Enforce Your Victory

ENFORCE YOUR VICTORY

Ephesians 6:11:  “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”

            “That’s not what we’re supposed to do,” twelve year old Jeremy warned his classmate Scott. 

            “It’s the first day back to school and you’re already ordering me around!” Scott said, throwing his books inside his locker.  “Give me a break, Jerm!”

            “Why can’t you just follow school rules?” Jeremy asked.  “We’re only supposed to go to our lockers before school, at lunch, and before going home!” 

            People tend to bend rules hard until they break.  Scott can sneak to his locker as often as he wants until a teacher catches him.  Then Scott will have to stay after school in detention. 

            Why are people like that?  Why doesn’t following rules come naturally?  We know that rules are made for our own good!

            If you agree that the devil has turned this world away from Christ’s light and plunged us into darkness, you’re partially correct in blaming him for our rebellion.  BUT.  (There’s that word “but.”)  When the word “but” is used, everything that follows that word cancels out everything that came before it. 

            2 Corinthians 5:17 cancels out blaming the devil for Believers’-in-Christ rebellion.   Believers are new creations.  We don’t fight the devil for victory.  Jesus already defeated him!  Believers fight from victory!  Romans 8:37 declares that Believers are CONQUERERS!

            We enforce that victory by standing our ground—like how Jeremy challenged Scott’s stopping at his locker to dump his books.  Jeremy knows he is right.  Jeremy knows that he fights from victory ground. 

            However, not all battles are fought against people. 

            Ephesians 6:10-18 discusses spiritual warfare.  Believers may claim strength in the Lord and His mighty power fighting spiritual warfare.  “Wrestle” appears only once.  But “stand” appears four times.  Like in the opening Scripture, “Stand your ground” is found in verse 13 twice.  “Stand firm then,” begins verse 14. 

            So why are people focused on wrestling their way to victory?  Check out the lesson linked below to understand why we struggle.   

                                                                       

Take Home Nugget

            Ephesians 1:3-5 says that God chose Believers to be holy and blameless, predestined to be adopted into His family.   We fight from victory ground by standing as the righteousness of God in Christ.  2 Corinthians 5:21 proves that is only made possible by Jesus’ shed blood. 

            Standing in Jesus’ righteousness enforces our victory by remaining steadfast in faith.  The devil will try to challenge your victory with, “You’re not good enough.”

            Try telling him, “You don’t scare me.  My faith is founded in righteousness!” (Isaiah 54:14).

            Jesus’ finished work on the cross enforces our “victorious stand” claim against the devil.

Every one of Jesus’ followers fights from victory ground.  Hallelujah!

Adapted from “Fight From Victory, Not For Victory” and “Remain Steadfast in Faith” by Joseph Prince.  August 15 and 17, 2016.  www.JosephPrince.org

J.D. Griffith

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Confident Expectation

CONFIDENT EXPECTATION

Hebrews 12:2:  “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

            Twelve year old Cassie watched a lady throw up water in the swimming pool’s deep end.  Her eyes grew wide.  Her face blushed red.  Cassie looked unto the life guard stationed just above where the lady sank underneath the water’s surface.  “Help!” Cassie yelled.

            The life guard snapped his head to where Cassie screamed.  One moment later, he dived from the life guard stand into the water.  He grabbed the woman and surfaced.  Another life guard reached down to lift her unto the pool’s deck. 

            Life-saving CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) got the woman sitting up by the time EMTs (Emergency Medical Technicians) arrived.  There aren’t many things people can depend on for salvation today.  But life-saving techniques of CPR and first-responding EMTs are routinely called upon when life is threatened.

            You may have noticed that two untos and one to are in bold face.  Cassie looked onto the first life guard, expecting help.  The second lifeguard lifted the woman unto the pool’s deck, expecting that she was safely on firm ground. 

            We don’t normally use the word “unto” instead of a simple “to”.  The two words   mean slightly different things.  “To” is a direction.  “Unto” means expectation.  

            The opening Scripture could have easily said, “Let us fix our eyes onto Jesus,” instead of “on” Jesus, because we do look unto Him confidently expecting salvation.   That’s the point of this devotion. 

            Believers-in-Christ look unto Him confidently expecting Him to save, heal and protect us.  Did you notice that the opening Scripture also says that Jesus “for the joy set before Him endured the cross.” 

            WHAT?

            Yeah.  Jesus is God, alright.

            No one else would have volunteered to set aside divinity to be born as a human baby.  Jesus depended on God’s mighty power and His human sacrificial love to die in your place! 

            God wants us to “fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.”   Or, Jesus “began” and “finished” this human race.  He’s with us in all circumstances, rescuing whoever looks unto Him.    

                                                   

Take Home Nugget

            People prefer not to pester Jesus all the time, though.  Even Apostle Paul depended on self-effort in Romans 7:19.  “For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.” 

            See the lesson linked below to find Paul looking unto Jesus, who rescued him from death. 

Being Jesus-conscious adds confident expectation for His deliverance when looking onto Him in all situations.

Adapted from “Look Unto Jesus” by Joseph Prince.  August 26, 2016.  www.JosephPrince.org

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Being Jesus-Conscious

BEING JESUS-CONSCIOUS

Romans 8:28:  “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

            The opening Scripture encourages whoever messes up in life.  “Don’t worry.  God promises to work all things together for good!”

            This passage intends to draw people close to God every day.  When read carefully though, people may claim they’re “not called according to God’s purpose.”  The truth is that every person God creates is alive specifically to accomplish His purpose and form a relationship with Him!

            Believers grow in God consciousness.  We know who God is and that we’re accountable to Him.  People who live in fear are sin-conscious.  The harder sin-conscious people try being good, the more they fail.  Sin-conscious people listen to the devil’s lies that they’re no good.

            Instead of being sin-conscious, living Jesus-conscious guarantees success—and that God WILL work all things together for good BECAUSE you love Him!  Believers who are Jesus-conscious also realize that every one of their sins has been forgiven!   Jesus-conscious Believers know that we’re seen as the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21).

            Joseph didn’t know Jesus (Genesis 37-42).  Joseph was the favored son of twelve.  While his dad spoiled him above his brothers, Joseph didn’t realize how bitterly he was hated. 

            He understood after they sold him to traveling merchants. 

            Watching from the back of the caravan he was riding to his new life, Joseph saw   everyone and all that he knew disappear from view.  Not one brother shed a tear.  As far as Joseph knew, he was dead to them.

            Yet, their dad Jacob—who God renamed Israel—raised his family to know God (Genesis 32:28). 

            Joseph should have felt utterly deserted.  However, he remembered to whom he belonged.  God was with him!  Instead of being circumstance-conscious, Joseph 

insisted to remain God-conscious. 

            Because Joseph continued praying and crying out to God, their relationship was tight.  God welcomed Joseph into his embrace when life was the hardest.  And God also made all things work together for good for Joseph.  Check out the lesson linked below to see Joseph’s flip-tables-on-his-brothers happy ending.      

                       

Take Home Nugget

            Like Joseph was God-conscious, Believers can be Jesus-conscious and build a tight relationship with Him.  We can live gratefully, lifting up praises regardless of circumstances.  We may claim Jesus’ righteousness and purity.  Led-by-His-Spirit Believers are guaranteed that God will work all things together for good in our lives, too. 

            Fishermen reaped net-breaking boat-sinking load of fish, followers gathered twelve baskets of left-over food.  Being Jesus-conscious will explode good in your life, too!

Thank You for leading me through life, Lord—all the way to seeing all things work together for good BECAUSE I love You!   Amen.

Adapted from “God is in it With You” by Joseph Prince.  August 8, 2016.  www.JosephPrince.org

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One Utterly Believing Person

ONE UTTERLY BELIEVING PERSON

Romans 3:3-4a:  “What if some did not have faith?  Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness?  Not at all!”

            “People are so rude!” Cassie’s mom quipped while steering their grocery cart past another cart parked in the middle of the aisle.  She said it pretty loud, so Cassie looked at the faces of the couple.

            The man looked agitated.  Cassie smiled at him.  The man said, “Wellll, excuuuse me!”

            Cassie asked innocently, “Aren’t we supposed to drive our carts in the grocery store like our cars on the highway?” 

            The man jerked his cart to the right side of the aisle, behind Cassie’s cart.  “Happy now?” he asked sarcastically.

            “Yes, thank you!” Cassie happily replied.

            Cassie’s soft response melted the tension, and the woman smiled at Cassie.

            It takes just one person to create a problem.  And it takes only one person to diffuse anger.  God watches these encounters.  Individuals make a world of difference in our world every day. 

            God watched Sodom thousands of years ago.  Sodom was past rude.  Sodom was downright evil.   God was sorry that He allowed Sodom to thrive.  He vowed to utterly destroy Sodom—to wipe it and everyone living there off the face of the earth. 

            Abraham had a problem with God’s plan.  His problem was that his brother Lot lived in Sodom.  Abraham did something that no one had ever done: Abraham prayed to God to spare Sodom from destruction.  Check out the lesson, linked below.

            God heard Abraham’s prayer and actually considered his plea.  Genesis 18:17 shows God’s mercy:  “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?”

            Abraham remained before God after the three men departed.  Abraham asked God, “Will You sweep away the righteous with the wicked?  What if there are fifty righteous people in the city?  Will You really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of fifty righteous people in it?  Far be it from You to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, … Will not the judge of all the earth do right?” (Genesis 18:23, 25).

Take Home Nugget

            God replied to Abraham, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole city for their sake.”

            Abraham negotiated further until finally God said, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.”  (Genesis 18:26-32). 

            God left Abraham then.  Doesn’t our heavenly Father sometimes act like an earthly dad?  “Okay, okay,” haven’t you heard dad say, “We will go out for ice cream!  Now leave me alone!”

            The point is that it only takes one Believer to change everything with prayer. 

Believer, ask.  Believer, seek.  God opens the door when Believers knock!

Adapted from Streams in the Desert devotion by L. B. Cowman on June 26, 2016.  www.StreamsInTheDesert.com

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Let Joy Carry Us Through

LET JOY CARRY US THROUGH

Isaiah 55:12:  “You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountain and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.”

            “I can’t wait until my birthday!” ten-year-old Shakira sang, clapping her hands and dancing around the picnic table. 

            “Why, what do you hope to get on your birthday?” twelve-year-old Cassie asked. 

            Shakira laughed.  “Lots of stuff!  You’re invited, too.”

            “Then I can’t wait for your birthday, either!” Cassie admitted.

            Growing up, I often heard my dad say, “Every day is “Children’s Day.”  My parents used to give us kids small gifts on ”Children’s Day,” one particular Sunday in spring between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.

           

            Remember that today is called the present.  “Right now” is a gift to be opened and enjoyed to the fullest.  God actually commands in Psalm 118:24:  “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” 

            Joy is not a destination, but a way.  We never go to joy.  We go through life with joy.  Happiness doesn’t happen when ________ (fill in the blank).  Happiness is now.  

            Isaiah wrote the opening Scripture to the Jewish people as they came out of exile toward the Promised Land.  The play on words is fun:  “Exile” is both a state of mind (figurative) and a physical (literal) place.   

            Both meanings of exile represent something less than awesome.

            Everyone is striving toward a personal promised land.   Once there, we can be our true selves and live our best lives.  Isaiah teaches that the way from exile to redemption—or from broken to redeemed lives or even from awful to awesome lives—is through joy. 

            Joy is a state of happiness—the key that unlocks all doors.  People can decide to make joy a way of life.  Let’s never waste one day searching for joy.  Joy can’t be found in any place, event, or future time!

Take Home Nugget

            Not everyone understands this.  The world is full of nonbelievers who demand that circumstance must be awesome before people can be happy.  But living joyful lives CAN exist even when personal circumstances are awful.   

            We can wake up each day drawing close to God through prayer.  That inner joy is significant because it WILL carry us through each day happily.  When people begin each day with happy thoughts, joy becomes the way from awful lives towards awesome.  

  

            God wants His kids to live happy lives, even during awful circumstance.  He graciously offers us joy to carry us from awful through to awesome.

Thank You Father, for Your Spirit empowering us to begin each day with joy!

Adapted from “Go Through Joy” by Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein.  June 1, 2016.  www.HolyLandMomentsDaily devotional. 

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Surpassing Greatness

SURPASSING GREATNESS

Philippians 1:29-30:  “For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for Him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.”

            Believers often wonder in confusion when reading the opening Scripture.  Is Apostle Paul serious that suffering is granted to Believers in Christ?  Granted, as though it’s something we want?  Really? 

            Surely, something is hidden that Paul wants to teach.  The Greek language uses different words to express different meanings.  Charizomai is a Greek verb used in this passage that implies something is freely given for someone else’s benefit.  Paul uses this verb frequently in his many books in the New Testament.

            “When you were dead in your sins …, God made you alive in Christ.  He forgave us all our sins.” (Colossians 2:13).  Paul uses charizomai here expressing God freely makes us alive in Christ when we were dead in our sins.

            Paul urges Believers to be kind, compassionate, and forgive each other, “just as in Christ, God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32).  In 2 Corinthians 2:7, Paul writes to forgive others freely and expansively: “Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.”

            Paul attaches blessings received to sufferings endured.  Read about a shipwreck in Acts 27: beginning in verse 13.  A stubborn centurion ignored Paul’s warning not to go to Rome.   A storm surged, threatening lives.  Panic followed.

            An angel appeared to encourage and bless Paul in verse 23-24: “he said, ‘Do not be afraid Paul.  You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given [granted] you the lives of all who sail with you.’” 

            Paul’s “I told you so speech” uses the verb charizomai in Acts 27:21-26.  God “granted” that all those who sailed with Paul would arrive alive.

            See the lesson linked below to see the stiff backbones, daring speech, and strength Paul and others in Christ attained following this shipwreck experience.  Then identify the “surpassing greatness” blessing.    

                               

Take Home Nugget

            If that ship would have lost Paul and all on board, including his good friend doctor Luke—the books of Luke and Acts (count the number of “we” pronouns in Acts) wouldn’t exist.  Paul stood trial before Caesar before taking the Gospel to the most famous city in the Roman Empire.   

            It is likely that Paul wrote to the Philippians soon after his ship was smashed on the rocks in Acts 27:41.  God granted Paul “Romans” and “Philippians” churches and these books in the Bible!  That explains why suffering is granted—as a gift.

Sometimes, gifts granted from suffering are only seen in the rear-view mirror of life.

Adapted from “The Wonderful Gift of…Suffering?” by John Upchurch.  July 21, 2016.  www.crosswalk.com

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