http://www.walkingbyfaith.tv/journal/single-article en duane@reslife.org Copyright 2012 2012-05-02T18:26:51+00:00 http://www.walkingbyfaith.tv/site/overcoming_temptation/ http://www.walkingbyfaith.tv/site/overcoming_temptation/#When:18:26:51Z Maybe you have heard it said that opportunity only knocks once, but temptation knocks continually. Fortunately, God is merciful, giving opportunities and second chances to those who call on Him. Temptation, though, really does keep knocking. It never stops trying to find a way into our lives. Temptation is a trap set by the devil, and it is designed to get you to walk in disobedience to God. Because Satan is a liar (John 8:44), the bait he uses often appears like something you need or desire, even something sweet, innocent or harmless. However, when you yield to temptation, you will always find the bitter fruit of sin. The devil never gives you what he says he will. He may promise liberty and ecstasy, but he delivers bondage, guilt and shame. God, on the other hand, is faithful and always keeps His Word. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NLT) tells us, “When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it.” You can overcome temptation! Three Areas of Temptation The temptations we face fall into three areas: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, or the pride of life (1 John 2:16). Taking the devil’s bait in any of these areas opens the door to a life of sin and bondage. The lust of the flesh has to do with our bodily appetites. Drunkenness, drug addiction, gluttony, adultery, fornication and homosexuality are some of the sins of the flesh. The lust of the eyes is an excessive desire for things of the world. Covetousness, greed, idolatry, the love of money and financial dishonesty result from the lust of the eyes. The pride of life is the desire for glory or fame. Someone who struggles with the pride of life is tempted by worldly honors, fame, reputation and position. Jesus Overcame All Three Luke tells the account of Jesus being led by the Spirit of God into the wilderness where He was tempted by the devil. When Jesus became hungry, the devil tempted Him with the lust of the flesh, saying, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God’” (Luke 4:3-4). When Satan tempted Jesus with the lust of the eyes, showing Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time and saying, “If You will worship before me, all will be Yours.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve’” (Luke 4:7-8). The devil also tempted Jesus with the pride of life by urging Him to throw Himself off the pinnacle of the temple. The devil even quoted scripture saying, “For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over You, to keep You,’” and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone’” (Luke 4:10-11). What did Jesus do? He simply told the devil, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God’” (Luke 4:12).  Temptation itself is not a sin, but falling into it is. Hebrews 4:15 tells us that Jesus “was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” That’s why He was able to say to His disciples – and us – “Be of good cheer. I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Jesus overcame temptation, and you can too! Here are some helpful keys:  1. Stand on the Word “For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). Each time Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, He responded by using God’s Word as a weapon. He said, “It is written…” or “It has been said…”  That’s how we should say “no” to the devil, too.  1 John 5:4 says, “Whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith.” Your faith in God and His Word is the victory. If there is a particular area where you are often tempted, memorize and meditate on scriptures that apply to that area. Let the words you read on the pages of your Bible become alive and powerful on the inside of you. Get them into your heart so you will be ready to counter temptation as soon as it comes your way.  2. Be Strong in the Lord “Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power…” (Ephesians 6:10, NIV). Sometimes, people don’t take enough time to build their relationship with the Lord. They get busy with other things or are distracted by life’s demands. When temptation comes, they give in because they aren’t prepared to operate in the Lord’s strength. Becoming strong in the Lord is like performing preventative maintenance. As you consistently read the Word, pray and spend time in worship, you will become stronger in the Lord and less susceptible to temptation. 3. Don’t Love the World “Do not love the world or the things in the world…” (1 John 2:15). Even Christians are subtly influenced by exposure to worldly things unless they protect themselves. Much of today’s media (music, television, movies, books, magazines and the internet) is dark and ungodly, so we need to be careful what we let into our minds and hearts. The psalmist wrote, “I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me” (Psalm 101:3). The only way to keep sin and evil works from clinging to you is to say “yes” to God and “no” to ungodly influences. 4. Flee Temptation “Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2:22). There are times when the best way to handle temptation is to flee from it. When Joseph was tempted to commit adultery with Potiphar’s wife, Genesis 39:12 tells us that he ran outside and fled! It might sound extreme, but if you want to keep from sinning, you must be willing to do whatever it takes. Maybe you have a friend who is causing you to stumble. If so, it’s time to make new friends because, as we’re advised in 1 Corinthians 15:33, “Evil company corrupts good habits.” Decide which is more important to you: doing God’s will or staying close to a negative influence. You will have a much better life when you separate yourself from those who pull you away from God.  5. Resist the Devil “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). You’ve probably noticed that Satan doesn’t always leave the first time you quote a scripture! In fact, temptations often take place over a period of time as indicated in James 1:12 and 1 Peter 1:6-7. That is why we need to be diligent in resisting the devil. How long do you resist the devil? You resist him until he flees! You see, the devil will keep pestering you in an area as long as you let him. But when you consistently stand against him, he will realize that you mean business. God’s Word is true. When you resist the devil, he will flee. Finally… Let’s take a closer look at Hebrews 4:15-16. It says, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Isn’t it great to know that, when we are tempted, God’s mercy and grace offer us the opportunity to overcome? Jesus knows very well what temptation involves. He is fully aware of our weaknesses and has made provision for us to have victory. You can overcome temptation! (All scriptures are from the New King James Version of the Bible unless otherwise stated.) Our prayer for you is that God’s best will always be yours. Please contact us if you would like someone from our team to pray with you. Temptation 2012-05-02T18:26:51+00:00 http://www.walkingbyfaith.tv/site/ready_for_a_miracle/ http://www.walkingbyfaith.tv/site/ready_for_a_miracle/#When:15:08:02Z God is able to take care of every problem you bring to Him. Whatever you are facing may be big to you, but nothing is impossible for Him! Most people have no trouble going to God when there is nowhere else to turn and they need a miracle. However, when times are good, it can be easy to make decisions on our own without giving God a thought. There are many Bible examples of what happens when someone leaves God out of the picture. Here’s one that demonstrates the value of seeking God, listening to His voice and choosing His way – in the good times and the bad. A Big Mess Three kings had banded together to mount a surprise attack on the Moabites. Their strategy was to lead their combined armies through the desert and attack Moab where an attack would be least expected. 2 Kings 3:9-10 tells us: “So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom, and they marched on that roundabout route seven days; and there was no water for the army, nor for the animals that followed them. And the king of Israel said, ‘Alas! For the Lord has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.’” The path they chose may have made sense from a military perspective, but what they didn’t consider was that the desert was 80 miles across. It led them away from water and into trouble. Soon, the animals were dying and human lives were threatened. What a mess! The only thing that could save them was a miracle. Jehoshaphat, the godly king of Judah, recognized this and urged the other kings to seek God’s direction from the prophet, Elisha. “Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, ‘What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother.’ But the king of Israel said to him, ‘No, for the Lord has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab’” (2 Kings 3:13). Elisha was not impressed with Jehoram, the king of Israel. He was the son of the ungodly king, Ahab, and while he had put away his father’s god, Baal, he had not embraced God. Basically, what Elisha said to him was: “In the good times, you weren’t seeking God, but now that times are bad, you’re crying out to Him?” Clearly, this dilemma was not simply the result of poor planning. After all, Elisha had been with the armies throughout the entire journey. If someone had thought to inquire of God, they would not have been in this situation. When things were going well, they never cared to ask, “God, what should we do and how should we do it?” However, once it became obvious that their plan was not working, Jehoram was quick to blame God instead of taking responsibility for not consulting Him. A Big Miracle Nevertheless, Elisha delivered God’s word to them. “Thus says the Lord: Make this valley full of ditches. For thus says the Lord: you shall not see wind, nor shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you, your cattle, and your animals may drink.  And this is a simple matter in the sight of the Lord; He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand” (2 Kings 3:16-18). Giving them water in the desert without making it rain does not seem like a simple matter to us, but it is to God.  So the armies did as God said. They dug ditches even though it seemed impossible that water could come to them. They didn’t just dig a ditch, they filled the whole valley with ditches. 2 Kings 3:20 tells us: “Now it happened in the morning, when the grain offering was offered, that suddenly water came by way of Edom, and the land was filled with water.”  God miraculously filled every ditch they dug. Not only did He give them life-sustaining water, but, if you read the rest of the chapter, you will see that God also gave them a stunning victory! Choose Wisely Any choice that leads away from the source of life is not a good one. It can be as easy for us to make decisions based on human reasoning as it was for the kings. But those choices pull us away from the Lord, and Proverbs 14:12 tells us, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” In Deuteronomy 8, God talks about blessing us, and then He says these words: “When your heart is lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God…” (Deuteronomy 8:14). You see, when you are blessed, and everything is going fine, the danger is that you will think you are the one making it happen, and you will forget about God. Many people blame God when things go wrong, but we need to recognize that it is usually our own decisions that get us into trouble. It happens because we leave Him out and make the wrong choices. Do not forget God in the good times. There isn’t a day when you don’t need the presence and power of God in your life. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Stay connected to Him at all times. Aren’t you glad for God’s mercy and that you can turn back to Him at any time? Listen to what He says: “This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him. For the Lord is your life…” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20, NIV). Choose life. Don’t blame God. Run to Him! Dig Ditches You may not have a prophet to consult, but you do have the Bible. It is God’s Word, and Hebrews 4:12 tells us it is active and alive; powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. It is full of victory, grace and truth, but it won’t do you any good if it just sits on the shelf. It needs to be down deep on the inside of you. God wants you to prepare your life with ditches that He can fill. He can make it rain in such a way that every area of your life is touched. But you have to dig the ditches.     Noah dug a ditch by building a boat on dry ground when it had never rained before (Genesis 6-8).     The widow of Zarephath dug a ditch when she made a little cake for the prophet (1 Kings 17).     Rahab dug a ditch when she received the spies into her home (Joshua 2).     Moses dug by yielding his rod to God (Exodus 4). Each of them did the natural things God showed them to do, and He responded by doing what only He can do! In Luke 5, the disciples had fished all night and hadn’t caught anything. Jesus came along and told them to throw the net in on the other side of the boat. When they expressed their faith by throwing the net in on the other side, symbolically, they were digging a ditch.  What did God do? He filled it so full of fish that it broke! It’s time for us to dig some ditches expecting God to move! As you seek Him and step out in faith as He instructs you, you are preparing places to be filled with His blessings. You can dig some ditches by reading the Bible and praying every day. You dig ditches when you worship God and tithe, and by being faithfully involved in your local church. Anytime you seek God and respond to what He says, you dig a ditch. You might not see clouds or hear any thunder, but when you dig ditches, even in your desert place, God is faithful to rain down blessing, healing, deliverance, guidance, provision, peace…whatever it is that you need. (All scriptures are from the New King James Version of the Bible unless otherwise stated.) If you would like someone to agree with you in prayer, please click on Need Prayer? or email us at prayer@walkingbyfaith.tv. The Walking By Faith Prayer Center can also be reached at 800-988-5120. Breakthrough 2012-03-01T15:08:02+00:00 http://www.walkingbyfaith.tv/site/miracle_in_your_mouth/ http://www.walkingbyfaith.tv/site/miracle_in_your_mouth/#When:18:30:50Z For years, America’s largest circulated magazine, Reader’s Digest, offered its valuable feature, “It Pays To Enrich Your Word Power.” The column stood the test of time because everyone always has room to expand their vocabulary. The editors once quoted H.D. Hoover, director of the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills, as saying, “A well-developed vocabulary is at the heart of all learning and at the heart of every test.” That is as true in the supernatural as it is in the natural. When it comes to our faith, it is not the size of our vocabulary, but the source of our vocabulary that is important. Think about the common expression, “words fail me.” In the natural, this happens when someone has a thought they want to convey but cannot find a way to fully communicate it. But, in the supernatural, our words fail us when they do not reflect God’s thoughts on any given subject. The words you speak are like the rudder of a ship, and they will determine the direction your life takes. Whenever you agree in your heart with God and say what He says about your situations, a miracle can begin in your mouth. Power to Change Situations When God speaks, power is released to change situations. As God told Isaiah, “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11). Whenever God speaks, you can be certain that what He says will come to pass. Think about what happened when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. If you remember, Lazarus had been dead four days by the time Jesus came to the place where his body had been entombed. After the stone had been rolled away, Jesus acknowledged the fact that His Father always hears Him, and then He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” John 11:44 records the result, saying, “he who had died came out!” Just as the words Jesus spoke brought Lazarus out of the grave, it is the Word of God that comes out of your mouth that will bring change to your situation. Hebrews 4:12 describes the Word of God as “living and powerful,” and when you speak His Word, God’s power is released. Whatever You Say Spiritually speaking, words are always powerful. Proverbs 18:20-21 says, “A man’s stomach shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; from the produce of his lips he shall be filled. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”  In other words, we will taste the consequences - good or bad - of whatever we speak. Our words are like dry wood fueling a fire. In James 3:5, we read, “Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!”  If we don’t want our lives to go up in smoke, it is important that we understand and harness the power of our words. Whenever someone speaks negatively, they are helping the devil strike a match that leads to destruction in their life. Sometimes people even die as a result of their words. They say things like, “Everybody in my family dies of cancer. My grandfather died of cancer, my uncle died of cancer, and so did my brother. I’ll probably get cancer and die just like they did.” However, when you and I speak positively, agreeing with what God’s Word says, we light the fuse that brings God’s dynamic power into our situation. Then, faced with the same family medical history, you and I can see the glass half full instead of half empty. We can proclaim, “He Himself took my infirmities and bore my sicknesses” (Matthew 8:17), and by His stripes I’m healed (1 Peter 2:24).  The choice is ours. What you say opens or closes the door to God’s promises being fulfilled in your life. Jesus said, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘be removed and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will come to pass, he will have whatever he says” (Mark 11:22-23). Jesus literally said, if you believe in your heart that God will do what He has said He will do, and if you do not doubt, you will have whatever you say. Furthermore, God says in Isaiah 57:19, that when you speak, He creates the fruit of your lips. God literally makes what you say happen. It is not some sort of “magic” formula; it is putting the faith that is already in your heart into operation. Abraham’s Example Abraham is one of my favorite examples of God’s faithfulness, but the thing I want you to notice is that God’s promise didn’t “just happen” in his life. As you may recall, Abraham and Sarah tried diligently for seventy years to have a child – with no effect. God had promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations, but all the physical evidence was stacked against him. Only a miracle could bring God’s promise to pass. Abraham’s miracle certainly was not quick in coming. Despite that, we’re told in Romans 4:20 that he, “did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief.”  He agreed with what God had spoken in spite of all the obstacles he faced. Then, despite the impossibility of the situation, God “called those things which were not as though they were” (Romans 4:17). Isaac was born, and Abraham received his miracle! Faith was a key to Abraham receiving the manifestation of God’s promise.  As Hebrews 11:1 tells us, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” If we don’t believe it until after we see it, we won’t receive from God. Mark 11:24 tells us, “Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” Speaking of prayer, you and I can pray for hours, but if we only tell God the details of our problems, those problems are not going to get any better. When we pray, we should vocalize our agreement with what God says in His Word and begin to pray the solution rather than the problem. Receiving Your Miracle God has a promise for everything you will ever need. The devil has a plan to try to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10) – he’ll do whatever he can in an attempt to keep you from receiving God’s promise. If you say and do nothing, the devil will get his way. But if you choose to believe God and stand on His promise, saying what He says, God will bring it to pass, and you will experience abundant life. Here’s what the scenario of what your miracle might look like: • You receive a promise from God. • A situation arises that makes it seem like what God has promised can’t come to pass. (The devil is trying to steal the Word.) • You choose to believe God’s promise. • You stand on His promise, saying what God says – not what the circumstances say. • God brings the promise into manifestation despite how impossible the situation once looked. Suppose your checkbook says, “You’re broke!” and your financial advisor tells you that you’re going to have to file bankruptcy. Yet, you know that God says He will provide for all your needs.  Who are you going to agree with? What are you going to say? What if the doctor tells you there is no cure for what you have, yet you know the Bible says God will heal all your diseases? Who will you believe, and what words will come out of your mouth? The next time you are faced with adverse circumstances, remember that God is faithful, that He loves you, and that He is watching over His Word to perform it. Grab hold of the promise God has in place to cover your need. Stand on His promise, believing it and speaking it over your situation. God’s Word is more powerful than any problem you will ever face, and it becomes a powerful force in your life when it is spoken. Don’t let your words fail you – the miracle you need is in your mouth!     (All scriptures are from the New King James Version of the Bible unless otherwise stated.) If you would like someone to agree with you in prayer, please click on “Need Prayer?” or email us at prayer@walkingbyfaith.tv. Victorious Living 2009-05-31T18:30:50+00:00 http://www.walkingbyfaith.tv/site/you_can_walk_by_faith/ http://www.walkingbyfaith.tv/site/you_can_walk_by_faith/#When:18:30:48Z Seeing is believing, right? WRONG.   Most people live based on what they see – they walk by sight. I believe that’s why the Lord originally prompted us to begin a television ministry. Think about this:   Have you ever tried to walk blindfolded? If so, you probably felt disoriented after just a couple of steps. It’s not natural to walk without looking where we’re going, yet that is specifically what Paul advocated when he wrote “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7)   Previously, Paul said, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen… ” (2 Corinthians 4:18)   Paul knew the reality that when we walk by faith, we are “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Isn’t that the definition of faith we are given in Hebrews 11:1?   I believe Paul wanted us to fully understand the importance of trusting God rather than our senses. Faith Is A Key   Faith is an essential key to a successful life. Jesus said, “Everything is possible for him who believes.” (Mark 9:23)   Your faith is meant to unlock things that are seemingly impossible and open the door to receiving your full inheritance from God.  Getting Faith   There is only one way to get faith. Romans 10:17 says, “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” That’s it. There are no shortcuts.   First, God gives us a promise in His Word that is relevant to our circumstances.   Second, we believe the promise.   Third, we take a step of faith and obey God by doing what His Word says.   Faith is not passive; it’s active and many of God’s promises are conditional – we receive the benefit of His part only when we do ours. A Higher Way   God has called us to a higher way than walking by what we see. He says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)   The Psalmist wrote, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” (Psalm 119:105) Everyone needs God’s direction and guidance. Without it, we wander aimlessly on the road of life.   I challenge you to walk by faith, not by sight. Develop your faith in the Lord by reading, believing and obeying the Word of God. God is always there to meet you at the point of your faith! Faith 2009-05-30T18:30:48+00:00 http://www.walkingbyfaith.tv/site/recovering_what_you_lost/ http://www.walkingbyfaith.tv/site/recovering_what_you_lost/#When:14:20:12Z Most of us have areas in our lives where we need a breakthrough. Maybe you feel like you are just spinning your wheels or that, no matter what you do, nothing seems to work out right. If so, please read on. God wants you to receive everything Jesus paid the price for, and He wants you to recover everything that you have lost. Whether you need a breakthrough in your health, your finances, relationships or some other area, you need to know that He delights in making a way where there seems to be no way. In Isaiah 43:19, God said, “Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” It’s not time to give up. It’s time for a fresh start. Lost…and Found In 2 Kings 6:1-7 there is a rather obscure miracle involving the prophet Elisha.  He and a group of young prophets were getting ready to build an addition onto their school, when one of the men encountered a setback. In verses 4-5 we read, “…When they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. But as one was cutting down a tree, the iron axe head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, “Alas, master! For it was borrowed.”  This might not seem like a big deal to you, but the fact that the axe head was borrowed made it an especially painful loss for the young prophet. The Jordan was a muddy and dangerous river and, in the natural, there was very little chance of the axe head being recovered. Not only that, but it was made of iron which was rare and valuable in those days. The young prophet couldn’t just go into a store to get a replacement. “So the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” And he showed him the place. So he cut off a stick, and threw it in there; and he made the iron float. Therefore he said, “Pick it up for yourself.” So he reached out his hand and took it” (2 Kings 6:6-7). Notice that when Elisha heard of the problem, he didn’t despair and say, “This is hopeless!” Instead, he cut a stick and threw it into the water. It was just an ordinary stick, but spiritually, it represented the cross. When the cross was applied to the problem, the iron axe head miraculously floated to the surface! God’s solution is always the cross, and He wants you to recover everything you have lost. Whatever it is, when the cross is applied, you get back what you lost. Wholeheartedly Pursue God Did you notice that the young prophet had to pick up the axe head for himself? While the cross – the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ - is the provision for your recovery, you need to reach out, grab it and seize it by faith. You cannot be passive and receive all God wants you to receive. That is why reading the Bible, praying, worshiping God, being actively involved, giving and serving in the local church are so important. They all have a part in your wholehearted pursuit of God. Unless you are pursuing God with all your heart, you may be disappointed with Christianity. Why? Because Christianity is about losing your life so you can connect to the good life God has for you (see Galatians 2:20). Jeremiah 29:13 records this promise from God: “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” Jesus spoke of having a wholehearted devotion to God when He said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). Indeed, Christianity was never meant to involve seeking God with half your heart. How About You? We saw that the stick Elisha threw in the water represented the cross, but do you know what the axe head represents? It represents God’s power. It is His grace and His ability operating in your life. It is possible to lose the axe head but keep on swinging away, hoping that no one will notice that something is wrong. Maybe you are still doing some of the right stuff: you are still going to church; you are still with your spouse, but not loving him or her the way you should; you haven’t abandoned your kids, but you are not leading them; maybe you are throwing a tip in the offering plate, but you are not tithing. Perhaps it feels like you have lost something, like something is missing and you want it back. You are swinging but nothing is happening because there is no power of God, no grace of God, no supernatural effect on what you are doing. The question is: Where did it fall? When you identify where you lost it, you can apply the cross. Where Did It Fall? Maybe you entered into a wrong relationship or compromised your integrity by shifting a standard that should have been set in stone. Perhaps you participated in conversations that did not glorify God, or maybe you got discouraged and stopped reading the Bible and praying, stopped spending time with the Lord. Is it possible that you got lazy in your church attendance and service? Perhaps God nudged your heart to do something and you said “no,” and now you aren’t doing the last thing God told you. Could you possibly have stopped walking by faith and started trying to figure everything out by sight? Or did someone treat you wrong, and you got bitter and won’t forgive them? Maybe you started making decisions without consulting God. Or you may have surrendered to an addiction or stopped fighting a temptation. Perhaps you rebelled against a God-given authority, and now it seems there is no power of God in your life. Did you believe the lie from the devil that there is no grace, no love, no more forgiveness for you? Or are you just not pursuing God with your whole heart, but instead seeking things first rather than seeking first the kingdom? God Cares If God cared about one man’s lost axe head, don’t you think He cares if you have enough to eat or not? He cares that you have enough money to make your house payment. He cares about your job. He cares about you if you don’t have a job and are looking for one. He cares if your house is cold or your tires are bald. Jesus said in Luke 12:7 that the very hairs on your head are numbered. God not only knows exactly how many hairs you have, He also knows each one by number. If He is that concerned that much about your hair, you can be certain that He knows and cares about everything that is going on in your life today. Take It Back Lamentations 3:22-23 says: “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” Ours is a faithful God who specializes in recovery of the lost! You may have lost the power, the grace and favor of God in the Jordan of your life, but you can apply the cross of Jesus Christ, and reach out and take it back by faith. When you do, your connection with God and His power will be restored. 1 John 1:9 tells us, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” God is a God of full recovery. No matter what you have lost, you can have it back. Just identify where you lost it, confess any sin God reveals to you, and turn to Him, praying: Father, thank You that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes. Right now, by faith, I take the cross of Jesus Christ and apply it to my life. Thank you that there is forgiveness, that bondages are broken, that my heart reconnects with You, and that my passion for you is restored. Father, thank you that the things that have gotten between us melt away just like the mountains melt at Your presence, O Lord. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. (All scriptures are from the New King James Version of the Bible unless otherwise stated.) Please contact us at prayer@walkingbyfaith.tv or call us at 800-988-5120. Victorious Living 2009-05-29T14:20:12+00:00 http://www.walkingbyfaith.tv/site/true_repentance/ http://www.walkingbyfaith.tv/site/true_repentance/#When:18:07:27Z Imagine that you are driving down the highway. The map tells you to turn east at the next highway, but you accidentally turn west instead. You don’t realize your mistake until you have been driving an hour in the wrong direction. It would make no sense to keep driving in the wrong direction because you will only end up going farther and farther from your destination. You need to turn around. Biblically speaking, you need to repent! Repentance is a firm inward decision that results in an outward turning around to move in a completely different direction. It is a change of mind that involves a turning to God and a turning away from sin. You could think of it as an inward and outward U-turn. The theme of repentance runs throughout the Bible. The Old Testament prophets, John the Baptist, Jesus, and His disciples all called people to repent. When Hebrews 6:1-2 lists the six most fundamental doctrines of Christianity, repentance from dead works comes first because there can be no Biblical faith apart from repentance. Clearly, repentance is important to God. Despite its importance, repentance is often misunderstood. Here are some things that true repentance is not: Not an Emotional Experience Repentance is not just an emotional experience filled with tears and sobbing. While emotions often accompany sincere repentance, someone can cry and weep over their sins without being at all repentant.  A number of years ago, I heard about a female missionary. On the Native American reservation where she worked, there was a large alcoholic man who was known for disrupting church services. Periodically, he would stagger in, create a scene, and start breaking the pews. One particular Sunday, the missionary was preaching on Romans 10:13 when the man came in and sat down. She was thinking, “Oh no, here we go again!” To her surprise, the man sat quietly through the entire sermon and came forward when she gave the altar call. He fell to his knees and cried out, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! Save me! Deliver me!” A short time later, he got up, but everyone wanted him to get back on his knees. Because he had not cried or shown any outward emotions, they thought nothing had happened to him. When they tried to pray for him, he said, “No. That verse said that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. I called on Him, and I’m saved!” From that day on, there was a change in his life. He stopped drinking and disrupting services, and eventually became the pastor of the church. He had truly repented. Not Penance Repentance is not “doing penance.” Penance is an act of self-punishment to compensate for sin. You have probably noticed that your flesh likes to do two types of things. First, it likes to do bad things. Then, after it does something bad, it likes to do something good to pay for the bad that it did. If you eat too much chocolate, your flesh wants to make up for it and says, “I’ll skip dinner.” However, skipping dinner cannot undo the eating of the chocolate. Likewise, you and I can never undo our sins. When I was a missionary in Mexico, I saw a group of over five thousand people making a walk of one hundred and twenty miles. They believed that, once they arrived at a certain place in Mexico City, all of their sins from the previous year would be forgiven. The walk was their penance. It was how they believed they could pay for their sins. The fact is, you owed a debt you could not pay. If it were possible for you to have paid for your own sins, Jesus would not have needed to come. If you remember, when Jesus was praying before His crucifixion, He prayed, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me” (Matthew 26:39). It was not possible because there was no other way your sins could be forgiven.  Not Remorse Repentance is not remorse. Remorse is what you feel when things do not work out right. A bank robber is remorseful because he was caught. He wishes that he had gotten away with his crime. He may even say, “I’m sorry”—he’s sorry all right, but only that he was caught!  After Judas had betrayed Jesus and realized the outcome of his actions, he was “seized with remorse”  (Matthew 27:3). That in itself was not bad. However, remorse alone is not a change of heart or a change of mind. Remorse is merely being sorry for the consequences of what you have done.  In Judas’ case, he returned the thirty pieces of silver he had been paid for his part in the arrest of Jesus. “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” The chief priests and the elders replied, “What is that to us? That’s your responsibility” (Matthew 27:4).  Matthew tells us that Judas went away and hung himself. Even though He had remorse and bitter anguish over the consequences of his actions, there was no change of mind. There can be no repentance without a change of mind. Not “I’m Sorry” Repentance is also not merely telling God you are sorry. Don’t get me wrong; it is good to apologize, but too often, apologies are little more than empty words. This became clear to me years ago when I was praying and felt like I wasn’t getting anywhere. I was confessing my sins because the Bible tells us to. I told God, “I’m sorry I did that, and I’m sorry I did this, please forgive me.” God spoke to my heart: “You’re sorry, all right. You’re sorry that I don’t like your sins. You like them, and you wish I did, but I don’t!” I thought I was repenting, but all I was doing was apologizing. Repentance is not saying you are sorry and then continuing in the same direction. Fruits of Repentance True repentance always produces fruit. John the Baptist urged the Pharisees and Sadducees saying, “Therefore bring forth fruits worthy of repentance” (Matthew 3:8). The Amplified Bible says it this way: “Bring forth fruit that is consistent with repentance [let your lives prove your change of heart].” Your fruit may not be immediately visible to others, but it will be visible to you because you know what is going on in your heart and in your life. You will know when there has been a change, and after awhile of consistent living, others will see your fruits of repentance, too. Your life will prove that your heart has changed. Remember the account of Joseph in Genesis 37-45?  His brothers had beaten him, thrown him in a pit, and sold him as a slave. Many years later, when their paths crossed, Joseph did not immediately trust them even though he had already forgiven them. Instead, he watched and listened to them. Only when he saw the fruit of their repentance did he know that they had truly changed their hearts and minds.  Genuine repentance comes from the heart and is always accompanied by a change of behavior. True repentance says and means, “If I had this to do over again, I would do it differently.”   Harden Not Your Heart In Hebrews, we are told, “See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness…Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts…” (Hebrews 3:12-13,15 NIV).  When God speaks to someone and they say no to Him, their heart is hardened. As He speaks to them repeatedly and they continue to say no, their heart gets harder and harder.  Thankfully, we have a choice; we do not have to have a heart that is hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Instead, we can recognize that God’s dealing with our heart is a gift from Him. Instead of saying no to God, we can say yes. So today, when you hear God’s voice, do not harden your heart. It makes no sense to keep going in a direction that takes you farther from your destination. Repent by turning to God and turning away from sin, and your heart will remain tender toward God. All scriptures are from the New King James Version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.  If you would like someone to agree with you in prayer, please click on “Need Prayer” or call us at (800)988-5120. Sin & Repentance 2009-05-28T18:07:27+00:00 http://www.walkingbyfaith.tv/site/the_spirit_of_faith/ http://www.walkingbyfaith.tv/site/the_spirit_of_faith/#When:18:09:17Z If you were to ask most Christians what faith is, they would probably say that it is trust, confidence, assurance, or belief.  All of these are true, but according to the Bible, there is more to faith than just believing. The psalmist demonstrated the spirit of faith to us when he wrote, “I believed, therefore I spoke…” (Psalms 116:10).  Later, the Apostle Paul recalled those words and wrote, “Since we have the same spirit of faith…we also believe and therefore speak” (2 Corinthians 4:13). We can see, then, that believing and speaking are both vital elements of faith. Notice that Paul said, “We have the same spirit of faith.” He wanted us to know that anyone who has faith – whether it is you or me or Billy Graham – has the same spirit of faith and that it operates the same way for everyone. It has nothing to do with how old you are or how long you have been a believer. The Bible tells us that David had the spirit of faith when he was a teenager and that Joshua and Caleb operated in it when they were in their eighties.  Faith Sees Victory It is very easy to see the contrast between those who have the spirit of faith and those who do not by reading Numbers 13 and 14. There, we see that Moses sent twelve spies – including Joshua and Caleb – into the Promised Land. For forty days those men traveled together and scouted out the territory. When they returned, they gave very different reports even though they had all seen exactly the same things. Caleb said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it” (Numbers 13:30), but ten of the spies banded together and said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we” (Numbers 13:31). What was the difference? God said that Caleb had “a different spirit” (Numbers 14:24). That different spirit was the spirit of faith! Joshua also had the spirit of faith, and because of it, both he and Caleb were able to inherit the land God had promised. Those who did not have the spirit of faith were unable to enter in. All twelve had observed the same things, but their perspectives were determined by what was inside them, not by what they saw. Likewise, you and I don’t see with our eyes, we see through them. We see with our hearts, and anyone with the spirit of faith can see victory even before it is visible to others. Faith Smells Victory John wrote, “This is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith” (1 John 5:4). Undeniably, it is faith that gives us victory and enables us to overcome.  I once heard about a man who was taking a nap. As a joke, someone put Limburger cheese on his mustache. When he woke up, he thought, “It really stinks in here.” He walked out into the living room, sniffed and thought, “It stinks in here, too.”  Knowing that his wife had just baked a pie, he went into the kitchen thinking it would smell better there, but it smelled just as bad!  Trying to escape the odor, he went outdoors and inhaled deeply only to discover that it smelled just as bad outside as it did inside! To him, the whole world seemed to stink! When you have the spirit of faith, the whole world smells like victory and you carry the scent of it with you wherever you go. While one person can look at a problem and think that there is no way out, you can look at the same problem and say, “With God, I am well able to overcome it!” The Arena of Faith Indeed, faith is the victory, and as long as you and I stay in faith, we are overcomers. The devil knows this and will try every play in his book to get us out of the arena of faith. I once saw a bicycle competition between ten athletes from a variety of sports. It was quite a sight! There they were at the starting line on identical bikes: a big, muscular NFL linebacker, a seven-foot tall NBA basketball player, a fit-looking golfer, and seven others including a meek-looking ping pong champion. The starting gun went off, and the linebacker took off like a flash. He was way ahead of everyone for the first two hundred yards, but then the basketball player and the golfer went by. Everyone – including the ping pong player – passed him. By the end of the race, the football player barely managed to cross the finish line.  You and I would not want to meet the linebacker on a football field, but on a bike, either of us could probably beat him! On the football field, he is an overcomer, but when he is outside his arena, he is not even a contender. That is how it is for Christians. The devil will attempt to get you into the arena of sight or circumstances, your past, your feelings, or your failures. He wants to face you anywhere except in the arena of your faith. He’ll say to you, “It looks to me like things are getting worse instead of better. It looks like you are going under.” But when you have the spirit of faith, you don’t let him lure you out of the arena of faith. Instead of believing the devil’s lies, you simply say to him, “I walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).  Faith Speaks Victory In Mark 11:22-24, Jesus was teaching His disciples, and He told them, “Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, whosoever shall say unto this mountain, be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith” (KJV).   According to Jesus, if we believe, but say nothing, that is not faith. He didn’t say, “This works for those who believe in their heart.” He said it works for “Whosoever shall say…and not doubt in his heart.” We need both parts: believing and saying. The mountain you are facing needs to hear your voice, and it is not going to budge until you speak to it. Someone might say, ‘Well, I just believe that my mountain (my problem) comes from God. He sent it and is using it to keep me humble. He’s using it to teach me or test me.” But, think about this: if God wanted you to have the mountain, why would Jesus have taught you how to move it? You see, it is not up to God whether the mountain stays or leaves. Jesus said it will move for “whosoever shall say.” In other words, it is up to you. Maybe you have been waiting for God to move in a situation, but the truth is, He is waiting for you to speak to the mountain and tell it to move. Faith that “Pops!”  When you make popcorn, you put it in the microwave and turn it on high. For awhile, absolutely nothing appears to be happening. After a period of time, you’ll hear a “pop.” If you were to take it out right then, you’d be like someone who speaks to their mountain, and when something good happens, they say “Is that all I get? I’ve been confessing positive things for months, and this is all I get?” But, if you leave the popcorn in the microwave and wait, you’ll hear another “pop,” then another “pop, pop, pop” and pretty soon, all you can hear is popping!  Whatever you do, do not turn the microwave on defrost. If you do, you can leave the popcorn in all day and never hear a single “pop.” Likewise, you don’t want to be a believer whose faith is on the defrost setting. Don’t say one thing in church but another in the car on the way home or one thing to your church friends but another to your co-workers. Instead, keep your faith on high, consistently believing and speaking everything that the blood of Jesus Christ has purchased for you! (All scriptures are from the New King James Version of the Bible unless otherwise stated.) If you would like someone to agree with you in prayer, please click on “need prayer” or call us at (800) 988-5120. Faith 2009-02-18T18:09:17+00:00 http://www.walkingbyfaith.tv/site/peace/ http://www.walkingbyfaith.tv/site/peace/#When:18:10:17Z We live in a stress-filled world where everyone experiences turbulence from time to time. Thankfully, one of God’s promises is that He will provide us with His peace in the midst of trouble.  Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27). With such a great promise as that, Christians ought to be the happiest and most secure people in the world. While we face the same kinds of problems that everyone else faces, God’s peace within us is there to help us cope. Through faith, we are able to overcome hardships and rejoice – even in the midst of adversity. What is Peace? Most people think of peace as the absence of conflict or strife, but God’s concept of peace is much more than that. The Old Testament word for peace, “shalom,” means “wholeness, completeness, welfare, tranquility, health, harmony of life” and conveys the sense of nothing missing and nothing broken. In the New Testament, “eirene,” the Greek word for peace, means “quietness, at rest” and implies an inner prosperity or wellbeing. It is an inner calm that exists even in the midst of outer turmoil or calamity. Is it really possible to have this kind of peace during turbulent times? Absolutely! But many miss out on it because they are looking for peace in all the wrong places. Source of Peace Real, lasting peace comes only from Jesus. It cannot be obtained through following the advice of self-help books, by adopting a positive mental attitude, or by self-medicating with alcohol or drugs. Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33, NKJV). His victory over death, sin, and the devil made the way for us to have peace with God, peace with ourselves, and peace with others. That kind of peace does not rest in the things of this world; it is in Him. Scripture tells us that Jesus is not only the giver of peace; He is the God of Peace (Romans 16:20, Hebrews 13:20). He is calling to us today, saying, “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). Storm Calming Peace In Mark 4:35-40, you can read the account of how Jesus calmed a storm so intense that it threatened to capsize His disciples’ boat. These seasoned fishermen had weathered countless storms, yet this one was so intense that they were terrified by the wind and waves. Meanwhile, Jesus was in the bottom of the boat sleeping through it all!  When they woke Him up, He simply spoke to the wind and waves, saying, “Peace, be still,” and the sea immediately calmed down. Then He asked the disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:40). Faith in God links us with His peace. The Amplified version of Ephesians 3:20 tells us that God is able to “do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams].” Peace and security come when you know and trust that God will provide. Every time you face a challenging circumstance, you have a choice to make: will you look at the situation and worry, or will you trust that God is going to take care of you? When something looks impossible, will you focus on your inability or God’s ability? Isaiah 26:3 promises “perfect peace” (an inner tranquility) to those who trust in and lean upon the Lord. It says, “He will keep in perfect peace all those who trust in Him, whose thoughts turn often to the Lord” (TLB). Just as Jesus calmed the wind and the waves, you can trust Him to keep you safe through every storm you face. Cultivating Peace As one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22), you can expect peace to grow in your life, and there are some things you can do to cultivate its growth. Paul writes: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from Me, or seen in Me — put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:6-9). Here are four keys that will help you cultivate God’s peace in your life: Prayer Paul, in verse 6, said, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition…” This means that whatever situation you are facing, you can take it to the Lord in prayer. When you pray about everything, you don’t have to be anxious about anything!  1 Peter 5:7 tells us, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” To “cast” is to “hurl or forcefully throw” your worries and concerns much like you would throw a baseball to someone. As you pray, you are placing your situation – and your anxieties – in God’s capable hands. If you want to worry less, pray more! Thanksgiving Also in verse 6, Paul wrote, “…in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” He said that we are to submit our requests with “thanksgiving.” It is not always easy to remember our blessings when we are in the midst of a stressful situation, but it is always good for us to do so! As you are praying, take time to thank the Lord for past blessings and deliverance. The psalmist patterned this for us in Psalm 118:21 when he wrote, “I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation.” By being thankful, you are acknowledging how good God has already been to you. Thank God for present blessings…and thank Him for what He is doing and will do in your situation. Make Psalm 28:7 your confession: “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him…” Think on These Things Verse 8 gives us another valuable key. It says, “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things.” One version says to “let your mind dwell on these things.” It is far too easy to dwell on the negatives. We need to focus on the positives and begin seeing our glass half full instead of half empty. After all, God is for us, and He is a very present help in times of trouble (Romans 8:31, Psalm 46:1). Practice These Things Philippians 4:9 gives us the fourth key in the form of a conditional promise. It says: “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me — put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” When we put these principles into practice, the God of peace will be with us. That makes good sense; only those things that we put into practice do us any good. As we diligently seek to apply the teachings from God’s Word to our lives, we avoid many unnecessary problems and troubles. James 1:25 tells us that, “The man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it — he will be blessed in what he does.” Finally…Paul wrote that, “To be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Romans 8:6, NKJV). Our prayer for you is that you will keep your heart and mind set on God and that you will experience a peace and calm so deep that it passes all human understanding. “Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with you” (2 Thessalonians 3:16). (All scriptures are from the New International Version of the Bible unless otherwise stated.) If you would like someone to agree with you in prayer, please click on “need prayer” or call (800)988-5120. Peace 2009-02-04T18:10:17+00:00 http://www.walkingbyfaith.tv/site/quien_yo_soy_en_cristo/ http://www.walkingbyfaith.tv/site/quien_yo_soy_en_cristo/#When:18:11:17Z (Hi, I’m Pastor Duane Vander Klok. I want to start out by saying that I am not the author of this article. God put it on the heart of a woman in our congregation to put these scriptures together to help people realize who they are in Christ. It is now available for our Spanish-speaking friends. I trust that you will be encouraged by it.) Pero ahora en Cristo Jesús, a ustedes que antes estaban lejos, Dios los ha acercado mediante la sangre de Cristo.  Efesios 2:13 Una de las primeras cosas que tus padres te enseñaron cuando eras pequeño fue tu nombre. Tu Padre celestial también conoce lo importante que es tu identidad, ese es el motivo por el cual te hizo una nueva creación en Él cuando recibiste a Jesucristo como tu Señor (2 Corinthians 5:17).  Dios espera verte tan cerca de Él que tu mismo estilo de vida en victoria llevará a muchos otros a Sus pies. Una de las razones por la cual has vivido con derrota, desánimo o baja autoestima, es porque no te habías visto a través de los ojos de Dios. Sólo te habías visto a través de los ojos de tu pasado, a través de lo que otros decían sobre ti, o aun tus propias experiencias, o inclusive mentiras que el diablo te ha hablado al oído, y que has creído. Sin embargo, ahora es tiempo de que te mires a ti mismo a través del espejo de la Palabra de Dios. Romanos 12:2 te muestra cómo hacerlo. (Dice: “No se amolden al mundo actual, sino sean transformados mediante la renovación de su mente.”) Al alimentarte diariamente de la Palabra de Dios, Él te mostrará claramente quién eres como creyente. Comenzarás a verte sin el espejo de tu pasado, y las mentiras que alguna vez creíste serán reemplazadas por la verdadera visión de Dios sobre tu identidad. Es un milagro maravilloso el que Dios hace en los corazones de aquellos que se arrepienten y le entregan el control de sus vidas a Él, buscándole de todo corazón. Se te brindan estas hojas como un punto de partida hacia tu libertad. Abre tu Biblia a manera de que lees estas páginas, y observa por tí mismo lo que Dios ha escrito sobre ti. Pero por favor no te detengas allí. Confiesa cada promesa en voz alta, agrégale fe, y recibe la revelación de que ERES quien Dios dice que eres, y que TIENES lo que Dios dice que tienes. Las Palabras de Dios son mucho más poderosas que las mentiras del diablo, y experimentarás Su poder para transformar tu vida cuando creas lo que Dios dice. Es nuestro deseo y la oración de nuestro corazón que tú decidas vivir “EN CRISTO”, y que seas consciente de su amor por ti así como de tu nueva y verdadera identidad en Él, a tal grado, que te veas a tí mismo a través de sus ojos y que reflejes Su gloria a los demás. Tómate un tiempo cada día para conocer quién eres en Cristo. Permite que el Espíritu Santo te revele estas verdades ¡y tu vida nunca será la misma! MI PADRE CELESTIAL DICE Y YO CREO QUE: Soy la sal del mundo…Mateo 5:13   Cuando hablo de acuerdo a La Palabra y a la voluntad de Dios, el cielo responde…Marcos 11:23-24   Pido y recibo; busco y encuentro; golpeo y la puerta se abre delante de mí…Lucas ll:9-10   Tengo vida eterna…Juan 3:36   He pasado de muerte a vida…Juan 5:24   De mi interior corren ríos de agua viva…Juan 7:38   La verdad me ha hecho libre…Juan 8:31,32   Si le pido algo al Padre en el nombre de Jesús, Él lo hará… Juan 14:14   Estoy en Cristo y Cristo está en mí…Juan 14:20   Tengo paz…Juan 14:27   Cristo me ama…Juan 15: 9   El Padre me ama…Juan l6:27   Pertenezco a Dios, soy de Él …Juan l 7: 9 Estoy protegido del mal…Juan 17:15   Estoy santificado en la verdad de la Palabra de Dios…Juan 17:17   Soy enviado al mundo…Juan 17:18   Tengo la gloria de Dios…Juan 17:22   Estoy en Cristo y soy amado por el Padre….Juan 17:23   Soy perdonado de mis pecados a través de Cristo…Hch 13:38   Soy justificado y libre de todas las cosas…Hch 13:39 Fui llamado por Jesucristo…Rom. 1:6   Soy inmensamente amado por Dios y fui llamado a ser santo… Rom. 1:7   He sido justificado por fe, y tengo paz con Dios a través de nuestro Señor Jesucristo… Rom. 5:1   Tengo gracia a través de la fe…Rom. 5:2   Tengo paciencia, carácter y esperanza… Rom. 5:3,4   El amor de Dios ha sido derramado en mi corazón a través de la muerte de Cristo…Rom. 5:5   Soy salvo por su vida…Rom. 5:10b   Reino en vida por Cristo Jesús…Rom. 5:17   Soy constituido justo por la obediencia de Cristo…Rom. 5:19   He muerto al pecado…Rom. 6: 2   He sido bautizado en la muerte de Cristo…Rom. 6:3   He sido levantado de la muerte para andar en una nueva vida…Rom. 6:4   He sido crucificado con Cristo…Rom. 6:6a   No soy más esclavo del pecado…Rom. 6:6b   Estoy muerto para el pecado, y vivo para Dios en Cristo Jesús…Rom. 6:11   No estoy bajo la ley, sino bajo la gracia…Rom. 6:14 Soy siervo de la justicia…Rom. 6:18   Ahora no tengo condenación…Rom. 8:l   He sido libertado de la ley del pecado y de la muerte…Rom. 8:2   Tengo vida en mi cuerpo mortal a través de Su Espíritu que vive en mí…Rom. 8:11 Soy un hijo de Dios…Rom. 8:16 Soy un heredero de Dios y coheredero con Cristo…Rom.  8:17   Todas las cosas me ayudan a bien…Rom. 8:28   He sido justificado y glorificado…Rom. 8:30   Tengo una medida de fe…Rom. 12: 3   He recibido dones…Rom. 12: 6 Viva o muera, soy del Señor…Rom. 14:8 Estoy lleno de bondad y de conocimiento, que me ha sido dado por el Espíritu Santo…Rom. 15:14   Estoy santificado en Jesucristo y soy llamado a ser santo…1 Cor. 1:2   Me ha sido dada la gracia de Dios en Cristo Jesús…1 Cor. 1:4   En Él he sido enriquecido en todo sentido…1 Cor 1:5   No me falta ningún don espiritual…1 Cor. 1:7   Soy llamado a tener comunión con Jesucristo mi Señor …1 Cor. 1:9   Estoy en Cristo Jesús quien me da sabiduría, justicia, santificación y redención…1 Cor. 1:30   He recibido el Espíritu de Dios, entonces puedo comprender lo que me ha dado gratuitamente…1 Cor 2:12   Tengo la mente de Cristo…1 Cor 2:16   Soy colaborador de Dios, labranza de Dios, edificio de Dios…1 Cor. 3:9   Soy templo de Dios en el cual el Espíritu de Dios vive…1 Cor. 3:16   Soy un templo santo de Dios…1 Cor. 3:17   Todas las cosas me pertenecen, así como yo pertenezco a Cristo…1 Cor. 3:21-22   Soy un espíritu con Cristo…1 Cor. 6:17   Mi cuerpo es el templo del Espíritu Santo que está en mí…1 Cor 6:19   He sido comprado por un precio, y puedo honrar a Dios con mi cuerpo…1 Cor. 6:20   Soy esclavo de Cristo…1 Cor. 7:22   Seré levantado de la muerte indestructible…1 Cor. 15:52   Seré vestido de inmortalidad…1 Cor. 15:53   Soy tan confortado por Dios que puedo confortar a otros…2 Cor. 1:4   Soy librado del peligro de la muerte…2 Cor. 1:10   Me ungió, y me selló como propiedad suya…2 Cor. 1:22   Soy un dulce aroma del conocimiento de Cristo 2 Cor. 2:14   Soy fragancia de Cristo para Dios entre los que se salvan, y entre los que se pierden…2 Cor. 2:15   Soy una carta de Cristo…2 Cor. 3:3   Soy un ministro del nuevo pacto del Espíritu de vida…2 Cor. 3: 6 Donde está el Espíritu del Señor, allí hay libertad…2 Cor. 3:l 7   Estoy siendo transformado cada vez más en la imagen del Señor con la gloria de Dios…2 Cor. 3:18   He recibido misericordia y no ha desmayado mi corazón…2 Cor. 4:1   Tengo al Espíritu Santo en mi cuerpo…2 Cor. 4:7   La vida de Jesucristo se manifiesta en mi cuerpo…2 Cor. 4:10   Mi hombre interior es renovado día a día…2 Cor. 4:16 Tengo una casa no hecha de manos, sino eterna, en los cielos…2 Cor. 5:1   Vivo por fe, no por lo que veo…2 Cor. 5:7   Soy una nueva creación en Cristo, las cosas viejas pasaron, y todas las cosas han sido hechas nuevas…2 Cor. 5:17   Estoy reconciliado con Dios a través de Cristo, y me ha sido dado el ministerio de la reconciliación…2 Cor. 5:l 8   Soy un embajador en nombre de Cristo, rogando a otros que se reconcilien con Dios…2 Cor. 5:20   Soy justificado ante Dios en Cristo Jesús…2 Cor. 5: 21   Tengo la gracia de Dios y entonces puedo abundar en toda buena obra…2 Cor. 9:8   Soy de Cristo…2 Cor. 10:7   Jesucristo está en mí…2 Cor. 13:5   Estoy crucificado con Cristo. Ya no vivo yo, sino que Cristo vive en mí. Y la vida que vivo ahora la vivo por fe…Gal. 2:20   Soy un hijo de Dios a través de la fe en Cristo Jesús…Gal. 3:26   Soy uno en Cristo Jesús con todos los creyentes…Gal. 3:28   Pertenezco a Cristo, soy un heredero de acuerdo a la promesa…Gal. 3:29   Soy un hijo de Dios…Gal. 4:6   Ya no soy un esclavo, sino un hijo; y si soy un hijo, también soy un heredero de Dios…Gal. 4:7   Tengo el fruto del Espíritu, que es amor, gozo, paz, paciencia, benignidad, bondad, fe, mansedumbre y templanza…Gal. 5:22-23   Tengo gracia y paz…Ef. 1:2   Soy bendecido con toda bendición spiritual en los lugares celestiales en Cristo…Ef. 1:3   Soy escogido en Él …Ef. 1:4a   Soy santo y sin mancha delante de Él …Ef. 1:4b   Soy un hijo a través de Jesucristo…Ef. 1:5   Soy aceptado en el supremo amor…Ef. 1:6   Tengo redención y perdón…Ef. 1:7   He obtenido una herencia…Ef. 1:11   He sido sellado en Él con el Espíritu Santo de la promesa…Ef. 1:13   Estoy sentado con Cristo en los lugares celestiales…Ef. 1:20   Tengo todas las cosas bajo mis pies…Ef. 1:22   Soy amado por Dios…Ef. 2:4   Me ha dado vida juntamente con Cristo…Ef. 2:5   He sido resucitado con Él y sentado con Él en los lugares celestials en Cristo Jesús…Ef. 2 :6   Soy salvo por gracia a través de la fe, y este es un don de Dios…Ef. 2:8   Soy su hechura, creado en Cristo Jesús para buenas obras…Ef 2:10   He sido traído cerca de Dios por la sangre de Cristo…Ef. 2:13   Cristo es mi paz…Ef. 2:14   A través de Cristo tengo acceso al Padre por un mismo Espíritu…Ef. 2:18   Ya no soy más extranjero o ajeno, sino conciudadano con los santos…Ef. 2:l 9a   Soy un coheredero y miembro del cuerpo…Ef. 3: 6a   Soy copartícipe de la promesa en Cristo Jesús…Ef. 3:6b   En Cristo y a través de la fe en Él, tengo seguridad y acceso con confianza a Dios…Ef. 3:12   Soy fortalecido con poder en mi hombre interior a través de su Espíritu…Ef. 3:16   Soy arraigado y cimentado en el amor de Cristo…Ef. 3:17   Tengo la fuente de poder que me permite hacer las cosas mucho más abundantemente de lo que pido o pienso…Ef. 3:20   Me ha sido dada la gracia…Ef. 4:7   Me vestí de un nuevo ser, el cual, a semejanza de Dios, ha sido creado en justicia y santidad…Ef. 4:24   He sido perdonado, entonces puedo perdonar a otros…Ef. 4:32   Estoy seguro que el que comenzó la buena obra en mí, la perfeccionará hasta el día de Jesucristo…Fil. 1: 6   Soy lleno del fruto de la justicia a través de Cristo Jesús…Fil. 1:11   Para mí, vivir es Cristo, y el morir es ganancia…Fil. 1:21   Dios produce en mí tanto el querer como el hacer, por su buena voluntad…Fil. 2:13   Soy una luz en el mundo…Fil. 2:15   La paz de Dios guarda mi corazón y mi mente, mientras yo oro con acción de gracias en todo…Fil. 4:6,7   Puedo hacer todo en Cristo que me fortalece…Fil. 4:13   Dios suplirá todas mis necesidades conforme a sus riquezas en gloria en Cristo Jesús…Fil. 4:l9   El Padre me ha calificado para participar de la herencia de los santos en el reino de luz…Col. 1:12   He sido librado del dominio de las tinieblas y trasladado al reino de Su amado Hijo…Col. 1:13   Tengo redención y perdón de pecados…Col. 1:14   Cristo está en mí, la esperanza de gloria…Col. 1:27   En Cristo he sido hecho completo…Col. 2:10   He sido sepultado con Él en el bautismo. He sido resucitado con Él a través de la fe…Col. 2:12   He sido hecho vivo juntamente con Él…Col. 2:13a   Toda mi deuda de pecado fue pagada completamente en la cruz…Col. 2:14   He sido resucitado con Cristo y he puesto mi corazón en las cosas de arriba. He muerto, y ahora mi vida está escondida con Cristo en Dios…Col. 3:1-3   He sido revestido del nuevo ser, el cual, conforme a la imagen del Creador, se va renovando en conocimiento…Col. 3:10   Soy rescatado por Jesús de la ira venidera…I Tes. 1:10   Soy enseñado por Dios a amar a otros…I Tes. 4:9   Me encontraré con el Señor en el aire y estaré con Él por siempre…I Tes. 4:17   He obtenido la salvación a través de nuestro Señor Jesucristo…I Tes. 5:9   Soy amado por el Señor. Dios me ha escogido desde el principio para salvación, mediante la santificación por el Espíritu y la fe en la verdad…2 Tes. 2:13   El Señor, que es fiel, me fortalecerá y protegerá del mal…2 Tes. 3:3   He sido llamado a la vida eterna…I Tim. 6:12   Dios no me ha dado espíritu de temor, sino de poder, de amor y dominio propio…2 Tim.1:7   El Señor me ha salvado y me ha llamado a una vida santa, no conforme a mis obras, sino según el propósito suyo y la gracia que me ha sido concedida en Cristo Jesús para toda la eternidad…2 Tim. 1:9   Estoy convencido que Él podrá guardar lo que yo le he confiado hasta ese día …2 Tim. 1:12   El Espíritu Santo mora en mí…2 Tim. 1:14   El Señor ha guardado para mí la corona de justicia…2 Tim. 4:8   Él me ha redimido de toda desobediencia, y me ha purificado para ser su posesión… Tito 2:14   El Espíritu Santo ha sido derramado abundantemente sobre mí a través de Jesucristo mi Salvador…. Tito 3:6   He sido justificado por Su gracia y constituido un heredero conforme a la esperanza de vida eterna…Tito 3:7   El conocimiento de todo el bien está en mí…Filemón 1:6   Ángeles han sido enviados a ministrarme… Heb. 1:14   Todas las cosas están sujetas bajo mis pies…Heb. 2:8   Fijo mis pensamientos en Cristo, el apóstol y supremo sacerdote quien yo confieso…Heb. 3:1   Soy la casa de Jesucristo…Heb. 3:6   Soy hecho partícipe de Cristo…Heb. 3:14   He entrado en su reposo…Heb. 4:3   Así como Dios ha descansado de su trabajo, así yo he desarrollado mis obras…Heb. 4:10   Tengo un gran sumo sacerdote que traspasó los cielos…Heb. 4:14   Tengo un gran sumo sacerdote que se compadece de mi debilidad…Heb. 4:15   Me acerco al trono de gracia confiadamente, para recibir misericordia y hallar gracia que me ayuda en el tiempo de necesidad…Heb. 4:16   Soy salvo para siempre, Cristo vive para interceder por mí…Heb. 7:25   Soy santificado mediante la ofrenda del cuerpo de Jesucristo hecha una vez para siempre…Heb. 10:10   Mi corazón ha sido purificado de la mala conciencia, y mi cuerpo lavado con agua pura… Heb. 10:22   Tengo una gran nube de testigos rodeándome…Heb. 12:1   Dios me disciplina por mi bien, así yo puedo participar de Su santidad…Heb. 12:10   He recibido un reino que no puede ser conmovido, y estoy agradecido y glorifico a Dios…Heb. 12:28   Dios nunca me dejará ni me desamparará…Heb. 13:5   Soy santificado mediante la propia sangre de Jesús…Heb. 13:12   Jesús me ha preparado en toda buena obra para hacer Su voluntad, haciendo en mí lo que es agradable delante de Sus ojos…Heb. 13:21   Dios, generosamente y sin reproche, me da la sabiduría si yo la pido… Santiago 1:5   El Señor me ha prometido la corona de vida, cuando yo soporte la prueba…Santiago 1:12   En Su gran misericordia, he nacido de nuevo en una esperanza viva, porque Jesucristo resucitó de los muertos…1 Pedro 1:3   Tengo una herencia que no puede corromperse, contaminarse o marchitarse, reservada en el cielo para mí…1 Pedro 1:4   Estoy protegido por el poder de Dios mediante la fe, hasta alcanzar la salvación que está preparada para ser manifestada en los últimos tiempos…1 Pedro 1:5   Porque Él es santo, yo soy santo …1 Pedro 1:16   No fui redimido con cosas corruptibles como oro o plata, sino con la preciosa sangre de Cristo, como de un cordero sin mancha y sin defecto…1 Pedro l:18-19   He nacido de nuevo, no de simiente corruptible, sino de incorruptible, por la Palabra viva y permanente de Dios…1 Pedro 1:23   Soy de un linaje escogido, real sacerdocio, nación santa, adquisición de Dios, para proclamar las virtudes de aquel que me llamó de las tinieblas a Su luz admirable…1 Pedro 2:9   Soy parte de la familia de Dios, y he recibido misericordia…1 Pedro 2:10   Por sus heridas soy curado…1 Pedro 2:24   He sido vivificado en el Espíritu…1 Pedro 3:18   El glorioso Espíritu de Dios reposa sobre mí…1 Pedro 4:14   Su poder divino me ha dado todas las cosas que pertenecen a la vida y a la piedad, mediante el verdadero conocimiento de Aquel que me llamó por su gloria y excelencia…2 Pedro 1:3   Él me ha dado preciosas y grandísimas promesas, para que por medio de ellas me convierta en partícipe de su naturaleza divina, habiendo escapado de la corrupción que hay en el mundo a causa de la concupiscencia…2 Pedro 1:4   He sido purificado de mis antiguos pecados…2 Pedro 1:9   Si confieso mis pecados, Él es fiel y justo para perdonarme y purificarme de toda maldad …1 Juan 1:9   Mis pecados han sido perdonados por su nombre…1 Juan 2:12   La unción que he recibido de Él permanece en mí, y no necesito que nadie me enseñe. Así como su unción me enseña todas las cosas, y es verdadera y no una mentira, según ella me ha enseñado, permanezco en Él…1 Juan 2:27   Ahora soy un hijo de Dios…1 Juan 3:2   Porque guardo Sus mandamientos, y hago lo que agrada a Sus ojos, todo lo que pido recibo de Él…1 Juan 3:22 GRATUITO – REPRODUCE LAS COPIAS QUE DESEES – NO DISPONIBLE PARA VENDERSE Believers Authority 2008-08-29T18:11:17+00:00 http://www.walkingbyfaith.tv/site/let_it_shine/ http://www.walkingbyfaith.tv/site/let_it_shine/#When:18:11:17Z If you ever attended Sunday School as a child, you may remember singing, “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.” It is a cute children’s song, but much more, it offers a simple theology that challenges believers of all ages to fulfill its meaning. Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16). God’s message is plain: believers are called to unashamedly live a life for Jesus that gives light to others. Anything less is as ineffective as hiding a light under a bushel basket. The World The world is a dark place, and scripture tells us that it is going to grow even darker in the last days. Paul said, “People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God - having a form of godliness but denying its power” (2 Timothy 3:2-5). No one will deny that the world is growing darker. In recent years, there has been a rapid decline in morality – to the point where even the definition of marriage is questioned. Abortions are performed matter-of-factly, and actions are evaluated in light of their situational context rather than by the application of moral absolutes. Clearly, people are becoming more and more blinded by sin as darkness seeks to envelop the earth. Paul wrote, “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron” (1 Timothy 4:1-2). Sadly, this also seems to be the case today. Many people - even some in the church - appear to have lost their moral consciences. Light is needed now more than ever! Our Mission In John 8:12, Jesus identified Himself as “the light of the world.” Later, He said, “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:5). Since His resurrection from the dead and His ascension into heaven, His disciples – including you and me – share the mission of shining forth His light. Our lives should declare to the world what God’s grace has done. The Apostle Peter wrote, “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9). We have been called out of darkness, so the way we conduct our daily lives – the way we speak, our attitudes, and our character - ought to reflect God’s work in us. Because of His presence in our lives, we should convey a sense of hope, a positive outlook, and a perspective that looks beyond the troubles of this life. God’s plan is that, as we shine in this world, many people will be drawn to Him. Living Above It is interesting that, in the context of telling his disciples to let their lights shine, Jesus also talked about murder, adultery, and how enemies should be treated. He said not only should we not commit murder, which is what the Law of Moses commanded, but we should not even be angry and hold a grudge (Matthew 5:21-26). Not only should we not commit adultery, but we should not even entertain lustful thoughts (Matthew 5:27-29). We shouldn’t just love our neighbors, but we should also love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:43-44). In Matthew 5:46-48, Jesus asks, “If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?” These questions help clarify the difference between God’s standard and the world’s. The Apostle Peter urges believers to live a counter-cultural lifestyle. He wrote, “Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us” (1 Peter 2:11-12). Our witness in word and deed is vital to others coming to Christ. Don’t Hide It Even the brightest light does no good when it is hidden. While none of us would actually put a light under a basket, we do sometimes hide our light. Your light is hidden if you: • remain silent when you know you should speak up. • go along with the crowd. • live inconsistently. • say one thing and do another. • let sin dim your witness. Your light shines bright when you: • love God and others -  “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind…and…love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39). • renew your mind -  “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). • walk in the Spirit - “Live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature” (Galatians 5:16). • are steadfast - “Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain…” (1 Corinthians 15:58).  • do the right thing - “Even a child is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is pure and right” (Proverbs 20:11). • are courageous -  “The wicked man flees though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion” (Proverbs 28:1). • live consistently –  “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful” (Hebrew 10:23). Finally… Today, whether young or old, we must let our lights shine in a world that needs to see the love of God in action. That is only going to happen when we live lives that are notably different from unbelievers. As believers, you and I are simply in the world—physically present—but not of it, not part of its value system. John 17:14-19 reveals this as Jesus prayed, “I have given them Your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that You take them out of the world but that You protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.” Jesus has placed you in the world to be a light because He is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). You may not always feel like a light. You may even think that you are unprepared to shine. Put those thoughts aside and remember that, as a follower of Jesus, He has already said to you, “You are the light of the world.” Shine. All scriptures are from the New International Version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.  If you would like someone to agree with you in prayer, please contact us at (800) 988-5120 or click on the “Need Prayer?” link. Kingdom Living 2008-08-29T18:11:17+00:00