Have you noticed that in our present culture, the word resist has taken on new meaning?  Presently, resist means, resist civility; resist forgiveness; resist discretion; resist honor; and perhaps on top of the list…resist truth.

And if perhaps if like Pilate you ask, “What is truth?”  Please read John 14:6 and you will most certainly know it.

Back to resist.  The greatest use of the word of course is in the Bible –

“Therefore submit to God, RESIST the devil and he will flee from you.” James 4:7

When you read this scripture in context you begin to see a fuller picture.  What we learn is that by resisting the enemy we miss all the mess in the six preceding verses.  Let’s look.

Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?
You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.
You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?
But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.  James 4:1-7

All these troubles will never set foot in your house if you know how to resist the devil! It’s really not too complicated.  Without going too deep, we must know that humans are never the issue.  There is just God and satan, both spiritual beings.  The battle of the ages is between them.  Humans have no dog in this fight.  Because though man is also a spirit, while on earth we simply take sides.  Whichever side we connect with will manifest itself through us while we are residents on terra firma.  It’s a battle for glory.

Here are the points we need to understand:

• satan makes Narcissus look like an amateur.
• Sin is the vehicle through which satan displays himself.
• satan does not even mind being rebuked and bound all the time; we’re still giving him attention. *** There is certainly a time to bind and rebuke!
• Wars, fighting, lusts, covetousness, immorality and pride are all manifestations of satanic glory.
• When life is all about us, it’s really all about the devil.
• God resists those who continually refuse to resist satan.
• The highest form of resistance is Ignoring!

The action plan goes like this – When you get a thought that you know is not from God, don’t obsess over it!  Is this the devil?  Is it my flesh?  Is this that burrito from yesterday? Who cares?  It Is NOT from God.  Rebel against it!  PUSH BACK!!

You hear, “You are going to have a bad day today.”  Rebel against that thought, “This is the Day My God has made. I will rejoice and be glad. I will succeed, enjoy favor, blessing and extravagant abundance in the Lord my God who has given me power to get wealth at every level of life and supplies all my need according to His riches in glory in Christ JESUS.”  Question? How many more thoughts do you think satan wants to drop on you?

When we push back on satan by ignoring his thoughts and actively rebelling against them with God’s Word he is demoralized.  We rob him of his only power; and that is to be acknowledged as a credible threat against a child of God.  Authorities do not rebuke death row inmates. Why?  They are already defeated, being held captive and awaiting their demise.  Sounds like satan to me.

Oh but pastor, the Bible says that the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour.  Of course it also says he’s a liar and deceiver.  But finish it…But resist him, firm in your faith…”  There it is again. RESIST.  Push back.  Rebel against him with your faith.

We DO NOT have to acknowledge every thought satan plants in our head!

Look at the scriptures above and meditate on God Gives More Grace.  Remember, where sin increased…grace superabounded…(AMP).  When you are at your weakest, you’re still stronger than the devil.

It is not about you.  It’s about your Captain, Jehovah-Sabboath, The Lord of Hosts!  Declare His Word and ignore the defeated creep.  His time is coming and he knows it.  Give him not a shred of attention, and you’ll find him where he belongs; crushed and conquered by the perfect blood of the Lamb and the Word of Your Testimony!

With God all things are possible. PRG

Christians are the world’s best sales people. OK, we ignorantly sell to the wrong audience, but I don’t mean that in a bad way (smile).  That audience of course, being God.

Don’t we?  Don’t most Christian’s prayers sound like we are either pleading with Judge Judy or negotiating with Donald Trump in the boardroom?  Here’s my question?
What exactly do we think we are going to talk Him into?

Because I can assure you, there is no greater waste of time than trying to change Dad’s mind about anything? He has laid out His will plainly, for all of us to know, sealed it with the blood of His Son, and basically “dares us” to believe it!  What else does prove me mean in Malachi 3:10? It means, “Go ahead, do it.”  “Do what I said and watch what I do…do it.”

  I’m going to give it to you the way the Holy Spirit gave it to me, ready? “Seers Plead…Knowers Feed.” Break it down? All right.

A Seer is a person who lives in the right-now and makes his assessments and decisions in light of what he senses in his present life and circumstances.  His dominant world is before him every waking hour; his faith is in knowledge, people, places, opportunities and the abilities he possesses in his seen world.

A Knower is other-worldly.  This is a person who respects his seen world, but knows that all he sees is subject to change by the unseen power which created it.  He lives in the same present as the seer, but does not live by the same rules.  The evidence on which his faith rests is far more reliable than any contrary evidence to his senses — they are eternal.  God’s Word never fails.

The other day I was in a grocery store and met a well dressed gentleman at least in his late eighties.  He began telling me about his life and his travels around the world; he was very sharp!  I asked him where he was headed next and he said South America. But then he added, “But it doesn’t matter, the doctors have only given me one year to live, maybe less.”  Without hesitation I placed my hand on his shoulder and said, “Or God could heal you and give you thirty more years.”

He didn’t miss a beat. He came right back and said, “No.” “I’ve seen the tumor, and there is nothing they can do.”  Then he added, “It is IMPOSSIBLE!”  And he made sure that he emphasized that last word.  And even though I mentioned miracles for today, it was very clear that this man had put his faith in what he saw and in what he was told; he was sold on it.  He believed he had to die and he would not have it any other way.  Healing? Impossible!

Some will say, “Yes, but I do believe that God can heal and do miracles.”  Unfortunately though, so many who believe this are pleaders.  They have received, or have seen a big negative arise in their life and they pray, “Lord, you see this terrible tragedy, Please heal…” or “Please save…” or “Please bring the finances…”

Please listen closely, the prayer of faith changes things, not God. You are not attempting to “sell or convince” God to work on your behalf; to do something for you.  He Has Already Given You The Victory in the situation!  Your Problem is PROOF that God has already supplied the answer! Romans 12:2 – Renew your mind to what the Word says about your mountain and let that be your final authority.
Pray The Answer, NOT The Problem.

God’s Word is the answer.  When anything contrary to your well being lifts its head against your life, take God’s Word and FEED on your answer until the Truth changes the Fact!  The truth you know will make you Free!  John 8:32

If you have tried to do a “work around” on God and fix it on your own strength, only to discover that it didn’t quite work out; been there.  Humble yourself, repent and thank God for His mercy and deliverance, like it never happened.  The Lord loves it when we act on His grace.  He is so faithful.

So, if you’ve been seeing and pleading, there’s a better way. Know God’s Word and speak your answer to the problem — without doubting. Remember, faith comes by the constant hearing of the Word of God, Romans 10:17.

Hebrews 11:1 says that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. That’s God’s Word – the substance of what you are believing, manifesting itself by changing the seen reality into God’s eternal reality which has been present since before the world began.

The next time the devil comes at you, remind yourself that you are not going to believe God, but you have already believed God.

“I have stepped into the finished will of God and I’m never going back. I will not be moved from my faith in the Word. I will never quit!
It’s done in JESUS’ Name, Amen, so be it!

For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?
But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.
Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know
what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes
intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is,
because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of
God.
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love
God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.  Romans 8:24-28

We don’t have to concern ourselves with getting our prayers right as much as getting our believing right.

The Holy Spirit does all the heavy lifting as we pray.  Our job is to simply believe it is done!

You didn’t lose your house or lose your job – JESUS presented Himself; you have just been repositioned! And you are going to a better POSITION!

Check this out –

 “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works.  “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves.  “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.  “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.”    John 14:10-14
                                                                                       
Most people mistakenly believe that JESUS’ passion was for the lost.  And though certainly Christ loves sinners; wept over us and died for us; the fact is, JESUS was obsessed with the Father.  His entire life on earth was spent saying and doing ONLY what He heard and saw the Father do (John 5:19). 

And in this discourse, JESUS was communicating the power which is available to believers who will follow His example of glorifying the Father.  How many times throughout the Gospels does JESUS say or imply that it is not about Him, but about the One who sent Me.  JESUS was the messenger and his ministry was pointing humans toward the One had the Master plan, if you will.  And once again here you hear Christ say, and I am paraphrasing, “Guys, these are not even my words.  I am not initiating this.  It is the FATHER living in me who does the WORKS.”  Of course what He was saying is that the Father’s invisible words spoken through His lips manifested into tangible works which everyone could then see.

 When JESUS said,  “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves…”  What he meant was, “How do you think I am doing all of this?”  “You think it’s me?”  I’m human just like you – BUT I AM CONNECTED!  So He says, “Come on then.”  “Believe that you can enjoy this same connection and I promise you the same results, even more!”   What?  Why more?  “Because I am going to the Father.”

We’ve got the Father and the Son in covenant commitment
declaring THEIR purpose through our lives and manifesting it
by the Holy Spirit living within us!  That, is a mouthful!  

But wait, here is the key to why we get whatever we ask in His Name…that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  JESUS insists that the same glory He brought the Father 2000 years ago through His life, we bring Him through our lives as well.  And what He is talking about is a Lifestyle!  Does not the world love to flaunt their lifestyles?  Whether it is a Beverly Hills lifestyle, or a South Beach lifestyle, a Rock Star or Celebrity/Pro Athlete lifestyle;  they are easy to spot.  Well, there is a Glorifying Father God Lifestyle and it rocks harder than anything on earth!  It manifests in Peace, Joy and Righteousness and abundance without sorrow.

Because sorrow only comes when our joy and confidence is in our stuff.  But when your joy and confidence is in the Father, you get to enjoy your stuff without fear of losing it.  It’s freeing just to say that isn’t it?

And just in case we still didn’t get it, JESUS wraps up his teaching with one simple sentence.  “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.”  Wow!  there you have it, my friend.  What’s your purpose in life?  Make it glorifying the Father and whatever you ask is yours.  And don’t qualify your asking.  You’ll know the moment the request comes out if it glorifies Him.  Because you will have it.

You’re A Champion!

“Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”  Ps. 119:105

Nothing happens until the Word is spoken.  The earth was dark until “God said…”  The sun, the moon and the stars along with all the other universes and celestial bodies; none had a purpose, until “God spoke.”

Think about it for a moment.  Adam did not know where he was; Abraham was passing time in the desert; Moses was an exiled shepherd, David was tending sheep, Gideon, sifting grain, Esther combing her hair and Peter toiling all night.  Clueless people, until God spoke.

Lazarus rotting in a tomb, a woman paralyzed for eighteen years and a thief dying on a cross.  Hopeless people, until God spoke.

God’s Word is a lamp to our feet because it reveals who we really are and how much we really need Him.  But it is also a light to our path, because as we allow His Word to show us who we are, the same Word empowers us to create the future which God has promised as we declare it with faith.

That’s right!  Your future begins the moment you summon the courage to SPEAK THE WORD .  Wherever life finds you today, it can get better.  You can get back on track the moment you hear yourself say what HE SAYS.

Go ahead.  Try it.  His Words in your mouth contain the same power as the Words in His.  Say what you want and nothing else.  Now look down your “Word-lit Path…”  It’s Glorious!

I Call You A Champion!

Pastor Ralph D. Gerard

A woman with a dead son said, “It is well…”  The centurion said to JESUS, “Just say the Word…”  Even JESUS said, “Roll away the stone…”  What did they do?  They set the atmosphere for the supernatural.

Proverbs 18:21  tells us that “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”  Think about it.  God has put all things pertaining to life and death in the power (authority) of the tongue.

Now please listen carefully.  It is not our circumstances, the opinions of others, the economy, your credit score or who is in the White House that will influence your future success.

It is our tongue which either sets the atmosphere around our lives, like a thermostat, OR registers (agrees with) the present condition around us, like a thermometer.

Thermometers possess zero power.  They have no ability to change anything.  They simply report the current status.  OK.  It’s getting a little quiet in the whining and complaining section.  If all we do is (agree) with what we see happening around us, the principle is going to work.  And what you agree with is going to multiply!  This of course is great if you like what you see.  But that is not usually the case.  People love to talk about the government, bills, high prices, low wages and what they can’t afford, etc. etc.  What do you think keeps showing up?  Exactly.

Thermostats on the other hand know three really good scriptures.  And they probably know more than three, but these three are really good right here.  The first one I already mentioned above; but check out Hebrews 1:3 and 3:1.  In The Message translation, Heb. 1:3 says, “This Son (JESUS) [mine] perfectly mirrors God, and is stamped with God’s nature.  He holds everything together by what He says – powerful words!”  And 3:1 tells us that Christians are “…partakers of the heavenly calling…” and that JESUS is the “High Priest of our profession…” meaning this:

JESUS is faithful over His Church to empower and bring to pass His Words which proceed from Our Mouths!  Did you get that?  When you agree with what God says and you say it, you are RE-SETTING  circumstances to align with God’s ways and His purposes!   They must obey!

The same power which holds everything together is in His Word.  Whether it is me or you, or JESUS saying it.  That ability to change circumstances is in the power of our tongue!   Our tongue can change any atmosphere from negative to positive, from death to life, from lack to abundance, from sick to well.  His Word never returns void.

Get these scriptures in your spirit today.  Trust God’s Word to enable the power of your tongue to re-set the atmosphere around your life; and do it before that same atmosphere tries to re-set you.   Until next time…

I Call You A Champion!

Pastor Ralph D. Gerard

You may remember in the book of Genesis that Joseph’s envious brothers wanted to kill him, but instead sold him to Egypt-bound Midianite traders for a few bucks.  They had taken Joseph’s special-colored coat, dipped it in goat’s blood then sent it home to their father Jacob for his inspection.

When Jacob saw the bloody coat, he knew it belonged to his son, and said, “It is my son’s tunic. A wild beast has devoured him.”  He mourned him for many days and said, “Surely I will go down to Sheol in mourning for my son.” So his father wept for him.”

What was the problem?  Well, to begin with, he was weeping and mourning over a LIE!  Joseph was not dead.  Jacob’s life wasn’t over.  It just appeared that way.  Dad had simply jumped to the wrong conclusion and assumed the worst based on the evidence provided.  His rush to judgment paralyzed his faith and crippled his future for many years to come.   Jacob acted as if God’s word of promise to him (Gen. 35:10-12) had no effect on his life.

This same attitude is rampant in America today!  Have you put it together?  People are fixated on the economy, the price of gas, turmoil in the middle east, Afghanistan, their bills, and on and on; the list of bloody coats is long.  Yet JESUS said, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” John 7:24.

Of course, the evidence of the day is compelling.  It always is.  But we will never have the victory if we stay focused on the problem.  Our focus must be on the Word, more sure than Jacob’s.  The Word from JESUS Himself, bought by His blood (better covenant) and based on better promises (Heb. 8:6).

You may have some bloody coats in your life right now and they are screaming, “Lack, Pain, Addiction. Loss, Grief, Sorrow, etc…”  Please hear me, “Things Are Not As They Appear.”  Do not be hasty in your speech or your actions. Speak The Word ONLY, no matter how compelling the natural circumstances seem to be.   You have a Covenant of Peace with God and He is bound to it and will never come out of it!

We must train ourselves to know that neither you, me, nor anybody else, not even the situation itself knows all there is to know about it.  Only God sees and understands completely.  And you owe it to yourself and to your future to keep quiet for a while and give God some time to help you understand it from His perspective.  God is not nervous nor anxious.  As you worship Him, He will reveal your next step.

Yes, Jacob ended up all right, and of course so did Joseph and his entire family.  But I believe he could have missed some major pain in his life had he given God the time to process the bloody coat.  I pray for you and for me, that we learn this lesson well and refuse to cave in to the mindset of our current culture.         

“While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”  2 Corinthians 4:18

It’s time to shine the Light!

I Call You A Champion,

Pastor Ralph D. Gerard