Hi all,
When
I go to a store I usually have a list, and once inside the store I go
to item 1, then to item 2, then to item 3, and can be in and out within a
few minutes. Barb also has a list, but for some reason her list leads
her on a path resembling what a drunken sailor might walk when he leaves
a bar at 2am and tries to remember where he parked that aircraft carrier.
Neither
is the right or wrong way to go shopping, and we each end up with what
we went for, but...I better stop before I get into trouble and just make
my point.
When
the Lord gives us a promise it will happen, but how we are emotionally
between the promise and the time of the answer is either focused and
steadfast, or we wander all over our emotions and thoughts putting
ourselves through misery until the Father manifests the answer.
Today is about how to stand on the Word for a promise and remain steadfast.
How much faith do you have in what God told you?
Have
you ever wondered how Peter could be so sound asleep in jail* just
hours before his scheduled execution that the angel had to literally
strike him on the side to awaken him?
Have
you ever wondered why Paul just shook the viper off his hand* and
continued working, with no harm coming to him and no mention of concern
on his part? *Acts 12:7, 28:3-6
Faith in the Word and Word
In
John 21:18-19 Jesus indicates to Peter he will die by crucifixion 'when
you are old'. When Peter was in jail sound asleep awaiting execution in
Acts 12:7 it is no more than 12 years after Jesus told Peter how and
when he would die. In Acts 12 he was set to be executed by sword and he
wasn't old - so he was able to deeply sleep knowing he would somehow get
out of that situation.
In
Acts 27:24 while Paul is on board a ship being driven by a long lasting
storm, an angel appears to him and says 'Fear not Paul, you must be
brought before Caesar.' So when the venomous snake bit Paul right after
they were shipwrecked on Malta, he just threw it into the fire and went
on working because he knew he would be brought before Caesar.
Instead
of Peter questioning why he was in jail about to die when Jesus told
him something else, and instead of Paul being in fear because a
poisonous snake bit him and he was about to die in contradiction to what
the angel said, each man chose to believe what they'd been promised and
went on about their lives.
They used their brains
They had direction from the Lord, direct words, and they used their brains to think and reason.
People
of faith often lay aside common sense and logic once they receive a
prophecy, verse, or other promise they feel is from the Lord, often to
their own hurt and even death. They have a word but when things happen
contrary to that they run around like Barb's shopping method, only
instead of shopping they are in fear wandering here, there, and
everywhere looking for assurance God is still in control.
But
Peter and Paul were steadfast because they thought the promise through,
and disciplined their thoughts and emotions accordingly. The pondered
what they'd been told, giving them a quiet internal strength.
There
was a man who received a personal prophecy that he would get wealthy in
real estate. So without hesitation and without study, and without using
any common sense from the brain God gave him, he began buying homes to
then rent out. He mismanaged them because he hadn't educated himself
about the subject, went bankrupt, his wife left him, and he was homeless
for a time - and he blamed it on God who told him he said 'To get into
real estate'.
God
didn't tell him 'to get into real estate', and the legitimacy of the
prophecy is highly questionable because it was a single word not even in
the man's heart before that moment, and there were no other
confirmations, but using the prophecy he threw common sense out the
door, thinking God was his business partner.
He
is not. He is God. He isn't a business partner. Christ lives in you and
is therefore with you at your job. But they hired you not Him - it is
your job, your business, we make our way prosperous, and He will
guide us along the way during which we use clear thinking and common
sense.
Healing
There
was an up and coming evangelist who was diagnosed with cancer. Yet
after prayer he said the Lord told him he was healed, or would be
healed. He refused all treatment because 'God said'.
Some urged him to get treatment, noting that giving the promise of healing does not exclude doing what we are to do in the natural.
But the young evangelist refused medical care, died, and left many
confused about why if God said he was healed, he died. He should have
sought treatment.
God
may reveal to you that you have x job when you see the ad in the paper
for it, but you still have to get up and go through the interview
process - do what is right in the natural and let it come to pass, don't
try to make it come to pass, nor think because God said it means it
will magically appear.
Led by personal prophecy?
In I Timothy 1:18-19 Paul tells Timothy "This charge I give you son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on you, that by them you might war a good warfare; Holding faith and a good conscience; which some concerning the faith have made shipwreck..."
Notice
Paul's instruction about the handling of prophecy combines the
spiritual and 'common sense'. When Paul said to 'war a good warfare' he
said to do so while 'holding faith and a good conscience'.
Faith
is spiritual, good conscience is natural. God requires both when He
gives us a promise. It means doing things right and with honesty so we
can maintain a clear conscience. God's personal word to you will
never require you to lie, cheat, steal, or to lay aside what is morally
right.
II Peter 1:4 says "...through these are given to us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption of the world that came by evil desires."
We
view promises as the point of answered prayer, this verse says God
issues promises for the purpose of working in us the divine nature. The
quicker you cooperate with Him to grow as a person and in Christ while
'standing' on a promise, the better off you will be emotionally and
spiritually. Realize a promise is given for you to grow in Him -
character building and fruit of the Spirit growth.
Faith
with a clear conscience is the direct route to seeing God's word come
to pass. Or a person can be in fear and back away from opportunities for
the growth that comes by disciplining thoughts and emotions, and doing
the right thing even if it is difficult.
Many
back away from difficulty thinking it is the devil or they just don't
want to go through it. My experience has been usually the difficult
decision and hardest on the flesh, is part of that 'divine nature' He
wants us to grow in. When you value growth in Him above all else because
in those times is when you get to know Him best, you will be steadfast
like Peter and Paul.
Think
His promises through, not for the purpose of figuring out how it might
happen and then arranging your life to help Him make it happen - but
ponder these things in your heart, do what is right, choose growth in
the divine nature, and allow Him to work it out.
New subject next week, until then, blessings,
John Fenn
www.cwowi.org and email me at cwowi@aol.com
New CD/MP3 Series
Healthy Emotions, the Open Door to Healing
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This
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back to emotional needs, thoughts, feelings, and thinking, which when
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