them an equally strong and radical reaction. The footnote in Nelson’s Spirit-Filled Life Bible says, “The violent, who take it by force, are people of keen enthusiasm and commitment who are willing to respond to and propagate with radical abandonment the message and dynamic of God’s reign.” 

Praise the Lord! Now that is a clear call to end all passive complacency in our Christian walk! This mentality of ‘what will be, will be’ has no place in the life of a believer who is fervent about His victory and freedom in Christ Jesus, and completing His God-given assignment here on earth.  

When Moses sent 12 spies into Canaan, they all returned acknowledging that it really was a land flowing with milk and honey. However, there was a ferocious enemy they would have to contend with to possess it. Only Joshua and Caleb were confident to go up, at once, and take the land. They knew that just as God had promised the land was good, He would keep His promise to go with them, empowering them to take it – regardless of what stood in the way.  

Caleb pleaded with the people to be strong and courageous and move forward, trusting in God’s promises. This was the only way they were going to possess the land. It wasn’t that the people didn’t want to live in the Promised Land; the problem was they had no faith or zeal to get up and do something about it. You see, God never promised His people they wouldn’t have to fight, He promised they would WIN every time they put their faith in Him and moved forward in obedience.

Years later, under the leadership of Joshua, God instructed the Israelites to take that Promised Land. They were to go armed and ready for battle (Joshua 4:13; 6:9). Unlike those before them, they were filled with courage and faith – and a strong determination to put that faith into action. As a result, God miraculously moved on their behalf and empowered them to take what was rightfully theirs. 

The same is true for every believer. We can’t remain passive when it comes to living in our inheritance. The devil isn’t going to just let go and hand over what belongs to you. You have to get violent in your faith. So determine to be so committed to the things of God that the devil stands no chance of holding anything from you. This way you will stop being fearful, know who you are in Christ, and stand strong in faith. Use your words of faith to declare what is yours, and act like someone who has the victory. You’ll put the devil on the run as you advance God’s kingdom by force!

Next week we are going to learn how to practically sit in heavenly places with Christ Jesus and reign with Him in life!  

Much love,


Jenny

Saturday, June 2, 2018

Words That Activate the Power of God

Hello everyone,

The late John G. Lake described the power of God as a “tangible substance, and a living quality”. He spoke about how it’s possible for people to feel God’s power as they would an electrical force. He said the power of God is a living force that can be felt and experienced by our natural bodies, as the manifestation of God  meeting our needs.

Since the power of God resides in the Person of the Holy Spirit, and 1 Corinthians 6:17 says, “... the person who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him.” , we know the living force of Holy Ghost power lives inside us too! Remember 1 Corinthians 6:19 says, “Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received [as a Gift] from God?...”

I was listening to a message by Kenneth Hagin on the power of God. He said, since God is omnipresent, His power is too.  In other words, since the presence of God is everywhere, His power is wherever He is.  So, all over the world, wherever we go, the potential to activate God’s supernatural power, is not only possible from inside us, it’s possible all around us too! Psalm 72:19 says the whole earth is filled with His glory! Even the psalmist declares in Psalms 139:7, “Where could I go from Your Spirit? Or where could I flee from Your presence?”  Did you know that the spiritual realm is more real than the natural one we live in? The problem is most Christians are so caught up in the natural things we see and hear and touch with our physical senses, forgetting that we are spiritual beings first and foremost; and everything begins in the spirit realm before it’s manifest in the natural!  Can you imagine what will happen when we understand how to activate the power of God that is in us and all around us, in this world?

Now, the Word of God teaches us that the power of God is activated by FAITH! It declares this over and over again. But it’s not faith based on our feelings, it’s faith based on what the Word of God says!  No wonder the devil is on an all out attempt to discredit God’s Word, trying to convince God’s children to loose interest in it, making them think it’s not relevant anymore and intolerant of society and the times we live in.  That’s so funny, because the only thing God’s Word is intolerant of is the devil, and His lies and schemes to keep people in bondage!  Oh, the Word of God is powerful and alive and able to produce that unstoppable, supernatural force of faith inside of every born-again child of God!  Why? So we can activate God’s power wherever we go! God’s power is always present to heal, deliver, restore and meet every need of man.  But only faith based on God’s Word is able to activate it. 

And how does faith do that? When faith is released in our words and our actions, God’s power goes to work!  What do I mean by that?  Well, just like the wind in the natural, faith and love are real forces that can’t be seen but you can always see the result of them being present. For instance, you know the wind is there when you see the leaves and branches of the trees moving, and you feel it move across your skin or through your hair. Just the same, when faith and love are in operation, you will always see the results they produce in our words and actions.

For instance, you can tell when you are in faith or fear, by the words you speak when you’re facing a challenge. Sarah Pearsons once shared a message about the language of faith. I really do believe faith has a distinct sound and language. It’s called thanksgiving, and it’s usually always spoken as a sacrifice of praise. That’s because faith is a deliberate decision to thank and praise God, when there’s little or no natural evidence to support why we should.  When we refuse our minds the luxury of falling into the natural course of doubt and fear, and instead choose to delight ourselves in the Lord, finding our place of safety in what His Word says concerning us, we are exercising true faith.  And when we are at that place, the faith in our hearts and minds begins to flood out of our mouths in spontaneous praise and thanksgiving.  And that is exactly what activates the power of a God that is in and around us, to go to work and produce exactly what the Word says in our lives.

Another way our words of faith activate the power of God, is when they deliberately line up with God’s Word and never contradict it. Hebrews 11:3 says, “By faith we understand that the worlds [during the successive ages] were framed (fashioned, put in order, and equipped for their intended purpose) by the word of God, so that what we see was not made out of things which are visible.” Let me paraphrase, “...through faith, we understand that from the invisible spirit realm, not the natural realm we can see, the worlds we see now, were created by the words of faith, that God deliberately spoke, from what He saw in the realm of His Spirit.”  

When God spoke creation into being, there was no hesitation involved. He never doubted or wondered if His power to create was going to work or not.  He saw it in His Spirit and spoke it into our reality.  As a result, that which was not visible became visible.  When we question or wonder if it’s God’s will to heal, or deliver or prosper us, we will never activate His power to receive it in our lives.  Not because His Word hasn’t promised it, it has!  But because we aren’t convinced in our hearts, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that it’s true.  When we don’t see God’s promises fulfilled in our minds and spirits first, our own words of doubt betray us.

Kenneth Hagin tells a story of a woman who attended one of his services. She came forward for prayer for healing, as she couldn’t walk unassisted and had severe arthritis. When he prayed for her, he could sense she wasn’t receiving anything. It was as though the power of God, which was tangible when he prayed for others, was simply inactive when he prayed for her. After the service, she approached him and told him straight out that she didn’t receive her healing. 

She continued to tell him that she knew she wasn’t going to be healed, but just thought she would try it out anyway.  She told brother Hagin she really didn’t believe anything would happen. Then, she promptly asked him to pray for her again.  At this he told her it would do no good, because even though the power of God was present to heal her, it can only be received through faith. 

She looked at him and said, “Yes, I know that now, and I do believe.” He was rather taken aback, but prayed for her anyway. He said he barely even touched her head when he felt the power of God, like a bolt of electricity, flow out of him into her. She fell down under the power of God and, after a while, she got up, and was completely healed. She didn’t need any assistance in walking and the arthritis had completely left her body.  Praise the Lord! She came back the next evening, glowing, and eager to testify of what the power of God had done for her.

Now I’ve given you more than enough to meditate on concerning activating the power of God through your words of faith. Words that are filled with thanksgiving and praise in spite of the circumstances around us; and words that never speak contrary to the Word of God, because we speak them from hearts and minds that are convinced they are true; are what activates the power of God in and around us.

Next we I’m going to talk about violent faith that ensures days of heaven on earth and enforces the devil’s defeat in our lives. Until then, become increasingly aware of the power of God being a tangible force not just in you, but around you, ready to be activated by your words of faith!

All my love,


Jenny