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Word for Today:  October 29

Jesus’ self-emptying.

(Jesus) Who existing in the Form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made Himself of no reputation (Kenoo) and took upon Him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross…  Phil. 2:6-8

Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and shall call His name Immanuel…  Isa. 7:13

The Kenosis of Jesus is a Foundation Truth that many have failed to grasp.  Kenosis or “self-emptying” simply declares that Jesus willingly “emptied” Himself of His God Characteristics and condescended to the stature and state of a man… a human being… born of a woman… and came to earth to live and die as part of God’s Plan to Redeem Man from Adam’s failure.

Jesus laid down and left in heaven certain characteristics and privileges He exercised as God.  He willingly emptied Himself of His God Form… His God Power… His God Knowledge… His Eternal Life.  He became subject to sickness, disease, death, failure, sin and any and all human liabilities and limitations imposed by Adam’s sin and failure.  The Scripture tells us that:

He was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin… (Heb. 4:15)

Jesus willingly and obediently subjected Himself to the possibility of sin and the possibility of failure when He put off His God Characteristics and took on Himself the form and limitations of humanity.

But He was Victor over temptation.  He was Victor over sin.  He was Victor over every human weakness.  He was Victor over all…

Even death and the grave

Word for Today:  October 28

_{Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.   Joshua 1:1-2}

_{Notice what God tells Joshua: “Take possession of what I have given you.”  Every place… I have given unto you…  It is there for you.  I have saved it for you and provided it for you.  It is a land of abundance.  It is a land of plenty.  It is a land of rest and success.  It is a place of healing and health.  It is a land of safety and security.  It is a land of deliverance and protection.”}

_{God has purchased awesome possessions for you through the Blood of His Son, Jesus.  The victory has been won and the prize has been captured.  It is for you and it is for me.} 

_{However, you will never have these possessions until you go over and take them.  They will never benefit you until you make up your mind to get up, go over and take possess them.  By action, by force and by faith.}

_{The devil is “squatting” on what is legally yours.  he will stay there and laugh at you until you get up and go over and take it back.  he will homestead on it until you get mad enough, brave enough, faith-filled enough to go in and kick him out.  Get up and go over.}

_{And take it back} 

Mark 4:35-41

And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side     

And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship And there were also with him other little ships     

And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full       

And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?     

And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm   

And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?      

And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?      

Here are some suggestions for you when you find yourself in a storm:

Be Calm

And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow  (38)

          We need to be like Jesus.  Jesus never suffered fromfear, panic, anxiety, or nervous tension.  He was never stressed out.  He was calm, cool, and collected.  In this case, He was asleep in the storm.     He was at rest and in rest.  He was totally covered by His confidence in God.

          At times of great stress and crisis, my children slept right through some of the greatest storms of my life. They were as­sured that I had everything under control and that I would be able see take care of them and protect them from any danger.     

          Your storm can give rise to reason and doubt as you look at it and give in to it.  When reason begins to function, the next step ispanic and despair.  David said that God “prepared a table before him in the midst of his enemies…”  The Word says that we are to roll all our cares over on Him because He cares for us (1Pet 5:7).  If God is our Father, and He is, then He will take care of us and see us through.  Every time.   In every storm.  In every crisis. 

Speak the Word

And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still.   ( 39)

          The Word spoken in faith and prayed in faith always produces peace. In this storm, Jesus rebuked the wind and said to the sea… There is a time to pray and there is a time to arise and speak the Word.  Faith-filled words will make the natural submit to the spiritual. 

          If “no-faith” which is what the dis­ciples had (“how is it that ye have no faith…?”) yields to the destructive power of storms, then faith (which is what Jesus had) makes the de­structive power of storms submit to the power of God.    

          You cannot speak the Wordif you do not know the Word.   And you cannot act on the Wordif you do not believe the Word.  In the beginning, words that were full of God’s faith released God’s power and brought cre­ation into existence.     God’s Word spoken and prayed in faith will move mountains and stop storms.

Don’t be Afraid

And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful?  (40)

          The one thing that will negate faith is fear.  In fact, fear is the opposite of faith.  Where fear is faith is not.  The disciples were consumed with fear because they were moved by what they saw.  They were “walking by sight” and not by faith.

          Jesus refused to listen to what they were saying about the storm.  Their words were confessions of their lack of faith.  As they talked about the wind and the waves; about sinking and dying, Jesus spoke words that were confessions of His faith.  And His Words had more authority and more power than the wind and waves of the storm. 

          Jesus knew Who He was and what He could do.  When we know who we are and what we can do, it won’t be hard to speak to storms and talk to “situations.”

Exercise Your Authority   

What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?   (41)

          When we consider just “what manner of Man” Jesus is, we will be reminded of what manner of man we are.  

Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.  1Jo 4:17 

          Jesus said that you and I would do evengreater works than He did because He was going to the Father  (John 14:12).  When He returned to the Father, the Holy Spirit was released into the earth, and the Church on earth was given power to function in God’s place. If we can believe, He tells us that all things are possible to us.  (Mark 9:23)

          God has given believers the ability, power, and authority to do what He says they can do.  “I can’t” is an excuse and denies everything God says His children can do.  No matter what your situation may be, you can overcome it because God says you can!  It has absolutely nothing to do with how difficult or impossible it may be or how violent and relentless your storm is.

          Do you realize you are actually a misfit on earth?   When you are born again you are supernaturally made to live and function by heaven’s laws and principles.  You have God power, God life and God authority.   You can survive any and every storm.  You can conquer your storm.  And you will be enabled and empowered to get to the place God wants you to be.  

          You can rejoice and be glad be­cause the winds of your storm will be captured and contained by God and be used to  drive you to the other side!  Right to the place He has prepared for you and where He wants you to be.  

I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me…   Phil 4:13

          You can walk through the fire and walk on the water… defy devils and cast out demons… witness with power and preach with effective­ness… possess the wisdom of God and have the mind of Christ.  You can be whole and healed and delivered.  You can live your life filled with all the fullness of God!

You can survive your storm because God says you can

Word for Today:  October 27

_{Be strong and courageous.} 

_{Being strong is a decision you make.  You decide to be strong.  You decide to be weak.  You decide how you are going to be in life.  It is really up to you.  You do not wait to get strong… you “be strong!”  It is a choice and decision you make.} 

_{God is saying to us:  Be strong.  Don’t be weak.  Strong in faith.  Strong in the stand you take.  Strong in the Word.  Strong in your calling.  Paul commands us to “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might…”} 

_{You can be strong or you can be weak.  Strong is better!  Strong wards off hell.  Strong defeats the devil.  Strong believes the Truth.  Strong refuses the lie.  Strong never fears.  Strong stands!}  

_{Courageous is Alert, Steadfast, Established, Prevailing, Obstinate…  It is to be “on foot” and alert.  It means to be awake and not asleep. It means to be ready.}

_{Do you have the courage to do something about your situation?  Do you have the courage to challenge hell over your family?  Your marriage?  Your finances?  Your health?  How much courage do you have?  God commands us to be courageous.  Courage is the opposite of fear.  It is boldness and assertiveness.  It is refusing to stand still and watch the devil devour your possessions.  It means to launch an attack!  It means to be aggressive.  It means to be offensive.  It means to run into the battle!}    

_{Do not look at the size of the enemy.}

_{Look at the size of the prize} 

Word for Today:  October 26

_{God is with you.     What more can you ask?}

 _{If God be for us, who can be against us?  Rom 8:31}

_{The Lord is on my side; I will not fear…” Psa 118:6} 

_{If God is with us what can we fear?  Is anything too hard for God?  Is any devil bigger than God?  Is any sickness impossible for God?  Is any financial situation too bad for God to fix?  Is any marriage out of range for God?  NO!  God is with you.  God will not leave you.  God will not forsake you.  God is in you and He is more than enough!} 

_{No enemy can stand in your way.     No need to fear or be timid.  God says that no man (demon, devil, situation, circumstance, etc.) can stand before you (if they cannot stand, then they have to bow!)  all the days of your life.  How long?  All the days of your life! When you are young and when you are old.  When you are strong and when you are weak.  When you feel bad and when you feel good.} 

_{Nothing and nobody can stand in your way.  When you are in pursuit of God and God’s will for you… nothing can stop you.  When you choose to live and refuse to die, when you choose Truth and refuse the lie… you connect with God and nothing can stand before you.} 

_{Hell has to move over}

Word for Today:  October 25

Worship God.

Come before His presence.  Stand in Awe of His Glory and His Goodness and His Power.  Be still.  Listen.  Wait.  Be quiet.  Weep.  Tremble.  Fall on your face.  Bow down.  Kneel. Worship God.  Get lost in God.  Get “caught up” in God.  Stand before Him.

When the Glory filled the temple in the OT the priests could not minister so powerful was the Presence of God.  On the Day of Pentecost in Acts, the saints who were filled with God staggered as drunk men and spoke in unlearned languages.

All around them people knew that something supernatural had taken place.  Some were amazed.  Some were confounded.  Some marveled.  All were moved by the awesome Presence of God… They Worshipped and God responded.

I walked into a convention center filled with over 1000 people over 40 years ago and was met by an overwhelming Presence of the Holy Spirit.  Those present were mesmerized in True Worship.  They were singing in the Spirit.  They were praying in the Spirit.  Some were standing with uplifted hands, others were kneeling…. They were weeping and rejoicing and dancing and many were prostrate on the floor laying at the feet of their Glorious God.

They were as one and they all were literally “drunk with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2).  It was the most moving and emotional meeting I had ever experienced in my entire life.  It was at that moment God let me know I could have More of Him than I had ever received.

This revelation came in the atmosphere of True Worship.  I remember rushing to the altar for prayer.  I remember a saintly Episcopalian Rector who laid hands on me and gently prayed for me.  I was literally flooded with the awesome and Real Presence of the Holy Spirit… and my life (and ministry) was forever changed.

Life, God-Life, has it birth in the Womb of Worship

Word for Today: October 24

The Bottom Line

The sum total of your life is the result of what you have chosen and what you have refused.  And your future will be determined by what you choose and what you refuse.

You are not a “Victim of circumstances” you are a “victim” (or a victor) of the choices you have made and the temptations you have refused.

Everything you are today is the result of choices you have made.  Everything you have today is the result of what you decided to choose and what you decided to refuse.

• Your problems are not the result of your environment.
• Your problems are not the result of your family.
• Your problems are not the result of your ancestry.
• Your problems are not the result of your race.
• Your problems are not the result of your economic situation.
• Your problems are not the result of your lack of education.

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:  Deut 30:19

Your problems and “circumstances” are the result of what you decided to choose and what you decided to refuse.   Choose life and blessing.  Refuse death and cursing.

The choice is yours to make

Word for Today:  October 23

Put away the lie.

Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour:   Eph 4:25

• satan never operates in truth.
• he is a victim of the lie himself.
• he was trapped into believing that he could be equal with God.
• he was deceived into believing that he could rule heaven.
• he is the father of the lie and he is the author of the lie.
• hell is the result of the lie.
• The world system functions by the lie.
• The kosmos is fueled by the lie.
• The fallen human race is cursed by the lie.
• The lie produces death.
• The lie produces misery.
• The lie produces hopelessness.
• The lie causes pain, and defeat.

Every failure is the result of The Lie.  So put it off.  The Lie put Jesus on the Cross.  The Lie put Jesus in the Tomb.  The Lie put Jesus in hell.

The Truth brought Him out!  Just as the Truth produced the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead, the

Truth working in you will produce death-defying life.

Word for Today:  October 22

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh… Gal 5:16.

Right living is a decision.  People choose the way they live.  They can determine what they do, what they say and what they yield to.  The devil has no power to make anyone sin.  Sin and sinful living are the results of decisions and choices that are made.

No temptation is irresistible.  No trial is too much or too great or without a way of escape for the Believer. (1Cor 10:13)  The bottom line is the quality of life you are now living is the direct result of decisions you have made.

For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.  For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace…     Rom 8:5-6

In this hour of compromise and moral failure, decide to live right.  Decide to resist the wrong and embrace that which is good, honorable and right.

It takes no courage to get drunk or smoke dope or pop pills or shoot up.  It takes no talent to be mean, ugly and violent.  But it takes old fashioned backbone and intestinal fortitude to resist the temptations of the flesh and to stand for God and what’s right.

If you want to live and not die… choose to live and choose to live right.   Walk in holiness, purity, honor and integrity.  Determine to present your body to God as a living sacrifice.  (Rom 212:1)   Refuse to hang out with so those who tempt you and lure you do stuff you know is not in the will of God.

Walk in the Spirit.

And you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh

Word for Today:  October 21

The Power of death and the Power of life is in your tongue.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue… Prov 18

It matters how you talk.  Choose to “speak the Word only” and speak only what the Word declares.    Confess what God says and not what you feel or how you feel or what others think.

• Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth… Pro 6:2
• The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life… Pro 10:11
• A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth… Pro 12:14
• A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth…. he that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life… Pro 13:3
• A wholesome tongue is a tree of life… Pro 15:4
• A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth… Pro 15:23
• A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul. Pro 18:7
• A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled. Death and life are in the power of the tongue…  Pro 18:20-21.

Words kill or words give life.  Words bring success or words cause failure.  Words initiate healing.  Words make things start or cause things to stop.  Words are carriers.  They bring in and they carry out.

What you say is important.  Your words will imprison you or set you free.

What you say is what you get