Born to Victory

"I have told you these things so that in Me you may have perfect peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer...I have overcome the world." (John 16:33, The Amplified Bible)

Jesus said as long as you live in the world, you're going to have trouble. (I can vouch for that!) But you're not just in the world. You're in JESUS in the world, and that makes all the difference. You're in Him and He's overcome every kind of trouble there is.\
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As God's child, you're not the defeated trying to get victory. You're the overcomer, and Satan's trying to rob you of the victory that already belongs to you.\
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Jesus said as long as you live in the world, you're going to have trouble. (I can vouch for that!) But you're not just in the world. You're in JESUS in the world, and that makes all the difference. You're in Him and He's overcome every kind of trouble there is.

As God's child, you're not the defeated trying to get victory. You're the overcomer, and Satan's trying to rob you of the victory that already belongs to you.

When you made Jesus the Lord of your life, you were born into victory... because the Victor came to live in you. Think about it. The victorious Jesus. The Anointed One. The glorified and resurrected Lord. The Ruler of the Universe.

Cheer up, my friend. Have "perfect peace and confidence." That's Jesus who lives in you!

Scripture Reading: John 16:15-33 

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Major on Mercy

"I beseech thee, show me thy glory." (Exodus 33:18)

What would you say is the single, most outstanding thing about God? What's His most important characteristic? Some people would say it's His power. Others, His holiness. But God Himself would give a different answer.

You can find that answer in Exodus 33. There Moses is asking God to show him His glory.

Now the word "glory" could literally be translated "heavy weight." It refers to the heaviest, biggest, grandest thing about someone. It's the sum total of their worth.

What would you say is the single, most outstanding thing about God? What's His most important characteristic? Some people would say it's His power. Others, His holiness. But God Himself would give a different answer.

You can find that answer in Exodus 33. There Moses is asking God to show him His glory.

Now the word "glory" could literally be translated "heavy weight." It refers to the heaviest, biggest, grandest thing about someone. It's the sum total of their worth.

So what Moses was actually saying was, "Lord, I want to see the weightiest thing about You. I want to know Your grandest attributes." What did God say to him in response?

Chapter 34:6-7 tells us, "The Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin."

Just think about that! When Moses asked God to show him the most important thing about Himself, God showed him His mercy.

That means if you and I are to imitate God (Eph. 5:1) we must major in mercy too. Mercy, goodness, forgiveness and compassion must mark our behavior above all else.

Major on mercy and others will see the glory of God in you.

Scripture Reading: Exodus 33:7-23,Exodus 34:5-10 

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Remember Noah

"And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." (Genesis 6:7-8)

One of the dirtiest, most damaging lies that the devil ever told you was when he said, "You aren't important." Don't you ever believe that.

You are important! Every born-again member in the Church of Jesus Christ has a part to play in God's plan. God has something for you to do that no one else can do just like you can. If you don't take your place and do your part, things won't be quite right.

I can just hear you thinking, "Oh, Gloria, I'm just one person. What could I possibly do that could be so significant?"

Look in Genesis 6, and you'll see the answer to that question. There you'll see that the people on the earth had gotten so wicked that God had regretted that He'd made them. He was ready to wipe the whole population out--but He didn't. Why? Because of one man: Noah! One obedient man saved the human race.

Think about that. What if Noah had said, "Well, this is just too much pressure for me. I can't live upright before God in the middle of this ungodly generation. I mean, everybody around me is living the other way. Every man around me imagines only evil in his heart. I can't make any difference in this dark world anyway. I'm just one man."

Praise God, Noah didn't say that. He didn't picture himself as an insignificant man whose life didn't matter. According to Hebrews, he saw himself as a man to whom God had spoken and by faith he obeyed God. And because of that he ended up being the only thing that stood between mankind and total destruction.

Next time you're tempted to shrug off the instructions of God and be disobedient, next time you catch yourself thinking, "It doesn't matter what I do"--remember Noah. Consider the fact that, whether you understand it or not, God is counting on you to carry out your part of His plan. Live like you're someone important in the kingdom of God. And sooner or later you'll realize, you are.

Scripture Reading: Genesis 6

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Born to Victory

"I have told you these things so that in Me you may have perfect peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer...I have overcome the world." (John 16:33, The Amplified Bible)

Jesus said as long as you live in the world, you're going to have trouble. (I can vouch for that!) But you're not just in the world. You're in JESUS in the world, and that makes all the difference. You're in Him and He's overcome every kind of trouble there is.\
\
As God's child, you're not the defeated trying to get victory. You're the overcomer, and Satan's trying to rob you of the victory that already belongs to you.\
\
Jesus said as long as you live in the world, you're going to have trouble. (I can vouch for that!) But you're not just in the world. You're in JESUS in the world, and that makes all the difference. You're in Him and He's overcome every kind of trouble there is.

As God's child, you're not the defeated trying to get victory. You're the overcomer, and Satan's trying to rob you of the victory that already belongs to you.

When you made Jesus the Lord of your life, you were born into victory... because the Victor came to live in you. Think about it. The victorious Jesus. The Anointed One. The glorified and resurrected Lord. The Ruler of the Universe.

Cheer up, my friend. Have "perfect peace and confidence." That's Jesus who lives in you!

Scripture Reading: John 16:15-33

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Don't Answer

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Romans 12:2)

Be not conformed to this world. If you live like the world, you'll be overcome by the world. It's as simple as that. So don't let the world squeeze you into its own mold.

Instead..."be transformed" by the entire renewal of your mind. Overcome the world by having your mind transformed to think like God thinks. In other words, when you see something in the Word, say, "I agree with that. From now on I'm acting on that instead of what I used to think."

For example, when sin calls your name, don't answer. Agree with the Word instead and say, "I'm dead to that, Devil. You can't pull me into it anymore!"

As you do that, you'll find yourself changing. You will find yourself living like a world overcomer!

Scripture Reading: Romans 6:1-11 

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Know Him as Daddy

"For [the Spirit which] you have now received [is] not a spirit of slavery to put you once more in bondage to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption--the Spirit producing sonship--in [the bliss of] which we cry, Abba! [That is,] Father!" (Romans 8:15, The Amplified Bible)

One night after a worship service a friend of mine and I stepped outside and were suddenly awed by the beauty around us. It was one of those crisp, clear winter nights when the brilliance of the moon and stars nearly takes your breath away. I said to my friend, "Tommy, will you look at that!" Then he looked up with one of those Holy Ghost whole face smiles and with a voice full of tenderness said, "My Daddy made that!"

"My Daddy...." I'll never forget the way he said that.

Some people might think he shouldn't have been talking in such familiar terms about God, but they'd be wrong. It's scriptural to talk that way about Him. In the New Testament there's a Greek word for father-- Abba. The most accurate translation for that word in English is Daddy. It's a word that signifies closeness. It speaks of a relationship that's been developed through time spent together.

Father is one thing. Daddy is another.

Growing up, my father was sometimes my Father and sometimes my Daddy. When we were out duck hunting, he was Daddy. When he gave commands he meant to be obeyed instantly, he was Father.

God is like that too. He's your Father and He's your Daddy. There are times you'll be very serious and down to business with one another. Other times you'll be more lighthearted. But either way, once you fellowship with Him enough to get to know Him, I guarantee, you'll want to be close to Him all the time.

Scripture Reading: Romans 8:14-18

Look Up!

"Consider [Jesus] that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds." (Hebrews 12:3)

Look up...because in times like these, your very life may depend on it.

Some time ago, the Lord showed me that a spirit of weariness is trying to work its way into our lives these days through all the pressure and bad news that surrounds us. It's working to get our eyes off the Word of God by bombarding us with negative forces. It's trying to get us to look down at defeat instead of up at Jesus.

If you let that happen, your spirit man will begin to lose his dominion. And the Word tells us what the results of that is. It says you will "be wearied and faint in your minds."

Jesus put it this way in Mark 4. He said that when the cares of this world enter into your heart and mind, they'll choke the Word and cause it to become unfruitful. And since your faith is the product of the Word, that means your faith will wither. Once that happens, you're headed for disaster.

What can you do to stop this chain reaction of weariness?

Look up! Get your eyes back on Jesus. I remember on the field of athletic competition that when an opponent allowed himself to drop his head, he was no longer dangerous. He could be very easily defeated. So keep your head up. Keep considering Jesus, the Author and Finisher of your faith. Consider Him instead of the cares of this world. Consider what God says in His Word. Be moved by the thoughts of God. Let His thoughts become your thoughts.

Look up! Get your eyes off the circumstances around you and onto your heavenly source. Don't be afraid you're going to lose everything. God is your Source, not the world. He can take care of you regardless of what happens around you.

If you've gotten weary lately, begin to lift your eyes. Raise your head up instead of looking down. God is up. Jesus is up. The devil is down--under your feet. Look up!

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 40:21-31

Good Success

"This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt...have good success." (Joshua 1:8)

Good success is a way of life that comes from being established in the Word of God. It comes from spending so much of your time and your thought life on the Word that it becomes what you and I could call "second nature." It comes from hearing and obeying the Word so consistently that it begins to guide your actions even when you're not consciously thinking about it.

When I started flying airplanes, I learned to train myself by getting the handbook for a certain airplane and reading it over and over again. In my mind's eye, I'd visualize everything that could occur in that airplane. I trained myself by meditating on what I needed to do.

And that's exactly what I started doing with the Word of God. I thought about it day and night. Before long, I started getting excited about what I was reading.

I'd sit at home and think about how I'd apply the Word in different situations. I'd see myself praying for the sick and having them recover. The Word became "second nature" to me.

Practice meditating on the Word that way. Let it become part of you. See yourself obeying it in every possible circumstance. It will guarantee you "good success."

Scripture Reading: Psalm 1

Go When You're Ready

"With long life will I satisfy [you], and shew [you] my salvation." (Psalm 91:16)

Did you know that it's not God's will for you or anyone to die young? His will for you is to live the full number of your days. You ought to live 70 or 80 years, and if you are not satisfied, live a while longer! The Bible says that when Abraham died, he died at a good old age, full of years. That's the way it ought to be with all of us.

Some believers don't realize that and they've gotten themselves in a mess. When they get sick instead of just believing for healing, they start wondering if it's God's will for them to die. "Maybe He's ready to call me home," they think.

Don't ever entertain thoughts like that. If God has His way, He won't call you home until you're good and ready to come. The Apostle Paul understood that. In 2 Timothy 4:6-7, he said, "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." Paul didn't die until he and Jesus were ready for him to go.

Regardless of your age, if the devil is telling you God isn't going to heal you because it's time for you to go home, he is lying to you. God promises in Psalm 91:16 that if you are living under the shadow of the most High, He will satisfy you with long life. (That means that you are abiding in Him as Jesus taught in John 15.)

If you're not satisfied that you have finished your course yet on this earth, it's not time for you to die. So ignore the devil and keep right on living. Resist sickness and disease in the Name of Jesus. Stand on God's promise!

Then, when you're ready to go on to heaven, go! But go satisfied, healed, and ready! Go in victory shouting the words of that old joy-filled song--"Heaven is near and I can't stay here. Good-bye world, good-bye."

Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 34