For the past couple of months, my life has been one transition after another. At first, I struggled with all the changes. Who doesn’t struggle with change? Right? It seems every time I turned around, something else occurred. Within my spirit, I was so unsettled! Where is my peace? Where is the joy He promises during times of tribulation? I cling to is slipping, like sand, through my fingers.
Where is my security?
Everything
The more I grasp for the familiar, the
further away it seems. Finally, overwhelmed by what is happening, I cry out to God. I need to understand! to hear from Him! I need His peace once more!
I need
As I wait, God directs me to His Word:
“Forget the former things, do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”
(Isaiah 43:18-19, NIV)
Then, I realize something. I hold on to what is familiar, because it makes me feel secure. I cling to what I know, because it reassures me. I dwell on the past, because I trust in what I did. As opposed to recognizing WHO GOD is in the scheme of things, and WHO I AM in HIM! Just as spring births new life, God wants to remove things that are dormant (or simply complacent) within our lives and birth HIS life and newness within us! At that moment, I vowed
to stop resisting God – allowing Him to remove any obstacles, any bad habits I had cultivated and any hindrances to my utmost trust and dependency upon, and in, Him! It is a new season! I either resist Him or EMBRACE what GOD is doing!
Have you been there?
Have you
been dwelling on past situations in your life, clinging to what makes you feel secure? Then, you are missing the most profound thing God desires to do within YOU! Let me reassure you! Even when things seem desolate and desperate, God will not fail us nor forsake us!
When there seems to be no way, God will part the Red Sea for us, just
as He did for the people of Israel. However, we must understand – HE is the One Who makes the way for us! We cannot do it ourselves.
He desires our total dependency on Him!
I heard the LORD say: “When you hold on to something so tightly, you can strangle it to death, but when you allow Me to hold on to it, I will breathe My life into it!” Sometimes, in order for something to live, we must let it go. Letting go may seem to say that what we placed our hope in is dying. But, in the end, God will breathe HIS life into it, making it what HE knows is best for US. Trust God to work out ALL the details of our lives. make them known to Him.
He also knows what is ultimately best for each of us.
God is doing a new thing within our lives! of us!
He knows our every need before we
EMBRACE Him and the love He has for each
In the end, it is going to be even better than what we imagine or hope for!
but my Father in heaven. 18) And I tell you
And as He cannot be overcome, neither can
that you are Peter (rock), and on this rock
we!
I will build my church, and the gates of Hades (Hell) will not overcome it (prove stronger than it).
Do you see the exchange going on in the conversation between Jesus and Peter?
First, Jesus asks Peter what people
are saying about Him. Then, He gets Peter Author: After Peter tells Jesus Who He is, Jesus tells Peter who he is.
Jesus tells
Peter his name means “rock” and what he is commissioned to do, reassuring him that he
to say what he thinks about Him. Jesus then declares WHO Peter is and WHAT he’s called to do. And, that Peter will prevail!
Oh,
there is power! Power in what we declare and
is an overcomer!
what we believe! 19) I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 20) Then He ordered His disciples not to tell anyone
The Lord clearly gives prophetic insight here!
Yes, JESUS! He is the Son of God,
the Messiah and a Prophet (He gives Peter a personal, prophetic word). Also, He is the King – with a Kingdom that will not end! All
that He was the Messiah.
that in one name! Author: This phrase puzzled me, as I did not understand the secrecy, until now!
Amazing!
There is
always ‘timing’ concerning any revelation. Even Jesus is careful regarding when His time is coming.
JESUS!
The name,
So MUST WE BE!
He
teaches us: “Our times are in His hand…” In this instance, His time is in His hand.
In Acts 2, on the Day of Pentecost, Peter uses those keys.
He accesses a door that
had NEVER been opened and pioneered the way for the entire church!
(Selah)
He unlocks the journey of Christ and His When we confess Christ, recognizing Who He is, He then recognizes AND declares who
church and the power of the Holy Spirit; “…you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit”
we are and what power we have to build the
(Acts 1:5) and “…witnesses in Jerusalem,
Kingdom. We are the church, and we will not
and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the
be overcome!
ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8), when man is
The church is the Rock –
Jesus is the Rock, the Chief Cornerstone.
overcome by the Spirit.
Man’s spirit is
completely under the control of the Holy
As an overcomer, there is nothing we go
Spirit;their words are His words!
through that will stop the plan and purpose
Look at
Peter:
of God for our lives!
Acts 2:14-15
“Then Peter stood up with the
Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the
“ To the one who is victorious (an overcomer)
crowd: Fellow Jews and all of you who live
and does my will to the end, I will give
in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen
authority over the nations—“
carefully to what I say.
2:26).
These people are
not drunk, as you suppose.
It’s only nine in
church.
(Revelation
Here, Jesus is addressing the He is still addressing the church,
the morning!”
just as Peter addressed the crowds that day.
They were overcome with God’s presence;
As Jesus declared Peter’s destiny, so He has
the Holy Spirit was poured out, as prophesied
declared our journey and our destiny!
by the prophet Joel.
is nothing that can keep us from what God
“This promised Holy
Spirit,” is what started the fire in the church.
“This promise is for you and your
children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call” (Acts
There
has declared in our lives, because He has declared “ over” our lives!
This authority,
this great authority, can then be extended over the nations, through us!
That’s
astounding! 2:39).
Look what the anointing did:
“…and about
three thousand were added to their number
As He has declared OVER our lives –
As an overcomer, there is nothing that can
“We all have plans. We all have goals. We shall prevail over everything! We all have dreams! We shall overcome the obstacles! If our plans do not We shall overcome the sickness! lineup with We shall overcome theGod’s delays! theythewill not We plans, shall overcome setbacks! Wesatisfy shall overcome the pain! as He alone We shall overcome the hurts – for satisfies!”
come against us that will keep us down!
You shall prevail!
that day” (Acts 2:41).
We are called to build that kingdom, under that power, just as Peter was called to build the church!
As Kingdom builders, we also
belong to (and are a part of) that Kingdom that will not end!
God promises:
“Many are the plans in a person’s
heart, but it is the LORD’S purpose that prevails” (Proverbs 19-21).
As He has declared OVER our lives – We shall prevail over everything!
We shall overcome the delays!
We shall overcome the obstacles!
We shall overcome the setbacks!
We shall overcome the sickness!
We shall overcome the pain!
We shall overcome the hurts!
You shall prevail!
God promises: “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’S purpose that prevails (Proverbs 19-21).
And so, I ask – What plans are in our hearts?
How many of our own plans are in our
hearts? If single, are we thinking about a mate? work?
Are we thinking about new clothes we want?
We all have plans. We all have goals.
Are we thinking about a promotion at Or how much money we can make?
We all have dreams!
with God’s plans, they will not satisfy as He alone satisfies!
If our plans do not lineup For a short time, they may
seem to satisfy. But often times, those manmade plans do not! Only the Lord’s purposes prevail!
Only the Lord’s plans bring us the soul-deep contentment and heartfelt fulfillment
that all of mankind is searching for!
God’s purpose for our lives will prevail, if we desire HIS purpose ABOVE our own!
Without
Jesus, we have no purpose!
Let me say it another way, by reminding us of the definitions at the beginning: God’s purpose for our lives will make us overcome; it will be better and will overwhelm us! His fulfilled plans for our lives will surpass any other type of satisfaction!
It will be ‘well with
our souls!’ We need to get these plans in our hearts and souls! As we confess Who He is for us, He releases Who HE is FOR us and HOW He will overwhelm and rise over and above all that we could ever imagine or even think!
Just as He dialogued
with Peter, the Lord is dialoguing with us!
For His Kingdom shall have no end!
We shall build His Kingdom, by what we say, what
we believe, what we establish and what we address! It’s time to address (concentrate on) what we (you) say (believe) about who we (you) are in Christ.
Do you believe He has released the dunamis power of the Holy Spirit in your life?
The
Greek word dunamis means miraculous power and is a derivative in the original Greek, of our modern English word, dynamite. numbers, that’s a good day!
When three thousand people are added to our
That’s a dynamite day! :) That’s an explosion, ignited by
fire – Holy Spirit fire – that only the Holy Spirit can produce!
We have access to this fire,
and that makes us overcome!
Is it the strength of God, His Spirit that overcomes us? addressed! Now, let’s obey!
Overcoming ALL With You, ~Mary Beth Pecora
If you answered ‘Yes,’ it’s been
A heart and mind that is discontented, overwhelmed, filled with fear, doubt and anxiety is a heart and mind that is being destroyed.
Each of these things robs from us the abundant
life that Christ Jesus so freely gave to us. This March, we are going to reinforce the importance of obtaining hope in God but we must also have faith in Him.
Faith is trusting God and holding true to His promises.
Faith believes
in God no matter how overwhelming the situation may present itself to be.
Faith places hope
in the One who is able, even when we are not able to see the outcome.
Bottom line, faith
equals risk.
Risk is knowing Whom you have believed and will be the One to work out the
details for your good and to His glory. Peter took a risk.
Matthew 14:25-30 “During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out
to them, walking on the lake. terrified.
When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were
‘It’s a ghost,’ they said, and cried out in fear.
But Jesus immediately said to them;
‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’ ‘Lord, if it’s you,’ Peter replied, ‘tell me to come to you on the water.’ ‘Come,’ he said. water and came toward Jesus.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the
But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning
to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!” Peter had faith.
Peter’s confidence rested not in his own abilities, but in Jesus who was
Lord over all things. Gleaning from the Scriptures, let’s see what the Lord would like for us know. Peter’s faith was rooted on what he was focused on. circumstances.
His eyes were steadfast upon Jesus.
First, notice
Peter wasn’t looking at his This too needs to be our focus.
eyes need to be steadfast upon Jesus no matter what we might be experiencing.
Our Why?
When our eyes on Who is in charge, our confidence and hope rises in His ability to help us through. Secondly, Peter responded to Jesus’ instruction. to take courage and not to be afraid. God.
Jesus commanded Peter and the disciples
Peter was choosing to embrace the spoken word of
It’s the same with you and me.
When God speaks to you and me over our
circumstance, we will have a choice to make.
We can either believe God at His Word or
not. However, when we see Peter choose to respond to Jesus’ spoken word, we see something
very miraculous occur. respond to Jesus. on water.
The faith journey of Peter expounds when he made the decision to
How did Peter respond?
I like to differ.
Some believe it was Peter’s first steps of walking
I believe before Peter could ever make the choice to take those
steps, he had to settle within his being who Jesus was and His abilities to see him through. I believe the first steps that Peter took were the manifestation of what had occurred deep within his core.
Peter made the choice to believe Jesus and in doing so he had an encounter
with Jesus like no other.
Something transpired in those moments, when weakness turns into
confidence, and when fear turns into trust.
Peter’s faith took root in the depths of his heart.
His faith about God moved from a mind of knowledge to a deep revelation within his heart. Dear one, it is the same with us.
Our faith journey with God is that He longs for us to receive
His direction, but He also desires for us to act upon and respond to Him and His Word allowing it to take root within our hearts.
It’s in those defining moments that you realize within your
heart just how big your God is. In closing, we are going to look a James 2.22.
This scripture not only addresses Abraham’s
faith, but also the action of Abraham when God directed him to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice. “You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.” What did Abraham choose to do?
He chose do to do the same as Peter.
Abraham chose to not only believe God, but also to trust God to work out all the details even though he did not understand.
Abraham’s faith was made complete because he not
only received the Word from God, but also responded to it by walking in obedience.
Our
faith too will be made complete when our actions are accompanied by our belief in God and His promises’ over our circumstances. So what situation is God asking you to relinquish over all control and surrender to Him? areas within your life are robbing you of your joy and peace?
What
Could it be that you are in
your fourth watch of the night and are about to obtain a miraculous encounter?
May I suggest,
perhaps where you thought your faith rested in God is about to take a turn. that He is waiting patiently for you to receive His truths and believe in Him?
Could it be Could this be
the moment when a deep encounter will occur within your heart – forever changing your perception of just who God is?
Dear one, just when you think you believe big, believe higher,
because our understanding of who He is, is only the beginning of Great He is. is that Great, Awesome and Magnificent!
Yes, He
Matthew 16:25-34 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.
26
What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit
their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?
27
For the Son of Man is
going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done. 28
“Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son
of Man coming in his kingdom.” _____________________________________________________________________________ How many of you have worried about a matter? There is nothing wrong with having legitimate concern, but God doesn’t want us having undue anxiety over matters. Jesus used the analogy of the birds and their needs. If God the Father knows and tends to the needs of the birds, then how much more indispensable are the birds versus mankind who is created in His image? God the Father wants you to trust Him with your life. He wants you to realize that before you even speak about your needs, He already is aware of them (Matthew 6:8). “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” Jesus specifically points out the repercussions of worrying. Worrying depletes us emotionally, physically and spiritually. Jesus emphasizes the importance of trusting God the Father to meet all of our needs. Yet, we need to be careful to not confuse our needs with our wants. What we “want” may not exactly be what we need. We have to trust God Who is Omniscient to know what is best for our lives. Our focus needs to be on God and His Kingdom, for He is our Great Shepherd and we shall not be in want. So, have you been excessively worrying over a matter? Turn it over to God and trust Him to work out the details.
Throughout the Old Testament, we read stories of God making Himself known to His people. Although our modern English translations generally say 'God' or 'Lord,' there is great depth to the names of God in their original form. our God or Lord.
Jehovah and El are basic Hebrew names like
When joined with God's attributes, as is the case many times when God's
name is written in the Old Testament, we have a glorious list of names that describe our God:
Jehovah Raah (The Lord our Shepherd), Jehovah Rapha (The Lord our Healer),
Jehovah Shalom (God of Peace), Elohim (The Creator) and El Roi (The God Who Sees). These are just a few!
Recently, God has been revealing Himself to me as El Shaddai – The All Sufficient One. We go through seasons in life that God uses to reveal Himself to us in a real, more intimate way.
As God has lovingly and kindly been asking me, so I ask you... Is He your everything?
Do you trust Him to be your sufficiency in every area of life? When you find yourself in a troubling situation, do you run to Him or to man? turn toward Him or away from Him?
When you've made a mistake, do you
These are challenging questions, but well worth the
effort of answering.
While further researching the name El Shaddai, what I found has left me in awe.
“[A] word
much like Shaddai, and from which many believe it derived, is shad meaning breast in Hebrew. This refers to God completely nourishing, satisfying, and supplying His people with all their needs, as a mother would her child.” So, why would we allow ourselves to live in a place of doubt, despair, or self-sufficiency?
We were created to need our Creator.
whose love transcends far beyond the love of the best earthly parent!
Our Father,
For some S.I.M.P.L.E. Tips on trusting our El Shaddai, let's look at the first time God uses that name to describe Himself in the Old Testament:
When Abraham was ninety-nine years
old, the Lord appeared to him and said, 'I am God Almighty [El Shaddai]; walk before me faithfully and be blameless.
Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will
greatly increase your numbers (Genesis 17:1-2, NIV).
SIMPLE TIPS: 1.
...the Lord appeared to him and said, 'I am God Almighty'...
Cultivate an atmosphere in your everyday life that allows God to show up. to be alone with Him.
Wait patiently and quietly for Him in those times.
Set aside time When you're on
the go, continually focus on having your heart toward Him, always ready to listen.
2.
...walk before me faithfully and be blameless.
Walking implies action and motion.
Doubt and despair cause us to freeze.
to go on, trusting that He is for us and with us. from pride or feeling unworthy.
God wants us
Be aware that self-sufficiency can stem
As we walk blameless before Him, trusting Him and knowing
how He loves us, we steer clear of sin and deception.
3.
‌I will make my covenant between me and you...
God does not change.
He will show up, and He will stay true to His promises.
Expect it!
You have nothing to prove to God about your sufficiency, but He longs to prove His to you.
4.
...and [I] will greatly increase your numbers.
Live in the blessings of God!
Just as earthly parents love to bless their children, our Heavenly
Father does so all the more! [See Luke 11:13] When times of trouble come, don't let doubt and despair be the cycle you get stuck in. trust in the character and promises of God Almighty – The All Sufficient One! ~ Jamie Clawson
Rather,