REMEMBER YOUR VICTORY

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

 

“We must realize that it is not Satan who defeats us; it is our openness to him. To perfectly subdue the devil we must walk in the "shelter of the Most High" (Ps. 91:1).” ― Francis Frangipane

 

Isn’t that good?

Awesome to be a winner right?

Satan can’t defeat us.

Nope.

Period end of story. 

1 Corinthians 15:57 (ESV)

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

That should do it.

End of OFH for today! 

But hold on…

As Francis eludes, we don’t always walk in that victory or worse yet we often leave ourselves open to attack; put our guards down.

 

How?

 

By being “open to” old temptations (this is tough one for me).

By leaving old wounds “open” for bitterness.

Instead of staying focused, serving and vigilant we “open” doors with idleness.

We open ourselves to compromise leaving our hearts and minds exposed ignoring this wisdom

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. – Proverbs 4:23 (KJV)

 

Thankfully Francis offers a simple remedy.

Seek some shelter!

You can go to God Most High to hide. You can go to God All-Powerful for protection. Psalm 91:1 (ERV)

 

Want to live in the shelter of the Most High today?

First remember to pray…

“Lead me not into temptation and deliver me from evil…

 

Then be intentional about:

Filling your mind with the WORD.

Filling your atmospheres with praise.

Be wary of those times of too much quiet or too much chaos. When they surface, focus on the Father and nothing else. Remember the victory. 

Be proactive!

 

Frangipane goes on to say:

“Always remember: Victory begins with the name of Jesus on our lips; but it will not be consummated until the nature of Jesus is in our hearts. It is not enough to have your "house ... swept, and put in order" (Matt. 12:44); your thought-life must be occupied by the Person of Christ. But as you persist in yielding yourself to Christ, He will remove Satan... ― Francis Frangipane

 

So guard your heart.

If you start to feel tempted or rickety speak the name of Jesus.

And grab that victory!

 

“Take God at His Word – because winning the battle doesn't require

physical brawn, but spiritual brains!” ― Pedro Okoro

 

I love you all

Opportunities for Hope (Champions Charge)

DON'T GET SQUEEZED

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold, but let God re-mold your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good – Romans 12:2 (PH)

I waded into a little uncharted water yesterday.  I was privileged to pray at our Ohio Statehouse as a part of a solemn assembly designed to motivate the CHURCH to prayer and action against the ever expanding and damaging liberal agenda.  And after 2+ hours of prayer and rally we were invited to a quick luncheon hosted by the CCV (Citizens for Community Values www.ccv.org) where the keynote was David Barton.  www.wallbuilders.com

It was there that Mr. Barton shared this familiar passage from a “not so familiar” translation, the Phillips translation.  I have to admit, I usually lean on the Message version of this passage that says,

Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God.  Yet whether from Phillips or Peterson, the message is the same.

We as Christians can’t allow ourselves to be molded by our ever degrading culture.  We must remember that Jesus said His believers, His followers are simply in the world—physically present—but not of it, not part of its values (John 17:14-15).

Therefore as believers, we should be set apart from the world. This is the meaning of being holy and living a holy, righteous life—to be set apart. We are not to engage in the sinful activities the world promotes, nor are we to retain the insipid, corrupt mind that the world creates. Rather, we are to continuously transform ourselves, and our minds, to that of Jesus Christ.

That can be hard when the world commands so much attention.  

That can be hard when the world can be pretty convincing and swaying in its influence.  But Paul makes it crystal clear, don’t become so well adjusted to the nuttiness and sin around that without thinking you find yourself being squeezed into the mold of the world rather than the mold of Christ Jesus.

Tozer also warned us when he said, “Religion today (or the CHURCH – emphasis mine) is not transforming people; rather it is being transformed by the people. It is not raising the moral level of society; it is descending to society’s own level, and congratulating itself that it has scored a victory because society is smilingly accepting its surrender.”

Ouch.

But true.

Like I said earlier yesterday was uncharted territory for me. I have never fancied myself as “political”. And I am NOT being political today.  But what Barton, Paul and most notably Jesus are simply reminding us today is that we have to be vigilant.  We have to stand in our faith or fall to the culture; we have to resist conforming to its standards and being molded by it moirés.

And Peter has a good word for us when culture is seeking to dictate or influence He says, “Don't lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn't know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God's life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, "I am holy; you be holy." 1Peter 1:14 (MSG)

We can do that can’t we; to make the choice as His children to day to be shaped and molded by GOD’S life? 

To be energized by His holiness?

“The world is still trying to put its stamp of conformity on every follower of Jesus Christ. Every possible pressure is being brought to bear upon Christians to make them conform to the standards of the present world. Instead be a committed follower of Jesus Christ.”

― Billy Graham

I love you all

Opportunities for Hope (Champions Charge)

GOD'S HEREDITY

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

…God’s “heredity” within us will always conquer the world outside us. In fact, this faith of ours is the only way in which the world has been conquered. For who could ever be said to conquer the world, in the true sense, except the man who really believes that Jesus is God’s Son? – 1 John 5:4-5 (PH)

Peterson translates it this way.

Every God-begotten person conquers the world’s ways.

GOD begotten?

GOD’S heredity?

What is John getting at?

Simply this. 

If you have JESUS in your heart and you do if you have CLAIMED Him to be Son of GOD, (Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." – Romans 10:13 NIV) then the FAITH of Christ is at SPIRIT-WORK within you.

And that my friends equates to CONQUERING faith!

Regardless of what you or I may face in the natural, we are CONQUERORS because of HIS SPIRIT dwelling deeply within us! (Romans 8:37)

So

…be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.] – John 16:33 (MSG)

Catch that?  My “victory abiding”

Jesus' victory over death, sin, Satan and the world ABIDES in those who have claimed Him and allowed Him into our hearts.

So we can WALK courageously into whatever we face today.  

Our Spirits are linked with Christ!  

That Spirit is fearless.  

That Spirit is calm cool and collected under pressure.  

That Spirit knows it is provided for and loved beyond measure.

The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death. Romans 8:2 (MSG)

We CAN BE undaunted.

We may experience some set backs, we might.  We may experience some challenging circumstances and struggles.  We may even get upended by new expectations, new demands and new uncertainties.  But we can remain UNDAUNTED because of the Spirit of Christ dwelling deep within us.

God is there, ready to help; I’m fearless no matter what. Who or what can get to me? Hebrews 13:6 (MSG)

So be filled with joy today my friends.  CHRIST’S Spirit is alive and working in, with and through you today.  Your lineage assures you peace, power and direction!  

It assures you hope, possibility and life!

When God lives and breathes in you (and he does, as surely as he did in Jesus), you are delivered from that dead life. With his Spirit living in you, your body will be as alive as Christ’s! Romans 8:11 (MSG)

So nothing or no one can gain the upper hand on you today.

Nothing.  

You are GOD’S begotten! Embrace your heritage!

Embrace the power of the SPIRIT coursing inside of you!

Take on today with confidence and assurance!

I love you all

Opportunities for Hope (Champions Charge)