by Tracy | Tuesdays With Tracy, Warfare
“For He (God) foreordained us (destined us, planned in love for us) to be adopted (revealed) as His own children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the purpose of His will (because it pleased Him and was His kind intent).” Ephesians 1:5, Amplified Version
There are times in our lives when we get so bombarded with what the world says about us that we forget who we are in Christ Jesus. Today I want us to declare what God says about us. Pay no attention to your feelings – your feelings will lie to you, but God always tells you the truth. You have a choice today – will you continue to believe your feelings over the Word of God or will you declare and let your faith arise to what God’s Word says about you?
The truth is – we have authority over the devil and his lies – he does not have authority over us! If you are in a battle concerning your self-worth – join me in declaring Ephesians Chapter One over your life.
Let’s say this OUT LOUD together:
According to Ephesians Chapter One, I am:
Blessed (vs. 3)
Chosen (vs. 4)
Holy (vs.4)
Blameless (vs.4)
Predestined (vs. 5)
Redeemed (vs. 7)
Forgiven (vs.7)
In Christ I have:
Wisdom (vs. eight)
Understanding (vs. eight)
I know the mystery of His will (vs. eight)
I am made for God’s glory (vs. eight)
I am seated with the Holy Spirit of Promise (vs. 13)
I have an inheritance (vs. 14)
I am God’s possession (vs. 14)
I have hope (vs. 18)
I am Enlightened (vs. 18)
I have resurrection power (vs. 19)
I have a mighty strength! (vs. 19)
We are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus! No matter what you are currently going through, remember that in Christ you have everything you need and that your victory is just around the corner!
Prayer:
I am Yours Lord – everything I’ve got and everything I am! Forgive me for believing the lies of the world concerning my worth. I agree with Your Word today that I am blessed, redeemed, forgiven and that I have a hope! I will no longer allow my feelings to dictate my life, but I choose to believe the Word of God. Amen.
by Tracy | Tuesdays With Tracy, Warfare
“The Lord also will ROAR from Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem; The heavens and earth will shake; But the Lord will be a shelter for His people, And the strength of the children of Israel.” Joel 3:16, NKJ
The roar of a lion will stop you dead in your tracks and bring a chill down you spine – trust me on this! I was able a few years back to go behind the scenes at the Atlanta Zoo and I will never forget my encounter with the lion! I was so thankful for the steel bars that were present between this massive creature and me!
According to the scripture above, God is a ROARING lion and if you feel like you are in a battle – hold tight – because God will ROAR from Zion on your behalf!
When God speaks, the earth cannot help but tremble. So can you imagine the impact on the earth and the enemies of God when He ROARS? I believe that when God ROARS from Zion on our behalf, everything that is standing between us and God will be shaken down! God is our shelter during the storms of life and He is our strength when we are weak. Be encouraged friend – If you are currently in a battle – run to the shelter of God’s love and know that He will protect you. Make no mistake that the enemies of God will not prosper much longer. God is fighting on behalf of His chosen people!
Prayer:
Lord, I run to you for shelter this day. You are my refuge and my present help in trouble. No weapon formed against me shall prosper and I declare, “If God is for me – who can be against me?” Father, I thank you for your ROAR from Zion concerning your people and Israel this day! I know the end of the story – WE WIN! I love you God and I trust that goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. Amen.
Photo Above is from: www.freefoto.com
by Tracy | Tuesdays With Tracy, Warfare
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12, NKJ
Who is your real enemy anyway? Is it your slandering neighbor or the “friend” who is pulling your son or daughter away from God? Is it the person spreading lies about you or the family member who has betrayed you? Or could the real enemy in your life be unseen to the natural eye? Let’s take a closer look at what I believe is one of the greatest deceptions of our day.
Just as God is looking for people to flow in His love and grace, the devil is also looking for those who will flow in his evil plans of death and destruction. As an adult, I am now aware that the people behind my abuse were never my real enemy, but simply vessels used by the devil to try and destroy me. The devil was the author behind my abuse and God was the author behind my rescue!
The truth is that no weapon formed against us shall ever prosper and every evil tongue that rises against us, the Lord will condemn. What the enemy meant for our evil, God will turn it around and use it for His Kingdom purposes. Jesus can make purpose out of our pain.
Here is a spiritual key that will help free you from your past: HATE THE DEVIL AND NOT THE PEOPLE HE USES!
You have a choice today – will you be used to flow in God’s love and grace? Or will you be a vessel used to bring death and destruction? Do you mean that I can be used by the devil? If you allow hate, gossip, slander, offense, abuse, murder, destructive words or any evil thing to borrow your mouth or actions – you are being used for enemy purposes. But the reciprocal is also true; you can be used for God purposes as well. God can use your mouth and actions to speak and show His love to those you come into contact with today. Selah (pause and think about this for a moment). Whose voice will you follow today?
Prayer:
“Lord, forgive me for every evil thing I have ever said or done. I no longer want to be used to bring death and destruction, but life and hope to those who are hurting. I give You my mouth, that I may speak Your Words. I give you my ears, that I may hear your voice. I give you my mind, that I may think Your thoughts. I give you my feet, that I may walk out Your will for myself and for others. Please use my entire being God to bring healing and restoration. I acknowledge that my real enemy is not made of flesh and blood, but spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. I choose to serve God this day and forevermore.” Amen.
by Tracy | Tuesdays With Tracy, Warfare
“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of Grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16, NKJ
As Believers we have a responsibility to go boldly before the throne of Grace and ask of what we need. We are to ask on behalf of ourselves as well as for others and the world as a whole. God is looking for those who will call forth His will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Just this morning I found myself crying out for God to move in 3 particular areas. Will you join and agree with me in prayer for God to move on our behalf today?
1. We need RAIN! It has been reported in Georgia that in just 3 months (January), if we do not receive an outpouring of rain, we will no longer have drinking water. Kentucky has just 20 days until their drinking water is gone. And now California is in need of rain due to the fires across the state. We are in a serious drought and only God can help us. I also believe that as we cry out for rain in the natural, we also need to pray for the REIGN of God to pour out over the earth. We are in a natural and spiritual drought – we need the natural rain and the reign of God to fall on the earth.
2. God’s choice for President in the 2008 Election! It is time that we put aside our differences (i.e. party affiliations), opinions and what the news media reports. We must listen for God’s voice concerning who is to be our next president. Just as God sent Prophet Samuel to anoint David to be King – God has anointed a certain person to be our President in 2008. Let’s not be a “King Saul” and fight The Will of God! God knows the future and exactly whom we need to rule America in such a time as this.
3. Salvation for family & friends. During this Holiday season, let’s agree in prayer for those who need salvation and/or to return to God. The Holy Spirit is calling those who are lost to come home. Where there has been strife, envy, jealousy or unforgiveness – God wants to turn this around and bring forth His peace, joy, and grace. This can be a season of miracles – if we pray. All things are possible with God. When you look up the word “all,” it means “all.” Therefore anything can happen – if we believe! Let’s agree and declare salvation, healing and restoration over those we know and love.
God is looking for those who will pray His will to be done here on earth…will you be one of them?
Prayer:
“Lord, I ask for Your will to be done here on earth as it is in Heaven. Forgive me for my prayerlessness and stir up a desire within me to intercede on behalf of others, the world and myself. I am just one person, but Your word declares in James 5:16, that the prayer of a righteous person avails much! We call forth rain. We call forth the President You have anointed for 2008. We ask for salvation, healing and deliverance for our family and friends this holiday season. And most importantly, may the Spirit of God reign and rule over the earth.” Amen.
Photo above is from: www.freefoto.com
by Tracy | Inspirational, Tuesdays With Tracy, Warfare
Alyssa in her little green Crocs:)
“Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received the promise.” Hebrews 6:15
“For you have need of endurance so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.” Hebrews 10:36
Patience…it’s a word that most of us do not like. But, today I want to show you how vital the fruit of patience is to receive the promises of God in your life. Did you know that patience is also defined as endurance and perseverance? The Greek word for endurance is “hupomone.” (Please stay with me for a moment as we define the Greek word, “hupomone” and get a clearer picture of why patience is so imperative to our spiritual life). “Hupomone” means, “constancy, perseverance, continuance, bearing up, steadfastness, holding out and patient endurance”. “Hupo” literally means, “under,” and “mone” literally means, “to remain.”
Therefore, we can define patience as: “The ability to bear up under difficult circumstances, not with a passive complacency, but with a hopeful staying power that actively resists weariness and defeat.”
This is good news, because most of us give up too soon. Once we receive a promise from the Word of God we want an immediate manifestation of that promise – like NOW! But it usually does not work that way. Just as Abraham had to wait patiently before he received his promise – so do we. There is a slice of time between the PROMISE and the PROVISION where the POWER of PATIENCE is vital. You see, during this in-between time is when the enemy attacks you the most. The devil will do everything within his power to distract, discourage and pull you off track. When the attack comes – you will need the power of patience. You need the supernatural power of endurance to bear up under the trials of this life and ACTIVELY resist weariness and defeat. The truth is YOU WIN – if you do not lose hope!
I encourage you today to ask God for the power of patience to manifest in your life. Whether you need it now or sometime in the near future – the “hupomone” power of God will help you to wait patiently and receive your promise!
Prayer:
Lord, I need the power of patience in my life. Help me to bear up under difficult circumstances with a hopeful resilience that actively resists weariness and defeat. When the enemy comes like a roaring lion, I declare the supernatural power of endurance is manifested in my life. I will not give up. I will not lose sight. I will be victorious and receive ALL the promises of God in my life. Amen.
by Tracy | Practical, Tuesdays With Tracy, Warfare
Do not worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7, New Living Translation
Do you find yourself battling anxiety and fear over various issues in your life? If so, I have good news for you! You no longer have to worry about anything. I realize that you may have trouble believing that worry-free living is possible, but I was once a “professional worry-wart.” I will never forget the day I read the scripture above. I also didn’t think this was possible. I meditated on Philippians 4:6-7 for years (yes, I said years). Today I want us to take a deeper look into Philippians 4:6-7:
First, notice that Paul did not just tell us to “not worry.” Paul proceeded to tell us what to do in its place. He gave us the following steps for worry-free living:
1. Paul tells us to: Do not worry.
When worry begins to fill my mind, I try and catch myself and make myself STOP! In the beginning it took me hours to stop my worrisome thoughts because worry was a normal part of my day. However, by just simply recognizing these thoughts and choosing to STOP – I began to break the cycle. In order to STOP worrying, we must choose to STOP the thoughts and do the next step in its place.
2. Paul tells us to: Pray and tell God what you need.
What is it that you need in this particular situation? Instead of focusing on all the negative aspects and allow fear to take over – focus on the solution. Do you need Godly wisdom? Peace within your relationships? Do you need protection from the enemy? A raise to pay your bills? What is it that you really need to overcome this situation and then “tell God.” Be specific with God. If you are unsure of what you need, simply ask God for wisdom. He will show you exactly what you need in this particular situation. Ultimately, Jesus is our solution to every problem in this world!
3. Paul tells us to: Thank God for all that He has done.
What exactly has God done for you? Has He saved you? Rescued you? Loved you when you were still deep in sin? Healed you? What exactly has God done for you? Once you answer that question, begin to thank Him. When you begin to thank and praise God, your problems gets smaller and your God gets bigger! He is the same God that saved you, healed you, rescued you from hell and loved you when you were unlovable. He is the God who will take care of you and the situation you are facing today. Begin to thank Him for victory in that trial you are currently facing. He is a God who promises in Psalm 138:8, to perfect that thing which concerns you.
4. The result:
Peace, peace and more peace. Peace for your mind and heart that is more wonderful than you can even comprehend! It’s a peace that surpasses all understanding! You do not have to live the rest of your life in worry and fear. You can live in God’s peace. I encourage you to walk out this scripture everyday. If you do – you will daily walk in the peace of God! It may take time (from one former worry-wart to another – it took me a few years to totally conquer this) but praise God I am free as long as I choose to stop my fearful thoughts, tell God what I need and thank Him for ALL that He has done!
The result: Worry-free Living!
Prayer:
Lord, please help me to recognize when I am entertaining worry and fear in my mind. I want to live worry-free and experience Your peace. Give me the discernment to stop anxious thoughts and to tell you what I need. I long to be focused on The Solution: YOU! I recognize that when I tell You what I need and thank you for Your answers, that I will experience a peace that surpasses all understanding. I know this may take some time Lord, but I want to live my life worry free! Thank you Jesus for providing these steps to receive Your wonderful peace! Amen.
