"JOURNEY WITH SPIRIT"
- Joyce (JOY) Be Lynda Russaw
Today is a good day- to have a good day!
There will be moments when a life event will cause you to STOP- and review your life's journey. You may be inclined to examine your path, former plans and examine where you are now and how it impacts your attitude and state of mind. Many of you will look at where you started in life and reflect on how God has blessed you. You accept the things that did not unfold in your favor, especially if you are updated on the status of people from your past.
You remember the crazy things you did for fun, now realizing it was God’s grace, that brought you to today.
In the quiet places of your mind, when you count your blessings instead of your burdens, you see that God has been faithful all along. In those times we questioned his answers to our prayers, or did not understand how God works, looking back_ we see He is/was always present, powerful, and good.
In recent years, life has presented the people of the world with some uncomfortable changes, if we think back on where we started_ and how far we have come…
The words- ‘Thank-you_ because I’m LIVING’ come to mind.
The book of Psalms is favored by many Bible readers. It is one of the most read books in the Bible- providing comfort and guidance in good times and during life’s difficulties. Life gives us a combination of situations to work through. Most of what we get, we are untrained for- yet we must face each experience with resources available. Although we do not have all the answers, we have the ability to absorb/learn/analyze- then transfer information into skills that guide our path to create corrective measures.
There are days when we try hard_ we just cannot get it right. But that is Okay. We are imperfect beings. I have limitations, and you must know that you have limitations. God is God without limits- he created us with limitations. He wanted his children to NEED Him. We need God- to guide and protect us as we traverse this thing called life. If your life was always a ‘walk in the park_’ you would not commune with Him as much.
But_ because roses in the most beautiful park have thorns_ so to do we have faults.
We seldom talk about the wrath of God or what it entails. We read scripture detailing the things that anger God, but we cannot possibly know the extent of his most horrific punishment- because time continues. As believers_ there is comfort in knowing what angers God and what we must do to avoid his wrath.
Scripture Nahum 1: 2 reads- ‘God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth; the Lord revengeth, and is furious; the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.’
When we look around at the inhumane acts against humans by humans, it is clear that some people are in complete denial of God’s existence. These same people who use scripture when it is advantageous, are the real enemies of God. They operate under the guidance of God’s adversary. God's adversaries are often those who oppose Gods will. Thus, an enemy of God is one who opposes the presence and purposes of God in this world. Any person who disobeys the Lord’s commands is declared to be God’s enemy.
This is an incomplete list of triggers to God’s wrath-
The wicked will not go unpunished.
God has a perversion to sin.
God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.
God, being the most powerful being in the universe, has limitless powers to create, build, or tear down, and destroy. Why would anyone want to be on God’s bad side?
God is Consistent
When the Bible says “stand still and see the salvation of the Lord,” what is your tip for keeping your sanity while you wait for God’s perfect timing? How do you remind yourself that the battle is not yours but God’s? Living in these moments of modern times_ we see first hand how powerful the outside world is in re-routing us from our planned path. Not God’s anointed path for us, but the path we created for our personal benefit.
When life is good, we move through each day like a well-oiled machine. If prices fluctuated_ we cut back on ‘happy hours.’ We changed our clothing allowance_ or cancelled a vacation.. but life moved forward. There was no need to worry or fret because governments, employers, and business_ took care of their own. I can remember profit sharing checks. CEO’s did not get the mega bucks of today, it was shared by the workers.
When we think we can fix this stuff_ we wait for the next election_ or the next spokesperson to stand up for us. It never occurs to us that voting results can be fixed or humans can be rented. But what does it mean when we say the battle belongs to the Lord? It’s about surrender. It’s letting go and allowing God to do what He believes needs to be done to solve our problems…if He decides they’re worth fixing at all.
When we give it to God_ it also means that we understand that sometimes He will choose not to get involved. It means that sometimes the greater benefit to our characters and our walk with Him is the lesson we will learn instead of a victory in whatever the situation may be.
You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you.
Evil walks the earth
There are unseen demonic powers roaming the earth and looking for followers of Christ. Their assignment is to disrupt your path of doing good. These powers seem to have no fear in dying, and no belief in God. Those who chose to follow a dark path, have chosen to doubt the powers of a sovereign God. Their agenda is to undermine the message that Jesus is the Christ- Son of God, risen from the dead.
King James Version (KJV) John 4:3 reads_ “And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.”
“Spirit of the Antichrist”
This demon called satan is shrewd and knowledgeable, he knows as Jesus said - a house divided against itself will not stand (Matt. 12:25). Knowing this to be true, causing division is central to the spirit of the antichrist.
When you look in our nation and around the world, dysfunction and disunion is every where. Not just in governments, but in homes, houses of worship, education, medicine, research, or where people were/are declaring that God is creator. It does not matter where this happens, when division is present, we are falling victim to the spirit of the antichrist.
While the spirit of the antichrist is a formidable foe, one day it will be defeated permanently. Until that time comes, YOU must know that the Holy Spirit living in YOU_ is greater than the spirit in the world. You must be able to recognize and be willing to confront the demonic spirit of this age.
God has placed you here at this moment and filled you with his Spirit, so you can be a voice to stand against the spirit of the antichrist in the world today. You can do this boldly and confidently because the greater Spirit is alive in you.
There will be times when a situation of ‘LACK’ is created as retribution. The creators of such situations must understand the hard learned feeling of hunger, cardboard in shoes, or being cold.
Lessons to be learned for evil doers-
Make the world a livable place for all people, it is all we are promised.
Support the infrastructure- the roads traveled by me are not for colored only.
The air we breathe- cannot be gerrymandered.
The water cannot be distributed to white only.
All things expire
You cannot destroy ethnic groups (the Native Indian).
Big business needs the little people to buy their products.
God_ frowns upon arrogance and wealth.
Karma- is beyond human control
Lack pushes us to frugality, stocking up for a rainy day, and preparing for the unexpected and unanticipated. Those are the times in which we live.
It is those who know the bitterness of ‘lack,’ who will protect democracy & savor the joy freedom.
We believe that our troubles are the worst thing that could happen to one person. Our fears and problems are only giants in our lives, but if you are in a group setting- where everyone is sharing their problems, you may hear of some giants, that cannot be defeated. Difficulties have levels of intensity. Some cause minor or major stress, but others can be fatal. Ask yourself, are my troubles really troubles? Or are they just the lessons that life is giving to me?
We all face adverse circumstances. But adversity isn't the villain that many people see it to be. In fact, it's often one of the best teachers that we'll ever have in our lives. But just as we can't learn from anyone if we don't pay attention to what they're saying or doing, we can't learn from adversity if we don't pay attention to what it's trying to teach us.
What kinds of troubles are you facing right now? Can your financial difficulties push you into learning more about financial management? Can your relationship problems gently push you into learning more about dealing with other people and communicating more effectively? Some people just have a way of sitting back and waiting for solutions, while others view every im-perfect event as ‘a lesson we need to learn,’ when it’s just life_ waiting to be lived.
Any act initiated from hell against you is a criminal act. If it is a temptation intended to influence you into unGodly behavior_ it is against God’s Law and punishable by Him. The devil is still God's enemy. He is a vengeful demon_ defeated and kicked out of heaven, he retaliates against weak vessels.
He comes after God’s children to take our inheritance.
Yes_ we are in a spiritual war, not of our choosing.
Jesus prayed for you, Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name. As God’s children, we are assured an inheritance from Him, and being guarded by the Almighty Himself our inheritance/portion is secure. No one can steal it from us and satan cannot block it. We are -heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. This heavenly heritage is God’s purpose and will for us. We receive the promise of our inheritance by hearing the word of truth and believing in Christ.
Answer to satan’s retribution against God’s children.- As believers, any portion taken from you by the enemy we have Kingdom authority to command the release of that portion -with interest paid. This may apply to what is happening today.
One day, we will take possession of our portion, our heritage, our inheritance. We do not have the full enjoyment of it at present, but we walk . . . in hope, and we do not see the thing as if it were present, but we see it by faith.
Even as the world gives itself liberty to trample us underfoot, trying us with many temptations, God humbles us in such a way that we may seem defeated, but we can be rescued. And seeing that the Holy Spirit reigns in our hearts, we always have something for which to give praise- even amid all our temptations. . . . Therefore, let us rejoice, mourn, grieve, give thanks, be content, wait.
If we win_ we rise to fight another day.
Trials, challenges, or any life event that does not serve our good is usually not welcomed. When faced with the unexpected, our response may be one that is new and unexpected. We are taught lessons that prepare us for life, but some trials only come once in a lifetime__ and you can never know how or what to do. But there is one certainty throughout life’s trials_ GOD.
When trials come, learn to trust God to help and to bring a beautiful harvest of growth and purpose. His Word assures us that He will bring life, hope, and promise to you in any situation. When you respond to trials the Lord’s way, the difficulty that threatened to harm you actually enriches your character and prepares you to do greater works for Him.
The scripture provides a record of the intense suffering of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane. Christ knew that by bearing our sin, He was about to endure not only a gruesome crucifixion but also the full force of the Father’s wrath. That’s something no other child of God will ever have to experience, because Jesus’ agony achieved mankind’s redemption. We know that whatever trial awaits, God will be by our side, supporting us through it.
What trial are you facing? Do you have confidence that God is in control? Let the Gethsemane experience be your example in times of trouble. Our Savior fully trusted His Father and accepted His will. Don’t forget that our sovereign God limits the length and intensity of our pain. Even though he watches His children suffer, He loves us enough to allow it because in the end, we will ultimately benefit.
When we embrace His chosen path for our lives- while we apply the lessons learned from His holy Word _ we will be the beneficiaries of a beautiful harvest of growth and purpose.