By Nathan Negosa
Brothers and sisters in Christ, we need to remind ourselves that we are in a continuous spiritual battle. We are always in a fight and in conflict with our flesh to protect our spirit, also referred to as the “heart” according to Proverbs 4:23. The word “flesh” pertains not only to our physical body and its desires, but also includes our mind, will and emotion. When you received Jesus as Lord and Savior, your spirit man is recreated, reborn or what the bible refers to as “born again in the spirit” John 3:6 In other words, it has been transformed to a spirit just like the image of God. It is not divine as God is, but has the ability to be filled with God or be transformed to the stature of the fullness of Christ as Ephesians 3:14 says. And this is where the battle between our spirit and our flesh begins. Moreover, it is not only the flesh that declares war against our spirit man, but the whole demonic kingdom is committed in opposing the full transformation of every born again Christian in the likeness of God. Why is the flesh and demonic forces wage war against our spirit man? The reason why the flesh rebels against our spirit is because it is selfish. It does not want to relinquish any desires and pleasures which this natural world offers regardless of whether it is a sin or not. While the devil wages war to prevent our spirit man to reach the level of our understanding about our God and his kingdom which will allow us to discover our full power and ability in the spiritual world. Understanding our position in God will give us, Christians, the boldness in faith to fully deliver God’s purpose and plans in this natural world. Needless to say, the devil with all evil means will attempt to prevent this from happening, so as to preserve his liberty to operate in this natural world. He will use all his might to keep his control over people and avert being subservient to any man including the children of God. Knowing the weaknesses of man, the devil uses his best tool in his arsenal to influence the flesh and make it submit to his temptations. When the flesh submits to Satan’s lures, it results to sin. And sin is the element that can ultimately damage or destroy the spirit man. The devil knows that if we are in sin, our development in the fullness of God’s power and ability is hindered in our lives. It blocks the anointing of God and therefore delaying the fulfillment of God’s plans and purposes in our lives. Our God never fails. It is man in flesh that fails for submitting to its sinful desires (Colossians 3:1-10). Our flesh, if not controlled by our spirit, will naturally oppose any advancement in our spiritual development to Godly character and abilities.
There is always a spiritual battle in this world. The devil and his demons hated God so much that they want all his creations destroyed. Since they cannot hurt God, the only way they can get to God is by hurting his children. What could be more precious to God than His children? So, the devil will try to destroy you, the child of God, in every opportunity he can get. But here is the positive note: How can the devil touch you when you have the revelation that you have more power and authority over the devil? If you are a born again Christian, the devil and his cohorts, the demons, know that your spirit man has been recreated in the image of God and therefore, the devil and his demons has no authority to invade it, nor can they destroy it, because they no longer has a claim over it. But that is not all the good news, the demonic kingdom also realizes that even a newly saved "baby" Christian has superior authority and power over them all (Luke 10:19). The bible states that a person who has accepted Jesus Christ as his savior has the power of God within him whose name is the Holy Ghost. Therefore, if you have the Holy Ghost in your spirit man, how can you be defeated? The only way the devil can defeat you is if you have given him the right to have access to your soul or body to get to your spirit. This can happen if a Christian succumbs to Satan’s wiles and deceptions. This is the reason why Christians must be knowledgeable of the devil’s tricks. The devil’s strategy to defeat the children of God has not changed since the beginning of man’s creation. His most effective skill is deception. The only way the devil can defeat us is by attacking and deceiving us in these areas: our physical body, our mind (thought life), our will-power, and our feelings or emotions. He knows that if he can cast some doubts about God through these areas, it will be an opening and opportunity for him to eventually defeat our spirit man. Many Christians are ignorant about this spiritual truth. No doubt the devil has been busy attacking many Christians in their physical bodies. He inflicts many with sicknesses and diseases and convinces them to believe that it is from God. But the truth of the matter is, God hates all diseases. God’s desire is for all his children to be well, or free from any diseases according to his divine promises (Exodus 23:25). If Satan can’t get Christians through their bodies, he will do his best to attack the arena of their soul which composed of our mind, will and emotion. He works through these areas by manipulating events and circumstances in our daily lives. Naturally, when the devil troubles our circumstances it affects our thoughts and feelings. This is what Christians need to be aware of, regardless of our circumstances, we need to keep our faith and focus in the ability of our God. I believe that the devil’s favorite avenue to penetrate a Christian’s whole being is simply directly attacking the Christians thought life. This is where the victory or lost in battle is determined. If the devil can make you doubt of God’s love towards you, or any of God’s promises for you, he can make a tremendous damage to your faith. And faith is the only link that a Christian has to God's power here in earth. Without faith we can’t please God (Hebrews 11:6) and without faith in God and his word, we will lose the fight. We need to hold fast in our faith to be able to win every battle (Hebrews 10:23). Another avenue for the devil to penetrate our spirit man is through our emotions by diverting our focus to numerous negative feelings like anger, hurt, pains, bitterness, jealousy, etc. which directly opposes God’s nature. If we Christians succumb to these feelings, the devil will be able to make an opening in our spirit man. The life of our spirit man is God’s word that teaches love, joy, peace, longsuffering, etc. which describes the nature of God. The promises of God (the written word or the bible), is the only tool of weapon we Christians have in the spiritual realm that can solely defeat the power of Satan. The amount of God’s word within us is the only source of our faith and power that can overcome the devils kingdom.
These are the facts and reasons why we need to guard our spirit man. We are in a battle to protect our spirit man. The devil knows that sometimes he does not even need to work very hard to weaken the faith of Christians, all he need to do is simply attack their physical bodies, thoughts and their feelings every day, and eventually many will quit to hold on to their faith, and eventually refuse to fight. Brothers and sisters, if we refuse to fight these daily battles by faith and by the word of God, the devil can successfully wear us down and make us lose our ground. Once you give up on your will to fight, he can take a hold of your whole being. Many Christians give up in their struggles during their battles in life because they begin to doubt God’s promises. Let us not allow Satan to deceive us. He knows that through Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the grave, he has been eternally defeated. When God raised Jesus from the dead, he has also resurrected us back to our original hierarchical position which has authority and dominion over all creation including Satan and his kingdom. Yes, we have been once again placed above Satan and his kingdom, and he has no right and authority to control us. However, Satan is still the greatest “Liar” in this whole universe, and he will never stop deceiving man as long as he can do it just as he did to Eve in the garden. It is time for us to stop being victims of his lies. It’s time for us Christians, to gear up with God’s word, and be ready to fight these battles daily by faith. We already have the victory that God has promised us. Let’s stand on these promises and receive our victory. Saints, accept that we are in a constant battle in this earth, but God through his word, has already designated us as “victors” and promised us victory through it all according to 2 Corinthians 2:14. So, let us fight the battle as we stand on God’s promises. Every time we face any struggle or trials in life, let us remind ourselves of this fact: Through God’s word and promises, we already know the outcome of every battle, WE WIN! So let’s fight every battle, stand our ground, and win it all.
DECLARE:
"I am God's champion and I am ready to face every battle in my life. I refuse to submit to my flesh and every demonic influences in my life. I will remain committed to God, my Lord. I will continue to grow in His wisdom and power and completely fulfill His will and plan for my life. God has promised me victory through Jesus Christ in every test, trials and tribulation, therefore, I will not fear. I will fight in faith, stand in His promises and win every battle."
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Thursday, December 11, 2008
GET UP! CHRISTIANS DON'T DO "HOLIDAY BLUES"
This coming Christmas, many will be feeling what we call the ‘Holiday Blues”. Many will feel lonely, down and depressed. But we Christians ought not to be feeling the same. This “Holiday Blues” does not apply to us because our joy is not dependent upon any seasons or situations. Our joy comes from our fellowship with God (1 John 1:3-4; Psalms 21:6). God promised that through His Spirit, we will have constant joy and freedom in our lives (2 Corinthians 3:17) and His joy will continually give us strength (Nehemiah 8:10). However, because we are still in this physical body, sometimes we can easily be tempted or influenced by the flesh to entertain negative thoughts (if we allow them to linger). Our thoughts constantly bombard our mind to succumb to these feelings of inferiority, dissatisfaction, weakness, lack and self pity. But as children of God, we ought not to be living under these kinds of feelings. We ought to be living in the spirit and living victoriously through our God given faith and promises (Romans 1:17, 1 John 5:4). Yes, there are challenges and sufferings in life, but if we are in God, His promise to us is: we will have full deliverance and victory from them all (2 Corinthians 2:14). Yes, occasional feelings of loneliness and depression may come, because as humans with bad habits, we usually focus only in our present situations. We tend to rely only in our own abilities rather than depend on the all powerful God. As children of God, we have the authority and power not to accept these thoughts. We should always remind ourselves of His everlasting promise of hope, and greater future as we abide in Him and His plan (Jeremiah 29:11). If we are in a rut and feeling depressed, we need to realize that our God is always there for us: to save, restore and to bring deliverance. We don’t need to get stuck in these negative thoughts and feelings or even stay in these negative situations, 1 Corinthians 10:13, says, our God will always provide deliverance from all of our tests and trials in life. You see, that is the difference between the people that do not know God, and the children of God - when we encounter any test, trials and tribulations in life, we, his children, were given the promise of victory and hope by our God through it all. That is why, we can still rejoice and be at peace even when we are in the midst of our difficulties.
Another reason why many Christians become down, depressed, and hopeless, not just during Holidays, but in their lives is because they either do not know who they are in Christ or have forgotten who they are through Jesus. Many Christians decided to walk away from their faith. They have given up on their God. They become jealous of what the world has that they began to rationalize why they need to do things on their own way. They began to justify and form their own reasoning. They chose to walk in the flesh looking for some permanent fix, but they will never be met. Many will choose to live a worldly lifestyle as if God do not exist at all. A Christian who knows Christ, yet decides to live a secular life based on the standards of this world, will be more accountable towards his actions, and will receive a far greater judgment (James 4:17, Luke 12:48). A Christian who desires to be accepted by the world rather than be accepted by God is fooling himself. He follows a lifestyle of vanity and lives selfishly, yet he will never be satisfied. He compares his accomplishments and acquisition of things based on what the world view as successful, but as he willfully neglects the plan of God in his life, he denies himself of the only thing that can save him from self destruction or usher him towards God's eternal peace, joy and hope.
Here is another reason why I think Christians become weary and become hopeless in their lives: Some people pray and ask God for a particular thing they desire, but instead of walking by faith, they decide to create a timetable for God to answer their prayers. If they did not get what they prayed within that particular time frame, they become frustrated, and began to depend on their own ability and knowledge. Some become bitter towards God and decides to cut off their fellowship with Him. Their impatience forced them to venture and seek the world for answers. Their lust of worldly things then drives them away from God and his protection – which also drives them away from their divine blessings, guidance and destiny. Unfortunately, many Christians make their own plans in their lives first, then ask God to bless it, rather than depend and seek God's guidance and plan in their lives. These Christians who gauge their lives according to the standards of this world will never be at peace, and will never truly experience the joy of the Lord in their lives. Why? – Because, they will not have the strength of God – the power and anointing that can give them peace and joy in the midst of trouble. Satan will continue to deceive them and make them believe that they are doing just fine because according to the standards of this earth they are “normal”. However, their emptiness inside which was once filled with the spirit of God is now growing and creating a greater void and emptiness within their soul and spirit. The fact is, there is nothing in this earth that can ever fill this void but God. Without God, there is no true and lasting peace and joy. Conversely, they will never attain the blessed and powerful life of God for his children because it is only available to those who seek and walk in his divine plan. Their lives will become nothing but continuous emotional ups and downs, filled with emptiness and with no stability. Ephesians 2:12 says, that without Jesus Christ, we will have no hope. Christians who choose to straddle between God and the world will be unstable in all there ways (James 1:8). That is why Romans 12:2 says Do not conform to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” God wants us to change our thinking towards God’s standard, wisdom and character.
God’s desire for His children is to live a life that is full of joy and peace. But to have this God kind of life, we need to realize who the source of life is - the almighty and powerful God himself. John 10:10 says that his desire for us is not only to have life, but to have an abundant life. That means to live a life that knows no lack and limitation. Abundance includes joy, peace and total wholeness in our being (3 John 2). So, if you are a Christian, begin to know who you are in Christ. But don’t stop there, start claiming what belongs to you through Jesus Christ and begin to live it. Don't give up and become impatient. Stick to his promises and be determined to live his plan for your life. In him we have joy, peace, blessings, protection, healing and victory. So don’t have no “Holiday Blues”, it does not belong to you. Leave that to the world. Get up, stay up and start living in Christ. Jesus was sent to us as a gift that Christmas evening in Bethlehem so that we can have the fullness of God’s life here in earth, (as how he wills for us to live in heaven) Matthew 6:10. This life is the life of victory – the life that knows no limit. So, dear friends, have no “Christmas Blues”, rather let’s keep our fellowship with God and start living in joy, peace and in victory! This holiday season, let us control our thought life and live according to His will, then get ready for a total wholeness in our being: spirit, soul and body. Let us continue to praise and thank God as we receive his goodness, mercy and blessings in our life this Holiday season. Merry Christmas everyone!!
Prayer: Lord God, thank you for what Jesus has done for me. Thank you that through Jesus I have joy, peace, blessings, deliverance, protection, healing and victory. I will not allow this “Holiday Blues” to have any place in my life on any season. As a child of God, I live by faith. I change my thinking towards the things of God, and I choose to live in the spirit - for where the spirit of the Lord, there is liberty. I choose to live in God’s divine plan for my life and that is a life of victory. Amen
Another reason why many Christians become down, depressed, and hopeless, not just during Holidays, but in their lives is because they either do not know who they are in Christ or have forgotten who they are through Jesus. Many Christians decided to walk away from their faith. They have given up on their God. They become jealous of what the world has that they began to rationalize why they need to do things on their own way. They began to justify and form their own reasoning. They chose to walk in the flesh looking for some permanent fix, but they will never be met. Many will choose to live a worldly lifestyle as if God do not exist at all. A Christian who knows Christ, yet decides to live a secular life based on the standards of this world, will be more accountable towards his actions, and will receive a far greater judgment (James 4:17, Luke 12:48). A Christian who desires to be accepted by the world rather than be accepted by God is fooling himself. He follows a lifestyle of vanity and lives selfishly, yet he will never be satisfied. He compares his accomplishments and acquisition of things based on what the world view as successful, but as he willfully neglects the plan of God in his life, he denies himself of the only thing that can save him from self destruction or usher him towards God's eternal peace, joy and hope.
Here is another reason why I think Christians become weary and become hopeless in their lives: Some people pray and ask God for a particular thing they desire, but instead of walking by faith, they decide to create a timetable for God to answer their prayers. If they did not get what they prayed within that particular time frame, they become frustrated, and began to depend on their own ability and knowledge. Some become bitter towards God and decides to cut off their fellowship with Him. Their impatience forced them to venture and seek the world for answers. Their lust of worldly things then drives them away from God and his protection – which also drives them away from their divine blessings, guidance and destiny. Unfortunately, many Christians make their own plans in their lives first, then ask God to bless it, rather than depend and seek God's guidance and plan in their lives. These Christians who gauge their lives according to the standards of this world will never be at peace, and will never truly experience the joy of the Lord in their lives. Why? – Because, they will not have the strength of God – the power and anointing that can give them peace and joy in the midst of trouble. Satan will continue to deceive them and make them believe that they are doing just fine because according to the standards of this earth they are “normal”. However, their emptiness inside which was once filled with the spirit of God is now growing and creating a greater void and emptiness within their soul and spirit. The fact is, there is nothing in this earth that can ever fill this void but God. Without God, there is no true and lasting peace and joy. Conversely, they will never attain the blessed and powerful life of God for his children because it is only available to those who seek and walk in his divine plan. Their lives will become nothing but continuous emotional ups and downs, filled with emptiness and with no stability. Ephesians 2:12 says, that without Jesus Christ, we will have no hope. Christians who choose to straddle between God and the world will be unstable in all there ways (James 1:8). That is why Romans 12:2 says Do not conform to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” God wants us to change our thinking towards God’s standard, wisdom and character.
God’s desire for His children is to live a life that is full of joy and peace. But to have this God kind of life, we need to realize who the source of life is - the almighty and powerful God himself. John 10:10 says that his desire for us is not only to have life, but to have an abundant life. That means to live a life that knows no lack and limitation. Abundance includes joy, peace and total wholeness in our being (3 John 2). So, if you are a Christian, begin to know who you are in Christ. But don’t stop there, start claiming what belongs to you through Jesus Christ and begin to live it. Don't give up and become impatient. Stick to his promises and be determined to live his plan for your life. In him we have joy, peace, blessings, protection, healing and victory. So don’t have no “Holiday Blues”, it does not belong to you. Leave that to the world. Get up, stay up and start living in Christ. Jesus was sent to us as a gift that Christmas evening in Bethlehem so that we can have the fullness of God’s life here in earth, (as how he wills for us to live in heaven) Matthew 6:10. This life is the life of victory – the life that knows no limit. So, dear friends, have no “Christmas Blues”, rather let’s keep our fellowship with God and start living in joy, peace and in victory! This holiday season, let us control our thought life and live according to His will, then get ready for a total wholeness in our being: spirit, soul and body. Let us continue to praise and thank God as we receive his goodness, mercy and blessings in our life this Holiday season. Merry Christmas everyone!!
Prayer: Lord God, thank you for what Jesus has done for me. Thank you that through Jesus I have joy, peace, blessings, deliverance, protection, healing and victory. I will not allow this “Holiday Blues” to have any place in my life on any season. As a child of God, I live by faith. I change my thinking towards the things of God, and I choose to live in the spirit - for where the spirit of the Lord, there is liberty. I choose to live in God’s divine plan for my life and that is a life of victory. Amen
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
DON'T JUST LIVE, LIVE WELL
Don't just live but LIVE WELL!!! Friends, God want us all to live a joyful and abundant life. John 10:10 says, "I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly" I am confident to state that nobody desires to be miserable in life. Every one of us wants to be happy and fulfilled in life. We have an earnest desire to live a life that is full of joy, full of health or strength, fully provided and living in total peace. A Life as John describes "more abundantly".
So how can we attain this kind of life? The verse says, Jesus came in this world so that we can have this kind of life. So my friend, why not let him "come" into your life right now? Why not allow Him to be a part of your daily affairs? The only way we can achieve this abundant life is to have Jesus Christ in our life. In other word, the criteria for this joyful, blessed and abundant life, is a SURRENDERED LIFE IN CHRIST.
If you are always miserable or feeling unfulfilled in your life, do a heart check. You may still not be fully surrendered to him. The bible says in Isaiah 1:19, "If you be willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land". The only way we can be fulfilled in this life is if we put God first in our lives - If we demonstrate our willingness and obedience to our calling.
God wants us to live a life that is rich and full. So, never ever settle in less than God's desire for your life. Don't just live but LIVE WELL!This message is just a reminder from the Conquerors+ club who understands that a joyful and blessed life is always putting God first place in our lives (taking care of the spiritual matters first in our life). By focusing and strengthening our spirit man first, our soul and body will be much more manageable. God's eternal equation is this:
Surrender = Success
Therefore, let us fully surrender our whole being to Him-spirit, soul and body, and watch Him transform our lives to success.
So how can we attain this kind of life? The verse says, Jesus came in this world so that we can have this kind of life. So my friend, why not let him "come" into your life right now? Why not allow Him to be a part of your daily affairs? The only way we can achieve this abundant life is to have Jesus Christ in our life. In other word, the criteria for this joyful, blessed and abundant life, is a SURRENDERED LIFE IN CHRIST.
If you are always miserable or feeling unfulfilled in your life, do a heart check. You may still not be fully surrendered to him. The bible says in Isaiah 1:19, "If you be willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land". The only way we can be fulfilled in this life is if we put God first in our lives - If we demonstrate our willingness and obedience to our calling.
God wants us to live a life that is rich and full. So, never ever settle in less than God's desire for your life. Don't just live but LIVE WELL!This message is just a reminder from the Conquerors+ club who understands that a joyful and blessed life is always putting God first place in our lives (taking care of the spiritual matters first in our life). By focusing and strengthening our spirit man first, our soul and body will be much more manageable. God's eternal equation is this:
Surrender = Success
Therefore, let us fully surrender our whole being to Him-spirit, soul and body, and watch Him transform our lives to success.
CALLED TO BE A BLESSING
Have you been wondering what your calling in life is? Are you frustrated and exhausted trying figure out your purpose and mission in life? Well, let me tell you to just relax. Though I believe having a vision for our future is very important, I also believe that worrying about our future can be destructive. Jesus said in Matthew 6:34 (NIV), "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself." I believe that Jesus did not only come down here in earth to die for our salvation, he also came to show us how to live an abundant life. Jesus said in John 10:10, " I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly." You see, God wants for us to live an abundant life and not a bogged down from worry kind of life. So stop worrying about your future and start living today.
If you really want to know your calling in life, here it is: GOD CALLED YOU TO BE A BLESSING TO OTHERS. Yes, that's right, to be a blessing. How do we bless others? By showing the love of God through our GIVING. The bible teaches us principles of giving. For example, in Luke 6:38, it says, "Give and it shall be given unto you." If you have not noticed, many people in this world are in need of food, clothing, and shelter. They desperately need our help. But of course, the need is not only confined in material things. If you will just focus for a moment on the people around you, you will discover that some are in need of comfort and encouragement because they are hurting. Do you know that you can be a blessing to these people by giving them comfort through the word of God? By simply taking time to listen to their difficulties and motivating them in God's word, you become a blessig. So let's take time to bless people. LET US GIVE.
The fact is, you don't have to go across the world and minister as an evangelist to be a blessing to people? Just look around you, look at the people that are most closest to you: your family, loved ones, neighbors, and friends. They may be the ones who desperately need your help. Reach out to them and be a blessing. Spend some time with them and find out their needs. I really believe that this is the first arena where we ought to be proving our faithfulness to God. It may seem insignificant because it is not a so called "major mission" like that of Billy Graham's ministries. But as Luke 16:10 says, " He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much." So be faithful on your calling today. That is, TO BE A BLESSING TO OTHERS. Be a blessing to those people whom God led to your life. Who knows, God may proved you faithful and calls you to do a major mission for Him in the future. But you have to prove yourself to him right NOW- TODAY.
Let me warn you though, that being a blessing to others is not that all easy. Never ever expect that all people will appreciate you. Because the fact is, you will sometimes feel mistreated. Other people will take advantage of you, abuse you, criticize you, and others will reject you. There are two verses that I would like for you to remember, if in case you encounter such situation:
1) Matthew 10:16 -- be wise as serpent and gentle as a dove.2) I Corinthians 13:8 -- love never fails.
Never, ever, be discouraged, for our Lord God's commandment remains the same: LOVE THEM. Be aware that as God wants for us to LOVE, GIVE, and BLESS, the devil is also out there to counter this with hate, pride, and greed. Therefore, let us remain sensitive to the Spirit of God so that we'll be able to walk consistently to our calling and avoid Satan's trap. I have realized years ago that whenever I focused on other people's need, the more my life become fulfilled. I also learned that the more a person becomes self-focused or self-centered, the more he or she becomes miserable and unfulfilled in life. This is also true in all relationships. If each person in every relationship will only be more sensitive to the other person's need, the more healthy and lasting the relationship will be. So let's try not to focus on ourselves too much. Let's not be self-centered but others-centered. Let us learn to reach out to others and accomplish God's calling in our life. Jesus said in Matthew 25:40 , "verily I say unto you, in as much as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." It means that whenever we bless people who are in need, we have done it to God. So let us show how much we love God by giving our best to other people. Let's walk on our calling today. LET'S BE A BLESSING!
DECLARE:
"I will not worry about my future for I know exactly my purpose and calling in life today. God wants me to be a blessing to others. Therefore in obedience to Him, I will learn to give, especially to those who are in need, knowing that when I give, it is as if I'm doing it to my Lord God. I love my Lord, therefore, I will give."
(Originally published on VIF, a Nathan Negosa's personal goodnewsletter, 1996)
If you really want to know your calling in life, here it is: GOD CALLED YOU TO BE A BLESSING TO OTHERS. Yes, that's right, to be a blessing. How do we bless others? By showing the love of God through our GIVING. The bible teaches us principles of giving. For example, in Luke 6:38, it says, "Give and it shall be given unto you." If you have not noticed, many people in this world are in need of food, clothing, and shelter. They desperately need our help. But of course, the need is not only confined in material things. If you will just focus for a moment on the people around you, you will discover that some are in need of comfort and encouragement because they are hurting. Do you know that you can be a blessing to these people by giving them comfort through the word of God? By simply taking time to listen to their difficulties and motivating them in God's word, you become a blessig. So let's take time to bless people. LET US GIVE.
The fact is, you don't have to go across the world and minister as an evangelist to be a blessing to people? Just look around you, look at the people that are most closest to you: your family, loved ones, neighbors, and friends. They may be the ones who desperately need your help. Reach out to them and be a blessing. Spend some time with them and find out their needs. I really believe that this is the first arena where we ought to be proving our faithfulness to God. It may seem insignificant because it is not a so called "major mission" like that of Billy Graham's ministries. But as Luke 16:10 says, " He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much." So be faithful on your calling today. That is, TO BE A BLESSING TO OTHERS. Be a blessing to those people whom God led to your life. Who knows, God may proved you faithful and calls you to do a major mission for Him in the future. But you have to prove yourself to him right NOW- TODAY.
Let me warn you though, that being a blessing to others is not that all easy. Never ever expect that all people will appreciate you. Because the fact is, you will sometimes feel mistreated. Other people will take advantage of you, abuse you, criticize you, and others will reject you. There are two verses that I would like for you to remember, if in case you encounter such situation:
1) Matthew 10:16 -- be wise as serpent and gentle as a dove.2) I Corinthians 13:8 -- love never fails.
Never, ever, be discouraged, for our Lord God's commandment remains the same: LOVE THEM. Be aware that as God wants for us to LOVE, GIVE, and BLESS, the devil is also out there to counter this with hate, pride, and greed. Therefore, let us remain sensitive to the Spirit of God so that we'll be able to walk consistently to our calling and avoid Satan's trap. I have realized years ago that whenever I focused on other people's need, the more my life become fulfilled. I also learned that the more a person becomes self-focused or self-centered, the more he or she becomes miserable and unfulfilled in life. This is also true in all relationships. If each person in every relationship will only be more sensitive to the other person's need, the more healthy and lasting the relationship will be. So let's try not to focus on ourselves too much. Let's not be self-centered but others-centered. Let us learn to reach out to others and accomplish God's calling in our life. Jesus said in Matthew 25:40 , "verily I say unto you, in as much as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." It means that whenever we bless people who are in need, we have done it to God. So let us show how much we love God by giving our best to other people. Let's walk on our calling today. LET'S BE A BLESSING!
DECLARE:
"I will not worry about my future for I know exactly my purpose and calling in life today. God wants me to be a blessing to others. Therefore in obedience to Him, I will learn to give, especially to those who are in need, knowing that when I give, it is as if I'm doing it to my Lord God. I love my Lord, therefore, I will give."
(Originally published on VIF, a Nathan Negosa's personal goodnewsletter, 1996)
JUST LIKE JESUS
Do you know that you can be like Jesus? Of course you can. We can be just like he was when he was here in earth. We can be as compassionate, forgiving , loving, bold, humble and powerful as He was. I understand that it may seem impossible to act like him in some situations we face in life. But you know what? The bible says we can, and we can do it through the help of His Holy Spirit. Do you realize that when you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior that you have become one with God in Spirit? Well, whether you know it our not, yes, you have.
1 Corinthians 6:17 says, "But he that is joined unto the lord is one spirit". Do you know what that means? It means, an ability to be like Him. So, when somebody did you wrong or when you are tempted to hate your enemies, before you do something foolish, think of how Jesus would act on your situation. Then, think about your ability in the spirit to do the same. That's when you'll know, that you can overcome. Galatians 5:22 gives us a good picture of God's character that we can pattern our lives with. It says, "But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control". And if you can develop these traits in you, I believe that doing Matthew 5:44 will be of no problem to you. You'll be able to do as the verse says: "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you".
Do you know that as you have received some physical traits from your biological father, you also have received some spiritual traits from your Spiritual father? It's just that these spiritual traits has not been developed yet in you. The only way you can develop this, is by spending time with him: by studying his word, prayer and obedience. The problem is, we sometimes spend most of our time with the wrong guy-the devil: the father of this world and the father of all lies. This may not be new to you, but have you come across some supposed mature and godly people and later on realized that their lifestyle totally contradicts the word of God? The bible says that by their fruits, ye shall know them. So keep watch on these kinds of people. Lift them up on your prayers, but if they choose to continue in their ways, stay away from them. Don't allow the devil to rub off his traits on you. Protect the anointing of God in your life. Spend more time with the Spirit of God, then next thing you know, you're acting just like Jesus.
Declare:
"I am a child of God and I have his character. I will develop the fruit of the spirit of God in my life. I am full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. I will not settle for anything less. I will not compromise with the devil's character. I am just like Jesus."
(Originally published on VIF, Nathan Negosa's personal goodnewsletter, 1996)
1 Corinthians 6:17 says, "But he that is joined unto the lord is one spirit". Do you know what that means? It means, an ability to be like Him. So, when somebody did you wrong or when you are tempted to hate your enemies, before you do something foolish, think of how Jesus would act on your situation. Then, think about your ability in the spirit to do the same. That's when you'll know, that you can overcome. Galatians 5:22 gives us a good picture of God's character that we can pattern our lives with. It says, "But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control". And if you can develop these traits in you, I believe that doing Matthew 5:44 will be of no problem to you. You'll be able to do as the verse says: "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you".
Do you know that as you have received some physical traits from your biological father, you also have received some spiritual traits from your Spiritual father? It's just that these spiritual traits has not been developed yet in you. The only way you can develop this, is by spending time with him: by studying his word, prayer and obedience. The problem is, we sometimes spend most of our time with the wrong guy-the devil: the father of this world and the father of all lies. This may not be new to you, but have you come across some supposed mature and godly people and later on realized that their lifestyle totally contradicts the word of God? The bible says that by their fruits, ye shall know them. So keep watch on these kinds of people. Lift them up on your prayers, but if they choose to continue in their ways, stay away from them. Don't allow the devil to rub off his traits on you. Protect the anointing of God in your life. Spend more time with the Spirit of God, then next thing you know, you're acting just like Jesus.
Declare:
"I am a child of God and I have his character. I will develop the fruit of the spirit of God in my life. I am full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. I will not settle for anything less. I will not compromise with the devil's character. I am just like Jesus."
(Originally published on VIF, Nathan Negosa's personal goodnewsletter, 1996)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
