To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.

 

15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!

 

16 So, because you are lukewarm-neither hot nor cold-I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

 

17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

 

18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

 

19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.

 

20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

 

21 To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.

 

22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”  Revelation 3:14-22 NIV

 

As Laodice was a common name among the ladies of the royal house of the Selencidae, the name was given to several cities in Syria and Asia Minor. The city addressed by Jesus in Revelation chapter 4 was about forty miles east of Ephesus and forty miles southeast of Philadelphia and was known as Laodicea on the Lycus. It was situated on a group of hills between two tributaries of the Lycus – the Asopus and the Caprus – on the border of Phrygia, near Colossae and Hierapolis.

 

Before it was called Laodicea, it was first called Diospolis (City of Zeus) and then Rheas. It was named Laodicea by Antiochus Theos (261 BC – 246 BC). Laodicea was called “the City of Compromise” by Ramsay. Laodicea was the last of the seven churches addressed with a special message and its name means “justice of the people.” Many of its inhabitants were Jews.

 

Toward the end of the Roman Republic, and under the first emperors, Laodicea became one of the most important and flourishing cities of Asia Minor, sitting on the great trade route from Ephesus to the east. It was the seat of large manufacturing and banking operations – large money transactions took place here. Woolen carpets and clothing were produced here and there was also an extensive trade in wood. The citizens developed a taste for Greek art, and were distinguished in science and literature. Laodicea was also a center of the worship of Asklepios and the seat of a great medical school.

 

During the Roman period it was the chief city of the Roman political district (conventus), in which courts were held by the proconsul of the province, and where the taxes from the subordinate towns were collected. The conventus represented by Laodicea consisted of at least twenty-five towns and inscriptions refer to the city as “the metropolis.” Later the Greek word dioikeesis, meaning the same thing as the Latin conventus, was applied to an ecclesiastical district, which is where we get the word “diocese.” Laodicea was subject to frequent earthquakes, and therefore it was eventually abandoned. It is now a deserted place, but, by their magnitude, its ruins indicate its former importance. Among these ruins are a racecourse and three theaters, one of which is four hundred and fifty feet in diameter.

 

The church there had a close relationship to the neighboring churches in Hierapolis and Colossae and an important church council was held there in the fourth century. Jesus bestows no praise on this church, but only reproves it for its lukewarmness. In verse 19, Jesus says that he rebukes and disciplines those that He loves. He must have loved the Church in Laodicea. According to Jesus, being lukewarm is unacceptable.  He told them that he was about to vomit them out of his mouth!  He would have preferred for them rather to be cold or hot. Cold – because then they would have known that they needed to repent – or hot – because then they would be on fire for God. The only thing you really want to be is on fire for God, because when you are lukewarm you only think that you are on fire. 

 

The church in Laodicea was just the opposite of the church in Smyrna, which was poor in wealth, but rich in grace. This church was in a rich city and was rich in pride and conceit, but poor in grace, and ignorant of its own spiritual poverty. Just because you are rich does not mean you don’t need God in your life.  Physical prosperity is no indication of spiritual prosperity – they are separate issues – the most important is spiritual prosperity. Because the Laodiceans were wealthy and prosperous, they were also complacent.  They thought they did not need help from anyone, even God, but they did not realize that they were actually wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked! They were dressed in the finest clothing, and yet, they were spiritually naked. 

 

They could also be called “unhappy, unfortunate, or pathetic.”

We must be zealous to repent of our arrogance and we must humble our hearts to receive all that Jesus has for us. After all, everything we own is His and comes from Him.  The only true wealth is spiritual wealth – the only true riches are spiritual riches. Will you hear Jesus when He knocks at your door?  Will you open the door of your heart, and allow Him into your life, to touch you, to change you, to burn the junk out of you, and to make you whole and complete? Don’t wait any longer – today is your day to get rid of your lukewarmness and mediocrity – today is your day to fall in love with Jesus and to burn with fire for Him!

 

Give, and [gifts] will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will they pour into [the pouch formed by] the bosom [of your robe and used as a bag]. For with the measure you deal out [with the measure you use when you confer benefits on others], it will be measured back to you.  Luke 6:38 AMP

 

If you don’t have “receiving faith” – knowing how to believe God for His provision – you won’t have “giving faith” – faith to give more. People who are afraid to give have no faith in God’s promise to provide.

 

But be doers of the Word [obey the message], and not merely listeners to it, betraying yourselves [into deception by reasoning contrary to the Truth].

 

23 For if anyone only listens to the Word without obeying it and being a doer of it, he is like a man who looks carefully at his [own] natural face in a mirror;

 

24 For he thoughtfully observes himself, and then goes off and promptly forgets what he was like.

 

25 But he who looks carefully into the faultless law, the [law] of liberty, and is faithful to it and perseveres in looking into it, being not a heedless listener who forgets but an active doer [who obeys], he shall be blessed in his doing (his life of obedience).  James 1:22-25 AMP

 

So also faith, if it does not have works (deeds and actions of obedience to back it up), by itself is destitute of power (inoperative, dead). 18 But someone will say [to you then], You [say you] have faith, and I have [good] works. Now you show me your [alleged] faith apart from any [good] works [if you can], and I by [good] works [of obedience] will show you my faith.

James 2:17-18 AMP

 

Your giving is a measure of your faith in God and your trust in His Word. Tithing is where you start. If you do not or will not tithe – you are demonstrating a complete lack of faith in God. If you say, “I don’t tithe, but I do have faith,” then you are deceived, because faith without works is dead. You are a hearer and not a doer and you have betrayed yourself into deception by reasoning contrary to the truth.  

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?

 

15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”

 

16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “LORD, who has believed our report?”

 

17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Romans 10:14-17 NKJV

 

Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. If you are not hearing, receiving, believing, and doing the Word of God – then your reasoning process will be faulty and you will make wrong decisions for your life.

 

Some people sit where the Word of God is preached, but they never allow it to make an entrance into their heart. They never soften the soil of their heart to receive the seed of the Word – or they allow the weeds of greed to choke their seed!

 

Bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now by it, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.  Malachi 3:10 AMP

 

Tithe – so that there will be meat (food) in the house of God for you. The “closedness” or hardness of your heart that causes you to shut out the message of tithing and giving will cause you to shut out the rest of the Word as well. Your may hear it, but you will not grasp it or understand it. You won’t be eating the meat of the Word – you will barely be manage to swallow the milk!

 

Make a decision today to receive God’s Word concerning giving, make a decision to act on the Word, and become a giver. Don’t just give – become a giver! And watch the hand of blessing increase in your life!

 

Fight the good fight of the faith; lay hold of the eternal life to which you were summoned and [for which] you confessed the good confession [of faith] before many witnesses.  1 Timothy 6:12 AMP

 

When you first receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you do it by a confession of faith—you believe it in your heart and then you speak it out of your mouth—the Holy Spirit responds to the faith in your words and makes your spirit brand new. You become a new creature in Christ.

 

You did not become born again by your own holiness or because you deserved it, you did not receive eternal life by working for it, you became a child of God only by believing and speaking. Jesus already saved you, delivered you, healed you, prospered you and blessed you two thousand years ago by His sacrifice on the cross. You believed in what Jesus already did for you and you spoke your faith out loud. You made a public declaration of your faith and a miracle happened.

And God said, Let there be light; and there was light.  Genesis 1:3 AMP

 

For seven days, as God created the heavens and the earth and everything in and on it, He spoke out words of faith, commanding, “Let there be…” and the Bible says that, “…it was so!” God accomplishes His will and plan by speaking it out. The Bible is full of prophetic utterances, most of which we have already seen come to pass.

 

Whatever God says comes to pass. Sometimes He speaks it out hundreds and hundreds of years before, but they always come to pass.

 

So shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return to Me void [without producing any effect, useless], but it shall accomplish that which I please and purpose, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.  Isaiah 55:11 AMP

 

This is how powerful God’s Word is as it goes forth—it does not return to Him without producing a result—it is always effective and never useless. God’s Word always accomplishes that which He pleases and purposes. His Word prospers in the thing for which He sent it. God speaks no useless, powerless, unproductive words. His faith stands behind His words.

 

When He speaks His Word, it is with an expectation that they will never, ever fall to the ground and that they will begin to move and work and change circumstances and situations to line up with His will. The devil can kick and scream and make a noise and disturb some people, but to no avail God will have His way in the end. The devil and all those who oppose God will come to nothing.

 

God has given us His Word—Jesus was the Word made flesh who dwelt among us (John 1:14)—and He has taught us how to live and prosper in this world. If we will study God’s Word, fill up our hearts, with it and act on it, we will prosper in our way. God has shown us in His Word how He expects us to operate—like Him. He has made us certain promises and He expects us to speak words of faith, based on these promises, and to walk in the blessing of fulfilled promises.

From the fruit of his words a man shall be satisfied with good, and the work of a man’s hands shall come back to him [as a harvest].  Proverbs 12:14 AMP

 

A man’s [moral] self shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth; and with the consequence of his words he must be satisfied [whether good or evil]. 21Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life].  Proverbs 18:20-21 AMP

 

You can speak death and destruction, failure, fear and defeat over your life and your family or you can speak life and blessing—it is up to you. The devil knows the power of faith-filled words and he wants to keep that knowledge from you so that he can keep you defeated. Even when you have heard the truth, he tries to stop you from acting on it. He, and your own carnal mind, will give you every argument they can think of.

 

They will try unbelief—“That’s not true. Words don’t have that much power. You can’t just say it and get it.” Self-consciousness—“What will other people think if you say it and nothing happens? They will laugh at you.” Doubt—“Maybe it works for God, but do you really think that this will work for you?” Sin-consciousness—“This won’t work for you—you’re not holy enough.”  All of these are lies. God emphasizes the power of your words and the importance of speaking life-filled words and cutting out words of death and defeat.

 

But I tell you, on the day of judgment men will have to give account for every idle (inoperative, nonworking) word they speak.  Matthew 12:36 AMP

 

God reminds us that every idle word we speak will be judged. Idle words are useless words—inoperative, non-working words. If we don’t want to have to explain ourselves on the Day of Judgment, we must stop speaking inoperative, non-working words. If we want to see blessing and prosperity come to our life, we must start speaking God’s Word—words of life that produce life!

 

 

But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also [utensils] of wood and earthenware, and some for honorable and noble [use] and some for menial and ignoble [use]. 21 So whoever cleanses himself [from what is ignoble and unclean, who separates himself from contact with contaminating and corrupting influences] will [then himself] be a vessel set apart and useful for honorable and noble purposes, consecrated and profitable to the Master, fit and ready for any good work.  2 Timothy 2:20-21 AMP

 

In a big house, there are all kinds of vessels – some fancy, expensive vessels and some plain ordinary vessels. The gold and silver vessels can be used for most occasions and are particularly useful for special occasions. They are appropriate when someone very important comes to dinner or even when only the family eats together. However, the wooden or earthenware vessels have a limited usability. These vessels are used mainly for preparation and almost never for presentation.

 

In the Body of Christ, every one of us starts off as the equivalent of a wooden or an earthenware vessel. When you are born again, you have eternal life, but you are not instantly perfect. When you are saved, you are not immediately ready to be used by the Holy Spirit for any and all occasions, but you CAN be used – even if it is in a limited way. Everyone in the Body of Christ is called to be a witness, to be an ambassador who represents Jesus Christ to the world. However, when you are first saved, you are not prepared for certain aspects of ministry.

 

If you want God to use you, if you feel called to do the work of the ministry, then you need to be prepared to work “in the kitchen” of the church before you go to the “dining room.” If you have ever prepared a meal, you know that very important and vital work goes on in the kitchen, out of sight, with many “ignoble” vessels. They may not be pretty, they may not be perfect looking, but they are useful nonetheless. Every one of us must start out in the kitchen, in the ministry of helps, behind the scenes. When you have learned to serve in the kitchen, faithfully, and allowed God to do a purifying work in you, then you will become fit for use in the dining room.

 

Shun youthful lusts and flee from them, and aim at and pursue righteousness (all that is virtuous and good, right living, conformity to the will of God in thought, word, and deed); [and aim at and pursue] faith, love, [and] peace (harmony and concord with others) in fellowship with all [Christians], who call upon the Lord out of a pure heart.  2 Timothy 2:22 AMP

 

God can use the earthenware vessels as well as the golden vessels, but that is no reason for you to stay earthy! You need to cleanse yourself of all those things that are ignoble and unclean, and separate yourself from contact with contaminating and corrupting influences. Then you will become a vessel set apart and useful for honorable and noble purposes, consecrated and profitable to the Master, fit and ready for any good work.

 

It is your choice to yield your self to the Master and allow Him to do a purifying work in you. You can stay forever as a little clay pot or you can become a golden vessel – it is your choice. God made you and He called you and anointed you to do His will. You do not choose the direction that you are going or your function in the Body of Christ, God does that. You don’t choose whether or not you are a jug, or a bowl, or a butter dish, but you can choose whether or not you are a wooden vessel, or an earthenware vessel, or a gold vessel, or a silver vessel.

 

The Word says that we should shun youthful lusts. In fact it says that we should FLEE from them. That means RUN away from lustful desires, the works of the flesh, and all that does not please the Father. But you must RUN TOWARD – AIM AT and PURSUE – righteousness and all that pleases God. You cannot be passive or ambivalent about sin – you have to make a determined effort to move as far away from sin as possible!

 

Clay vessels can be molded when they are cold – all you need is water – and then they are baked to make them firm. Wooden vessels are simply carved out of the natural material. However, this is not the case with gold and silver. They need to be heated up in the fire to very high temperatures before they can be molded and shaped into a vessel that pleases the Master! If you want to be used by the Lord as a vessel of honor, there is a price to pay. There is a price to pay to stand in the five-fold office of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher. Every Christian has the potential to be a golden vessel after God does His work in them – however, too many people want to take their little clay pot into the dining room without first allowing the Lord to refine them into what they could be.

 

When you humble your heart and you allow the fire of God to do a cleansing, purifying work in your heart, you will begin to change from being someone who is earthy and focused on the natural to someone who is godly and who is sensitive to the Spirit of God, someone who is keenly aware of His presence and how to please Him. When the Holy Spirit is allowed to have His way in you – spirit, soul and body – you will become a vessel fit for the Master’s use!

 

May the LORD answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. 2 May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion. 3 May he remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings. Selah 4 May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. 5 We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the LORD grant all your requests. 6 Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand. 7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. 8 They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm. 9 O LORD, save the king! Answer us when we call!  Psalms 20:1-9 NIV

 

David wrote this psalm and began it with a prayer. The prayer asks that the Lord would answer you when you are in distress; that His Name would protect you; that He would send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion; that He would remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings; that He would give you the desire of your heart, make all your plans succeed and that He would grant all your requests.

 

David sings, “We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God.” Whenever one of us is successful and victorious it is a time for all of us to rejoice. A victory for one is a victory for all because Jesus is the One Who gives us the victory.

 

The Lord saves His anointed children and answers them from his holy heaven with the saving power of His right hand. You can trust the Lord to save you and protect you when you call on Him. If you trust Him, He will not let you down. Even though some people love God, they still do not trust God. They trust in what they can do themselves – they trust in what they have in their own hand – and they utterly fail.  

 

Some trust in chariots and some in horses – earthly resources and natural strengths – but they are brought to their knees and fall. We trust in the name of the Lord our God and – because we trust Him – we rise up and stand firm.

 

So he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.  Zechariah 4:6 NIV

 

If we want the Lord to move mightily on our behalf, then we better wake up and realize that we are going to have to trust Him and not ourselves and that we must trust Him completely. We must allow Him to do things His way because He knows the best way. It is only when we demonstrate our faith in Him by showing that we trust Him, that He is able to supernaturally deliver us. When we run out of our own strength and power that is when we see His ability at work in our lives. It is not by our might nor by our power, but by the Spirit of God!

 

When God called Gideon and the Israelites to defeat the Midianites, Gideon had only about 32000 men on his side, but their enemies that had settled in the valley were as thick as locusts and their camels could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore (Judges 7:12).

 

The natural mind says that Gideon would have to find a lot more men than that to fight at his side before he could hope to defeat an army that large, but the LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many men for me to deliver Midian into their hands.” (Judges 7:2) To make sure that Israel could not boast against God that their own strength had saved them, God cut their numbers down to only 300 men  and only then did He send them up against Midian (Judges 7:7). God defeated Midian and Israel had to give Him the glory.

In Joshua 6:1-27, the Lord sent the priests out ahead of the people with trumpets and the Ark of the Covenant.

 

Joshua and the people marched around the city as God told them to do and when they shouted, the wall of the city fell flat and they easily took the city. When we do things God’s way, it will always be the easy way in the end. Marching around the city did not make sense to their natural minds, but their obedience opened the door for God’s salvation and victory to be made manifest in their lives.

 

Don’t look for the answers to your problem in natural things or in your own talents and abilities. Look to the Word of the Lord. Obey what He tells you to do and see His saving hand give you the victory!

 

 

But you, O Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend,

 

9 I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, `You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you.

 

10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

 

11 “All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish.

 

12 Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all.

 

13 For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

 

14 Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob, O little Israel, for I myself will help you,” declares the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

 

15 “See, I will make you into a threshing sledge, new and sharp, with many teeth. You will thresh the mountains and crush them, and reduce the hills to chaff.

 

16 You will winnow them, the wind will pick them up, and a gale will blow them away. But you will rejoice in the LORD and glory in the Holy One of Israel.  Isaiah 41:8-16 NIV

 

This passage shows the nature of our Heavenly Father – so loving and kind and patient – as he deals with His people – stubborn and rebellious as they are!

 

But you, O Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend, I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. Because He made a covenant with Abraham and promised to bless his descendants, God continued to watch over them and be kind to them – even though they severely tried His patience.

 

I said, `You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you.  So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. One of the awesome things about God is that He is so slow to anger and so swift to forgive and to restore.

 

When we repent, turn around and commit to Him, He forgives us completely as if it never happened and He treats us as if we are His family. Under the Old Covenant, the best position that God’s people had with the Father was that of a servant.

 

It was an honor for God to call you His servant. Under the New Covenant, we are not only servants, but we are sons and daughters of God and we enjoy all the rights and privileges of our position.

 

When we return to Him in humility and repentance, He reminds us that He has not rejected us. In reality, when we feel that God is far from us, it is usually we who have already rejected Him. The good news is that if He does not reject us, then that means that He must have already accepted us!

 

If we want to see God’s promise of help and strength manifested in our lives, then we must deal with fear and reject it from our hearts, from our thoughts and from our mouths. If we believe and receive

 

God’s promise that He will be with us, strengthen us, help us and uphold us, then that is exactly what we will experience. God makes it available – we tap into it when we refuse to be dismayed or fearful. Instead we choose to trust in Him and to believe in Him.

 

All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them.

 

Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. When you are on God’s side then He is on your side. It is completely useless for your enemies to try to take you out. By attacking you, they sow the seeds of their own destruction.

 

They will come to attack you, but they are the ones who will be taken out. When you place your trust in the Lord, He will contend with your enemies on your behalf. When God is finished with them, you will look for them, but you will not find them.

 

For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob, O little Israel, for I myself will help you,” declares the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. “See, I will make you into a threshing sledge, new and sharp, with many teeth. You will thresh the mountains and crush them, and reduce the hills to chaff.

 

You will winnow them, the wind will pick them up, and a gale will blow them away. But you will rejoice in the LORD and glory in the Holy One of Israel. Even though we may feel unworthy of God’s love, He loves us anyway. Because He loves us, He anoints us with power to do what we could not do. He gives us a reason to rejoice in the Lord and glory in the Holy One of Israel!

 

16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring-not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.

 

17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed-the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.  Romans 4:16-17 NIV

 

The God of Abraham and his offspring – both physical (natural seed) and spiritual (those who share Abraham’s faith in the promise) – gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.

 

1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless.

 

2 I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.”

 

3 Abram fell facedown, and God said to him,

 

4 “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations.

 

5 No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.

 

6 I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.

 

7 I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.

 

8 The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.”  Genesis 17:1-8 NIV

 

15 God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah.

 

16 I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”  Genesis 17:15-16 NIV

 

Even though it looked as if Abram’s body and Sarai’s womb were dead and totally unable to produce a child, God renamed Abram, Abraham – father of many nations – and Sarai, Sarah – princess. God called Abraham and Sarah, father and mother, even though they had never had a child together and were now physically unable to have one. God called Abraham, “father of many nations”, and that is exactly what he became. God spoke it into existence.

 

11 Now the Angel of the LORD came and sat under the terebinth tree which was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress, in order to hide it from the Midianites.

 

12 And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him, and said to him, “The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor!”

 

13 Gideon said to Him, “O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.”

 

14 Then the LORD turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?”

 

15 So he said to Him, “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”

 

16 And the LORD said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man.”  Judges 6:11-16 NKJV

 

God called Gideon “you mighty man of valor” even though he was weak and afraid. He was hiding from the Midianites and he had no self-confidence. Even after speaking with the Angel of the Lord, he asked for one sign after the other. He seemed to be neither brave nor courageous. One might think that God had made a mistake in calling Gideon a mighty man of valor, but God calls things that are not as though they were. When the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, he did as he was instructed.

 

Judges 7:12 NKJV says, “Now the Midianites and Amalekites, all the people of the East, were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the seashore in multitude.”  Even though there were so many of the enemy, God cut the Israeli army down from 32,000 to just 300 and then, when they had surrounded the enemy, they defeated them with nothing but trumpets, pitchers and torches. And God got all the glory for it.

 

God always speaks to your future and He always expects the best of you. Who you think you are or what you think you have got does not count for anything at all. When God has a plan for your life, He may change your name, He may call you something that you know you are not, but when He calls those things that are not as though they were, you can be sure that it will come to pass exactly as He has said!

 

So you, my son, be strong (strengthened inwardly) in the grace (spiritual blessing) that is [to be found only] in Christ Jesus. And the [instructions] which you have heard from me along with many witnesses, transmit and entrust [as a deposit] to reliable and faithful men who will be competent and qualified to teach others also.

 

Take [with me] your share of the hardships and suffering [which you are called to endure] as a good (first-class) soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier when in service gets entangled in the enterprises of [civilian] life; his aim is to satisfy and please the one who enlisted him. And if anyone enters competitive games, he is not crowned unless he competes lawfully (fairly, according to the rules laid down). [It is] the hard-working farmer [who labors to produce] who must be the first partaker of the fruits.

 

Think over these things I am saying, [understand them and grasp their application], for the Lord will grant you full insight and understanding in everything.  2 Timothy 2:1-7 NIV

 

Take [with me] your share of the hardships and suffering [which you are called to endure] as a good (first-class) soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier when in service gets entangled in the enterprises of [civilian] life; his aim is to satisfy and please the one who enlisted him.

 

As Christians, we are called to serve the kingdom of God. We are soldiers in the kingdom of God. A first-class soldier is dedicated to the service of the one who called him. He is prepared to endure anything to please his commanding officer. A soldier does not lead a cushy life.

 

His life is hard, but he is wholly committed to the cause. He would even give his life if it were necessary. 1 Corinthians 7:23 says, “You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.” We belong to Jesus. Jesus enlisted us into His service. We should not get entangled in things that distract us from our call or that are not beneficial to the kingdom of God.

 

And if anyone enters competitive games, he is not crowned unless he competes lawfully (fairly, according to the rules laid down).

Your life as a Christian can be compared to a race or an athletic competition. You may cross the finish line first, but you are not the winner unless you followed the rules. If you take a shortcut, cheat or disregard the rules, you are disqualified and you lose. The challenge of the game, and the enjoyment of it, is in following the rules that are laid down and conquering the game fairly. You feel good when you have done your best and you have played according to the rules. 

 

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.  1 Corinthians 9:24-27 NIV

 

We are running a race, with our eye on the prize. We run to win – not to lose. The winner is not just trying to get there first, but he is prepared to run the whole race, to go all the way. We have an audience. We have a crowd of witnesses watching us. Some are there to cheer us on. Some are watching our example. We must know where we are going and we must discipline ourselves to run and not grow weary nor become distracted nor try to win by harming our fellow runners in any way. You don’t win because others are weak. You win because you are strong.

 

[It is] the hard-working farmer [who labors to produce] who must be the first partaker of the fruits.

 

God does not ask you to labor in His garden without a reward. Luke 10:7 says that “the worker deserves his wages.” 1 Timothy 5:17-18 says, “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, “Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his wages.”

 

Whatever you do for the Lord, whatever the sacrifice, He will reward you. God does not ask us to do something for nothing. He always blesses us beyond our giving. Whatever we give up for God – He promises to multiply back to us – one hundred-fold. So if you work for God, give Him nothing less than your best. Whatever you give up for Him, don’t feel like you have been deprived, just know that you are in for a blessing!

 

We need to understand these things and grasp their application so that we can be successful in all we do.

 

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.  Ephesians 6:5-8 NIV

 

We honor God when we honor those we serve here on earth. Our motivation is very important to the Lord, because our attitude toward man reflects our true attitude toward God. You may say that you love God and you may claim to honor Him, but if you do not honor and obey His word then you do not honor Him. Work is good. God expects us to work. God can bless our work. He wants us to work well and to be sincere and respectful to our employers.

 

It is not acceptable to God that we try to con our boss by working only when he is watching us. Even when our boss turns his back—we should remember that God is watching us. We must realize that we have a responsibility to do the will of God by working and serving our boss wholeheartedly—as if we were serving the Lord, Himself. He says that we are serving Him by serving our boss. God will reward us for the good work we do from a sincere heart.

 

By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.  1 Corinthians 3:10-15 NIV

 

Without a firm foundation, there is nothing to build upon. There is only one life foundation we can lay if we want to live a successful, productive and blessed life—and that is the foundation Jesus Christ. Until you have Jesus in your life—until you have acknowledged Him as your Lord and Savior—you have not yet begun to live! 

Upon this firm foundation, we build our lives. This foundation is established by our faith and then we proceed to build our house on this foundation by our faith, our motives and our works. It is no good for us to do only those things that suit us and ignore those which don’t. God’s word is not optional. We cannot pick and choose what we will do and not do, obey and not obey. It is a package deal. We must submit to God’s word in every area. We must commit to do His word without hesitation or argument.

 

Some people appear to do all the right things and yet their motivation is wrong. Some people are obedient in some areas, but disobedient in others. Some people are obedient, but not willing. All this is wood, hay and stubble. If we do the right thing, under every circumstance and for the right reason, we will be building with gold, jewels and precious stones.

 

If we are carnal Christians, we will be selfish and we will make choices that are not pleasing to God—wood, hay and stubble. The more we grow in God and learn to yield to the Lord in everything, the more we will do those things that please God—the gold, jewels and precious stones.

 

God does not judge our house—He just sets it on fire. If it burns—we lose it. If it passes through the fire—we get to keep it and take it into heaven with us. We are the ones who choose our building materials. We should choose wisely. We should commit to yield our heart, soul, body, mind, will, emotions, mouth and opinions completely to the Lord.

 

Rodney Howard Browne shares a teaching on Thoughts

 

For though we walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons. For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, [inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).2 Corinthians 10:3-5 AMP

 

Rodney Howard Browne shows us that as humans, we live on this earth in the realm of the flesh. We function in the sense realm through our five physical senses – touch, sight, hearing, smell and taste. But we must remember that there is also a spirit realm and we must learn to be aware of and sensitive to the things of God like we already are to the things of the world. Although this earth realm is our reality, the battles we fight are spiritual battles. We must remember that people themselves are not our enemies – the devil is the enemy. However, we have the advantage – God is on our side! He gives us spiritual weapons to deal with a spiritual foe.

2 Corinthians 10:4 (NAS) says, “for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses”. Our weapons are divinely powerful – the weight of heaven is behind us – resulting in the overthrow and destruction of strongholds. We cannot war in our own ability, but we war in the power and might of the Holy Spirit, because the fortresses, or strongholds, that we wage war against are not in the flesh or up in the air somewhere – they are found in the minds of people! The battle arena for the spirits of men is the soul – the mind, the emotions and the intellect. Only God’s word and His Spirit can penetrate the darkness of a blind mind.  And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 NIV

 

Rodney Howard Browne teaches us that the devil – referred to here as the god of this age – has blinded the minds of many people with his lies and corruption. They think that they know the truth and they think that they are right, but they cannot see the truth and they refuse to see the truth. The fortresses and strongholds in people’s minds are arguments, theories, reasoning, attitudes, opinions and imaginations that oppose the true knowledge of God. Because of pride and arrogance, people believe a lie and in their minds, set themselves against the truth. God’s word is the truth and it is the only reality. Anything else is a lie and will lead you into darkness, confusion and destruction. Either God or the devil is holding every person’s thoughts and purposes captive. We fight a battle to capture our own thoughts and purposes and the thoughts and purposes of others with the word of God and the Spirit of God. Instead of thoughts being held captive by the devil – we capture them for Jesus. We must cast down vain imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. Our thoughts and motivation must be lead captive into the obedience of Christ – the Anointed One. The anointing will capture your mind and heart if you will allow him to work freely in you. Don’t allow your thoughts to run wild – reign them in and control them with the word and the anointing. If you wish to succeed in your life you must control your thoughts – you don’t let them control you.

 

But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:14-18 NKJ

 

Rodney Howard Browne shows us that the light of God’s word will shine in to bring truth and life and freedom into our lives. When we receive the truth of the Gospel, the veil that was on our heart is removed in Christ. We can now receive the truth and we can begin to understand God’s word and come to know His heart for us. Just as God’s word and His anointing have transformed us, so they will transform others. Always be bold to preach the truth of the Gospel and to allow the anointing of the Holy Ghost to flow through you so that the strongholds that hold people prisoner may be brought down, demolished and destroyed. So that they may walk in the liberty Jesus purchased with His blood and so that they may be transformed into His image, from glory to glory.