I command things to be done in the name of Jesus. Monday this week I woke up with a smile on my face. I had a thought circulating through my mind. It was actually a memory from a few years back. I haven’t shared this with too many people and I think that’s why it still baffles me to this day to think about. That may be why it never came up in the conversation when I shared what happened later with people.

It was a trial I woke up to not expecting one morning. We had done improvements on our home in recent times then. There wasn’t much more to do to our home. We had lived in our house for maybe 7 years. One morning I got out of bed to find half of our family room flooded with water. The carpet was sopping wet. The water had climbed maybe a foot up the wall.

I walked in our utility room, which is connected to the outside door leading into the garage, and saw a strong steady flow of water pushing through the sides of the door from the garage into the room. It was unlike anything I had ever seen or even imagined that was happening.

I stood there for a minute considering what I should do. I was at a loss for words as the water pushed through the cracks between the wall and the door like a flood. I became overwhelmed and asked God what should I do. Suddenly a thought entered my mind. ‘Command the water to stop in Jesus name.’ I raised my hand toward the door and spoke ‘stop in Jesus name.’ I watched that steady flow of water quickly come to a trickle and stop completely. I had never seen anything like that happen. It obeyed my words because I used the name of Jesus.

Jesus said in His Word that anything we desired and prayed for would be done for us if we believed we have received them (Mark 11:24). This was truly the case for me. I was out of options then and there as I watched this water push through my door. Because I had a relationship with the Lord I had the authority to command it to be done. I have by no means arrived to perfection but something I do know is really how much I need the Lord (John 15:7). Enough not to seperate myself from Him because I do need HIS grace so much to survive.

I have missed the mark according to Romans 3:23. But I do not remain in that state; not purposely. ‘I do try to run the race to obtain the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus. I go into strict training. I don’t beat the air as if I’m shadow boxing. I strike a blow to my body and make it a slave so that after preaching the Gospel I myself will not be disqualified for the prize’ (1 Cor 9:24-26). A boxer has to look forward to his opponent so he will hit the mark. He throws off those heavy weights that entangle and slow him down. He runs with perseverance the race marked before him. (Heb 12:1-2). Not constantly looking to the right or the left to distract. Not giving the enemy any power to hold me down with trials. But I look straight ahead. I carefully choose the path I take so I can run steadfastly and keep from getting caught in things I should not. (Phil 4: 25-27). Fixing my eyes on Jesus is the only remedy for the battle. Keep marching forward as the commander orders. Then I can be trusted with the authority He allows His trusted soldiers to use.

It’s a life long lesson that I can move progressively toward or away from.

What will you choose today?

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A Life Redone: My Journey to a Life of Freedom https://www.authorhouse.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/464097-a-life-redone

You, Lord , will keep the needy safe and will protect us forever from the wicked, who freely strut about when what is vile is honored by the human race. Psalms 12:7‭-‬8 NIV https://bible.com/bible/111/psa.12.7-8.NIV

My heart has been beating differently these last couple of days. Something is stirring inside me. I picked up a book yesterday and read the entire thing from front to back and something began a stirring within me..

I woke up this morning with some verses going through my head. I began repeating them to myself aloud. “I die to myself daily”. “Less of me and more of You”. “Humble myself under the Mighty Hand of God and in due time He will lift me up”. Not realizing I was setting myself up for the day..

After I finished that book I really started considering how closely I was listening to the voice of God throughoutmy everyday. Obeying His every prompting. And how so often over the years I’d failed to do this. It hurt my heart. How could I just walk passed someone in the store, hear God tell me to stop to talk with them, share the love of God with them, and not even turn my head and yet walk right on by? There have been SO many instances over the years where I walk through the store wondering how many of these people know Jesus? And how many people are headed straight to hell? I repented and finished my day.

Today I went to the grocery store. I had to pickup a few items. I found myself actually teary-eyed walking through the store. I was wondering as I passed people if they knew Christ. Then I started stopping people to tell them God loves them and Jesus died for them. Many replied they knew that and kept on walking. I came across a young girl with a little boy in her cart and looked right at her and told her God loved her. We began a conversation. I asked her if she knew the Lord. She replied that she did. I asked if she’d received the Holy Spirit. If she had been baptized in the Holy Spirit. She asked if that meant she spoke in tongues. I went on to tell her this baptism was important for her to be able to walk in victory in her relationship with the Lord. She said she hadn’t and so I asked if I could pray for her right then and there. I asked her name and laid my hand on her shoulder. I began praying for her to receive the Holy Spirit. I began weeping for her as I prayed. I asked the Lord to meet her needs, whatever they were. I asked her if she went to church. She named a place but asked where I went. I told her where I went and told her not be content with what she was learning but to go after MORE of God. I gave her my card with my phone number on it.

Over the last few weeks God has been giving me revelation on just what will happen come the time of judgment. How many people believe they’re headed to heaven because they made a confession of faith once, maybe as a child or sometime in their adult years but walked away in disobedience. Never lived their lives for Christ. And when they’re called to give an account for their lives they won’t measure up.

As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:24, 26, 27: Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize…So I do not run like one who runs aimlessly or box like one beating the air. Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

This is what my heart misses. The pleasure of pleasing my Lord completely. NO more will I fear. NO more will I walk on by opportunities. I ask for them. I will step into them. God use my life. Lord please don’t let me waste my life on myself. Use it for YOUR glory.

If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (John 8.31-31)

O Lord God (Adonai) You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your strong hand; for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as Yours? Deuteronomy 3:24

Let’s be clear who our REAL enemy is.. its not our brothers and sisters in Christ. If they preach Christ and HIM crucified that’s TRUTH (1 Cor 2.1-2). ITS the spirit behind anybody that comes against that truth by words or actions. Anybody that teavhes you to go further into your walk w Christ is FOR you NOT against you.. There’s nobody on this earth that has perfect knowledge. We are all off until we meet Christ. Let’s be united in Christ not competing for doctrine of men sake. Work together to bring the world to saving grace of Jesus Christ. Because once its over its over. There’s no 2nd chances in eternity. You go 1 of 2 places FOREVER.

“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (PHIL 2.1-4)

Gods Word is truth. We can either swim around in deep truths or we can wade in the shallow waters of the Gospel. In retrospect I can see how God takes a willing person from glory to glory. I can also see how some can get stagnant in their walks because of sheer boredom.

Sometimes we read the Bible and interpret a verse one way on the surface. But when we’re tuned into deeper teachings of the Word it can open your eyes to new truths that you can walk in and transform your life. And if I ask whose gonna raise their hand to say they don’t want that?

Sometimes we can get bored and frustrated in our walks with the Lord and one way to avoid that is to ask God to teach you. Start listening to new preaching and new teachers. Then you can venture into new territory with the Lord. Then when you obtain new characteristics of Christ you can walk in a vibrancy for all to see. Psalms 138:6,8 says, ‘Though the Lord is high yet He has respect for the lowly.. But the proud He knows from a distance.’ In order to be teachable we have to cast down our pride. Realize we don’t know it all. This sets is up to experience God in BIG ways.

Job 8:6-7 says ” …if you are pure and upright, then he will move even now on your behalf and restore the home where your righteousness dwells. Then, even if your beginnings were modest, your final days will be full of prosperity.”

To be pure is to be clean. Proverbs 20:11 says,” Even a young man is known by his actions —by whether his behavior is pure and upright.” Are you clean because of yourself or because of Jesus? The answer to this will lead you in one of two directions. Hopefully it leads to a prosperity and blessing others can see.

Prosperity comes in all different forms. It could be financially. It could be relationally. It could be emotionally. It could be spiritually. When I started writing this blog I had the thought that more truth is given to those who are faithful with little. We can prosper in the Lord. Walk in victory over everything in our lives. We can have a vibrant relationship with God.

I challenge you this week to ask God to teach you. To step out and listen to different teachers. To receive more understanding. See what happens in your life when you do that. The Bible says that God’s got so much blessing for you that you cannot contain it all. Receive what is rightfully yours in Christ. Go as deep as you can into the waters. Don’t wade around in the shallow end.. See what happens.

“Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9.27)

Why are so many Christians not walking in God’s best for them? Maybe its because we don’t take God at His Word. And we miss out because of that. We walk in fear instead of faith. Jesus didn’t pay high price for us to miss that boat.

Luke 9.23 says if we want to come after Christ we must, “deny ourselves take up our cross daily and follow Him”. Do you suppose that means we reject or refuse or die to our fleshly thinking of Who He is so that we can enter into the Kingdom of God? The Strongs Concordance shows the word ‘follow’ in Greek akoloutheo leads to Revelation 21.6 which says, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will freely give to the thirsty from the spring of the water of life.” He quenches our thirst if we truly follow after Him. That means we can walk confidently in His freedom. The Kingdom of God, the authority, expressing itself through us because we’re denying ourselves, which could be taking place through the denyl of our own understanding and opening up to learning new characteristics of Christ, even if we’re old in our faith.

Verses 24-26 of Luke 9 say that if we don’t forsake ourselves and allow the world to influence our judgment of what is most important, it clouds our understanding of God’s Word. As a result we will be ashamed of His life giving Words and not be recognized by God when He appears in His glory.

So what is the fruit you’re producing that shows you’re connected to the Vine? (John 15.5) Is your life showing that in your weakness He is strong or does it show in your own strength and understanding you are strong? And where does that lead you? I think that Luke 9.23 comes first in this passage because its necessary for us to deny ourselves in order to experience the Kingdom of God before leaving this earth. Something for ALL of us to really consider as the days get darker around us.

A Life Redone: My Journey to a Life of Freedom https://www.authorhouse.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/464097-a-life-redone