Carried
Praise the Lord; praise God our Savior! For each day He carries us in His arms. (Psalms 68:19 NLT)
Carried.
Sustained.
Lifted.
Protected.
Celebrated.
Favored.
Loved.
Father,
Thank You for carrying me every day.
More than that, thank You for carrying me today.
Four Gateways You Must Guard
The gatekeepers were stationed on all four sides—east, west, north, and south. They would spend the night around the house of God, since it was their duty to guard it and to open the gates every morning. (1 Chronicles 9:24, 27 NLT)
In the days when Israel was a united kingdom the Levites (who were the priests) were assigned to the ministry at and around the Temple. An important part of their responsibilities was to ensure that the gates were being guarded.
In the New Testament God makes it clear that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. The truth is, the temple gates still need to be guarded.
The gateways into my life include: (1) what I see, (2) what I hear, (3) what I say, and (4) what I experience.
These gates should be opened daily to allow the King of Glory to come in – I do that through the Word, Worship, and Prayer. However, these gates are also primary avenues through which the enemy can gain entrance, if I am not diligently guarding these points of entry.
Satan will take advantage of even the slightest opening we give him. He roams about seeking whom he may devour.
Strongholds begin with footholds. When we give satan any room at all, he comes in with a vengeance.
The New Testament also reveals that we (believers in Jesus Christ) have been made priests unto God. Therefore, we have the privileged responsibility to guard the gates of the temple. We must be the gatekeepers of our lives, the watchman on the walls, who refuse entrance to any enemy forces.
If you have given the enemy any place in your life:
1. Confess it to God, repent, and, through prayer “cleanse the temple” (like Jesus did) of anything unholy.
2. Come into a partnership of prayer with a strong believer who can help guard the gates of your life.
3. Refuse to allow unforgiveness, bitterness, worry, fear, anxiety, lust, confusion, depression, sickness, or ANY scheme of the enemy to pass through the gates. Fight the enemy through prayer. NEVER give in. NEVER concede that these things are just “a part of life.”
If you don’t recognize the enemy, you will walk in defeat. Open your eyes to what the enemy is doing. He is stealthy, but cannot stand against a faith-filled prayer warrior declaring the promises of God’s word!
Fight! But fight from your place of victory. No weapon formed against you shall prosper.
Father,
I ask that you would, by Your Holy Spirit, reveal and uncover the enemy and his schemes in our lives.
Then, give us supernatural courage to boldly take authority over our minds, our emotions, our bodies, our families, our businesses, and our churches.
Establish YOUR presence in the temple of our lives. We choose to be the gatekeepers You’ve called us to be.
In Jesus’ name, amen!
How a Lifestyle of Worship Can Set You Free
Anger is a familiar emotion to nearly every person, whether it stems from a sibling who took your favorite toy, a friend who broke a privileged confidence, or an inhumane public act of violence.
But anger can also be a spiritual stronghold – a controlling, debilitating, demonic force that results in harmful thoughts and behavior.
Having hardened his heart through jealousy and pride, King Saul had opened himself up to a tormenting spirit – one that drove him mad. What began with “small” acts of disobedience escalated to the murder of priests, a consultation with a witch, and a life hellbent on destroying a man who pleased God – a man who would one day occupy Saul’s throne.
It had been prophesied that David would be Israel’s next king; but for now, his assignment was to be a warrior in the army and a musician for the mad king.
Interesting to me is the stark contrast of these two men – Saul and David – as expressed in this one simple verse:
David was playing the harp, as he did each day. But Saul had a spear in his hand… (1 Samuel 18:10 NLT)
The grip that Saul had on his spear was nothing compared to the grip the enemy had on his soul.
David, on the other hand, walked in divine peace and protection. On two occasions Saul hurled his spear at David – but no weapon formed against him could prosper.
While Saul was bring bound by a tormenting spirit, David was being set free by his spiritual act of worship!
Worship is a divine force that breaks demonic strongholds.
Are you being tormented in some area of your life? Does it seem that you are “going crazy” as a result of the chaos? Are you battling with anger, depression, or fear?
Right now, declare by faith:
Father,
I repent of any foothold I have given to satan, through anger, unforgiveness, or rebellion.
I renounce every demonic spirit and stronghold that has caused me to walk in bondage.
I receive Your peace and protection right now, as I lift up adoration and praise to You.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen!
Now, continue to lift up praise, and watch God deliver you!
When a Church is Divided
I hear that there are divisions among you when you meet as a church… (1 Corinthians 11:18 NLT)
As a twenty three year old, I was excited about the new ministry assignment into which I was walking. My wife and I looked forward to the hopes and promises of ministry in a well-respected church filled with people who had welcomed us warmly.
Then we attended their annual business meeting.
To be fair, it wasn’t a horrid display of carnality. Not at all. But neither was it comforting or peaceful. There was an obvious tension in the room as the pastor alone stood up front, graciously, but with some degree of insecurity, facing scrutinizing questions that sounded more like accusations.
I thought to myself: “Is this what church is all about?”
Paul, in his letter to the church in Corinth, directly and authoritatively addressed their issues of division. With a father’s love – and the responsibility that accompanies it – Paul confronted the subtle, yet destructive mindset of those who “sow discord among the brethren.”
Anytime you have more than one person in a church you have the potential for disunity. But unity is a cornerstone upon which the church is built.
Unity must be prioritized and protected in order for the church’s effectiveness to be optimized.
There are two ways to maintain unity:
1. Unity is easy when we walk in agreement.
Agreement is fun for everybody, because everyone WANTS to move in the same direction. “You want a choir? So do I!” “You want me to teach a class? I was just praying about doing that!”
Agreement is wonderful, and can be both an encouragement and confirmation of what God is doing among His people.
The problem is that you won’t ALWAYS agree about EVERYTHING. So, then, how do you maintain unity when there is a difference of opinion (dis-agreement)?
2. In the absence of agreement, the only way to protect unity is to walk in submission.
Many churches are stalled at the crossroads of differing opinions. And typically the decision comes down to a “king of the mountain” approach, where only the strong survive. The one with the most sway wins.
Many years ago I learned the value and freedom of submission. Realizing that God speaks and moves through authorities in my life, I pre-decided that, whenever I came to the crossroad of differing opinions, I would practice the principle of submission.
Here’s how that works for me, when I am at that crossroad:
1. I ask myself, “In this particular situation, who is the authority? Who is bearing the greater burden of responsibility for the outcome of this decision?”
2. If the other person is the recognized authority, my already established spirit of submission allows me to support the decision that they make. I may speak into the process, but I follow their lead. I don’t separate myself from the person, or their decision. As far as I’m concerned, the decision was “ours.”
3. If I am the one that carries the greater burden of responsibility as the authority in a specific situation, then I lean toward others, gaining as much perspective and wisdom as possible; knowing that, ultimately, the weight of that decision is mine to bear. Beyond getting wisdom from other people, I am most determined to hear the voice of God.
Being a man under authority is what allows me the privilege of having authority.
This principle of submission is a master key, unlocking tremendous blessing in your church, in your marriage, and your place of business.
Father,
Today I choose to submit myself to You and to the authorities You have given to me.
I also readily accept the weight of responsibility that You have given me, so that I can lead others to places of breakthrough and blessing.
Help me to lead well, as I strive to follow You.
Amen.
What’s the Point of God’s Rules, Regulations, and Requirements?
This way of faith is very different from the way of the law.” (Galatians 3:12 NLT)
Paul wrote to the Galatian believers, admonishing them NOT to revert back to imposing the regulations of the Law on themselves and others.
The Law – specifically the first five books of the bible, but generally the rules, regulations, and requirements of God as established in the Old Testament – was never intended to make us right with God; it was, however, given for specific reasons.
1. The Law shows us our sin. Like a road sign that says, “Wrong Way,” the Law alerts us to the impending danger of a life headed toward destruction. Without the law we would have no way of knowing our waywardness.
2. The Law shows us our need of a Savior. As proven over and over again by God’s people, no one can keep God’s laws perfectly. We all sin. And since we are (were) “bound” in sin, we, in ourselves, could never be reconciled to God. In other words, our salvation cannot be based on our good works. Our good works still don’t change or “undo” our bad works.
3. The Law prophetically points to the Savior – Jesus Christ. From the moment sin entered the world, God began to prophesy of the One who would come and fulfill the rules, regulations, and requirements of the Law. Jesus Christ is the promised “Seed” of Abraham, the One in whom we find salvation.
We are not saved by doing good things. We are saved by placing our faith in the One who alone has lived a perfect life, who willingly gave His life on our behalf, offering us His righteousness in exchange for our faith.
It is futile for us to revert back to living life in our own strength, when the very source of our life and salvation is Jesus Christ.
Father,
Today I am reminded that You are both the Author and the Finisher of my faith. I again place my confidence in You, rather than trusting myself.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Pastor Dale Jenkins 