PERSONALIZE THE WORD!
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life (John 6:63).
The word used by Jesus for “words” in our opening verse is the Greek word “rhema.” He said, “… the rhema that I speak UNTO YOU, they are spirit and they are life.” “Rhema” is God’s Word for you; His personal Word to you in the NOW! It’s a definite word to a definite person, for a definite purpose and at a definite time. Notice Jesus didn’t say, “The words I speak to everybody, they are spirit and they are life”; He’s very specific; He says “the words that I speak unto YOU!” He’s talking to you.
There’s something exciting and beautiful about how God deals with His children; He relates with you uniquely and specifically as though you’re the only one on the face of the earth. So when you hear or study His Word, especially in the Epistles, personalize it, for He’s talking to you. The Greek word is “katalambano” which means “to take hold of something and make it personal to you”; “to arrest and take possession of!” So when you hear God’s Word, arrest and take possession of it; apprehend it and make it yours; take a hold of it and make it personal to you! That’s exactly what God wants us to do with His Word.
When His Word comes to you, don’t say, “He’s talking to us.” No! He’s talking to YOU! Apprehend and personalize that Word. Jesus said something powerful about this in John 15:7, that once you’ve apprehended His Word, that is, taken a hold of it and allowed it to dwell in you, you can ask what you will and it shall be done unto you: “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”
What Jesus is saying here is that when you personalize the Word and make it yours, then you can ask anything you want, and even if it doesn’t exist, it’ll be created for you! Glory to God!
Prayer
Dear heavenly Father, I thank you for your Word that dwells richly in my heart and for its power to produce a transformation in my life! Thank you for the rhema-word you have for me today, my heart and mind are open to receive that personal Word of power, victory and triumph; that Word that puts me over and causes me to excel in everything I lay my hands to do today, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY: Luke 4:4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
1 Year Bible Reading Plan:
13:31-14:14
2 Kings 2:23-25
2 Year Bible Reading Plan:
1 Corinthians 14:20-30
Proverbs 24
BE STRENGTHENED WITH MIGHT IN YOUR INNER MAN!
For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; (Ephesians 3:14-16).
The Greek word translated “might” is “Dunamis,” which refers to inherent power that reproduces itself. The use of the word “might” instead of “power” however means that apart from divine ability, it also connotes excellence on the inside. God wants you to be strengthened with might in your inner man; He wants you to be energized with ability in your human spirit! That’s where you need the strength of God, for that’s where your character is built.
The inward man needs to be strengthened with ability by the Holy Ghost so he can do the things he should do and refuse to do the things he shouldn’t do. When the inner man is weak, he is unable to control the outward man. This is why sometimes, some Christians want to pray but find it difficult to do so. For some others, studying the Bible becomes a drag to them. But how do you strengthen your inner man? It’s through the Word of God and prayer.
When you spend time studying and meditating on the Word, added to speaking in tongues regularly, your spirit will be invigorated with might—miracle-working ability. When that power is stirred in your inner man, it becomes easy for you to overcome any adverse situation. The whole world becomes small to you, and you see that really, nothing is impossible to you. This is the reason God wants you to be strengthened with might in your inner man.
There’re so many things you can’t do if your inner man is weak. For one, you won’t be able to preach the gospel effectively. You’d always hesitate and debate within yourself whether or not to preach to someone. But when you’re strengthened with divine enablement in your inner man, it won’t be hard for the Holy Ghost to get you to talk to somebody about Jesus. Plus that, you’ll love to praise God, and relish studying His Word. Strengthening your inner man is a building of strong spiritual character
PRAYER
Dear Father, I thank you for granting me to be strengthened with miracle working ability in my inner man, by your Spirit! I declare that Christ is dwelling in my heart by faith, and I’m strong in the Lord and in the power of His might, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY
Ephesians 6:10
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Colossians 1:9-11
For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
YOU DON’T HAVE TO PRAY FOR YOUR NEEDS
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).
In this verse of scripture the Apostle Paul was referring to material needs. In the fifteenth verse of the same chapter he said, “Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me concerning giving and receiving, but ye only” (Philippians 4:15). This must refer to some supply that Paul received. He said no church communicated with him concerning giving and receiving except the Philippian church, then he went on to say, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
Paul wasn’t making a promise to the Church on God’s behalf. Rather, he had come to know God’s ways of doing things—that He supplies not just some but ALL our needs! This means you don’t have to pray about your needs! By that I mean you don’t need to pray, “Oh God, I need this, or I need that,” for the Word already declares that He shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. This means your needs are automatically entered into God’s supply system.
Therefore, when you recognize a need—maybe your rent or mortgage is due—you don’t need to pray, “Oh God, please I need money to pay my house rent.” That wouldn’t work. What you ought to do is declare, “I have my needs met according to God’s riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Therefore, in the Name of Jesus, I receive money for my rent!” As a matter of fact, you ought to have said this and received the funds long before the rent was due. Now, that’s not because God won’t have enough time to supply you the money if your rent is already due, but because you’ll be putting yourself under pressure that way.
So let your declaration all the time be this: “I’ll never be behind on my payments. I have the money to pay well ahead of time, in the Name of the Lord Jesus, because I live in super-abundance. My needs are supplied in abundance, according to God’s riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Now, you’re not merely saying this, but just as Paul declared in 2 Corinthians 4:13, you also “…having the same spirit of faith…believe, and therefore speak.”Hallelujah!
Prayer
Dear Father, I thank you for supplying all my needs according to your riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Therefore, I’m never in lack or want, for you’re my Shepherd and great provider; you’ve brought me into a large place of superabundance, where I prosper and all my needs are met, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY: Psalm 23:1-2 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
Matthew 6:7-8 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
1 Year Bible Reading Plan: 1 John 12:20-50; 2 Kings 18-19
2 Year Bible Reading Plan: 1 Corinthians 14:1-9; Proverbs 22
Obey Spiritual Instructions
And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams (1 Samuel 15:22).
When you’re given spiritual instructions, it’s so important that you not only understand them, but also act on them. For example, a minister may give an instruction in a congregation that those who want to give their hearts to Christ should stand up and come forward.If someone in that congregation who wants to be born again refuses to stand up and step out, thinking, “Must I go out there? I can give my heart to Christ right here,” he’s already acted in disobedience to that instruction of the Spirit and is most unlikely to leave that place born again.
The Bible says God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). Pride can be very difficult to define, but one of the best ways to identify it is when there’s resistance to authority. That’s because pride always leads to disobedience. And resistance to spiritual authority is one of the things the Spirit of God warns us strictly against.
Remember King Saul of Israel. God had instructed through Samuel the prophet that Israel spare none but completely annihilate the Amalekites and all their livestock.But Saul and the people kept alive Agag the King of Amalek and the best livestock they found in the land. Saul had an intelligent reason for disobeying the instruction; he said he kept the best livestock because the people wanted to offer them as sacrifice to God. But Saul’s responsibility as king was to ensure the people obeyed God, so God wasn’t pleased with his reason. As a consequence of His disobedience, Saul lost the throne of Israel and the kingdom was removed from his lineage.
When Saul disobeyed God’s instruction, Samuel told him, “ …to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken (listen to and heed instructions) than the fat of rams.” The Spirit of God is giving you the same admonition today. Therefore, when spiritual instruction is given, obey it, for in your obedience lies your blessing.
Prayer
Father, I thank you for you’ve called me obedient and you’ve given me the ability to be same. Therefore, I declare that pride, stubbornness, and rebellion are not a part of me. I walk in obedience to your Word and to the spiritual instructions I receive, and I enjoy the blessing and benefits thereof, in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Further Study:
1 Samuel 15:23
For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
1 Peter 1:14
As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
1 Year Bible Reading Plan: John 12:1-19, 2 Kings 16-17
2 Year Bible Reading Plan: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Proverbs 21
TRUE WORSHIP: A UNION OF YOUR SPIRIT WITH GOD’S SPIRIT!
But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the father in spirit and in truth: for the father seeketh such to worship him (John 4:23).
In the verse above, Jesus outlines true worship as that which is done in spirit and in truth. This means worshipping the Father from your spirit and according to His Word. True worship involves a union of one’s spirit with God’s Spirit. Thus, it’s only if you’re born again and filled with the Holy Spirit that you can truly worship the Lord in spirit and in truth.
Today, the goats, bulls, blood, incense and all the articles of worship in the Old Testament temple have been done away with. In fact, Hebrews 10:4 clearly states that “…it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.”
We are now in vital fellowship with the Father. There’s now a union of our spirits with His Spirit. It’s not just in the singing or the words we offer in worship, but in the fellowship that takes place in the realm of the spirit as we worship the Lord.
This is why, sometimes, as you worship, you feel enraptured—taken away from the earth-realm into the warmth of God’s Spirit. You find yourself completely oblivious of everyone and everything around you as God’s glorious presence envelopes you. That’s because there’s a union of your spirit with God’s Spirit. This blessing is for everyone who’s born again. We’re the ones who worship the Father and experience such a glorious transportation into His presence, as our spirits are mingled with His.
Prayer
Dear Father, I thank you for my fellowship with you through the Holy Ghost! Right now, as I lift my heart to you in worship, I thank you for the divine transportation, heavenly blessings and glorious infilling of the Spirit that I experience in your holy presence. Thank you for bringing me into such vital union with you, in Jesus’ Name. Amen
FURTHER STUDY:
1 Corinthians 6:17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
Philippians 3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
1 Corinthians 12:13
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
1 Year Bible Reading Plan
John 11:1-16
2 Kings 10-12
2 Year Bible Reading Plan
1 Corinthians 12:12-21
Proverbs 19
BE MOVED TO PRAY
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men ( 1 Timothy 2:1).
Prayer, usually, is the response to the impression of the Spirit in our hearts. It can also be a response to the impression the circumstances of other people make upon our hearts, which makes us decide we want to cause a change. I remember the testimony of a young girl who was retarded and bedridden due to juvenile arthritis. She could only move around in a wheelchair, and the only part of her body she could move was her neck, as the disease had stiffened her whole body.
She was taken to a miracle-service, and while in that meeting she wept and called on the Lord to help her. Some others saw her and began to pray for her too. As they interceded for her, she told the lady beside her she wanted to get up. Though her hands and legs felt heavy and painful, she managed to stand up. As others prayed for her, the lady encouraged her and said, “Don’t worry, go ahead and move your hands and legs. The Lord has healed you.”
Although it was difficult for her to move, she was encouraged by the faith of everyone present and took her first step. They all erupted in thanks and praise to the Lord as she took another step, and then another one, and right before their eyes she began to run around the room! That happened just because those believers around her were moved to pray for her. They weren’t moved by pity but by compassion.
There’s so much we can do and change in the lives of others if we’d only intercede for them. Thank God for the wonderful life you have, but there are people who are going through a lot of hurt for whom you must be moved to pray.
Never become callous and unfeeling, to the point that you’re not moved by the conditions of the sinners and others who are suffering around you. The Bible says of the Lord Jesus that He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities (Hebrews 4:15). Let that be your description as well. Let the plight of the poor, the sick, and the downtrodden move you to intercede for them and cause a change in their lives.
Prayer
Father, in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray today for all who are suffering; especially your children, who are sick, displaced, hurting or experiencing any form of pain, that by your Spirit, and through the ministry of angels, help, succor and comfort will come to them. I pray that the faith, courage and strength they need to come out victorious be ministered to them in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY:1 Timothy 2:1-4
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN
John 10:22-42; 2 King 8-9
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN
1 Corinthians 12:1-11; Proverbs 18