John 9:2 - "And His disciples asked Him, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?'"
The disciples asked a question that many ask today. Why is a child born with a physical defect? Is it a judgment of God upon the parents for some sin, or is it God's judgment upon the child for sins that God knows he will commit?
This has led many people to interpret the rest of this verse as saying that God made this man blind just so that He could heal him and be glorified thereby. From this thinking, many doctrinal teachings have risen about how sickness and other problems in our lives are actually blessing from God, intended to bring glory to God and correction to us. This reasoning, however, does not line up with the other truths of God's Word.
It was not God who made this beggar blind. This man was not born blind because of any one person's sins, but because sin, in general, had corrupted the perfect balance that God had created in nature. Therefore, some maladies happen not as a direct result of an individuals sins, but as an indirect result of sin in general.
Deuteronomy 28 settles forever the question of whether sickness, poverty, and oppression are really blessings in disguise. God says that sickness and poverty are curses -- not a blessing from God. Christ redeemed us from these curses of the law so that now blessings may come upon us through Him (Galatians 3:13). God's curses have been placed on Jesus and removed from those who accept Jesus' sacrifice.
2 Corinthians 4:3,4 - "And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."
Since God doesn't save anyone against their will, does it really do any good to pray for people who consciously refuse to receive Jesus as Lord?
YES IT DOES!
Unbelievers who have purposely refused to receive Jesus as Lord think they've made that decision of their own free will -- the truth is, they haven't. The Word of God says they've been blinded by Satan. He's Blocking their perception of the truth. So their decision hasn't been freely made at all.
Through the prayer of intercession, you can interfere with the satanic forces and help take those blinders off! You can also change circumstances with your prayers and help create situations that will bring them in contact with the Lord.
Believe when you pray and open their eyes to the glorious gospel of God.
Hebrews 11:1 - "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
It is a mistake to think that only certain people with unique gifts can hear and see God. If I think that it's only for others, then I will disqualify myself because I know I'm nothing special. In doing so I remove myself from ACTIVE FAITH.
John 10:27 - "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."
One of the essential gestures of faith is to live with the expectation that the God who said that His sheep hear His voice and who gave His life to restore relationship with each of us would like to communicate with us. This FAITH leads us to lean into His voice -- to learn as the prophet Samuel did:
1 Samuel 3:9 - "Speak Lord; for your servant is listening."
Significantly, it was as soon as he learned to take this posture that he gained access to the greater revelation that God had been inviting him into.
AFFIRMATIONS:
The Word says I can hear God's Voice and I believe it.
I do hear the voice of God!
"'Rise, take up your bed and walk.' And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked..." (John 5:8-9).
Are you feeling paralyzed by life today, or perhaps blind or lame – physically, mentally, emotionally, or even spiritually? Do you feel like you've been lying by the pool for years, waiting for help, waiting for an angel of God to stir up miraculous healing powers? Well, isn't it fascinating that after waiting for 38 years the man who was healed never did get in the pool? Jesus just showed up on the scene, singled him out, and made him whole.
"And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, he heareth us: and if we know that he hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him." -- 1 John 5:14,15
You cannot ask with confidence until there is a perfect union between you and God, as there was always perfect union between God and Jesus.
The moment you pray you find that the heavens are opened -- having a fidelity and confidence to believe that He will not fail, and cannot fail. We shall never get anywhere if we depend upon our feelings.
There is something a thousand times better than feelings, and it is the naked Word of God. You must be yielded to the Word of God. The Word will work out love in our hearts, and when practical love is in our hearts there is no room to vaunt ourselves. We see ourselves as nothing when we get lost in this divine love.
The confidence comes from our fellowship with Him. There is a wonderful fellowship with Jesus. The chief thing is to be sure that we take time for communion with Him. There is a communion with Jesus that is life and that is better than preaching.
I am a new creation in Christ, I am His workmanship created in Christ Jesus. Therefore I have the mind of Christ and the wisdom of God is formed within me. (2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 2:10; 1 Corinthians 2:16)
I have put off the old man and have put on the new man, which is renewed in the knowledge after the image of Him that created me. (Colossians 3:10)
I receive the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of my understanding being enlightened. And I am not conformed to this world but am transformed by the renewing of my mind. My mind is renewed by the Word of God. (Ephesians 1:17-18; Romans 12:2)
I am born of God and have world overcoming faith residing on the inside of me. For greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world. (1 John 5:4-5, I John 4:4)
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Philippians 4:13)
The joy of the Lord is my strength. The Lord is the strength of my life. (Nehemiah 8:10; Psalms 27:1)
I have the mind of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 2:5)
I am complete in Him who is the head of all principality and power. For I am His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God has before ordained that I should walk therein. (Colossians 2:10, Ephesians 2:10)
I cast down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and brings into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5)
I live and walk in the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25).
Since I am in Christ Jesus, I am a new creature. (Galatians 6:15)
Christ in me is the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:27)
My Former life is dead and my reborn life today is hid with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3)
Out of His glorious riches He strengthens me with power through His Spirit in my inner man. (Ephesians 3:16)
In all things I am more than a conqueror through Him who loves me. (Romans 8:37)
I am God's and God's Spirit dwells in me. (1 Corinthians 3:16)
I am filled with the fruits of righteousness, which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:11)
My eyes are fixed, not on the things that are seen, but on the things that are unseen: for what is seen passes away; what is unseen is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18)
I worship God in the Spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the Flesh. (Philippians 3:3)
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14)
Even when I am afraid, I still trust you. What can man do to me? Psalm 56:3,11
For your Word O God, I give you praise, for you have kept my feet from stumbling so that I could walk in your presence, in the light of life. Psalm 56:4,13
I will praise you, Lord, for everyone to hear, and confess your name amongst non-believers. Psalm 57:9
You are gracious to me, O Lord, for my soul takes refuge in you in the shadow of your wings as you shield me from destruction. Psalm 57:1
Be exalted above the heavens, O God; Let your glory extend over the whole earth. Psalm 57:5
Your unfailing love is as high as the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Psalm 57:10
I sing praises of your strength and joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning for You are my refuge in days of distress. Psalm 58:16
I rejoice as God speaks to me in His holiness; with His help, I will do mighty things as He treads down my adversaries. Psalm 60:6,12
You are my tower of strength, O Lord, for You have been a refuge for me as I dwell in Your presence forever. Psalm 61:3,4
I will abide in Your Word forever and sing praises to Your name, Lord Jesus, as I fulfill my vows day after day. Psalm 61:7,8
"Long before He laid down earth's foundations, He had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of His love, to be made whole and holy by His love. - Ephesians 1:4 The Message
Today He is calling you unto Himself. He is going before you, and He going behind you. He is overshadowing you with His Presence; and you will come into a new understanding and a revelation of the power of His Spirit that is within you. For it grieves His Spirit when you walk below your CALLING, and it brings pleasantry into His camp when you walk into the height of the knowledge of what you are created for.
"God who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion." - Philippians 1:6 NIV
You were created for His pleasure, and then you were created for heavenly works; works of His Kingdom; works worthy of His Cross; works to where man will look and know that you are the light of the world, because He first was the light of the world.
Know that He is placing His light upon you afresh. He is placing His fire upon you afresh. Be not concerned of all that surrounds you, but know He has surrounded you. He surrounds you with His goodness, with His mercy, with His gentleness, and with His understanding.
He invites you to continuously fix your eyes upon Him. And as you fix your eyes upon Him, there is none greater to understand you, then He will be about your business. So put your eyes upon Him and let Him be Lord, and let yourself be His beloved.
"Don't live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants." - Ephesians 5:17 The Message
"And have compassion on some, who are doubting" - Jude 22
Jude wants us to elicit an emotional response from his readers. He wants us to graphically see and understand the seriousness of believers who have backslidden into a life of sin and disobedience. He wants us to "feel" for these critically ill spiritual patients.
Because Jude uses the word "compassion." he is telling us that the spiritual condition of a backslidden believer is just as real and serious as the plight of a starving child, a dying man, or a destitute family.
When genuine compassion begins to flow from your heart, you cannot sit idly by and simply feel sorry about a persons situation. Real compassion says, "I have to get up and do something about this."
INTO ACTION
If you will allow the love of God flow through you, it won't be long until compassion for these erring believers begins to flow from you to them. Then you will be compelled to see them from their bondage.
If you know people who fit this description, it's time to let the supernatural compassion of Jesus Christ begin to flow out of your heart toward them. By releasing a flow of this powerful force toward them, you could set in motion the very deliverance these individuals need from the power of darkness that binds their souls and keeps them in deception.
Job 2:13 - "So they sat down with Job on the ground for seven days and seven nights, and none spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief and pain were very great."
Job's life helped create the awareness for the need of a savior. Job is the question. Jesus is the answer. If our study of Job (and other Old Testament issues) doesn't lead us to Jesus as the answer, it reveals we never really understood the question. Any understanding we have about the nature of God that can't be seen in the person of Jesus, must be questioned.
Ephesians 4:13 - "In the knowledge of the Son of God we shall become like mature men, reaching to the very height of Christ's stature."
Notice that coming into maturity is the result of gaining the knowledge of the Son of God. This revelation will completely change the believer, because as we see Him we become like Him. This will enable us to accurately represent Jesus.
Ephesians 1:17 - "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him."
Prayer:
I PRAY TO GOD TO GIVE ME THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND REVELATION IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST SO THAT THE EYES OF MY UNDERSTANDING MIGHT BE ENLIGHTENED AND THAT I MIGHT KNOW WHAT IS THE HOPE OF MY CALLING.
"And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shall be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31) Travailing in warfare prayer can break satan's power -- through the ministry of binding and loosing we can truly help push back the blinding power of deception keeping souls from making a decision for the gospel.
In order for Jesus to be the greatest intercessor, to be the greatest High Priest and to have the ministry forever of intercession (Hebrews 4:14, 5:1-10), He had to really relate and identify with where we're at. He had to identify with us.
We need to identify with the lost too. When we allow the Holy Spirit to take us into a place of identification, we will actually identify with the plight of the lost to the point that our heart and emotions become involved. At this point we need to persevere and allow ourselves to move into prayer in a deeper and deeper way, travailing for the salvation of souls.
Philippians 4:6-7: "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
The VERY GIANTS of intimidation that have risen out of nowhere have been blocking something VERY KEY: "A NEW DAY OF DESTINY". On the other side of these giants of intimidation you are facing is your new day of DESTINY.
As we commune, the supernatural peace and love that is already ours in Christ becomes a TANGIBLE MANIFESTATION in our hearts and lives. Where in the "natural" their circumstances would usually lead us into tailspins of fear and intimidation, they stand in CONFIDENCE and PEACE in Him. We not only step "back into peace" but deeper into peace and love than ever before, because we have stepped DEEPER into His heart.
Can you not discern, this new day of DESTINY breaking forth around you? The early signs of advancing His PURPOSES and plans are bursting forth and the budding vines of new life are now blooming everywhere. The fragrance of flowers whispers, 'There is change in the air.'
Press in, go deeper in His love -- your requests be made known to God and trust Him, for the TANGIBLE PEACE OF GOD that surpasses all understanding is about to make MORE SENSE to you than it EVER has. That peace of knowing WHO HE IS and who YOU ARE in Him, is about to see those giants slain and you move into a new day of the DESTINY in Christ you were meant to have.
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." - Hebrews 12:1
"My beloved responded and said to me, Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come along. For behold the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers have already appeared in the land; The time has arrived for pruning the vines." - Song Of Solomon 3:11,12
We will never be righteous due to anything we do for God. Only the righteousness of Jesus Christ which covers us makes us righteous. This is why in Galatians 3:1, Paul addressed those in the Church concerning this issue. Paul was concerned that they seemed to have tossed aside the finished work of Christ and were back into the old belief system that involved the Law and performance. If they were truly doing this, and obviously Paul thought they were, then they were negating what occurred on the Cross! Read what Paul said to the Galatians:
"You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes, Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? Have you suffered so much for nothing – if it really was for nothing? Does God give you His Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard? Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." Galatians 3:1-6
HEARING THE WORD
Paul pointed out that the Galatians had become "foolish." He asked them if they received the Spirit by observing the law or believing what that had "heard." Let us all remember how faith in God comes – by "hearing and hearing" the Word (Romans 10:17).
We "believe" because we "hear," and not because of what we do! What we do for God does not make us righteous, nor does it cause our faith to become established. Our relationship with Him establishes our faith and our righteousness -- it is only due to the fact that when Christ shed His Blood, we, therefore, became righteous. Notice that Paul asked the Galatians who had "bewitched" them. This word means "cast a spell," (over them) or "fascinated" (them). Fascination and sensationalism are closely linked.
THE MEANING OF "SOZO"
When Jesus died on the Cross, He provided the fullness of "sozo", a Greek word meaning not only salvation, but also healing, deliverance, provision and all that Heaven offers! Yet, if our relationship with God is somewhat superficial (meaning we want the sensation without the relationship) we fall short of receiving what we need from God because we really don't know how to believe for His best!
FOCUS ON JESUS
It is unfortunate many have become self-focused rather than God-focused. By this, we focus on what we need rather than the One Who shed His Blood to provide what is needed. Matthew 6:33 says that we are to "...seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you." Did you notice that we are to seek first God's Kingdom and "His" righteousness? This means that we are not righteous without Him and that we are to seek His righteousness – this is clearly stating that we cannot be righteous due to our performance or religious works, but only righteous due to Christ's righteousness.
Secondly, when we do this "first" then "all" things are added to us. The term "all" in this passage refers to everything we need is already accomplished due to the finished work of Christ! We need not perform any longer believing that this makes us a better person or that God will bless us because of what we do. No! It means whatever we need is already done – at the Cross!
When we "plead the Blood," we are proclaiming all that Jesus accomplished for us by shedding His Blood. To plead it with faith of all that Christ did on our behalf will release the demonstration and power of God!
BAPTIZE YOUR LAND TODAY OR ANY DAY
God provided the first sacrifice for the sin of mankind. He placed skins of a slain animal upon both Adam and Eve to cover their sin. Later we notice that Noah, upon coming out of the ark after the Flood, made a sacrifice to God immediately upon stepping onto the land. This is symbolic of our going to baptize our Promised Land by recalling what Jesus accomplished at the Cross. In other words, when we recognize what Christ did and that we are righteous due to His Blood, it empowers us to take our Promised Land!
Think upon this -- Every time we receive a prophetic promise or prophetic revelation, we baptize that promise from God by renewing our mind concerning what Christ did at the Cross. We can, therefore, tell the devil to "get off our land," when we remind him that the battle is already won!
So rise up and declare the power that is in the Blood! And, know that TODAY is your day that God will provide for your every need!
