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God’s Powerful Promises of Power
“The greatest unused power in the world is the Holy Spirit of the Living God.” This is on the foreword page of this chapter on Power. I really had to laugh at the two choices that I have to work with this time: Power and Victory. When I first chose my three promises to write on, I really felt that all three choices were things that I know and lived. Funny how things turn around and we aren’t where we thought we were.
I have not felt very powerful or victorious lately. I realized that I haven’t been standing in the power that I have in the Lord. Since I was not walking in victory at this time, I realized that the power in the Holy Spirit was my stepping stone to my victory. I only had to be led by Him. I have been saved and baptized in the Holy Spirit for 36 years. I have gone through so many things but the Lord has and is always there—“You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you” Acts 1:8. The Holy Spirit has come upon us and is in us. He doesn’t leave us when things get rough or when they don’t go the way we want. The Holy Spirit loves us, teaches us, guides and directs us in the things of the Lord. That brings us through those hard times. Jesus knew what we would go through and that is why He sent us the Holy Spirit. Jesus gave us the power from the indwelling ministry of the Holy Spirit.
When do we get God’s power? We get it at salvation and then we get more of this power when we are baptized with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. This power helps us in all aspects of our Christian walk. We don’t just keep this power to ourselves. We are to use this power to serve others and to witness. We aren’t to keep this power to ourselves but to tell others what we have seen, heard and learned through God’s word. Just calling out the name of Jesus is power. We are made strong through Him. In writing this devotion, I have realized that I have been trying to do things in my own strength. I have turned this weakness of mine over to the Lord and am exchanging it for His power.
The power that we have is also for service. We are empowered with ‘spiritual gifts’ to help others. We are to put this power to work not hold on to it. Without using it we become weak and inadequate. We need to know and realize the importance of living a Spirit-filled life. To be used by the Holy Spirit we need to be obedient believers—staying on top of things in our lives, allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us.
My son, Shawn, and I made a pact to fast ‘negativity’—to not allow ourselves to slip up with our negative communication. I didn’t follow through the way that I wanted to and the way I knew I should have. I allowed myself to believe the lies of the enemy in certain areas of my life. I knew the power that I have in my life but I didn’t stand in victory the way I should have. This allows sin to enter in. We then need to get things right with the Lord by confessing our sin and asking for forgiveness. We need to rely on the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit to show us the power that we have within ourselves.
The Holy Spirit never leaves us and is fully available to us all the time. We need to remember why we were given this power—to be an example of what God can do in our life. God enables us with His wisdom and His power to minister to others. The less that we try to do things on our own the more there will be of God’s power and limitless abilities. Respond to God’s call to serve. Pray and see what He would have you do.
Just by seeking Him on what He wanted me to write in this devotion He has set me free. I was able to see the errors of my way—not out and out sinning but sinning just the same by not walking in the power that He has given us and listening to Him and staying in His word. Don’t try to walk in your own power but in the POWER of the Holy Spirit.
Diane Harper
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Thursday, August 6, 2009
8-3-09 Dreams
Dreams…..
Two years ago at our wonderful ladies retreat, we were encouraged to dream. What kind of dreams and desires has God placed in us, so we can reach our destiny, or just plain because He wants us to have it all?
My whole life I have known that God has called me to the ministry. From the time I was little, I knew without a shadow of doubt that I was His and He had a special place for me among the body. I just didn’t know where or how or even why.
I’m going to rewind a bit for all of this to make sense. I grew up in a missionary/pastors family. From the time I can remember God was my Father. I officially accepted Him at the age of 6 and was baptized shortly after.
I got married at 21 to a man who was going into ministry. Ahh, I thought “here is my ministry”. I helped him get through Bible School and Seminary. One day shortly after his graduation my “ministry” came crashing down. He left me for another woman. “How dare he”, I thought. “Now I will never be able to go into ministry.”…You see, I came from a “faith” that didn’t believe that a woman could minister like that, especially alone.
God is so gracious…10 years later, I met a wonderful Christian man, who had the same dreams that I did, who had gone through the same things that I had. Please listen, I in no way advocate divorce, but it was not our choices. Our spouses made that decision for us.
Oh did I try to find a place to be in ministry! I even went out and got myself a Master’s in counseling and Bible. I was still single then) “I’ll show them, I’ll still be in ministry”, and I was…but I really didn’t love it. I kept saying “IS this all there is?” So Rich and I went through numerous ideas. We would approach friends and say “We think God has called us to do this”. They would smile and say “we’ll keep praying”.
Several years ago, God opened our eyes and hearts and said “Honor my ministers, It’s hard out there.” I thought “what?” I know that, I grew up in ministry. I want to be a part of that, I want to stand before thousands of people and tell my story. God said “listen” that is NOT what I said. “Honor those I have called”. Rich and I talked at the end of the day, and God had placed the same thing in his heart earlier that day. How awesome is our God.
Sure there have been times that we wondered if the call is real. But God has kept that BURNING desire in our hearts.
Cheryl Stevens
Two years ago at our wonderful ladies retreat, we were encouraged to dream. What kind of dreams and desires has God placed in us, so we can reach our destiny, or just plain because He wants us to have it all?
My whole life I have known that God has called me to the ministry. From the time I was little, I knew without a shadow of doubt that I was His and He had a special place for me among the body. I just didn’t know where or how or even why.
I’m going to rewind a bit for all of this to make sense. I grew up in a missionary/pastors family. From the time I can remember God was my Father. I officially accepted Him at the age of 6 and was baptized shortly after.
I got married at 21 to a man who was going into ministry. Ahh, I thought “here is my ministry”. I helped him get through Bible School and Seminary. One day shortly after his graduation my “ministry” came crashing down. He left me for another woman. “How dare he”, I thought. “Now I will never be able to go into ministry.”…You see, I came from a “faith” that didn’t believe that a woman could minister like that, especially alone.
God is so gracious…10 years later, I met a wonderful Christian man, who had the same dreams that I did, who had gone through the same things that I had. Please listen, I in no way advocate divorce, but it was not our choices. Our spouses made that decision for us.
Oh did I try to find a place to be in ministry! I even went out and got myself a Master’s in counseling and Bible. I was still single then) “I’ll show them, I’ll still be in ministry”, and I was…but I really didn’t love it. I kept saying “IS this all there is?” So Rich and I went through numerous ideas. We would approach friends and say “We think God has called us to do this”. They would smile and say “we’ll keep praying”.
Several years ago, God opened our eyes and hearts and said “Honor my ministers, It’s hard out there.” I thought “what?” I know that, I grew up in ministry. I want to be a part of that, I want to stand before thousands of people and tell my story. God said “listen” that is NOT what I said. “Honor those I have called”. Rich and I talked at the end of the day, and God had placed the same thing in his heart earlier that day. How awesome is our God.
Sure there have been times that we wondered if the call is real. But God has kept that BURNING desire in our hearts.
Cheryl Stevens
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Devotional 7-30-09 The Wall of Fire: A place of peace, strength and rest.
The Wall of Fire: A place of peace, strength and rest.
Good afternoon lovely ladies of The Rock!
Today I am supposed to be writing a devotional about Strength or Peace, and I’m going to, but I am going to get there in a very round about way, so please bear with me!
On Sunday I had a funny song in my head when I woke up in the middle of the night. He gave me a word about entering into a season of "wall breaking" which I gave during church on Sunday. Then, He also gave me a CRUCIAL key in order to break down the walls, and that key was THE SHOUT.
I had another middle of the night encounter with the Lord last night (the bible isn’t kidding when it says He doesn’t sleep or slumber!), and He really impressed something upon me to share with the rest of you!
He told me, “Heather, I never ask you to lay something down, that I am not going to replace with more of myself or give you something better.” You see walls aren’t always just obstacles placed in our path by the enemy, sometimes they are walls you and I have built with our junk. Sometimes I picture these walls as being something Oscar the Grouch would be proud of, because they are just made out of garbage.
And while this is not a pretty picture I have painted (this is where the bear with me part comes in!) what the Lord wants to replace these walls with most certainly is a SIGHT TO BEHOLD!!!!
He led me at around 3 am to Zechariah 2: 5 & 10 and these verses say:
5Then I, myself, will be a protective WALL OF FIRE around Jerusalem, says the Lord. And I will be the GLORY INSIDE THE CITY!”
10The Lord says, SHOUT & REJOICE O beautiful Jerusalem, for I am coming to LIVE AMONG YOU!”
Now, I want you to think about your walls, the ones the enemy has built to block you and the ones you have built that hinder you. Do they not pale in comparison to the amazing wall of fire and His glory? Talk about a place of PEACE, STRENGTH, and REST!
Ephesians 2:14 (NKJV) says: He himself is our PEACE, who has made both one, and broken down the middle WALL of separation.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I am ready to PLOW THROUGH SOME WALLS! My love for Him dictates that NOTHING is worth holding on to if it’s going to come between myself and Him, my TRUE LOVE! He deserves so much more of that, I owe my devotion to Him, and He can have whatever He wants!
So are you looking for rest in your life? Are you looking for peace & strength? He is all those things and more! Pastor Al followed up the word on Sunday with the reason for these walls coming down. That reason is deeper intimacy with the Father. Papa Dan talked about SWIMMING in the river. Walls can act like a dam sometimes.
If you are serious about plowing through walls and going deeper, I want you to pray this prayer with me:
“Father today I recognize my need to go deeper with you. I want to embrace everything you are, and everything you have for me. I want to love you like you love me and I want that love to spill over onto others. Show me the walls Lord; show me the areas in my life where you want to bring freedom & healing. I surrender to your loving and mighty hand in my life.”
AMEN! Now get ready for the Lord to just love on you! He is not harsh, He is gentle and He is patient and kind, He is the Master Potter, you are the clay. Let Him make something beautiful!
Heather~
Good afternoon lovely ladies of The Rock!
Today I am supposed to be writing a devotional about Strength or Peace, and I’m going to, but I am going to get there in a very round about way, so please bear with me!
On Sunday I had a funny song in my head when I woke up in the middle of the night. He gave me a word about entering into a season of "wall breaking" which I gave during church on Sunday. Then, He also gave me a CRUCIAL key in order to break down the walls, and that key was THE SHOUT.
I had another middle of the night encounter with the Lord last night (the bible isn’t kidding when it says He doesn’t sleep or slumber!), and He really impressed something upon me to share with the rest of you!
He told me, “Heather, I never ask you to lay something down, that I am not going to replace with more of myself or give you something better.” You see walls aren’t always just obstacles placed in our path by the enemy, sometimes they are walls you and I have built with our junk. Sometimes I picture these walls as being something Oscar the Grouch would be proud of, because they are just made out of garbage.
And while this is not a pretty picture I have painted (this is where the bear with me part comes in!) what the Lord wants to replace these walls with most certainly is a SIGHT TO BEHOLD!!!!
He led me at around 3 am to Zechariah 2: 5 & 10 and these verses say:
5Then I, myself, will be a protective WALL OF FIRE around Jerusalem, says the Lord. And I will be the GLORY INSIDE THE CITY!”
10The Lord says, SHOUT & REJOICE O beautiful Jerusalem, for I am coming to LIVE AMONG YOU!”
Now, I want you to think about your walls, the ones the enemy has built to block you and the ones you have built that hinder you. Do they not pale in comparison to the amazing wall of fire and His glory? Talk about a place of PEACE, STRENGTH, and REST!
Ephesians 2:14 (NKJV) says: He himself is our PEACE, who has made both one, and broken down the middle WALL of separation.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I am ready to PLOW THROUGH SOME WALLS! My love for Him dictates that NOTHING is worth holding on to if it’s going to come between myself and Him, my TRUE LOVE! He deserves so much more of that, I owe my devotion to Him, and He can have whatever He wants!
So are you looking for rest in your life? Are you looking for peace & strength? He is all those things and more! Pastor Al followed up the word on Sunday with the reason for these walls coming down. That reason is deeper intimacy with the Father. Papa Dan talked about SWIMMING in the river. Walls can act like a dam sometimes.
If you are serious about plowing through walls and going deeper, I want you to pray this prayer with me:
“Father today I recognize my need to go deeper with you. I want to embrace everything you are, and everything you have for me. I want to love you like you love me and I want that love to spill over onto others. Show me the walls Lord; show me the areas in my life where you want to bring freedom & healing. I surrender to your loving and mighty hand in my life.”
AMEN! Now get ready for the Lord to just love on you! He is not harsh, He is gentle and He is patient and kind, He is the Master Potter, you are the clay. Let Him make something beautiful!
Heather~
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