ISAIAH 41:10 FEAR NOT... DISMAY NOT

[joaniemarie]

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[TD="class: yiv5066081421mcnTextContent, align: center"]Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
Isaiah 41:10[/TD]
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[TD="class: yiv5066081421mcnTextContent"][h=2]- JULY 24 -
GOD IS WITH YOU UPHOLDING YOU[/h][HR][/HR]
It is easy to say, “Praise the Lord! Hallelujah!” when times are good. It is easy to believe that God loves you when you are on the mountain top enjoying the sunshine. But what happens when you are down in the dark valley surrounded by your enemies?

Perhaps today, you are in the valley of marital, financial or bodily trouble, and you are asking, “Where is God?”

My friend, He is right there with you. The God of the valleys says to you, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

When King Jehoshaphat was surrounded and outnumbered by his enemies, the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel and he said to the king, “Don’t be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you. Don’t fear or be dismayed. Tomorrow, go out against them for the Lord is with you.” (2 Chronicles 20:14–17)

What King Jehoshaphat did next was brilliant. He acted with wisdom from on high. Instead of putting his commandos in front, he put worshipers in front! What did the worshipers sing? They sang of God’s love for them—“Praise the Lord for His love endures forever!” And God utterly destroyed their enemies! (2 Chronicles 20:21–23, NIV)

Beloved, it is not the trials that make us strong, but our responses in those trials. The devil wants us to respond by asking, “Where is God?” But God wants us to respond with faith in His love for us. We are more than conquerors not because of our love for Him, but through Him who loves us. (Romans 8:37)

So whatever valley you are in today, don’t be afraid. God is there with you strengthening and upholding you. Just sing of His love for you and let Him fight your battles for you!

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Destined To Reign Devotional by Pastor Joseph Prince

 

[joaniemarie]

Because we live on earth we will have tribulation. Because Adam sinned and lost his first place and gave it over to the enemy in his and Eve's foolishness. They got tricked and mankind's lives and mankind's position got stolen. Everything got cursed because of sin. But then Jesus came and took it all back. He took the curse upon Himself. He took the sin of the world upon Himself. And the Bible tells us He offers everyone freedom In Him and from the second death.

Many believers have not been taught that they are no longer cursed with the rest of the world. So when promises come like the one in Isaiah 41:10 many of us have instead contemplated that "

yes., God is there but I won't see His hand until I've already suffered all the things I'm afraid of because of the curse. I can even die but will see His hand in heaven and not here on earth because of the curse."

But I've since learned that by faith we will attain the promises just like by grace through faith we were saved.

Daring to live a life of faith is what will acquire these promises. Without faith the promises just sit there without anyone going and getting them. King Jehoshaphat was surrounded and outnumbered. Many of us are surrounded and outnumbered. The Spirit of the Lord came upon King J and the Holy Spirit already is in us believers today. He doesn't come upon or leave us. He's already in us.

The battle of life is not ours but God's just like back then for King J. We are supposed to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord who is with us. Like King J, to be wise and remember the Lord's love for us and praise Him for what He has done. That He loves us and that IN Jesus we have been given all things pertaining to life and godliness. We will see the promises come true and the Lord's hand will be obvious in our life and trials. (even if we never knew how to do this before He will show us how) What He's done for others He'll do for you.

The enemy will always try to get us to question the goodness and love of God and to walk in a wacky confusion of will God? or won't God? But the HolySpirit wants us to understand that faith in Christ's sufficiency is the victory., by grace through faith. When we respond having faith in His goodness and love and provision for us IN Jesus, our faith causes us to be in agreement with God and then He is free to work in our lives. IN Christ we have all these things., not in our own righteousness.

Yes., many Christians say "God is sovereign He doesn't need our permission!" No.,He doesn't., but He works only when we believe Jesus is our standing by faith. He never forces us to believe He is good and loving all the time because Jesus stands in our place at all times. He never forces us to pray either or to worship Him. But when we do we will see Him working in our lives even at the moments of worship we will just be joyful we are IN Him and know such a gracious God. His Spirit ministers to our spirit that we are the son's of God. He also gives us confidence in our position in Christ and the ability to ask and know it will be given.

 

[Grace777x70]

Amen!

We live in a fallen world because of sin being released into it and we will have tribulation come at us but it is not from our Father. He can make any situation that is intended for evil for the good and that is one thing that makes Him - God.

We have as our enemy while in this earth - the world's system of belief, the flesh and the devil and Jesus has overcome all 3 and He is one spirit with us - the new creation that is in Christ.

Ephesians 6:10-13 (NASB)
[SUP]10 [/SUP] Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.

[SUP]11 [/SUP] Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

[SUP]12 [/SUP] For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

[SUP]13 [/SUP] Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

Notice that there isn’t any armor for our backs. We have to stand and face the devil for this armor to work. Turning our backs and running leaves us vulnerable to his attacks.

So, we humble ourselves under God and we agree with what He says about us because we are in Christ - and then we receive His grace. God gives grace to the humble who's total reliance in on Christ and in what He has already done.

We fight the good fight of faith. Faith in Christ's work alone for life and living.

 

[joaniemarie]

Giving time for the unfolding of God's plan I'm discovering is major for me as I wait. We do live in time and space as humans and I've seen that the Lord deals with us with keeping in mind we are but dust. But even if our faith is small, He will give us answers as we go. I'm healed as I go... 10 fold and 20 fold or percent. It doesn't always happen like a giant avalanche of snow dumped on top. It has happened for some that way yes and that is awesome. But so far in my life, He has sort of taken my hand and walked me through so I've been able to observe.

The Holy Spirit shows me that my old mind set of who God is has to be disposed of. That those religious ideas although some of them were given to me by respected religions that had warm feelings and family involved., I had to dispose of many of their teachings. And re-learn who God IN Christ really is. Who the Holy Spirit is and how He works. What being righteous in Christ really means.

Although many of the fundamental teachings of the faith were very good., some of them were not. And the Holy Spirit is actively teaching believers today how to dispose of the false and hold onto the truth and add to our faith more of His great and precious truths and promises.

 

[joaniemarie]

Amen!

We live in a fallen world because of sin being released into it and we will have tribulation come at us but it is not from our Father. He can make any situation that is intended for evil for the good and that is one thing that makes Him - God.

We have as our enemy while in this earth - the world's system of belief, the flesh and the devil and Jesus has overcome all 3 and He is one spirit with us - the new creation that is in Christ.

Ephesians 6:10-13 (NASB)
[SUP]10 [/SUP] Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.

[SUP]11 [/SUP] Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

[SUP]12 [/SUP] For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

[SUP]13 [/SUP] Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

Notice that there isn’t any armor for our backs. We have to stand and face the devil for this armor to work. Turning our backs and running leaves us vulnerable to his attacks.

So, we humble ourselves under God and we agree with what He says about us because we are in Christ - and then we receive His grace. God gives grace to the humble who's total reliance in on Christ and in what He has already done.

We fight the good fight of faith. Faith in Christ's work alone for life and living.

It goes against the "religious" mindset I've always had deeply ingrained inside when I read what you wrote here Grace777 about first we have to humble ourselves and then agree with what He says having a total reliance on Christ and what He has done., and then He gives grace to the humble.

Past teachings used to come pouring out asking; What about my actions and what I have done or have not done? But today I'm so thankful that the truth of that question is found the same way. "total reliance on Christ and what He has done, we fight the good fight of faith. Faith in Christ's work alone for life and living" Amen!!

Depending on what Jesus is and what Jesus has done brings the freedom and the promises to be able to endure patiently living here on earth. The voices of my religious past do not come up strong anymore the way they used to.

 

[stonesoffire]

Just one comment. We do live in time and space, but not limited by it because we are Spiritual.

If we look at the greek concerning the miracles of Jesus, we see that He superceded time, space, order, and rank. Something I saw years ago, but am only learning of now. Totally blows my mind!

 

[joaniemarie]

Hosea 4:6 says that His people die for lack of knowledge. We Christians can actually die due to our lack of knowledge of God and faith in Him and His promises. Jesus spoke in parables because of the lack of faith of people. There comes a time when we should not cast our pearls before swine. Basically meaning to give wonderful things to people who will dump it and treat is as worthless.

There are people who take the things of God and what he does through His Holy Spirit and credit it to the devil. That was a major sin back in the day. Today the lack of belief in Christ is the unpardonable sin. And that has it's end result when someone dies without Christ because they would not believe and they go to hell.

But today the lack of knowledge we have of the Bible and the HolySpirit can kill us. What we know about God and His promises can give us life and health and peace. But what we don't know about God can actually kill us. Or make us sick or cause poverty and confusion and all kinds of horrible things for us as believers. God won't stop us from going our own way and believing our own way. I refused to believe many truths about Jesus and suffered because of my refusal to accept the truths of God.

God didn't force me to accept His truth and He didn't punish me either. Jesus already took my punishment and judgment so no more judgment came from my Father. But what did happen is I allowed myself to go a certain path and suffered because of my own foolish choices. God's will for me was something else but I didn't believe or agree so I went my own route and based on the bad choices made., I suffered. God had good plans for me but I took another road thinking it was God's will when it was my own idea of what God said. I see it in the lives of many Christians also.

We Christians do and say lots of stuff thinking we are doing what is Biblical but it's actually not that at all. And because God will not force us to believe He is good and loving and gracious but wants us to believe He is those things., He will not force us to believe. He will allow us to waste our lives in sickness, in poverty, even unto death if we so chose. We will be saved but we will have wasted our lives in self sufficiency.

Just like it's not God's will for us to overeat and get fat and be unhealthy and ultimately die of accompanying sickness associated with our poor health habits., He will not force us to believe the many great pearls of wisdom and truth that are hidden in the Bible. Nor will the Holy Spirit force Himself upon us to be taught by Him.

 

[joaniemarie]

Just one comment. We do live in time and space, but not limited by it because we are Spiritual.

If we look at the greek concerning the miracles of Jesus, we see that He superceded time, space, order, and rank. Something I saw years ago, but am only learning of now. Totally blows my mind!

I agree with you stonesoffire, that He supersedes time and space in our lives just like Jesus did in the time He was here on earth. And He said that we too would do the same kind of works. People actually do many wonderful amazing things in the name of Jesus. But just like back then., not many believe. As a matter of fact., Mark 16:18 talks about we doing miracles like Jesus did and even raising people from the dead and such but it's totally dismissed by whole groups of believers so much so they have said it is not in the Bible.

[SUP]17 [/SUP]And these signs shall accompany them that believe: in my name shall they cast out demons; they shall speak with [SUP][a][/SUP]new tongues; [SUP]18 [/SUP]they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall in no wise hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
[SUP]19 [/SUP]So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken unto them, was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.

 

[joaniemarie]

And what stopped God from working in my life was not His will that He would not work in my life...., but my unbelief would not allow Him to much of anything. The world, the flesh and the devil had a major influence over me.

Just like Jesus could do not much in the place He was born due to the people's unbelief. They only saw him as the carpenters son. I looked around at the world and saw that good people were not healthy or cared for and many died just like the unsaved in the world. I'd allow my own eyes to distort the truth of God's Word and HolySpirit. I put more weight on what I saw and interpreted about God than what the Bible said and what the HolySpirit tried to show me about God.

 

[Rosemaryx]

Amen!

We live in a fallen world because of sin being released into it and we will have tribulation come at us but it is not from our Father. He can make any situation that is intended for evil for the good and that is one thing that makes Him - God.

We have as our enemy while in this earth - the world's system of belief, the flesh and the devil and Jesus has overcome all 3 and He is one spirit with us - the new creation that is in Christ.

Ephesians 6:10-13 (NASB)
[SUP]10 [/SUP] Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.

[SUP]11 [/SUP] Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

[SUP]12 [/SUP] For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

[SUP]13 [/SUP] Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

Notice that there isn’t any armor for our backs. We have to stand and face the devil for this armor to work. Turning our backs and running leaves us vulnerable to his attacks.

So, we humble ourselves under God and we agree with what He says about us because we are in Christ - and then we receive His grace. God gives grace to the humble who's total reliance in on Christ and in what He has already done.

We fight the good fight of faith. Faith in Christ's work alone for life and living.

Hi Grace...I was wondering to my self the other day, should we put on our armor suit everyday when God wakes us up, or just when trials come up against us...Do we need it on before we go out into the world ( Shopping etc ) sometimes i put it on every day, but to be honest i am not sure if i need to, would like some input please, thank you...xox...

 

[Grace777x70]

Hi Grace...I was wondering to my self the other day, should we put on our armor suit everyday when God wakes us up, or just when trials come up against us...Do we need it on before we go out into the world ( Shopping etc ) sometimes i put it on every day, but to be honest i am not sure if i need to, would like some input please, thank you...xox...

Hi Rosemaryx...good question!

I look at putting on the armor of God that it is believing in what Christ has already done for us. That He is the truth, that we have His righteousness..etc

We will grow in our understanding of this armor but it is not something we do as a work but it is more of a spiritual "awareness" of Christ Himself and our total reliance on Him.

It is a renewing of the mind to "see" what already is for us because we are in Christ. The outcome is that we stand in Him and in His finished work.

I used to "mentally put on the armor" but I don't do that anymore. Instead as I am going through life - when the thoughts come against me that are contrary to the life of Christ and His truth in me - I speak out what I believe Christ has already done for me and stand in that truth.

Sometimes all the strength I can muster is to say to the Lord. " For it is You that is at work in me both to will and to do of your good pleasure and I trust you to do that." Phil. 2:13

It seems that His grace then comes in and through me to walk out what is before me as I go through life.

I'm not sure if I answered your question but this is what I do concerning the armor of God. I would say also - go with what is in your heart to do in the season you are in. The Lord will be faithful to you to lead you in the way that you are to go.

 

[Rosemaryx]

Hi Rosemaryx...good question!

I look at putting on the armor of God that it is believing in what Christ has already done for us. That He is the truth, that we have His righteousness..etc

We will grow in our understanding of this armor but it is not something we do as a work but it is more of a spiritual "awareness" of Christ Himself and our total reliance on Him.

It is a renewing of the mind to "see" what already is for us because we are in Christ. The outcome is that we stand in Him and in His finished work.

I used to "mentally put on the armor" but I don't do that anymore. Instead as I am going through life - when the thoughts come against me that are contrary to the life of Christ and His truth in me - I speak out what I believe Christ has already done for me and stand in that truth.

Sometimes all the strength I can muster is to say to the Lord. " For it is You that is at work in me both to will and to do of your good pleasure and I trust you to do that." Phil. 2:13

It seems that His grace then comes in and through me to walk out what is before me as I go through life.

I'm not sure if I answered your question but this is what I do concerning the armor of God. I would say also - go with what is in your heart to do in the season you are in. The Lord will be faithful to you to lead you in the way that you are to go.

Thank you so much i understand that very well . So really i am always wearing my armor suit, always prepared for any battle that comes my way, i can lift up my shield against the fiery darts from the evil one, i shall always wear my helmet of Salvation on because i am a child of God, saved through the blood of my Lord Jesus Christ, I have my breast plate on to guard my heart and my belt of righteousness , of truth as i walk in my slippers of peace with my Lord, always ready for action in His name , Praise God, i shall never take it off again, it just would not seem right after our little chat lol, thank you Grace...xox...

 

[Rosemaryx]

Thank you so much i understand that very well . So really i am always wearing my armor suit, always prepared for any battle that comes my way, i can lift up my shield against the fiery darts from the evil one, i shall always wear my helmet of Salvation on because i am a child of God, saved through the blood of my Lord Jesus Christ, I have my breast plate on to guard my heart and my belt of righteousness , of truth as i walk in my slippers of peace with my Lord, always ready for action in His name , Praise God, i shall never take it off again, it just would not seem right after our little chat lol, thank you Grace...xox...

I almost forgot my Sword, oh my, would never get very far without the Word of God ...xox