October 2015 Spirit Food

This month let’s focus on God’s blessings towards us!

Romans 8:31 - What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Whenever you’re having “one of those days” where it seems like the devil is throwing all kinds of “issues” at you, you need not lose hope. In fact, we can be sure that God will turn it around for our greater blessing, because He is for us.

Remember, when you accepted Jesus as the Lord of your life, the Holy Spirit came to dwell within you. Your spirit was re-born! You need to focus on that and rely on His leading in everyday life.

When God first made man, He gave man dominion over everything on earth. (Genesis 1:26) But when Adam fell, sin and death entered the world, and man lost his authority to the devil.

As a result of Adam’s fall, God loved mankind so much, that He executed a redemption plan to get his mankind back. This plan included sending His Son Jesus to die for us. And He wants us to know that Jesus’ death did more than just restore us to the same position that Adam had—it placed us in a much higher position!

When the Father raised Jesus from the dead, we who are in Christ were raised with Him. Now, I suppose that some reading this might ask, “How can that be?” - because Jesus died over 2000 years ago. Although this is true, remember that God lives outside of time … God created time! Also, remember we are spirit beings, and our spirits are going to live for all of eternity. If you’ve accepted Jesus, you are now seated with Him at God’s right hand in the heavenly places, “far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come”! (Ephesians 1:21) Adam never had this position. So through Jesus’ death and resurrection, we have received so much more.

In the Old Testament, we read of how God brought the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt, into a land flowing with milk and honey. The devil thought that he could foil God’s plan by putting giants in the Promised Land to stop the Israelite’s from inheriting it. But God outsmarted the devil. He allowed the giants to build their homes and cities, dig wells and cultivate crops until the right time came. Then, He brought the Israelites into the land and evicted the giants!

So the Israelites ended up inheriting large beautiful cities which they did not build, houses full of all good things which they did not fill, hewn-out wells which they did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees which they did not plant! (Deuteronomy 6:10–11) Although the devil tried to prevent God’s plan for His people from coming to pass, they ended up receiving so much more!

Beloved, the devil may throw obstacles and evil circumstances at you, but God will turn those evil schemes around for your greater blessing because He is for you!

Isaiah 61:6–7, NIV - And you will be called priests of the Lord...You will feed on the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast. Instead of their shame, My people will receive a double portion…they will inherit a double portion in their land...

You are called “priests of the Lord” because Jesus has cleansed you with His blood and made you kings and priests to God. (Revelation 1:5–6) And as priests of the Lord, God says to you, “You will feed on the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast.” And you will “inherit a double portion in their land”.

Believe God when He says that His people will receive a double portion. This double portion includes blessings of favor, fruitfulness, success and health. In fact, the people around you will look at you and your descendants, and acknowledge that you are a people that the Lord has blessed!

When God looks at you, He’s looking at you through the blood of Jesus! He sees what Jesus has done on the cross to pay for your redemption and sees you as his beloved child! A joint heir with Jesus! Glory be to God! He sees me without spot or wrinkle! Without sin, sickness, poverty, etcetera! God, the creator of the universe has done this for mankind … all mankind has to do is believe and receive it! This is the Good News … the Gospel!

God desires us to walk as wise men and women, and not as fools. (Ephesians 5:15) Now, He will not tell us to walk in wisdom without showing us how. That is why His Word goes on to say in Ephesians 5:17 - “Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

So what is the will of God? The next two verses tell us how to identify it: “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord”. (Ephesians 5:18–19)

As you allow yourself to be filled with the Spirit by lifting songs of praise to the Lord, singing or speaking (God knows some of us can’t sing!) psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, and making melody in your heart to the Lord, God promises that you will know what His will is for your situation. You will then have the wisdom to decide wisely what to do next.

I have found this to be true in my own life. Whenever I’m faced with a “difficult situation”, sometimes, the more I dwell on the problem/issue, the harder it seems to make what may be perceived as a good decision. The more I try my best to come up with a smart solution, the further the answer seems to get from me. However, when I turn away from my problem and turn my focus to God, singing in the Spirit and praising Him, I get a clearer perspective of the “issue” when I come back to it later. I also find an inner prompting to make certain decisions which in the end, turn out to be better than anything I could have come up with on my own.

So, lift up songs of praise to the Lord, whether times are good or bad. For when you fill your mouth with praises to God, He will lead you and guide you in all the affairs of your life. Even if you are stuck with an “issue”, He will show you the way to go or make a way out for you. Either way, you will get the wisdom and help that you need!

With a willful mindset, every morning, I seek wisdom from our Heavenly Father and receive wisdom for the day. I have a deep relationship with Him (to include Jesus and the Holy Spirit). I pray that the meditations of my soul (my mind, will, and emotions), the words out of my mouth, and the actions of my physical body, will be acceptable to Him as my strength and my redeemer, concluded with, “In Jesus’ Name, Amen.” That’s usually followed by a time of praise and worship. Of course, the relationship continues throughout the day. I am a joint heir with Jesus … a son of the Most High God, He loves me! Glory to His Name!