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It is clear to me over the last months here on CC how very misunderstood prosperity for the Christian is perceived - even when the very word is used. Some Christians pounce on it as if you are talking about blatant sin. Even dear kind sweet Christians who I have come to respect here on CC lose sight of anything said after the words..."prosperity" or "word of faith"
All reasoning stops and only preconceived thoughts are able to bounce around their heads.
I left the bible study room frustrated that no matter what I tried to say it, I could not get through the preconcieved views of my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Even using the word "LOVE" was not safe because somehow I didn't also talk of judgment.
I was accused of preaching a false gospel. When I shared about how the Lord had taken my life and brought it out of the pit and onto solid ground, some accused me of not trusting in Jesus but only on what Jesus could do for me.
God is our Father and He loves us. He promises to take care of us and bring us out into a dry land. A place of safety and an abundant life that only He can give. And yet many Christians can only see the earthly problems around them and focus on the sad and temporal things this world has to offer.
Our minds are the place where many of our spiritual battles are won or lost. For those like me, our minds were full of fear and dread. Many were like me and did not leave the house, living in a world where they meet people on line only. Fear had taken hold in their minds and become part of who they are. But JESUS has more for us!!!. That is not who we are ANYMORE!
That is my testimony, He changed my mind (granted repentance) and gave it soundness where only fear and confusion ruled for years. The ugliness that we cannot understand or fathom is defeated each day because Jesus put us in the family. The death and destruction that God never created us for has been defeated IN CHRIST. We now walk as kings and priests in this present world. (but many call this a false gospel) (???????)
How often I hear Christians talk about the suffering dying saints of old. But NEVER do they talk about the joyful, victorious., excited to be alive Christians of old., and since they see no joyful Christians of old, they think there are NO joyful Christians now either! Yes, there were some joyous Christians in the Bible and many who wrote books of their joyful delightful life IN CHRIST. I am shocked so many Christians on CC do not want to even know about them or even believe we exsist!
We do and our numbers are increasing!!! Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation.... It must be world wide in Christian circles because my devotional this morning also says the first thing people do is think of the negative. Instinctively because of our human nature. BUT NOW WE HAVE A NEW NATURE and we are supposed to live by faith NOT by sight!!
1 Thess. 5:8 But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.
This means we CHOOSE to believe that this trial will pass and that GOD our Father will see us through.
Again, it says we will perservere , our preservation is in God's hands and His hands are solid and able. Even though we do NOT know what the next day will bring, our helmet of salvation gives us the ABILITY to have - good expectation - of God's hand IN our life. Not bad expectation of God NOT in our life. (He IS our life)
The rain falls on everyone but if you are a child of God it falls differently for sure on you!!!! But if you don't believe that and you refuse to trust God will abide, then the experience of faith will not be felt. This cannot be argued.
The mind is where these battles are waged. It pleases the Father when we trust Him and expect from Him. Why do so many Christians fight this truth tooth and nail?? Why is it preaching a false gospel to say I believe God loves us enough to follow through with His promises to care and love us?? To protect us and be on our side?? It is a truth that is sweet.
There is NO power when I lack faith in the Lord who secured my salvation IN HIS SON JESUS. I will not let Jesus sacrafice be in vein in my life by not believing what He says He will do. For all of us who walk the path of faith and see the horrors of the world and yet can walk in confidence INSPITE of the sickness and death all around us., I say keep up the good fight brothers and sisters! Believe regardless of what your eyes see!!!!!
Dare to believe what He said He will do and don't look at other people, but look to JESUS. He is the One we are told to behold.
Psalm 91 HE WHO DWELLS IN THE SECRET PLACE OF THE MOST HIGH WILL ABIDE UNDER THE SHADOW OF THE ALMIGHTY.
This is to be taken LITERALLY!!!
I WILL SAY (WE SHOULD SAY IT) OF THE LORD HE IS MY REFUGE AND MY FORTRESS, MY GOD, IN HIM WILL I TRUST. (not the bad news on tv or the weather reports)
FOR THEN HE WILL DELIVER YOU FROM THE SNARE OF THE FOWLER AND FROM THE DEADLY PESTILENCE...
like the deadly illnesses the news delivers us daily on tv and radio. Do we believe He will deliver us from those things?????? I submit to you in the Bible study room - what do you give weight to??? the illnesses., cancer.,, head choppings??? or that HE will deliver you from those things? I chose to believe He will deliver me. And you can too!
THEN HE WILL COVER YOU WITH HIS PINIONS AND UNDER HIS WINGS SHALL YOU TRUST AND FIND REFUGE; HIS TRUTH AND HIS FAITHFULNESS ARE A SHIELD AND A BUCKLER.
He is faithful!!!
YOU SHALL NOT BE AFRAID OF THE TERROR OF THE NIGHT, NOR OF THE ARROW THE EVIL PLOTS AND SLANDERS OF THE WICKED THAT FLIES BY DAY.
NOR OF THE PESTILENCE THAT STALKS IN THE DARKNESS, NOR OF THE DESTRUCTION AND SUDDEN DEATH THAT SURPRISE AND LAY WASTE AT NOONDAY.
It's always the sudden things that we fear will come upon us without warning. How much better life is when we don't even THINK that way any longer!!! He gives this ability!!
A THOUSAND MAY FALL AT YOUR SIDE, AND TEN THOUSAND AT YOUR RIGHT HAND, BUT IT SHALL NOT COME NEAR YOU.
At some point in our lives we either will believe this or not., or wonder why it is put in the bible and just sit on the fence not knowing what to think. I and many others who you call word of faith people., take this literally. And I also trust that I will not be put to shame for trusting in Him. I must walk by faith daily and not think like some of you in the bible study room said... "she is going to be surprised when horrible things happen and she is not protected." I accept by faith He will come through and that is all I need to understand. Faith is NOT about understanding ,, it is about believing what God promises against alllll odds. Heb. 11:1
ONLY A SPECTATOR SHALL YOU BE..YOURSELF INACCESSIBLE IN THE SECRET PLACE OF THE MOST HIGH AS YOU WITNESS THE REWARD OF THE WICKED
How is this possible??????? seeing it all around you and only being a spectator?? you yourself being inaccessible???? makes absolutely NO sense. Yet to accept it by faith gives life meaning.
BECAUSE YOU HAVE MADE THE LORD YOUR REFUGE AND THE MOST HIGH YOUR DWELLING PLACE.,
THERE SHALL NO EVIL BEFALL YOU, NOR ANY PLAGUE OR CALAMITY COME NEAR YOUR TENT.
FOR HE WILL GIVE HIS ANGELS ESPECIAL CHARGE OVER YOU TO ACCOMPANY AND DEFEND AND PRESERVE YOU IN ALL YOUR WAYS OF OBEDIENCE AND SERVICE.
THEY SHALL BEAR YOU UP ON THEIR HANDS LEST YOU DASH YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.
YOU SHALL TREAD UPON THE LION AND THE ADDER; THE YOUNG LION AND THE SERPENT SHALL YOU TRAMPLE UNDERFOOT
BECAUSE HE HAS SET HIS LOVE UPON ME, THEREFORE WILL I DELIVER HIM; I WILL SET HIM ON HIGH, BECAUSE HE KNOWS AND UNDERSTANDS MY NAME. HAS A PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE OF MY MERCY, LOVE, AND KINDNESS---TRUSTS AND RELIES ON ME, KNOWING I WILL NEVER FORSAKE HIM NO NEVER.
HE SHALL CALL UPON ME, AND I WILL ANSWER HIM; I WILL BE WITH HIM IN TROUBLE, I WILL DELIVER HIM AND HONOR HIM.
WITH LONG LIFE WILL I SATISFY HIM AND SHOW HIM MY SALVATION..
These verses are true., they are for us today. Don't be angry at those who are your brothers and sisters in Christ who have stepped forward and began to walk this road of faith. We don't understand Christians like George Mueller who actually prayed for the meal before it arrived as he confidently waited for God to feed the orphans. This kind of faith pleases the Father. Don't discourage Christians when they look with confident expectation that God will work in each situation.