Friday, February 6, 2015

A BLESSING


 Perseverance And Prosperity

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;  and perseverance, character; and character, hope.  Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:1-5

The word of God teaches us that in order to have true prosperity we must have perseverance. You could not have one without the other.  As a matter of fact Jesus taught in the parable of the sower that perseverance and prosperity were related. The bible records for our instruction:

"Therefore hear the parable of the sower: "When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.

"But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;  "yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.

"Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.

"But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." Matthew 13:18-23

The heart of man is like the soil of the earth. Each soil is different and has different characteristics. Poor soil allows the devil to come and steal the word of God that is sown in the heart. Stony soil doesn’t have a heart that is persevering when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word.  Soil with thorns allows the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches to choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.  But good soil with patience bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, and brotherly love are also interrelated and are part of prosperity. For God’s word is unchanging:

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,  as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,  by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,  to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,  to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Peter  1:1-8

While men look at riches, wealth and power as signs of prosperity, God considers faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, and brotherly love as the true elements of prosperity. For God’s word is unchanging:

A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold. Proverbs 22:1

"I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' " Acts 20:35

We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed. But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses,  in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings;  by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,  by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed;  as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. 2 Corinthians 6:3-10

In the kingdom of God things are not like they are in the kingdom of men.  It’s the givers who are truly blessed, it’s the humble who are great, a good name is to be chosen rather than great riches and God’s loving favor is to be sought above silver and gold. For God’s word is unchanging:

And King Ahasuerus imposed tribute on the land and on the islands of the sea.  Now all the acts of his power and his might, and the account of the greatness of Mordecai, to which the king advanced him, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia?  For Mordecai the Jew was second to King Ahasuerus, and was great among the Jews and well received by the multitude of his brethren, seeking the good of his people and speaking peace to all his countrymen. Esther 10:1-3

"Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business;  "but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word."

And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.

 Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith. And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Acts 6:3-8

"The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ-He is Lord of all-  "that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached:  "how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. Acts 10:36-38

The greatness and prosperity of a man is not measured by what a man possesses but by being like Jesus whom God anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power, and who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. It is measured by being like Stephen, a man full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom and faith, who did great wonders and signs among the people. It is measured by like Philip the Apostle about whom the word of God states:

Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.  For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. And there was great joy in that city. Acts 8:5-8

Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel." And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men."  They immediately left their nets and followed Him. Mark 1:14-18

There is no sickness, disease, poverty, lack, defeat, failure or unmet need in the kingdom of God. For those who live and walk in the kingdom of God demons and circumstances don’t determine their success and prosperity and well being but God Himself through the presence of the Holy Spirit, which brings both the manifestation of the kingdom of God and the nature of the God who is a good God, a creative God, a miracle working God and a God of restoration. When God’s comes on the scene through the  presence and personality of who the Holy Spirit is miracles come forth, miracles are manifested and God’s creative power is unleashed to change things in and around the live of the believer.

Most Christians are waiting for the kingdom of heaven to happen when they die—“absent from the body and present with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8). But Jesus said, “… the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” And from the beginning of the time that Jesus first began to walk on this earth in His earthly ministry and He released the dynamic and the presence of the Holy Spirit, He ushered in the kingdom of heaven. AND IT’S STILL HERE! We don’t have to wait until we die or for another time to experience the kingdom of heaven! We can come into the realm of the kingdom of heaven now by experiencing what Jesus meant when He said: “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10). The kingdom of heaven is the manifestation of the kingdom of God on the earth, as it is in heaven. The reality is this: as it is in heaven means that there is no sorrow, or pain, or sickness because such conditions do not exist in heaven. So we can pray that as it is in heaven so let it be done in the earth.  We can bring ‘as it is in heaven’ to the earth not only in the area of miracles, glory and angelic activity but into our hearts and lives. As a result we will have no more sorrow, no more pain, no more sickness, into the earth and know and experience the comfort of God in all our tribulation. God’s word is unchanging:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.  We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed- always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but life in you. And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke," we also believe and therefore speak, knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,  while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:7-18

Yes, we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power that is  God and not of us. We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal! We need to focus on what’s eternal because what’s eternal is going to last forever and it’s in the Spirit realm. We bring heaven on earth into our lives. The eternal is the unseen substance of what’s in heaven. In fact, the eternal overrules the material or physical realm, the physical symptoms of the sickness that are in our body, and the physical circumstances of our life. And we do this by saying  “Come Holy Spirit; so as it is in heaven, it will begin to be on earth.”

As we invite the kingdom of God and as we say, “Holy Spirit come,” He brings the realm of God, He brings the activity of God. When the Holy Spirit shows up, a superior order shows up, and it breaks the law of science, it breaks every doctor’s report and what every person has said about you concerning what you can and cannot do. It breaks the law of physics and the realm of the impossible. It begins to open up the impossible! It begins to open up the eternal! It begins to open up the supernatural! People get healed! Sickness, diseases, poverty and lack leave our bodies and leave our lives to the dismay of the unbelievers as  God’s kingdom is manifested in our lives. As it is in Heaven so is not now on earth in our hearts and lives.

Through being born from above means  that we not only  experience life on the earth with our natural senses but we  experience the heavenly realm with our spiritual senses. We can now live in that heavenly realm and to walk in the spirit is to live and believe as it is in heaven so it is to be done on earth (Matt. 6:10). Just like Jesus demonstrated and  manifested the kingdom of God bringing the creative power out of the heavens to override the natural and the impossible in the earth and to release the supernatural of God we can do the same. We can walk in a great measure of miracles, signs and wonders like Jesus did for we now live by another set of rules. We live by a superior order. We are in the realm of God where miracles are the natural order of things through  the power and anointing of the Holy Ghost. God’s word is unchanging:

"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  "If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. John 14:12-14

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.  Therefore, brethren, we are debtors-not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. Romans 8:11-14

And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2:4-5

For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. 1 Corinthians 4:20

The LORD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation. The voice of rejoicing and salvation Is in the tents of the righteous;  The right hand of the LORD does valiantly.  The right hand of the LORD is exalted;  The right hand of the LORD does valiantly. Psalm 118:14-16

When the LORD brought back the captivity of Zion, We were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, And our tongue with singing.  Then they said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them." The LORD has done great things for us, And we are glad. Bring back our captivity, O LORD, As the streams in the South.  Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy.  He who continually goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him. Psalm 126:1-6

 
EXTRACT FROM In The Time Of Trouble
JESUS IS GOD  http://wp.me/p2M7AJ-1BH
YOU MUST BELIEVE GOD http://wp.me/p2M7AJ-Fc
A HEALTH AND WEALTH CHRISTIAN  http://wp.me/p2M7AJ-24v
BETHEL TEMPLE   http://wp.me/p2M7AJ-29r
SOWING AND REAPING http://wp.me/p2M7AJ-2ba
Free Christian Ebooks http://walthope.tripod.com

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