Tag: Breaking Down Strongholds

“For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.” ~ James 3:16

The driving factor for all quarreling, envy, and strife is the fact that we think more of ourselves than we ought. According to Paul, we should try to seek the good of others rather than always trying to be first (see 1 Cor 10:24). Think about what angers us when we get on the road. Someone cuts us off or hesitates a little too long at the light, and our anger flares. We get all bent out of shape because we had to wait a few extra seconds; if you notice, that doesn’t really set us back that far.

I remember several years ago, we had just moved to a new city, and I was still figuring out where everything was and how to get there. One morning I was taking my mother-in-law to the clinic for medical treatment – for a sickness to which she eventually succumbed to a few days later. We came to a light, and I was unsure where to go; because of unfamiliarity with the area, coupled with the fact that I was concerned for my mother-in-law, I hesitated a little too long.

A very impatient driver sat on their horn as they sped past. Needless to say, rushed, we took the wrong turn. I believe if the driver of the other car knew the circumstance, they would have acted differently. We should try to treat others with more respect than we think they deserve and stop all the unnecessary anger. Be willing to accept the wrong, even if it is not ours to bear (1 Cor 6:7). Then we will begin to light our dark corner of the world.

Heavenly Father, please help us to make a difference in our communities that are filled with so much hate and anger. Let us not be caught up in that spirit of anger but to operate in the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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God sent me ahead of you to establish you as a remnant within the land and to keep you alive by a great deliverance.  Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, Lord of his entire household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt. “Return quickly to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: “God has made me Lord of all Egypt. Come down to me without delay. You can settle in the land of Goshen and be near me — you, your children, and grandchildren, your sheep, cattle, and all you have.

There I will sustain you, for there will be five more years of famine. Otherwise, you, your household, and everything you have will become destitute.”’ Look! Your eyes and my brother Benjamin’s eyes can see that it is I, Joseph, who am speaking to you. Tell my father about all my glory in Egypt and about all you have seen. And bring my father here quickly.” Then Joseph threw his arms around Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept on his shoulder. Joseph kissed each of his brothers as he wept, and afterward his brothers talked with him. ~ Genesis 45:7-15 (HCSB)

Joseph did not hold his brothers’ sins against them because he understood his being sold into slavery was used by God to save his family. If it was us, would we still feel a grudge against them because we would hang onto the pain? Or would we see the Supernatural Hand of God at work? A lot of times, after something happens, that may cause us great pain, we learn that God used that specific incident to move us Supernaturally for the better, but yet, we still hold on to the pain. We blame them. We hate them.

But surprisingly, in this case, Joseph forgave, embraced, loved, and provided for the same brothers who had caused him such harm and pain. In our lives, the situation may have been used to shift the supernatural to bring us deliverance or to separate us from the same ones that caused us great offense. Even though the relationship is not meant to be restored, forgiveness is still required.

Always remember that if we don’t forgive, we won’t be forgiven. Be obedient to the sweet voice of the Holy Spirit as He shows you those people you need to forgive. Don’t let anything or anyone hold up your blessings or cause you not to walk right before God.

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“²¹ If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, ²² for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.” ~ Proverbs 25:21-22

Many times when we are wronged, we want to get even and show the person that wronged us the same harshness they showed us. But Scripture tells us to help them when they need help because it would be like heaping burning coals on their head. The best revenge you can get is to forgive and move forward.

Forgiveness is probably one of the hardest things for us to do as humans, but it is the best thing we can do. Forgiveness isn’t for the other person; it’s for you. It’s the only way you will be able to move forward. And once you forgive, you will be able to help them in their time of need, even if they didn’t help you in yours. In doing so, God will reward you and lift you higher than before.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Heap Burning Coals.

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“Now Jehoshaphat had great riches and honor, and he made a marriage alliance with Ahab. Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were sitting on their thrones, arrayed in their robes. And they were sitting at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying before them.” ~ 2 Chronicles 18:1

This is a prime example of when we think we are adequate in making decisions for ourselves because everything in our life is running smoothly and life is good. We think that we are now capable, and we no longer inquire of God upfront, asking for wisdom concerning alliances, relationships, or commitments we make with family, friends, co-workers, or business partners. Instead, we make the commitments, alliances, relationships first, then we inquire of God afterward, wanting His approval and His blessing.

We should never look at a blessed, smooth going life as one that we are in control of or one that is the result of our own wisdom. But instead with great humility at all times, and before moving forward on anything, seek Him for wisdom regardless of how trivial it may seem. Always acknowledging we are blessed because we continuously seek Him in prayer, receiving wisdom, mercy, love, and blessings.

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“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” ~ Philippians 4:8

How do we renew our minds? By following this simple instruction. Don’t let anger get the best of you. I know that overlooking other drivers can be challenging, but the results are a health hazard. It releases chemicals in your bloodstream that has adverse effects on your body. So does stress and unforgiveness. Your Health, both spiritual and physical, is not worth those negative emotions.

I pray for each one this morning, O LORD, that we will learn to control our minds, reactions, and emotions. Help us to overlook and forgive, that we too may be forgiven. Help us to think good thoughts and meditate on what is noble, and admirable, and kind; that we might live peaceful and low-stress lives. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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“⁴ Why do you boast of your valleys,O faithless daughter, who trusted in her treasures, saying, ‘Who will come against me?’” ~ Jeremiah 49:4

Often times, when our Earthly possessions multiply, so does our pride. We become haughty and filled with arrogance. We no longer put our trust in God, but in our new idol, material possessions. What we own doesn’t make us stronger, more of a man or woman, smarter or wiser.

Having possessions aren’t the problem; it’s when we no longer lean on God but lean on our possessions instead. At the end of the day, they can’t save you, they can’t hear you, they can’t see you. They may be able to protect you for a short time, but the inevitable downfall is coming, and nothing you own can save from it. Pride leads you down the path of destruction.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Trust in God.

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“Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, and there came a messenger to Job and said, ‘The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.’ While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, ‘The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.’ While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, ‘The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.’ While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, ‘Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you.’ Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’ In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.” ~ Job 1:13-22

“So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. And he took a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in the ashes. Then his wife said to him, ‘Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.’ But he said to her, ‘You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?’ In all this Job did not sin with his lips.” ~ Job 2:7-10

Job lost everything he had. He lost his earthly possessions and every one of his children. He even lost his health, but in all of this Job did not sin with his lips. See I had this bad habit of speaking out of anger. I would say things I probably wouldn’t mean later on, but yet in the heat of the moment my mouth just started running, and I couldn’t seem to shut it up.

Proverbs 18:21 tells us that “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” Matthew 15:11 says “it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” If we allow wickedness, hatred, evil to come out of our mouth, we have to check our spiritual temperature. Luke 6:45 explains it like this, “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” Think about it like this, if evil things are coming out of your mouth, then there is a lot of evil in your heart that you have to get rid of. There is a lot of hurt and hatred that you just have to give to the LORD so that while you are in a fit of rage, you won’t sin.

Here’s one of our biggest problems, we don’t have control over our emotions. When one thing goes wrong, everything goes wrong, and our countenance drops. We allow our situations to dictate our attitude, to dictate our lives, to dictate who we are. If Job a man who lost everything he held dear to his heart could keep his mouth shut and not sin with his lips why can’t we do the same? When in the heat of the moment when your really angry quote Proverbs 4:4 “Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent.”

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Be Silent.

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“¹⁷So Isaac departed from there and encamped in the Valley of Gerar and settled there. ¹⁸And Isaac dug again the wells of water that had been dug in the days of Abraham his father, which the Philistines had stopped after the death of Abraham. And he gave them the names that his father had given them. ¹⁹But when Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of spring water, ²⁰the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, ‘The water is ours.’ So he called the name of the well Esek, because they contended with him. ²¹Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over that also, so he called its name Sitnah. ²²And he moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. So he called its name Rehoboth, saying, ‘For now the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.’” ~ Genesis 26:17-22

It probably felt like every little thing Isaac did the people had a problem with, but he never fought with them over anything they claimed as theirs. Instead, he gave it to them and moved on until God made room for him. I wonder what we would reap at work, at school, even at home with our families if we didn’t argue with people and just gave them what they think belonged to them.

Right after I wrote that I jokingly thought to myself, “We’d be broke is what we’d be,” but that isn’t true… The Bible says “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the Earth.” Isn’t that what Isaac was being, meek? He allowed them to take the wells his father dug that they then filled in and then he just dug it out again. Imagine if we were meek, sure people would think they’re walking over. They would think you’re a real pushover, but what would God think? Would He not bless you like never before? Would He not prepare a place for you at your job, or at your school, or even at home? Isaac reaped 100 fold the same year he sowed, why? Could it be because he was meek? Could it be that he didn’t think too highly of himself, but was humble? In order to be meek, you must first humble yourself or pride will speak for you.

I just wonder what would happen if Christians were meek… would we then inherit the Earth? Now, remember being meek is NOT staying silent when someone is doing something wrong or watching your country destroy itself and do nothing about. Being meek is exactly what Isaac did in these verses, give to the people what they felt was theirs without being annoyed or doing it begrudgingly. But simply saying that’s fine, take it MY GOD will provide for me when He sees fit.

Peace. Love. Go forth and be meek.

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