Declare Today: My Prayers Are Already Answered! So, What Is Your Seemingly Impossible Situation? Where Do You Need A Miracle? Why Not Tell God?

 Declare Today: My Prayers Are Already Answered!  So, What Is Your Seemingly Impossible Situation? Where Do You Need A Miracle? Why Not Tell God?

Kings 18:36-37, “When it was time for the sacrifice to be offered, Elijah the prophet came up and prayed, “O God, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, make it known right now that you are God in Israel, that I am your servant, and that I am doing what I am doing under your orders. ANSWER ME, GOD; O ANSWER ME and reveal to this people that you are God, the true God, and that you are giving these people another chance at repentance.” (MSG)

Elijah needed a miracle! And the truth is, there are many times when what we need is an answer to prayer. And then there are those rare, probably once in a lifetime moment when we must have a full-blown miracle! You see, the Old Testament prophet did not need a nice, run of the mill, easily explainable answer to prayer. The situation he was in, demanded an outright, jaw-dropping, undeniable, superseding-the-laws-of-nature, impressive, without a shadow of a doubt, verifiable miracle! Without it, Elijah would be killed, and God’s chosen people would drift into pagan oblivion.

As Charles Dickens would say, “…it was the worst of times.”

King Ahab and Queen Jezebel had steered the nation of Israel down a road leading away from the Lord and then stepped on the accelerator – and woe to anyone who caused them a traffic jam in the process! Ahab was a man whose wickedness was exceeded only by that of his wife, Jezebel. Everything about that woman dripped iniquity and emanated evil. Together, they publicly promoted the worship of the pagan god Baal.

To shock the nation back from its dangerous path, the Lord sent a drought. This was not just a seasonal sign, but a heaven-sent plague that lasted for three long years. The lack of rain was an obvious slap in the face of the supposed rain god, Baal.

After three years without rain, the people stood precariously with one foot on either side, partially following the false god and sort of following their God. Please know this: Straddling the fence, is never a good place to be!

Into this boiling cauldron of chaos, God sent His servant, Elijah, the rough-hewn prophet. He was a wild, eccentric, bold messenger of the Almighty God. Risking death, Elijah faced Ahab and challenged him to gather the people for a power duel of deities. When the day of decision dawned, Elijah stood alone on Mt. Carmel facing 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of the goddess Asherah before the gathered nation of Israel. The odds were 950 to 1! It looked like a mismatched fixed fight. And as it turned it out, IT WAS!

Sidestepping political correctness, Elijah confronted the people with a challenge: “…How long are you going to sit on the fence? If GOD is the real God, follow him; if it is Baal, follow him. Make up your minds!” (1 Kings 18:21 MSG)

The people sat in stunned silence as he continued, “Then Elijah said, “I am the only prophet of God left in Israel; and there are 450 prophets of Baal. Let the Baal prophets bring up two oxen; let them pick one, butcher it, and lay it out on an altar on firewood—but do not ignite it. I will take the other ox, cut it up, and lay it on the wood. But neither will I light the fire. Then you pray to your gods and I will pray to God. The god who ANSWERS with fire will prove to be, in fact, God.” All the people agreed: “A good plan—do it!” (1 Kings 18:22-24 MSG)

Since Baal was supposedly able to control lightning, thunder, and rain, everyone agreed. You see, humans love to watch a wreck of any kind. And this wreck of a show-down guaranteed to be highly entertaining.

The Baal prophets went first, after all Elijah even went so far as to say, “…You go first, you’re the majority…” (1 Kings 18:25 MSG). Which we should take as an admonishment that the Majority is not always right, more powerful, or more effective! In fact, I love the quote that says, “God may be the only person willing to stand by us when we’re forced to stand alone, but one person and a Sovereign God make a majority.” (Dr. Tim Kimmel). Even Frederick Douglass said, “One and God make a majority.”

However, they prayed all morning, “Baal, answer us.” The only response they received was a wall of absolute silence! In fact, the Scripture says, “…But nothing happened – not so much as a whisper of breeze…” (1 Kings 18:26 MSG). Now that is harsh!

Then, when Elijah began to taunt them, they prayed louder, harder, and more passionately. They did anything they could think of to provoke a response from their deity. Yet, there was not even a flicker of a reply. They prayed all afternoon. Nothing! Nada! Zippo! Baal had failed miserably! Better yet, the Bible says it like this: “By noon, Elijah had started making fun of them, taunting, “Call a little louder—he is a god, after all. Maybe he is off meditating somewhere or other, or maybe he has gotten involved in a project, or maybe he is on vacation. You don’t suppose he’s overslept, do you, and needs to be waked up?” They prayed louder and louder, cutting themselves with swords and knives—a ritual common to them—until they were covered with blood. This went on until well past noon. They used every religious trick and strategy they knew to make something happen on the altar, but nothing happened—not so much as a whisper, not a flicker of response.” 1 Kings 18:27-29 (MSG).

So, then it was Elijah’s turn! First, he repaired the altar the other prophets had knocked down in their feeble attempts to attract the attention of Baal. He dug a trench around the altar and then put wood on it and another ox. Then he did an outrageous thing! Elijah had the altar drenched in water, time after time, until the excess water filled the trench. He had to be crazy! If 950 prophets’ prayers could not get their god to send a spark, how did he think one man could get his God to consume a water-soaked sacrifice with fire?!

Here is what the Bible says: “Then Elijah told the people, “Enough of that—it is my turn. Gather around.” And they gathered. He then put the altar back together for by now it was in ruins. Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes of Jacob, the same Jacob to whom God had said, “From now on your name is Israel.” He built the stones into the altar in honor of God. Then Elijah dug a wide trench around the altar. He laid firewood on the altar, cut up the ox, put it on the wood, and said, “Fill four buckets with water and drench both the ox and the firewood.” Then he said, “Do it again,” and they did it. Then he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time. The altar was drenched, and the trench was filled with water.” (1 Kings 18:30-35 MSG)

Standing in front of the altar before an entire nation and the hundreds of false prophets and King Ahab, Elijah needed a miracle! If he failed, they would kill him, and the Lord would be squeezed out of the nation through Ahab’s political clout.

So, Elijah did the only thing a man in desperate need of an impossible miracle does. HE PRAYED! How big is God? Big Enough! So, Elijah offered one of the most effective prayers recorded in the Bible and asked God for a really BIG thing: “When it was time for the sacrifice to be offered, Elijah the prophet came up and prayed, “O God, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, make it known right now that you are God in Israel, that I am your servant, and that I am doing what I am doing under your orders. Answer me, God; O answer me and reveal to this people that you are God, the true God, and that you are giving these people another chance at repentance.” (1 Kings 18:36-37 MSG).

Elijah offered a simple, two-word request, “ANSWER ME.” And guess what? GOD DID! The Bible says: “Immediately the fire of GOD fell and burned up the offering, the wood, the stones, the dirt, and even the water in the trench.” (1 Kings 18:38 MSG)

I would have given anything to see the faces of the people when God answered His servant! What a blast to witness the humiliation and total embarrassment of the false prophets! Wouldn’t it have been sheer delight to see the frustrated anger on the wicked king’s face?!

Elijah’s petition was powerful! The prophets of Baal prayed all day and Baal could not even make a spark to light dry kindling wood! THEN ELIJAH PRAYED FOR LESS THAN A MINUTE and God sent fire from heaven that was so mighty it ignited a soaking wet sacrifice and burned up the wet wood, saturated stones, and drenched soil! And if that was not enough, the blaze consumed all the water in the trench! That just floored me, and it did the very same to the people! The Bible says: “All the people saw it happen and fell on their faces in awed worship, exclaiming, “GOD is the true God! GOD is the true God!” (1 Kings 18:39 MSG).

How Big is God? Big Enough!

The spiritual direction of an entire nation was turned back to God all because ONE MAN was not afraid to confront the enemy and ask God for a miracle! Elijah lived in the Largeness of God, and miracles were the result! He prayed, “ANSWER ME!” AND GOD DID! He prayed “ANSWER ME!” AND MANY PEOPLE WERE STEERED BACK ON COURSE! He asked for a victory-producing miracle, and the enemy was crushed!

Helen Roseveare was a Missionary Doctor who spent twenty years ministering in the Congo. This was one of her awesome testimonies: “One night I had worked hard to help a mother in the labor ward; but despite all we could do she died leaving us with a tiny premature baby and a crying two-year-old daughter. We would have difficulty keeping the baby alive, as we had no incubator. (We had no electricity to even run an incubator). We also had no special feeding facilities. Although we lived on the equator, nights were often chilly with treacherous drafts. One student midwife went for the box we had for such babies and the cotton wool the baby would be wrapped in. Another went to stoke up the fire and fill a hot water bottle. She came back shortly in distress to tell me that in filling the bottle, it had burst. Rubber perishes easily in tropical climates. “And it is our last hot water bottle!” she exclaimed. As in the West, it is no good crying over spilled milk, so in Central Africa it might be considered no good crying over burst water bottles. They do not grow on trees, and there are no drugstores down forest pathways. “All right,” I said, “put the baby as near the fire as you safely can, and sleep between the baby and the door to keep from drafts. Your job is to keep the baby warm. The following noon, as I did most days, I went to have prayers with any of the orphanage children who chose to gather with me. I gave the youngsters various suggestions of things to pray about and told them about the tiny baby. I explained our problem about keeping the baby warm enough, mentioning the hot water bottle. The baby could so easily die if it got chills. I also told them of the two-year-old sister, crying because her mother had died. During the prayer time, one ten-year-old girl, Ruth, prayed with the usual blunt conciseness of our African children. “Please, God,” she prayed, “send us a water bottle. It’ll be no good tomorrow, God, as the baby will be dead, so please send it this afternoon.” While I gasped inwardly at the audacity of the prayer, she added by way of a corollary, “And while You are about it, would You please send a doll for the little girl, so she’ll know You really love her?” As often with children’s prayers, I was put on the spot. Could I honestly say, “Amen?” I just did not believe that God could do this. Oh, yes, I know that He can do everything. The Bible says so. But there are limits, aren’t there? The only way God could answer this prayer would be by sending me a parcel from the homeland. I had been in Africa for almost four years at that time, and I had never, ever received a parcel from home. Anyway, if anyone did send me a parcel, who would put in a hot water bottle? I lived on the equator! Halfway through the afternoon, while I was teaching in the nurses’ training school, a message was sent that there was a car at my front door. By the time I reached home, the car had gone, but there, on the verandah, was a large twenty-two pound parcel. I felt tears pricking my eyes. I could not open the parcel alone, so I sent for the orphanage children. Together we pulled off the string, carefully undoing each knot. We folded the paper, taking care not to tear it unduly. Excitement was mounting. Some thirty or forty pairs of eyes were focused on the large cardboard box. From the top, I lifted out brightly colored, knitted jerseys. Eyes sparkled as I gave them out. Then there were the knitted bandages for the leprosy patients, and the children looked a little bored. Then came a box of mixed raisins and sultanas – that would make a nice batch of buns for the weekend. Then as I put my hand in again, I felt…could it really be? I grasped it and pulled it out. Yes, it was, a brand-new, rubber hot water bottle! I cried. I had not asked God to send it; I had not honestly believed that He could. Ruth was in the front row of the children. She rushed forward, crying out, “If God has sent the bottle, He must have sent the doll, too!” Rummaging down the bottom of the box, she pulled out the small, beautifully dressed dolly. Her eyes shone! She had never doubted. Looking up at me, she asked, “Can I go over with you, Mummy, and give this doll to that little girl, so she’ll know that Jesus really loves her?” That parcel had been on the way for FIVE WHOLE MONTHS! Packed up by my former Sunday school class, whose leader had heard and obeyed God’s prompting to send a hot water bottle, even to the equator. And one of the girls had put in a doll for an African child – FIVE WHOLE MONTHS before – in answer to the believing prayer of a ten-year-old to bring it that afternoon!

Which should remind us all of God’s promise: “And it shall be that BEFORE they call, I WILL ANSWER; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.” (Isaiah 65:24 AMP)

I read stories like this and they remind me that God truly is Absolutely Amazing! He can do miracles! He can do anything! Nothing is too big, too hard, or too complicated for Him!

“But Jesus looked at them and said, With men this is impossible, BUT ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD.” (Matthew 19:26 AMP).

“I am the Lord! THERE IS NOTHING TOO DIFFICULT FOR ME…” (Genesis 18:14 CEV).

In other words, HE IS THE GOD OF ALL! He Can Do Anything but Fail! He can send fire from heaven in answer to prayer. He can deliver a hot-water bottle and a doll to the Congo on exactly the right day! And just in case you were wondering, He can cure cancer, dry up tumors, make cysts disappear, regulate blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels. He can reverse the damage of diabetes, He can heal heart disease, He can put a roof over your head, food on your table, clothes on your back, and shoes on your feet. He can grant you employment and favor you with a bonus and promotion on top! He can remove the feelings of loneliness, worthlessness, low self-esteem, and depression. He can change your mind before the suicide attempt even takes place. He can mend your broken heart. He can rekindle and restore your marriage. He can get you back in school. He can carry you through the process of recovery from any addiction and habit. He can bring your wayward children back home. He can change the bloodwork and x-rays in your favor. He can undo what the disease did. He can heal your past, strengthen your present and enlarge your future. He can refresh your hope and rebuild your faith. He can protect you, provide for you and grant you joy and peace. He can restore your happiness. Trust God! How Big is He? Big Enough for Anything You are Facing!

I could tell story after story of how God worked in amazing ways as the result of desperate prayer. But you do not need to hear someone else’s story. You Need Your Own! So, What Is Your Seemingly Impossible Situation? Where Do You Need A Miracle? Why Not Tell God? Ask Him To Answer So You Can Give Him The Glory!

The next time you are facing a situation that needs an ANSWER ME GOD miracle, follow Elijah’s lead in 1 Kings 18:36-37:

1… “When it was time for the sacrifice to be offered, Elijah the prophet came up and prayed…” A sacrifice is painful and bloody! And that may very well describe what you are facing today! If so, do what Elijah did, when faced with a situation that would be of great sacrifice, he prayed! Unfortunately, we have the bad habit of gathering intercessors, crying, whining, blaming, finger-pointing, complaining, and worst yet, on the phone for hours talking to people who can do absolutely nothing to fix what is broken. No, instead, follow Elijah. He talked to only GOD! Make sure that is your first line of defense as well!  

2… “…O God, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, make it known right now that you are God in Israel…” When facing a crisis, do not panic, pause, and pray, recalling the victories of the past! Elijah made known the names of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and we know quite well all that God did for them! Therefore, whenever fear tries to take over, let your faith go down memory lane of all the Lord brought you through before, that He can and will bring you through again! He is still the same God yesterday, today, and forevermore! He is not changing, and He most certainly is not weakening! He is still faithful, consistent, and all-powerful! He can do what neither you nor anyone else can do on your behalf! Just pause and as you pray look back over the years of your life, recall every battle and every victory, and remember that God has not forgotten to give you the triumph once more!

3… “…that I am your servant, and that I’m doing what I’m doing under your orders…” You must know who you are and Who you are praying too before you even start! If not, you will go into prayer, praying like a stranger or beggar instead of a son and daughter! Elijah said I am your servant, and I am working according to your orders. Therefore, God, since this assignment came to me by You, any bumps in the road along the way are Your responsibility to smooth out! In essence, you trusted me to do my job, and now God I am trusting You to do Yours! You see, I can go to my HR specialist on my job because I am employed there. And so, if I should have any questions or concerns regarding my benefits, that is who I go to. Likewise, follow Elijah’s instructions. God, I am your servant, I am on my job, under your command and orders, I have a prayer concern before You, and I know that my greatest benefit in working for You, is answered prayer, so God, ANSWER ME!

4… “…ANSWER ME, GOD; O ANSWER ME and reveal to this people that you are God, the true God, and that you are giving these people another chance at repentance.” Elijah does not ask God to get back to Him at His earliest convenience, NO, God answer me now! And guess what? He Did! And likewise, He will do the very same for you if only you would exhibit bold, trusting faith! Elijah even puts some pressure on God: “REVEAL TO THIS PEOPLE THAT YOU ARE GOD, THE TRUE GOD”! God, your name, and reputation are on the line, prove to these people that you are not only God, but the ONLY true God! And then the soft heart of the prophet is revealed when he says, ‘…you are giving these people another chance at repentance.’ You would think after having all these people coming up against Elijah that he would have something nasty and demeaning to say (you know, unfortunately, like some church folks do). But not Elijah, he maintains his character and even in prayer speaks of His God giving a people another opportunity to repent. Isn’t that just like our God? Because truthfully, we have committed some horrible sins against God and people, and yet, He never withdraws His mercy, and His grace never depletes!

Listen, certainly there are some areas in your life, family, ministry, business, finances, health, etc.… that need a miraculously answered prayer! Well, why not take your Impossible to the God where absolutely NOTHING is Impossible for Him? If He answered Elijah, surely you believe He will answer you!

Before we move into 2022; Let 2021 be the year you walk confidently and consistently in your Answered Prayers!  Declare Today: My Prayers Are Already Answered!

Never Confuse The Will Of The Majority With The Will Of God.

“God often uses the Minority to influence the Majority.” (Author Unknown)

Blessings

J.P. Olson

www.thewordwithjpolson.com

Today, Allow Your Hurt to Help Someone Else Heal! Day After Day You’re With People Who, Under The Surface, Are Carrying So Much Pain & Scars. They Won’t Listen To Just Anyone. But They Will Listen To Someone Who’s Been Through A Deep Valley Too;

 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, “What a wonderful God we have—He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of every mercy, and the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials. And why does He do this? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given us.” (TLB)

Today, Allow Your Hurt to Help Someone Else Heal! Sometimes God will use our deepest pain to launch our greatest calling.” If you ever want to find out where your strengths are in ministering to others, just locate the places of pain where you can relate. Your pain can become your credentials to answer hurting lives with the love of Jesus Christ that you’ve experienced in your darkest hour. 

Which recalled for me 2 Corinthians 1:3-4. It’s about finding meaning in your pain; maybe even the pain you’re going through right now. Here’s what the text says, “What a wonderful God we have—He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of every mercy, and the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials. And why does He do this? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given us.” (TLB)

So, you go through a hurting time. You know how the pain feels. You reach out to God for whatever resources He can give you to get through it and you start to experience God’s greatness, God’s grace, God’s kindness. And now you’re qualified by those experiences to help other hurting people. You can tell them in a very personal way the difference Jesus makes in a hurting time.

It’s almost ironic. The worst things that happen to you in your life teach you the most about your God, and they give you the best chance you’ll ever have to tell people about Jesus Christ. Day after day you’re with people who, just under the surface, are carrying so much pain, a lot of scars, and unimaginable wounds. And they won’t listen to just anyone. But they will listen to someone who’s been through a deep valley too; maybe someone like you.

Truth is, no one wants to share their pain with someone who they don’t believe can relate. It’s like leaving your 3-bedroom house and going to the shelter and telling a woman with 2 kids on a cot that “you understand”. When in fact, at home, you’re 2 girls are tucked away nice, cozy, comfortable, and safe in their own separate bedrooms. It’s hard to share with someone the pain of a marriage heading for divorce, when every time you see them with their spouse, they are as happy as ever. Who wants to tell someone they don’t have enough change to get on the bus, while that person hops in a brand-new car saying, “it’ll get better”. You want to talk to someone who can understand, who can relate, someone who can personally identify, someone who gets where you’re coming from, because they just left there themselves. Which is why we must be so careful about trying to avoid every pain, ache, moment of suffering, and affliction. Because at the end of the day, someone, somewhere, needs something you have to offer, and they will more readily receive it through your pain than through your joy.

My friend called me yesterday and I was preparing my message it was late, very late. it was just before another friend had called to tell me about a tragedy that had just taken place in my hometown. So, after sharing some of the thoughts on my message she shared this with me, she said friend this is why for me I love ministering in shelters (I can relate); I love ministering to those suffering through domestic violence (I can relate); those eating dinner at the soup kitchen with their children (I can relate); those trying to heal from the scars of rape, abortion, and addiction (I can relate); those feeling abandoned, rejected, left out, overlooked, under-estimated (I can relate); those suicidal and depressed (I can relate). She is a powerful woman of God and God uses her mightily. Sometimes God will use our deepest pain to launch our greatest calling.” Her deepest pain was her greatest launching pad for her calling.

If you ever want to find out where your strengths are in ministering to others, just locate the places of pain where you can relate.

Your pain can become your credentials to answer hurting lives with the love of Jesus Christ that you’ve experienced in your darkest hour. And they’ll listen to you. Those are hard-earned credentials, ones you’d have never chosen to have. But they are credentials God can use mightily in a hurting world. He uses wounded messengers to become agents of His healing. Which is why you should stop trying to get out of every painful event. Believe it or not, but God can bless you and use you to bless others, even while you’re still in the midst of personal pain yourself!

Romans 8:37 says, “Nay, IN ALL THESE THINGS we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.” Did you catch that? We’re not more than conquerors because we conquered our pain and now we’re out of it. But we’re more than conquerors “…IN ALL THESE THINGS…” We can help someone OUT, even while we’re still IN! That’s what I call a powerful testimony! I love the way The Living Bible states it, “BUT DESPITE ALL THIS, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ who loved us enough to die for us.” (TLB). In other words, it doesn’t even matter what I’m dealing with, because despite it all, I have overwhelming victory, even in the midst of it! And someone around you today needs you to know that, so when it’s rooted and engrained in you, you can share the same mustard seed faith with them!

Even the greatest pain, serves an even greater purpose! Genesis 50:19-21 reads, “Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid. Do I act for God? Don’t you see, YOU PLANNED EVIL AGAINST ME BUT GOD USED THOSE SAME PLANS FOR MY GOOD, as you see all around you right now—LIFE FOR MANY PEOPLE…” (MSG) God can use the same thing that hurt you, to help someone else! I love the way the translation puts it; God used the SAME plans! The evil his brothers meant for him, turned out for his good, and life for many! Never doubt that your pain has a purpose! Our Father is a loving parent to us His children. He does not cause us pain that serves no purpose. Which is why Psalm 119:71 is one of my absolute favorite Scriptures, because those things that helped me most, hurt me most first! But I’ve learned from God’s Word, that the bad, worked for my good.

Psalm 119:71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn Thy statutes. KJV

“The punishment You gave me WAS THE BEST THING THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO ME, for it taught me to pay attention to Your laws. They are more valuable to me than millions in silver and gold!” (TLB);

How amazing to know that my suffering was good for me; it was good that I had to suffer; my punishment was the best thing that could have happened to me; and it was good that I was afflicted. Sounds ironic, but my bad was for my good! Why? Because it was only then that I learned to pay attention to His statutes and laws. My affliction was my best teacher. After all, I didn’t learn until it began to teach. And it is likewise for someone near you today. They need you to share your mess-ups, screw-ups, missteps, mistakes, flaws, imperfections, bad decisions. They need you to share and show the vulnerability of unmasking your wounds and scars. They need someone just like you who can identify, so they can finally stop allowing their pain to keep them in hiding.

Some people will only get free when you share the blessing from your bondage! Which is why you need to be like Lazarus. When Jesus called him, he came out of the grave, still wrapped in his dead man garments. And as bad as he must have looked and smelt, when Jesus called him to come out, he came out! Jesus could have had him come out right out of the garments, but no, He then spoke to those around Lazarus to loose him. There are people around you that will watch as your dead man clothes are being unraveled, and they will be encouraged to know that it’s more important for them to be a part of the miracle, than for you to come out looking like you never needed a miracle to begin with. It’s okay for people to know that you don’t cross every ‘t’ and dot every ‘I’. It’s okay for people to know you don’t always feel strong, powerful, anointed, and gifted. It’s okay for people to know that you don’t always smile and laugh and feel upbeat. It lets them know you’re real. It lets them know you’re human. You hurt; you experience disappointment, let downs and pain…just like them. After all, it’s what Christ did.

John 1:14, “The Word became FLESH AND BLOOD, AND MOVED INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. We saw the glory with our own eyes…” (MSG);

Christ lived among us, made His home among us, became flesh and blood, and moved right into the neighborhood, so why are we avoiding people and their pain?! He didn’t. He spoke to hurting people, touched them, encouraged them, healed them, defended them, ate with them, and if all of that wasn’t enough, He let them touch Him in return! He loved us enough to be just as human as divine. He wasn’t so concerned with being Royal, as He was with being Relatable!

Hebrews 4:14-16 reads, “Inasmuch then as we [believers] have a great High Priest who has [already ascended and] passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession [of faith and cling tenaciously to our absolute trust in Him as Savior].  For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin.  Therefore, let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment].” (MSG)

He understands, He sympathizes, He knows, He can relate. Now it’s our turn to do the same! Understand, sympathize, know, and relate. Truth is, if we are to finally be effective witnesses, we need to touch more than we talk! Stop saying what you think they need or want to hear; stop throwing clichés at them; stop drowning them in Scripture showers. Sometimes a simple hug, shoulder, or smile, can say more than any word in the dictionary. Today, determine to touch, and be touchable!

Remember, Doubting Thomas didn’t believe until he saw the wounds. You know some people are like that. The pain you’ve been through may never make much sense to you until you see Jesus and He shows you the grand design of which that pain is a part. But until then, offer that pain to Him as credentials to make a difference for Him to other wounded people. To help them change their eternity maybe, even by finding your Jesus. His wounded rescuer – that’s you! Thomas needed to put his hands in His side, and there are some people out there that need to put their hand in yours! They need to know your pain; they need to know you understand and can relate. They need to know you’re real. They need to know that as bad as it is right now, you are their living proof that it doesn’t get perfect, but it does get better.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18, “So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times; the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.” (MSG); The Amplified Bible says it like this, “For our momentary, light distress [this passing trouble] is producing for us an eternal weight of glory [a fullness] beyond all measure [surpassing all comparisons, a transcendent splendor and an endless blessedness]!” (AMP).

They need to know it won’t be like this always. They need to know this trouble will pass; they need to know it’s just a momentary, light distress; they need to know that this is just small potatoes! And you my friend, are the one to tell them that! Let them know, that you personally know, God can do some awesome things in the midst of pain!

Psalm 30:5, 11, “…The nights of crying your eyes out give way to days of laughter…You did it: You changed wild lament into whirling dance; You ripped off my black mourning band and decked me with wildflowers. I’m about to burst with song; I can’t keep quiet about You. God, my God, I can’t thank You enough.” (MSG)

You are the one to inform them that they will not cry always, and that their mourning clothes are not permanent. God has a time limit on all things, and therefore, their pain is not indefinite. They will laugh again, they will dance again, they will sing again. You are their proof. Remember, your wounds are your credentials that qualify you to help others heal.

Allow the proclamation of Isaiah 61:1-5 to be on your lips today, as you minister healing through your wounds to those who are hurting and need you! But you are also showing up and showing them that none of it stopped you from sharing it with them!

Isaiah 61:1-5. “The Spirit of the Lord God is on me, because the Lord has chosen me to bring good news to poor people. He has sent me to heal those with a sad heart. He has sent me to tell those who are being held and those in prison that they can go free.  He has sent me to talk about the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day our God will bring punishment. He has sent me to comfort all who are filled with sorrow.  To those who have sorrow in Zion I will give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes. I will give them the oil of joy instead of sorrow, and a spirit of praise instead of a spirit of no hope. Then they will be called oaks that are right with God, planted by the Lord, that He may be honored.” (NLV)

Today, Allow Your Hurt to Help Someone Else Heal!

“Your greatest ministry will most likely come out of your greatest hurt.” (Rick Warren)

“What if the thing that produces your pain, is the very thing that God will use to release His power?” (Steven Furtick)

“Sometimes God will use our deepest pain to launch our greatest calling.” (Author Unknown)

“You were afflicted so that you can help deliver other people from what you escaped from.” (Bishop T.D. Jakes)

Blessings

J.P. Olson

www.thewordwithjpolson.com

Maybe God Is Trying To Do A New Thing In Your Life. But Could It Be That You’re Unwilling To Go With His Flow? Maybe God Is Trying To Do Something New In Your Marriage, In Your Career, Your Health, Your Children, With Your Finances, In Your Family:

 Thought: Maybe God Is Trying To Do A New Thing In Your Life. But Could It Be That You’re Unwilling To Go With His Flow? Maybe God Is Trying To Do Something New In Your Marriage, On Your Job, In Your Career, In Your Health, In Your Children, With Your Finances, In Your Family…But He Can’t, Because You Can’t Let Go Of What It Was Before! Which Is Why I Bring The Word To You Today, And Admonish You, “FORGET ABOUT WHAT’S HAPPENED…”; “…DON’T KEEP GOING OVER OLD HISTORY…”

Let God Do Something Brand New! You’ll never taste God’s Gourmet Meals if you keep limiting God to the same old Food Choices on the same old menu. Challenge yourself to try something new. Listen: Many of us are or were creatures of habit. That term “creature of habit” is defined as “someone who always wants to do the same things in the same way”. Sounds a lot like us church folks, in our old, set ways, that we refuse to alter…even if it means something new, exciting, different, and great!

Mark 2:21-22, “No one sews a patch of unshrunk (new) cloth on an old garment; otherwise, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and the tear becomes worse. No one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the [fermenting] wine will [expand and] burst the skins, and the wine is lost as well as the wineskins. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.” (AMP)

I absolutely love documentaries and history, simply because I love finding out the origin of things, where they began, why, and how. But more importantly, I love to see if there’s been any change from the start of the thing to the present. Sometimes it’s good to see that things are now, just as they were when they began. However, that’s not in all cases.

I watched a documentary on the Revolution, and I learned something I didn’t know before. Question: Why did the American colonists win the Revolution? Well, it wouldn’t surprise you if you saw how the redcoats fought. You see, they fought battles in the OLD-FASHIONED European way. They lined up in straight rows. The front row shoots. The next row rotates in while the others reload. Now, the colonists, on the other hand, didn’t believe in lining up. They just came from everywhere! So those red uniforms all lined up in a rigid row…well, that’s like target practice, don’t you think? In other words, they were easy to see, easy to aim for, and easy to hit! Their old, outdated, rigid, well-organized, structurally sound way of fighting, didn’t work…any longer! But even though the colonists looked like they were disorganized, their NEW WAY of fighting won the battle!

Let’s listen in on Matthew 5:29-30. This is where the religious leaders are criticizing how Jesus is going about reaching people. The Pharisees and the people who followed them, they’re complaining to Jesus’ disciples: “Levi gave a large dinner at his home for Jesus. Everybody was there, tax men and other disreputable characters as guests at the dinner. The Pharisees and their religion scholars came to his disciples greatly offended. “What is he doing eating and drinking with crooks and ‘sinners?” (MSG). Then the Bible goes on to say, “And Jesus replied to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but [only] those who are sick. I did not come to call the [self-proclaimed] righteous [who see no need to repent], but sinners to repentance [to change their old way of thinking, to turn from sin and to seek God and His righteousness].” (vss. 31-32 AMP).

Then later the Bible goes on to further say, “He also told them a parable: “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and puts it on an old one; otherwise, he will both tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the new [fermenting] wine will [expand and] burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined.  But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins.  And no one, after drinking old wine, wishes for new; for he says, ‘The old is fine.’” (vss. 36-39 AMP)

See, Jesus broke out of the religious mold to reach people that no one else was touching – in a nutshell, new wine skins. Now, in those days the bottles in Palestine were animal skins. And the wine would ferment, and it would give off this gas. And if the bottle was new and it had elasticity in the skin, then it gave with the pressure. If it was an old wine skin, it was dry and hard, and of course, it burst. And such is the issue with the church! We keep attempting to reach new believers with old behaviors, and it’s no wonder, it’s not working! New wine needs a new bottle to be poured into. If poured into the old, the old is no longer designed to handle the growth of expansion (that’s why it bursts!). It’s become hardened over the years, predictable, unyielding, unbending. It no longer handles the challenge of stress and pressure. So, it bursts! And the result? The old is destroyed and the new is wasted!

Sometimes you must replace an old idea with a new idea if you want God to do a new thing; if you want to reach people no one’s been reaching you have to let go of the old and get a good grip on something new. Like those Revolutionary War soldiers. The redcoats? They were rigid and they lost. The ones who were flexible won the battle. If we want new believers, we must stop trying to reach them with old, outdated, rigid ways, that clearly no longer work!

Isaiah 43:16-21, “Forget about what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new. It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it? There it is! I’m making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands…I provided water in the desert, rivers through the sunbaked earth, drinking water for the people I chose, the people I made especially for myself, a people custom-made to praise me.” (MSG)

First things first, “FORGET ABOUT WHAT’S HAPPENED…” It doesn’t matter how your grandma did it, your mama, or your daddy, your first church or your third pastor. You will always get the same old results, doing things the same old way. Forget about it! That was then, this is now. We have an entirely different generation in 2021, and the only reason we can’t reach them is because we won’t leave the methods of 1960, in 1960! It doesn’t make the old bad, but we have an opportunity for new, and we need to embrace the necessary change to get them.

Secondly, “…DON’T KEEP GOING OVER OLD HISTORY…” It’s irrelevant how your Sunday school was taught in 1960; or how the ushers marched in 1970; or how the outreach witnessed in 1980; or how the choir sang in 1990; or how the anointing flowed in 2010! It’s even irrelevant how many souls were added to the kingdom in January 2020! It’s October 2021, and we need to constantly be evolving as a church! There’s bigger, better, and greater waiting for us, as soon as we finally make the deliberate decision to leave the same, old, comfort zones alone!

Thirdly, “…BE ALERT, BE PRESENT…” Maybe today’s relationship will work out a bit better for you if we’d finally stop treating Paul like he’s Peter. Stop reliving your past and dragging your present into old bondage. We need to be PRESENTLY ALERT! Maybe that’s why we keep missing so much because our focus is so ill-placed. All you see is the past, and God is already done there. Listen to what He says next: 

“…I’M ABOUT TO DO SOMETHING BRAND-NEW. IT’S BURSTING OUT! DON’T YOU SEE IT? THERE IT IS!” How is it even possible for you not to see something BRAND-NEW, that’s BURSTING OUT?! That’s like standing right next to an erupting volcano, but not being able to see the lava! How can you miss it?! God is screaming, “…THERE IT IS!” But if you’re still stuck on THAT, you most certainly will never see THIS when it comes! And please hear me, you can’t afford to miss THIS!

He then says, “…I’M MAKING A ROAD THROUGH THE DESERT, RIVERS IN THE BADLANDS…” God is now telling you that He’s Providing For You and Making New Ways For You!

But He even goes further, “…I PROVIDED WATER IN THE DESERT, RIVERS THROUGH THE SUN-BAKED EARTH…” That new thing He’s doing for you, is literally Brand-New! He’s doing things unseen and unheard of! 1 Corinthians 2:9 says it best, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” He’s doing things that don’t even make sense! And all these things He’s doing just for you, if only you’d stop focusing on the old, you’ll finally see the new!

Isaiah goes on to say: “…DRINKING WATER FOR THE PEOPLE I CHOSE, THE PEOPLE I MADE ESPECIALLY FOR MYSELF, A PEOPLE CUSTOM-MADE TO PRAISE ME.” (MSG) The term “custom-made” is defined as “made to fit the needs or requirements of a particular person.” God has customized all of us, neither of us (even identical twins) are the same. God is constantly doing something new, and something different, and something out the box. And if we are indeed His children, why are we so opposite our Father? Why are we stuck, complacent, ordinary, the same, comfortable? If the God we serve can make a donkey talk, have a coin found in the mouth of a fish, have a man sit (alive) inside of a great fish, raise a dead man back to life (after 4 days), and birth His son through a virgin woman, why are we trying so hard to be ordinary? Why are we doing the same things, getting the same ineffective results? We are a custom-made people, and we need to start acting like the priceless, designer originals we are! 1 Peter 2:9, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” Let’s define Holy. What does Holy mean:

Why do you think people go to these annual fashion week shows? They can’t wait to see what’s NEW and what’s NEXT! And I am fully persuaded that the world is looking to the church for the same things! Something different, something new, something next!

Now, as a disclaimer, there are some things that never change and must never change; the product so to speak, which is the Gospel, the Message, the Doctrine of Jesus Christ. That must never change! It must never be watered-down, altered, customized, changed, added to, or taken away from! But the packaging of it? That can change! Never the message, but often the method can and will change. After all, God went from the 12 He selected Himself to preach His Gospel, to someone like Paul! The Message Never Changes, But the Messengers Can and So Can Their Delivery!

If you think about it: The world of lost people and the world of the church have never been so far apart. I call them the new unbelievers, America’s first post-Christians. They’re biblically illiterate. They don’t ever plan to go to a religious meeting to hear a religious speaker talk on a religious subject. It takes new things to reach them. Or else we could just leave them lost like we have been.

In other words, we’ve got to leave the church building! We’ll Never Find The Lost, Hanging Around Those Who Are Already Found! Truth is, they’re probably not going to come in, so we need to take the initiative and go out! We need to have our outreaches on neutral ground. Am I telling you to go into the crack house, in the club or in the bar? Absolutely not! But we can’t keep sitting at the altar, in the pulpit, in the pews, in Sunday school, bible study, prayer and rehearsals, waiting for them to come in!

We must learn to express Christ without all our religious language, in our religious location. Remember, it’s the language of the natives we’re trying to reach. And all missionaries know that you do it in the language of the person you’re trying to reach. Can you imagine trying to reach the lost in China talking Russian? Can you imagine trying to reach the lost in Africa while speaking Chinese? Can you imagine trying to reach the lost in a homeless shelter when you arrive in a BMW and dressed in a fur and diamonds? You must meet on neutral grounds, at their level and in their language, and as hard as it will be for some to do, that must be done with new ways, not old!

Maybe we need to learn to wrap this gospel that is unfamiliar to so many people in a familiar need that they do know about. We talk about marriage, or parenting, or handling stress, or sex, or singleness. And you move from those things that they do know about into the story of Jesus to show the difference that a Savior like Jesus can make in those areas and others.

In Jesus’ day the religious people totally missed what God was doing because they could not accept a new approach. The British soldiers in Revolutionary War times lost because they were rigid. We’re in a battle for our town, our neighbors, the ever-living, never-dying souls of people. Their eternities are at stake. Therefore, if God says, “I’m doing a new thing”, let’s not lose the battle by insisting on the same old formation!

Listen: Many of us are or were creatures of habit. I am quite sure we have found ourselves saying:  I can’t believe what I missed because I was such a creature of habit. That term “creature of habit” is defined as “a person who follows an unvarying routine; someone who always wants to do the same things in the same way”. Sounds a lot like us church folks, in our old, set ways, that we refuse to alter…even if it means something new, exciting, different, and great! Let’s listen to our text:

Mark 2:21-22, “No one sews a patch of unshrunk (new) cloth on an old garment; otherwise, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and the tear becomes worse. No one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the [fermenting] wine will [expand and] burst the skins, and the wine is lost as well as the wineskins. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.” (AMP)

Here, Jesus is talking to religious folks; Pharisees, scribes, people who had ways in which they thought God would always work. They couldn’t accept the fact that there might be some new things God wanted to try. Now, Jesus came along and blew the walls off the narrow box that they had God in. He wasn’t working in any of the ways that they were used to, they were in essence saying, “I don’t know about this, God never did it this way before. I’m not sure this is even God.” But Jesus had a whole new way of doing things, and like it or not, but they were about to experience it!

And that’s exactly what we need to do with our churches, ministries, families, workplaces, we need to be open for new things! Ineffectiveness becomes our casualty because we’re too comfortable to change. Methods and approaches that once were the new wine skins are now brittle, tired, and irrelevant. It’s time we uproot the old, and sow seeds in the new. However, you must be prepared, because most often the gift of new is presented in a surprisingly new package! Don’t become so focused on the formula, that you mess up the fruit! Don’t let your religious habits inhibit the exciting new thing God wants to do in every area and aspect of your life.

You’ll never taste God’s Gourmet Meals if you keep limiting God to the same old Fast-Food Choices on the same old menu.

Challenge yourself to try something new. Whether it’s a new outfit, new color, new witnessing technique, new food, new activity, new route to work etc… And please know that it doesn’t have to be big and grand. But it does have to be different if you’re tired of the same!

Matthew 9:17, “Nor is new wine put into old wineskins [that have lost their elasticity]; otherwise, the wineskins burst, and the [fermenting] wine spills and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, so both are preserved.” (AMP)

Blessings

J.P. Olson

www.thewordwithjpolson.com

Tuesday Night Bible Study at 7:00 PM CST with Dr. Kenneth Adderley. The number to call is 951-799-9635.