HIS PROMISES ARE YES

2 Corinthians 1:20 (NKJV) For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.

2 Corinthians 1:20 (MSG) Whatever God has promised gets stamped with the Yes of Jesus. In Him, this is what we preach and pray, the great Amen, God's Yes and our yes together, gloriously evident.

We used to say a little saying that went like this, "If God said it, I believe it, and that settles it."  It is so true, and as we look at this verse, we see just that.  If God said something in His Word, we can count it as truth, and as a “yes” answer.

Many people try and ask for things outside of His Word, but God, our Father, does not have to answer those prayers.  The prayers that He answers are those that line up with His Word.  His Word has been given to us, and His Word cannot fail.  God's Word will not return to Him void, but it will accomplish that which it has been sent to do.

I heard one man of God say that he was not quick to pray about situations that might arise, but that He was quick to go to the Bible and find the answer to his need.  Then He would pray the answer, and praise God for its manifestation.

God has put within His Word the answer to every need that we will have as we walk this life.  He has given us the victory to those needs.  God, our loving Father, wants us to walk in the victory that He has accomplished at the cross of Jesus Christ.  So, when this verse says that all of the promises of God, in Him (or in Jesus), are yes, then when we find a promise from His Word, let us say, “YES, in Him, Amen!” and watch God fulfill His great Word.  He takes great joy in us doing this, because, as Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

Confession: I choose to believe the promises of God, my Father, over what my mind might think or what people may say.  His Word is truth and life to all my being.

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GOD’S DEMONSTRATION OF LOVE

Romans 5:8 (NKJV) But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

What amazing love the Father has for us!  While we were still sinners, our Heavenly Father gave us Jesus.  He did not wait until we were good enough, or perfect.  He chose us while we were still messed up.  What great assurance that even when we blow it, He still will not throw us out!  The fact is that God will do whatever He can to help us grow, and to bring us to the place of repentance (of turning away from sin and getting closer to Him).

One thing that we always have to realize throughout our walk in life, is that God is more for us than we are for ourselves.  He will move whatever it takes to bring us to Him.  Think about that!  He gave us Himself, Jesus Christ.  What more does He have to do to demonstrate His love to us?

The Bible says that if God is for us, who can be against us?  That is right, God is for us!  He wants us to win in life.  He wants us to have an abundant life in Christ Jesus.  In this world, we are told by so many that we are no good; that we are not as good looking as that person, or we are just a nobody.  Well I say, “NO WAY!”  If God is for us, who else do we need?  If God demonstrated His love for us by giving His very best, what more do we need?

As you think on this devotion today, remember that no matter what people say, and no matter what you might think or feel, God is on your side.  He wants to bring you to victory.  God cannot fail, so neither will you!

Confession: God, my Heavenly Father, has demonstrated His love to me that while I was still a sinner, He gave me Jesus!  If God loved me that much while I was a sinner, how much more does He love me now that I am in Him, a new creation in His sight?

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HIS LOVE IN OUR HEART

Romans 5:5 (NKJV) Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Many people say, “Oh, if I could just have God's love in me, then I could love so and so.”  Yet, this verse is very clear that God's very love is already in our hearts.  The same way a seed gets into the ground and it has to push its way through the soil and come out, is the way it is with us.  We need to work on this seed of love, and let it push through our hearts and produce great fruit.

You see, love is a fruit of the Spirit, and as any fruit needs to come to maturity, so the love of God, as a seed within us, needs to grow to its fullest potential.  Love always believes the best of people.  Love goes out of the way to help.  Love does not get angry and sin, but is willing to look out for others.

You might say, “Well, I sure do not see this love in me.”  It is there!  It might be under some rocks right now, or it might be choked by some thorns, but it is there, and it will come out if you let it!  Do not look to what you are not doing; look to what you are doing.  Look to the Greater One in you that has put His love inside of you.  Watch this seed grow and help touch the lives of many.

Our confession should always be: “The love of God is in me.”  We just need to help His love come out.  Give it the spiritual food and water that it needs everyday, and watch a great harvest of this fruit of love come out of you!

Confession: Today, I confess that I am a lover.  I am a person who walks and talks love.  I believe that the love of God is in my heart, and it will grow and be a blessing to everyone I come into contact with.

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DON’T FEAR

Job 3:25 (NKJV) For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me.

Fear.  What an awful word, filled with so much demonic power.  There are literally thousands of different fears in our world, and these fears will try to convince you that they are truth.  As we can see with Job, the things that we fear will come upon us. 

So what should we do?  We need to resist fear like we would resist any evil or horrible thing.  Fear is an enemy and, if it gets its claws into you, it will try to paralyze you.  Fear will make you believe something, even when it is not truth.

Job must have believed certain things.  He saw, in the end, that all of the destruction that came on his life was not from God, but that He opened the door to the enemy with his fear.  It is the same with us.  We have to watch that we do not let different fears into our lives, like the fear of sickness, or the fear of death.  Our Father is our protector, and there is no fear in Him.  So do all that you can through the power of the Holy Spirit to resist fear, and watch it flee!

The way the devil works is to try to get a thought into your mind, and to convince you to believe it.  If he can do that, he has you.  It is just like fishing: we put bait on the end of the line to get the fish to believe that there is something good there.  Well, there is nothing good in the devil.  He is a liar from the beginning, and he will always be a liar.  So today, say, “Not on my watch!  I am blessed by my Heavenly Father, and fear has no place in me!”

Confession:  Fear is a name, and it must bow its knee to the name of Jesus.  Fear will not have dominion over me, because I am covered by the blood of the lamb, Jesus!

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GOD’S PROTECTION

Psalms 91:5-7 (NKJV) You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, 6 nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.  7 A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you.

God is our protector.  Think how evil this world is, and yet in the midst of it all, our loving Father protects us.  I think of our human bodies, how frail they can be, yet God has put within us things that fight off sicknesses and diseases.  One day, this curse will be removed, and there will be no more tears, no more sickness, and no more death, but until then, we need to trust in the Word of God.

You see, God has given us His Word as a two-edged sword, and that sword needs to be used.  The devil, and his workers, are out to kill, steal, and destroy, but when we grab hold of God's mighty Word and get it in our hearts, and say it with our mouths, we get the devil running.

Throughout church history, there were men and women that would just trust God.  They would find a promise in the Word, and they would not let it go until they saw their prayers answered.  Well, I do not know about you, but I want to be one of those mighty warriors of the kingdom.  I want to be one that when I wake up, the devil says, "Oh no, he is up again!” 

So let us make the decision, today, to be mighty warriors for the kingdom of heaven.  Let us pull down strongholds, and anything that would try to hinder a person from coming to God.  Let us speak His mighty Word and watch the enemy fall, and let us lift up those who are hurting, and introduce them to our Jesus.

Confession:  Today, look out devil, I am awake and I have one mission, and that is to further my Father's Kingdom.  I am awake to help set the captives free, and to bring recovery to those in need.

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AN ESTABLISHED HEART

Psalms 112:6-8 (NKJV) Surely he will never be shaken; the righteous will be in everlasting remembrance. 7 He will not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. 8 His heart is established; He will not be afraid, until he sees his desire upon his enemies.

I love verse 7: “He will not be afraid of evil tidings.”  Why?  Because “his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.”  We live in a world that is full of evil tidings.  You just wait, and there will be another hurricane or tornado.  In the winter, it will be a blizzard or an ice storm that knocks down power lines.  Do you get the idea?

This world is still under the curse of Adam.  Yet, because of our trust in God, we do not have to fear what comes upon this earth.  The 91st Psalm says it this way: “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.’  Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.  You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.  A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you.”

That is the kind of protection we receive when our trust is in God.  So today, do not focus on all the bad news.  Dwell in the secret place!  Take time to read the Good News, your Bible, and see how God has you under His wing.  See how God will protect you from whatever comes against you.  Remember, He's a lot bigger than anything the curse can throw at you!

Confession:  The curse has no power over me, because I dwell under the protection of the Creator of all things.  One day, this curse will be removed, but until then, I will speak His Word to the mountains, and watch them be removed!

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THE ABUNDANT LIFE

John 10:10 (NKJV) The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

John 10:10 (MSG) A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.

As we finish this powerful verse today, let us look at the last part.  Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”  God wants us to have an abundant life. This means, and I like how the Message Bible says it, “More and better life than they ever dreamed of.”  That is so good! 

This life God wants us to have is an abundant life.  It is a full, rich, and overflowing life. The word "abundantly" is from the Greek word periossos, and it means to be above, beyond what is regular, extraordinary, or even exceeding. This is not just abundance; it is super-abundance!

God, our Father, has so blessed us that, when we let Jesus into our hearts, He not only showers us with His goodness, He makes it beyond what is regular, extraordinary, or even exceeding. Again, this is not just abundance; it is super-abundance!

Sometimes in life, we can have too much of a good thing, like rain, or ice cream.  Well, we can never have too much of God!  His grace is so good, yet it never hurts us.  His mercies are new every morning!  It is like going to a fruit tree, and everyday it is full again with ripe, juicy fruit.  Every day, I can pick as much as I want.  It is beyond what is regular, extraordinary, or even exceeding.  So today, do not look at your shortcomings; look to Him and His super-abundant life!

Confession:  Today, I have a super abundant amount of God’s life and goodness.  God, my Father, pours out His mercies, fresh and new each day.  Today is a new day with new possibilities!

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