When God Ask You A Question, Don't Respond With A Question

When God asks you a question, don't respond with a question, it's not for His benefit.  I am definitely a yes person where God is concerned.  God calls us to join an army that will bring the Gospel into enemy territory.  Respond to God with a Yes.  Having doubts and  mixed emotions when God lead you into unknown territory will cause you to experience many delays in your life.  It is in those moments when everything becomes off balance in our lives; nothing seems to work out in our favor. We don't have to understand God to know where He is leading us. Trust Him. It may be unknown territory to us, but be assured that it is familiar territory to God. God will send you into areas where His Word need to reach the people. Areas where people are malnourished in the Word of God. Areas where people need a spiritual feeding. Food for the soul and survival. When people lack the Word of God they will suffer. Don't be like Jonah and suffer unnecessary consequences of your actions, when all you have to say is yes God send me, I'll go.

Christian warriors do not select which battle they will defend. That decision belongs to God. The battle is real. It's time to stand on the promises of God, and stop sitting on the premises of God. 

Step Back Today and Position Yourself In His Grace

What we see of God's provisions teaches us to trust Him for what we cannot see of His purposes. The late pastor and theologian A.W. Tozer wrote, "Sometimes when we get overwhelm we forget how big God is." Jesus encourages us to step back from worries and fears. Step back and Pray. Consider His Word. Remember His power, provision and plan. Sometimes it best to react with no reaction. Move beyond self-led reactions to Spirit-led responses. Our perspective changes in God's presence. We gain clarity and peace when we adapt God's perspective instead of our own. His sight is pure, full of grace and eternal-while our sight is often imperfect, narrowed and worried about the now. David stepped back in awe of God's love. "When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?" (Psalm 8: 3-4)

When we consider the ways that God has provided in the past, it helps us to trust Him in the present. Step back today and position yourself in His grace.

What If We Treat Our Bibles The Way We Treat Our Cell Phones? What If, What Then?

Our Instruction Manual for life before we leave this earth is the Bible. What if we began to treat our Bibles the way we treat our cell phones?What if we carried it everywhere? Check for messages throughout the day; Turned back to get it if we forgot it? Used it in case of an emergency? Spent an hour or more using it each day/ What If, What Then?

Sometimes We Are In A Hurry When God Is Not!

For many to get where you are it took sacrifices; to get to where you want to be in Christ, you have to make even greater sacrifices.....If we want to be all God wants us to be, we might as well expect opposition. There is no Drive-Thru breakthrough in God. This walk is not instant nor a quick fix. It's a lifetime journey!   We want everything quick, but God have us in a crock pot, not a microwave!  God leads us in small steps, not by leaps and bounds.  Sometimes we are in a hurry when God is not!

Sometime God's Blessing Is Not In What he Gives

Sometimes we can become so attached to material things and titles. If we lost it all, would our hands stay lifted to the God Who gives and takes away? The response God wants to hear is; If I lose everything that I own; with my hands lifted up, Lord I'll still serve you. Sometime God's blessing is not in what He gives; but in what He takes away. He knows best. We don't have to understand God to trust Him.

Fear Cannot Coexist with Power: Wired for faith, Not Fear

There are three forces that help us overcome our fears.  Each force is mentioned in this Scripture: power, love and a sound mind.  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of Power, and of Love, and of a Sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7  KJV). The answer for fear is deliverance. "He delivered me from all my fears." Deliverance is instant. People rarely overcome fear gradually.  When they try to do so, they usually find themselves worse off than before.  Why do we fear? We fear because we feel powerless and helpless.  We believe that we can't change something.  As long as you have power to change some evil, then fear cannot take over. God will deliver you from the demonic spirits that have put you in bondage to fear.  When you finally recognize that you have this kind of power available to you, fear cannot stay.  Fear cannot coexist with power. The Bible says, "resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7) We have the power to resist the devil, to make him flee from us. We can heal the sick. We can call on angels for our protection. We can overcome evil with good.  

Love drives out fear.  The Bible also says that we have love, and that there is a direct correlation between love and fear.  There is no fear in love.  But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.  The one who fears is not made perfect in love.  (1 John 4:18 )  Fear and love also cannot coexist.  You have either love or fear; you cannot have both.  

This passage shows that the person who fears doubts God's love. When you know that God loves you, you know that He will help you, not harm you.  We often fear because we think we deserve punishment.  We think God is out to harm us. In reality, He is out to help us.  

Many sermons have given the false impression that God causes troubles in the believer's life.  Why do so many people believe that God would punish His children?  They believe it because they doubt God's love for them.  The punishment for our sins has already been endured at the cross.  Our sins have already been punished.  So, we should rely on God's love for us-that He will reward and bless us.

The chief area that fear seems to attack is the mind.  This is why Paul said that we must have a sound mind.  God did not create your mind to handle fear.  Your mind is not wired for fear. Stick a fork in an outlet, and you will discover that your body is not wired for electricity.  Neither is your mind wired for fear. Without courage you will never be able to win your battles.  Demons are afraid.  Isaiah prophesied, what fear would do:  "Whoever flees at the sound of terror will fall into a pit" (Isaiah 24:18).  The main weapon of terrorists is fear.  The reason they use this weapon is that they are acquainted with it firsthand.  Terrorist are afraid, themselves.  They are afraid of losing their way of life.  They fear losing their power.  They fear that Christianity will wipe out their religion.  The same is true of demons.  They are spirits of fear because they are fearful.  Their presence brings fear.  Fear breeds more fear.  Demons are afraid, and they are giving you their emotions.

"You believe that there is one God, Good! Even the demons believe that and they shudder" (James 2:19)  Demons quake with fear in God's presence.  God lives in you, and demons should quake with fear when you know who you are in Christ.

The Greek word for "fear" is phobos. It gives us the word phobia. This type of fear no longer enables you to overcome or perform better but instead haunts and torments you. This fear hinders the believer from enjoying life and freezes him or her from doing the will of God. There are all kinds of phobias that hinder people from enjoying the abundant life that Jesus came to give them.  

It's time that you purpose to live fear-free.  Whenever you notice fear in your life, attack it by quoting the Word of God.  Here is a confession based on the Word of God that you can use when you face fear:

I fear not, for God has not given me the spirit of fear, but He has given me power, love and a sound mind.  I have a peaceful, quiet mind.  I have the mind of Christ.  I am not afraid, because God will provide for my children and my needs.  I am not afraid, because I have more angels with me than there are demons with the enemy.  I am not afraid, because I am worth more than sparrows.  If God is for me, who can be against me?  God is on my side.

Satan Is Also A Fisher Of Men

Satan is also a fisher of men, and his net is full. Break Satan's Assignment, jump out of the net and start swimming. Jesus is waiting on the other side of the shore, just call out His name, He will walk on water to save you. Satan will flee at the name of Jesus. 

Are you curious about what kind of bait Satan uses to catch his fish? What lake or sea does he frequent to catch his fish? He considers himself a pro fisherman, a master at his trade. His baits will immediately kill you, they are poisonous,nasty, stinky, vicious and rotten, the worst baits you can find; pure deception; yet his net is full and it appears that he is a master at his trade.  Satan has gotten much practice, you see he fish all day everyday. He knows where to go and he starts early in the morning until late at night. He targets the church and this is where he drops his largest net. He doesn't care about the smaller fish, he want the masses. He tries to emulate everything that the Father does, yet he flees at the name of Jesus.

Satan wants to go where he can get the best fish, not just any fish. Yet he is sly, if he can get one in the church to fall into his net, he will keep coming back in his disguise/camouflage. Where is his next stop you may ask? He drops the net on homes, using the same bait to catch one fish, which will allow him to destroy the family. 

What he fail to realize is that he's treading on thin ice, his net is about to break, he's about to lose his status in the fish market. He's trying to go up against another Fisher of Men, The Master Fisherman, Jesus, the Son Of God, the One who doesn't need a bait to capture His fish. His Word stands true forever and ever,"then He said to them, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men".(Matt. 4:19). 

Did Satan forget that God not only created the fish but is the Creator of man?
No, he didn't, he loves his assignment, that's why his net is full, he believes that as long as he can deceive the world, he remains on the playing field. As long as he can get a fish or two in the church and in homes, he is still in the game. Don't allow Satan to stay on the playing field don't keep him in the game. 
Let's Break his net.

J.P. Olson