“For I know how rebellious and stubborn you are. Even now, while I am still with you, you have rebelled against the Lord. How much more rebellious will you be after my death!”

Deuteronomy 31:27 (NLT)

Control is a by-product of fear. Show me an area of your life where you refuse to relinquish or surrender control to God and I will show you an area of your life where fear resides, rules and reigns. What are you afraid of?

First Samuel 15:23 (KJV) states: “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.” When we rebel in fear, we reject God as King. We stubbornly refuse to allow Him to be Lord over our lives.

When we rebel we are in essence saying that we want to control our lives and make our own decisions without consulting the All-Knowing God. This control is rooted in fear of the unknown. Since we don’t know where God is leading us we would rather choose a path were we can lay out all the details. We set out our own life goals and desires, and unwaveringly follow them to the bitter end even, if it means disobeying God to achieve it. We would rather disobey because of fear, reap the consequences of sin, and lose our joy and peace, rather than do what God has instructed us to do.

When we are unreasonable and perversely unyielding to the Lord’s instructions, we allow the devil to come into our lives and snatch our joy peace and soundness of mind. Too often we ignore God’s directions because we are so concerned about the opinion of others or our own fears and fail to realize that the moment we walk in disobedience, we displease God (Deuteronomy 28:15-68). We forget that God created us, gifted us, and sent His Son to spare us from the penalty of sin. God’s is the only judgment we should be concerned with.

So, regardless of who we are, what denomination we belong to, or what someone believes to be right or wrong, we have to set aside our fear of man’s judgment and follow Jesus at all costs. We must follow Jesus even if it means going against the grain of religious tradition and human expectation–our joy rests on it. Our defiance invites satan to steal the spiritual blessings and personal fulfillment that Christ died to bestow upon us.

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.”
Romans 10:9-10 (NLT)

Head knowledge of Christ will not save you. It takes acknowledgment of the heart.

When our confession, worship or service is done out of routine or because everyone else is doing it instead of love, our relationship with God will stagnate. The Pharisees and the Sadducees knew all about the Messiah, but despite their knowing the signs of the Messiah’s coming, they did not recognize and believe in Him. They mocked and taunted Jesus, accused and convicted Him of blasphemy, then crucified Him (Mark 15:24-25).

We have to reflect inward so an outward change can take place. We have to make way for the Holy Spirit to dig down into the cracks and crevices of our lives to root up the junk that is hindering us from offering up authentic praise and worship or service unto God…giving him our whole heart, mind and soul.

We can’t continue following our religion or going to church as usual. We are only as spiritually sick as our deepest secret. We need to examine ourselves and determine what is killing us spiritually, emotionally, and maybe even physically? Is it tradition, sin, arrogance, pride, unforgiveness?

What is killing your love life with your Creator?

We need to set ourselves apart from the sinful pleasures of this world and be holy before our Sovereign God daily, not only because the Lord requires it of us, but because we love Him and our heart’s desire is to please him.

There’s no time for playing church or pretending to have a love relationship with Christ when our hearts and minds are far from Him. We can’t sit in the pews after clubbing, drinking, and sexing all night. We can’t sing in the choir, or stand at the front door after cussing and fussing all the way to church with our spouse or children. We can’t give God our entire heart, mind, and soul when we are divided in our walk. We can’t truly say we are passionately in love with Christ when we are blatantly dismissing the Law of God by engaging in the pleasures of the world. God said we have to be either hot or cold or He will spit us out of his mouth (Revelation 3:16). We cannot straddle the fence. We must choose to set our affections on the Lord and on Him alone and love Him with every fiber of our being.

Just as Christ laid down His life for us in love, we should lay down our worldly desires out of our love for Him. Our desire should be to dig up the ugly roots of sin so we can cultivate a deeper and more intimate relationship with God. Love—not personal gain—should be the driving force that draws us to walk in communion with Christ. If material things, people, and/or status are our motivating forces, we will find ourselves miserable and full of temporary fulfillment to a permanent craving.

Do you remember the fairy tale of The Three Little Pigs? You remember, the first little pig built his house out straw because it was the easiest thing to do. The big bad wolf huffed and puffed and blew the house down and ate the pig. The second pig built his house out of sticks because the sticks were a little stronger than the straw. But, ultimately he received the same results. Remember?

Each exchange between wolf and pig features ringing proverbial phrases, namely:

“Little pig, little pig, let me come in!”
“Not by the hair on my chinny-chin-chin!”
“Then I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house in”

Now the third pig built his house out of hard bricks. The wolf huffed and puffed but could not blow the house down. Finally, the wolf resolves to come down the chimney. The little pig saw the wolf climb up on the roof and lit a roaring fire in the fireplace and placed on it a large kettle of water whereupon the wolf plunges, at which point the pig quickly covers the pot and cooks the wolf for supper. This was the end of his troubles with the big bad wolf.

“The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.” Psalm 18:2

This fairy tale is a reality in the lives of people. Many have taken the easy route by dismissing God and the things of God. They build their lives out of straw [the things of this world…living faithless lives]. The devil huffs and puffs blowing them around like chaff in the wind. Ultimately they are eaten [defeated] on a daily bases and will ultimately live a life in eternal damnation.

Then there are others who build their lives on sticks. They believe in God yet their lives are reeking with the stench of sin. They believe being saved gives them a ticket to continue to sin. They have a form of godliness but their hearts are far from God. They dip and dive in all types of sin with no repentance. They are great performers while in front of others and defeated by their sin(s) of choice behind closed doors. Sad but true, the wolf [devil] huffs and puffs blows them around like a leaf without purpose. These people never truly enjoy the abundant life Christ died for them to receive.

The final pig represents those who have built their lives on the Rock—Jesus Christ. They are passionate about the things of God. They have dismissed the things of this world and constantly pursue sanctification. They firmly stand on the Rock—the Word of God knowing that His Word cannot and will not return void. They see the tricks of the wolf [satan] and know what to do when we tries to enter in [fast, pray, praise, worship, speak the Word, etc…]. They know without a shadow of a doubt that God will deliver them from the huffs and puffs of the wolf [satan] and that the gates of hades [hell] will not overcome them.

So an important question to ask is, “Are you a straw, sticks or brick house?”  I encourage you to seek the Holy Spirit of God to give you the correct answer to this question. Selah!

I decree and declare we shall walk in the spirit of obedience according to the statures of the Word God. We will fully obey the Lord our God by keeping all of His commands. Therefore, we shall be exalted about the things of this world and will experience all of the blessing that accompany obedience. Because of our obedience our cities and country will be blessed and our baskets will overflow. We will be blessed wherever we go both in our coming and our going. Because of our obedience, the Lord Almighty will conquer our enemies. When our enemies come up against us they will scatter seven different ways. God will bless everything we do and fill our storehouses because of our obedience. Because we walk in obedience God will establish us as His holy people. Therefore, we believe what God solemnly promised He will do and the people of this world will stand in awe. I decree and declare that because of our obedience the Lord will give us an abundance of good things and will bless all of the work that we do in His name. We will lend to many nations and will never need to borrow from anyone. Because we carefully obey the commands of the Lord He will make us the head and not the tail and we will always have the upper hand. I decree that we will never turn away from any of God’s command to follow after other gods or worship them. We are fully committed to God and will walk in His choice blessings for our obedience. (Deuteronomy 28:1-15)

Jehovah God has given us cities of refuge and protection. I decree and declare that the church will walk in the spirit of Kedesh. We will be sanctified through and through. No foul or corrupt spirit will be allowed to enter in. The church will no longer fake it to make it. Believers will live holy and pure lives behind closed doors instead of living a lie in public. We will no longer walk around carrying our sin of choice around like precious cargo. Instead we will cast aside every weight that so easily besets us as we give God glory with our lifestyle.

I decree we will walk in the spirit of Shechem. We will have strength and power through God’s Holy Spirit to conquer the enemy and his cohorts. Believers will no longer live defeated lives. Instead we will be more than conqueror through Jesus Christ and walk in our rightful position of authority. We will take back, by force, the kingdom of God. We will not allow the devil to wreck havoc in our sanctuaries (body, or building). The weapons that form against us shall not prosper but shall make us stronger and excel in the strength of the Lord. I decree that through God’s glorious unlimited resources we will have mighty inner strength through His Holy Spirit.

I declare the people of God will walk in the spirit of Hebron. We will join together and share in one common goal—to give God the glory and honor that is absolutely due to His Name. We will no longer be divided by traditions, denominations, egos, and/or the demonic spirits of comparison, jealousy or strife. Instead we will unify as one body with many members to advance the kingdom forward with God’s anointed mighty power. We will operate in unity just as God, Christ and the Holy Spirit operates. No more big I’s and little U’s but everyone working together in perfect harmony to further establish God’s kingdom here on earth.

The church will operate in the spirit of Bezer. It will be a place of safety—a hiding place—for those who have been hurt and wounded by the cares of life. It will be a place of refuge not judgment or condemnation. It will be sacred ground for the King of kings to enter in and do His great work. It will no longer be a circus of foolishness for demons to run wild. The church will not be a place to collect members or seat fillers for leaders to throw out impressive numbers. Instead, the church will be a place where disciples of Christ are cultivated, developed and matured to “go ye therefore.”
I call forth that the church will not operate under the wisdom of tradition or man but through the enlightenment of the multifaceted wisdom of God. We will acknowledge that things done in the world are not good for the church. We will use discernment and God wisdom when implementing every new program or idea within the body of believers. We will carefully recognize that just because it is a good idea does not mean it is a God idea.

The spirit of Ramoth will overtake the church. Instead of lifting the leaders, members or building higher the church will be a place of lifting the Savior Jesus the Christ to His rightful place. The church will exalt the name of Jesus not man. The church will go to new heights in Christ, leaving behind those things that are not ordained by God but where established by man to dictate and control. The Word of God will be exalted as the ultimate authority instead of the opinion of or twisted interpretation of man.

The church will operate in the spirit of Golan. They will find true happiness and joy in Jesus Christ. They will be satisfied with Him and not with what the world has to offer. (Joshua 20:7-8)

I decree and declare believers will not follow the advice of the wicked or stand around with sinner or join in with those who ridicule others. Instead we will have a place among the godly, seek godly counsel and remove ourselves from sinful activity. We will find pure delight in doing everything the Lord wants. Instead of drinking from the cup of shopping, alcoholism, sex, gossiping, smoking or any other addition to cope with our internal struggles, we will drink for the fountain of Living Water never to thirst again. We will meditate both day and night on the Law of the Lord and allow the Law to be our guiding principles. We will not be like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind. Instead God’s children will be like a tree firmly planted by the stream of water. We will bear good fruit every season without fail and we will prosper in all that we do. The Lord will watch over our every path ensuring safety and a successful journey. (Psalm 1)

I decree that believers have been set free from the imprisonment of this would and are now prisoners of Christ Jesus. We will no longer fall victim to the enemy’s traps. Instead we will take the escape offered by Christ Jesus and fall at His feet for edification and encouragement. God has a special ministry for us all and we will walk in that ministry at all cost setting aside the opinions of others. God will reveal His secret plan for our lives through His Holy Spirit. We have equal share in all riches inherited because we are children of the Most High God. Therefore, we will never live a life of lack or in need. We will enjoy the promised blessings, special favor and mighty power of Christ. We will capitalize on the wonderful privilege of serving God by spreading the Good News. Since we have been chosen for the special joy of telling others about the endless treasure available to them in Christ, we will no longer keep our mouths shut when the Holy Spirit is prompting us to speak of the goodness of Christ. We will speak when the Holy Spirits speaks.
I decree and declare we will no longer be afraid to pray out loud or ashamed to go before the throne of God. But we will come before God with a humbled boldness and confidence because Christ has given us the assured privilege and God gladly welcomes us. We will not be despaired or lose heart because of what others say or do. We will feel honored and encouraged that Christ has already suffered for us and any suffering we may endure will only bring our Father and us glory.
When we think about the wisdom and scope of God’s plan we will consistently kneel and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and earth, in humble submission for clarity and instructions. We will not aimlessly chase after empty plans and dreams that do not align with the plans of God. We will live according to the eternal purpose that was accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I decree that we will not take the give of God’s grace for granted. Christ will be more and more at home in our hearts as we trust Him to be the All-Powerful God in our lives. I declare that our roots grow deeper into the marvelous soil of God’s love so we can have total understanding of just how wide, long, high, and deep God’s love is for us. I decree we will experience Christ and be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from Him. Our lives in 2011 will not be the same. God is doing new things in our lives and we shall no longer, in any area of our lives, live on the devil’s repeat. We will not repeat the same mistakes and negative habits. Instead we shall all live in the newness of God.
“Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever.” So be it! Consider it done on Calvary! Amen! (Ephesians 3)

Psalm 91:1 “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand].”

Fear is the devil’s trick to keep us from fulfilling God’s plan for the kingdom. It is a ploy to stop the advancement of or shut down the growth or ambition toward God’s Kingdom. Fear prevents us from receiving and doing all God has planned for us.

Instead of fearing the unknown or the storms of life, God wants us to take rest under His wings and shadow, and know that He will shade us and act as a place of refuge from the world. God does not want us to forfeit our birthright—the rights and privileges that we are entitled to because of our confessed faith in Christ as God’s Son and the Savior of the world—because of fear. Christ has taken our fears and nailed them to the cross, so, by rights, through Christ we have no need to fear. There is no fear that God can’t handle. There is nothing we will come up against that can withstand God’s power when we call on Him.

We have to persevere and push past our fears, and trust that God will take care of us. We need to constantly dwell in His secret place and spend time with Him. “Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him” (1 Peter 5:7 AMP) knowing that He cares for us and is watchful over everything that concerns or frightens us.
satan uses fear to torment us into being so doubtful that we become miserable—disobedient. If we allow fear and rebellion to have their way in our lives, there will never be room in our hearts and minds and lives for all God has for us, which is exceedingly more than what we can ever dream or imagine.

With the Thanksgiving holiday in the shadows, and the Christmas season rapidly approaching, one can find themselves in a giving spirit. We set aside special times to meet and fellowship with family and friends. We rush from store to store to find the perfect gift for that special someone on our list. We bake cakes and cookies from our grandmothers’ secret recipes. We want to have and give the very best.

The holiday season sparks a flame inside of us that causes the spirit of giving to catch on fire. We give gifts, laugh and fellowship with family and friend. However, in most cases, once the holiday season is over, the fire that once burned so bright within us is extinguished by over the limit credit cards balances, over extended back accounts, and the every day hustle and bustle of life and we find ourselves not spending time or maybe not speaking to the very people we fellowshipped and exchanged gifts with.

The holiday season is more than exchanging material gifts…It should be a time of reflection and expressing gratitude for the best thing that has ever happened to us. It should a reflection of  God Son Jesus Christ exchanging His life in order for us to receive the Best Gift Ever—salvation and eternal life in Him

John 3:16 states” God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting [eternal] life. Jesus was sent into this world as a Gift, not to condemn us, but to save us from the pit of hell.

Celebrating the gift of Jesus Christ is the real reason for the season. So, this holiday season, let us reflect on the Giver’s best Gift ever—Jesus Christ. Let’s reflect on what Christ did for us on the cross. Now, we can have eternal life with God along with agape love, peace and joy that the world did not give us and the world cannot take away from us.

Also, let us not just give during the holiday season. But, let us give as Jesus did; unconditionally our whole life through. Then, our acts of giving will truly imitate Christ and will show true gratitude for the best Gift we have ever received, the gift of Jesus Christ.

So, as we receive gifts from family and friends this CHRISTmas season lets also open our hearts to receive the Gift of Christ. He’s the Best Gift Ever!

“But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away.”

Matthew 13:25(NLT)

“Don’t let people plant weeds instead of seeds in your life”¹ (Lisa A. Brown).  If we allow the weeds of deception, strife, and sinful suggestions to be planted in our lives and grow, they will choke the abundant life God has pre-ordained for us to enjoy. We must dig the weeds up from the root.

Better yet, we must guard our gates (eyes, ears, mouth, and heart) at all costs to avoid the weeds of doubt, despair, condemnation, and sinful pleasures from being planted. We must make a conscious decision about the television shows and movies we watch, the type of music we listen to, and the activities in which we engage. These outward influences can infiltrate our spirits and cause us to act out the very behavior from which Christ died to protect us.

With Christ, we can do all things He assigns us to do, so misery is not an option (Philippians 4:13). The old saying goes, “Misery loves company.” In my opinion, the saying should say, “Misery loves comfort.”

Misery is a conscious decision. When we look deeper into why people are miserable and don’t seem to make any progress out of their situation (and seem to hold other people around them under), we find that the root cause of this state of “stuckness” is not necessarily for the sake of companionship but for comfort. There is comfort in having someone to complain to, feel greater than, and hinder from succeeding. Whether we cause someone else to feel inadequate or we thrive from other people’s shortcomings, the bottom line is that miserable people like to pull others down so they can feel comfortable and superior in their non-productive state of complacency.

The only way we can throw off our complacency that is keeping us—and those around us—from achieving our full, God-given potential, is by spending daily time in the Word of God. Through knowledge of who God is, and obedience to His ways, we can replace the world’s lies for God’s truth.

Like the gardener who needs to regularly weed his flowerbed or lose the beautiful blooms, our lives can become so full of weeds—sin—that our spiritual walls are destroyed. Weeds can spread into every area of our lives and threaten the foundation. Daily time with God and His Word and then appropriately applying the knowledge we glean to every moment of our lives is critical.

Selah (Stop and think about it)