Tag: #Hebrews4:16

Posted on

Redeeming Your Time – Part 2

The best way to reconcile issues of the soul, unfinished business or any other outstanding matter is by the living, redeeming work of the cross. 

Colossians 1:17 TPT says that “He existed before anything was made, and now everything finds completion in him.”

The AMPC version reveals that God is our supreme binder, saying, “…He Himself existed before all things, and in Him all things consist (cohere, are held together). [Prov. 8:22-31.]”

So, we must do as Hebrews 4:16 AMPC says, which is to “find grace…to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it].”

We can hold on to the Spirit of Grace and release matters to Him to bring complete wholeness, which honors Him (Ps 55:22 TPT, Phil 1:6). By God’s authority, we can also bind the enemy that tries to keep us spinning in un-resolve so that life doesn’t continue on without us (Lk 10:19).

The revelation God gave me on this is that His grace not only works outwardly as explosive power but also works inwardly as an implosion, where internal fragments are made whole or redeemed. 

Just as in the military command to “fall in,” this means that we must break away from a former or present place and meet with God to come into a new alignment under His authority for transformation. In this way, He will bind our matters into a glorious new whole to demonstrate His goodness (Ps 18:25).

So, as we trust our Kinsman-Redeemer, we can give Him all of our fragments, and ask Him to resolve them to His liking, and then grow them exponentially (multiplicity) for His glory (Jn 6:11, Lk 6:38, Is 43:1). We can ask Him to awaken our minds and hearts to see and know Him more in this way—as our God who redeems our lives on earth as it is in Heaven. 

Because redemption doesn’t stop at the altar of salvation (Ps 50:23 TPT).

Redemption continues to work on our behalf as we walk out our salvation, submitting our limitations to God and trusting Him with transformation and multiplicity.

Sometimes, it may look and feel worse before we see better. But God, in His faithfulness, will get us to the place of fewer hindrances and more shalom peace and abundant true (zoe, Strong’s #2222) life than we’ve ever known.

God is in the redemptive work with us, so we can “fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace” (He 4:16). Know there will come a time, when we will begin to see the outward work of His redemption. 

We will see the promised fruit. 

Just as God is the perfect binder, He is also the perfect sower, who multiplies good fruit in our lives forward. Luke 8:15 NIV says, “But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.”

Multiplicity is a part of God’s redemptive work as explosive growth. Multiplicity is a time-saver. 

Job’s life is a noble example of abiding-ascension and multiplicity, where God restored him double for his losses. 

And God will do the same for us. 

We see God do double miracles of brokenness to abundance for the multitudes in John 6:11 NLT, which says, “Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted.”

When I read this scripture, during this writing, Holy Spirit highlighted the Word “distributed” to me.

I believe He revealed it’s time for those of us who have followed Him in the deep implosive work of our souls to now explode on the scene into the distribution phase. In other words, it’s time to get the message out, to share the blessing or the feast of manifest miracles God has done in us with the world around us in whatever form He as ordained.

As we obey, God will use the life-work He did in us to extend life to others as He expands our reach outwardly by His explosive grace-power.

As Redeemer, He will do the impossible on our behalf.

As we go about this new phase of distribution with our Lord, as redeemed vessels with a message of redemption for others, a critical element to practice is the acknowledgment of Him “as our Provider of all we need each day,” as is written in Matthew 6:11 TPT. Abiding in Him is everything, as it was for Job. 

So, our righteous prayer today is…

Dear Lord,

Thank You for Your victory-redemption. Where I have felt defeated in the past, help me live in Your miraculous abundance as I abide in You and obey You. “Let my passion for life be restored, tasting joy in every breakthrough you bring to me. Hold me close to you with a willing spirit that obeys whatever you say” (Ps 51:12 TPT). Thank You, Lord, for making my path increasingly bright as I continue to come into greater life-union with Your righteousness (Pr 4:18, Ps 23:3).

In Jesus’ Mighty Name. 

And now, I declare over you that “…God himself, the heavenly Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, release grace over you and impart total well-being into your lives” daily (Ep 1:2 TPT).

Amen.

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.

Posted on

Godly Courage: Our Breath for The Race – Part 2

A fresh breath of courage begins with fellowship with God in submission to Him. The purpose of this Godly courage is for God to demonstrate His power through His beloved followers as a witness to others and to otherwise build His Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven.

Acts 4:13 TPT reveals to us that “The council members were astonished as they witnessed the bold courage of Peter and John, especially when they discovered that they were just ordinary men who had never had religious training. Then they began to understand the effect Jesus had on them simply by spending time with him.”

Hebrews 4:16 TPT instructs us to “…come freely and boldly to where love is enthroned, to receive mercy’s kiss and discover the grace we urgently need to strengthen us in our time of weakness.”

Ephesians 3:12 AMPC affirms that “…because of our faith in Him, we dare to have the boldness (courage and confidence) of free access ( an unreserved approach to God with freedom and without fear).”

Friends, when God graces us with His courage, we gain the ability to speak freely and boldly, void of doubt in our fellowship with God and in reliance upon His Name (Jesus). We can also speak in divinely-purposed ways publicly with perfect, bold assurance, as our confidence and demeanor remain in His Spirit, regardless of circumstance (Ac 4:29) (Strong’s Concordance). 

In Philippians 1:20 AMPC, Paul testifies, “…in keeping with my own eager desire and persistent expectation and hope, that I shall not disgrace myself nor be put to shame in anything; but that with the utmost freedom of speech and unfailing courage, now as always Christ (the Messiah) will be magnified and get glory and praise…”

So, we have choices to make: Will we come to God in courage, even when we can’t see the way (Mk 10:49)? And will we choose to partake of His offering of unfailing courage as true strength? 

Luke 21:19 NIV tells us to, “Stand firm, and you will win life.”

This means to be “un-swerved” from divine purpose and to be loyal “to faith and piety,” even in our “greatest trials and sufferings” (Thayer’s Greek Lexicon). 

God assures us victory through courage, even in a storm (2 Cor 6:4). 

When Jesus walked on water in the storm, He commanded His disciples to not fear and “have courage” as He came near to them and rescued them (Mk 6:50)!

Jesus taught His disciples to rely on and confidently demonstrate His unflinching, bold wind (breath) of courage as strength in the face of the storm. He took them beyond their own natural ability to see that, with His help, they could keep a warm heart and a good attitude as they endured victoriously. 

In this way, the disciples were strengthened in Christ.

They grew in faith. 

They learned that they could trust Jesus in the storm to bring them through. The only way they could have learned this and the only way they could have demonstrated any measure of confidence was to actually go through the storm with Jesus as He worked out their faith. 

They learned that Godly courage was the true wind in their sails.

So, we see in this example that when hostile, contrary winds oppose us, we can be met by God’s greater wind, which is His breath (or wind) of courage that strengthens us. This powerful inner bolstering, by the Spirit of Jesus (which is the Holy Spirit in us), invites us to step out and above all that rages against us with a confidence by faith that He is with us and He will sustain us to the end.  

In Philippians 1:14, God even promises His faithful followers that He will increase His infusion of courage during times of injustice.

So, will you believe God’s truth when the adversary lies to you through circumstances that try to take you down and under? Will you believe God’s goodness and take His courage?

Because of who He is and what He has already done for us, God expects us to keep a good, faith-filled attitude, even as we endure the storms of life. As we believe Him at His Word, remain in obedience to Him, reach for Him, keep our gaze upon Him, and worship Him throughout the journey, we are able. 

So, don’t get stuck in unbelief or hardness of heart. 

Endure, and you will see God’s truth come to pass in your life.

Jesus assures us in John 16:33 AMPC, saying, “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 [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]”

Jesus adds in John 14:27 TPT, “I leave the gift of peace with you—my peace. Not the kind of fragile peace given by the world, but my perfect peace. Don’t yield to fear or be troubled in your hearts—instead, be courageous!”

To be sure, peace, heart, confidence, grace, faith, truth, obedience and endurance are closely tied to courage. 

So, Lord, we thank You for depriving the world of power to harm us. We thank You for Your gifts of perfect peace and confidence. 

In the areas where we have lost heart, we repent. We renounce all depression as a false feeling of defeat, a lie from the enemy of our soul that attempts to crush Your courage in us and render us incapable of completing our divine assignments (Pr 18:14). 

Thank You, Lord, that we don’t have to faint under pressure, but that we can come to You and receive a fresh wind of Your powerful courage that strengthens us and makes us bold in ways that honor and magnify You. 

By Your grace, and in faith, we receive Your fresh breath of courage now to effectively and efficiently fulfill our divine purposes and missions.

Thank You, Lord, that we can always be of good courage (2 Cor 5:6), that as we continue to place our heart in Yours, You will sustain a cheerful heart in us. 

Thank You for helping us hold onto our bold, courageous faith in You, Lord (He 10:35), and to continue on in victory (He 3:6), because we know that You will protect us, just as You say You will (Ac 27:25).

In Jesus’ Mighty Name that is above all names.

To God be the glory.

Amen.