Before we get into today’s inspirational reading, I want to share this prayer.
I offer up my prayer to You Almighty God that You would eradicate this plague that has put people in a grip of terror. I pray people would reach out to their fellow man in need and would respond with graciousness in their hearts. I pray Father You would heal those afflicted in body. I pray that people would look to You instead of fearing, fear mongering, and greed. I pray hearts would turn to You out of this turmoil. I pray that You would direct politicians, doctors, and other governing officials in what they should do and say. Lord, heal our land and the others around the world for in You alone is our salvation.
As a recipient of the divine inheritance given by God through the death of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:11-17), I have a right to demand the death of the coronavirus and any other sickness or disease that tries to touch my body or that of my family. Healing belongs to God's Children (Matthew 15:22-29) because Jesus died, bearing our sicknesses and diseases in his own body. (Isa 53:4) (1 Peter 2:24) anything he died for, he delivered us from. So to the Coronavirus, here's what we, The Body Of Jesus Christ Have To Say:
Coronavirus, Because We, Dwell In The Secret Place Of The Most High...,
No Harm Will Come To Us. No Sickness Will Come Near Our House. God Has Put His Angels In Charge Over Us, To Protect Us In All Our Ways. They Will Carry Us In Their Hands So That We Never Hit Our Foot Against A Rock. We Will Step On Lions And Cobras. We Will Trample Young Lions And Snakes. Because We Love God, He Will Rescue Us. He Will Protect Us Because We Know His Name. When We Call To Him, He Will Answer Us. He Is With Us When We Are In Trouble. He Will Save Us And Honor Us. He Will Satisfy Us With A Long Life. He Will Show Us How He Will Save Us. Psalm 91:1, 10-16 NLT. Coronavirus Has To Bow Down At The Name Of Jesus Christ.
Lord, we pray that you would move in the places where people are meeting together. Move on the hearts of those worshipping online. Bring comfort, peace, grace, and an abundance of Your Love. We thank You that Your love casts out fear. Let people today experience what casting cares on You feels like. Let them get a glimpse of what worry-free living looks like. Let them know that they don't have to live afraid. They can use wisdom and they can pray for protection over their families - and You will answer!
We also come against any contamination or spread of this disease. We plead the blood of Jesus over the places where people are physically gathering together. Protect them, Lord. Let no foul virus step foot in our churches, communities and homes!
Thank You, Lord, that You take care of Your people. Thank You for showing us how to reach out to those around us during this time in a safe manner and show them how deeply You love them. We are grateful for Your presence and Your direction guiding our lives. In Jesus Name We Pray Amen.
TODAY’S READING
James 2:26, “The very moment you separate body and spirit, you end up with a corpse. Separate faith and works and you get the same thing: a corpse.” (MSG)
We become so engrossed in what we see, feel, and hear, that we operate within our natural senses rather than our spiritual ones! However, the Bible instructs us: “THROUGH YOUR FAITH, God is protecting you by His power” (1 Peter 1:5 NLT). Therefore, you need to keep in mind that your “FAITH” is what Activates the Power of God in your life! Just imagine if you dared to increase your mustard seed faith and started nurturing it to grow bigger, taking it to new levels, what would God release in your life?! Because He heals, THROUGH YOUR FAITH; He delivers, THROUGH YOUR FAITH; He saves, THROUGH YOUR FAITH; He Opens and Shuts Doors, THROUGH YOUR FAITH; He grants opportunities that you don’t even qualify for, THROUGH YOUR FAITH; He protects you with His power…THROUGH YOUR FAITH! So, What’s The Pulse Of Your Faith Today? Can you even feel it anymore, or have you become so conditioned to living in the comfort zone, in the familiar, in fear that it’s barely alive anymore?
Look at it this way: Before a stone becomes a diamond it’s just carbon put under millions of pounds of pressure! Which helps us understand better what the Bible means when it says, “These TRIALS will show that your FAITH is genuine” (vs. 7 NLT). You See, Trouble Not Only Places A Demand On Your Faith, But Reveals The Depth Of It! Truth is, you don’t really know much about your faith when your bills are paid, your body is healthy, your children are acting right, and your marriage is intact! But When All Hell Is Breaking Loose and You Trust God To Bring You Through It, You Know You’ve Got Genuine Faith! When you trust God even with the disconnect notice in the mail or the eviction notice stapled to the door; when you have faith in God when the finances are in an exceeding drought; when you rely on God and yet have no idea where the bill money is coming from, where the gas money is coming from, where the rent, mortgage, car note, insurance and tuition money is coming from; when you continue to quote the Word even when the doctor hits you with yet another diagnosis! This is when the testing of your faith proves if it’s genuine, or if it’s just another form of godliness! 2 Timothy 3:5, "holding to a form of [outward] godliness (religion), although they have denied its power [for their conduct nullifies their claim of faith]. Avoid such people and keep far away from them." (AMP)
You see, when trials hit, the enemy attacks your mind, your rest, your peace, your emotions and your thought life! So what can you do? Lift up the shield of faith and stop his flaming arrows: “…take…the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” and use it to drive him back! (Ephesians 6:17 NKJV). That’s what genuine faith does when the attacks of life come, blow by blow! Faith wields the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God; it uses that Word to drive the enemy back! For instance, genuine faith speaks healing when the doctor speaks sickness; it speaks covenant when the marriage is speaking divorce; it speaks peace when the whole household speaks chaos; it speaks life when depression is telling you to slit your wrists and die! Genuine faith refuses to allow circumstances and situations, trials, struggles and tribulations to cause it to get in the bed and pull the covers over its head. No, genuine faith gets up every morning without an alarm clock and continues to go to work!
People of God, Put Your Faith To Work! Say, “Enough is Enough”, and begin to take back what the enemy has stolen from you! David Did! The Bible says, “David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, I pray you, bring me the ephod. And Abiathar brought him the ephod. And David inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them? The Lord Answered Him, Pursue, For You Shall Surely Overtake Them And Without Fail Recover All.” (1 Samuel 30:7-8 Amp). In Other Words, Stop Whining and Whimpering and Wield Your Weapon! Get The Word And Put Your Faith To Work! All You Need Is The Go-Ahead From God, And When You Get It, Go Forth, Because You Will Recover All And Without Fail! Take heart, this fight my friend is already fixed in your favor, so you have absolutely nothing to worry about! You will succeed, because God has already spoken that you will not fail!
Listen to another example, the Syrian army had surrounded the city of Samaria and its population was dying of starvation. Having lived off scraps of bread that folks threw over the wall each day, four lepers quickly assessed that they were in trouble. They said, “WHY SIT HERE UNTIL WE DIE?” (2 Kings 7:3 TLB). So they went into the city, only to discover God had worked a miracle, causing the Syrians to flee in terror, leaving behind them food, water, and riches! What do we learn from these four lepers? Refuse To Sit There And Die! When You Put Your Faith Into Action, God Will Go To Work On Your Behalf! But You Have To Rise Up And Say: “If I’m Going To Die, I’m Going To Do It Reaching For Something, Building Something, Going After Something!” I Refuse To Just Sit Here And Die, When I Still Have Options! And my greatest option is that I still have faith in GOD!
When It Feels Like You’re Down For The Count Of Ten, You Have To Rise Up And Say: “I Shall Not Die, But Live, And Declare The Works Of The Lord” (Psalm 118:17 Nkjv). That Kind Of Faith Gets God’s Attention Every Time! It is a declaration and decree that I will not give up, I will not give in, I will not give out, I will not throw in the towel, I will not quit, I will not give the enemy the opportunity to see me die, when I can live and continue to declare the works of the Lord! Your faith is your ammunition when the enemy tries to come in and snuff out your life. You open your mouth and speak faith that silences fear, and live! Your Mouth Has The Power Of Life And Death, But The Choice Is Always Yours, After All, It Is Your Mouth! Make The Wise Decision Today To Speak Life!
You see, I’ve learned from personal experience, when you get DESPERATE enough in your faith, you won’t even care who God uses to help you, you’ll be willing to receive any help He sends your way! Just ask Naaman! Naaman the leper, a five-star general in the Syrian army, humbled himself and eventually became willing to listen to a girl who washed dishes and made beds in his house! (Listen: When Somebody Has An Answer From God To Deliver To You, You Won’t Care Who The Messenger Is!) Genuine faith says, ‘I just need the message to be God delivered, and I don’t care if the delivery man/woman is an usher, janitor, drunk, maid, donkey, bus driver, bird, water, sanitation worker, hobo, CEO, young, old, black, white, male or female, leader or laity, seated high or seated low, age 8 or age 80, I just need the message to be God delivered to me!’ Genuine faith cares about the content of the message on the inside, not the kind of labeling of the container on the outside!
Think about it, Naaman was even willing to dip seven times in the dirtiest river around, in order to come up clean (2 Kings 5:1-19). Genuine Faith Says: “I Don’t Care Where I Have To Go, What I Have To Do, Or Who I Have To Listen To, Whatever God Says, I’ll Do It!” Saints, Why Live With A Disease When You Can Simply Believe God, Trust What He Says, And Put Your Faith To Work?! I Mean Why Die When You Can Live?! Why die in fear when you can live in faith?!
Luke records: “As He…passed through…Samaria…there met Him ten…lepers, who…lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” So when He saw them, He said…’Go show yourselves to the priests.’ And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed” (vss. 11-14 NKJV). Lepers were social outcasts, So They Lived Together In A Colony! But The Problem Is, You Can’t Get Well, Hanging Around People Who Are Just As Sick As You Are! And this is where we mess up because we don’t take the problem to Jesus; we take it to people, and more often than not, people who are worse off than we are! I mean if you don’t have any money, what’s the point in telling Michelle who is broker than you? If your marriage is on the rocks, why are you telling Keith whose marriage is on life support? If your children are failing in school whey tell Lisa whose daughter dropped out 3 months ago? If the doctor said it’s Cancer, why tell it to Paul who don’t have enough faith to believe God to heal him from the common cold? Are you getting this? You can’t heal in the same colony of folks who are just as sick (or sicker) than you! This means you need to bring the problem to JESUS! The Bible says, “When evening came, They Brought To Him Many Who Were Under The Power Of Demons, And He Drove Out The Spirits With A Word And Restored To Health All Who Were Sick.” (Matthew 8:16 Amp). In Other Words, Don’t Just Sit There And Die! And Don’t Hang Around Those Who Are Dying Either! Get Up And Get To Jesus! Why? Because He’ll Drive Out Those Demonic Spirits With A Word And Restore You And All Attached To You To Health! I reiterate, why sit in fear and die when you can walk by faith and live?!
Also, notice the words, “HE PASSED THROUGH…” Jesus didn’t go to the leper colony, He was just passing through. What do you do when you’re losing your life, your family, your health, your peace, your joy, your job, your mind, your finances, etc…and Jesus doesn’t even seem to be looking in your direction? You can get frustrated when it feels like He’s blessing everybody but you, and wonder, “Lord, when is my turn coming? I’ve served You faithfully; yet it seems like everybody else is the object of Your attention and affection.” Right There, It’s Time To Cry Out Just Like the Lepers, “Jesus, Have Mercy On Me!” Away With Dignity And Decorum; Desperate People Pray Desperate Prayers, And God Responds!
Notice also, when Jesus was passing by these lepers did NOT shout, “Unclean,” as the law REQUIRED! No, They Broke Protocol! Listen: When You’re In A Bad Situation, Sometimes You Have To Break Out In Order To Break-Through! You have to learn to respond like the psalmist: “I cried to the Lord with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill” (Psalm 3:4 NKJV). People Of God, Don’t Let Nobody Box You Into A Corner Pew And Shhh You Down! Cry Loud And Spare Not! Open Your Mouth And Get Jesus’ Attention! Desperate People Are A Determined People! And When You Have Nothing Else To Lose, You Go All The Way In! Scream Until You Lose Your Voice, Clap Your Hands Until They Turn Red! Dance Until You Collapse! Shout Until Mother Sitting Next To You Turns Off Her Hearing Aid! Run Around That Church Like Flo Jo! Whatever You Do, Get His Attention! Don’t Become Fearful, Fainthearted, Faltering, Or Foolish! Simply Believe God’s Promise To You And Put Your Faith To Work!
My Suggestion: Instead of discussing the issue endlessly, Just Do What He’s Told You To Do! Real Faith In Action Needs No Explanation In Order To Act! Sometimes God Will Give You “A Word” And It Looks Like It’s Not Even Working – But It Is – Yes, Even When It Doesn’t Look Like It! The Faith That God Responds To Does Not Require Understanding Of The Orders Given, Just Obedience In Carrying Them Out! And When You Do, You’ll Be Amazed At What He Does In The Meantime!
“And so it was that AS THEY WENT, they were cleansed” (vs. 14 NKJV). Note the words, “AS THEY WENT” The Bible says, “The steps of a [good] man are directed and established by the Lord…” (Psalm 37:23 AMP). Listen, When God Tells You Something, Step Out On It! The Word Has Already Declared That He’s Ordered, Directed, And Established Your Every Step! But Does That Mean You Have To Walk It Alone? Absolutely Not, The Bible Says, “And So It Was That As They Went, They Were Cleansed”. You Don’t Have To Walk This Faith Out By Yourself, However, When You Walk In Faith, It’s A One Way Street! Only Those Going In The Same Direction Can Go With You! All Opposing Traffic Has To Pick Another Street! When You Walk In Faith, You Arrive Safely To Your Destination, And Only With The Company Of Those Who Were Heading In The Same Direction! Therefore, Work Your Faith By Walking In Faith, But Watch Those Who You Allow To Walk With You! Like-Minded Faith Walkers Will Keep You On Track, But Doubters Will Trip You Up Every Time!
Lastly, try to imagine this: “And so it was that AS THEY WENT, they were cleansed” (vs. 14 NKJV). Imagine That While They Are Walking, Their Toes Are Growing Back! As They Move In Obedience To His Word, In Faith, A Stub Turns Back Into A Finger! Their Skin Is Renewing Before Their Very Eyes! God Is Putting Them Back Together Again, As They Walk Out The Word He Gave Them! That’s Why You Can’t Stop Now! Keep Walking By Faith! Because As You Walk In Obedience To The Word He’s Given You, Your Marriage Is Repairing; Your Children Are Returning; Your Finances Are Replenishing; The Ruins Of Your Health Are Restoring! Cells, Valves, Arteries, Muscles, Tissue, Breathing, Heart Rate, Glucose, Are All Coming Back Into The Normal Range. Your Cholesterol And Blood Pressure Are Back At Optimal Levels. The Arthritis Is Easing Up; The Pain Is Subsiding; The Swelling Is Decreasing; The Bones Are Regaining New Strength; The Hurt Is Healing; The X-Rays Are Turning In Your Favor; The Diagnosis Is Re-diagnosing For The Better. The Medications Are Lowering. Your Senses Are Back To Functioning At Their Best. The Cane, Crutch, Wheelchair And Walker Are Already Prepared To Be Given To Someone Else Since You No Longer Have Need Of Them. You’re Coming Off Access-A-Ride and Getting Back Behind the Wheel Of A Car Again! Oxygen Tanks Have To Be Picked Up For Good Because Your Lungs Found New Air! As You Walk By Faith In Obedience To The Word God Gave You, He’s Bringing Everything Out Of Order Back Into Order! As You Walk By Faith, He’s Restoring, Healing, Delivering, Saving, Replenishing, Repairing, Redeeming! Which is why you Can’t Get Stagnant In Fear And Die, Keep Your Faith Stride Moving Forward, Got Is Putting You Back Together Again As You Go!
“He Who Has Begun A Good Work In You Will Complete It!” (Philippians 1:6 NKJV). God Begun This Work In You And He’s Going To Complete It! Rise Up In Faith And Declare, As Bad As It Was, As Depressed As I Was, As Broke As I Was, As Sick As I Was, As Unemployed As I Was, As Bad As My Marriage Was: “It’s All Coming Back Together!” The More You Walk By Faith, God Is Restoring, Resurrecting, Returning, Reviving, Regenerating, Reestablishing, And In The End You’ll Do The Rejoicing When All Of The Broken Pieces Are Finally Brought Back Together Again! And All It Takes Is Faith That Works!
People Of God, Put Your Faith To Work, And Watch Your Faith Work For You! And all you have to do is refuse to die in fear, and instead, live in faith!
Now, With All That Said, I Have a Few Questions For You:
Is your faith still alive and well?
Is it still growing?
Are you still feeding it?
Are you still nurturing you?
Are you still walking in it?
Are you still working in it?
Are you still living in it?
Does Your Faith Still Have a Pulse?
Blessings
J.P. Olson
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