Our Warfare

Weapons of all types threaten to come against us all the time. Knives and guns on occasion, but most commonly the weapons threatening us are merely the people we interact with daily.

By a show of hands, how many have identified a coworker, a neighbor or a relative as an enemy? If you've ever had someone almost run you over as you tried to cross the street, you know that even a brief, unpleasant encounter with a complete stranger can create an enemy and instigate a desire to use one of those weapons of warfare to fight back!

People around us do things that are so foul, it feels like a war. In retaliation, our instincts want us to use the same weapons that we despise to discourage our enemy from further attack. We don't like to feel that any one has gotten the best of us. Even in cases where we may never see the person again, we still want to make sure they know that "we aint havin it!".

Is this the right road? Should we react to conflict the same way the world does? Should we have weapons of warfare locked in cabinets and tucked away in nightstand drawers for an enemy we fear may invade? Should we fight the way everyone else is fighting when faced with a confrontation? If there really is a war going on, does it have to involve us?

Paul answers these questions in II Corinthians 10:4. He confirms that we are indeed at war; our enemy is very real and is attacking. However, the weapons we should utilize are not earthly weapons,

"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds"

Carnal weapons have no affect against the real enemy. In this verse Paul explains that we have in our possession weapons that are mighty and they will defeat the "stronghold" that the enemy presents in our lives.

We are most accustomed to weapons that are carnal or "of this world structure". These weapons are not always physical. Manipulation is a carnal weapon. Spitefulness and animosity are carnal weapons. Antagonism and resentment are carnal weapons. All of these have no place in our lives but we use these weapons and often find them directed toward us in an emotional battle. When a Christian uses these weapons, however, he or she is presented with a problem the ungodly people do not face: These weapons are more damaging to us then to the person we inflict them upon.

How so?

When a Christian is in a carnal fight, it's like a head-butt to a brick wall, we injure ourselves more than we do the wall. Why? Because God has a standard for Christians. When we hurt each other emotionally or physically, we fail to meet that standard. God's intention is not to damage a person that you view as an enemy, but instead for you to live an abundant life in spite of that person you view as an enemy; and maybe even win that person over to Christ.

The truth is, it's easy to believe that an individual attacking you is evil and therefore your enemy. But, in actuality, the person opposing you isn't the enemy. You must understand that your real warfare is against Satan. The person opposing you is just a pawn spiritually blind and foolishly allowing him or herself to be used by the evil principalities that dwell on this earth. Jesus understood this; which led him to cry out while he was being crucified and plead for the forgiveness of the ones who were crucifying him,

"Father forgive them, they know not what they do!" Luke 23:34

Jesus showed that the weapons used against us are often carnal, but carnal warfare is not how we should respond. We have weapons to respond to the enemy with in this warfare. And, according to Paul, though they are not carnal, they are mighty; in other words they will be effective in defeating the enemy.

So, if our weapons are not carnal, what weapons are they? How should we fight back? How should we respond to an adversary? How should we respond to the real enemy?

Paul teaches in II Corinthians 10:5 that we are to fight by,

"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God".

Your real weapon is not physical, it's in your mind! You can fight evil principalities with the knowledge you have of God's Word! When a person opposes you, it's because that person has lost the battle against evil principalities in their mind and now you are seeing the effects. They are suffering from a lack of knowledge; in other words, they don't know any better. In order for you to be successful in an area where others are not, you can't do what they are doing. Your weapon is to make a better decision in your mind than those around you are making.

Paul says cast down wrong thoughts or wrong "imagination" that exalts itself against the knowledge you have of God. He goes on to say in verse 5 of the passage that you should capture every thought and bring that thought into the obedience of Christ. Any thought... every thought that is not Christ-like should be arrested and detained without bail. Paul expands a little further in Romans 12:1-3. He says.

"do not conform your thinking to this worlds ideas, but instead be transformed by the total renewing of your mind... "

The things that you believe in your mind will determine your effectiveness against the real enemy. If you believe everything Jesus has said about who you are and what you can do, then you will not be detoured by the enemy. But, if you believe what the world is teaching; that you are powerless and just as vulnerable as everyone else around you, then you've lost the battle in your mind and therefore will lose against the real enemy. To win, you must rid yourself of old negative ways of thinking and embrace new ideas. You must completely renew your mind.

One critical step in the process of renewing your mind is to receive the FULL gospel. If you don't habitually receive the WHOLE word of God, you will have no new ideas to renew your mind to! This is another place where many Christians go wrong. Some of the ideas that are taught at churches today are not biblical and are honestly just as damaging as those being purged. The most damaging ideas, in my opinion, are those that reject the Anointing Power of God. Worst also are those erroneous ideas that separate and isolate us from each other. These concepts are exactly the warfare that Paul is pleading we recognize.

To fight the real enemy, we must turn to our real weapon. We have to capture the new ideas that we are transforming our minds to understand. We have to digest these ideas to combat the wrong imagination that will come against the Word that we are trying to devour. And confidence in this weapon will increase with more knowledge of the Word over time. When we develop in this area and allow God to strengthen us, no weapon that the devil forms against us will concur us!

Marvelous Faith

“And Jesus said unto the Centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour” Matthew 8:13

Centurions were a symbol of power to the Jewish community in the first century. These powerful Roman soldiers were mighty men of war who served the empire for twenty or more years on average. Most Centurions in authority rose to their positions from within the ranks over a period of many years. After decades of service, Centurions became well-respected members of the equestrian class (similar to knighthood) upon retirement.  Because of this ranking structure, Centurions had a great deal of reverence for individuals in authority; they themselves not able to become high officials easily or immediately.   

When Jesus arrived in Capernaum, this mighty warrior, a high ranking Centurion came to him asking for help. This was odd, as Centurions traditionally participated in pagan religious oaths to the emperor of Rome thus would likely be a skeptic of “the Christ”.  There was great urgency with the Centurions request.  We know this because a Centurion of higher social status, such as this man, would rarely utter a direct request to a profound rabbi such as Jesus unless, of course, he was desperate. The Centurion spoke of a servant who was at his home paralyzed and in terrible suffering.  Roman soldiers were not permitted to have legal families during their decades of military service. Therefore, this slave was probably the Centurion’s only "family". The slave was likely all he had.  

After hearing his earnest request, Jesus said to the centurion, "I will come and heal him." Jesus offered this man what every individual in need of help desires; a house call.  Jesus agreed to travel to this mans home where he would no doubt lay hands on the ailing slave and the slave would surely recover.  Now, here is the amazing part of the story. The Centurion did something which astounded even Jesus; he turned down the once-in-a-lifetime offer for Jesus to come to his home. 

Why? 

The Centurion explained to Jesus that he understood the implication of a person in authority. He, himself had great authority and could attest to how people were made to respond to his every wish.  The Centurion knew that Jesus, being the son of the God of Abraham, had even greater authority than he.  Jesus had authority over all things.  The Centurion was convinced that Jesus could command sickness to leave his home from anywhere on earth and that sickness would obey.  So, by faith, the Centurion told Jesus, “Just speak the Word”.  In other words, he told Jesus, “Work a miracle for me from right where you stand, I know it will be done”. 

The bible says that Jesus “marveled” at what the Centurion said.  Jesus said, "I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith”. To find a gentile with absolute faith in him was astonishing. In verses 11 and 12 Jesus took the time to point out that many gentiles like this man who at that time would have thought to be lost will be included in the kingdom of heaven.  

Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would." And the bible says his servant was healed at that very hour. Isn’t that incredible! While the Centurion stood there, Jesus sent healing to his home miles away.  Because of the Centurion’s faith, a miracle arrived at his house.   

Would you, standing in front of Jesus, ask him to just send his Word or would you demand that Jesus travel to your home just to “be sure”? Would you believe that his Word is enough and it will not return to him void or would you want to see the miracle before you let Jesus out of your site?  How about right now? Do you believe the Word of God is enough in your situation today or are you looking for other answers to address what is wrong in your life?  Do you have enough faith to declare the Blood of Jesus over sickness; over insufficiency; over your future and then walk around confident that your miracle is done?  

It will take that kind of faith in the power of Jesus Christ to receive what you’ve been praying for all this time.  It will take absolute faith in Christ for healing to arrive at your home. It takes unwavering faith for the deliverance that you need. Put all of your faith in Christ right now and Jesus himself will “marvel” in your decision to believe in Him rather than search for a Pagan source for answers.  He will “marvel” that you have heard him in your spirit calling you to trust in him from now on.  And because of your great faith, he will send peace from right where you are into your home today.  Joy will settle in your life in this same hour. Faith comes by hearing; and hearing by the Word of God.  So get the Word, find “marvelous” faith in the Word, and then just speak the Word.  Order up a miracle to have sent to your house right away. 

The Desires Of Your Heart

Think about that long list of both material and spiritual possessions that you are depending on God to bring to pass which have not materialized in your life. Dwell on them too long and I guarantee you will be tempted with ideas of how to get these things some other way... 

Most likely, you already know how easy it is to obtain things quickly by participating in activities that many would consider wrong, even illegal. You already know things that are dishonest to do, but would no doubt result in you acquiring what you desire. You have seen the possessions that would somehow make your life complete lay at your finger tips waiting for you to take the bait and do just a few things that are questionable in your best judgment.

The argument you may subject yourself to might be that these things are in God's will for your life, therefore you are within your right to acquire them by any means. I mean, you've been waiting for these things a long time, so maybe God wants you to be just a little aggressive, even a little dishonest to acquire them. Some of these things may be helpful to your family or to your church work therefore you feel the ends justify the means. It's a tough dispute when it's not just your hearts desires that's in question... but your means of acquiring them as well.

You must remember that what you are feeling is the way Satan operates. The devil will always suggest an easy way to get whatever you are waiting on God to provide. That's the definition of temptation: to lure you away from God with another attractive option. Satan is trying to interrupt Gods program by tempting you to take an easy way out instead of depending on God to provide.

When Jesus was tempted in Matthew 4:1-10, Satan's method was to present alternatives, seemingly easier ways to accomplish what Jesus was there to accomplish. When Jesus fasted, the devil's temptation was "turn the stone to bread". A carnal man would have argued in his mind "well,... it is my fathers will that I do miracles so forget the fast, lets eat..." Instead, Jesus recognized Satan for the tempter, the cheater and the liar that he is.

In the last of the three temptations, the devil offered to turn over all the kingdoms of the world, which at that very moment Jesus was in line for torture and suffering to redeem mankind and return these Kingdoms of the world to God the Father. He tempted our savior to avoid the beating, avoid the suffering, skip the crucifixion, just bow down and Satan would supposedly "hand over" the world. He offered the ultimate "easy way" in exchange for the ultimate submission. Jesus knew, and we must know that the devil is a liar; he's the father of lies. Bowing down to him may look like an easy way to get what you want, but it is destruction in disguise and will cost you everything! There is no profit to gain the whole world but lose your soul!

Like Jesus, you must understand the difference between permanent and temporary riches. Permanent riches are lasting here on earth and in heaven. Temporary riches exist just for a while, and then will self-destruct.

Psalms 37:1-2 explains the two:

"Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb"

This passage lists the fate of people operating dishonestly, "... they shall SOON be cut down like grass". 

Grass is allowed to grow for a period of time. But, once it reaches a certain length, it becomes obvious to everyone who sees it that it will soon be cut down to a smaller size. The same is true with people operating in evil. Evil will bring along an increase for a while, but the increase is temporary. If you ever see a person operating illegally or dishonestly who has climbed to high heights; i.e. money, cars, houses; the moment you see them you should know that the time is near when they will be cut down to nothing... or God is a liar and satan's word is true. Just check on them in five years... in fact, maybe just one year. They will cry and wonder why it is happening, but the bible predicted it would. God proves His Word is TRUE over and over again. Eventually, their increase will be taken away.

Not only that, the cutting of grass is a very violent action. If you've ever cut grass you know it takes a lot of energy, but any tool you use is usually effective and it is always a very unpleasant experience for the grass. There is loud, disturbing noises whether it's the high-pitched slicing sound of shears or the loud pounding sound of a motor. The long severed strands of grass left behind, once green and impressive now dead and shriveled, will lie on the ground uselessly ready to be collected and burned.

But, as the passage goes on to say, those that continue to wait on the Lord and do good shall be "fed".

"Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart... Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass"

In other words, those trusting God will not have to do questionable things striving to acquire things they want. God will feed them and give them the desires of their heart. The 23rd Psalms says everyone who makes the Lord their Shepard shall not want because their wants will be satisfied.

There is only one road to permanent riches, only one way that is right. It's referred to as the "narrow way" 

"...Straight is the gate and narrow is the way which leads to life... and few are they who find it"  Matthew 7:14 

Commit yourself to God's ways. Make God's method of operation your only method. Make God's process your only option to acquire all that you ever hoped for. Make the Lord your only source for the desires of your heart and have no other alternative! And God's promise is that He shall bring it to pass!

What Is This Among So Many?

The books of Matthew, Mark and John all describe in their writings a situation where a crowd of people found themselves faced with a life-threatening situation. They had been listening to Jesus teach as he passed through their town and (possibly inadvertently) followed him far away from their city to land which was considered desert. Matthew and John's telling of the story shares that the crowd followed Jesus specifically because of a particular miracle they had seen; namely, he healed their sick. Having also followed Jesus, the disciples became aware of an arising condition where there would not be enough food to feed all the people... not nearly enough.

According to the book of John, Jesus addressed the issue by asking his disciple Phillip,

"Where can we buy bread for all of these people?" John 6:5

Phillip's response was that, even if there were a place to buy the amount of bread they would need, it would take 6-months’ salary to buy enough for everyone in the crowd to get even a little bite (John 6:7).

The bible makes it clear that this situation caused somewhat of a panic among the disciples; as it would have fallen on their shoulders to figure out what to do. Meaning, this crowd was now their responsibility. However, no resources could be seen which might resolve the issue that was quickly developing.

At this point, Jesus' disciple Andrew joined the conversation with his discovery,

"There is a boy here who has five barley loaves, and two small fish: but what are they among so many?" John 6:9.

Many Christians, when faced with this situation, respond this way. We look into our hands and find that what we have is not enough... not nearly enough to do what we need to do. The word which describes this situation best is the word "lack"; we "lack" what we need. Seeing the insufficient amount, we often ask the same question that Andrew asked Jesus, "What is this among so many?"

What is $100 when the debt is thousands? What is an individual's effort when the job takes dozens? What is a handful of mission workers among a large city's population of non-believers? Your answer will be determined by your realization of what Jesus teaches in this bible story.

Christians claim to have faith in God but fail far too often in this situation. We've become so afraid of "lack" that we choose to limit our efforts or retreat from our mission altogether rather than face it. Our alternative is usually to scale-down the scope. Meaning, we send people away; which is what the disciples urged Jesus to do in this story,

"This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food..."  Matthew 14:15

There are ministries today in every city that refuse to move forward in work which God has called them to do. Why? Because they saw a situation developing where they would not have enough resources to do what they had planned. And so there they sit; at a standstill. The ministry is stalled; the mission now on a back-burner because the person whose shoulders bear the responsibility for the vision is afraid of "lack".

Too many Christians are afraid to make a single move until ALL the resources are sufficient and ALL the support they will EVER need is securely in place. Instead of following their calling, they allow resources (or lack thereof) to dictate what they are willing and are not willing to try. Instead of drawing confidence from the Mighty God of Abraham, they're clearly looking to draw confidence from a large amount of money, a large number contributors or a lot of materials at their disposal.

Unfortunately, the only way that confidence in resources can be sustained is to have UNLIMITED resources. And it's been proven generation after generation all over the world to be a fact that no one on Earth has unlimited resources. This fact is the basic rule in the study of Economics; and individuals "wants" and desires are potentially unlimited but resources will always be limited. This has been taught from High School up to University campuses for decades.

Every living creature will face "lack". At some point in your life, there will not be enough of what you need to do what you want or need. The thing that should separate Christians from the rest of the world, however, is knowing how to respond to "lack".

The bible records that Jesus knew this situation would arise and was merely interested in his disciple's response before he revealed his own. Naturally, the disciples were judging the situation according to sight; it LOOKED like this crowd would starve so they immediately abandoned all hope. But here is how Jesus responded to "lack":

#1. He did not send any one away. Instead he instructed the disciples to bring him what they had.

#2. He offered what little they had to God.

"Jesus said, 'Have the people sit down'... (about five thousand men were there). Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and (miraculously) distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish" John 6:10-11

That is the correct response to the situation of "lack". If you look into your hands and what you see does not appear to be enough, you must offer God whatever He has given you, no matter how insufficient it appears to be. When you don't have enough, it is critically important that you offer God what you have with all your heart. Why? Because what's in your hand is not your harvest, it's your SEED!

The seed always comes before the harvest; but the harvest will always be larger and greater than the seed. So many people make the mistake of disposing of the seed because it is so small; but an entire forest can be birthed out of the smallest of seeds. Your job is to plant your seed into anointed ground in order to receive your harvest.

In this story, the disciples obeyed the instructions Jesus gave. They took the little bit of food they were provided and put it into the anointed hands of Jesus Christ. Suddenly their worries and fear was laid to rest as food miraculously appeared; enough to feed every man, woman and child which was estimated at more than 5,000 families. They ended up with more than they could have hoped for on that day.

We must learn how to recognize this situation and respond the way Jesus responded. If what you have is not enough, then offer that little bit to God. If you only have $100 but have debt in thousands, then that $100 is the seed from which your debt freedom will be birthed. If you only have 10 people to help you do a job which calls for two dozen, then you 10 are the seed from which the dozens will come to complete the work that the few of you have begun. If you have only five people, then the five of you are the seed. And if all you have is YOU, offer God YOU! By offering God a seed of faith, you've obligated Him to keep his word and multiply your seed into an abundant harvest of more than you could have asked for.

Learn to embrace the situation of "lack" as an opportunity to trust God and wait for Him to provide a blessing. Don't retreat ever again when you recognize that you won't have enough to go on; because God arranges those situations on purpose and has also already arranged a miracle to resolve the issue and lay your worries and fears to rest.

I'll admit... proceeding without resources is indeed frightening. You face the risk failure; you face the risk of embarrassment; you face the risk of letting down people who believe in the vision... But there is no other way that God can show Himself strong to you. There is no other way that He can prove His faithfulness to you and to the vision He gave. God IS faithful and His mercies WILL endure forever. Facing "lack" head-on is the only way you will build confidence in the Great and Almighty Jehovah God.


When there is not enough, offer God what you have and stand on His word that there will soon be more than enough! Defy the frightening situation "lack" and come out victorious and abundantly blessed with more than you could have hoped for today!

Cast Your Nets Again!

"Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net..." Luke 5:5

 

The book of Luke records an incident between Peter and Jesus that all of you visionaries out there must take special note of....as this will impact your life TODAY!  The situation was this:

Jesus was speaking to a crowd near the shore of the Sea of Galilee.  The crowd had grown to the point where Jesus could no longer be comprehended so he asked a local fishing crew led by Peter to offer their boat to him so he could use it as a pulpit and deliver his message to what had become a large multitude of people now standing on the seashore. After the sermon, Jesus gave the crew a simple instruction,

"... Go out into the deep water and let down your nets... “Luke 5:4-9.


Jesus told Peter, in essence, to go out and fish. Jesus guaranteed Peter there would be a large catch in "the deep" waiting for them. However, here's the issue: This crew had just returned from fishing all night in "the deep" with no results.

Our understanding is that Peter and his crew (James and John) were not amateur fisherman; they were professionals.  These men made their living in "the deep" fishing for profit and for sustenance. They knew how to fish, they knew when to fish and they knew where to fish.  Many of you know that any time you instruct someone on a subject which they do for a living, you'd better be sure about your Instructions; because you run the risk of insulting that person if you don't.

To put it in perspective, Jesus, a renowned, local teacher and son of a carpenter, was telling these professional fisherman who had just fished all night with no results to go back out there. This would be the same as the pastor of your church who has no expertise in your career field telling you how to do your job today.  Can you imagine giving a person who owns a painting company tips about painting trim?  Or telling a professional chef how to sauté an onion or make a flakier pie crust? No one wants to be instructed on something they do every day. "Tread Lightly" would be the proper term.  

The chapter records that, in response, Peter politely informed Jesus of an important detail which he thought perhaps Jesus didn't already know. He told Jesus the timing was not right for fishing (Luke 5:4). He knew this because his crew had worked the waters for at least 6-hours (hence, the term "all night") so they could say with confidence nothing was out there. Many of us are in this situation today. You've worked for months; perhaps for years on something but did not see the results you intended to see. Maybe it was a project where, after hours and even days of labor you did not accomplish what needed to be accomplished. Maybe it was your career; you worked the same job for years then come to find out you've been bypassed for a promotion... again; maybe even terminated. Perhaps it was with your health; you followed a fitness plan on doctor's strict orders to the best of your ability, but after months you see no progress on the meter or scale. Then here comes someone such as a mentor, a spouse or a friend trying to encourage you saying, 

"...Try again; this time you will be successful!"

But perhaps, after facing disappointment, like Peter, you've become reluctant.  It's tough to try again when you've failed at that job before. It's tough to try a new diet when so many other diets have failed you in the past.  It's tough to start a new business when your last one folded and left you in debt. It's tough to become "involved" at a new church when your last church ran you and your family away in tears.  Worse, when things don't work out for an extended period of time, we tend to begin to doubt that God even wants us to do what we are trying do. This is because, when an endeavor fails, you know better than to think that God has failed; so you instinctively consider that perhaps God didn't move. God could have brought increase... but He didn't.  God could have caused success... but He didn't.  God could have saved the project... but He didn't. God could have... God could have... God could have....  

And people around you notice the change in what you believe God "said". You once had so much confidence that God was with you in your work. You used to tell everyone "my latter will be greater" and all that jargon and you weren't bothered when people called you crazy....... However, now that you’re wrestling with defeat, you agree with them. Maybe you mis-heard God. Maybe what you thought God wanted you to do, He really doesn't want you to do.  Or perhaps you really ARE crazy. And so now you have just as much confidence that your endeavor won't work as you once had that it would. Now you are looking forward to the sleep and the rest you will get once you finally give-up instead of looking forward to the life of an overcomer that you once dreamed you would live.


To every dreamer, every visionary, every person standing on a promise from God, you must understand that sometimes you can go through all the motions and be fruitless; but you must always be willing to go out into the deep and CAST YOUR NETS AGAIN! There was nothing wrong with what Peter was fishing for. Nor was there anything wrong in the way those men were fishing....

Question: So what went wrong which cause the men to be fruitless? 

Answer: NOTHING!

You've got to understand that sometimes you will work all night, all month, all year, all decade for what seems like no result; and it's OK!...  Failure doesn't mean that God didn't move.  God is not "wishy-washy". He is not double-minded.  God does not change, God CAN NOT change.  There will never be a time when God suddenly does not want you to do something that He clearly asked you to do prior to a failure.  God doesn't ask for a particular work from you and then say, "I've changed my mind...” and make the whole thing collapse on your head.  If God has ever asked you to work... He's still asking!  If God has ever asked you to preach... He's still asking! If God has ever asked you to sing, play an instrument, write a poem, park a car, sweep a floor, guess what... He's still asking!  Whatever God wanted you to do last year; He still wants you to do this year and, whether you see yourself as successful or not, He will still want you to do it next year!  

You only needed to be obedient... which means CAT YOUR NETS AGAIN! Peter's answer to Jesus was,

"... At thy word I will let down the net... ".

Once he followed Jesus' instructions, these men received the biggest catch of their careers; clearly the biggest catch ever seen in that time period. Their nets caught so many fish that it almost destroyed their boat. According to ancient history, an average fishing boat which would have cruised the Sea of Galilee was easily between ten feet to nearly thirty feet long. Luke records there were so many fish that they had to flag down another ship to help relieve the pressure on the nets. And eventually, both ships started taking on water. I don't know exactly how many fish it would take to almost sink two nearly 30-foot vessels; but I know that was an astonishing amount of fish!


Ephesians 3:20 says,

"God is able to do exceeding, abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us... "


This scripture simply means that God can do more than you ask by His power... and His power is at work on the inside of you RIGHT NOW!  This is what Peter and his crew discovered that day, and you will discover this too! In whatever you are praying for, just keep listening for instruction. Watch for a fresh Word involving what you have been doing. The instruction might be to become more honest in your dealings. It may be for you to work harder; or maybe don't work so hard that you lose your family because of your project. Perhaps the Word is for you to become a tither. Or maybe your Word is just to keep doing exactly what you are doing. Whatever it is, DO IT!

Remember, it is God who has given you ALL your instructions.  He is the one who told you “How to fish, "When to fish", "Where to fish" and in Peter's case, "What to fish for". And He will never change.   So don't you change.  Continue to be obedient and you will finally reach a harvest that you do not have room to receive; a harvest so large that you may need to call somebody to help you bring it in!

Isaiah 40: FLY HIGH!

The book of Isaiah 40 records these words from God,

"To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?" Isaiah 40:25

In other words, who or what can ever compare to the God of Abraham. The 40th chapter goes on to say,

"Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of His great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing" Isaiah 40:26

This is the definition of "Holy"; to be uniquely set apart from anything else. "Holy" means, in effect, to be in a category "reserved" where nothing else can compare. Isaiah says lift your eyes and see the heavens above you. Look at the greatness of the sky, the moon and all the stars that hang above you night after night all named and numbered with none missing (and you wouldn't know if one were). Our Holy God made it with great power and mighty strength. You won't find someone who can create these things. Isaiah mentions in this chapter that steel encased in gold (idols) cannot compare to the actual God; meaning they are not "Holy". They can not be compared to God.

Later in the chapter, Isaiah asks this question,

"Why do you complain; why do you say "The Lord does not know the way for me; my issue is disregarded by my God"? Isaiah 40:27

Why would you say that? Why would you even think that a God this grandiose would somehow be oblivious to our needs or be lost as to what He should do to help us? Isaiah says in verse 28,

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom." Isaiah 40:28

Isaiah asks, Haven't you heard? God is everlasting! He is LORD! He is the creator of the earth from one end to the other. He does not faint. He does not get weary. He does not grow tired. And God's level of understanding is far outside of any realm of understanding that our brain chemicals could ever comprehend.

The highlight of this chapter to me is verse 31. Isaiah says this great God of ours will increase the strength of those who have become weary. Isaiah's claim is that those who wait on God will receive renewed strength to soar above the earth's population of people who do not wait on God. Isaiah writes that God will strengthen us to become like one of God's most awesome winged creatures; the Eagle,

"Those who wait on the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint" Isaiah 40:31

Eagles are the epitome of the bird species. Adult eagles have a wingspan of 6 to 8 feet which is taller than the average adult male. Eagles fly up to 65 mph in normal flight and dive at speeds of over 150 mph. And eagles live very intelligently. For example, they stay near open water where there is a consistent food supply and they nest in the tallest of trees. As a result, eagles have no natural predators who can threaten them based solely on their lifestyle.

The most significant thing about the eagle species is that eagles FLY HIGH! Eagles habitually soar at altitudes of 8,000 to 10,000 feet and even more. Eagles don't hang around ground level like other creatures. They fly HIGH; which means they have a view of this world which is quite different than any other animal. And they only travel with other eagles who fly as HIGH as they do. The winds, the seasonal air currants and drafts don't trouble eagles; because they fly above the wind currants. In fact, they use the wind and thermal updrafts to lift them up above the troubled air tides. Eagles can soar effortlessly using the wind currants for hours at a time.

Isaiah says this is a portrait of a person who waits patiently on God. The person who trusts God will SOAR in this life. Your thoughts and ideas; or in other words, your "wingspan" will be "wider" than people around you. And you'll notice that somehow, you are able to travel faster toward your goals than normal. You'll also find that your lifestyle is very different from others in the "species". You will make better choices and have a better attitude about everyday situations because of your altitude. All because you trust in an Almighty God; thus you draw from a better source. You depend on God to lead you to "still waters" where you can be fed without the constant danger of predators.

And the winds and waves of life's different seasons which perplex everyone else won't disturb your flight pattern because you will live your life by faith; above the currants. In fact, you will use things that were meant to slow you down to grow your faith and lift you above the trouble. And you will only feel comfortable traveling with other Christians that FLY HIGH. You'll only associate with those who are positive about life and full of vision. You'll hang with leaders, visionaries, ministers and others who are both willing and able to soar as HIGH and HIGHER than you do.

One last thing to notice: Note the analogy Isaiah did not make in this chapter,

"... You will soar on wings as buzzards... "

Why not? Buzzards fly high too. They can fly as high as 3,000 feet in the right conditions... And buzzards have an impressive wingspan too; just like eagles. So why didn't Isaiah suggest that we "mount up" on wings like buzzards?

Because the behavior of an eagle is completely different from that of a buzzard. Buzzards can fly high... but they prefer to stay near the ground (when not migrating). They don't soar; they're scavengers. They're survival is based on dead things. If you're ever driving along a road and see a cluster of buzzards, its a guarantee there's a dead animal's corpse in the area. And when they can find it, they love fresh roadkill over a decayed animal carcass. Buzzards eat anything that's dead--possums, squirrels, rabbits, deer, domestic animals even skunks (but they'll leave the scent pouch).

Isaiah says those who wait on God will not just fly, but FLY HIGH LIKE EAGLES! You will avoid scavengers with all your might and instead soar at altitudes far above the heads of those congregating around dead things. You won't make a "nest" at ground level. Instead, you'll fly at the highest of heights and view this wonderful world that God made from a distance far enough to realize you are only "in" this world for a while; but you are not "of" this world at all.

In exchange for your patient waiting, God is offering renewed strength to carry you HIGHER, FASTER and FURTHER then you ever thought you could go! Some will run and fall... Others will walk, then grow tired and stop... But they that wait on the LORD will be renewed with strength to rise up like eagles and soar; strength to run without getting weary; strength to walk, and NOT FAINT!

Dealing With Lack

Lack: Absence of an item of necessity; to be short or deficient in; to experience an insufficiency in what you require. What do you lack in your life? What is it that you don't have enough of? Do you lack food? Do you lack clothing? Do you lack a car? Do you lack money?

Lack is an unnatural experience for a Christian because lack is the opposite of what was promised to us in scripture,

"Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power at work in us." Ephesians 3:20

This passage says that you WOULD be overcome by lack if not for the power working on the inside of you to do EXCEEDINGLY more than you could even think of. According to this, abundance should be a part of the Christian experience, not lack.

Understand that when you find yourself dealing with something that is the opposite of God's promise, you can conclude it is instituted by the adversary to destroy you and therefore is unacceptable. If you are suffering from lack in any area of your life, you must identify the cause to overcome that root-force plotted against you. Examine the thing that you lack in your life. Determine why you are deficient in an area where there should be abundance. Then look in the Word of God to give your life direction and help you cope with each and every situation. It is up to you to study your life and determine which of Satan's unacceptable behaviors your dealing with.

So, lets examine lack. Are you missing something that you once had plenty of but now is all gone? If so, what in the world happened to it? Where did it go? Can you remember a period of time when you did not lack this thing in your life? Why is it missing now? Did you give it away or was it stolen?

If you gave it away, most likely it was with good intentions. Maybe you gave it away out of the kindness of your heart. Maybe you invested into something or someone faithfully expecting a return on your investment.

The Word: Galatians 6:7 "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap!"

This means what you lack will be returned to you.. so just be patient.

As long as God was a part of the decision to give it away before you did, you can fully expect God to return to you what you gave. When you give according to what God has instructed, you are planting seed into fertile ground. God will not allow Himself to be mocked or made a fool of. If God instructed you to give, then you are not lacking; you're planting. Your seed is in the ground; you will reap.

If it was stolen, who took it? Is someone in your life taking from you every chance they get? Is it someone you don't know, didn't see and haven't been able to catch that's taking from you? Or is it someone you're close to who's causing the deficit in your life? Do they know they are stealing from you? Are they taking advantage of your kindness (same as stealing). Some people have no idea of the hardship they are causing by requiring so much of you.

More importantly, is this person still in your life? Are they still subtracting from you?

The Word: Isaiah 61:7, "For their shame, my people shall receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace they will rejoice in their inheritance... they will inherit a double portion in their land... "

This passage speaks about an appointed time which Isaiah calls "the acceptable year" or "the Year of the Lord" when God will repay all that has been taken away. In Gods time, His favor toward us will be seen and He will repay what was stolen from us.

Isaiah says God will give us a crown of beauty instead of ashes. He'll give oil of gladness in exchange for our mourning over losses. And He'll give us a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. What ever was stolen, God has already prepared double to replace it. As one preacher put it, "God will give you double for your trouble!"

Bottom line...

Be passionate about Christ with or without the things you believe God has in line for your future. Love God with your whole heart despite what you feel you are lacking in your life. God is Love and He is in Love with you. But he wants you to be in love with Him; not with what He will provide. God is the rewarder. He is the one responsible for the "payday" in your Christian walk. He will choose the "exceptable year" for His favor to fall and He is bound by His Word.

Keep turning to the Word to help you through this season of lack and you will see God's blessings in ways that are above what you could ask or even think.