Dressed

From The Inside Out

Equipped to Live Victoriously and Advance the Kingdom of God

Christine A. Evans

AuthorHouse™

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© 2012 by Christine A. Evans. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version of the Bible. Copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc., publishers. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are from the New Living Translation. Life Application Study Bible. Copyright 1988, 1999, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission.

Published by AuthorHouse 11/16/2012

ISBN: 978-1-4772-8731-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4772-8730-9 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4772-8729-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012920720

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Contents

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Dressing to be Victorious and Effective in the Kingdom of God

chapter 1:     The Power of a Sweet-Smelling Fragrance

chapter 2:     Uncomfortable Underwear

chapter 3:     When Shoes Don’t Fit

chapter 4:     Dressed to Kill

chapter 5:     Fully Dressed for Kingdom Success

Journal

References

Acknowledgements

To my first love, God the Father and my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Thank you for revelation, for guiding me through the writing process, and for trusting me to deliver this message. May this bring glory and honor to You.

I will forever be grateful to God for my wonderful, loving children, Denajha Evans and Bobby Evans Jr. You have been so supportive and you sacrificed time with me so that this project could be completed. You continue to be my inspiration.

I praise God for my father, Elder Albert Epps Sr., and my mother, Lena Mae Epps (deceased) for instilling the importance of family devotion, quality time with God, and showing love to others.

I also thank God for my spiritual parents, Pastors James and Polly Ealey, who taught me the importance of prayer.

I thank God for my Pastor and “spiritual personal trainer,” Pastor Marlin J. Reid. You continuously share wisdom and teach the revealed word of God that has helped me to understand who I am in Christ. You inspire me to advance from faith to faith, from glory to glory, and to take advantage of all that God has for me. Thank you for the godly example that you continue to be to me and many others.

I am grateful to God for Elder Beverly Lester Bennett. Thank you for helping me to discover the importance of intimacy with God.

And lastly, special thanks to my family, friends, and mentors, who, through your encouragement, gave me the energy to keep moving forward.

Introduction

Dressing to be Victorious and Effective in the Kingdom of God

God desires that all of His children come into the knowledge of who they are in Christ, and function in that revelation and power to lead others into the Kingdom of God. As more people enter the Kingdom of God, there is an increase in the numbers that are in tune with God and that can participate in carrying out His will. We are to come together with other believers to collectively release kingdom power, and to partner with the angelic forces that are working to accelerate what God is doing in the earth. There are so many things that God desires to accomplish through His children; however, many often never move into all that God has for them. Although there are a number of different reasons why spiritual hindrance occurs, I will take a moment to focus on one in particular—the “religious mindset.” I will discuss the “religious mindset” because it is something that I personally experienced, and unfortunately, there are many today who experience spiritual paralysis and spiritual death as a result of this mindset.

I was born into a Christian family, so I was exposed to church and God at an early age. Still, for many years, my life was fruitless, powerless, and unfulfilling. I had what I later learned and now refer to as a “religious mindset.” By religious mindset, I mean that my primary focus was not on finding out what God wanted and working to please Him. Instead, my focus was on following church traditions; ensuring that my outer appearance met certain standards; pleasing people; trying to make myself holy; and trying to earn God’s love in order to make it to heaven. I don’t know if you have ever been in that place, so I’ll share with you where I was.

In my quest for holiness, I would ensure that my skirts were long enough (most of the time all the way to my ankles), my fingernails were not painted too bright, my lipstick was a neutral color, and my clothes made me appear as though I had no shape at all.

Not only was I focused on looking holy, but I was busy working and trying to earn my spot in heaven—singing in the choir, singing on the praise team, working with missions, working with the youth, helping with projects, organizing church fundraisers, teaching—you name it, I was probably doing it. I was so busy working for God that I barely took time to talk with Him, and I certainly didn’t have time to just be in His presence, worshiping Him. Many times, after I had completed my day of working on my job, taking care of my family, and doing my church work, I found myself waking up on the floor or at the dining room table, having fallen asleep, after another unsuccessful attempt at spending quality time with God.

And here’s the thing—with all that I was doing, instead of feeling successful, joyful, and content, I often felt worthless and like a failure. As I went about doing all of my “church work,” people around me saw a person that seemed to be excited, confident, and in control. On the inside, though, I was tired and I was hurting. I wore a mask because I thought that it was a sign of weakness or showed a lack of faith to admit that I truly needed help in coming to the place of peace and freedom that I’d read about in the Word of God. I was far from being confident in Christ because I didn’t even know who I was in Christ. I had absolutely no power or authority and I lived in fear. I was fearful of failing; fearful that when things were going well, something would go wrong; fearful that I would make a fatal mistake and somehow end up in hell; and fearful that I would not measure up to God and people’s expectations.

The enemy would toss me around like a rag doll and convince me that I wasn’t good enough to receive God’s love, hear His voice, or to be a vessel for Him to work through. Although I appeared to be a rock publically, in private, I fell apart when faced with any major obstacle because I didn’t know God’s promises. I was often able to be tempted and unable to withstand temptation. I was making silly mistakes, and sometimes the same ones over and over. I would take on more than I should have, trying to please people and thinking that I was pleasing God.

Condemnation was my middle name. I felt condemned by my past and condemned by mistakes that God had long forgiven me for. I would even feel condemned after comparing myself to others and feeling like I didn’t pray as well, or quote scriptures as well, or teach as well as somebody else. I felt like I was often apologizing—apologizing to God, apologizing to others, and apologizing to myself for things I should have done differently. Many days I felt frustrated, deflated, and powerless. My life was completely out of balance, and my relationship with God and advancing His kingdom were nowhere on the scales.

In all my busyness, I didn’t take the time to focus on a relationship with God—the One whom I was so busy trying to please. I knew man’s standards, but I didn’t know God’s standards. I didn’t know His thoughts towards me. If I had, I would have saved myself a lot of energy and frustration. I would have known that the God who created all, is all, and knows all, can’t be impressed by anything that I could say, do, wear, or produce. All we can do is please God, and that starts with acknowledging Him as God of all.

Had I taken enough intimate time to get to know Him, I would have known that I am His beloved, and that He loved me so much that He sent Jesus so I would never have to be apart from Him. I could have just rested in His love instead of trying over and over to earn the love that He had already given to me. If I had slowed down and focused on hearing His voice instead of the accolades of others, I would have known that the power of His love is what transforms me—not my own self-righteous efforts and certainly not the color of my nail polish or my lipstick. God just wants His people to worship Him in Spirit and in truth. It doesn’t matter if we’re worshiping through pink lips, red, or neutral color, it’s the heart that God’s looking at. Had I taken the time to ask His desires, I would have known that His desire is for me to accept my place as His daughter, and to share His love and the gospel of Jesus Christ with others so that He could be glorified, and His kingdom would mirror on earth what is in heaven.

The problem was that my perception had been limited by my lack of knowledge of who God is, and who I am in Christ Jesus. When I stopped to think, I had to admit, as embarrassing as it was, that I really didn’t know God at all. I’d heard about Him many times, talked about Him often, listened to the testimonies of others, read His Word, but I did not know Him. I forfeited many of the benefits that God has for His children because of my lack of knowledge and belief.

You may have felt this way at times as well, or you may even be feeling this way right now. If so, I want you to be encouraged. My testimony is that the religious mindset that once ruled my life became nonexistent in my life with the revelation of who I am in Christ, and who He is in me. My mind has been renewed and I live a Spirit-led life of liberty and contentment. That same liberty is available to you through Christ Jesus, and it truly is a yoke-releasing liberty that can only be found in Him.

Extreme Supernatural Makeover

To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27

Godliness is Christ in us—God working His life in and through us from the inside out. And the wonderful thing is that when God, by His Spirit, is making changes within us, the outward behaviors change as a result. Instead of being focused on religious traditions, our focus is on our relationship with Him. The more we know Him, the more that we will want to know Him. As a result, we become more like Him, and that is what God wants for you and for all of His children.

Prior to this revelation, I did not realize that it is the power of God, His Spirit, and His word working in me that would make any necessary changes, and would continue to do a work in me. As I stated before, I had been in church all my life, so I knew that in His word He said that when I accept Christ, I’m a new creature. I did not make the connection, however, that when I accepted Jesus, that I had actually gone through a supernatural makeover, and that, by faith, I was truly no longer the same. I saw myself the same, but God no longer saw me the same—and I didn’t “get” that. My mind had not yet been renewed and I did not see myself as God saw me. So rather than accepting that I was new and walking in what God had given and commissioned me to do—sharing the gospel, healing the sick, and anything to bring glory and honor to Him—I was spending time trying to do what Christ had already done. I was trying to make changes within myself that it took our Savior and the Holy Spirit to do for me. Needless to say, I was always coming up short. It truly was a frustrating and fruitless way of life that, unfortunately, many believers are living today. That’s why God placed it on my heart to write this book: He desires that His children are free from that type of mindset and fruitless way of living.

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love. Colossians 1:13

Being transferred from Satan’s authority to the authority of Jesus Christ is to be moved into the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is where Jesus Christ reigns. The place where everything that is available and invisible in the Kingdom of Heaven becomes visible here on earth. In heaven, there is no sin and no sickness. In heaven, focus is on glorifying God. Relationships flourish, and there is no lack and no poverty. When you enter the Kingdom of God, you have direct access to heaven through the power of God in Christ Jesus. You have the same power living in you that said, “Let there be light,” and you can speak life and reconciliation into broken relationships and to any situation to bring total restoration. You have the power to command your body to line up with the word of God and receive healing for incurable diseases. As a believer, the power of sin has been broken from your life and you can live victoriously—not according to the flesh, rather as the Spirit leads. Condemnation will not apply to you because when you received Jesus as your personal savior, a spiritual circumcision took place. Just like the foreskin of a male infant is removed during the circumcision process, your old sinful nature was cut away and removed. You also experienced a supernatural blood transfusion. Life is in the blood and you gained new life as the DNA of Jesus infused with your DNA. You are now a new member of the household of faith, having been given the power to become sons and daughters of God. What that means is that, as a believer, you don’t have to focus on becoming His, because you already are His, so you can focus on pleasing Him and advancing His kingdom.

Satan often uses the tactic of a religious mindset to keep God’s children from realizing who they are in Christ Jesus. He does this by placing emphasis on the outer appearance, self-righteousness, and following traditions. When the believer falls short of meeting the expectations that have been set by these traditions, he or she begins to feel condemned, inadequate, or unworthy. This often hinders and paralyzes believers from moving forward with ministering to others to advance God’s Kingdom because they are so caught up on trying to save themselves and make it to heaven. That’s why it’s so important to break free from the chains of religion. These chains bind believers and cause them to be unable to move forward in the authority that God has given. A person will never claim an inheritance if they do not know that it exists. For example, imagine you are experiencing foreclosure on your home. Now suppose your uncle left a million dollars for you sewn up in a mattress, and you didn’t know that it was there. Your mattress along with your one million dollars could be placed in a storage facility with the remainder of your furniture. Had you known about the inheritance, you could have taken the money from the mattress, saved your home, secured your financial future, and been a blessing to others as well.

You are seated in heavenly places, and God has already blessed you with every blessing in heaven through Christ Jesus. If you don’t know that and truly believe it in your heart, then you are at risk of potentially looking for love in all the wrong places; falling victim to sin because of a sin-consciousness; living broke, powerless, and tired; and blending in with those in the world that don’t even know God. God desires that His people take hold of all that He has provided, including the relationship with Him that completes us, every spiritual blessing, and an abundant life on earth. The religious mindset would have us to believe that we should focus on how we appear before man, rather than focusing on the will of God.

Freedom from a religious mindset would enforce that Jesus has already done what is necessary for us to access heaven and maintain a relationship with God. It’s through that relationship that our lives are changed from the inside out. Even though godliness is not what causes us to earn access to heaven, it is important because it’s through godly living that we discover and experience the blessings of heaven while we’re here on earth. Godliness also sets the stage for God to do every good work that He pleases to do in you. So this is my prayer for you:

My Prayer for You

I am so grateful to God, our Father, for His faithfulness and His unfailing love towards you. He is our creator and our sustainer of life and desires that you experience all the benefits that are available to you on earth, in the Kingdom of God. I pray that as you read this book and continue to study God’s word, you will be filled with the knowledge of His will and all spiritual understanding. I declare that the chains of religion and tradition are broken from your life, and that any hindering residue is completely removed and disintegrated at the root. I enforce God’s purpose and plan for your life and loose you from any toxic thoughts, emotions, or tendencies that may leave you feeling inadequate or as though you have to achieve acceptance from God through your efforts. You are God’s beloved, and He treasures you. I trust that God will reveal to you the depth and width of His love—a love so wide that it extends beyond your lifetime and into eternity—a love so deep that it touches even the deepest places of your heart and soul.

As you read what God has revealed to me, you too will gain new revelation. You will also be launched into a higher spiritual dimension and exercise greater authority as you increase in the understanding of God’s word and the recognition of who you are in Christ. You have access to unlimited power. As you take possession of that power, you will continuously walk out God’s plan for your life while living victoriously and working collaboratively with Him to advance His Kingdom.

According to Ephesians 1:18, I pray that the eyes of your understanding will continuously be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of His calling and the riches of the glory of His inheritance to the saints. As your heart is flooded with the light of God’s word, through the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, He will produce in you as He wills and pleases to do. I pray that you will see and claim the wonderful inheritance that God has for you, and for every one of His children. With His mighty power working in you, you will confidently move forward, living the life that is reflective of God’s revelation, and you will discover and walk out the purpose for which you were so uniquely created. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

chapter 1

The Power of a Sweet-Smelling Fragrance

Stepping out of a hot, steamy shower is so refreshing. Things quickly get even better as you walk over to the vanity where all the lotions, colognes, and perfumes are lined up, and select your scent of the day. After making your choice, you spray it on, and then you take a moment to inhale the sweet aroma.

As you go about your day, it’s evident that you’ve made a great choice because you begin to receive compliments about how good you smell. With every compliment, you smile, say “Thank you,” and seem to have a little extra pep in your step because you’re looking good and smelling good, and others notice. You go about your day knowing that you are making favorable impressions and impacting those that you encounter. That’s the power of a sweet-smelling fragrance!

Now, for anyone who has lived for a while, there’s been at least one day of direct contrast to the sweet-smelling days like the one mentioned above. It would have been the day that you forgot to put on deodorant . . . and it was 90 degrees outside. You’re out in public, and you start to notice a smell—a smell that’s all too familiar at the gym. Then you realize, “ Oh my! It’s me!” Others start to notice and comment on the smell. You try to be still and not move your arms around too much . . . . but you still smell that musty smell. You make a mental list of your options: confess to your morning mishap; apologize for the odor, and dismiss yourself; or quietly leave, hoping that no one will notice that the smell was associated with you.

In the second scenario, you were dressed well, just as in the first; however, the primary difference was the fragrance in the first scenario in contrast to the odor in the second. Looking at this from a spiritual perspective, the second scenario is an indication of how Christians can sometimes look good on the outside, but on the inside, things are not so pretty. For example, I was introduced to a young lady that came highly recommended for the services that she rendered. When I met her, she was dressed very professionally and looking well put together. As we shook hands, we smiled, introduced ourselves, and sat down to talk business. Within five minutes of the conversation, I was totally distracted at how often this young lady used profanity. Every few words were profane, and it seemed so out of place for the well-groomed, well-dressed, educated woman that I was talking business with. Looking at her physical disposition, it seemed extremely out of character. That’s similar to how we would come across as professed believers if we did not constantly dedicate our lives, words, and everything else to God, and allow His Holy Spirit to guide us in all that we do so that we are living a life that is reflective of Christ Jesus.

You may be thinking the lady in this example sounds a little like you, but only from a spiritual perspective. You may not use profanity, but maybe you’ve taken time to examine yourself, and you feel that there are some areas of your life that you want to improve because you desire to please God. You have a desire to live a lifestyle that’s pleasing to God, yet you find it challenging to resist temptation. You find that there are some bad habits that you just can’t seem to break. Here’s the good news. God already knew that we, as believers, would not be able to break bad habits and live the Christian life on our own. He already knew that we don’t have the power to resist temptation in our own ability. That’s why He already had a plan to give us the gift of His precious Holy Spirit—the most important person on earth that we will ever know—to live on the inside of us and to do through us what we cannot do on our own.

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 2 Corinthians 3: 5-6

The Old Testament covenant and laws outlined what was right and wrong, and advised people of their need to behave properly. The Old Testament law, however, was powerless to help them meet that need to behave properly. One of the greatest blessings of the new covenant is that God has provided us with His Holy Spirit to live on the inside of us and empower us to live a life that is pleasing to Him. Unfortunately, there are a lot of Christians that are struggling to live as God intended because they have not yet realized that it’s impossible to live a Christian life in their own power. The only way that you will live a life that is both victorious and pleasing to God, is to submit to the Holy Spirit, and allow the Holy Spirit to live your life through you. What that means is that we, as believers, have to rely on God’s power and not on our own personal achievements—which is in direct contrast with what society and what a religious mindset would dictate. It’s God’s power that is sufficient and is enough to meet the needs of any situation. It’s His power that enables us to respond to any situation the way that He would. It’s God’s power that provides us with a limitless aerial view, where we can see and respond from his perspective.

It is our sole purpose, as believers, to advance the Kingdom of God. To do this we have to be vessels through which God can manifest Himself so that the invisible benefits of the Kingdom of Heaven become visible here on earth through the Kingdom of God. There are no sick and lame people in Heaven. There are no broken relationships or negative addictions in Heaven. God desires it to be the same here on earth, and He will manifest healing and restoration miracles through His people who are available to Him and empowered by His Holy Spirit.

These things I have spoken to you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things . . . .

John 14:25-26 (KJV)

In this verse, Comforter can be translated as Helper. The Greek word for Helper is parakletos (par-ak-lay-tos), which means “called to one’s side or called to one’s aide.” It signifies an intercessor, advocate, comforter, helper, and counselor. The Holy Spirit is our teacher, and He imparts into us true spiritual revelation to increase our understanding. He builds up believers and enables them to live a life that’s pleasing to God. Without the Holy Spirit, it is not possible to even perceive the Kingdom of God, much less participate in advancing the Kingdom of God. Why not? Because without the Holy Spirit, the things of the Kingdom of God simply do not make sense.

The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Corinthians 2:14

It is the teaching of the Holy Spirit within, bringing revelation and spiritual clarity, that helps the believer to understand God’s word. That is important because when you know His word, you know Him. When you know Him, you can’t help but to love Him. When you love Him, you will desire to please Him. When you desire to please God, your actions, your motives, and your behaviors all line up with the objective of pleasing Him, and will cause your desire to be filled and led by His Spirit, which in turn, equips and enables you to live a life that is reflective of Christ and a life that attracts non-believers to Him.

This is something that I did not know for a large portion of my Christian life. Unfortunately, there are still many believers today that do not have an understanding of the power of being led by The Spirit and its significance in taking part in carrying out God’s will in the earth through the Kingdom of God. The good news is that the power of God makes all things possible, and it is never too late to access all that God has for His children and operate in full authority in His Kingdom. This point is emphasized in 2 Corinthians 2:14-15.

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 2 Corinthians 2:14-15

Let’s take a look at a few key words in the above verses and review their definition as found in Webster’s Dictionary:

• Triumph: To obtain victory or to prevail.

• Diffuses: Pour out and permit or cause to spread freely.

• Fragrance: A sweet or delicate odor. Something compounded to give off a sweet or pleasant odor or aroma.

• Knowledge: The circumstance of apprehending truth or fact through reasoning. Fact or condition of knowing something with familiarity gained through experience.

Now, take a moment to re-read 2 Corinthians 2:14-15, but instead of using the highlighted word in the verse, replace it with the definition of the word listed above, and get excited about the revelation.

Now thanks be to God who always leads us to obtain victory and to prevail in any situation in Christ, and through us He pours out and freely spreads the sweet and delicate odor of His truth in every place. For we are to God the sweet, pleasant, and delicate aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.

God wants you to know that when you are being led by His Spirit, you cannot lose. You will prevail in any situation—even when it does not seem like it, look like it, or feel like it. Rest assured that no matter what opposition comes your way, you will overcome it, and your testimony will be a tool to attract others to Jesus Christ and Kingdom living. It is not by your own power, though, that you prevail. The Spirit of the living God is the one that leads you into victory and always causes you to prevail in Christ. As the spiritual teacher, He pours His knowledge into you, which gives off a sweet aroma that not only affects you, but affects all that are around you, and all that you come in contact with—whether that contact is natural or spiritual.

One of the most fascinating characteristics of God is that He is a “gentleman.” He does not force anything on His children. He gives the gift of choice, and the believer can determine whether or not to allow His Spirit to live on the inside to enable a life of victory. One could choose to be all “dolled up” with a sweet and life-giving aroma, or one could choose to be all “dolled up” with a rancid, pungent odor of death. I think that when given such an obvious choice, most would choose to smell good, which from a spiritual prospective, would mean to have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and allowed God’s infilling and saturation of the fragrance of His Holy Spirit.

Breaking Free and Living a Spirit-Led Life

Now that you understand the importance of being led by The Spirit, you may desire clarity on how to become fragranced with the sweet Spirit of God. You may be asking, “How do I break free of the religious mindset that has taught me to place emphasis on my own personal performance, achievements, and attributes? How do I allow the Spirit of God to lead me? How can I have Him flow in me in such a way that my light shines no matter how dark the day . . . that my faith is strong no matter what the circumstance? How do I experience the victorious life in the Kingdom of God that will bring others to Christ and bring glory and honor to God?” The first step is to simply ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit. It is His desire to live on the inside of you, so He will quickly respond to your request and fill you with His Spirit. In addition to simply asking God to fill you with His Spirit, I will share with you two initial steps that will empower you to break free from any potential mindsets that may limit God’s ability to flow through you. First, acknowledge that you are powerless without God. Second, step back and allow His Spirit to lead you. Let’s take a closer look at each of these steps.

1. Acknowledge that you are powerless without God, and that all things are possible with God.

Take a moment and think of the awesomeness and the creativity of God. He created you and right now your heart is beating and is continuously pumping blood throughout your circulatory system, delivering life to every part of your body. Your lungs are pumping breaths of air that flow through your airways and escape through your mouth and your nose, at just the right increments to maintain the level of oxygen to your brain that allows you to comprehend. You’re seeing the world through a set of eyes unique to only you. It never ceases to amaze me that although we have billions of people in the world—with two eyes, a nose, and a mouth—with the exception of identical twins or identical multi-births, we all look different. When you look up at the sky on any given day, there’s no concern that the planets, the sun, and the moon are going to fall on your head. That is because they remain in position at the command of God. God is an awesome and a powerful God! And what’s great is that our great God has given us the gift of His Holy Spirit to give us the power that enables us to also do unimaginable things.

Let’s look at an Old Testament example in Judges, Chapters 13-16, where we see the life of Sampson. Sampson had unusual strength that He demonstrated at various times in his life. He was able to do so because the Spirit of the Lord would come upon him to accomplish great things. Sampson was given strength from God and the secret of his strength was his consecration to God. Not cutting his hair was symbolic of Sampson’s consecration to God, and because of this, Sampson did some extraordinary and amazing things. All was well until Sampson began to compromise his anointing and began to make some unwise choices. Very slowly, he began to sow the seeds of his own destruction.

When Sampson was with Delilah, she asked him several times where his power lay, and each time she brought in a team to destroy whatever inaccurate source he disclosed. Eventually Sampson revealed that a razor was never to come upon his head, and Delilah sent in the team to shave his head, which led to Sampson’s downfall. I remember reading that passage of scriptures and wondering why Sampson eventually told Delilah the truth after she had sent a team in to destroy him each time he had given her a false response about his power source. There could be several reasons why Sampson did what he did, but there’s one that stands out. Because Sampson had compromised his anointing, he was not in tune with God the way he should have been, and as a result, he missed direction from God.

As we look at New Testament teachings and focus on today’s New Testament Church, God has equipped us with His Holy Spirit and prepares us for these types of situations. As we live our earthly experience as children of God and warriors and ambassadors in His Kingdom, we will face many challenges and much opposition. According to Matthew 10:16, when facing challenges, we are to be wise warriors that are sensitive to others and sensitive to the leading of God’s Holy Spirit.

Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore, be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

Matthew 10:16

This means, although it is expected that a believer will walk in love and compassion, the believer is not expected to be timid and naïve. God wants His people to be sharpened with the wisdom that comes from His word, and empowered with the dunamis that comes from His Spirit. Dunamis is the Greek word that describes the mighty works and the power of God. You should place focus on experiencing the manifestation of God’s power and be sure not to get so caught up in your own agenda and desires that you fail to spend quality time with God. It is the quality time with God that brings a greater level of wisdom and discernment. Many believers get “caught up” just as Samson did. And just as Delilah was able to trick Sampson into revealing the secret of his power, many believers today have been tricked by the enemy and have given up the power that God has so freely given.

One deceptive tactic that the enemy uses is a mindset that causes believers to be totally unaware that the same power that God exercised when He said, “Let there be light,” and the same power that Jesus exercised when He said, “According to your faith, let it be unto you,” is the same power that lives within each and every believer. When you don’t know the power is there, you won’t use it. If you were in a dark room and were unaware that a flashlight was lying two feet away, you would remain in darkness until another source of light became available. When we study the Old Testament, we find that the Spirit of God came upon people at various times of their lives in order to accomplish great things. Under the new covenant, God has given His Holy Spirit as a gift, not only to a select few, but to all believers, to live within us so that the believer can experience an entire lifetime of never-ending victory and authority.

2. Step Back and Allow The Spirit to Lead

One of the keys to walking in authority is to allow the Spirit of God to lead you. God is all; however, you have to allow Him to be all in your life. Moses said,

“. . . . If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.”

Exodus 33: 15

Moses was saying that he did not want to go anywhere that God’s Spirit was not leading him to go and he didn’t want to be anywhere that God’s Spirit would not be dwelling. We can all remember a time or two when we went where God’s Spirit was not leading—whether it was to a place, into a relationship, into a situation, or into an agreement or contract—and thinking later of how big of a mistake it was. Many Christians often make the mistake of making plans and then asking God to bless their agendas, when it should be the other way around. You should be asking God for His plan and then aligning your agenda up with His. Jesus provides the ultimate example of the position that we should take as believers.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name.

Philippians 2:5-9

Jesus laid aside His divine position in Heaven, and took on the form of a man. He humbled Himself and laid down His life to fulfill the will of His Father. If you would apply that same level of humility in your life, and allow the Spirit of the Living God to rest and rule in your life, it would cause your mind to dwell on the things that bring peace to your life and glory and honor to God. Not only will you be empowered, but you will become pliable, and God will be able to work through you to carry out His will.

I remember once coming out of a relationship and feeling like I had been wronged. I was feeling like the person I had been in relationship with owed me something—an apology, a billboard confessing how wrong he was, maybe even a television commercial explaining how bad he had hurt me, abused me, and took me for granted. But later, I took my mind off of the one that I had been in a relationship with and put it back on God, where it should have always been. I realized that I had great responsibility for what had occurred in my life. I made the mistake that so many of us make. I had my own plans, and I got caught up in the newness of a relationship, got mesmerized by my new man, stop spending quality time with God, stopped communing and fellowshipping with God, and just as the case with Sampson, the enemy came in. He came in my life and he brought destruction, not because of somebody else, but because I left the door open for him to come in.

You are not perfect, and you are going to make mistakes. In order to minimize the number of errors and the associated impact, it’s important to allow The Spirit to take control and lead in your life. This requires an intimate relationship with God. It involves talking with Him, studying and meditating on His Word, and asking Him for guidance. He will order your steps. God says in His word that when you acknowledge Him in all your ways, He will direct your path. He will lead you to a position where your ability to discern will be heightened, and you will love the things that He loves, and hate the things that He hates, and make decisions that are in alignment with His will for your life and for the lives of others.

If you feel that you’ve made a habit of making too many quick decisions, and you’re having trouble remembering to consult God, then it may take a conscious effort on your part to actually speak out loud at times—” Lord, what should I do? What should I say? Should I go or should I stay?” And then trust God enough to do what He says. If He hasn’t rendered a response, stand still and don’t do anything. It’s important to seek God daily for wisdom. Starting the day in prayer will make a difference in the lives of believers. If you connect with God first thing in the morning, then you can ask Him to prepare the way before you and to provide the wisdom and strength needed to be victorious in whatever you encounter. And then, continue to talk with God throughout the day, just like you talk to your spouse, children, and anyone else that you have relationships with. Pray without ceasing. All through the day, acknowledge God and ask Him for direction.

Pray without ceasing.

1 Thessalonians 5:17

In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Proverbs 3:6

Allowing the Holy Spirit to Lead

You may be thinking, “So now I understand what I should do, but I’m not so sure how to do it.” Well, I’ll share with you what a great man of God once shared with me. I’d often heard that we should be full of The Spirit: “Starve the flesh and feed the Spirit.” I asked my Pastor what starving the flesh and feeding the Spirit actually looks like in daily living. His response was one that was so simple, but has made a tremendous impact on my life. He said, if there’s something that satisfies your fleshly desires—like going to see a new movie—and you’ve been waiting for months for the premier, and you’ve got the whole night planned, when the night arrives to go to the premier, don’t go. Instead, stay at home, spend some time in prayer or meditating on the Word of God to feed your spirit man, and then later, when it doesn’t seem overly important to you, go see the movie.

What that means is that you should take every opportunity that you can to change your normal routines to purposely spend some quality time with God. Your favorite television shows, video games, and social networking sites should not be taking more of your time than what you are giving to God. If you make an assessment and find that you are out of balance, make some changes. For example, instead of spending two hours reading your favorite magazine or novel each night, spend one hour reading your novel, and one hour in prayer, praying in the Spirit and allowing God to pray His perfect will for your life. When you’re at the gym working out, instead of playing Hip Hop music on your ipod, listen to worship music or sermons from your favorite Evangelists. Decide that you will make Jesus Lord of your life—which means putting Him first, above everything else. Most people have pretty busy schedules, and Satan will use that to tempt you to believe that you don’t have time to spend developing your spirit man. He will mislead you to believe that everything that you’re doing is so important that you can’t afford to slow down, when, in fact, you can’t afford not to slow down. You can’t afford not to allow God’s Holy Spirit to rest, rule, and abide in you.

Be still and know that I am God . . .

Psalm 46:10 (KJV)

Making a priority list can help if it seems that you’re overwhelmed and unable to consistently spend quality, intimate time with God. Once you make the list, decide what tasks you will commit to completing based on the level of priority. Your quality time with God should always be first on the list. It may be challenging to make the adjustments at first. Some people may even get upset with you when you respond “no” to some of their requests. Still, I assure you, that when you put God first, and you spend intimate time with Him, wisdom and revelation will follow. He will direct you, and you will find that you are living a well-balanced and more productive life of victory. No matter what the situation or circumstances, or how things look, when you take on a spirit of humility that allows Christ to be all, you will walk in the assurance that all things are working together for your good. You will know that according to Isaiah 59:19, every fight is a fixed fight. And before you even step into the boxing ring or onto the battlefield, the victory is already yours. You will know that, as long as you are in the will of God, you are covered by grace. So when He says go, you will be in tune with His Spirit, you will hear Him, and obediently, you will go. When He says stay, you will hear Him, and you will stay. You will find that your mind will be renewed, and you will automatically seek Him first and begin to operate out of Godly wisdom and divine counsel.

Benefits of a Spirit-Led Life

When you transition from being a religious-minded individual who walks in the flesh, to a kingdom-minded individual who is led by the Spirit, everyone who comes in contact with you will benefit from what God is doing in your life. One of the benefits of wearing a good-smelling fragrance is that, when others smell it and experience the aroma, it makes them want it too. How many times has someone asked, “What are you wearing?” and “Where did you get it?” They want to know because they may want to purchase it for themselves or for someone else in their lives. Just like we wear our fragrances with the expectation of attracting the attention of those around us, God gives us His Spirit to also affect and attract those around us as well.

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

1 Cor. 12:7 KJV

When you look at the gifts of the Spirit—word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, different kinds of tongues, and interpretation of tongues—they are all used to edify the body of Christ. Because they provide manifestations of His Spirit, they also bring awareness of the awesome power of God. You simply cannot deny the presence of God when a miracle or any of the other gifts are manifested. Witnessing such manifestations brings honor and glory to God for His mighty works. It also builds the faith of the believers and causes all who witness to want to experience more encounters with Him. Most people will catch hold to fact that something is happening, and they will not want to be left out of whatever God is doing. Remember Simon? He was watching as the disciples were preaching and teaching and he saw the signs and wonders that followed. He saw what was happening when the Spirit of the Lord was flowing freely, and He wanted what the disciples had. He was even willing to pay for it, and his motives were not pure; nevertheless, it was the manifestation of the power of God that captured Simon’s attention. He stayed around because he was attracted to the power of God, and eventually, he was changed from the inside out.

God desires to build His Kingdom and when He is lifted up, men will be drawn to Him. The best part is, contrary to what Simon thought, the Holy Spirit and His power cannot be bought. God has already given Himself to us freely. All we have to do is acknowledge Him, ask Him to fill us, and present our bodies as a holy and acceptable place for Him to dwell.

When you are filled with God’s precious gift of the Holy Spirit—saturated in Him—that same sweet scent of power exudes out of you. You will be a vessel of influence, sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ and leading others to Him. People will comment on the smile that’s on your face and the sweet spirit that flows out of you. They will comment on your positive attitude and your light that is so obviously shining. Even in the midst of a storm, you will prevail with an attitude of peace and contentment because, with the help of the Holy Spirit, you refuse to confess worries and frustrations. You will live a carefree life in Jesus Christ.

Casting all my cares upon Him, who careth for me.

1 Peter 5:7

When you share your testimonies, all will know that you were victorious because God’s Holy Spirit equipped you during the battle, enabled you to do what was needed, and strengthened you to make it through. God’s Spirit will fill the believer, spill out, and bring about desired results just like a sweet-smelling fragrance—the awesome power of a sweet-smelling fragrance!!

Journal

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. John 10:27

Be quiet. Be still. Listen to what God is saying to you.

1. What is God calling you to do to deepen your relationship with Him? What steps will you need to take?

2. What is God asking you to do for others and to advance His Kingdom? How will you accomplish this? Will it require help from others?

3. What verse or passage of scriptures in the previous chapter impacted you the most? Why?

4. Think about the verse or passage of scriptures that you selected in question #3. Use it as a guide as you pray.

Journal

chapter 2

Uncomfortable Underwear

I suspect that almost everyone has experienced a time when they were wearing uncomfortable underwear. It may have been a pair of pantyhose that were too small, a pair of boxer shorts that were too tight, or a sock with a hole in it that caused your big toe to slip through. In either case, it was quite an uncomfortable feeling.

Here’s a scenario that almost any woman can relate to. It was almost 7:00 am, and I was rushing to get dressed. I didn’t want to take the time to sit down to put on my pantyhose, so I leaned up against a wall, carefully put one foot in . . . and then the other foot, and then I slid them up. When I got about 6 inches past my knees, I quickly realized that the panty hose were not going to go all the way up.

I went through the ritual of pulling them down and pulling them back up again, and needless to say, they still didn’t go all the way up. By that point, I was clearly frustrated. I ran to the drawer to get another pair, and unfortunately, I did not have another pair. I glanced at the clock and remembered that I was already running late, so I didn’t want to stop to buy new pantyhose. That’s when I made the decision—the decision to wear those pantyhose. I appeased myself by telling myself that since the pantyhose were underwear, no one else would see them anyway. I actually convinced myself that even though the pantyhose were too small, uncomfortable, and sliding down, that I could overlook all of that discomfort and get through the day without anyone else knowing what I was wearing underneath.

I set out to start my day, and I became a bit irritated while walking into the office where I worked. I felt like my pantyhose were going to slide down, and as I attempted to keep them up, I couldn’t get a real good grip on them for fear of being observed on the security surveillance cameras. With all of this on my mind, I walked into the building and went straight to my office, totally unaware that I had walked past two of my co-workers without even acknowledging them with a smile or a morning greeting. I was so distracted by my pantyhose that my attitude and my demeanor had been influenced, and I wasn’t even aware of it. I was “dressed to a tee” and looking good, and no one could see that the pantyhose that I wore underneath were too small, yet those uncomfortable pantyhose proved to influence many of the interactions that I had that day. Looking back, I realize that people may have had undesirable, unpleasant, or unusual interactions with me because my thoughts and behaviors were influenced by the feelings associated with those uncomfortable pantyhose that I was wearing concealed underneath my clothing.

This leads me to the topic of discussion for this chapter. Although we are physical beings that can be seen, touched, and embraced, it is the spirit within us that breaths the life into our bodies. Our spiritual make-up gives us our character and our unique personalities. It’s the part of us that no one can physically see; however, it exudes out of us and is seen by others on a regular basis. Although our spiritual make-up is internal, it’s the part of us that people see and experience through our actions, feel as we express ourselves, and hear in the words that we say. When our spiritual insides are pure and holy, we are walking in liberty and Godly love, which allows the people around us to feel and experience the joy of the Lord through us. However, when our spiritual insides have been tainted and negatively influenced by life experiences, generational curses, things in our past, or overpowered by our fleshly desires or satanic influences, we could be walking around, living day-to-day, wearing uncomfortable underwear. Underwear that does not fit should not be in our lives because it reveals the flesh underneath that should not be seen through our clothing. For purposes of discussion, I will refer to these fleshy behaviors or toxic emotions as “uncomfortable underwear.” This could be a number of fleshly attributes, characteristics, or mindsets including insecurity, fear, inability to forgive, pride, arrogance, bad attitude, constant complaining, and filthy language—just to name a few.

It is extremely important to know if you are wearing any uncomfortable underwear because, just as in the scenario above, it will affect your actions and behaviors and will impact others. As you move forward with doing the work that God has for you to do, it’s important that, as His son or daughter, you are providing an accurate reflection of Him. Uncomfortable underwear must be removed because, when it is not removed and properly replaced, it will reveal or expose the deeds of the flesh—the areas of the body that are typically hidden and could hinder the work that God desires to do through His children.

The Power of God Will Make Insecurity Ineffective or Nonexistent in Your Life

Insecurity was one of the pieces of uncomfortable underwear that I struggled greatly with for many years. I’d like to focus on that for a moment, because so many believers have been, and are often paralyzed and unable to move into all that God has purposed for them because of insecurities. Insecurity works like a silent killer. It destroys positive self-image by replacing it with a warped image. It destroys Godly vision through distortion, and it can hinder or completely destroy God’s plans for your life.

I remember having a conversation with my daughter, who was thirteen at the time. She was reviewing my high school senior year book from twenty years prior. As she flipped through the book, she came across a number of photos and articles about me and my high school successes and written comments from my friends, and she started to comment on my popularity. Once she closed the book, she looked at me and she asked, “Mom, why didn’t you ever tell me you were popular in high school?”

I later pondered that question and realized, in spite of all the great things that I was involved in during my high school years, I never saw myself as popular. Instead, I saw myself as “damaged goods.” Where did that destructive perception come from? It came at the age of sixteen when I lost my virginity to rape. I can vividly remember the exact moment that I realized that I’d lost my innocence. Just as I’d given up and stopped struggling with my perpetrator, I’d mentally given up on myself and my ability to possess a level of innocence or righteousness in general. I thought that my ability to be holy and acceptable to God was predicated on my ability to keep myself until marriage, so when that innocence was lost, I saw myself as “damaged,” and I thought that God saw me as “damaged” as well. What a warped image I had of God!! It wasn’t until many years later, after frustratingly trying to earn God’s love and approval, that I realized the level at which God loves us, and that Jesus had already done what was necessary in order that we be righteous—in right standing with God.

For He made Him who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21

God made Christ, who never sinned, an offering for my sin, so that I could be made right with God through Jesus. I didn’t know that at the time, so every time I made a bad decision, made a mistake, or was the recipient of some type of mistreatment, that image of “damaged goods” ran through my mind. Even after I would apologize, repent, and attempt to move forward, I found myself wasting time and energy, thinking that I needed to do something more to make myself right before God. I was fighting a never-ending, losing battle in my mind. If I could have reconciled myself to God, there would have never been a need for Jesus. God knew that, and loves us so much, that He didn’t want to be apart from us, so He sent Jesus for us. Sadly, for many years, I didn’t know that, and there are still many believers who don’t know it today.

I grew up in church, so I understood that Jesus died on the cross for my sins, yet I didn’t understand the magnitude of what He’d done.

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

Romans 8:1

I didn’t realize the truth according to Romans 8:1—that Christ’s redemptive work on the cross meant no condemnation and shame for me. And sadly, many believers feel that same level of inadequacy that I felt because of things that they’ve experienced or mistakes that they have made. That particular mindset renders a destructive effect on the lives of believers. I lived many years with this distorted image of myself and God, and made many decisions based on it. I missed God often because when He was speaking to me, I felt that I must be imagining it—thinking that God would not deem me worthy of the intimate conversation with Him that would allow Him to reveal mysteries to me. My insecurities left me fearful, so when I often asked God to work through me, I was truly not in position or condition for Him to do so. I didn’t have the confidence and the trust in Him to respond. Because of my low self-image, without realizing it, I idolized myself. How? By making my shortcomings greater than God, which is just as much an act of pride as if I’d thought more highly of myself than I should have.

Once I got to know God and gained revelation of who I am in Christ, those insecurities become nonexistent in my life. The good news is that if insecurity is something that you struggle with, it can become nonexistent in your life as well. It doesn’t matter if the root of the insecurity stems from sexual abuse, rejection from a parent or spouse, a mistake or a bad decision, an unseemly past, or a major mistake made in ministry, God is a God of healing and restoration, and He can break all chains associated with insecurity and release the mind of Christ, giving you total confidence in who you are through Christ.

God has work for His children to do and He expects us to get it done and to be an accurate reflection of Him in the process. Insecurity is no excuse for quenching The Spirit and for not acknowledging the voice of God. Low self-esteem is not an acceptable excuse for declining God’s invitation to work through you to birth out ministries, books, and messages to advance the Kingdom. A bad attitude is not acceptable, and should not be a deterrent for people who want to know Christ, but do not want to be exposed to the attitude of the person delivering the message. God is pleased when we do what we know is right. When you profess to be a believer, people are watching you, and your actions could be the only reflection of Jesus that some people will ever see. You have been chosen by God so that you can show others His goodness. Every toxic emotion or characteristic, and all fleshly deeds and behaviors that could distort the image of God must be removed.

Effects of Wearing Uncomfortable Underwear

In the Book of Genesis, Sarah and Abraham provide us with an example of how uncomfortable underwear can be revealed through actions and behaviors, causing decisions to be made that bring about unnecessary problems and hardship.

Fear is a tactic that the enemy uses often to hinder or to cause God’s people to stumble. Sarah’s fear of not providing Abraham with an heir, and Abraham’s fear of not producing an heir, was revealed at times and not only caused them to make some bad decisions, but also brought about the consequence of marital problems between Sarah and Abraham. In addition, the consequences of Sarah and Abraham’s actions also helped to create jealousy (another piece of uncomfortable underwear) between Sarah and her handmaiden, Hagar. The decisions also resulted in the birth of a son, Ishmael, who, upon learning that he was not the promised heir, experienced the hurt and rejection of knowing that he was not the child that was born to fulfill God’s promise to his father, Abraham. None of these unwanted consequences were in God’s original plan and will for Sarah, Abraham, Hagar, or Ishmael’s life. Instead, they were the direct result of actions taken because of uncomfortable underwear that Sarah and Abraham were wearing at the time that the decisions were made.

In Genesis, Chapter 15, God had promised Abraham that he would have a son. After most of Sarah’s childbearing years had passed, she still had not conceived. Sarah became fearful of not providing Abraham with a son. She decided that it was time to help God carry out His plan. There was a custom in that day that if a woman could not conceive, she could have one of her servants become a wife to her husband to conceive children. When the servant became pregnant and had children, those children would be given to the woman to have as her own. Many women were willing to go to this extreme because it was considered to be a disgrace for a woman not to be able to have children for her husband. Sarah decided to take advantage of this custom and Abraham consented, in an effort to produce an heir.

As you read Genesis, Chapter 16, you will find that Sarah arranged for her servant, Hagar, to become a wife to Abraham so that they could sleep together and conceive children for her. The plan seemed to be working well until Hagar got pregnant. Once she became pregnant, Hagar began to treat Sarah with contempt and was completely disrespectful to her. This made Sarah angry, and she lashed out at Abraham, blaming him for Hagar’s behavior, since he was the one that impregnated her. Abraham basically responded in a way that would indicate that he wanted no part of the “baby mama drama” and told Sarah to deal with it. With that, Sarah dealt with it by treating Hagar so harshly that Hagar eventually ran away. She only returned after God spoke to her and told her to do so.

Ishmael was born from the sexual encounters between Abraham and Hagar. Ishmael’s life was adversely affected, and he was the object of conflict between Sarah and Hagar because jealousy became a piece of uncomfortable underwear that was added to the fear that Sarah was already wearing. All of these things occurred because of the actions resulting from Abraham and Sarah’s fear that God’s promise of an heir would not be fulfilled. Her fear, along with her lack of faith, caused Sarah to make some bad decisions that Abraham consented to and cooperated in carrying out.

In Genesis, Chapter 18, we see again how this same fear of not having children was revealed in Sarah’s actions. This time, God was speaking to Abraham concerning His promise that he and Sarah would have children. Sarah was inside the tent, and when she heard Him talking outside and saying that she would have children, she laughed. She laughed because she was old and well past childbearing age, and she thought there was no way that she could have children at that point in her life. When Sarah laughed, she was actually laughing at God and His promise as if it was an unimaginable joke. When God heard Sarah laugh, He asked why had she laughed and asked if she thought that giving her a child was something that was too hard for Him to do. When confronted, this made Sarah more fearful, so she denied laughing. When she denied it, the Lord confronted her again, and told her that, in fact, she did laugh.

Here we see how Sarah’s fear led her to doubt God and to make a comment supporting that. When it was brought to her attention, that same fear caused her to lie. Sarah lied because she became fearful of being discovered for what she’d said. Just like in Sarah’s situation, fear is one of the most common reasons that believers lie today. They lie because they are afraid that their inner thoughts, their motives, and wrongdoings will be exposed. Many do not realize that when lying is used to cover, it only causes other problems and complications. Once that happens, often times, guilt sets in and creates a whole new set of behaviors.

Although Abraham and Sarah made some decisions and mistakes that were outside of God’s plan, rendering undesired and unexpected outcomes, God did not end the story without bringing the glory. He is so faithful to His word, and in Genesis, Chapter 21, God fulfilled His promise to Abraham when Sarah conceived Isaac—the true heir—in her old age. God also blessed Ismael and Hagar because of their connection to Abraham. Today, as Abraham’s descendants, we are still experiencing the blessings and inheritance of the covenant that God made with Abraham!

God wants you to know that even if you have displayed actions or made decisions that were contrary to His will and plan for your life, if you turn to Him, He has a way of incorporating your mistakes with His plans and ensuring that everything on His agenda is carried out. If your actions have caused you time lost in ministry, time lost with family, or time lost in general, God can redeem the time. He wants you to walk out His plan for your life. If you have made mistakes that seem almost impossible to recover from, God has a way of bringing everything back together so that His agenda is carried out—just as He did for Sarah and Abraham. God can restore you back to where He originally created you to be spiritually, naturally, and physically. That is why it is so important to understand that, although the uncomfortable underwear that you allow in your life can adversely affect those around you; can interfere with your ability to walk in your God-given authority; and can lead you out of the will of God, God can still use your mistakes and shortcomings to bring glory and honor to himself. If you are wearing uncomfortable underwear that has caused you to behave in ways that have brought unnecessary opposition, hardship, spiritual hindrance, or hurt and spiritual retardation to others, God can reverse all effects and reinforce His plan for your life.

Freedom from Toxic Emotions and Fleshy Behaviors—It Begins with a Thought

As a believer, you do not have to be influenced by the toxic mindsets and emotions, bad habits, addictions, or any other uncomfortable underwear. It is not God’s intention for you to have them, and He will gladly take them off of you if you will allow Him to. You already have the power to overcome. Once you come to that understanding, and decide to stand on God’s promises and not allow toxic emotions, characteristics, and fleshly behaviors to take control in your life, they become nonexistent. To step into that level of freedom requires a renewing of the mind.

One key element is perspective—the way that you see things. If there are areas that you struggle in, start changing your perspective concerning those areas. For example, if you find that you often operate out of fear, instead of regarding yourself as fearful, you would regard yourself as fearless and step out in faith to do what God has been leading you to do. If you seem to take on the victim mentality that things just happen to you, try regarding yourself a victor, and take steps to start claiming what God has for you. Instead of regarding yourself as guilty, regard yourself as guiltless and free. Get the picture? It all starts with the thought process.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of our mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Romans 12:1-2. KJV

This means that your mind is to become filled with new thoughts—thoughts that are in alignment with God’s thoughts—seeing things from God’s perspective so that you will act like Him and prove what is His good, perfect, and acceptable will. The Greek word for prove is dokimozo (dok-im-ad-zo) and it means “to allow, discern, to like, and to try.” So to “prove” the will of God would mean that once you present yourself as living sacrifices, you die to our own selfish will and desires and begin to allow, discern, like, and try God’s desires. You take on God’s will and desires as our own. You literally put to death fear of failure, guilt of the past, past failures, feelings of inadequacy, jealousy, bitterness, or anything else that can bring spiritual or natural hindrance or paralysis. You die to those things and embrace the new life that results from sacrificing them.

God’s will is to establish His Kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven. Once you have died to your “self,” accepted His Holy Spirit as your guide, and allowed His Word to transform your mind, then you can discern His will. It’s also at this time that you can test and prove His Word and recognize the truth and the validity of His Word. How do you do that? By standing on His promises. That means that because God says that you are His prized possession, His beloved, the head and not the tail, above only and not beneath, you will recognize yourself as such—even when it doesn’t feel like it, even if circumstances would say differently, or when someone has told you that you’ll never amount to anything. Your renewed mind will tell you to only believe what God says as true. His Holy Spirit within you will reveal what’s true so that you are not deceived to believe a lie. Standing on His promises further means that when God says that you have been fearfully and wonderfully made, and are a member of the household of faith, you will know it and act like it. You will understand that your father is God Almighty. You will have the confidence that, as the son or daughter of The One who knows all, is all, owns all, and wants you to have it all, all things are possible. You won’t accept “No” as an answer. It means knowing that when God says that you are a new creation, you truly are!

It almost sounds too good to be true, and that’s because it is so good and it is so true! When you accepted Jesus as your Savior, you had a supernatural extreme makeover, and a supernatural blood transfusion, and you now have the blood of Christ running through your veins. Your DNA make-up has changed. A blood test would indicate that God is not just 99.9%, but 100% your Father. When you can see this with your spiritual eyes, it will become evident to you that you are indeed new through Christ Jesus. Every blessing in heaven is available to you, and you will act like it.

It is not God’s will for men and woman of God to be leading great ministries, while their families are falling apart because of arrogance and a failure to take the time to minister to the needs of their own spouses and children. It’s time-out for men and women of God to be operating in the gifts of The Spirit, ushering in the glory of God with signs and wonders, only to go behind closed doors and sleep with anyone they can because of past rejections, insecurities, and perversions that keep them from walking in the same freedom that they can release into the lives of others. It’s time for men and women of God to stop lying because of the guilt and shame that they feel are associated with their being honest and transparent about their thoughts and behaviors. Enough!! The uncomfortable underwear must come off!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things are passed away; behold all things have become new.

2 Corinthians 5:17

God is a God of love, a God of forgiveness, and a God that has given you a new identity through Christ Jesus. It’s only when you know that, that you will accept the grace that God has so freely given and move forward in fulfilling His plan and purpose. What you don’t know will hurt you, and God says it best when He said that my people are destroyed for their lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6).

Many believers have failed to fulfill all that God has for them simply because the uncomfortable spiritual underwear caused them to respond inappropriately and sometimes not to respond at all. Has God ever given you something to say to someone, you chose not to say it out of fear, and then someone else spoke up and said what God was telling you? That was a kingdom building opportunity that you missed due to the uncomfortable underwear that you were wearing at that time. Be encouraged. The good news is that whether a ministry opportunity was missed due to fear of failure; or prophesy wasn’t released because of your insecurity; or your behaviors were hurtful to a fellow believer, it is never too late to take off the uncomfortable underwear and put on the strong foundation pieces that will allow victorious living and the pliability that God needs to flow freely through you. God wants you to have the renewed mind that gives freedom from uncomfortable spiritual underwear.

So you may say, “Okay, I understand the importance of a renewed mind, but how do I actually gain freedom from the “uncomfortable underwear “ that hinder and sometimes paralyze me? How do I start to think the way that God thinks?” Here are a few steps that you can take:

Mind Renewal

1. Believe that God wants you to be free.

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”

Romans 8: 14-15

God wants you to recognize that you are His child and that all that He has is available and accessible to you, including freedom from any toxic emotion or fleshy behaviors, desires, or addictions that could bind you. In order to believe this, you’ve got to know God. I mean, really, really know Him. Not know of Him, but know Him. The best way to get to know a person is to spend time with them, and it’s the same way with God. Spend time reading His Word to gain a better understanding of Him from what’s been recorded by others that He inspired. Spend time in prayer—talking with Him and listening to what He wants to say to you. Spend time in worship, allowing Him to reveal Himself to you as you bless and honor Him. Once you start seeking Him, getting close to Him, He will get close to you, and He will reveal Himself. He’ll reveal His nature, His thoughts towards you, His desires for His people, and you will start to develop your beliefs about Him based on what you know about Him. When you understand how much he truly loves you, you will also understand that He desires for you to be free and that no hell-inspired sentence of sickness, disease, toxic emotions, poverty, low self-esteem, defeat, worthlessness, or anything else applies to you.

2. Acknowledge that the Holy Spirit is the most important person that you will ever know on this earth, and that He lives in you.

Agree with God that, where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. Since the Holy Spirit is everywhere and is a gift that Jesus promised to all believers, this could be translated as, “Where The Spirit is Lord, there is liberty.” This would mean that, as a believer, you acknowledge and recognize Him as Lord, above anything that could possibly have you bound. Alcohol addiction—no problem. Bad attitude—no problem. Selfishness—no problem. God is much bigger than any of those bad habits or addictions, and He’s living on the inside of you through the gift of His Holy Spirit. You’ve got freedom living inside of you. Why should you be bound?

3. Decide to get naked before Him.

But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. Colossians 3:8-10 NLT

Forget about being professional, diplomatic, or politically correct. If you know that you’ve got some stuff that needs to come off, take it off—no matter how undignified you may look in the process.

I remember being in the parking lot of a fast food restaurant one day with my family. A bumble bee crawled up my pant leg and began to sting me repeatedly on the back of my thigh. Without even thinking, I pulled my pants off in the parking lot. My family was shocked and confused because all they could see was that I was screaming and literally stripping in public. They had no idea that there was a bee in my pants and I was trying to get free. At that moment, I didn’t care about anything or anyone around me. I was under attack, and I had to get rid of the problem. That’s the kind of mindset that is needed. Stop and strip right now! Confess what you’re struggling with, and ask God to perfect those things in you. If you’ve taken on a tough attitude to protect yourself, it’s time to get vulnerable. If you’ve been selfish to keep from being taken advantage of, let it go. If you are indifferent because you don’t know whether or not you will be accepted by others, release it. A feeling of indifference could numb you not only to others around you, but you may become numb to God and to the leading of His Spirit as well. Make yourself vulnerable to God, submit to His Spirit, and He will not allow you to be taken advantage of by others. He says that His children are to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. The Holy Spirit will not allow you to be deceived. You may be in a position where others think they are getting over on you, but rest assured, they are not getting over. Do what God says and you are setting yourself up for tremendous blessings.

4. Recognize that there is no embarrassment in the Kingdom of God.

Being embarrassed by making a mistake is one of the reasons why many believers do not step out on faith, heed the voice of God, and operate in the gifts of The Spirit as God intended. If God is telling you to do something, do it. David danced out of his clothes without feeling a shred of embarrassment, and it is well known that God was pleased with David and the level of intensity at which he worshiped.

If you feel led to step out and respond to God, but you’re not sure that it’s God’s voice that you are hearing, test the message. If it’s something negative, or temptation, you know for sure it’s not God. If it’s something good and you’re not sure, just step out and do it. The worst case scenario would be that you are wrong and may end up with egg on your face and a lesson learned. The best case scenario is that you are obedient to The Spirit resulting in an unimaginable move of God, a miracle, leading a new believer into the Kingdom of God, or your launch into ministry. Remember, in John 2: 1-12, Jesus turned the water into wine during the wedding feast. That miracle was the beginning of miracles that Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, which manifested the glory of God. Jesus had lived many years as a natural man before disclosing His divine nature through the supernatural. You’ve got to start some time too, so it may as well be now.

5. Know God’s Word.

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews

4:12 KJV

When you take the time to study God’s word, He will let you know things about yourself that you didn’t even know. He will expose your innermost thoughts and desires and tell you how to deal with those thoughts and desires. It’s important to take the time to hear what He has to say every chance you get because His Word is quick and powerful. That means that if you have managed to slip on some uncomfortable spiritual underwear, God can quickly make it known to you. You can then be quick to get naked before Him, and allow His power to remove those things before they have the opportunity to impact your thoughts, actions, behaviors, and decisions.

Rest assured, Beloved, God will not be surprised by anything that He sees when you get naked. Nothing is new or unknown to God. He knows you better than you know yourself. He knows the number of hairs that you have on your head. He already knows what you are dealing with. He came as Jesus in the flesh and was tempted in all the same areas that you are, and provided the example of how to live victoriously without sin. I’m sure that Jesus was tempted with insecurity when the people in His own home town did not receive or believe in Him. He was tempted to become fearful when faced with death. He was tempted to have a bad attitude when He was stripped, spit on, and beaten for no reason. It’s fair to say that most people would not be willing to die for people who have mistreated them in such a way. I think it’s fair to say that most people won’t even die for people who treat them well. Still, Jesus did not allow those things to affect His behaviors or His decisions. Instead, He spent much time seeking the Father and was strengthened to move forward with walking out His life and giving his life—God’s way. And the best part about that is that God has given us that same power and that same level of victory! According to Hebrews 4:16, you can come boldly to the throne of grace, obtain mercy, and find grace to help you in your time of need. God wants His children free, and rooted, and grounded in Him. With the power of the Lord Jesus Christ living in you, you have the overcoming power to resist sin.

God is so awesome, and He has a way of keeping His children from displaying the responses, attributes, and behaviors that have been defined as normal and natural by man’s standards. He truly can cause you to love those that mistreat you, pray for those who persecute you, and walk away from bad situations without taking on toxic emotions. This does not mean that you will never have a bad day, or experience hurt, insecurity, or any other toxic emotions. It does mean, though, that you will not accept hurt or insecurity and carry them with you. When you allow Him to, God will supernaturally make the necessary changes in your life that will cause you to approach and respond to every situation the way that He does. You do not have to experience unnecessary problems that result from making decisions based on distorted perceptions or perspectives. You don’t have to become sidetracked or hindered from moving in what God has for you. Know that! Believe it! Claim and receive your freedom by faith! At the onset of the temptation to put on uncomfortable spiritual underwear, strip and get naked immediately. Refuse to wear uncomfortable underwear and ask God to cover you with undergarments that establish a strong foundation, and watch the awesome power of God manifest in your life and in the lives of those that you come into contact with.

Pray this Prayer According to Psalms 19:7-14

Father, Your ways, Your thoughts—everything about You is perfect and right. You restore and revive my soul. What You say is certain, sure, and true. I can count on Your words to bring wisdom and understanding because You bring wisdom to even the simplest. You make me wise beyond my years as You pour into me. Your ways are right. Doing what You say leads me down the path that leads to victory. You are Holy. Your love is refreshing. Your thoughts are more precious than the finest of jewels and I desire to know what’s on Your mind. Please let me know when I am straying away from Your plan because I don’t always know when I’m in error. I rely upon You, almighty God, to show me the way.

Cleanse me from all sins, those that are known and those that are unknown. Keep me away from presumptuous sins. I don’t want to step outside of the boundaries of what’s right in Your sight. I don’t want to take liberties that are not a part of the liberties that You have given to me. You have given me so much: life, an eternity established with you, peace, the power to become a son/daughter, and unconditional love. Help me to be content with doing things Your way. Let the words that I speak, and what I think about and meditate on in my heart, be acceptable and pleasing to You. When I am tempted with impure thoughts, Lord help me to quickly bring those thoughts into captivity and into the obedience of Christ, before something impure festers in my mind and travels to my heart. I only want the abundance that pours out of my heart to be life-giving words that are pleasing to You. I know that You are my rock, my strength, and the One who can make all necessary changes in me. I yield to Your anointing. I submit to Your authority. I want to do this Your way. Show me. Teach me. Lead me. Change me. I open myself up to You for divine deliverance. Thank you, Father, for transforming me by the renewing of my mind. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Journal

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. John 10:27

Be quiet. Be still. Listen to what God is saying to you.

1. What is God calling you to do to deepen your relationship with Him? What steps will you need to take?

2. What is God asking you to do for others and to advance His Kingdom? How will you accomplish this? Will it require help from others?

3. What verse or passage of scriptures in the previous chapter impacted you the most? Why?

4. Think about the verse or passage of scriptures that you selected in question #3. Use it as a guide as you pray.

Journal

chapter 3

When Shoes Don’t Fit

Here’s a scenario that I’m sure most women can relate to. You’re fully dressed, and all you need now is the perfect pair of shoes. You look and you look, going from one store to another, and you refuse to buy anything until you find the perfect pair of shoes. Finally, you glance over, and there they are. After taking a closer look, you notice that they have a 4-inch stiletto heel, but that doesn’t scare you. You slip them on, take a few steps, look in the mirror, and say to yourself, “Wow, these look great on my feet!!” So you buy that perfect pair of shoes.

After two hours of walking around in that perfect pair of shoes, yes, they still look fantastic with your outfit—but they hurt like crazy!! Your toes are screaming for mercy, and even though you’re smiling, all you really want to do is find a chair and sit down. Even after sitting, it’s just not enough. You’re thinking that if you could slip your feet out of those shoes for just a few minutes, you’ll be able to put them back on and make it through the night. On the contrary, once you’ve taken those shoes off, and allowed your toes freedom to spread, you find that it’s almost impossible to put them back on, much less walk around. So you grab the shoes by the straps, you leave barefoot, and you vow never to wear that pair of shoes again. Sometimes you actually keep that vow, but sometimes you don’t, and you repeat that painful experience again and again.

We all have shoes in our closet that we either can’t wear, don’t like to wear, or won’t ever wear again. For some reason, we keep them. We keep the old pair that’s ragged and rundown but faithfully comfortable. We keep that uncomfortable cute pair that we carry and put on when we get to our destination, only to take them off as soon as we leave. It might even be the pair that we bought on sale three years ago and haven’t even worn yet, that we can’t seem to part with. In either event, brace yourself ladies and gentlemen. There comes a time in everyone’s life, when cleaning out the shoe closet is a must. Think about it, those shoes that don’t fit you just might be the perfect fit for somebody else. And if you throw away that old beat-up pair, you can make room for new ones that may be even more stylish and comfortable.

Your Role in the Body of Believers

As a godly woman or man, you need to fully understand who you are in Christ Jesus, in order to take full advantage of the benefits that your Father has provided for you. That sometimes requires that you separate yourself from what is not beneficial to you, or from what is not beneficial to the advancement of The Kingdom of God.

According to Colossians 1:15, Jesus Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. That means that Jesus is God in the flesh. As He walked the earth, He provided a visible manifestation of what God was doing. People could not deny the awesome power of God as they watched Jesus performing miracles, signs, and wonders. Since Jesus is currently seated at the right hand of God, and according to 1 John 4:17 we are as Jesus currently is, this makes us, His believers, an extension of His body. That means that it is up to us, His Body, also known as His Church, to manage His affairs on earth. The church is not the building or the meeting places where we congregate on Sunday mornings. The church is the body of believers that are assigned to influence others, and to manage and affect the state of the world in which we live.

Jesus provided many examples of how believers, as His body, should deal with the current state that is before us. He did not accept anything that was not in God’s will or plan. He knew He was God in the flesh, and He did not hesitate to respond accordingly. For example, in Matthew 21:12-13, when Jesus came into the temple of God, He saw that the state of the temple had become a commercialized place of business instead of a house of prayer, as God intended. Jesus responded to the state that the temple was in at the time, and He drove out all the people that bought and sold in the temple. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves, and He let the people know why He was doing what He was doing.

And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of thieves.”

Matthew 21: 13

Once He had appropriately dealt with the current state of the temple by driving out what should not have been there, Jesus was then able to influence the future state, taking it back to the state that God intended for it to be.

Then the blind and the lame came into the temple and He healed them.

Matthew 21: 14

Healing and miracles should have been the state that the temple was in when Jesus arrived; however, it had become a state where business transactions were prevalent. Just as Jesus responded to the state of the temple and took it back to where God intended, God expects us to do the same. We are the body of Christ, and just as we know what is happening within our own physical bodies, Jesus expects us to be in tune with Him as Head of the Body of Christ, and understand what He wants and what’s happening within the rest of the body. He expects us as His body, to work together, just as our hands work in coordination with our mouths so that we can eat. Denominational walls, gender, and cultural barriers should not exist as barriers in the body. When we as believers see that the current state of our nation, families, communities, and churches are not in alignment with God’s will, then we are to respond accordingly as one unit by refusing to accept the current state, and doing what’s necessary to change it.

It is important to understand that making the choice to do God’s will may not always make you the most popular among people. I can only imagine how some of the business men and women felt as Jesus came through that temple, turning over their tables with all their merchandise and money. I’m pretty sure that love, admiration, and respect were far from their minds! Nevertheless, Jesus did what He knew was right and did not care that people were offended by His doing the will of God. In order for you to be most effective and to experience abundant life on earth, you have to take on the mind of Christ, and be more concerned about what God thinks about you than you are about what people think about you.

When He had called the people to Himself with His disciples, also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.

Mark 8: 34-38

The above scripture would indicate that you should be willing to put aside your own personal agenda for the advancement of God’s Kingdom—even if it means you may lose relationships or your good reputation in the process. God does not require this level of commitment from you because your life, relationships, or reputation are not important. He knows that not even life itself can compare to what you gain with Christ. God knows that sometimes what you have on your agenda or in your life will get in the way of your coming into the revelation of the inheritance that you gain with Christ, and He does not want you to miss out on any of benefits that He has stored up and is releasing to you. In Christ, your eternity has been established with God. In addition, He has promised to bless you above and beyond what you can ask, think, or even imagine so that you can experience abundance in your life here on earth. Since God is your creator, He knows you better than you know yourself. Simply put, it just makes sense to be more concerned about pleasing God than about pleasing others, especially when pleasing others is in direct conflict with pleasing God.

Many people spend most of their lives pleasing other people in order to gain pleasures or material possessions. The problem with that is that what is gained on earth is only temporary. God wants you to be willing to make the pursuit of Him and doing what pleases Him more important than your own selfish desires and pursuits. The best part is that it is a win-win situation to do so. If you follow Jesus, and pursue the things of God, you will not only have abundance in your eternal life with God, you will also live an abundant life here on earth. The choice is yours, though. You can choose to do things God’s way and be accepted by Him later, or you can reject Him now, focus on pleasing others, and be rejected by God later. When faced with that choice, you will find that it is much more beneficial to come in alignment with God’s will, which sometimes means making the choices that are not the most popular with others, and sometimes the choices that are not even popular with yourself.

Spiritual Housekeeping: Out with the Old and In with the New

Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth; fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Colossians 3:5

But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created Him. Colossians 3: 8-9

In the above scripture, notice the reference to your taking off all of the characteristics noted. Not asking that they be taken off, but the word instructs you, as the believer, to take these things off. That is because through Christ Jesus and God’s Holy Spirit living and working in you, you have the power over sin. One of the wonderful characteristics of God is that He knows everything, and He desires that you would have the mind of Christ to come into the knowledge that He has given you the power to overcome any obstacle. He has caused you to be more than a conqueror. The Greek word for conqueror is hupernikao, which means “to gain a surpassing victory.” God has given you the power to win extraordinary battles. The battle that sometimes starts in the mind and the flesh, that causes believers to sometimes act out behaviors like those described in the above scriptures, can be ended at the onset with the spiritual weapons and resources that God has made available. Prayer, worship, praying in tongues, praise, and studying God’s Word are some of those weapons.

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

2 Corinthians 10: 4-5 KJV

In Colossians 3:5 and Colossians 3:8-9, God tells the believer to take off sexual perversion, bad attitudes, lying, and so many other ungodly characteristics. These things destroy people, churches, and families, and they cannot exist in the Kingdom of God. God is saying that, for His children, these behaviors are not acceptable. You may have stepped on people in the past to climb the career ladder, or told lies to cover your own indiscretions, but it’s a new day. These may have been behaviors that were exhibited when you were apart from God and a part of this world, but now you have become a part of the body of Christ and have put on a new nature. You stripped off the old nature, put on a new nature through Christ Jesus, and it’s time to get rid of whatever tempts you to return to what God has delivered you from.

Proper Spiritual Diet Contributes to the Ability to Truly Forgive

You may be thinking, “Well I’m doing pretty good. None of those ungodly characteristics in Colossians 3:5 and Colossians 3:8-9 apply to me.” Well, I rejoice with you. I also challenge you to ask God to search your heart to ensure there is no residue of the silent killer, unforgiveness. An inability to forgive derives from offenses and is often used by Satan to hinder and sometimes paralyze believers. It destroys churches and families because people are unable to move past what has occurred. It undermines what God desires to do through love, and, like an old pair of shoes, should be removed from the believer’s life.

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Ephesians 4:32 KJV

When forgiveness has not occurred, it stunts the growth and production of kindness and tenderheartedness. One cannot function in love as God requires without the ability to forgive, because there will always be a feeling of resentment or bitterness. Those negative emotions breed distrust which breeds disunity and has been the cause of the end of many marriages, ministries, friendships, partnerships, and relationships. As Spirit-filled believers, we have first-hand experience of the forgiving power of God. We know what it means to have been forgiven for a lifetime of sin. We know what it means to have our offenses dropped into the sea of forgetfulness. We know what it means to have that “thing” that we don’t want people to know about be as far as the east is from the west.

As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

Psalms 103:12 KJV

So why is it that the believer to whom God has shown so much mercy, can sometimes find it hard to forgive others? What makes one feel that they deserve mercy, but, sometimes, others do not deserve that same level of mercy? The answer: spiritual, dietary deficiency. You are mind, body, and spirit. If you are not properly feeding your spirit, you can enter a state of spiritual malnutrition that will cause you to act out of your flesh. When I wake up in the morning and eat a protein-rich breakfast followed by fresh fruit, it feeds my muscles and fuels my body. I find that I am much less likely to eat unhealthy junk food. When I’m in a hurry and I don’t eat breakfast, my body has not received the proper fueling, which leads to starvation mode, and I find myself eating unhealthy snacks or whatever I can get my hands on. During those times, what I eat is usually not adding any nutrients or energy to my body; instead, it’s only adding calories and fat.

From a spiritual perspective, how you make choices is greatly dependent upon whether or not you are being led by the Spirit or by the flesh. How you are led is greatly dependent upon which of the two—the spirit or the flesh—you are feeding, and which you are starving. For example, if you have been taking actions to feed your spirit and starve your flesh, when faced with temptation or with a choice, your spirit will prevail and your decision will be one that pleases God. Athletes know that to remain competitive, they have to eat the right foods. Weight lifters adhere to very strict diets in order to build the desired muscles and produce definition. From a spiritual perspective, you must also adhere to special diets to build the desired muscles. Your spirit man thrives off of nutrients that are not carnal, but mighty in Jesus, so you must be disciplined enough to follow a proper diet. There are no special formulas to experiencing God’s power because God cannot be limited that way. He flows freely, and it’s up to you to be in position to experience the fullness of Him. When you spend time in prayer, worship, praise, praying in tongues, and studying God’s word, it’s like eating protein and going to the gym. Your spirit man is made healthier and stronger, and when faced with decisions, you will act according to The Spirit and not out of the flesh.

To illustrate, I will use the following example. Imagine that someone whom you love and trust has been spreading lies and rumors about you. Upon hearing and confirming the information, you become hurt, disappointed, and angry. Based on the circumstances you may have every right to be. You may also be tempted to become bitter and want to make the person who hurt you feel the same pain that they caused you. But then, somewhere along the way in your prayer time you find yourself saying, “Lord, I don’t know why they did what they did, but I don’t want to hold a grudge. I want to walk in forgiveness and love.” And before you knew it, you were praying for the one who hurt you and reaching out to show them love. Showing love to someone who hurts you is not the lightweight, fleshly response. It requires that you have been lifting heavy weights to strengthen the muscles that allow you to respond as God would require. When God provides you with instruction and revelation, there are always great benefits in your obedience. If there is anyone that you are holding a grudge against and cleaning your closet of unforgiveness is necessary, I encourage you to ask God to place forgiveness in your heart. God has a way of providing forgiveness and resolve, even in cases where the person who hurt you holds no accountability and will never apologize. God has a way of teaching you how to love even when you’re not receiving love.

God does not require that you forgive as a sign of weakness; of denial that wrong has occurred; or to place you in a position to be taken advantage of. God expects you to forgive because it is His nature to forgive, and as His child, you have taken on His nature. He also wants you to forgive because it is beneficial for you to do so. Peace results from forgiving and letting go of bitterness, grievances and hurt. Forgiveness can also lead to new fruitful and fulfilling relationships. The benefits of forgiveness may also come in the form of revelation and spiritual wisdom after letting go and allowing the mind to be renewed by the Word of God. In any event, the point is that there are many benefits of choosing to forgive. Here are a few of those benefits:

1. When you forgive, you are guaranteed to be forgiven of your offenses, sins, and trespasses. Mark 11:25, Luke 6:37

2. To forgive is a sign of strength and maturity. Luke 17:4

3. When you forgive, you are modeling Jesus. Luke 23:24

4. Your relationships are stronger when you forgive others. Luke 17:3

5. Forgiveness sets people free. 2 Corinthians 2:7

When Cleaning the Closet Involves Letting Go of People

As a child of God, you sometimes have people in your life that are detrimental to the plan and purpose that God has ordained for you. You may have had a good relationship at some point, but as you have changed and matured spiritually, you may not have made necessary changes in your pool of friends and associates. Some people are in your life and will be with you for as long as you are on earth, but some people are not meant to be with you for a lifetime, rather for a season. You may even have people in your life that you recently started to associate with, but they are detrimental to your spiritual well being. As you dress from the inside out, it is important to know when you are associating with people and involving yourself in relationships that are outside of the will of God for your life. This could involve personal and professional relationships, as well as spiritual connections.

So, you may ask, “How do I know when I’m not in right fellowship? How do I know when it’s time to let go? How do I let go, when it’s easier said than done?” Here are a few suggestions to assist you in evaluating your situation and responding accordingly:

1. When your relationship or friendship places your relationship with God in jeopardy, put your relationship with God first.

If you are a Godly man or woman, people will notice. They will be able to tell by the words that you speak, the way that you dress, and the things that you do. Because a Godly person has such a sweet spirit, people are naturally drawn to him or her. Sometimes people that are drawn will be people that also love God, and will be able to share wonderful times and common experiences to bring life enhancement. Other times, the people drawn to the Godly man or woman will not know God. This is a wonderful thing because that will allow the opportunity to share the love of God. It is important, however, to ensure that you are drawing the unbeliever closer to God, rather than your allowing the unbeliever to pull you out of fellowship with God.

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith . . .

Hebrews 12: 1-2 KJV.

According to Hebrews 12:1-2, we are to shake off everything that hinders us. If the people that you spend most of your time with seem to try to deter you from the will of God for your life, then it may be time to “clean out the closet.”

I remember a friend that I had a few years back. He was very easy going and easy to talk to, so we often shared meaningful conversations over dinner. He was not saved, but had grown up in church and understood what receiving God’s salvation was all about. I would often invite him to church services and events, but he never attended. Although he knew that I did not drink alcohol (God had delivered me from irresponsible alcoholic activities years before), he would always offer to buy me a drink over dinner. He would even go as far as to order it and have it there for me when I arrived. Even though I continued to decline, he continued to offer. He was really into the parties and the night life, and after about a year into the friendship, he started to invite me to go out with him. I continued to decline his invitations, and he continued to decline my church invitations. As time passed, I enjoyed his company and on one particular occasion I accepted his invitation for a night out. After compromising my Godly standards and finding myself in a position of repentance, I realized that this was not a friendship that could glorify God. This was not a soul that I would win at that moment, so I needed to do what was necessary to maintain my right relationship with God. Because my life depended on it, I respectfully ended that friendship.

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? 2 Corinthians 6:14 KJV

Ask God to send people into your life. Ask him to help you establish godly relationships, alliances, and soul ties, and He will do that for you.

2. Recognize that there is no one that you cannot live without, other than El Shaddai, the All-Sufficient One, the Lord God Almighty.

This may seem harsh, but it is the truth. If someone that you love, trust, and rely upon, exits your life, either voluntarily or involuntarily, you will heal. You will survive. Life will go on. Your future rests in one person, and that is Jesus Christ. All too often, people believe that their future and ministry rests in the hands of another. That mindset can bring about debilitating results in the spiritual and natural life of the individual. According to Colossians 2:10, you are complete in Christ. It may not always seem like it, but it is the absolute truth. Not everyone in your life can travel the extent of your spiritual journey with you. Not everyone will understand or be in agreement with what God has for you to do, so it is sometimes necessary to love from a distance as you move into what God has for you to do.

In John 6:60-66, Jesus lost several of his disciples because they were offended by what He said.

Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?” When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you? What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where he was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.” From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.

John 6:60-66

Jesus was speaking the truth and doing the will of God. That did not set well with many of his followers, so they decided not to follow Jesus anymore. I’m sure that Jesus did not want to lose any followers; however, their leaving did not stop anything that God was doing. Jesus’ ministry continued, and He fulfilled the will of God.

Again we see an example of how Jesus was even willing to be apart from His own mother and brothers at times in Mark 3:31-35. When Jesus’ family members became concerned about the message that He was delivering, and did not offer Him the support that He needed, Jesus did not allow that to deter Him. He still went on to fulfill His Father’s plan—with or without their support.

Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him. And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You.” But He answered them, saying, “Who is My mother, or My brothers?” And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.”

Mark 3:31-35

All too often, people have not followed the plan that God has for their lives due to the fear of offending others—their mates, pastors, families, friends, and bosses. You should never allow anyone to cause you not to reach your full potential in what God has called you to do. God desires that you have fruitful, loving, and God-centered relationships, partnerships, and alliances. You are God’s masterpiece—His workmanship created to do great works. You are complete in Him! You are His beloved! He chose you and He is faithful and true. Your affirmation comes from God and He is the epitome of everything that you will ever need!

3. Put all emotions aside, and allow God’s Holy Spirit to lead in decision-making about friendships, partnerships, and relationships.

In the previous chapters, we discussed the need for a relationship with God. A strong relationship with God will ensure that when you form friendships and relationships, you are not looking to others to provide the affirmation that you should receive from within.

According to Proverbs 10:22, the blessing of the Lord makes a person rich, and He doesn’t add sorrow with it. This does not mean that your relationships will be perfect because perfection is impossible with imperfect people. What it does mean, though, is that, with God, imperfect people can experience a relationship that is sacred, beautiful, fulfilling, and fruitful—whether it be a spiritual connection, business connection, romantic connection, or family connection. God is not the author of confusion. If you are often trying to figure the person out, wondering why they treat you a certain way, feeling as if you are insignificant as a result of their actions, or that they are pulling you away from God, then you may need to evaluate to determine if it’s time to make some changes in your life and move in a different direction.

When emotions are involved, this is not always as easily done as it is said. That is why it is so important to put emotions aside and be led by God’s Holy Spirit. God has given us His Holy Spirit to comfort and to lead us into all truth. Paraklesis (par-ak-lay-sis) is the Greek word meaning “to comfort and encourage.” The Holy Spirit teaches, comforts, and encourages us. He is a strengthening presence, one who upholds those seeking assistance. “Seeking assistance” are key words. If we ask, God will answer. Purpose in your heart that you will seek God for guidance and that you will be content in whatever God has for you. Whether you are praying regarding a friendship, partnership, romantic relationship, professional relationship, or any other possible alliance, try praying a simple prayer such as this:

A Prayer for Guidance

Father, please help me to stand still and know that You are God. You are the ultimate creator, and You created me, Your masterpiece, and preordained for me to do great works. I love You, and I don’t want to step into anything that will compromise Your plan for my life. I don’t want to get ahead of You and step outside of Your will. Increase my ability to discern what is right and what is wrong. Remove from me anything that is not like You. I want the reception between You and me to be free and clear of any interference, so I open myself up to You, and I desire to hear Your thoughts.

Spirit of Truth, reveal to me whether or not the people that I’m associated with are the people that You have for me to be involved with. If so, help me to be the godly and integral man or woman that You have created me to be. Cause me to have favor with those that I am in relationship with. If any of my relationships are not a part of Your plan for my life, Father help me to be content knowing that I can move on, and that I am complete in You. It’s in You that I live, and move, and have my being. I will not be stressed, wondering why certain things happen or don’t happen. You said that I can cast my cares on You, and that’s what I choose to do. I trust You, and I know that You know what’s best for me, and best for my life. So Lord, I surrender to what You have for me. I trust You, and I know that You will lead me in the right direction. I seek Your guidance, and I wait for Your approval. When You bring clarity, then I will know, and I will move in the direction that You are leading, knowing that it is working for my benefit and my good. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Journal

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. John 10:27

Be quiet. Be still. Listen to what God is saying to you.

1. What is God calling you to do to deepen your relationship with Him? What steps will you need to take?

2. What is God asking you to do for others and to advance His Kingdom? How will you accomplish this? Will it require help from others?

3. What verse or passage of scriptures in the previous chapter impacted you the most? Why?

4. Think about the verse or passage of scriptures that you selected in question #3. Use it as a guide as you pray.

Journal

chapter 4

Dressed to Kill

I’m sure that most people have heard the phrase, “dressed to kill.” To be dressed to kill is a positive phrase. It would indicate that a person is dressed so well that they make a remarkably favorable impression on whoever sees or comes into contact with them.

As children of God, it is important that we too are dressed to kill. One meaning of the word kill, is to stop the flow. For example, if electricians were about to work on a power line, they would kill the electricity. This means they would stop the flow of electricity so that they could safely work on the power line without being electrocuted.

From a spiritual perspective, we should be in position to stop the flow of Satan and all of his associates—the hidden powers of darkness. We should stop the flow of all that produces results contrary to what God says and His will for our lives, and the lives of others. Satan has no right to show up in our government, our media, our families, our churches, our jobs, or anywhere else he presents himself. He does so in an attempt to bring smokescreens and obstacles to destroy or slow down what God is doing in the earth. God desires that all of His children know that they are His, and walk in that revelation and power to lead others to Christ and into the Kingdom of God. As more enter the Kingdom, more are in tune with God and partner with angelic forces to carry out His will. God has so many things for his children to accomplish; however, we are often faced with challenges that tempt us to give up or slow down. Some hindrances could stem from problems—financial problems, relationship problems, self-image problems, ministry-related problems—you name it—the problems and cares of this world. Some hindrances could be the direct result of bad decisions—picking the wrong job, forming damaging friendships, making mistakes that take time to recover from, joining the wrong ministry—just bad decisions. Some hindrances are the direct result of demonic forces working against you to invoke fear, offense, heresy, or anything else that could cause you to miss the voice of God. In any event, all hindrances should be viewed as obstacles meant for the believer to victoriously overcome, and that starts with developing the mindset of a soldier in the Kingdom of God.

A Soldier’s Mentality

When I was in the military, we trained and prepared for wartime, however, we trained during peacetime. We would have battlefield simulations that we were required to participate in. We spent time on the range perfecting our shooting skills. We learned hand-to-hand combat so that we would know how to handle situations if our enemy were to get close to us. We were dropped off in the woods and told to use land navigation techniques to find our way out. Long marches carrying equipment was a regular part of training, and we trained in all types of weather and terrain. We were taught to adapt and to overcome whatever situation presented itself. We took on the “kill or be killed” mindset of a soldier.

As I went through the training, I never thought I’d ever actually be in a war and use the skills and training that I received. However, I was greatly mistaken. After being a soldier for six months, I was deployed to Saudi Arabia to serve in the Gulf War, Operation Desert Storm. I quickly realized the significance of the training that I received and immediately began to function as a soldier at wartime. When the battle presented itself, I took on the soldier’s mindset without even thinking about it.

As a child of God, it is vital that you have the mindset of a soldier in the Kingdom of God. You must realize that there is warfare going on in the invisible realm, and it is important that you are prepared to effectively prevail during invasion. The reason that your mindset needs to change from that of a civilian to a soldier is because winning the battle starts in the mind. Thinking determines beliefs, and beliefs determine actions. You have an adversary, the devil, that is always working to destroy you. If you turn on the news on any given day, there will be news of violence, governmental happenings, and laws being passed that are contrary to God’s will. There will be reports of economic distress and hate-related crimes broadcasted. We, as believers, cannot afford to be laid-back Christians, living our lives and thinking only of ourselves and our families, and basically waiting for the rapture to come. We have work to do and a battle to engage in.

I joined the military when I was eighteen years old, and before joining, I never thought much about the fact that our country could be invaded at any time. Yes, I read about wars in the history books; however, it seemed like history, and just didn’t seem to be relevant to me. When I joined the military, my perspective changed very quickly. We were taught to recognize worldwide areas of vulnerability, and we trained on a regular basis for wartime. We did not wait until there was a war to prepare. We prepared for war prior to the war starting.

From a spiritual perspective, you must also prepare in advance. Once the enemy is in your camp, it is too late to start thinking about a possible plan of action or a response. You must be in position to cancel, nullify, and put a halt to all of the plans and plots of the enemy. One way to do this is by recognizing that the enemy is going to come.

. . . When the enemy shall come in . . .

Isaiah 59:19 KJV

Isaiah 59:19 does not say that the enemy might come or that he could come. It says that he shall come. Not only is he coming, but Satan and his associates come with purpose.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

1 Peter 5:8

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy . . .

John 10:10

Satan wants to prey upon families and their futures. His goal is to steal the word of God before it takes root in your heart, to kill dreams, and to distort self-image. Anything that he can do to bring about spiritual paralysis or retardation and to hinder you from doing the work necessary to advance the Kingdom of God, Satan will do. He works 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and is so committed that he never takes time off. Knowing Satan’s character and work habits minimizes the possibility of being caught off guard or surprised. If you think for a minute that you are exempt from being a target of the enemy, you are sadly mistaken. Reading Adam and Eve’s history lets us know that Satan has been tempting man from the beginning. Satan even tempted Jesus, so you can rest assured that he is coming to you. The question is, will you be prepared for him?

Satan has no authority. What he lacks in authority, he makes up for in skill. He has a very skillful way of telling partial truths or showing you things that will be of interest to you in order to cause you to fall into temptation.

But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

2 Corinthians 11:3

Satan places things before God’s people to distract them and to take their minds off of Christ. Satan could present a business opportunity, a person, an idea, false doctrine, a feeling, a misunderstanding—so many possibilities. That is why it is so important to have your thoughts aligned with God’s thoughts so that you can take authority over the enemy. Jesus provided many excellent examples of how to respond to temptation and to Satan’s tactics.

In Matthew Chapter 4:1-11, Jesus was tempted by the devil. As Satan tempted Jesus, some of what Satan said was true. For example, he said, “If thou be the son of God, turn these stones to bread.” Jesus is the son of God and could easily turn the stones to bread. However, Jesus was prepared for the enemy and his tactics. In addition, Jesus knew that His purpose on earth was to bring salvation to the world. He knew that if He disclosed His position too early, it would compromise the plan of God. As a result, Jesus was prayed up, armed with the Word of God, and ready for Satan’s ploy. He responded to Satan using the Word of God, which caused Satan to retreat. Jesus also did not perform the miracles that would have given away his position as the Son of God. He knew that his true identity could not be fully revealed too soon because it was necessary that He suffer the death of the cross.

Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

Matthew 27:54

Jesus knew that people did not know Him to be the Son of God, so they would ultimately kill Him. It was necessary that His innocent blood be shed for our sins and that He be resurrected to restore life and the relationship between us and the Father. If your mind has not been renewed with the Word of God, and if you do not know God and His will for your life, you will not be so successful in battle.

Having a relationship with God, a renewed mind, and the leading of the Holy Spirit, place the believer in a position of being unstoppable and undefeatable by the enemy. The reason for this is that when you are in a relationship with God, you can approach Him when facing any battle and ask Him for strategies. The tactic that God uses for one battle may not be the same for another. God cannot be limited that way and you have to always approach Him to find out how to deal with what is before you at the time. His Holy Spirit will equip and enable you to deal with what is before you. The renewed mind is what leaves you convinced that God has your back and the battle is already won, no matter what is before you. Whether Satan ambushes you with something, or you are adversely affected by life’s circumstances, unfortunate situations, or bad decisions, you will always know that when you turn to God, you are coming out of the situation victoriously. God has already made you undefeatable. He promised that no weapons formed against you would prosper. When you know that, and truly believe it in your heart, that is when you will accept nothing less than victory. This does not mean that you will never face problems or hard times. I am sure that if you are going through a difficult time or are experiencing symptoms of an illness that you’ve recently been diagnosed with, you may not feel so victorious. Or, if you have being lied on and your character is being assassinated, you may not feel so victorious during those circumstances as well. Nevertheless, you are victorious. Your father, the God of restoration, provision, and healing can bring you through and out of any situation. He will do it in a way that causes you to look back and not only realize that He caused you to triumph, but will build spiritual character, maturity, and testimonies that can draw others to Him. God has a way of causing all things to work together for your good. It means that if nothing is going as you planned, and you seem to be receiving one piece of bad news after another, you can still trust God. When the enemy knocks you out of your comfort zone, think on the things that God has said and you will find peace, comfort, and contentment, regardless of your circumstances.

I am reminded of one of the most difficult times in my life, when I was in my late 30s and had lost almost everything. All that I owned fit into the trunk of my car. I felt hopeless, depressed, and embarrassed. I would try to put on a happy face before people, but when I was alone, I cried a lot, I couldn’t sleep, and it seemed like I would never get past that point in my life. I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and I remember crying out to God and telling Him how much I needed Him. I let God know that I had heard many testimonies of how He had brought people out of various situations, and that now I needed Him to be a healer and a deliverer for me. I let God know that I wanted my own experiences with Him because I needed my own testimonies. I felt like I was in that pit that David talks about in the book of Psalms. I told God that things had to be different for me moving forward, and that I had to have Him make that difference for me. God spoke to me through the following verse:

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

Philippians 4:8-9

I was then reminded of the power of the Word of God and the power of my belief in what God says. With that, I made a conscious effort to take control of my thoughts. I looked for every scripture that I could find about the mind and started to read and meditate on them. I posted Philippians 4:8-9, 2 Thessalonians 2:2, 2 Corinthians 10:4-5, and 1 Corinthians 15:58 on my bathroom mirror. Every time the enemy would try to get into my thoughts, I would go and read those scriptures out loud. I was speaking the Word of God over my life, my situation, and to the enemy. I soon knew the Word so that no matter where I was, when the enemy started to invade my thoughts, I would speak the Word of God, and the devil retreated. God brought restoration, and I came to know Him in a way that I never had before.

God wants you to know that before a battle even starts, you are victorious. God has promised so, and every word that He says is true. I encourage you to face every encounter with the expectation of winning. Talk to God and find out what He is saying concerning whatever you or someone that you are interceding for is facing, and speak God’s word over the situation. God gives new revelation, so it is very important that you spend the time talking with Him concerning the appropriate strategy to take. How God brought you out of the last dilemma may not be the same way He intends to bring you out of the next. How God saved a nation of people in the past, may not be how He intends to intervene on their behalf the next time. It is important that you are in tune and in alignment with Him. Even if you are taking some tough blows, get up, keep moving forward, and claim your prize. Never conform to the image of a victim, because you are a victor. Everything that has happened to you or that you have experienced (good or bad) can be used as a catalyst for unimaginable growth, success, and ministry, and it is important that you know and believe that.

According to Romans 12:2, God wills total victory and transformation for all of His children. Knowing what God says and His thoughts concerning you is essential to the mind renewal and transformation process, and is also essential to the process of becoming unstoppable by life’s problems, circumstances, and demonic forces that attempt to bring destruction. Knowing God’s word is essential because when you are facing the enemy—whether he is attempting to run rampant in your community, your church, your home, your place of business, or your nation—you should engage in battle under the direction of the Holy Spirit, and using the battle plan and strategies downloaded by God Almighty. Something as simple as the way you talk will make a tremendous difference and affect your outcome. Once you become effective in small battles, God will advance you to greater battles. Once you are able to take authority and dominion over things in your own life, God will expand your territory, and work through you to bring victory into the lives of others. If you are uncertain about how to use God’s word to walk in victory and authority, here is a very simple example exercise to illustrate how to start taking authority and dominion and winning the small battles that you may face.

Suppose you only have $5.00 until pay day at the end of the week, and you’re running on a quarter tank of gas. When you open your wallet, rest assured that the $5.00 will talk to you. It will tell you that it is all you have until Friday, and then it will remind you that you have less than a half a tank of gas. Before you close your wallet, that $5.00 will also remind you that you have already asked your friends and family for money, and no one else can help you.

How you view the situation will determine how you respond to it and will determine the outcome. One perspective would be to see yourself as defeated and become so stressed and overwhelmed that you complain, can’t sleep, stay up worrying all night, and make plans to call off work and cancel appointments to preserve gas.

Another perspective would be to see the situation as an opportunity for God to blow your mind. From that perspective you can talk to the $5.00, and tell it that your Father provides for you according to His riches in glory. Tell the $5.00 that God has the ability to place you on the mind of someone who will bless you and cause that $5.00 to be multiplied several times over. You could then get even bolder and talk to your car. Let your car know that if God chooses not to send money your way, then He will supernaturally sustain your gas level and cause it not to use the level of gas that it normally does. You could then talk to the money problem, and tell the problem that it is now no longer a problem because it has been placed in the capable hands of God, who said that He would never leave or forsake you. Then thank God for doing one of the things He does best—make provision. After that, all you have to do is watch God work it out, knowing that the battle is already won.

The example exercise above may seem simple, however, the principle works the same when applied to any situation. Whether you are talking to the financial climate that is causing your neighbors to lose their home; or talking to a disease that is running rampant in your community; or talking to a spirit of idolatry that is influencing spiritual leaders in your community, you would still declare and enforce what God says concerning the matter. This is why it is so important to have a relationship with God and constantly pray and seek Him for guidance and for the tactics and strategies on how to deal with what you are facing. Whether you are facing something personally, or interceding on behalf of others, the Holy Spirit will lead you and equip you to accomplish what you need to whenever you allow Him to.

Know Your Commander—Avoid Being Stripped and Whipped

Having that victorious perspective and being able to speak to problems, situations, and satanic forces requires knowing God, knowing who you are in Christ, and knowing the Word of God. A military soldier entering the battlefield without knowledge could quickly find him or herself stripped and taken as a prisoner of war, or even killed. It is the same way spiritually.

And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of the house naked and wounded.

Acts 19:15-16 (KJV)

If you read more in that 19th Chapter of Acts, you will find that Paul was out, doing God’s business, advancing the Kingdom of God. God was working many miracles through Paul. He was teaching people, and many were being filled with the Holy Spirit. There were seven sons of Sceva who watched as Paul healed the sick, cast out demons, and performed many other miracles. I’m sure that they had seen Paul speak to many evil spirits and command them to come out of people, and they wanted a bit of the glory that God was getting. So, these seven sons decided to take it upon themselves to conduct an exorcism on a man who had been overtaken by an evil spirit. That leads us to the scriptures above where they spoke to the spirit, and because they did not speak with the right authority, they were overtaken. Demons respond to God—to Him, His words, and His authority. These seven men had neither. Just imagine what it must have looked like to have this one demon-possessed man take on seven men, beat them down, strip them of their clothes, and send them running into the streets naked. That had to be a sight to see.

That leads us to the next point. It is a sad reality that this sight of being whipped and stripped is a sight so often seen in the lives of Christians today. Many don’t know God, don’t know His word, and don’t know who they are in Christ. Satan comes along and strips people of their future, their ministry, their self-esteem, and anything else he can take. He is able to accomplish this because so many don’t know God and don’t know the Word of God or how to use it to overcome Satan or to cancel his plans. Many people never flow in ministry as God ordained because the enemy has used something from their past to cause them to feel that they are not worthy to be a vessel of God. Totally stripped of their grace-given supernatural identity, they are never able to fully impact the Kingdom as God intended. Many are unable to see that they are God’s masterpiece, His workmanship, created to do great works. Some are unable to receive full forgiveness over a bad decision or a mistake. And what’s even more unfortunate is that not only has that person been adversely affected, but there are people who they will never interact with and influence for the sake of the Kingdom. Please recognize. What you do or don’t do isn’t just about you. God had provided victory for you not only so that you can live victorious lives, but so that you can share the gospel with others so that they can also live victorious lives and carry out His will and what pleases Him. If believers can’t even help themselves, they will be ineffective with helping others.

It is time-out for taking what the enemy dishes out. It’s time for God’s people to look like His people, act like His people, live like His people, and allow Him to do every good work that He pleases to do. A person that is always defeated and complaining will not portray an attractive image for a non-believer and will not be pliable enough for God to flow through as He pleases. If you find that you are often easily offended or thrown off course and sidetracked by situations and circumstances, make it your goal today to become undefeatable by life’s circumstances and unmanageable by the enemy. Do this by speaking the Word of God. Your life depends on it, and the lives of others depend on it too.

There is Warfare Going on in the Invisible Realm—Soldier Engage

Whether you are aware of it or not, there are hidden forces that are working to accelerate what God is doing in the earth, and there are hidden forces that are working to retard what God is doing. There are territorial spirits that have been dispatched by Satan to exercise control over nations. These spirits, or hidden forces, attempt to destroy what God is doing in the lives of individuals, families, communities, churches, regions, and nations. When you travel, or research, or hear documentaries about communities that are overwhelmed with violence, or nations that are impoverished, or regions that are enslaved, or regions where heresy or witchcraft seem to prevail, that is an indication that there are territorial spirits in operation, and they need to be driven out so that the people in those areas can live the liberated lives that God intended.

In Daniel Chapter 10, Daniel was seeking God and interceding on behalf of the people of Persia. God sent a messenger to share vital information with Daniel. The messenger, however, was detained for twenty-one days because of a territorial spirit, referred to as the prince of Persia, that put up a barrier to retard what God was doing. Daniel continued praying and seeking God, and eventually God’s messenger made his way to Daniel, with the assistance of the angel, Michael. Michael helped the messenger get past the barriers set by the prince of Persia and kept the territorial spirit at bay, while the messenger went to Daniel to deliver God’s intended message. Michael and the messenger worked together to carry out God’s plan.

There are a couple of key messages in Daniel Chapter 10 that I would like to point out. First, Daniel was not caught up with his own agenda. He was seeking God for the nation. As a soldier in the Kingdom of God, you have the ability, the responsibility, and the authority to impact the lives of others. When you ask, God will give you insight concerning your family members, people in your church, even nations of people that you will never meet. That insight allows you to respond appropriately. Whether that response is intercession, sharing an encouraging word, or providing what is necessary to meet a need, I challenge you to take full advantage of every opportunity to seek God on behalf of others and allow God to work through you.

Secondly, there is no spirit that is more powerful than the Spirit of the living God, and He has you covered. You can rest assured that just like God sent Michael in to help His messenger, He will send in reinforcements for you. Sometimes prayers are hindered or plans are slowed by unseen obstacles. Fortunately, God has provided His people with a battle plan and winning strategies to overcome these unseen powers. He has provided an arsenal of weapons to include prayer, worship, intercession, and fasting, so that you can remain victorious in any situation and declare victory for others.

Finally my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

Ephesians 6:10-18 KJV

When the Apostle Paul wrote the book of Ephesians, he was concerned about the welfare of his fellow believers, and wanted them to understand God’s purpose for the church. The church is not the building or the meeting places where we congregate on Sunday mornings. The church is the body of believers that are assigned to manage, affect, and influence what happens in the earth. When Paul starts by saying to put on the whole armor of God, that is indication that we, as believers, will engage in battle. How do we know this? Because armor is a defensive covering of the body that is designed to be used mainly in combat, and one of the first instructions from Paul is to put on the whole armor of God.

As representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ and soldiers in the Kingdom of God, it is the responsibility of believers to be in agreement with God, and in agreement with each other. God expects His people to work together when facing challenges and opposition and take authority over the powers of darkness that are working to hinder what God is doing in the earth. According to Matthew 18:18-20, there is a greater amount of spiritual authority that is released when there are two or more people coming together to pray concerning a matter.

“Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.” Matthew 18: 18-20

We, as believers in the Kingdom of God, are to come together as soldiers in battle. There is strength in numbers and God did not intend for us to always pray and work alone. It is God’s intention that we come together with other believers to collectively release kingdom power by agreeing in prayer and partnering with the hidden forces that are working to accelerate what He is doing. This is the time for racial, doctrinal, and denominational barriers to be broken, so that the body of Christ can come together to overthrow all plots and plans put into place by the powers of darkness. Any action that Satan and his associates take is illegal activity and should be treated as such. God’s intention is that His people experience heaven on earth. God’s will is sometimes hindered by the diabolical influences and satanic forces that are operating illegally to bring retardation to what He wills to be done. It is up to His children to bring things back into alignment with His will, and He has provided all the revelation and power that is necessary to do so.

If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14

There is nothing too hard for God, and there is nothing that cannot be granted in prayer. God says to ask and it shall be given. Heresy, violence, crime, divorce, sexual pervasion, poverty, unemployment, and drug and alcohol addictions are running rampant in our world. That is not what God intended and it does not have to be that way. You as a believer in the body of Christ, have the power and authority to make a difference. God expects His people to turn from sin, put all offenses and personal agendas aside, and come together in prayer and expectation. When that condition is met, God can heal the land by making the changes that only He is capable of making, so that His will is done and His glory is fully manifested in the earth. It is possible for earth to be a direct reflection of heaven; however, it requires the coming together of the troops that are in the Kingdom of God. It is time to fall into the spiritual formation that will allow God, as the ultimate Commander in Chief, to carry out His will. So, as a commander would provide a direct order to his troops, I say to you, it is time to come off of the sidelines and take authority and dominion over all that is working contrary to God’s will and plan. “Soldier, take the hill!” and expect to experience the glory of the Lord!

Journal

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. John 10:27

Be quiet. Be still. Listen to what God is saying to you.

1. What is God calling you to do to deepen your relationship with Him? What steps will you need to take?

2. What is God asking you to do for others and to advance His Kingdom? How will you accomplish this? Will it require help from others?

3. What verse or passage of scriptures in the previous chapter impacted you the most? Why?

4. Think about the verse or passage of scriptures that you selected in question #3. Use it as a guide as you pray.

Journal

chapter 5

Fully Dressed for Kingdom Success

Okay, so now you’re fully dressed, and yes, you look great! Your outfit is slammin’, your hair is tight, and you smell absolutely irresistible. As you gaze upon yourself in the mirror, you quickly realize that your ensemble is incomplete because you have yet to accessorize. You remember the diamond choker and diamond stud earrings that have been sitting in your jewelry box, waiting for a special event. You think about the cuff links that your father gave you that you’ve never had the special occasion to wear and you think, “Today is the day!” You are fully dressed, from the inside out, and that calls for the perfect accessory piece.

In previous chapters, we discussed the importance of being filled with God’s precious Holy Spirit and allowing no other spirit to rest or rule, other than the Spirit of the Living God. Any unnecessary clutter that you may have had in your closet has now been removed, providing allowance for your life to be transformed by the love of God. Your mind has been renewed by the truth of God’s word. Just as the diamond chocker or the cufflinks are necessary to complete the above ensemble, it is now time to select the perfect accessory piece for your spiritual ensemble. It is your time to deepen your walk with God and move into everything that He has for you to advance His Kingdom, and experience heaven on earth as God intended. A platinum ID badge is just the accessory piece that you need to be fully dressed for Kingdom success.

You may be thinking, “A platinum ID badge? Why would an ID badge be required for me to be fully dressed?” My response is best described in 1 Peter 2:10:

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for He called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light. Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.

1 Peter 2:10

In the Old Testament, people were not able to approach God on their own. They would go to the priests, and the priests would serve as an intermediary and go to God on behalf of the people. Because of the sinful nature of man, the priests were considered to be the only ones worthy of direct personal contact and relationship with God.

Now, because of the redemptive work of Jesus on the cross, we have been reconciled to God. God did not want us to be apart from Him, and we can come boldly into His presence without fear or hesitation. Nothing can separate us from His love! Just as His Spirit manifests for the benefit of all, God has chosen you and made you a royal priest, not only for your own benefit, but for the benefit of others. You are a chosen ambassador in the Kingdom of God and are an authorized representative, given the responsibility of bringing others to Christ. Your role is to join in the priestly work of reconciling God with people. It is not your role as a believer to receive salvation and then focus on yourself and basically wait until you enter your eternal home with God. You have work to do.

Ambassadors in the Kingdom Possessing Unlimited Power

Ambassadors are agents of the highest rank and are representatives of his or her own government. Ambassadors are placed on special and often temporary assignments. We know that our assignment on earth is only temporary and that we are a part of the Kingdom of God here on earth. It is our mission to act as authorized messengers for the Almighty God! That is an amazing assignment and to wear the ID badge that says, “ Christine Evans, Ambassador for the Kingdom of God” is a privilege and an absolute honor! Put your name on your ID badge, and see yourself as God sees you—the way that you truly are. “______________, Ambassador for the Kingdom of God.”

The Kingdom of God is the realm in which God’s will is fulfilled. It is where everything that is invisible in heaven becomes visible on earth. The place where God’s manifested presence results in signs, miracles, and wonders because that is the norm in heaven. When you live according to God’s word and recognize the eternal kingship of God, you live in His Kingdom and should not accept anything that is not a part of His Kingdom. God says that no hell-inspired sentence applies to His children, so do not accept sickness or disease just because the doctor provides a medical diagnosis. God is the only doctor that I know who created the human body. He knows the body better than any practicing physician. And the best part is that God is not practicing medicine, He IS medicine, and He has made healing and anything else that we need available to us. Do not allow the enemy or anyone else to talk to you any kind of way. Refuse to entertain conversations that deliver messages contrary to what God says. As an ambassador in the Kingdom of God, you possess unlimited supreme power and authority, and should use it every opportunity to the glory and honor of God. You should not hesitate to speak healing into your life or into the lives of others. Do not hesitate to enforce God’s plan for your life and the lives of others, and then boldly walk it out by faith.

Fully walking in God’s power requires total confidence in who He is and who you are in Christ. This takes us back to the reason for the ID Badge. When I go to work, I wear my ID badge to indicate that I am a representative of the organization that I work for. If I leave my job, and stop by the store wearing my badge, I am still presenting myself as a representative of the organization that I work for. If I were to steal something wearing my work ID badge, people would associate thieves with the organization that I work for simply because they would see the organization’s name on my badge. If I were to allow someone to step in front of me in the grocery line, people would associate courteousness with the organization that I work for. When we are ambassadors of the Kingdom, people associate what we say and do with the Kingdom of God. Kingdom equals holiness, victory, and humility, and that should be reflected in your lifestyle.

An ID card would include your name and other information about you. It often includes a photograph of you as well. According to Webster’s Dictionary, identification is the distinguishing character or personality of an individual. It is the evidence of identity. The Apostle Paul introduced himself as an ambassador that speaks boldly under the unctioning of the Holy Spirit to make known the mystery of the gospel.

. . . . praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful in this end with all perseverance and supplication of all the saints—and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Ephesians 6: 18-20

There is no such thing as “shy” or “timid” in the Kingdom. God has not given you a spirit of fear or anything else that may hinder His ability to work and flow through you. He has given you power, love, and a sound mind. He has given you a limitless source from which you can draw to act on His behalf. The Holy Spirit lives within you to equip and enable you to do whatever is necessary to live a victorious life on earth, and to advance the Kingdom of God. That means that if someone is feeling down, God will speak through us to say an encouraging or uplifting word. He will speak prophetically through you to deliver just the message that individual needs to carry them through a difficult situation. The Holy Spirit will flow through you as vessels through which He can intercede to change the atmosphere of homes, communities, and nations. I know that society would dictate that we focus on ourselves; however, in the Kingdom of God, the focus is not on you. Everything is about God and His will being done in the earth. As believers, our agenda should be God’s agenda, yet so many believers have their own agendas and want God to line up with them. That’s backwards and we should be in alignment with God.

I served for a number of years in the military. Before being able to serve as a soldier, we had to complete basic training. Basic training involved sacrifice, dying to selfish desires, overcoming obstacles, gaining new perspective, and allowing nothing to hinder us from completing the training.

During several months of training, we were not able to have any personal items other than basic personal hygiene items. There was no personal time and we could only eat when food was provided to us. We were up early and went to bed late. We trained all day and all night. We slept in the barracks and at times we slept in the woods. We went for days without showers and marched for miles carrying 30 pound packs on our backs in all weather conditions. We had no contact with our family or our friends during the training period. At times, we were required to pull all night guard duty to ensure our fellow soldiers were safe and secure. We learned how to fight and how to use various weapons. The drill sergeants told us that we were no longer our own because we belonged to the United States military. They told us that our response to everything should be “Yes Drill Sergeant,” and there was no such thing as excuses. If something that was supposed to be done was not done, we were not allowed to start explaining why it wasn’t done. The only acceptable response to not having successfully completed a task, was to say “No excuses Drill Sergeant.” This response would immediately result in some level of consequences that involved push-ups or some other type of strenuous or mental exercise intended to condition our bodies and minds for future success. What’s interesting is that I was not drafted into the military. Everything that I endured and everything that I experienced was based on my voluntary decision to submit to the authority of leadership and the guidelines set forth by the military armed forces.

I can remember that when I first started in basic training, I was not at all physically fit and I thought I would definitely die through the process. I could barely do nine push-ups without going into muscle failure. By the time the training process was over and I was graduating, I received an award and a promotion for being the most progressively physically fit soldier in my battalion. I had allowed the drill sergeants to do what they wanted with me. I had followed their command, and at the end, a leader emerged. I wore my uniform with pride and I was willing to serve my country and to fight for the freedom of everyone in it, even if it would cost me my life. I served in the first Gulf War in Saudi Arabia and was excited and proud to do so. I didn’t think much at all about myself, instead, I thought about the lives of others. I had been conditioned to be a soldier, I had a soldier’s mentality, and I gave it my all.

Now, if I can serve my country with that level of commitment, then certainly, I can serve my God, the creator and sustainer of life, with even greater commitment than that. You may be thinking of a job or responsibility that you have or have had in the past, where you expressed a great level of commitment. As you ponder, you may have even concluded that your commitment to God is not nearly at the level of commitment that you’ve provided in those instances. You may also be thinking that you have never experienced the manifested presence of God. You have heard others testify of seeing angels and healing the sick. You have seen others speaking prophetically, but you have never been that vessel through which God has worked. I want you to know that, as long as you are living, it is never too late to experience heaven on earth as God intended. It is never too late to experience mind-blowing and life-transforming encounters with God. Fortunately for you, God desires to manifest Himself in the lives of His people, so if you desire that He manifests Himself in your life, then your faith and His will are the perfect combination for a power surge.

And He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death til they see the Kingdom of God present with power.”

Mark 9:1

Mark 9:1 assures us that “some” will not taste death until they see the Kingdom of God present with power. Notice the word “some” is used instead of “all.” That’s because although God is all powerful, He gives us a free will. He has a gentleman-like character and is not going to force anything on you. It pleases Him when you seek and desire Him. Those who are willing to make the commitment and follow wholly after God will experience His power. It is impossible to love God with your whole heart, seek Him diligently, and spend committed time with Him without experiencing His greatness. God says that the closer you draw to Him, the closer He will draw Himself to you. That means that you play a part in determining what you will experience with God. If you feel disconnected and like you have not personally experienced the presence of God, or you only feel Him occasionally, then I challenge you to look at your lifestyle and determine if you have been taking the time to get close to Him.

I remember once talking with my Pastor. I was expressing my frustration because I had been having dreams, and I didn’t know what the dreams meant. I explained that God had been giving me dream after dream, but hadn’t given me the interpretations. My Pastor very quickly let me know that God gives interpretations as well as the dreams. He explained the importance of praying in The Spirit, denying my flesh, and seeking God to build my spirit man so that I would be less distracted and more sensitive to what God was saying. I walked away from that conversation that day and immediately changed my lifestyle to one that included praying in The Spirit every day. The Lord started to interpret my dreams and it was so subtle that I didn’t think about what was happening until after He had provided the interpretation for a few dreams. God responds to faith and obedience, so you are sure to get results when you spend time with Him and do what He says. It pleases God when you desire Him, and He will provide what you want and need for your own personal edification, as well as for the edification of others. Just as a soldier serves in the military or an agent in the Special Forces, it is important that, as an ambassador or special agent in the Kingdom of God, you be open to allowing God to do whatever He wants to do in and through you. If you fully submit to His authority and salute Him as Commander in Chief, He will prove His word through you, and you will overcome extraordinary battles through the power of the Lord Jesus Christ working through you. When there are demonic powers of darkness hovering over a region, causing unemployment or extreme violence, God’s ambassadors can enter that region and release the word that will cause that demonic power to move and the total restoration of the entire region. His ambassadors can come together to pray and intercede on behalf of nations and cause a shifting in the atmosphere without ever placing a foot in that nation. He will speak through His agents into the lives of others, using visible and tangible manifestations of His Spirit, bringing glory to Himself and men and women into His Kingdom. All you have to do is be a willing and available ambassador for Him.

God is Doing Supernatural Things Through Supernatural People

Take note that that the ID badge is platinum. Platinum is precious, does not corrode or wear down, and is ductile. One definition of ductile is easily led and influenced. God is doing supernatural things through supernatural people that are led by His Spirit. He wants you to wear your Kingdom ID badge with honor, value your position, decide that there are no excuses, and be one of the people who will continuously experience the power of God. Some people are going to see His power. Some people are going to experience Him. Some people are going to be the catalyst that God uses to do supernatural things. Let one of those people be you! God wants a church that is not easily intimidated. The Kingdom of God needs ambassadors that understand that they are dealing with principalities and powers of darkness and are not afraid. We as a people can sometimes so easily be offended that we don’t take the time to see what may be happening spiritually. We look at the natural situation and often quit or give up when we really should be praying for God to remove blinders that sometimes cause people not to see as He does and to mistreat others in the process. Now is not the time to be overly sensitive unless that sensitivity is to the Holy Spirit. Emotions, feelings, and opinions can change with each passing minute, but God is the same today, tomorrow, and forever. Too often people have walked away from relationships, partnerships, and memberships because they were offended. Jesus provided a perfect example of how to react in certain situations. If anyone would have had a reason to be offended, it would have been Jesus. Falsely accused, beaten, disrespected, and all by the very people that He loved so much that He gave His life to save.

And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

Matthew 11:12 KJV

Whether you are aware of it or not, there are hidden forces that are accelerating what God is doing in the earth, and there are hidden forces that are retarding what God is doing. Whether you realize it or not, you are working and cooperating with these forces. You can be purposely cooperating with the angelic forces that are accelerating what God is doing, or you can be cooperating with the demonic forces that are working to slow progress in the Kingdom. If you have not made a conscious decision to work with the angelic forces, then by default you are working with the demonic forces that are working to retard. Does that surprise you? I will provide an example. If you do not exercise your right to vote in the primary election, the election will still go on, political leaders will be elected, and you will be subject to the decisions that are made while the leaders are in office. By default, you have still participated in the election by allowing the elected official to be elected without voicing an opinion. It does not stop there. Look at it with your spiritual eyes. If you have not been praying against Satan’s infiltration of the media, families, and government, then by default, you have been allowing Satan to infiltrate those areas and adversely affect and influence in any way that he can.

Have you prayed recently about the political leaders in your region and about the decisions that they are making? Have you asked God to guide their thoughts? Have you asked for God-fearing leaders of integrity to gain political positions and provide the voice of God in decision-making? If you have not, then if it were not for the prayers of others, our leaders would be left totally uncovered while they are making decisions that may impact your life and the lives of everyone in their span of authority.

In the book of Exodus, we find a good example of what can happen to people when their leaders are making decisions that are outside of the will of God. God sent Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh and told him to free His people. God manifested himself in several ways to display His mighty power. Just a few ways He displayed His power were to turn Aaron’s rod to a snake, He turned the river into blood, and He produced frogs and lice to cover the land. Pharaoh called for his magicians and with their enchantments, they also turned their rods to snakes, turned the river into blood, and produced frogs and lice to cover the land. The deceptive manifestation of the powers of darkness fed into Pharaoh’s deceptive character, and he refused to hearken to the voice of God and let the people go. During this time, all those that were under Pharaoh’s leadership were being adversely affected by Pharaoh’s unwillingness to listen to the voice of God and obey. Those under his leadership were traumatized by the frogs and the lice and did not have an adequate water supply when the river turned to blood. As the result of Pharaoh’s continued disobedience, the people of Egypt went on to suffer an illness that caused them to be covered with boils, an infestation of locust, total darkness for three full days, and the death of the firstborn of every family. The magicians were unable to duplicate these acts, as God made it known that He is in control. And even after all of that, Pharaoh still did not listen to the voice of God. Ultimately many people under Pharaoh’s command lost their lives and everything they had, and God’s people were freed as he had originally planned. Had Pharaoh listened to God the first time, it may have saved the Egyptian people under Pharaoh’s leadership from a lot of suffering and death. And in this, as the Egyptians were suffering and dying, God’s people were saved and set free.

As ambassadors, we must pray for our leaders. We have the ability to impact outcomes for so many people. I believe that in any situation, God’s people will prevail; however, there is a world of people that don’t know God. There are also instances where God’s people have been, and will continue to be, martyrs for sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. If we, as ambassadors of Christ, are not praying for the decision makers for our communities and nations, many people will be adversely affected. I truly believe that, even in recession, the people in the Kingdom of God will never lack. We are recession-proof. I can even personally remember a time of recession in the area where I was living, and many people were being laid off. Even in such a time as that, God granted me a teaching opportunity that I had been wanting for years. God has promised that there is no lack in Him; that He provides for us according to His riches in Glory; and that he will never leave or forsake us. But this isn’t just about us, the body of believers. There are people who do not know God, and we must pray on behalf of ourselves and others that God will direct our leaders and show His mercy.

It is time-out for the mindset that someone else is going to do the work. It is not enough that your mothers and father are praying for you or that your Pastor is studying the word for you. In order to be effective in the Kingdom of God, you have got to have a relationship with God and you have got to study to show what the life of victory looks like. You cannot do this as an effective representative of the Lord Jesus Christ if you don’t know how and don’t take the time to find out. The Lord says that His people perish for their lack of knowledge. What you don’t know will hurt you. Try driving a car without knowing the rules of the road, and you will quickly find that what you don’t know can hurt you. Not everyone has the opportunity to go to ministry school. Not everyone is an Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, or Teacher, but everyone has been given the gift of the Holy Spirit to teach, guide, equip, and to enable. With the Holy Spirit living on the inside of you, you have all that you need to operate as the well-equipped ambassador that you are. In Joel 2:28, God makes it known that all of His children can dream dreams, prophesy, and see visions.

“And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions.”

Joel 2:28

In John 14:12-14, God lets us know that all who believe on Him will do even greater works than He did while He was on earth.

“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

1 John 4:17 lets us know that as Jesus is, so are we in this world.

Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.

1 John 4:17

That “we” is you and me. It’s the church, the body, the believers of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is seated at the right hand of God and has all power and authority. Since you are as Jesus currently is, you are also seated in heavenly places with all power and authority. If you did not know that, now you know. It is time for you to be activated and to move forward in your role as one of the royal priesthood and as an ambassador of the Lord Jesus Christ. As I pray a prayer of activation over your life, I encourage you to lift your hands in total submission to God.

My Prayer of Activation for You

I thank God for the wisdom and insight that you have gained. I pray that God continues to download revelation to you and that you increase in the knowledge of Him. As you continue to seek God, He will reveal Himself to you. As you make yourself available to Him, He will work through you to influence the lives of many and to draw others to Himself. Today I commission you, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to serve faithfully and fully in the Kingdom of God.

The gifts within you have been stirred and activated, and you are walking in the power of God. Like dynamite, the power of God is tearing down and blowing up everything that jeopardizes His people and compromises His Kingdom. You are stepping into your place of full-time active duty; never to step back to the spectator sidelines again. This is your day. This is your moment. You are God’s prized possession. You are His star warrior and He has many victories to display through you. The weapons that you fight with are not carnal; they are mighty in Him for the pulling down of strongholds. Don’t fight with your words or with your hands. The Spirit of the Lord is saying, “Fight with My words that are filled with power and wisdom. Fight using weapons from my arsenal and know that no weapons, plans, or plots against you shall prosper.”

Now I commission you to go! Go where God is leading you. Do what God is telling you to do. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else. Move forward knowing that according to Ephesians 2:10, you are God’s masterpiece, His workmanship, and you have been created and ordained to do great works.

I pull down every stronghold that tries to erect itself in your mind and cast down every vain imagine that tries to exalt itself above the knowledge of God. I declare that your thoughts are in alignment with God’s thoughts. I break every contract that the enemy has out to destroy you, and confirm that none of his traps, ambushes, or plots will stop or even deter you. I enforce God’s will and plan for your life and declare that you are walking in the favor of God, pressed down, shaken together, and running over.

Heaven, sound the alarm! A Davidic warrior has emerged . . . . and it is you! I declare that you are a Kingdom leader, fully armed and dangerous. Thank God for His Anointing! Thank God for His ambassadors! And thank God that one of those ambassadors is you!! I seal this word and count it done. In Jesus’ Name. Amen!

Journal

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. John 10:27

Be quiet. Be still. Listen to what God is saying to you.

1. What is God calling you to do to deepen your relationship with Him? What steps will you need to take?

2. What is God asking you to do for others and to advance His Kingdom? How will you accomplish this? Will it require help from others?

3. What verse or passage of scriptures in the previous chapter impacted you the most? Why?

4. Think about the verse or passage of scriptures that you selected in question #3. Use it as a guide as you pray.

Journal

References

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version of the Bible. Copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc., publishers. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are from the New Living Translation. Life Application Study Bible. Copyright 1988, 1999, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission.

All Greek word definitions are from the James Strong, (1996). The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.

All word definitions are from Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/

Table of Contents

Dressed From The Inside Out

©

Contents

Acknowledgements

Introduction

chapter 1

chapter 2

chapter 3

chapter 4

chapter 5

Journal

References