You are Blessed, Not Cursed

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to forget God when everything is going good in our lives, but the second life gets some trouble we turn to God for help (or worst some people blame God for the trouble).  First thing we have to remember is GOD wants to bless us, HE has only good things for us, earthly fathers don’t bring calamity or disease on their children to teach them a lesson, so of course our Heavenly Father being perfect and the very essence of goodness, kindness, love, mercy and grace, wouldn't either!

Good fathers will try to warn their children when they see the wrong decisions their children are making and try to steer them in another direction. When we make a wrong choice, the Holy Spirit is in us warning us not to do or say what we are about to do; but so many times we ignore that leading and go ahead and do it anyways, only bringing trouble upon ourselves. Yet people are so quick to blame God when trouble befalls them, GOD tried to warn them but HE was ignored and then when the consequences come up to ‘bite them’ they blame God.

I tell both my sons, my teenager especially; you’re given the choice and when you make the wrong one, the consequences are yours to bear. Even our kids as toddlers, know right from wrong; they know they are told not to touch certain things in the house, but yet they want to and they’ll even look right at you when they’re about to do the ‘No No’ they’ve been warned about. Our bodies are flesh and of this world, but we have our spirit that has been made a new creation in Christ. Our spirit won’t sin, it wants only to honor and please God, but our flesh, it wants what it wants and it doesn’t like to be told no.  This creates the battle within us, our flesh can be screaming at us to do the wrong thing, while our spirit is nudging us to do the right thing – remember in Romans 12:2, this is why we have to read our Bible, our instruction guide, our manual for this life on earth.

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” (Romans 12:2 NLT)

Sometimes we aren’t the ones to blame for the bad things that happen to us, sometimes it’s another person’s carelessness, abuse or neglect – but that doesn’t mean GOD did that. GOD doesn’t put us in bad situations or relationships, we do that to ourselves.  Some people say, "well if GOD had prevented this from happening...", I’d be willing to wager that most people have been given little nudges from GOD telling them to avoid this road, avoid that person, this isn’t right, but sometimes we blow off or just miss those nudges as silly and move on. Unfortunately we've moved into a problem, road block, trouble or a tragic situation. Sometimes its not any of that, instead it's the enemy attacking a person. The devil comes only to steal, lie and destroy; so taking a loved one, causing an accident, giving a disease, these are all tricks used by the devil to tear us away from GOD.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10 NIV)

You see Jesus is the answer; HE’s the answer to our hurting and despair. Jesus is the answer to our pain and suffering, HE is the way the truth and the life and only HE can set us free. The enemy has deceived so many people (even Believers) into believing that GOD doesn’t love them, that GOD wants to punish them for what they’ve done, that when something bad happens it’s because GOD is teaching them a lesson, that famous saying, 'If GOD brings you to it, He'll bring you through it'. GOD doesn't bring you to it, either we did that ourselves, someone else did or the devil - but never did GOD bring you that!!

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT)

Not only does GOD want to protect us, HE wants to reward us!

After these things the word of Yahweh came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Don't be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward." (Genesis 15:1 WEB)

GOD doesn’t want us to fear, HE doesn’t want us afraid of what might or could happen. HE wants us to know that HE is for us.

If God is for us, who can ever be against us?  Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?  Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself.  Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.  No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:31b-35, 37-39 NLT)

GOD wants us to know that when trouble does come, HE will never leave our side

“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." (Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV)

When those trials do appear, GOD wants us to have his peace.

"I am leaving you with a gift--peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:27 NLT)

There was another popular saying, that if GOD had a fridge, your picture would be on it or if GOD carried a wallet, your picture would be in it.

Behold, I have indelibly imprinted (tattooed a picture of) you on the palm of each of My hands (Isaiah 49:16a AMP)

What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it.  And the very hairs on your head are all numbered.  So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows. (Matthew 10:29-31 NLT)

Parents love their children, no matter the wrong choices they make, you can’t stop loving your child and we as earthly parents cannot comprehend the love that the creator of the Universe has for us. HE is Love, HE is Mercy, HE is Grace, HE is and we will never be able to grasp the concept until we are with HIM in Heaven. No matter how far we stray, no matter the mistakes or the choices we make, that doesn’t change HIS love for HIS children and once we’ve accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior we have been forgiven of all wrongs; we are washed white as snow. GOD doesn’t hold grudges, if HE did HE never would have sent HIS Son to die for us so we could be set free – HE would have left us the way we were, but because of GOD’s infinite love and mercy, we have been given a chance to be righteous – not by anything we’ve done, but by what HIS Son did for us on the cross. Don’t live in the guilt, sin, despair and death that the devil wants to keep you held bondage in, choose life and the freedom that Christ has already paid the price for.

Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life (Deuteronomy 30:19 NLT)

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:3, 16-17 NLT)

Warrior of GOD

I was inspired by several of the Psalms and Ephesian's armor of God for this, I think of it as a day in the life of a Believer...

I will praise the Lord at all times; I will sing songs of joy and love to the one who has saved me from myself

I will shout to the earth and tell of the great things HE has done for me; everyone must know of HIS greatness

When I pray to HIM, HE answers my prayers

If GOD is for me, then who can be against me

My GOD is my strong tower, my defender, my strength

My rock and my refuge

Storms may blow and waters may rise but with GOD by my side, I will fear no evil

Even though I walk through the shadow of death

Your righteous right hand preserves me

You prepare a table for me in front of my enemies

I am able to sit in your perfect peace and enjoy the feast

My cup runneth over because of your neverending love, abundant mercy and everlasting grace

I may fall down, but I will not stay down, I will continue the fight of faith

I will run this race with the strength of lions and renewed like eagles in flight

I will live for YOU o’GOD, let me be a living sacrifice

YOU are my purpose for living and my reward in dying

My armor withstands and defeats all evil

My belt of truth, keeps my heart right before you o’ GOD

My plate is of righteousness, as YOU have made me righteous by the blood of YOUR son

My shoes are walking to share the Good News and to stand on the solid rock, that I am fighting on

My shield is my faith, blocking and defending all the fiery attacks of the evil one

My helmet is my hope in salvation, knowing I am forever a child of GOD

My sword is the mighty Word of GOD, piercing and cutting through all enemy attacks

ALWAYS praying without ceasing, this is my constant battle cry!

The battle is raging on, whether seen or not seen, I will be prepared.

Lest I be caught off guard, without ALL of my armor, for the enemy wants all to be his prisoners while seeking to destroy!

I am a warrior of GOD!

Stay Alert!

1 Peter 5:8

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

Stay alert, or be vigilant, don’t let your guard down, when you hear those words you know you need to be on the lookout for something and be prepared. The next part of the verse tells you the reason you need to be cautious, you have an enemy and he is a liar, a thief, and a killer. When you think of all the bad things in the world, it begins with the enemy. He is roaming around and looking for someone to attack with a fierce hunger that can never be satisfied, so my question is, when you know you have a lion waiting for you, do you go out without your weapons or armor?

"A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:10-12 

The first rule of battle is to know your enemy. You must know who you are fighting against and you must know how they attack so you can be prepared. You have to know what is of GOD and what isn’t, even the devil and his demons can quote scripture, just used out of context. The best defense is a good offense, so read your Bible, read it daily, memorize scriptures that you can hold to when you are attacked.  And when someone gives you scripture, look up that scripture and read the chapter, read the footnotes and references, know the scripture and know the truth.

When the devil attacks, hold fast to your shield of faith so you can block those arrows (thoughts of defeat, self-doubt,  fear, reasoning and practicality) and cling to your sword the word of GOD. (see the whole armor of GOD in Ephesians 6:10-18) When Jesus was being tempted by the devil for those 40 days, everytime the devil would tempt Jesus, Jesus would use the sword of the Spirit, the word of GOD. (see Luke 4:1-13).

Discern what is from GOD (joy and peace can only come from GOD).And know that the devil will rob you of your joy, load you down with depression, he will steal your peace and try to kill something in you. If GOD gives you a promise, hold to that promise with faith. When we start to doubt those promises, we are stopping the will of GOD and helping the devil. You need to be able to stir yourself up for the Lord. You need to know you cannot go by your ability, but by GOD’s ability and by HIS ability, there is no stopping you! I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13  We can do ALL things, but we do have our part to do; we must stay strong in our faith, with perseverance and patience.

  

The lion watches for the wounded, lone, helpless, (those that aren’t prepared, don’t know what they are up against, don’t know they are in a battle, and/or don’t use their armor of GOD), those are the perfect prey for the devil. I remember a story once of pastor who came to visit one of his church members, who had stopped going to church. On that cold wintery day, the two didn’t have much to say to one another, the pastor removed a coal from the collection of coals in the fire, the lone coal went from red to black as the coldness of its surroundings became more than the heat of the group of coals it was with, until it finally had just burnt out; the illustration that the church member who left the congregation, his fire within would grow cold and die without the rest of the church to strengthen and encourage his fire for GOD.

You have to know what to resist and what to yield to, they are not interchangeable. You don’t want to resist GOD and yield to the devil, so use your armor so you are resisting the devil and yielding to GOD. The devil is a reasoner, always questioning what GOD is telling us, he defeats us with practicality. The devil uses our human doubt to reason away GOD’s ability, we convince ourselves that we couldn’t possibly accomplish what GOD told us we could, when it was never our ability, if GOD gave us a job to do, it’s going to be based on HIS ability not ours. GOD created the heaven and the earth, he knows our thoughts before we think them, so how are we to tell GOD that HE overlooked this one part of HIS plan?

When GOD gives you a word, do you get excited, do you get pumped, do you feel like you can anything? Then when you’re at that mountain peak, the devil shows up and starts telling you all the reasons why you can’t do what GOD told you, you could. Your joy is lost, your excitement is gone and you start to fear, and then all the reasons why something isn’t possible, or say it’s just not practical, that’s when you’re listening to the enemy. GOD doesn’t need something practical or complex reasoning, he created you from dust, he doesn't need anything from you, except your faith. 

Don’t let fear govern you, the enemy is trying to make you settle, when GOD doesn’t want us to settle. “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.”  Ephesians 3:20 Did you catch that, HE is able to accomplish infinitely more than we can even imagine!! HE is a GOD of abundance, when you give GOD your faith, your faith is rewarded: “Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full – pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” Luke 6:38 Amen, that’s the kind of GOD we serve, we never deserve HIS grace, but HE is always faithful in his loving-kindness to HIS children with HIS endless mercy and everlasting love.