Dear beloved: When Nehemiah fasted and prayed to the Lord in Chapter 1:11, he prayed for success in his mission to bring his petition before the king,.. and make Thy servant successful today, and grant him compassion before this man. Four months later in the month Nisan, his prayer was answered as God opened up the heart of the king to hear the petition of Nehemiah. Neh 2:4 Then the king said to me, "What would you request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven. v5 And I said to the king, "If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my father's tombs, that I may rebuild it."
Isn't it amazing that when we are preparing to do God's kingdom work that He has already prepared the way before us? Proverbs 16:7 When a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. Psalms 37:23 The steps of a man are established by the Lord, and He delights in his way. And isn't it also amazing how God can use anyone and anything to further His kindom plan, even including pagans and non believers? Proverbs 21:1 The king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes. And so God prepared the heart of King Artaxerxes to not only hear Nehemiah's petiton, but also to provide everything that he asked for: time off to go back to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls, letters to provide safe passage through enemy territory to get there, and also letters to secure timber to make the beams for the gates of the wall.
Beloved, do not shrink back in fear when you need something from the Lord to do your kingdom building. Step out in faith, ask and go into detail with the Lord what it is you need, and believe that you will receive it. Hebrews 11:6 tells us, that without faith it is impossible to please God, for those who come to Him must know(believe)that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. And in Mark 11:22-23 And Jesus answered them saying, " Have faith in God. v23 Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, Be taken up and cast into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes what he says is going to happen, it shall be granted him. v24 Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be granted you. And so beloved, speak to the mountains in your life, to the broken walls and burned out gates, ask in faith and go boldly before the Lord, and do not doubt in your heart that God will provide it if it is truly kingdom work. Pray beleiving that you have already received. As you can see in Nehemiah's case, he was diligent and faithful, and his prayers were answered four months after he first began to petition the Lord regarding the walls, and God provided for him every request in every detail. Now that's a faithbuilder! Step out today and ask for the mountains to be moved in your life and believe that you have already received them, then stand back and watch the Lord move! He will do it. God bless you this day as you rebuild the ancient walls, in Christ, Jim
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
Prayer and fasting pt4
Dear beloved: When Nehemiah heard that the walls of Jerusalem were down, he mourned, wept, prayed, and fasted. He prayed to God to show mercy on him and on the sons of Israel, for he knew that without God's mercy there would be no redemption and no restoration of the walls. Nehemiah 1:5-7 And I said,"I beseech Thee, O Lord God of Heaven, the great and awesome God, who preserves the covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments. v6 Let Thine ear now be attentive and Thine eyes be open to hear the prayer of Thy servant which I am prying before Thee now, day and night, on behalf of the sons of Israel Thy servants, confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have sinned against Thee, I and my father's house have sinned. v7 We have acted corruptly against Thee and hve not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances which Thou didst command Thy servant Moses. v11 O Lord, I beseech Thee, may Thine ear be attentive to the prayer of Thy servant and the prayer of Thy servants who delight to revere Thy name, and make Thy servant successful today, and grant him compassion before this man."
So Nehemiah positioned himself before the Lord, showing complete dependence on God's mercy and grace. If we are to have restoration of the walls that are down in our families we must do the same; we must humble ourselves before the Lord, confess our sins and the iniquities of our fathers, and plead for God to hear our prayers and show us lovingkindness. For who can restore but God alone, who is our refuge and our strenth but God alone, and who is our rock but God alone? Psalm 18:1-3 I love Thee Oh Lord, my strength. v2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer. My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. v3 I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies. Psalm 18:30-32 As for God, His way is blameless; The word of the Lord is tried; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him. v31 For who is God but the Lord? And who is a rock except our God, v32 The God who girds me with strength, and makes my way blameless?
Beloved, we need massive intercession for our families, our churches, our nation. But our deliverance can only come from one source, the God who created us. We must turn to Him in complete submission and dependence, and acknowledge Him as our only hope, He will then give us the strength to engage in the battle. The battle is much to big for our human strength, but with the Lord on our side we will be victorious. When David prepared to take on Goliath he spoke to the giant that his confidence was in the Lord, 1 Samuel 17:45 Then David said to the Phillistine, "You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. v47, and that all the assembly may know that the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the Lord's and He will deliver you into our hands." Beloved, as we go into battle today, as we pray for our families and nation today, let this be our battle cry, the battle belongs to the Lord! God bless you this day as you walk with Him, in Christ, Jim
So Nehemiah positioned himself before the Lord, showing complete dependence on God's mercy and grace. If we are to have restoration of the walls that are down in our families we must do the same; we must humble ourselves before the Lord, confess our sins and the iniquities of our fathers, and plead for God to hear our prayers and show us lovingkindness. For who can restore but God alone, who is our refuge and our strenth but God alone, and who is our rock but God alone? Psalm 18:1-3 I love Thee Oh Lord, my strength. v2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer. My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. v3 I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies. Psalm 18:30-32 As for God, His way is blameless; The word of the Lord is tried; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him. v31 For who is God but the Lord? And who is a rock except our God, v32 The God who girds me with strength, and makes my way blameless?
Beloved, we need massive intercession for our families, our churches, our nation. But our deliverance can only come from one source, the God who created us. We must turn to Him in complete submission and dependence, and acknowledge Him as our only hope, He will then give us the strength to engage in the battle. The battle is much to big for our human strength, but with the Lord on our side we will be victorious. When David prepared to take on Goliath he spoke to the giant that his confidence was in the Lord, 1 Samuel 17:45 Then David said to the Phillistine, "You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. v47, and that all the assembly may know that the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the Lord's and He will deliver you into our hands." Beloved, as we go into battle today, as we pray for our families and nation today, let this be our battle cry, the battle belongs to the Lord! God bless you this day as you walk with Him, in Christ, Jim
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Prayer and fasting pt3
Dear beloved: As we think about praying and fasting for our families and our nation, let us consider the situation of Nehemiah when he heard the news of the condition of Jerusalem from his position as the king's cupbearer in Susa. Nehemiah 1:3 And they (Hanani) said to me, "The remnant there in the province who survived the captivity are in great distress and reproach, and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are burned with fire. v4 Now it came about when I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
The burden of the breakdown of the walls of Jerusalem caused the spirit inside of Nehemiah to weep and mourn, and eventually to fast and pray. He was exceedingly grieved and moved to do the only thing he could do from so far away; fast and pray. Beloved, when was the last time you were genuinely greived over the situation of the breakdown of your family and the moral decay of this nation? Many times we are far from our children, far from our elected leaders, far from even our church leaders and don't feel like we can effect any change in the direction any of them are going, let alone change the direction we ourselves are going. What are we to do? There is only one thing we can do initially, and that is fast and pray. Isaiah 58:6 Is this not the fast that I choose, to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and let the oppressed go free, And break every yoke? v7 Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into the house; When you see the naked, to cover him; And not to hide yourself from your ownn flesh? v8 Then your light will break out like the dawn, and your recovery will speedily spring forth, and your righteousness will go before you; The glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
Nehemiah fasted because the walls were down. The walls are down in our nation and families also, the enemy, the devil, is prowling around our families seeking whom he may devour. On the national scale the enemies of our nation are plotting death and destruction, they smell blood and are circling close for the kill. Terror cells inhabit every major city, even worse our economy is weak and our moral character even weaker. Beloved, cy out for this nation with prayer and fasting, let us together move the hand of God, let us together begin to rebuild the walls that are broken down. Isaiah 58:12 And those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins; You will raise up the age old foundations; And you will be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of the streets in which to dwell. Together we can rebuild the walls, one brick at a time, we can take back the streets, the neighborhoods, the nation, our familes. You may think you are alone, but the Lord told Elijah when he felt he was up against the wall all by himself, 1 Kings 19:18, Yet I will leave 7.000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him. So too, we are not alone, there is a remnant that cares, that has not bowed their knees to Baal. Beloved, prepare to take you place along the wall and begin to repair the breach. God bless you this day, in Christ, Jim
The burden of the breakdown of the walls of Jerusalem caused the spirit inside of Nehemiah to weep and mourn, and eventually to fast and pray. He was exceedingly grieved and moved to do the only thing he could do from so far away; fast and pray. Beloved, when was the last time you were genuinely greived over the situation of the breakdown of your family and the moral decay of this nation? Many times we are far from our children, far from our elected leaders, far from even our church leaders and don't feel like we can effect any change in the direction any of them are going, let alone change the direction we ourselves are going. What are we to do? There is only one thing we can do initially, and that is fast and pray. Isaiah 58:6 Is this not the fast that I choose, to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and let the oppressed go free, And break every yoke? v7 Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into the house; When you see the naked, to cover him; And not to hide yourself from your ownn flesh? v8 Then your light will break out like the dawn, and your recovery will speedily spring forth, and your righteousness will go before you; The glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
Nehemiah fasted because the walls were down. The walls are down in our nation and families also, the enemy, the devil, is prowling around our families seeking whom he may devour. On the national scale the enemies of our nation are plotting death and destruction, they smell blood and are circling close for the kill. Terror cells inhabit every major city, even worse our economy is weak and our moral character even weaker. Beloved, cy out for this nation with prayer and fasting, let us together move the hand of God, let us together begin to rebuild the walls that are broken down. Isaiah 58:12 And those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins; You will raise up the age old foundations; And you will be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of the streets in which to dwell. Together we can rebuild the walls, one brick at a time, we can take back the streets, the neighborhoods, the nation, our familes. You may think you are alone, but the Lord told Elijah when he felt he was up against the wall all by himself, 1 Kings 19:18, Yet I will leave 7.000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him. So too, we are not alone, there is a remnant that cares, that has not bowed their knees to Baal. Beloved, prepare to take you place along the wall and begin to repair the breach. God bless you this day, in Christ, Jim
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Prayer and fasting pt2
Dear beloved: In Esther 4:16 Queen Esther issued an order to Mordecai to have all the Jews of Susa pray and fast for her. v16 "Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa, and pray for me; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens also will fast in the same way. And thus I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law, and if I perish, I perish." Esther was motivated by an urgency that moved her to act boldly and decisively to risk her own life in exchange for the life of her people.
The Holy Spirit will burden you with a desire to fast, and it will be a burden for others, for your family or nation, for the salvation of the lost, or for your own deliverance. Answer the call when it comes, for with it comes great blessings and victory. Jesus talked about fasting in Matthew 9:14, Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?" v15 And Jesus said to them, "The attendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast." The Bridegroom is gone away now, and so it is our opportunity to seek the Bridegroom through fasting.
Isaiah 58:8 says this about the victory in fasting, v8 Then your light will break out like the dawn, And your recovery will speedily spring forth; And your righteousness will go before you; The glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. v9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; YOu will cry, and He will say, "Here I am."
Several years ago I did a three day Esther fast, crying out for the deliverance of my children and grandchildren. At the end of the three days the Lord gave me an awesome dream. In the dream I was kneeling beside a mountain stream up in the Rocky Mountains, dipping from the stream with a large dipper. I had my head tilted back and was pouring the water down my throat, enjoying the cold refeshing all the way down into every cell of my body. The Lord was showing me through the fast that He would be my everlasting stream, a river of living water welling up into eternal life. (John 4:14) He was showing me that if I put my faith and hope in Him I would never thirst again. Isaiah 58:11 And the Lord will continually guide you, And satisfy your desire in scorched places, and give strength to your bones; And you will be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters never fail. Beloved, seek the Lord this day through prayer and fasting, become the everlasting spring that He promises you can be. God bless you this day as you seek the source of all waters, in Christ, Jim
The Holy Spirit will burden you with a desire to fast, and it will be a burden for others, for your family or nation, for the salvation of the lost, or for your own deliverance. Answer the call when it comes, for with it comes great blessings and victory. Jesus talked about fasting in Matthew 9:14, Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?" v15 And Jesus said to them, "The attendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast." The Bridegroom is gone away now, and so it is our opportunity to seek the Bridegroom through fasting.
Isaiah 58:8 says this about the victory in fasting, v8 Then your light will break out like the dawn, And your recovery will speedily spring forth; And your righteousness will go before you; The glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. v9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; YOu will cry, and He will say, "Here I am."
Several years ago I did a three day Esther fast, crying out for the deliverance of my children and grandchildren. At the end of the three days the Lord gave me an awesome dream. In the dream I was kneeling beside a mountain stream up in the Rocky Mountains, dipping from the stream with a large dipper. I had my head tilted back and was pouring the water down my throat, enjoying the cold refeshing all the way down into every cell of my body. The Lord was showing me through the fast that He would be my everlasting stream, a river of living water welling up into eternal life. (John 4:14) He was showing me that if I put my faith and hope in Him I would never thirst again. Isaiah 58:11 And the Lord will continually guide you, And satisfy your desire in scorched places, and give strength to your bones; And you will be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters never fail. Beloved, seek the Lord this day through prayer and fasting, become the everlasting spring that He promises you can be. God bless you this day as you seek the source of all waters, in Christ, Jim
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Prayer and fasting pt1
Dear beloved: The Lord is burdening my heart to call out to the nation to pray and fast, to intercede for the welfare and destiny of this nation, for our children, grandchildren, lost relatives and friends. Two weeks ago the Lord had me to preach in the prison a message from the fourth chapter of Ester, where Mordecai challenges Queen Esther to move on behalf of her people, the Jews of Susa, who were being threatened by an edict issued by the King and Haman, his minister of internal affairs. The edict that went out was described in Esther 3:13 And letters were sent out by couriers to all the king's provinces to destroy, to kill, to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to seize their posessions as plunder. v14 A copy of the edict to be issued as law in every province was published to all the people so that they should be ready for this day.
In chapter 4:13 Mordecai replies to Esther, "Do not imagine that you in the king's palace can escape any more than all the Jews, v14 for if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?" v15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, v16 " Go, assemble all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I amd my maidens will fast in the same way. And thus I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish.
We know from reading on in the book of Esther that the king heard her petition, intervened on behalf of her people, and that the tables were turned on Hamsn to the extent that the gallows that Haman had prepared for the hanging of Mordecai, the King ordered Haman to be hung on those very same gallows.
Beloved, we need to intercede for this nation, for our communities, our families, our churches, and ourselves. The edict has gone out from Satan to eradicate God's children and God's commandments from this land. Satan is scoring great victories in all facets of life here in America. Will you stand up and be counted to help reverse the edict to annihilate God's people? Will you stand up for the innocents whose blood continues to be shed by the thousands day after day? Will you stand up for God's plan for marriage between one man and one woman? Will you stand up and defend Israel, God's chosen people? For the sake of your children and grandchildren, fast and pray for America. If you choose not to, God will find another way to deliver his people, but you and your household may perish. You have been raised up for a time such as this! God bless you this day, in Christ, Jim
In chapter 4:13 Mordecai replies to Esther, "Do not imagine that you in the king's palace can escape any more than all the Jews, v14 for if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?" v15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, v16 " Go, assemble all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I amd my maidens will fast in the same way. And thus I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish.
We know from reading on in the book of Esther that the king heard her petition, intervened on behalf of her people, and that the tables were turned on Hamsn to the extent that the gallows that Haman had prepared for the hanging of Mordecai, the King ordered Haman to be hung on those very same gallows.
Beloved, we need to intercede for this nation, for our communities, our families, our churches, and ourselves. The edict has gone out from Satan to eradicate God's children and God's commandments from this land. Satan is scoring great victories in all facets of life here in America. Will you stand up and be counted to help reverse the edict to annihilate God's people? Will you stand up for the innocents whose blood continues to be shed by the thousands day after day? Will you stand up for God's plan for marriage between one man and one woman? Will you stand up and defend Israel, God's chosen people? For the sake of your children and grandchildren, fast and pray for America. If you choose not to, God will find another way to deliver his people, but you and your household may perish. You have been raised up for a time such as this! God bless you this day, in Christ, Jim
Monday, July 26, 2010
Warfare portals pt23
Dear beloved: Another example of a person who was walking with the Lord but was harassed by the devil was Peter, the disciple of Jesus. In Luke 22:31, Jesus said to Peter, "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded to sift you like wheat; v32 but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." So we see that Jesus told Simon that Satan had come to Jesus and asked permission to attack him. That is the same situation as we found Job in yesterday's teaching, where Satan had come before the Lord and God gave him permission to attack Job. To be sifted like wheat means that the chaff was going to be separated from the heavy grain, it meant to Peter that he was going to undergo a trial and a testing. In Matthew 3:11 John the Baptist describes the coming ministry of Jesus, "As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. v12 And His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." Jesus then prophesied to Peter when He said to Him in verse 32, "when once you have turned again, strengthen you brothers." Jesus knew that Peter was going to fall, that when the cock crowed that Peter would in fact deny Him, and so He prayed for his faith to not fail.
Another situation where Peter was harassed was in Matthew 16:22 And Peter took Jesus aside and he began to rebuke Him, saying, "God forbid it Lord, that this should ever happen to You." v23 But He turned and said to Peter,"Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests but on man's." So Jesus called out Satan who was harassing Peter and told him to get behind him. Peter wasn't demon possessed or anything close to that, his thinking was just being influenced by the devil and Jesus corrected him on it. Jesus was quite able to see into the spirit realm and identify demons and many times people who are walking closely with the Lord can also see into the spirit realm and identify demons. I once had a friend who was an evangelist and he could at times easily see demons on people or around certain business or entertainment places such as bars or casinos.
The writer of Hebrews tells us in Heb. 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. v16 Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need. This is a comforting word when we are harassed by the devil, that we know that Jesus was tempted in the same way as we are, but He did not give in. So we know that if we are a new creation in Christ Jesus, that the old has passed away, that we need not give in either, that we have victory over temptation by the power, the blood, and by the grace of Jesus. When demonic oppression and onslaught comes your way, call on Jesus. Come boldly before the throne of grace, tell the devil to get behind thee, and keep repeating it until the temptation passes. Whether breaking chains of addictions, bad habits, depression, or anything else in your life that does not bring glory to God, call on Jesus, the One who shed His blood to set you free. Whom the Son sets free is free indeed! Walk in freedom today, in Christ, Jim
Another situation where Peter was harassed was in Matthew 16:22 And Peter took Jesus aside and he began to rebuke Him, saying, "God forbid it Lord, that this should ever happen to You." v23 But He turned and said to Peter,"Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests but on man's." So Jesus called out Satan who was harassing Peter and told him to get behind him. Peter wasn't demon possessed or anything close to that, his thinking was just being influenced by the devil and Jesus corrected him on it. Jesus was quite able to see into the spirit realm and identify demons and many times people who are walking closely with the Lord can also see into the spirit realm and identify demons. I once had a friend who was an evangelist and he could at times easily see demons on people or around certain business or entertainment places such as bars or casinos.
The writer of Hebrews tells us in Heb. 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. v16 Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need. This is a comforting word when we are harassed by the devil, that we know that Jesus was tempted in the same way as we are, but He did not give in. So we know that if we are a new creation in Christ Jesus, that the old has passed away, that we need not give in either, that we have victory over temptation by the power, the blood, and by the grace of Jesus. When demonic oppression and onslaught comes your way, call on Jesus. Come boldly before the throne of grace, tell the devil to get behind thee, and keep repeating it until the temptation passes. Whether breaking chains of addictions, bad habits, depression, or anything else in your life that does not bring glory to God, call on Jesus, the One who shed His blood to set you free. Whom the Son sets free is free indeed! Walk in freedom today, in Christ, Jim
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Warfare portals pt22
Dear beloved: An interesting question arises regarding spiritual warfare concerning the ability of Satan to come before God and ask for permission to attack the brethren. Of coarse, in the old testament we know that Satan did come before God in the book of Job. Job 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. v7 And the Lord said to Satan, "From where do you come?" Then Satan answered the Lord and said, " from roaming about on the earth and walking on it." v8 And the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil." So we know from this scripture that Satan had access to God along with the other angels, the sons of God, a term used in the old testament to describe the angels. We also see that God is the one who brings up the idea of allowing Satan to attack Job, and in verse 12 God finishes the initial proposition when He says, v12 Then the Lord said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him." So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord. And again in 2:3 And the Lord said to Satan, " Have you considered my servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man fearing God and turning away from evil. And he still holds fast his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to ruin him without cause." So we see that God is incited against Job, but only so far as God has declared that He will go, not to the point of total destruction of Job, but only to severely afflict him.
Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that we will not be tempted beyond what we can bear, so rest assured that if you find yourself in the same situation as Job, that you will not be taken beyond your ability to bear it. v13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it. And so as we go through our trials just as Job did, we meditate, we pray, we contemplate, our friends come to console or counsel or criticize us, and eventually we work our way through it and hopefully come to a point of praising the Lord. In Job 42:6 Job repents of his questioning and doubting attitude by saying, "Therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes." Then in verse 9 it states that the Lord accepted (forgave) Job, and in verse 10 And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the Lord increased all that Job had twofold.
The whole story of Job brings out a cry from us, Alas Lord God, must we go through such trial and tribulation on this earth just to come to know you better? In some cases, the answer is yes, and not only that, but we are to take joy in our tribulations, as James tells us in James 1:2, Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, v3 knowing that testing of your faith produces endurance, v4 and let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. And so we are to not only endure trials, but actually take joy in them, knowing that they will make you perfect and complete! That's probably not the first thing on our prayer list, to ask the Lord for trials so we can be completed, and yet we know that trials are for our own good, to bring us into conformity with the image of Christ.
Paul sums it up in Phillipians 3:10, when he says "that I may know Him (Jesus), and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; v11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Paul wrote this book of Phillipians from Rome while in prison or house arrest, and he was prepared to suffer and die for the sake of the gospel. He states in Phillipians 1:21 For me to live is Christ, to die is gain. v22 but if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. v23 but I am hard pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is much better.
Beloved, as you go into battle this day, do not resent the trials, tribulations, and temptations that God allows into your life, but look at them from God's point of view, that He is strengthening you for greater glory. When you can defeat your enemies and give God the praise no matter what you are going through, you know that you have then arrived at the fellowship of His sufferings. Praise the Lord for that! May God bless you this day as you take joy in your trials, in Christ, Jim
Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that we will not be tempted beyond what we can bear, so rest assured that if you find yourself in the same situation as Job, that you will not be taken beyond your ability to bear it. v13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it. And so as we go through our trials just as Job did, we meditate, we pray, we contemplate, our friends come to console or counsel or criticize us, and eventually we work our way through it and hopefully come to a point of praising the Lord. In Job 42:6 Job repents of his questioning and doubting attitude by saying, "Therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes." Then in verse 9 it states that the Lord accepted (forgave) Job, and in verse 10 And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the Lord increased all that Job had twofold.
The whole story of Job brings out a cry from us, Alas Lord God, must we go through such trial and tribulation on this earth just to come to know you better? In some cases, the answer is yes, and not only that, but we are to take joy in our tribulations, as James tells us in James 1:2, Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, v3 knowing that testing of your faith produces endurance, v4 and let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. And so we are to not only endure trials, but actually take joy in them, knowing that they will make you perfect and complete! That's probably not the first thing on our prayer list, to ask the Lord for trials so we can be completed, and yet we know that trials are for our own good, to bring us into conformity with the image of Christ.
Paul sums it up in Phillipians 3:10, when he says "that I may know Him (Jesus), and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; v11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Paul wrote this book of Phillipians from Rome while in prison or house arrest, and he was prepared to suffer and die for the sake of the gospel. He states in Phillipians 1:21 For me to live is Christ, to die is gain. v22 but if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. v23 but I am hard pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is much better.
Beloved, as you go into battle this day, do not resent the trials, tribulations, and temptations that God allows into your life, but look at them from God's point of view, that He is strengthening you for greater glory. When you can defeat your enemies and give God the praise no matter what you are going through, you know that you have then arrived at the fellowship of His sufferings. Praise the Lord for that! May God bless you this day as you take joy in your trials, in Christ, Jim
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Kenya Mission Trip
Dear beloved: I will be going to Kenya in September, leaving the states about September 19th, and returning on Oct. 1. I will be teaming up with a mission group from Vancouver, Washington, and Doug McCary of Men at the Cross Ministry. The total number on the team will be about 20, including musicians, preachers, and other support people. We will be preaching a series of revival meetins in Nairobi and possibly other cities in Kenya. The meetings will be held all over the city of Nairobi, then at the end of the week there will be a pastor training and big evangelism push in a city park. The weekend event in the park will be a two day event, and include a breakfast and games for the children, pastor training, praise and worship, and preaching. Expected turnout for the weekend event could be anywhere from 25,000 up to 200,000. The whole evangelism and discipling thrust will be called Operation Two Fish, Five Loaves. Please pray for this mission: 1. for souls to come into the kingdom 2. for those new converts and for other Christians to be open to discipling 3. for safe travel and safety in the country of Kenya 4. for revelation from the Holy Spirit in regards to preaching and worship 5. for provision for the people involved as well as provision for the printing of discipleship materials to be distributed.
If you feel called to help support this evangelism mission please pray that you would be faithful to answer God's leading, You can send letters of support with donations to : Jim Rowh, 108 E. Washington St. Norton, Kansas, 67654, or you can use your credit card and make a donation through PayPal safely and securely by clicking on the donate button on this page, or on my web site at www.gathertheoutcasts.com. I need to raise about $3,000 for my travel and food and lodging, plus we need additional money to print up discipleship training manuals, as well as money for the picnic in the park. Prayerfully consider how God would have you to help in this mission. I will be posting more details as the time for departure draws near. God bless you, Jim
If you feel called to help support this evangelism mission please pray that you would be faithful to answer God's leading, You can send letters of support with donations to : Jim Rowh, 108 E. Washington St. Norton, Kansas, 67654, or you can use your credit card and make a donation through PayPal safely and securely by clicking on the donate button on this page, or on my web site at www.gathertheoutcasts.com. I need to raise about $3,000 for my travel and food and lodging, plus we need additional money to print up discipleship training manuals, as well as money for the picnic in the park. Prayerfully consider how God would have you to help in this mission. I will be posting more details as the time for departure draws near. God bless you, Jim
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Warfare portals pt21
Dear beloved: The classic example of a person being demon possessed is in Mark chapter 5, where Jesus encounters the man who was living in the tombs, in the country of the Gerasenes. verse 5 And constantly night and day, among the tombs and in the mountains, he was crying out and gashing himself with stones. v6 And seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran up and bowed down before Him; v7 and crying out with a loud voice, he said, "What do I have to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, do not torment me! v8 for He had been saying to him, "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!" It is interesting to note here that the demon in the man Legion who was speaking to Jesus was begging Jesus not to torment him; the spirit knew without any introduction who Jesus was and that He had the power to cast him out and send him out of the man. The demon also swore by God in verse 7, as if he knew that that highest power he could call upon was the Most High God. We know that this is true because the demons all once resided in heaven with Jesus and God, and they were thrown down when Satan led the rebellion to take over the throne of God.
Then in verse 9, And He was asking him, "what is your name?" and he said to Him, "My name is Legion, for we are many." v10 And he began to entreat Him earnestly not to send them out of the country. v11 Now there was a big herd of swine feeding there on the mountain. v12 And the demons entreated Him saying, "Send us into the swine so that we may enter them." We know from the rest of the story that Jesus did send the spirits into the swine, and 2000 of them went rushing into the sea. Then verse 15 is the climax of the scene, as we see the man delivered and set free of his shackles and chains. v15 And they came to Jesus and observed the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had the legion; and they became frightened. V17 And they began to entreat Him to depart from their region. We can learn several points from these scriptures. First, demons do not like to be sent from their own region, or country, they are territorial (principalities); second, they will inhabit animals (swine are unclean to the Jews) if they have no other abode; and third, that the villagers of the city and country would rather maintain the status quo and have the man demon-possessed, than to see him set free and face the prospect of having their own demons dealt with, because they asked Jesus to leave the country. I have been asked in relation to this story, Did the demons drown with the swine? The answer is no, they did not drown, they just hang around that region until they can find some more people who are willing to take them in, which judging by the attitude of the villagers, it would not have been too hard to find some willing hosts.
I once had a deliverance session with a lady who had spirits of alcohol and drug addiction that she had been carrying for many years. After an hour or so of intense prayer, she came at me with cat like shrieks and claws outstretched to scratch my face and eyes out. She got right up in my face and was ready to claw me, but I just kept praying the blood of Jesus over her and kept my eyes fixed on hers, casting out all those demonic entities in the name of Jesus. Finally, she shrunk back and collapsed onto the floor without having laid a hand on me. I was relieved but not nearly as much as she; I have seen her often since that night and she is still free and doing well.
We know that the man from the Gerasenes went on to become an evangelist, walking into his divine destiny. Mark 5:20 And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone marveled. The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all unrighteousness, sets the captives free, and declares release to the prisoners. Start praying for your family, friends, and anyone else that God sends your way, and declare the demons to go in the name of Jesus, and bless them with a mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting, a planting of the Lord that He may be glorified.(Isaiah 61:3) May God bless you this day as you go forward in victory! in Christ, Jim
Then in verse 9, And He was asking him, "what is your name?" and he said to Him, "My name is Legion, for we are many." v10 And he began to entreat Him earnestly not to send them out of the country. v11 Now there was a big herd of swine feeding there on the mountain. v12 And the demons entreated Him saying, "Send us into the swine so that we may enter them." We know from the rest of the story that Jesus did send the spirits into the swine, and 2000 of them went rushing into the sea. Then verse 15 is the climax of the scene, as we see the man delivered and set free of his shackles and chains. v15 And they came to Jesus and observed the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had the legion; and they became frightened. V17 And they began to entreat Him to depart from their region. We can learn several points from these scriptures. First, demons do not like to be sent from their own region, or country, they are territorial (principalities); second, they will inhabit animals (swine are unclean to the Jews) if they have no other abode; and third, that the villagers of the city and country would rather maintain the status quo and have the man demon-possessed, than to see him set free and face the prospect of having their own demons dealt with, because they asked Jesus to leave the country. I have been asked in relation to this story, Did the demons drown with the swine? The answer is no, they did not drown, they just hang around that region until they can find some more people who are willing to take them in, which judging by the attitude of the villagers, it would not have been too hard to find some willing hosts.
I once had a deliverance session with a lady who had spirits of alcohol and drug addiction that she had been carrying for many years. After an hour or so of intense prayer, she came at me with cat like shrieks and claws outstretched to scratch my face and eyes out. She got right up in my face and was ready to claw me, but I just kept praying the blood of Jesus over her and kept my eyes fixed on hers, casting out all those demonic entities in the name of Jesus. Finally, she shrunk back and collapsed onto the floor without having laid a hand on me. I was relieved but not nearly as much as she; I have seen her often since that night and she is still free and doing well.
We know that the man from the Gerasenes went on to become an evangelist, walking into his divine destiny. Mark 5:20 And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone marveled. The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all unrighteousness, sets the captives free, and declares release to the prisoners. Start praying for your family, friends, and anyone else that God sends your way, and declare the demons to go in the name of Jesus, and bless them with a mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting, a planting of the Lord that He may be glorified.(Isaiah 61:3) May God bless you this day as you go forward in victory! in Christ, Jim
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Warfare portals pt20
Dear beloved: Another example of demonic oppression and possession in the scriptures is that of Jesus disciple, Judas Iscariot. He was chosen by Jesus and walked with him as Jesus ministered here on the earth, so it wasn't for lack of a good teacher that Judas fell into sin and eventually betrayed Him. It just points out that when Satan begins to make small inroads into a person's life, that it can turn into full blown demonic possession with a very undesirable outcome.
Judas started out with the good intentions of all the disciples, but he had a problem with greed and that led him to his demise. John 12:3 Mary therefore took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. v4 but Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, said, v5" Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii, and given to poor people?" v6 Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it. ... And so we see that Judas was the treasurer for the group, and so Satan attacked him where he was the most vulnerable, through his greed and desire for more money. This then led to Judas making a deal with the chief priests, Matthew 26:14 Then one of the twelve went to the chief priests; v15 and said, "What are you willing to give me to deliver Him up to you? And they weighed out to him thirty pieces of silver. v16 And from then on he began looking for a good opportunity to betray Him. Luke 22:3 tells us the point in time when Judas actually became demon possessed. v3 And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, belonging to the number of the twelve. And he went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers how he might betray Him to them. v5 And they were glad, and agreed to give money to him. v6 And he consented, and began seeking a good opportunity to betray Him to them apart from the multitude. And in verse 47 we find the deal completed and sealed with a kiss. v47 While He was still speaking, behold, a multitude came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was proceeding them; and he approached Jesus to kiss Him. v48 But Jesus said to him, "Are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"
Of coarse, Jesus knew beforehand all of this was going to happen, because he knew the old testament scriptures, where the betrayal of the Messiah was prophesied in Zechariah 11:12 And I said the them, "If it is good in your sight, give me my wages, but if not, never mind. So they weighed out thirty shekels of silver as my wages. v13 Then the Lord said to me, "Throw it to the potter, that magnificent price at which I was valued by them." So I took the thirty shekels of silver and threw them to the potter in the house of the Lord. The end result of Judas betrayal was that his guilt overcame him and he took the money back to the chief priests and threw it to them, but they would not take it because it was blood money and they knew the curses associated with it. And then Judas finished it all by hanging himself, Matthew 27:5 And he threw the pieces of silver into the sanctuary and departed; and he went away and hanged himself. v7 And they counseled together and with the money bought the Potter's field, as a burial place for strangers. v8 For this reason the field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.
And so we see the escalating nature of sin in Judas' life ended in the betrayal of Jesus and his own suicide. Many times we see this scenario acted out in America; a person trapped in sin ( anger, jealousy, greed, porn,) picks up a gun and shoots his loved ones and then shoots himself. The ultimate goal of Satan is our earthly and eternal destruction, but it all starts with agreement with him in small ways of sin. Beloved, do not agree with Satan in any way in your life, repent of any sin and renounce it and get free from that bondage, you will be glad you did! Tomorrow we will look some more at the life of Judas and others. May God bless you this day, in Christ, Jim
Judas started out with the good intentions of all the disciples, but he had a problem with greed and that led him to his demise. John 12:3 Mary therefore took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. v4 but Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, said, v5" Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii, and given to poor people?" v6 Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it. ... And so we see that Judas was the treasurer for the group, and so Satan attacked him where he was the most vulnerable, through his greed and desire for more money. This then led to Judas making a deal with the chief priests, Matthew 26:14 Then one of the twelve went to the chief priests; v15 and said, "What are you willing to give me to deliver Him up to you? And they weighed out to him thirty pieces of silver. v16 And from then on he began looking for a good opportunity to betray Him. Luke 22:3 tells us the point in time when Judas actually became demon possessed. v3 And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, belonging to the number of the twelve. And he went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers how he might betray Him to them. v5 And they were glad, and agreed to give money to him. v6 And he consented, and began seeking a good opportunity to betray Him to them apart from the multitude. And in verse 47 we find the deal completed and sealed with a kiss. v47 While He was still speaking, behold, a multitude came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was proceeding them; and he approached Jesus to kiss Him. v48 But Jesus said to him, "Are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"
Of coarse, Jesus knew beforehand all of this was going to happen, because he knew the old testament scriptures, where the betrayal of the Messiah was prophesied in Zechariah 11:12 And I said the them, "If it is good in your sight, give me my wages, but if not, never mind. So they weighed out thirty shekels of silver as my wages. v13 Then the Lord said to me, "Throw it to the potter, that magnificent price at which I was valued by them." So I took the thirty shekels of silver and threw them to the potter in the house of the Lord. The end result of Judas betrayal was that his guilt overcame him and he took the money back to the chief priests and threw it to them, but they would not take it because it was blood money and they knew the curses associated with it. And then Judas finished it all by hanging himself, Matthew 27:5 And he threw the pieces of silver into the sanctuary and departed; and he went away and hanged himself. v7 And they counseled together and with the money bought the Potter's field, as a burial place for strangers. v8 For this reason the field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.
And so we see the escalating nature of sin in Judas' life ended in the betrayal of Jesus and his own suicide. Many times we see this scenario acted out in America; a person trapped in sin ( anger, jealousy, greed, porn,) picks up a gun and shoots his loved ones and then shoots himself. The ultimate goal of Satan is our earthly and eternal destruction, but it all starts with agreement with him in small ways of sin. Beloved, do not agree with Satan in any way in your life, repent of any sin and renounce it and get free from that bondage, you will be glad you did! Tomorrow we will look some more at the life of Judas and others. May God bless you this day, in Christ, Jim
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