4GIVEN

If you’re not living under the power of God, you’re living under the power of Satan. In the book of Acts 26:15-18, we learn that Saul (before his conversion) experienced an intimate feet collapsing encountered with Jesus. We all know that he was headed to Damascus to stir up trouble but, Jesus interrupted his plans. In vv 16-18 Jesus said to Saul, “Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness. Tell people that you have seen me, and tell them what I will show you in the future. And I will rescue you from both your own people and the Gentiles. Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.” Ephesians 6:12, confirms that, “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” If I am speaking to you and you’re tired of living under the power of Satan, I invite you to sow w/ me Psalm 68:20, “Our God is a God of salvation, and to GOD, the Lord, belong deliverances from death.” Thankfully, Jesus overcame this wicked world and thus greater is He who is in us then he who seeks to destroy us!

Romans 3:23 reminds us that, “ ‘🅰🅻🅻’ have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” The Message paraphrased confirms this passage of text; in I John 1:9 Peterson said, “If we claim that we’re free of sin, we’re only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. On the other hand, if we admit our sins—make a clean breast of them—he won’t let us down; he’ll be true to himself. He’ll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing. If we claim that we’ve never sinned, we out-and-out contradict God—make a liar out of him. A claim like that only shows off our ignorance of God.” As a rule of thumb confession simply means to ‘come into agreement’. So don’t try to hide from God because He already knows where to find you, He already knows the real you, and He already knows the real truth and in spite of it ‘🅰🅻🅻’, He has chosen to forgive you!

Are you ready for your miracle, promise, deliverance and/or breakthrough to manifest in your right now situation? Well, let me say this upfront, the waiting doesn’t even come close in comparison to the weight of the blessing God has commissioned for you to received. Now, let me be clear, you may not be able to sign up for Amazon Prime for every blessing requested but, I will say, your well-being is always top priority in God eyes. So, when weariness begins to set like concrete remember God’s character and remember God’s timing doesn’t line up with our timing because He exist where there is no time (Ps 25:10). Although your situation has not changed, neither has your God. He is faithful and true and He always keeps His promises. So today, #REST in God’s strength (Ps 55:22), #REFLECT on His track record (Ps 13:5-6), and #REJOICE in what is to come (Rom 8:18)! God has written a spectacular story for your life and don’t ever forget that (Ps 139)!!

Do you really want me to spill the ‘T’? Well, ok….Proverbs 16:28 says, “A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends.” Social media platforms has made it easier for gossipers to relish in sensationalized gossip (aka Fake News) and it’s an unfortunate reality that gossip has become an acceptable sin for many Christians. But, I think I’ve found a good way to stop the rumor mongering that’s so prevalent in our society today. When someone says something to you that’s gossip, simply ask, “Hey can I quote you on that?” Because if you can’t write it down and sign your name to it, you shouldn’t be saying it. On the other hand, if it’s real and valid, you ought to be able to sign your name to it. Marcus Aurelius said, “How much time he gains who does not look to see what his neighbor says or does or thinks, but only at what he does himself.” Even under the best of motives, gossip almost always does damage to our relationships that we can never completely undo. Is it just me or does it seem that with all the things that we could choose to talk about on any given day… the intimate details of another person’s life should be lower on the list than it usually is?

A mistake that makes you humble and appreciative is far better than any achievement that makes you conceited and arrogant! Proverbs 16:18 of the MSG paraphrase says, “First pride, then the crash— the bigger the ego, the harder the fall.” Additionally, the gospel of Matthew 23:12 informed us that, “Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be demoted; and he that shall humble himself shall be promoted.” Jesus, the Son of God could have chosen the latter but He didn’t. He is the ultimate example of humility. In fact, He championed it!! He did not value His own self-importance or honor, but freely gave it up in every situation so that God’s will could be carried out and God could be glorified through His life.

If we are of this same humble mindset, forsaking our own reputation and honor in order to be obedient to God’s word and will, we will be able to make unbelievable progress in our Christian lives and experience the limitless benefits of God’s favor!

God has already gone before you to make crooked places straight. Solomon encouraged us in Ecclesiastes 7:13-14 to, “Consider the work of God for who can straighten what He has bent? In the times of prosperity rejoice but in the times of adversity consider that He made the one as well as the other, so that we can’t discover anything after Him!” Additionally, Romans 8:31 tells us, “As long as we know God is for us, it doesn’t matter who is against” because we serve a ‘Nobody is Greater Than Our God’!! If you’re not shouting right now that’s because you may be experiencing prosperity in your life, but if you are like most of us….going through some ‘STUFF’ right now, this ‘WORD’ should be raising your level of praise: hallelujah!! Greater is He who lives in us than he that roams around seeking to kill, steal, and destroy us! Isaiah 14:27 declares, “The Lord of Hosts Himself has planned it; therefore, who can stand in its way?” The truth is that God the Father has a plan, set in stone, for each us. God’s plan for our life were established before the foundations of the world and that plan will absolutely and definitely come to pass. God’s plans are designed for a specific time and season and nothing can derail them and nothing happens before its time. God’s timing is perfect. He is never too early or too late and when you understand and believe this fact, nothing should trouble your mind ever again.

People with very negative worldview will often be competitive about their misery, trying to outdo other people’s sadness. Cynics are, by definition, pessimistic about life and you need to watch out for those who constantly, even gleefully, talk about their failures and sadness. Anyone who criticizes the failures of others, or seems overly cynical, might have a toxic personality worth avoiding because people who are motivated purely by self-interest can’t be fully trusted. Cynical people tend to be sarcastic. Their humor is biting and often caustic. Sarcasm rarely, if ever, serves God’s purposes. “If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other” (Galatians 5:15). Cynicism is a product our fallen nature, not the fruit of the Spirit. We are sinners, and, when we’re walking in the flesh, it’s easy for us to adopt a cynical attitude in response to suffering or disappointment. But God has better plans for us, though. He wants to heal us and rid our lives of cynicism.

Ultimately, the key to dealing with cynicism in our lives is Christ Himself. We need Christ in our hearts to remove the anger, dissolve the bitterness, and make us a new creation.

God isn’t asking you to figure things out. However, He’s asking you to trust that He already has! Ps 118:8 reminds us that, “It’s better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.” Therefore, despite your challenges, obstacles, and valleys remember that God is preparing you for a greater level of understanding and revelation. He is calling you to walk in His might and power; yet it requires a greater level of trust than you have known in times past. This level of trust requires that you take what you have and put in God’s hands and recognize there will be periods in life that require waiting for the manifestation of God’s promised answer. So as I mentioned, don’t try and figure out how He is going to do it, just know that He will.