I have to be honest when it comes to the topic of witchcraft most of us think of it as something that has to do with the Occult or with Halloween or a Harry Potter movie, but the truth of the matter is that the spirit of witchcraft is something that can also infiltrate a body of believers. How you may ask?
Witchcraft is a spiritual power that seeks to control those it can by manipulating situations and or people that may not recognize its influence. How do Christians fall under its influence in either using it or submitting to it? What Christians do that use the spirit of witchcraft is they will try to manipulate those they are trying to control to either submit to their ideas or beliefs on a topic that forces the other person or group involved to be like them. The Spirit of Christ is never one to force one to do anything. Christ will draw a person and will offer them the opportunity to do what the Spirit is leading them to do, but it still is the individual's choice. Some believers I have encountered have tried to say that if someone doesn't what they are wanting them to do that they are being disobedient and need to be disciplined for not acting on what they perceive is the best path for them. This is witchcraft in operation.
In the story of the prodigal son the Father knows that the son who becomes the prodigal knows that the choice that they are making is the wrong one, but does He discipline the son, does He try to stop them from doing what they want to do with their life? No. Because the Father knows that for the son to understand what he is doing is wrong he has to travel that path on his own. Did the Father disown the son when the son realizes that he can come back to work for his Father? No the Father actually runs to his son and greets him and throws a huge party for him, because the Father has a love for his son that goes beyond what he has done, he loves him because he is a part of the Father's family.
The lesson we need to learn here is that we should not let the spirit of witchcraft run our lives whether we are on the giving or receiving side of it. We need to make sure our motives are pure and let us influence others by showing them the love of God which is truly the best way to help influence those we care most about. For I rather have people respect me and listen to me and know that I truly care about them and their life choices than to be an individual who dictates to them how things should be and have them turn their back on me with very little hope of reconciliation. As the Bible states in Deuteronomy 30:19, I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live. Choose life Church.
Saturday, August 26, 2017
Tuesday, August 22, 2017
Fear versus Faith
When it comes to the walk of faith in God the biggest enemy that we all face is fear. I am a true believer that fear is a reciprocal of faith. The enemy will attempt to place fear in one's heart about anything that we are not sure of. Whether it is a job change, a relationship that we want to have or about anything that we are faced with a decision that moves us out of our comfort zone fear will try to move us into a place where we will just stand still and do nothing. Fear binds a person.
Faith on the other hand requires action. If God is leading you to go and do something that is beyond your comfort zone He will show you a step but you must be willing to take that step to find out what the next one is. Faith is not trusting in the situation that you are faced in and what you may have in resources or in the amount of people you may know, it is based in a relationship with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. God wants us to trust Him. After all the Bible declares in Hebrews 11:6, "That without faith it is impossible to please Him, for we must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him".
So when you are faced with a situation that you are not sure of don't let fear gripe your heart. For fear is the devil's version of faith. Use your faith in God and His word to guide your steps. Step out and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit of God. If you make a mistake admit it to the Lord and He will get you back on the path that you need to travel on. Don't be a person like Abraham's father Terah who left for Canaan but stopped short of the promise land and settled in Haran(Genesis 11:31-32). It is not time for us to settle for less than what God has promised. It is time to possess our promise land in God and to bring the Lord's Kingdom into the earth. For it is time for faith to arise. Let us walk with God seeking Him and doing as He says. As we do we will conquer fear and experience a new level of knowledge and experience with God that we would not otherwise.
Is the walk of faith easy. No, but those of us who want to experience the best that God has will take this challenge and experience what the word of God says in 1 John 5:4 " For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." Let us be over comers in Jesus name.
Faith on the other hand requires action. If God is leading you to go and do something that is beyond your comfort zone He will show you a step but you must be willing to take that step to find out what the next one is. Faith is not trusting in the situation that you are faced in and what you may have in resources or in the amount of people you may know, it is based in a relationship with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. God wants us to trust Him. After all the Bible declares in Hebrews 11:6, "That without faith it is impossible to please Him, for we must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him".
So when you are faced with a situation that you are not sure of don't let fear gripe your heart. For fear is the devil's version of faith. Use your faith in God and His word to guide your steps. Step out and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit of God. If you make a mistake admit it to the Lord and He will get you back on the path that you need to travel on. Don't be a person like Abraham's father Terah who left for Canaan but stopped short of the promise land and settled in Haran(Genesis 11:31-32). It is not time for us to settle for less than what God has promised. It is time to possess our promise land in God and to bring the Lord's Kingdom into the earth. For it is time for faith to arise. Let us walk with God seeking Him and doing as He says. As we do we will conquer fear and experience a new level of knowledge and experience with God that we would not otherwise.
Is the walk of faith easy. No, but those of us who want to experience the best that God has will take this challenge and experience what the word of God says in 1 John 5:4 " For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." Let us be over comers in Jesus name.
Friday, August 11, 2017
Destiny
When I think of destiny I have to wonder, like many of you do, just what does God mean when it comes to fulfilling it. I have been a follower of Christ now for nearly 31 years and I am amazed at what is happening in my life right at this time.
When I first got right with God it was during the late 1980's and the network on Christian television to watch was PTL or Praise the Lord Network led by Jim and Tammy Bakker. This ministry was based in Fort Mill South Carolina and during its height of glory was the second most visited place in the United States, second only to Walt Disney World. I always wanted to visit this place when I was in my early 2o's but did not have the time nor the resources to do so. Eventually this ministry fell apart as Jim Bakker was accused and convicted of booking more hotel reservations than what the PTL could fulfill and Heritage USA was eventually closed down.
Nearly thirteen years ago MorningStar Ministries bought the place and began to restore Heritage and have also founded a church there that is very prophetic and cutting edge on how to conduct itself as a body of believers. Most of the believers that attend this church come from all over the United States to be a part of it, and now me and my family are being called to this place of worship. The Lord has brought me full circle in the fact that a place that I loved called PTL that was dead and buried has been resurrected and is thriving.
In my own life I have experienced some of these very things. I have been to the mountain top in God and I have been in the valley. But God has brought me through quite a few things over the years only to call me from a place where my prophetic anointing is not well received to a place where it is not only allowed but is encouraged. I have seen dreams that I have pursued die before my eyes only to wonder what really does God have in mind for me. I have felt the call to minister God's word and the Lord spoke to me years ago that I was not to be a typical pastor, and that I would have a prophetic unction on my life. But what does that look like?
I tried pursuing the typical pastoral path only to see my dream snuffed out time and time again. After being quite frustrated by all of this I finally began to embrace my workplace as my church and once I did that I began to experience satisfaction and fruit from my efforts. But now that door is closed and God has led me back to my past to embrace my future. It is the same as when God spoke about Jesus dying for our sins before the world began. God has a plan. As I prepare to leave my home state for Fort Mill I don't even know the why of what God has called me to. All I know is that He has called me and my family to move to this place called MorningStar or die where I am currently at.
I don't believe this to mean that I will die physically but if me and my family don't go we will not experience the destiny that God has intended for me and for them to experience. Destiny is a funny path. All I know is if you want to find and experience it you must do it by placing your faith in God and acting upon the instructions He gives you. The road ahead of each one of us is not always clear and sure. But with God you can rest assured that He is with you and that is all you need when it comes to fulfilling His plan and destiny for you.
When I first got right with God it was during the late 1980's and the network on Christian television to watch was PTL or Praise the Lord Network led by Jim and Tammy Bakker. This ministry was based in Fort Mill South Carolina and during its height of glory was the second most visited place in the United States, second only to Walt Disney World. I always wanted to visit this place when I was in my early 2o's but did not have the time nor the resources to do so. Eventually this ministry fell apart as Jim Bakker was accused and convicted of booking more hotel reservations than what the PTL could fulfill and Heritage USA was eventually closed down.
Nearly thirteen years ago MorningStar Ministries bought the place and began to restore Heritage and have also founded a church there that is very prophetic and cutting edge on how to conduct itself as a body of believers. Most of the believers that attend this church come from all over the United States to be a part of it, and now me and my family are being called to this place of worship. The Lord has brought me full circle in the fact that a place that I loved called PTL that was dead and buried has been resurrected and is thriving.
In my own life I have experienced some of these very things. I have been to the mountain top in God and I have been in the valley. But God has brought me through quite a few things over the years only to call me from a place where my prophetic anointing is not well received to a place where it is not only allowed but is encouraged. I have seen dreams that I have pursued die before my eyes only to wonder what really does God have in mind for me. I have felt the call to minister God's word and the Lord spoke to me years ago that I was not to be a typical pastor, and that I would have a prophetic unction on my life. But what does that look like?
I tried pursuing the typical pastoral path only to see my dream snuffed out time and time again. After being quite frustrated by all of this I finally began to embrace my workplace as my church and once I did that I began to experience satisfaction and fruit from my efforts. But now that door is closed and God has led me back to my past to embrace my future. It is the same as when God spoke about Jesus dying for our sins before the world began. God has a plan. As I prepare to leave my home state for Fort Mill I don't even know the why of what God has called me to. All I know is that He has called me and my family to move to this place called MorningStar or die where I am currently at.
I don't believe this to mean that I will die physically but if me and my family don't go we will not experience the destiny that God has intended for me and for them to experience. Destiny is a funny path. All I know is if you want to find and experience it you must do it by placing your faith in God and acting upon the instructions He gives you. The road ahead of each one of us is not always clear and sure. But with God you can rest assured that He is with you and that is all you need when it comes to fulfilling His plan and destiny for you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)