Biblical Hope

versus

Natural Hope

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In the natural, when somebody is “hoping” for something, there is usually some fear or un-expectancy mixed with it.

I’ve even heard people tag negative, fear statements along with their “hope”, many times.

Some examples of how I hear people “hoping” are:

I sure hope I get this job (and then they say or insinuate:  I never get promotions though;  I probably won’t get this one either);
I sure hope God will do it for me, (and then they say or insinuate:  but He probably won’t; things never work out for me);
I really hope she gets well (and then they say or insinuate:  but it looks like she is dying; the doctors say she is dying);
I hope I can pay my bills this month (and then they say or insinuate:  but I’ve been running negative the past two months, there really is no way out of this for me; I’ll probably have to declare bankruptcy).

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Natural hope, many times, brings disappointment or speaks about disappointment before the “thing” even comes to pass.

We “hope” something good will come to us, or happen to us, but we BELIEVE it won’t really.

We just believe that the same old way that life has always been dealing us “bad hands” will continue.

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.Hope, without faith, fails.  And the Bible says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick” (Proverbs 13:12).  This is why so many people are bitter and give up “hoping” that anything good will come to them.  They have simply had their hopes dashed too many times.

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BIBLICAL HOPE, however, is “expecting” something to come to pass.

We have the earnest (intense, serious) expectation, that what we hope for, or believe, WILL actually come to pass.

It is being “persuaded” or “knowing full well” that it WILL happen.

The HOPE of Abraham

The Bible shows us how the HOPE that Abraham had was an actual CONFIDENCE that what God Promised WOULD come to pass:

Romans 8:14 – Abraham in HOPE BELIEVED and SO became the father of many nations …

And Paul uses the word HOPE as KNOWING a Promise of God will  come to pass, many other  times in his  letters to the churches, as seen below:

Romans 15:12 – And again, Isaiah says, “The Root of Jesse will spring up, One Who will arise to rule over the nations; the Gentiles will HOPE in Him” (The HOPE in Jesus for the born-again Christian, is an ASSURANCE of heaven;  Biblical Hope is an ASSURANCE that what is Promised is actually ours)

Romans 8:23-25 - Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.  For in this HOPE we were saved.  But hope that is seen is no hope at all.  Who hopes for what he already has?  But if we HOPE for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. (Again, every born-again believer is ALREADY walking in Biblical Hope, when it comes to their salvation ….. and this Biblical way of hope, must be extended to ALL the Promises of God. We must trust that all the Promises are True, and then we must wait PATIENTLY for the Promises to come to pass).

Ephesians 1:11-14 – In Him (Jesus) we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him Who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will, in order that we, who were the first TO HOPE in Christ, might be for the praise of His glory.  And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.  Having BELIEVED, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of His glory. (Again, Paul uses the word HOPE when he talks about our BELIEVING in Christ.)

Colossians 1:23 - if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the HOPE held out in the gospel (This Scripture also shows that our HOPE is our FAITH in the promise of  heaven as the new home for those who BELIEVE / HOPE in Christ)

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The Bible goes on to tell us how it is our FAITH or BELIEF in the Promise that does bring the Promise to pass:

Hebrews 11:1 states “Faith is the SUBSTANCE of things HOPED for, the evidence of things not seen“.  (Note  that when we mix our FAITH in with our HOPE, then we will be FULLY PERSUADED and CONVINCED that what we hope for WILL COME TO PASS.  Our Faith gives solid evidence … or proof, as other translations state … that the Promise is actually true, and belonging to us,  right now. This is proven in still other Scriptures that Paul writes, when speaking of our HOPE in our salvation.)

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Biblical Hope, therefore, is not a “wishing” something will happen, but a full “KNOWING” something will happen….the Promise is as good as DONE:

1 John 5:14-15  “Now this is the CONFIDENCE that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we KNOW that we HAVE the petitions that we have asked of Him”.

JOY is the Fruit of Biblical Hope

.Biblical Hope will also produce JOY … for when we are “persuaded’ that our prayer IS answered {as 1 John 5:14-15 and Heb 11:1 tells} then we  will  rejoice and be excited that the Promise of God will soon manifest in our lives!

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Romans 12:12  says, “Be JOYFUL in HOPE, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer“.

If you really don’t believe God at His Word  it is impossible to be JOYFUL in HOPE, because our natural, un-renewed minds don’t BELIEVE  that every single Promise made in the Bible is absolutely ours, all the time, in every situation.

The natural, un-renewed mind has been  persuaded by circumstances and past experiences  to believe that “bad things even happen to good people” and God just does not intervene all the time.

The natural, un-renewed mind  has also been persuaded by circumstances and past experiences to believe that  God’s Word is NOT literal in every situation, for God’s “will” trumps God’s Words and Promises.

And if you are over the age of 18 (maybe younger?)  you probably have experienced enough BAD circumstances and disappointments in your life,  to make your HOPE turn a little sour!  

But Biblical Hope WILL produce that joy!  If we CHOOSE to renew our minds to BELIEVE God at His Word, and be  FULLY  PERSUADED and CONVINCED that the Promises are FOR us, RIGHT NOW!

Remember the Scripture which says:  ALL things are possible to him who believes?

Let’s Check Up On Ourselves

Check up on your ‘HOPE’ today.

Is it Biblical Hope?

Is your  hope  mixed with FAITH and producing JOY?

Faith is our substance and our proof that whatever we are hoping for, IS AS GOOD AS DONE.

And that Faith WILL  produce great joy!

Choose to believe God today, remembering that God is NOT a liar,  and being  FULLY  CONVINCED that ALL that God has Promised in His Word is for your life … for ALL of the Promises of God are YES in Christ Jesus,  if we will  ‘hope’ with that intense assurance !  Amen.

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IS

JOY

SET BEFORE YOU ??

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.Hebrews 12:2 states that we should, “Look unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; Who for the JOY that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame …”

.How could Jesus go through such shame, torture, and separation from the Father? Because He looked ahead. He looked past His present circumstances and He saw the victory that was His, which was beyond His present trial.

He knew the trial was temporary and He looked forward at that great glory and great joy which was on the other side of the trial.

He looked ahead and saw what was His prize.

He looked ahead and saw He was soon to be back with the Father.

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This is the message of faith !!

We must always look AHEAD or BEYOND our present trial and see the victory that lies ahead.   We must keep the prize and the outcome in our sight*.

..Are you facing a difficult situation today?
Are you sick and in need of a healing?
Do you need joy to carry you through your trial, as you await God’s Promises to manifest in the natural realm?

Then remember to keep your eyes on the answer.
Keep your eyes on the Promises which call you ‘healed’ and ‘whole’ and ‘victorious’.

Keep your mind meditating on the fact that you HAVE the answer, present tense, and that you are not ‘hoping’ to get your answer {Mark 11:23, Hebrews 11:1}.

See yourself up and running around, as you worship God today. See yourself whole and healed, while you are thanking God for healing you.

See your children worshiping God on their knees, alongside of yourself, as you thank God today for saving your children. Thank Him for saving them and filling them with a knowledge of His ways and of His love, and SEE them worshiping God with you.

See your bank statement in the positive, even after you’ve paid all your bills. And thank God that your bank account has lots of money left over, after you pay your bills, so that you can give generously to the kingdom needs that arise {2 Cor 9}.

Look at the end result in your mind’s eye.
Set your attention on the end result, not the current trial.

Thank God for how beautiful and whole your family looks, as you worship God for fulfilling His Covenant Promises in their lives.

And worship God.

Remember that as God sees you worshiping in secret … alone, in your own room, and not just on Sunday mornings in a church setting … He will reward openly***.

Worship Him today. And tomorrow. And the next day. And then the next.

Thank Him for answering your prayers.

Keep your answer as present tense, in the fore front of your mind.

And worship God for being faithful to His Promises.

This is Faith.
This is how to Live by Faith.
And this will bring great joy to you, while you wait for the answer to actually manifest in the natural realm.

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*Remember our FAITH is our proof, evidence, or assurance that we HAVE what we are believing for:

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”
Hebrews 11:1

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** “And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us: And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we KNOW that we HAVE the petitions that we desired of Him”
1 John 5:14-15}

“Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them”
Mark 11:24

*** “And thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly”
Matthew 6:6

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© 2009  LeeAnn Bell, Faith Speaks Inc
No permission given to reproduced, copy, sell, commercialize or distribute FaithSpeaksInc Blog statements or teachings without prior written permission.  LINKING to this site is permitted.  Thank You.

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FAITH versus FEELINGS

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The great man of faith, Smith Wigglesworth, once said:

“I can’t understand God by feelings. I can’t understand the Lord Jesus Christ by feelings. I can only understand God the Father and Jesus Christ by what the Word says about them. God is everything the Word says He is. We need to get acquainted with Him through the Word.”

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Too many people think God has heard their prayers, when they ‘feel good’;

Too many people think God has heard them when they pray really loud, and really long, and get some emotion or feeling. If they don’t get the ‘goosebumps’ or don’t ‘feel good’ when they pray, they think God has not heard them.

But this shows that their faith is based on their feelings and not based on God’s word.

Remember God’s Word says:

“This is the CONFIDENCE we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, HE HEARS US. And if we know that He hears us — whatever we ask — we KNOW that we have what we asked of Him” {1 John 5:14-15 – NIV}

These Words alone should be our confidence that GOD HEARS OUR PRAYERS.

Not our goosebumps..
Not the tears that come, because it was such a wonderful and emotional time with God.
Not our feelings.

If you don’t feel one thing when you pray, you can STILL rest fully assured that God HAS HEARD YOU, if you have prayed in faith, “believing you have received your answer” {Mark 11:24}, and if you have a Promise from God showing that what you have prayed for is actually His will.

You can rest fully assured, that your prayer IS ANSWERED and has accomplished exactly what you prayed about, if you believe God is not a liar and does what He says He will do.

We must get Biblical in our prayer life, and in our daily walk, so that NOTHING can confuse us or make us fall into doubt, unbelief, or hopelessness.

We must  get Biblical in our prayer life, and in our daily walk with God, so that we can STAND, and having done all that we can do, still STAND in faith, nothing wavering, full of confidence and joy and expectation.

Without FAITH it is impossible to please God, so let’s lay our emotions and feelings all aside, and start to walk by FAITH.

FAITHFUL is God, Who Promised, Who also will DO all that He has Promised!  {Hebrews 10:23}.  Amen.

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Permission is given to LINK to this site.

. CONFIDENT   FAITH

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FAITH  DOESN’T  “WATCH  THE  CLOCK”

FAITH  ONLY  SEES  THE  ANSWER

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Faith does not watch the clock.
Faith does not wonder why an answer is taking so long.
Faith does not count the days.
Faith does not look at circumstances.
Faith does not get nervous that a Promise in the Bible isn’t “working” this time.
Faith does not think that God is “not willing” to fulfill His Promise this time.
Faith does not get angry or question why a Promise is taking too long.

Faith fills the Believer with joy, because the person who is walking in faith has their answer RIGHT NOW (Heb 11:1)  … by Faith … in the present tense.  They know that the Promises of God are as good as done, and that God and His Word are dependable.

So, once you believe that you have “received” your answer (Mark 11:24),  you won’t have to “watch the clock”.

You won’t have to “wonder” where the manifestation of the Promise is, for your trust should be strong in God, knowing that you HAVE the answer even before you see it (1 John 5:14).

How can you get such strong, unwavering faith?
By meditating on the Scriptures that you need to have manifest in your life … because “faith comes by hearing” the Word of God (Romans 10:17).

God is faithful and honest.
Once He’s made a Promise, He will see that it is fulfilled (Numbers 23:19).

So all you have to do is  confidently and unwaveringly  trust in God’s faithfulness to do exactly what  His Word says He will do.  Rest in God’s Word, knowing that God is True to His Word.

The outcome will be glorious!

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1 John 5:14-15:
And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us:  And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.

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© 2008-2009 Faith Speaks Inc
No permission given to reproduce, copy, commercialize, or distribute FaithSpeaksInc Blog statements and teachings without prior written permission.  LINKING to this Site is permitted.  Thank You

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SEEING IS NOT BELIEVING

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The Bible has much to say regarding how we can see miracles take place in our lives, how we can receive answers to our prayers, and how we are to actually receive anything from God.

I wanted to look today, into a couple Scriptures which aren’t used very often to teach us this lesson …. the lesson that FAITH is the only way in which we get to see God’s workings in our lives.

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Luke 24

6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, 7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

Note: even the angels are encouraging these women, ‘Remember what He SAID” …. In other words, “BELIEVE what He SAID. Why do you need to SEE Him alive? Why can’t you simply BELIEVE Him at His WORD?” Even with these women SEEING the tomb empty, they still didn’t believe Christ’s Words and therefore believe that He was alive … they simply wondered who took the body away. They refused to believe Christ at His Word.

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13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. 14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. 16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. …

21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. 22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; 23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. 24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.

Note: The men walking to Emmaus were ASTONISHED at the women’s testimony. They didn’t believe the words, they were simply astonished.
Which leads me to question: Why couldn’t these disciples believe the Words of Christ OR the words of the women’s testimony which lined up with what Jesus taught before He was crucified?

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25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. …

Answer to my above question: Jesus told them what their problem was. Jesus called them foolish, and SLOW to believe. In other portions of Scripture, Jesus calls people HARD HEARTED and REFUSING to believe..

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Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. 30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

Note how Jesus did not hang around very long, after their eyes were opened to recognize Him. You see, Jesus was still trying to get them to walk by FAITH and not by sight. The more Believers learn to walk by faith in God’s Words alone, the more mature they will be, and not prone to be swayed by feelings, sight, emotions, or circumstances..

36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. 38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled?

Note: Here we see the disciples STILL not willing to BELIEVE, even as the disciples from Emmaus were presently telling their testimony about how they just saw Jesus alive!

The disciples now have: 1-the Words of Jesus while He was alive, telling them the Son of Man would be raised on the 3^rd day, 2-they have the testimony of the women at the tomb, who were told by the angels He was alive, 3-and now the men who were on their way to Emmaus are now giving a third account of Jesus being alive and risen from the dead, and still the disciples present had no joy at seeing Jesus. Just terror. This teaches that if we choose to NOT believe God at His Word ALONE, then even when a miracle does happen right before our eyes, we will be slow to believe or actually refuse to believe.

To SEE first is NOT to believe, as so many like to say.

BELIEVING FIRST ensures that we will SEE – or recognize – God’s miracles and power in our lives!…

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In Conclusion

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John 20

24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall SEE in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

Too many times, this is how Believers feel or react…especially with the Word of Faith teaching.

If they don’t SEE a healing immediately, at the first whisper of their prayer, they REFUSE TO BELIEVE the Scriptures which state God heals ALL our diseases – ps 103:3 – or that Jesus bore all our sicknesses already, in His body on the cross, and that by His stripes we WERE healed – Matt 8:17, 1 Ptr 2:24.

A stubborn refusal to believe God at His Word will not only ensure that one will not see many  mighty miracles in their lives, but it can also bring a rebuke from the Lord.

Why a rebuke? Think of how bold  it is for any created human to state to the Holy,  Almighty Creator of the Universe, “I just don’t believe You”.

And this is indeed what we are saying, when we refuse to believe a Scripture.

Let’s take the lesson from the Scriptures today, and not have to receive a personal rebuke from our Lord. Let’s make sure we don’t have to hear God say to us, “Why were you so foolish in that situation, and hard hearted? Why did you refuse to believe Me at My Word?”

Instead, let’s choose to humbly receive the Word of God, which is able to save us and heal us, and manifest God’s power in our lives daily. Amen.

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Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?
John 11:40

Do not be unbelieving, but be believing
John 20:27

Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief
Matthew 13:58

Later he appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart
Mark 16:14

Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me” … Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief”
Matthew 17:17-20

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© 2009  Faith Speaks Inc
No permission given to reproduced, copy, sell, commercialize or distribute FaithSpeaksInc Blog statements or teachings without prior written permission.  LINKING to this site is permitted.  Thank You.

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Are You Going

Through a Trial

or a Test?

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Well just shout and praise the Lord if you are!

Seriously.

Any  report of BAD NEWS that just came your way is yet one more opportunity for THE WORD TO BE PROVEN FAITHFUL and TRUE.

The enemy is going to be proven weak, yet again!

The Word is going to be shown to be powerful and faithful to accomplish in your life, EXACTLY what it says, yet again!!

God is going to be shown to be Strong, Powerful, Faithful, and True to His Word, yet again!

Hallelujah!
That really is worth shouting and praising about !!!

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Did you get a report that your illness is more severe than you thought?

Then,  PRAISE THE LORD.

BELIEVE Him at His Word and march around your room stating, “The TRUTH is,   by Christ’s stripes I AM healed!  It is written, God heals ALL my diseases!  It is written, Jesus took EVERY sickness and disease of mine into His own body on the tree and by His stripes I WAS HEALED !!!    Ha Ha on this attack!!  There is NOT one weapon formed against me that will prosper!! NOT ONE.  And this trial will be yet another glory report in my life, proving God is FAITHFUL and TRUE and NOT a LIAR!  Hallelujah!”

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I am going to leave this post up on this front page for the next few days, because someone needs to remember this!  Search through my other Posts for more encouragement and more Scriptures and Confessions, but this Post is staying up front for a time.

We ALL need the reminder, that when an attack comes we should LAUGH* at the devil’s attacks and REMEMBER that God is the One Who is Powerful in your life, and God is the One Who is Truth.

He IS watching over His Word to see that it accomplishes in your life, EXACTLY what He said it would accomplish! {Isaiah 55:11}

Oh YES, He is watching over His Word!

He is not a liar.  He is Truth.

This trial is going to build your faith SO strongly, proving to you yet once again that God is not a liar {Numbers 19:23} …..  as you    BELIEVE in the Promises of God in the present tense form that they are written in,  and as you SPEAK always like God’s Words are Truth in the present tense form that they are written in.

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So let’s  give the Lord a SHOUT of PRAISE!

Let’s rejoice in the Lord always!  Again, the Bible tells us, REJOICE!

In EVERYTHING, in every trial, in every  seemingly bad report, or seemingly devastating situation that arises, present your request to God, present all your prayers and supplications  with FAITH AND with THANKSGIVING to God  {Philippians 4:4-7, Mark 11:24} and the peace of God WILL guard your heart and mind.

After all  GIVING THANKS to God, believing God’s Word is MORE True,  IN THE MIDST  of all trials,  IS Faith.  And  BY FAITH  we always receive our answers to all of our prayers!  {Mark 11:24}

We don’t thank God FOR the trial !!!!

We thank God that HIS Word demolishes the trial and bad report,    exactly in the  way that whatever Promise we are standing on states.

So now, let’s raise our hands and shout, “THANK YOU FATHER!  Your Word IS working mightily in me, accomplishing EVERYTHING You Promised!

I am the healed! {1 Peter 2:24}
I am the redeemed!
I am the sanctified!
I am the blessed! {Deut 28:8, Galatians 3:14}
I am protected! {Psalm 119:114}
My children will never go to hell! {Deut 30:6}
Pain and disease are demolished in my body! {{Psalm 103:3, 2 Cor 10:4}
No weapon formed against me shall every prosper! {Isaiah 54:17}
I always come out victorious! {2 Cor 2:14}
Because God says so!
He ALWAYS leads me in triumph!
And this situation is no different!
I come out victorious!
I AM healed!
I HAVE the peace of God!
I HAVE the wisdom of God! {1 Cor 1:30}
I HAVE the mind of Christ! {1 Cor 2:16}
I DO hear God’s voice and God leads me in all situations! {John 10:27}
Things seen are temporal and WILL change at the Word of God!
Mountains DO move out of my life!  Always.  Every time!  No exceptions! {Mark 11:24}
Mountains DO move!

And God is faithful, always! {Psalm 33:4, Psalm 138:2, Psalm 146:6, Isaiah 45:23, etc}
Amen.”

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For the Word of the Lord is right and true; He is faithful in all He does
{Psalm 33:4}

By Myself I have sworn, My mouth has uttered in all integrity, a Word that will not be revoked
{Isaiah 45:23}

* Consider it PURE JOY, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds
{James 1:2  … please go read the rest of this Scripture and meditate on it, so it can bring you hope in the midst of every trial}

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© 2009 LeeAnn Bell, Faith Speaks Inc
No permission given to reproduce, copy, commercialize or distribute FaithSpeaksInc Blog statements and teachings without prior written permission. Linking to this site is permitted. Thank you.

IF Thou Be ….

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I heard this statement on a Norvel Hayes “Faith For Today” tape: When satan came to Jesus, satan said, “IF Thou Be …” . Why would satan even say “IF” Thou be the Son of God? Satan KNEW Jesus was the Son of God. Satan saw Jesus in heaven, before satan rebelled, while satan was living in heaven with God.

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Well, those words got my mind going ! Satan is always challenging WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST JESUS, too! Even as satan challenged Jesus !

Satan does this exact same thing to you and to me !!

He throws darts into our thinking and states:

IF you are healed, you wouldn’t be going into the hospital, would you!
IF you are healed, you wouldn’t have that pain in your leg!
IF you were healed by Christ’s stripes, then you wouldn’t get sick or have pain!

IF God really was teaching your children, as Isaiah states, then they wouldn’t be so mouthy and rebellious!
IF you have all your needs met, by Christ’s riches in glory, then your bank account wouldn’t be going negative would it!

IF … IF … IF …

STOP listening to the lies of satan !!! Why are you listening to the DECEIVER, and not listening to the TRUTH ??

We must continually get into the Word of God and get to know what Promises God has made for us and for our households !! We must get into the Word and get to know who we ARE, RIGHT NOW, in Christ Jesus !

WE ARE healed !

WE ARE righteous.

WE HAVE the mind of Christ.

WE HAVE all authority over the enemy.

WE ARE seated in heavenly places with the enemy under our feet.

WE ARE dead to sin, and sin shall no longer rule, or have control, over our mortal bodies.

WE HAVE been made rich in Christ.

Wealth and riches ARE in the house of the righteous!

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.There is a Scripture for EVERY statement that I just made about who we are, right now, as a born-again believer. If you don’t know where these Scriptures are in the bible, and if you don’t quote these Scriptures out loud every day over your life, then your mind won’t get renewed to these Truths, and you won’t be able to walk in the reality and in the victory of these Biblical Truths! Bottom line.

Get into the Word today, and believe what it says for your life and STOP listening to the lies of the devil ! He doesn’t even have any new lies to put on people; he keeps telling the same lies over and over to us! {Well, I guess the same old lies are working well enough on the body of Christ! So why should he change his methods!}

But you can stand up and SHOUT today …. “IT IS WRITTEN” !!!!

Since Jesus is our example, let’s start yelling, “It is written” at the devil, every time a lie enters our mind !!!! This is what Jesus did.

Get to know who you are today, and MAKE the devil leave you alone !!! {Matthew 4:10-11}

© 2007-2008 — No permission given o reproduce, copy of distribute FaithSpeaksInc Blog statements or teachings without prior written permission. LINKING to this site is permitted. Thank You.

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Faith or Fear

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Faith and fear are on opposite sides of the same pole, because they both PRODUCE a result.

Faith is from God.
Fear is from the devil.

By faith you can receive things you desire or hope for.
By fear you can receive things you don’t desire and don’t hope for.

When we allow fear in, faith leaves.

Fear can push faith out of our hearts and minds
OR
faith can push fear out of hearts and minds.

The decision is up to us.

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What we choose to meditate on daily, is a large factor determining what we will believe …. whether we will believe good will always come to us, or whether we will believe that bad will always come to us.

Again, whatever we keep before our eyes will sway our thoughts, our feelings, and our beliefs.

If we choose to keep the Word of God before our eyes continually, faith will grow {Romans 10:17} and we will believe God is for us and not against us.

But, if we choose to keep bad news and bad reports constantly before our eyes (in the form of the news media, or a doctors report, or hanging around people who only speak of the terrible things in life) then we will believe that bad wins out in life, and that bad will be apart of our life.

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We get to choose what to believe.

Yes, this is true. WE get to choose.

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We can choose to keep our thoughts and focus on God’s Word and so build our faith for good for our life
OR
we can choose to keep our attention and thoughts on the negatives of the world and so build our fear that bad will come to us.

We CAN choose to believe God at His Word, that a thousand may fall at our side, or ten thousand may fall at our right hand, but it will NOT come near us or our family members
OR
we can choose to believe that the Swine Flu is a pandemic which will certainly get us too; or that the water supply certainly is contaminated and is definitely harming our bodies; or that the pesticides on the fruits and veggies are wrecking havoc on our systems; or that …. well, you get the picture.

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Whatever we give power to, by our believing, that will have domination over us.

Whether we give power to satan through fear
or
whether we give power to God through faith.

It is by believing the enemy at his word, that the bad report will happen, that we give him power and the ability to enter in and do what he threatened to do.

But it is also by believing God at His Word, believing that what God Promised will be done for us, that we give Him power and the ability to enter into our lives and do what He Promised to do.

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Fear is faith in the negative.

Fear is faith (believing) that a negative report, an unwanted or undesired thing will come upon us … and our actions, our words, and our lifestyles always show if we truly believe the negative/bad report is coming to pass in our life!

And Biblical Faith is believing the Word of God, the desired, hoped for and longed for report (or Promises) will come to pass in our life … and again, we will always act, walk, and talk like the Bible is True, when we believe it to be Truth for us.

Faith or Fear.
We choose.

But God already told us what to choose,
if we will listen to His Words:

“Choose life”
{Deut 30: 15,19}

“Choose prosperity”
{Deut 28:11, Deut 30:9,15}

“Choose blessing”
{Deut 28:2, Deut 30:19}

Amen.

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“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen …”
{Hebrews 11:1}

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© 2009 Faith Speaks Inc
No permission given to reproduce, copy, commercialize or distribute FaithSpeaksInc Blog statements and teachings without prior written permission.
LINKING to this Site is permitted. Thank you.

FAITH  WITHOUT

ACTION

IS

DEAD

Reading and praying today, the book of James was strongly impressed upon me.   Especially the following passages:

James 1:21 – … humbly accept the Word planted in you, which can save you (Humbly accept the Word.  Don’t balk against the Word.  Don’t say “the Word doesn’t work”.  Humbly accept the Word.)

James 1:25 -  But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, BUT DOING IT — he will be blessed in what he does

James 2:21, 22 – Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for WHAT HE DID when he offered his son Isaac on the alter?  You see that his faith AND HIS ACTIONS were working together, and his FAITH WAS MADE COMPLETE by what he DID

James 2:24 – You see that a person is justified by WHAT HE DOES and NOT by faith alone

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These Scriptures remind me of the testimony of a lady named Betty Baxter who was born a crippled, balled up mass of bones.

Betty Baxter and her mother both believed Jesus would heal her.  The mother even went out and bought a dress and shoes so that Betty  could wear the dress and shoes to Sunday night service after Jesus healed her.  They both believed Jesus would heal Betty; they both SAID so with their mouths {Mark 11:23}, and they  believed AND WENT AND BOUGHT A DRESS.  They  had  faith with action! (And yes, she was completely healed and wore her beautiful dress to a Sunday night church service.)

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Then there is the story about Gertrude, a lady who when in the final stages of multiple-sclerosis was admitted into a hospital to die, because she was going blind along with the paralysis and could no longer live on her own.  But, Gertrude believed God would heal her.  She kept asking her visitors to bring her shoes to her while she was in the hospital, because Gertrude believed God would heal her, and said so with her mouth, and wanted to take action by having her shoes at her bedside, ready to be worn once she was healed!  No fear of man.  She spoke what she truly believed in her heart and kept asking people to bring her shoes.  Faith with action!  (And yes, she was completely healed … you can view her testimony at:    http://www.debauthor.com/gertrude.htm)

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What are you believing God for, today?

Are you taking action which shows you truly believe God at His Word?

Do you believe that “by Christ’s stripes you WERE healed” (1 Peter 2:24) and so ACT healed and healthy and whole?

Do the words coming out of your mouth show that you believe God at His Word?  “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks”  (Matthew 12:34).  Or are the words from your heart actually showing that you don’t really believe God at His Word?  Or that you fear that man will think you are “crazy” if you speak as if you are already healed and whole (or whatever else you are believing God for)?

Take the time today to meditate on God’s Words.

Speak God’s Promises out of your mouth, for “faith comes by hearing God’s Word”.

Speak His Truths.  Meditate on His faithfulness.  Meditate on His character, which is that He never lies.

Meditate on His Truths.  Look at the Promises.

Get the Promises of God  inside of your spirit.

And then you can whole-heartedly speak with full confidence that each and every Promise is yours, already, present tense, today!  (1 John 5:14-15)

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“We say now with our mouths, that we trust You at Your Word, Father!  We say now, that we believe You are not a liar!  We say now, that we believe ALL of Your Promises are Yes for our lives, and we accept them as Truth for our families, right now, in the present tense!!

Praise You for guiding each of us into all Truth, for sanctifying us, and revealing Your character and goodness to us, through Your Word.  Thank You for healing our bodies.  Thank You for providing for each of us  all that we need to pay our bills, to put food on our tables, and to have enough left over to give generously and cheerfully on every occasion that arises!  {2 Cor 9:10-11, NIV}.  Thank You for giving us authority over all the power of the enemy {Luke 10:19}, and thank You for being our Father!  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

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© 2009  LeeAnn Bell, Faith Speaks Inc
No permission given to reproduce, copy, commercialize or distribute FaithSpeaksInc Blog statements and teachings without prior written permission.  Linking to this site is permitted.  Thank you.

Satan Tries To Steal

The Word

From Our Hearts

The sower soweth the word.  And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
{Mark 4:14}

How can satan take the Word away from our hearts?

Through unbelief;
Through fear or worry;
Through trusting a doctors word over the Word of God in the Bible;
By believing the pain in our body proves the Word isn’t ‘working’;
When a specific Promise doesn’t manifest immediately in the circumstance that we are praying about, which leads us to believe it actually isn’t God’s will for us;
Etc.

There are many ways that satan can steal the Word from our hearts and such thoughts come to every single person alive, who makes a claim that they are standing on the Word of God …. for healing, or for freedom, or for financial help, or for the salvation of a loved one, etc.     Satan will try to come and steal the Word of God from your heart.  He will try to make you LET GO of the Promise of God.

But just because your faith gets tested  and just because you may not always see a victory in your situation immediately  YOU MUST NOT GIVE UP!!!

You will be giving into satan’s tactics if you let go of the Word of God as final authority!

God’s Word IS the Truth.  The “testing time” will pass.  But you must believe {Mark 11:24}, don’t doubt {Matthew 21:21},  keep speaking the Word as final authority and as Truth {Proverbs 18:21 and Mark 11:23} and stand your ground (Ephesians 6).

Believers will continue to have their faith tested as long as they live on the earth … for our enemy, the devil, roams about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour – 1 Ptr 5:8 … so DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED when your faith is tested.

Remember James 1:26 – Consider it PURE JOY my brothers whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance MUST finish its work so that you may be MATURE, and complete, NOT LACKING ANYTHING.

What an awesome Promise!!!!

We CAN go through each trial WITH JOY:
#1  when we really believe God’s Word will manifest at the end of the trial, no matter what the trial is
and
#2  when  we really believe our faith is growing much STRONGER through each trial, so that we are becoming mature and complete.  It is encouraging to meditate on this fact that as we mature,  we won’t have to be held captive  in any bondage on earth, for our faith will be mature and able to get us through EVERY circumstance in life, victoriously and with joy!!

Therefore, REJOICE.   Choose to stand your ground with joy, knowing that you ARE growing stronger and that God’s Word will be proven True at the end of the test!  Hallelujah!

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James 1:26 – Consider it pure joy, my brothers (resist fear or discouragement …. let joy rise up in your spirit … put on the “garment of praise”) whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance MUST finish its work so that you may be MATURE, and complete, NOT  LACKING  ANYTHING.

Romans 5:3 – We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does NOT disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy spirit, Whom He has given us.

1 Peter 1:6-8 – …THROUGH FAITH  we are  SHIELDED  BY  GOD’S  POWER, until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.  In this you greatly REJOICE, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of TRIALS.  These have come so that your FAITH — which is of GREATER WORTH than gold, which perishes — may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

1 Peter 1:25 – The Word of the Lord stands forever

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© 2009 Faith Speaks Inc
No permission given to reproduce, copy, commercialize or distribute FaithSpeaksInc Blog statements and/or teachings without prior written permission.  Linking to this site is permitted.  Thank you.