FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT

1 Timothy 6:12 (NKJV) Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

How much easier it would have been if God had said for us to take it easy, get a few extra hours of sleep, lay back, and that all will be just fine.  But God knows that we have an enemy, satan, who would look for a time just like that, and take what we have worked so hard for.

The Bible tells us to fight the fight of faith.  I have found that there is so much doubt and unbelief out there.  We need to watch what we read, hear, and see.  This fight of faith comes against us on every side. 

Here you are, standing on the Word of God for your healing, and faith is rising up in your heart, and then someone comes along and says, "Well, you know, it might be God who put this on you to teach you something."  Then all that faith that you worked so hard to get in your heart gets watered down.  That is why Paul states here that we need to fight for our faith.  We need to lay hold of eternal life.

When I lay hold of something good or important, I have to hold onto it for dear life.  I have to be like a pit bull with a bone in my mouth.  I need to be single minded, believing that what God said is true.  I am not going to let go of it, no matter what.   I am not going to let go of it, no matter what anyone says.  I really do not care how many books someone wrote, or how big his or her church is.  IF GOD SAID IT, THAT IS WHAT I AM GOING TO BELIEVE.  How about you?

Confession: Today, I choose to fight the good fight of faith.  Today, I choose to lay hold of eternal life.  I am like a pit bull with a bone.  If God said it, I am going to believe it until I see the manifestation of it.

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THE TREE BRINGS HEALING

Exodus 15:23-26 (NKJV) 23 Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah. 24 And the people complained against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?" 25 So he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet. There He made a statute and an ordinance for them. And there He tested them, 26 and said, "If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you."

In the Old Testament, Jesus had not come as a human yet, but His Word had come.  We know from the Word of God that, on the cross, Jesus not only took our sins, but He also took our sicknesses and diseases. 

1 Peter 2:24 talks about this tree.  Look at it: “Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed.”

When God showed Moses a tree, he cast it into the water, and the water was made sweet.  This is a type of our Jesus.  He hung on the tree for you and for me, and when we cast ourselves on Him, we are made whole.  I believe this is total wholeness: spirit, soul and body.

So today, look at the tree, and let your sins be cast on it, and your sicknesses thrown on Him.  It is through the blood that Jesus spilled on the tree, the cross, that we are made well.  What a great God we serve!

Confession:  The cross of Jesus, and His blood that He spilled, are for me.  The work of Calvary was a complete work; a work that was completely done in me.  Thank You, Jesus, for dying on the tree, and bearing all of my shortcomings so that I can be whole.

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THE CROSS

1 Corinthians 2:2 (NKJV) For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

The mighty Apostle Paul states here that he did not want to know anything except the cross of Jesus Christ.  Think about it.  It is through the cross that we receive our salvation.  It is through the cross that we receive our healing.  It is through the cross that we receive our peace.  It is through the cross that we receive all of the goodness of God.

When Jesus was separated from God at the cross, He restored you and me back into fellowship with the Father.  We were lost and we had no hope of eternal life, but then Jesus, at the right moment in time, went to the cross and became the spotless Lamb of God who took away our sins.

Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross, and when He hung there, in God’s eyes, anyone who would believe in the gift that God has given the world, hung there also.  In God’s eyes, we are one with His Son, Jesus Christ!

Oh, what a great redemption we have because of Jesus’ willingness to go to the cross.  On the cross, He became my sin, so that I can receive His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21).  On the cross, He became my sickness, so that I can receive His health (1 Peter 2:24).  On the cross, He became my guilt, so that I can go through life with no condemnation (Romans 8:1).

The wonders of the cross will astound us throughout all eternity, as we shout the praises of Him who bore it all for us.  So today, see yourself forgiven, restored, healed, and whole, all because of what our Jesus did on the cross.

Confession:  My Jesus did it all for me on the cross.  He bore all of my bad, so I could have all of His good.  He became the perfect sacrifice on the cross for my total redemption, and my total forgiveness of sin.  What a Savior I have in Jesus!

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THE KINGDOM OF GOD (Part 3)

Romans 14:17 (NKJV) …for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

For the last two days we have been looking at this awesome verse.  We have seen that we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, and that it is a free gift given to us when we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, and are washed by His blood.  Then, we saw that we can have peace as we keep our minds on Him, and not let the things of this world fill us with fear and worry. 

Today, let us look at the last part here: “Joy in the Holy Spirit.”  Many people in this world have happiness, and there is nothing wrong with being happy, but the fruit of the spirit gives us joy, which is like gold!

You see, I can be happy because I got a new car, but I can still have joy after I see the first scratch or dent on it.  I can be happy when everything is going good, but I can still have joy in the midst of many troubles.  The Apostle Paul wrote the letter to the Philippians while he was in prison, and this epistle is called "A Letter of Joy."

Think about that!  He was in a prison that was used as the sewer system of the city, and yet over and over he talks about joy.  You see, Paul lived in the kingdom principles.  He knew that this life was just a passing moment, so he stayed in joy.  He let this fruit of the spirit rule in his heart, and he was able to overcome all that was around him.  When He and Silas were in prison, they sang praises to God.

So today, do not look at the situations around you, no matter how bad they are.  Look to Jesus!  Let His light shine on you, and let His joy so fill your heart that no matter what comes at you, you are more than a conqueror through Him that loves you.

Confession: Today, I let His joy flow through my being.  I am more than a conqueror, through Him that loves me, and I know that no matter what life, or the devil, throws at me, as long as I keep my mind on Him, it will all work out.

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THE KINGDOM OF GOD (Part 2)

Romans 14:17 (NKJV) ...for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Yesterday, we looked at how God has placed within us His very righteousness.  Jesus was made sin for us.  He who never sinned took my sin and placed it on Himself.  What a God we serve!

Today, I want us to look at the next part in this verse.  In the kingdom of God, there is peace.  Oh my, how we can use this!  When I pick up the newspaper, or listen to the news, it is full of troubles. This world is so full of trouble and pain; it is all around us.  If we do not watch ourselves, we can get caught up in it ourselves.  We start by letting it get us down.  We think things like, “Have you seen what is happening to the economy?” or “Did you hear about those storms?” and on and on this list can go.

We have to remember that, yes, we are in this world, but we are not of this world.  Our minds need to be renewed to the ways of His world, which is the Kingdom of God.  The Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, joy, and so much more!

God's peace will stay all over us as we stay in His Word.  In Isaiah 54:13-14 it says, “All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children. 14 In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you.”

If this is what getting into the Word can do for our children, then I know that it can do it for us also.  So today, make a choice to live in peace by living “In Him.”  Live in His Word day by day!

Confession: I am making a quality decision to live in God's Word, and to let His Word become my peace.  I will not let the newspaper, or the news, dominate my thoughts, but I will let His Word live deep within my heart.  I make a decision to live in the Kingdom of God!

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THE KINGDOM OF GOD (Part 1)

Romans 14:17 (NKJV) …for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

God wants us filled, not just with eating and drinking, but with His Kingdom.  His Kingdom is full of righteousness.  Righteousness means to be in right standing with God.  When God, our Father, sees us, He sees us without sin or guilt.  He sees us the same way that He sees Jesus: holy, and accepted in His sight. 

This is so amazing that we who make so many mistakes, and we who have so many shortcomings, are accepted, the same way that Jesus was when He was raised from the dead!  What an amazing God we serve, who would take our bad, put it on Jesus, and take Jesus' good, and put it on us!  This is what we call the “Great Exchange.”  He took the bad, and we get the good.

In 2 Corinthians 5:21 it says, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”  Do you see it?  Our bad traded for His good; His righteousness.  That is why the Apostle Paul stated in Romans 8:1, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

How can there be any condemnation to the one that God has declared righteous?   How can there be any verdict of guilt to the one that God has declared holy?   When we accept Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior, we receive all that He is, and all that He has done at the cross, and in His resurrection.  So today, do not dwell on your shortcomings; dwell on His amazing grace to you and to me!

Confession: Today, I am free!  I am free from condemnation and free from guilt.  Jesus has paid the price for this for me, and I have now been set into the Kingdom of God as the very righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.  Today is going to be a very good day!

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YOU ARE CHOSEN

1 Peter 2:9-10 (NKJV) But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

We are a special people to God!  We are chosen by Him.  “To be what?” you might ask.  Well, this verse tells us.  We are to be a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and His own special people.  I will take that!  How about you?  If we want to be all that God, our Heavenly Father, wants us to be, then let us be what these verses say we are.

Our Father has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.  This is amazing!  To think that nothing can stand in His light, yet here it states that we can.  Why is that?  It is all because of the blood of Jesus!  Our Jesus has paid the price so that we can have the right and privilege to stand before God.

When Jesus went to the cross, He was separated from His Heavenly Father so that you and I can now have access to Him.  He took all of the bad that we have ever committed, and will ever commit, upon Himself, so that He could make us spotless and pure to the Father.

Jesus became our substitute.  He took the bad, and we get the good.  He became sin so that we could have His righteousness.  This is the great exchange!  This is truly the work of the cross.  This is why we sing, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.”  Rejoice today!  Our Redeemer has made us a special people to Himself!

Confession:  I am a special person to God, and if that is the way that my Father in heaven sees me, that is how I am going to see myself.  I am going to see myself washed and pure in His sight, because of Jesus.

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