THRIVING IN THE WORLD OF SPIRITUAL DROUGHT!

"The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.” (Isaiah 58:11, NKJV)

As we look at our world, we find ourselves in a spiritual desert. However, God has made provision for his people as they cultivate their relationship with him. This verse gives us hope as we make our way through the world.

First, we have God’s promise of guiding us continually. The Psalmist said, “My eyes are ever toward the Lord, For He shall pluck my feet out of the net.” (Psalm 25:15, NKJV) 

The Lord is TRUE NORTH on the compass of our life. If we fix our eyes on him, he will direct our steps and counsel us.

How does he satisfy our soul in drought? He does it through his Word. Scripture constantly reminds us of the necessity of our feeding our soul on the Word of God:

“So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.” (Deuteronomy 8:3, NKJV)

There were periods in David’s life when he had to strengthen himself in the Lord. This can be done through reflecting on God’s Word and reminding ourselves of his promises and provisions in the past. We also know his presence nourishes us as we look to him.

If we practice strengthening ourselves in the Word, we will be like a watered garden, an oasis in the middle of the desert. His Spirit can flow through us, making us like a stream whose waters do not fail.

In being a Kingdom Envoy and developing into a yield active believer, the Word of God is absolutely the central ingredient for thriving.

Today, ask yourself:
Am I thirsty?
In what ways does God satisfy my thirsty soul?

THE SPIRIT OPERATES!!

“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16, NIV)

There is a war inside of each of us. Though the old flesh always wants to reassert itself, the power of the Spirit can overcome it if we ask in faith for him to control how we think, feel, act, and talk. 

“The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.”
(Romans 8:6, NIV84) 

The mind is key. The battle first takes place in our head. Whoever controls our mind, controls us. It is crucial we set our minds on what the Spirit desires. 

“Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.” (Romans 8:5, NIV) 

“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” (Colossians 3:2, NIV84) 

Paul further wrote, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5, NIV) 

We can reject those thoughts that conflict with the will of God. By the power of the Spirit we can overcome the temptations of the flesh: “For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.” (Romans 8:13, NIV)

Furthermore, we learn that “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:24–25, NIV) 

This is the power of the cross working in our lives. “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”
(Galatians 6:14, NIV) 

By an act of our will, we must choose to be controlled by the Spirit. We initiate that by asking the Spirit to control our mind. We choose to set our mind on the things above, the things the Spirit desires and not on the things of the flesh. By the power of the Spirit we can put to death the misdeeds of the flesh, and bring our thought life into captive obedience to Christ.

May God help us to understand and incorporate these truths in our prayer life, through SOAK, SOW, and FLOW, seeing the reality of these concepts in our daily lives.

A Prayer for Today:

I ask you, Lord, to take control of how I think, feel, act, and talk. Help me to set my mind on the things above, the things of the Spirit, not the flesh. Help me to bring every thought into captive obedience to Christ today. I ask you to control my mind. In Jesus’ name I pray.

GOD'S WORD- LIKE FIRE/HAMMER

If I say, I will not make mention of [the Lord] or speak any more in His name, in my mind and heart it is as if there were a burning fire shut up in my bones. And I am weary of enduring and holding it in; I cannot [contain it any longer]. (Jeremiah 20:9, AMP) 

Jeremiah was the prophet who found the Word of God and ate it, and it became the delight of his heart. In this passage, Jeremiah is saying God’s Word is like a fire, a fire in both his heart and his bones that must be released or spoken in accordance with the mission God gave him.
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God’s Word is also like a hammer. “'Is not my word like fire,' declares the Lord, ‘and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?’” (Jeremiah 23:29, NIV)

God’s Word breaks the rock of “SELF” into pieces, so God can work his purposes out in our life, making it possible for us to use our 3 Ts—time, talent, and treasure—for kingdom purposes.

Christians today have the same “fire” 🔥 and "hammer" 🔨 in that we are commanded to go into all the world to share the gospel that brings forth both life and immortality for our generation. The stakes are high, and the time is short.

Scripture notes how we are a very special people, "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God's] own purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9, NIV)
Also, Colossians 1:12-14 KJV
Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: [13] Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: [14] In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

It is a God-given privilege to be a member of this great family of the redeemed, members of the church of the firstborn. We must perform these special functions that God has given us to do.

Not only are we to proclaim the praises of him to the world, but we are also called to praise and confess his name: “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” (Hebrews 13:15–16, NIV)

With our lips we express gratitude and praise to God in addition to openly confessing him before man.

Today, ask yourself: 

Have I found a way to become actively involved with the ARMY OF THE REDEEMED in bringing the gospel of life and immortality to light in my generation? Surely, I have something I can do to participate. I ask you, Lord, to direct my steps.

#KingdomPartakers
#KingdomEnvoys

WAKE UP!!!

“The captain went to him and said, ‘How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.’ ” (Jonah 1:6, NIV) 

How many Christians are living like this world is our final resting place, forgetting we are on mission with a spiritual battle raging all around us? The storms and turmoil we daily witness are the outward manifestations of what is going on behind the scenes in the spiritual world that we cannot see.

Jonah had fallen asleep in the bowels of the ship while those above were in fear of their lives in the midst of a great storm. Jonah was on a detour of his own by disobeying the instructions from God to go to Nineveh to preach repentance. Basically, he was following his own agenda and not God’s. He ultimately came to realize, “Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.” (Jonah 2:8, NIV84)

Jesus asked the same question of his disciples, “ ‘Why are you sleeping?’ he asked them. ‘Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.’ ” (Luke 22:46, NIV)

We are on mission and must stay the course. For all of us, eternity is fast approaching. God’s Word counsels us, “And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.” (Romans 13:11–12, NIV)

It also encourages us to “be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!”

(James 5:8–9, NIV)

The Lord, himself, counsels us to watch as the return of Christ can come at any time: “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’ ” (Mark 13:35–37, NIV)

“This is why it is said: ‘Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’ ”

(Ephesians 5:14, NIV)

In the meantime, we have the privilege to be about the work of the Lord in our everyday life. If we daily present ourselves to him as a living sacrifice, he can continue living his life through us, and we have the prospect of his favor shining on our lives. What a blessing and privilege!

“Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.” (Daniel 12:3, NIV)

Today, ask yourself: 

Am I following God’s agenda for me, or am I like Jonah, following my own agenda?

#ThisBlogIsAwake!

#KingdomEnvoysAreAwake!