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When You Have The Holy Spirit, You’re Not Really Praying To Heaven

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The Holy Spirit is God in you.

The Holy Spirit is God in you.

Yes, we know that God is in heaven on His throne, but God is three people. One of them lives in you, if you received salvation through Christ. When you accept Jesus as your Savior, the Holy Spirit comes to live in your heart. He’s always with you. So when you pray, your prayers don’t have far to go.

We like to think that we call down heaven. We ask for God to come down on us and bless us. But He’s already here. He’s just waiting for us to get it. It’s the amazing plan that God had when He created the world. He’s always wanted to live with us.

When sin ruined the garden of Eden, God set the plan of salvation into effect. He worked a way to live with us, even though we didn’t deserve it. He loves us so much. His Spirit is there in us and for us. All we have to do is connect with Him and we’re as good as in heaven now.

Sound too simplistic? Try it. Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you. Listen with your heart. Tell Him everything and watch how He blesses. He is Emmanuel, God with us, and He wouldn’t have it any other way.

Another post on the Holy Spirit: Be Aware Of God Today

 

Read the first chapter of my book Crucible Heart
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Come Before The Lord With Singing, Because He Likes It

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Sing your praise to God.

Sing your praise to God.

Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before His presence with singing. (Psa 100:2) God is a lover and He wants His people to be lovers as well. He wants us to enjoy Him as much as He enjoys us. If you go before God in song, how can you not be full of joy? If course, I’m not talking about somber litanies that would put Him to sleep. I’m talking about joyful worship.

I really think God loves music. I think He loves instrumental music as well as singing. I think there will be a lot of music in heaven. He loves it when  you sing to Him. It doesn’t have to be out of the hymn book. You can sing to Him in the shower with made-up words and made-up songs. You can sing the Psalms to Him. You can sing in tongues to Him. I think He just loves a heart full of music and praise. It’s the joy of the Lord being expressed back to Him.

Stop thinking that you never sing because you don’t have a good voice. That won’t fly with God. Make a joyful noise. It’s a command. Who cares if you’re not professional. Very few of us are. Allow yourself to praise Him in song and see how He fills your heart with joy.

Another post on verbal praise: The Sound That Matters

 

Read the first chapter of my book Crucible Heart
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God Has Your Back Whether You Can See Him Or Not

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New believers want a firm hold on God's hand.

New believers want a firm hold on God’s hand.

The thing about faith is that we have to believe that God is always with us. He always has our back, whether we can see Him or not. Jesus said, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (Jhn 20:29)

A small child always wants to be in touching distance to mom. He wants to hold on a hand or a pant leg for assurance. As new believers, we feel like that. We want some reassurance that God is with us, because faith is new. But as we grow in faith, we need to start standing on the knowledge that God is with us.

It is the lies of the enemy that try to convince us that we are on are own. Mature faith will rebuke the lies and praise God for His presence. Paul said to pray without ceasing. That constant conversation with God will keep you centered in the knowledge that you’re not alone. The more you commune with God during your day, the more sensitive you’ll be to hearing His voice and His encouragement.

Sometimes God may be quiet just to see how you react. Will you continue to trust Him when you can’t hear Him? (Yes, you can!) He’s always with you, despite what you see.

Another post on maturity: You Control Your Level Of Faith

 

Read the first chapter of my book Crucible Heart
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Declaring The Word Of God Is Just Like Prayer

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Declare the word of God to problems.

Declare the word of God to problems.

Declaring God’s word is just like prayer. Jesus taught us to pray with the Lord’s prayer, but He also demonstrated how to live with His life. When He was faced with a storm at sea, He spoke peace to it. When He was faced with disease, He spoke healing to it. He declared the word of God to the situations that needed to be fixed.

When we declare God’s word in a situation, we are depending on God to move as we are asking. It’s just like prayer. You must declare His word in faith and you must pray in faith. Many times, I think God is waiting for us to declare His will in a situation, just as Jesus showed us. We shouldn’t be freaked out by that. We are just calling down heaven just as if we pray to call down heaven. It’s really a matter of semantics.

Don’t be afraid to declare the word to a problem. Look to see what Jesus did. He’s your role model. You’ll be blessed when you see the results, and that should encourage you to step out and do more. God wants to see growth and maturity in faith, and we need mature believers in the kingdom.

Another post on declaring God’s word: Speak Peace To The Storm

 

Read the first chapter of my book Crucible Heart
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Kingdom People Know How To Bless Each Other

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The kingdom of God is all about loving each other.

The kingdom of God is all about loving each other.

When Jesus described the kingdom of God, He described people who supported each other in kindness and love—people who could live like that even toward their enemies. Give your enemy your coat and your sweater also. Walk the mile with them without complaining, and then go another mile. Be kind. If we should live like that with our enemies, imagine how we should live with people in our own “family”.

When kingdom people get together, the atmosphere is almost electric. There’s a shared excitement because everyone is hooked into the same joy. There’s every expectation that God will be awesome and everyone wants in on it.

If you don’t live in a community of kingdom people, find them online. I have regular pray calls on the phone with a group that just bless my socks off. Even over the internet, you can connect with like-minded people who will know how to pray for you and bless in ways you wouldn’t get otherwise.

We are here for each other, and it’s fun. It’s fun to see people being blessed. It’s fun to see them be healed and set free of depression and anxiety. It’s fun to pray with them and call down heaven. Joy is contagious and those who have it love to spread it.

Another post on loving each other: The Body Of Christ Is There To Help

 

Read the first chapter of my book Crucible Heart
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Being A Warrior Can Be Warm And Fuzzy

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The loving gifts of God are powerful weapons.

The loving gifts of God are powerful weapons.

So, here’s the thing. If you’re a Christian filled with the Spirit, then you are a target of the enemy. He hates all humans, but the ones marked by God are his special targets. You have to be armed and prepared for the assault on your life. How do you do that? You live in God’s Spirit, under the shadow of His wings.

When we live in the Spirit and are filled with His gifts, we have a natural defense against the enemy. Every good gift of God is a weapon of warfare—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control—these are all deadly against the demonic realms.

Practice kindness and you thwart enemy attack. Show mercy and grace, and you mow over jealousies and hate. Live in peace and you push back the boundaries of evil as you spread the kingdom. Every good work that you do establishes God’s presence and tears down the  works of darkness.

Sometimes we have to be aggressive in our stance, but more often than not, showing love can be totally disarming and far more effective. It may look warm and fuzzy from the outside, but the power of the kindness within you is more powerful than anything the enemy can throw at you.

Another post on living in the Spirit: Do You Have Anointing?

 

Read the first chapter of my book Crucible Heart
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Can You Be The Voice Of God In The Midst Of Resistance?

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Can your faith stand against conflict?

Can your faith stand against conflict?

Not everyone is going to agree with you. Not everyone is going to listen to you, especially if they think you’re going to talk about God. You are not required to talk about God constantly, but when the Holy Spirit prompts you, you should obey. What if that happens in the middle of dissension?

Are you grounded enough in your faith to know that no matter what anybody says, you will stand strong in your belief? Or will you be swayed by the popular opinion? What if that opinion claims to be Christian, but does not actually support the Bible? That can be a very strong resistance to come up against.

No matter what, we have to know that we know that we know, that God has saved us and His Spirit is in us to do mighty works on this earth. Jesus said that signs and wonders would follow us if we lived according to His promise. Once you experience that, it’s not hard to stand strong in your faith. But it’s hard if you’ve never seen it yet. Press in. Ask God to show you and give you those experiences that will keep you close to Him until the day you go to be with Him.

Another post on being liked: Not Everyone Is Going To Like You

 

Read the first chapter of my book Crucible Heart
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If You’ve Been Robbed Of Joy, Then Get It Back

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If you've been robbed of joy, take it back.

If you’ve been robbed of joy, take it back.

Joy is the currency of heaven. You’re supposed to have it. For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Rom 14:16) To be in the kingdom without joy is like going into battle without armor. And the enemy knows this. He makes it his business to rob you whenever possible.

Our joy can disappear when life disrupts us suddenly or can slowly erode over time if we are not careful to protect it. If you realize that you are living outside of joy, take heart. There’s more where it came from. Make the decision to have joy. When the whispers from the enemy tell you that you don’t deserve it, tell him to shut up. Claim your position in the kingdom and take hold of joy with both hands.

Go to Galations 5:22. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit, and if you belong to God, then all the gifts are yours. Claim all of them while you’re at it. If the Holy Spirit is giving you insight into how your lost your joy, you may have to repent and change things so it won’t happen again. Tell God that you want His joy, then chose to be happy. Joy is yours. Take it back.

Another post on joy: Looking For Joy In The Wrong Places

 

Read the first chapter of my book Crucible Heart
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You Have Permission To Dream Big

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You have permission to dream big.

You have permission to dream big.

Some people are natural at dreaming big. They are amazing. Then there are people like me. I need encouragement to ask for more than I think I should. I share a problem with many people. We think that if we can’t see a practical way to make something happen, then it can’t be done. We forget about what God can do.

God can take what we have and make it so much more. That’s His grace, His wisdom, His ability to do the miraculous. He can open doors we don’t even know about. He can bring opportunities, connections, and mentors.

Big dreams usually come from heaven anyway. God wants so much more for us than we tend to want for ourselves. Those ideas and dreams that you pull out sometimes then push back because they don’t seem real may be God dreams. Dust them off and take a better look at them. What if you prayed into them? What if you allowed yourself to take real steps toward them?

Give them to God. Hold them up and let Him know what’s on your heart. Allow Him to act on them. If you keep them buried, He can’t do anything. And don’t assume the it’s too late. We’re talking about God dreams here. Remember Abraham and Sarah?  Dream big and go for it.

Another post on dreams: Discouragement Kills Dreams

 

Read the first chapter of my book Crucible Heart
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Join The Tribe Of Peculiar People, God’s Holy Nation

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God called you to be different.

God called you to be different.

I really like the King James Version of 1Pet 2:9—But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light;

Other version say that we are God’s special people, but I like being called peculiar. Peculiar means strange or unusual. If we are God’s chosen, then we have to be unusual and a little strange. If we’re not any different from everyone else, then we have nothing to show for how amazing God is in our lives.

We need to be able to point to the miraculous and blessed. We need to have a testimony of goodness to back up our position of faith and salvation. Our testimony has to mean something. If people don’t know that you are a Christian by the way you live your life, then something’s not right. You’re not peculiar enough.

I’m not saying that you should stand on the street corner with a sign, but others should be impressed with your kindness and generosity, or the way you prayed and things happened. Your life should show the presence of God. If you live like everyone else, then I wonder if you really know Jesus.

Another post on being chosen: Be The Salt Of The  Earth

 

Read the first chapter of my book Crucible Heart
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