Agreement
When I am trying to agree with Jesus, and an impossible situation seems to arise, it is designed by the enemy to get me to move away from God, but, at a higher level, it is orchestrated by God to get me closer to Him. What happens in the situation is always up to me, though. God will not violate love... He won't make me believe He is good, powerful, or for me. I can choose to believe God is good and in control, or I can choose to believe the lies of the enemy. What I choose to believe about God will determine whether or not the enemy succeeds. Doubting God's character, power, or love for me is what always leads to great sin.
What I choose to believe will direct my steps. I will always go where I am looking, so it is important that I see the truth clearly.
The enemy is not creative. He's crafty. He takes created things and tries to twist them and rearrange them to get his own kingdom. But, God is creative. He is always making things new.
Generally, the enemy wants me to look back and try to untangle messes that he made, or to see my future in light of previous entanglements. God wants me to learn to look forward...to partner with Him in overcoming crafty lies designed to hinder creative restoration.
An impossible situation is designed to draw me CLOSER to the God who does impossible things.
Satan uses a lot of smoke and mirrors to build up tensions, anxieties, offenses, appetites, and fears to get me to doubt God primarily by holding out the lie that nothing is going to change and that satan will always be able to thwart what God is doing. This is ridiculous to believe, but over and over I find myself wondering "will this all work out?" Or, worse yet, worrying it's all about to fall apart. God's plans never fall apart for the one who draws close in the seemingly impossible:
Romans 8:27Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
28And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
29For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
31What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
God is teaching me to have dominion over creation in ordering His government with Him, not to cower in fear when the enemy comes along trying to disrupt order by lying and playing on fear. If I deal with the lie head-on...and put to rest that God isn't losing, He is winning THROUGH my voluntary response to believe God is good, then I can start dialing down and talking to God about the situation. I can hear from HIM what to pray, and what to do, and what to say....suddenly I am on the offense and not the defense. This is the way the kingdom of Jesus is going to come. The kingdom will never come as a reaction to enemy...it is coming to crush the enemy's head. Since I AM an essential part of the kingdom, It is essential that I understand and begin agreeing with the offensive strategy of God, rather than continually hoping the defense works. No team could ever win only playing defense.
God is teaching me to have confidence in his character...that he doesn't create, and equip, and bring forward things only to then deny his creation satisfaction. This is what the enemy plays on: the lie that God can't, or won't, keep His kingdom satisfied and successful!
Genesis 3:1Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”
2And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden;
3“but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ”
4Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.
5“For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
6So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.
When a snake is in the garden, I don't need to reason with it, or answer it, or eat what it says is good for me...I just need to tell my Father about it. It's HIS snake. He made it, and He knows how to deal with it. Jesus had intercessional strategies that ALWAYS beat the snake at His own game.
Matthew 26:52But Jesus said to him, “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perishfn by the sword.
53“Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?
54“How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?”
Luke 22:31And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.
32“But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”
I need to learn to dial down my fear, dial up my trust and listen for the intercessional strategy that will totally overturn a crafty deception with a creative solution.
If God is for me, who could be against me?!
Be encouraged. Draw near to God. Believe that nothing is impossible for Him. Pray always.
Luke 18:1Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,
2saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.
3“Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’
4“And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man,
5‘yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ”
6Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said.
7“And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?
8“I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”
What I choose to believe will direct my steps. I will always go where I am looking, so it is important that I see the truth clearly.
The enemy is not creative. He's crafty. He takes created things and tries to twist them and rearrange them to get his own kingdom. But, God is creative. He is always making things new.
Generally, the enemy wants me to look back and try to untangle messes that he made, or to see my future in light of previous entanglements. God wants me to learn to look forward...to partner with Him in overcoming crafty lies designed to hinder creative restoration.
An impossible situation is designed to draw me CLOSER to the God who does impossible things.
Satan uses a lot of smoke and mirrors to build up tensions, anxieties, offenses, appetites, and fears to get me to doubt God primarily by holding out the lie that nothing is going to change and that satan will always be able to thwart what God is doing. This is ridiculous to believe, but over and over I find myself wondering "will this all work out?" Or, worse yet, worrying it's all about to fall apart. God's plans never fall apart for the one who draws close in the seemingly impossible:
Romans 8:27Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
28And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
29For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
31What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
God is teaching me to have dominion over creation in ordering His government with Him, not to cower in fear when the enemy comes along trying to disrupt order by lying and playing on fear. If I deal with the lie head-on...and put to rest that God isn't losing, He is winning THROUGH my voluntary response to believe God is good, then I can start dialing down and talking to God about the situation. I can hear from HIM what to pray, and what to do, and what to say....suddenly I am on the offense and not the defense. This is the way the kingdom of Jesus is going to come. The kingdom will never come as a reaction to enemy...it is coming to crush the enemy's head. Since I AM an essential part of the kingdom, It is essential that I understand and begin agreeing with the offensive strategy of God, rather than continually hoping the defense works. No team could ever win only playing defense.
God is teaching me to have confidence in his character...that he doesn't create, and equip, and bring forward things only to then deny his creation satisfaction. This is what the enemy plays on: the lie that God can't, or won't, keep His kingdom satisfied and successful!
Genesis 3:1Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”
2And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden;
3“but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ”
4Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.
5“For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
6So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.
When a snake is in the garden, I don't need to reason with it, or answer it, or eat what it says is good for me...I just need to tell my Father about it. It's HIS snake. He made it, and He knows how to deal with it. Jesus had intercessional strategies that ALWAYS beat the snake at His own game.
Matthew 26:52But Jesus said to him, “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perishfn by the sword.
53“Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?
54“How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?”
Luke 22:31And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.
32“But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”
I need to learn to dial down my fear, dial up my trust and listen for the intercessional strategy that will totally overturn a crafty deception with a creative solution.
If God is for me, who could be against me?!
Be encouraged. Draw near to God. Believe that nothing is impossible for Him. Pray always.
Luke 18:1Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,
2saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.
3“Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’
4“And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man,
5‘yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ”
6Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said.
7“And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?
8“I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”
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