Winning The War Within

Pastor Andre Butler


For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds --2 Corinthians 10:3-4

Paul is very clear in this verse that believers are in the midst of war. But in this war we don’t use natural means of fighting because we're not warring against flesh and blood. In other words, we don't pick up swords, spears, or even a gun.

However, we do have weapons. One weapon is the Word of God, and another is the anointing of God. Paul again says that our weapons aren't carnal, or natural weapons. Our weapons are actually spiritual, and they are mighty through God. If we are in war, and we have weapons of war, then we must have an enemy, and our enemy must have weapons of his own.

Be assured that our enemy is going to do everything in his power to destroy us with his weapons. God has given you the ability to triumph over every situation, but Satan is going to come and attack you. You may have already become very familiar with his attacks.

Satan knows that if he allows you to follow God without intercepting you, without trying to impede your progress, eventually you will do everything that God has called you to do, and Satan will lose big time. The Bible, therefore, teaches you to put on the whole armor of God so that you can defeat Satan when he attacks you.

When you’re in a war, it’s wise to have knowledge about your enemy's weapons so you can prepare appropriately. It's not good to step out in the midst of battle without a clue as to what the enemy's going to do against you. This principle applies to believers as well. Many Christians have struggled and lived on the same level year after year, unable to beat some area in their lives because they don't understand the weapon Satan is using against them.

No matter what your areas are, the battleground that you must win is in your mind. You may not become an expert right away in dealing with this, but if you keep working at it, you’ll be vigilant, sober, and alert when Satan comes to bring something your way. You won’t let anything through.

God's weapons are stronger than Satan's weapons.
God's Word is stronger than Satan's thoughts.

The weapon that God has given us, His Word, is stronger than any weapon that Satan has. When Satan brings thoughts against your life, you need to recognize that they’re not of God. You need to cast those thoughts down and replace them with the spoken Word of God.

This worked every time for Jesus, and it will work every time for you. Trouble cannot defeat you. The only thing that can stop you is you. If you allow Satan to cause you to lose the war within, then you'll be defeated.

Gifts Of The Spirit

Image via Wikipedia

Dr. Frederick K.C. Price



Many people make the mistake of lumping together speaking with tongues with the gift of divers kinds of tongues, one of the nine gifts of the Spirit recorded in 1 Corinthians 12. They are not the same manifestation; yet some people and churches say that speaking with tongues and the gift of tongues are one and the same, and use that as an excuse to get out of doing what the Word of God declares.

You need to be careful about what translation of the Bible you read, because many versions of the Bible were translated by people who do not believe in speaking with tongues, or that speaking with tongues is for every Believer. For example, here is how 1 Corinthians 14:2 is translated in The Living Bible:

But if your gift is that of being able to "speak in tongues"....

The way this verse is translated is incorrect, because when you are filled with the Spirit and speak with other tongues, it is not the gift of tongues. The translator is injecting a theological point of view to show that since not everyone has the same gift, not everyone has to speak with tongues. It can seem like a very clever argument to people who are not well-versed in the Word of God.

Let me show you where all the confusion has come from on this point. In 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, Paul writes:

There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

Paul is talking here about the gift of different or divers kinds of tongues. The gift of tongues is for public assembly, and should always be accompanied by the companion gift of interpretation of tongues. The rare exception to this is when God speaks to an individual through the person doing the speaking. In other words, one person will speak with the gift of tongues, but to the person to whom the message is addressed, it will be in a language he or she will understand.

Notice also that Paul says, "To one is given the word of wisdom." That means the word of wisdom is not given to everyone. Neither is any of the other gifts of the Spirit, including the gift of divers kinds of tongues.

Now read 1 Corinthians 12:28:

And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.

What Paul is describing in this verse are the ministry gifts. There is another rendering of these gifts in the fourth chapter of Ephesians, and if you compare the lists in both of these scriptures, you will find they are the same, with one notable exception.

Notice, Paul starts out by saying apostles. Apostles are people, and they are a ministry gift. Then he says prophets. Prophets are people. Next, he says teachers, and teachers are people. But then Paul says miracles, gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. These are not people. However, they are tools that equip the people to stand in the offices of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher.

The gifts of the Spirit are not for everyone in the Body of Christ. They are actually for the ministry gifts God places in the Church. Nevertheless, every person in the Body of Christ who is filled with the Spirit may on occasion be used by the Spirit in any one of the manifestations of these nine gifts.

Speaking with tongues, on the other hand, is for your personal spiritual enrichment. It does not need an interpretation like the gift of tongues does, because it is simply you speaking to God. An easy way to remember the difference between speaking with tongues and the gift of tongues is that speaking with tongues is man talking to God; it goes from earth to heaven. The gift of tongues, on the other hand, comes from heaven to earth, because it is God speaking through man to other men.

The Best Gift

Alan Riley

If you travel in the mountains of North Georgia, you might pass by a church with the unusual name of Dewberry Baptist Church #2. If you drive on a little while longer, you will come upon another church called Dewberry Baptist Church. When I first encountered these two churches years ago, I asked a friend of mine who was the resident Baptist historian for North Georgia about it. His face lit up. "Oh, that's a great story. That church split over a chicken leg."

Well, now I was hooked. I had to hear the rest of the story. It is, as they say, a doozy! It seems that in the mid-1800s a controversy arose in the congregation of Dewberry Baptist Church about the doctrine of predestination. About half of the congregation had strong feelings about pro-predestination and the other half had very strong anti-predestination beliefs. At the height of the controversy, the two chief proponents - or antagonists might be a better description - of the two points of view were sitting across from each other at a covered dish dinner. At some point in the meal the non-predestination ringleader turned to the predestination ringleader and said, "You mean to tell me that before the beginning of time I it was predetermined that I was to eat this drumstick?" "Yes, brother, you were" replied the other.

The non-predestination leader then said, "HA!", threw the chicken leg across the room and walked out. About half of the church walked out with him. They started a new church, but did not want to give up the church name to "those people," so they named their new church Dewberry Baptist Church #2.

Today, many years later, the controversy is long forgotten, and the two churches get along wonderfully.

Have you ever noticed how easy it is for us to allow ourselves to get sidetracked by things that aren't even a blip on the radar in the grand scheme of eternal consequences? We all can tell horror stories that we have either experienced personally or have heard from someone who was there about churches splitting apart over the color of carpet, the shape of the chandeliers, the style of music, the pastor's salary, building programs, or any number of things that in the context of eternity are utterly meaningless.

This is exactly what motivated the Apostle Paul to write one of the most, if not the most beautiful passages in the entire Bible: I Corinthians 13. We know these four paragraphs of Paul's letter as "the love chapter," but many people don't realize the context in which it is placed. The gist of I Corinthians 13 is that if we as followers of Jesus Christ do not have love as our overarching goal, aim and passion, then we are worthless to the world and to the Kingdom.

The Corinthian Church had many problems, and one of them was that people were using the gifts of the Spirit, and tongues in particular as some sort of spiritual merit badge. Those who exercised the gift of tongues felt they were more spiritual than others, which apparently caused other people to seek earnestly after that gift so they, too would be considered spiritual. In chapter 12, Paul states clearly that God gives a variety of spiritual gifts to people so the church can function well. Just as the eye can't say to the hand, "I don't need you" we cannot say that one gift is more important, or spiritual than another.

At the end of chapter 12, Paul says, "I will show you a more excellent way." His next paragraph (what we know as Chapter 13) begins with, "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal..."

Here is what Paul is saying to you and me in those four brief paragraphs: All of the things that we would use to boast of our spirituality or advance the Kingdom are meaningless and worthless unless love rules our lives and our actions!

Want to be a spiritual giant? Let God's love consume you and guide everything that you do. See the world - and the church - through the eyes of Jesus and with the heart of God the Father. Love others as you are loved.

That is the most excellent way.

Is Your Gift Bigger Than You?

Image by sadelux via Flickr

Bishop Donald Hilliard

"O Lord, who may dwell on Your holy hill? He who walks with Integrity." Psalm 15:1-2 NAS

You wouldn't give your 5-year-old a 12-gauge shotgun or a big Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Shotguns and motorcycles are great - but they're for adults. You need maturity to handle them. Giving such gifts to your child would endanger them, and everybody else around them. The gifts just don't fit the person.

Perhaps you're a talented individual. God's given you some large gifts like the ability to speak well, or organize things, or create and design. But we sabotage ourselves when our gift becomes bigger than we are. How does this happen? When we begin to lean on the talents God gave us and don't mature emotionally and spiritually - we ruin our chance to use those talents as God designed them. When our character doesn't keep up with our talent, we learn to "wing it" through life. We live on the surface but lack real strength underneath. And it shows up when the crisis hits, the storm comes, or we are under pressure. You can't "wing it" when it comes to character building.

The greater the size of your gifts, the more you must dedicate time to developing your character. Eugene Peterson paraphrases the Psalmist in The Message: "God, who gets invited to dinner at your place? How do we get on your guest list? Walk straight, act right, tell the truth. Don't hurt your friend, don't blame your neighbor; despise the despicable. Keep your word even when it costs you, make an honest living, never take a bribe. You'll never get blacklisted if you live like this" (Ps 15:1-5 TM).

So, do you live that way?

Stir Up the Gift In You

Bishop Keith Butler

Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:6-7 (KJV)

The healing power of God is inside of believers. On the inside of you is the healing that you need on your physical body. You may say, "How do I get it out on my body?" I'm glad you asked the question. I Timothy 4:14 says, "Neglect not the gift that is in thee." Now, the word "neglect" means this: to ignore or to be careless of. So it says, don't ignore the gift that's in you. Don't be careless about the gift that's in you. He said, neglect not the gift that is in thee. Which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

In II Timothy 1:6, (Paul still writing to Timothy) says to stir up the gift for God has not given us the spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind. Don't be afraid to access the gift that is within you.

Well, what gift is that? The Holy Ghost. And the Holy Ghost is the manifestation of God's healing power. There is no healing power in the earth that is apart from God. Healing comes from God. Healing power is God. When God touches you, you get healed.

So it is necessary to stir up the gift that is in you. That's why we can't go to church and just shout all day. There is a time to shout, but there is also a time teach to the word of God too. That way we will know what we're shouting about.

So act on the word of God today and see the power of God work in your life.

Scripture Reference: James: 1:21-25

Official Lucky Rooster Merchandise Available

Official Lucky Rooster Merchandise Available

Posted using ShareThis

Free The Scott Sisters

Free The Scott Sisters

Posted using ShareThis

Faith

“Faith is a light of such supreme brilliance that it dazzles the mind and darkens all its visions of other realities, but in the end when we become used to the new light, we gain a new view of all reality transfigured and elevated in the light itself.”
Thomas Merton


Thomas Merton (31 January 1915 – 10 December 1968) was a 20th century American Catholic writer. A Trappist monk of the Abbey of Gethsemani, Kentucky, he was a poet, social activist and student of comparative religion. He wrote more than 70 books, mostly on spirituality, as well as scores of essays and reviews. Merton was a keen proponent of interfaith understanding. He pioneered dialogue with prominent Asian spiritual figures, including the Dalai Lama, D.T. Suzuki, the Japanese writer on the Zen tradition, and the Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh. Merton is the subject of several biographies.

Celebrating The Gift Of The Spirit

Bishop Jim Swilley


But to each one is given the manifestation of the [Holy] Spirit [the evidence, the spiritual illumination of the Spirit] for good and profit. To one is given in and through the [Holy] Spirit [the power to speak] a message of wisdom, and to another [the power to express] a word of knowledge and understanding according to the same [Holy] Spirit; to another [wonder-working] faith by the same [Holy] Spirit, to another the extraordinary powers of healing by the one Spirit; to another the working of miracles, to another prophetic insight (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose); to another the ability to discern and distinguish between [the utterances of true] spirits [and false ones], to another various kinds of [unknown] tongues, to another the ability to interpret [such] tongues. All these [gifts, achievements, abilities] are inspired and brought to pass by one and the same [Holy] Spirit, Who apportions to each person individually [exactly] as He chooses. (1 Corinthians 12:7-11, AMP)

The Gifts of the Spirit are:

G – od’s grace… the Gifts or Graces of the Holy Spirit…the “Charismata”…are available to us…

I – nfinite inspiration… the God-breathed unction inspires us to action and to good works…

F – ree flow… the Wind blows where it wills…in Him we live, and in Him we MOVE!...

T – imeless treasures… the Spiritual Gifts reveal the “I AM”…the God Who is in the NOW…

S – upernatural signs... “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord”…


O – mnipresent opportunity… God’s enabling Spirit can go anywhere…do anything…

F – irst fruits... Oh, what a foretaste of Glory Divine!...the Former and Latter Rain together…

T – ranscendant talents… we accomplish more in the Spirit than we ever could in the flesh…

H – eavenly help… “But you shall receive power after the Holy Spirit has come upon you”…

E – cclesiastical equipping… the Gifts bring life and give effectiveness to the Church…


S – pecial services… unique abilities… the Working of Miracles, Gifts of Healing, Gift of Faith…

P – entecostal power… “you shall be My witness…to the uttermost parts of the earth”…

I – nsightful information… Speaking with Tongues, Interpretation of Tongues, Prophecy…

R – eal revelation… the Word of Knowledge, the Word of Wisdom, the Discerning of Spirits…

I – nvaluable instruction… Helper/Teacher…the Spirit of Truth will lead you into all truth…

T – ransformational truth… Man cannot live by bread alone, but by every word that PROCEEDS (present tense) out of the mouth of God. The Gifts of the Spirit connect us with the “proceeding” Word of God.

A loose definition of the Greek word for “word” reveals that the Logos is what God has said, the Rhema is what God is saying. God is speaking IN THE NOW through the Gifts of the Spirit, and those gifts are available to every believer!

The Spiritual Gifts are for you!

Free The Scott Sisters

Free The Scott Sisters

Posted using ShareThis

Fruits or Fruit

Tanya James


“But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…” Galatians 5:22

For many years whenever I talked about this scripture, I would say the fruits (plural) of the spirit instead of the fruit of the spirit. I’m not sure if I just did not know what the correct words were or if I self consciously made it plural so that I could pick and choose which fruits to strive for.

I’m sure I’m not the only one that sometimes fails to be loving to EVERYONE I come in contact with … or what about that self control fruit … that one can be applied to so many areas of our lives. If I am really honest, I can clearly recall times when I have even made a statement similar to, “I may not have been faithful in completing my assignment but I was very kind.” Yes, I admit that I have been guilty of justifying my disobedience.

Guess what … I can try to justify it but it doesn’t really work that way … fruit being singular instead of plural is not a typo. What it tells me is that all nine of those things work together as one. We aren’t dealing with a smorgasbord. We don’t get to wake up each morning and pick one or two to walk in for that day. We must strive to apply all nine to our lives at all times.

I will be the first to admit that it is not always an easy task … for me, the fruit of the spirit have flown out the window in Atlanta traffic many of days … and let’s not mention when that boss in corporate America seems to know every button to push. Or what happens when that customer service representative just won’t listen and keeps cutting you off. However, just like every other mandate in the Word of God – it requires discipline and a daily (or hourly) dying to self.

Is walking in the spirit an easy task? Not always but it’s a mandatory one …

And if you have any questions about how you are doing in this area … back up in Galatians just a few scriptures and read about the works of the flesh, which are the complete opposite of the fruit of the spirit and let that be your checkpoint.

“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornications, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5: 19-21

The First Fruit Of Servanthood Is Love

Dr. Zachary Tims, Jr.

The passage in Galatians 5:22-23 shows us exactly what God expects from his people in how we ought to treat one another, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance…" Galatians 5:22-23.

The first and foremost Fruit of the Spirit is Love. Love is the rudimentary principle of the New Testament commandment illustrated by Jesus Christ, “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind….And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Matt 27:37-39.

And in John 13:33-34, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

Could the first fruit of Love be the characterizing factor that sets us apart from the unrighteous? Of course it is. Is there a reason why Jesus directed this statement to His disciples, the first original leaders of the New Testament church? I believe there is a reason.

The disciples were continually jockeying for position to get on Jesus’ highly esteemed good side, but he kindly rebuked this behavior telling them, “But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.” Matt, 23:11. These disciples were His front-line leaders, Apostles, Elders, Ministers, Deacons, and administration staff.

The first principle of Servanthood is love.

We have to apply the Servanthood factor to how we respond to God’s people. The point is that leaders ought to be the first ones compelled to show a demonstration of the Fruit of the Spirit. They are the examples for the rest of the church. Clearly, servanthood is demonstrated in how we are to love one another with the Jesus kind of love.

Now since the Fruit of the Spirit is one whole concept of Christ-like character, the Apostle Paul encouraged the church in Galatia, to “walk in the Spirit” and then he gave them instructions on how to fulfill that mandate through the Fruit of the Spirit. Love is just the top surface that peels off multiple layers of joy, peace, patience, endurance, kindness, goodness, humility, self-control, and faith.

A gentle answer, a soft spoken word in season, sincere compassion to reach out to the hurting, a listening ear, intercession, and empathy is what shows God’s people the love they deserve from leaders.

That’s why I believe the first fruit of servanthood modeled in the Fruit of the Spirit and exemplified in how we demonstrate our love, “one for another.”

Is Your Fruit Organic?

Milan Ford


About three weeks ago, my wife and I (along with our three children) moved to the city of Sandy Springs, a northern metropolitan suburb of Atlanta, Georgia. As most families often do, we decided to take a quick drive through our new neighborhood, and discover where all of the key checkpoints (i.e., gas stations, playgrounds, Mexican restaurants, etc.) were located.

That’s right; no neighborhood is complete without a good Mexican restaurant!

After just a few minutes up the road, we made a huge discovery. One that quickly made my wife smile, but made me grip the steering wheel in worry. There it was, right in our backyard:

A Whole Foods Market.

For those of you reading this today that are not familiar with Whole Foods Market, it is currently the world’s leader in natural and organic foods, with more than 270 stores located in North America and the United Kingdom. For nearly 30 years, this retailer has served as a vital tool in aiding millions of people in maintaining their health and wellness through greater food safety and dietary options.

So why would this make me grip the steering wheel in worry, you ask?

Well, (if I can be totally honest with you)…
…I’ve always been slightly afraid of the word ORGANIC.

Although it has become the rave of so many of my friends and peers, I just knew that something with the word ORGANIC in front of it would be a one-way ticket to the restroom. (insert big laugh here)

Not that I have ever been against healthy eating, I just refused to become one of those health food junkies that spends an half hour reading the back of every product in the grocery aisle. Be honest; all of us have at least one friend that we sort of hate to invite over our house for dinner, simply because they insist on telling us why everything we made for them to eat, is now (all of a sudden) bad to their health.

So on yesterday, I mustered enough courage to visit the Whole Foods Market store near our house, and as soon as I walked in, I realized I had walked into a whole new world. I must have been wearing a “Hi, I’m New Here” look on my face, because shortly after I entered inside, a store employee approached me and asked whether I had been to the store before.

I told him that I was, and immediately, school was in session.

He took me over to the fruit section and began to tell me the importance of purchasing and eating ORGANICALLY grown fruit. As he pointed to the hundreds of apples, oranges, grapes, strawberries, and other fresh fruit they had to offer there, he discussed how none of their fruit had been subjected to the harmful PESTICIDES most fruit farmers use to prevent insects from ruining their crops.

I decided to play devil’s advocate with him, so I asked, “What’s so wrong with pesticides, if their primary purpose is to prevent fruit from being ruined?” I just knew that question would trip him up.

Well, it didn’t.

He answered and told me that while pesticides prevent insects from ruining crops, the chemicals used to create them are not only toxic and harmful to humans, they also serve as fruit growth regulators, which simply means they promote artificial growth within fruit, often denying it of the nutrients it could provide when grown naturally. Or as he so eloquently called it, ORGANICALLY.

I’m sure by now you must be wondering if this is a disguised plug for a grocery store, but I promise you, it is not. The purpose behind this devotional is so much more important.

In Galatians 5:22-23, these words are found: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

After my rather in-depth lesson at the grocery store, I began to wonder later that day if at times the fruit we bear as believers today is grown organically…or whether it is covered with pesticides?

Sunday after Sunday, millions of believers all across the world are provided messages of hope and faith that are heard, but never practiced. Now more than ever before, we are encountering a community of faith that desires for God to protect them from the insects of this life, but will not do what is necessary to make sure that the fruit they bear can withstand their attacks beyond Sunday morning.

Although many hate to admit it, a large majority of religious television and church conferences today are unfortunately specializing in providing the Body of Christ with PESTICIDES; whatever it takes to keep believers happy and hopeful, without responsibility.

But when it comes to those who truly desire to mature and produce the kind of fruit that will last, fruit that as this passage in Galatians points out, no law can stand up against, the checkout line is very short.

Family, living a life that is pleasing to God is not easy.
I apologize on behalf of every leader who told you that it was.

Today, I challenge you to check out what kind of fruit your life is bearing.
Be mindful of what kind of fruit growth regulators you are listening to.

What Are You Serving?

Pastor Marquis Boone


Most people love to eat fruit. Doctors and nutritionists say fruits are good for you. The food pyramid also states that we should have 2-4 servings of fruit every day, because they are rich in nutrients.

Many are excellent sources of vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid, and potassium. They are also low in fat and sodium and high in fiber. Just as our physical body needs fruit everyday, our spiritual body needs to serve fruit everyday.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV)

This scripture says "Fruit of the Spirit". This is a biblical term that sums up the nine visible attributes of a Christian life. Many have struggled with this scripture; and said that each fruit is individual but we learn from scripture that these are not individual "fruits" from which we can pick and choose.

It is essential that we understand that the inscription of true spirituality and the signs of maturity in Christian growth are found not in the gifts of the Spirit; but relatively they are found in producing the fruit of the Spirit.

“There are no short cuts to maturity. It takes years for us to grow to adulthood; and it takes a full season for fruit to mature and ripen. The same is true for the fruit of the Spirit. The development of Christ like character cannot be rushed. Spiritual growth, like physical growth, takes time. When you try to ripen fruit quickly, it loses its flavor.” - Author unknown

So what’s the secret to successful fruit growing? Preparation, preparation, and preparation! There's an old gardening adage: “spend a shilling on the plant and a pound on the ground”. Good, well-prepared soil is essential to growing any type of fruit.This involves digging deep.

Sometimes we ask ourselves will we ever have all nine characteristics. Just continue to prepare your heart which is the soil. But remember it is our job not to just bear the fruit but to serve it to others.

A Blossom That Eternally Blooms

Pastor Paula White


A good way to determine how steadfast your faith in Christ is, and how completely you have given your life over to the leading of God’s Holy Spirit, is to consider the joyous message we are given in Galatians 5:22 – 25:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:22 – 25

These verses offer an awesome, inspiring, and deeply comforting revelation of how the Christian believer’s life, spirit, and actions should transform and manifest when truly “spirit-filled” and “delivered.” I can find no better description in the Bible of what a believer experiences, shares and expresses, when listening to, acting out of, and sharing the Spirit of God.

In other words: our lives should “bloom” with the fruit – the “blossom” -- or living proof, of the Holy Spirit within us! And people should be able to see our fruit – in our actions, our words, our lives…as clearly as we might see a juicy, ripe orange hanging from a branch as we pass by…or smell the delicious fragrance of beautiful tulip in spring.

In the verses from Galatians, the words “love,” “joy,” “peace,” “gentleness,” and “goodness,” immediately fill us with a gratitude to the Creator for His deep and abiding devotion to us. He is GOOD…and His Spirit fills us with His goodness, wraps us in His love, comforts us with His peace, and calms us with His gentleness – and define what true, lasting, and eternally accessible “joy of the Lord” is made up of.

“Longsuffering,” “meekness,” “faith” and “temperance,” are words that describe the characteristics we should display to the world as mature, Spirit-filled Christian believers. Hard won, steadily nurtured, carefully tended virtues – these are the sometimes painfully cultivated fruits of a harvest that the Spirit reveals through our patient, passionate, and persistent commitment to getting the best of what God has to offer!

There is another vital reason for nurturing the Holy Spirit within: it is only through the guidance of that “small, still voice” that we will be able to reap the sustenance of God’s grace, power, strength and fortitude during the darkest and most difficult seasons of our lives. His fruits within us are nourishing, empowering, and life-transforming characteristics that will show the world God’s omnipotence – as in our weakness, but through His strength, even while shaken, we stand…when everything around us tumbles.

So seek to cultivate the fruits of the Spirit that God reveals in Galatians…and in every season of life, you will be a walking testimony of God’s glory on our earth today – truly “a blossom in eternal bloom!”

Confer Not With Flesh and Blood

Bishop Keith Butler


But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood. Galatians 1:15-16 (KJV)

Paul gave no attention to what the people said. When he knew what God wanted him to do he didn't then go ask people what they thought about it. When you've heard from God you don't need to find out what your friends and family thinks about it. You just need to do it.

When you know that you know that you heard from God, you don't need a sign. You don't need to say, "Give me a sign Lord. Let a rooster cock-a-doodle-doo at midnight and I'll know it's your will." God doesn't lead you by signs; He leads you by His Spirit. When you pray daily, you will hear Him speaking to you.

Some folks don't pray until the emergency shows up. Now, I'm saying this jokingly, but I almost believe that when God hears certain voices praying, He says, "I haven't heard that voice in five years. They must be in trouble again." Since I'm on this point, there are also folks who don't go to church until things go wrong. God is not your Santa Claus. And he's not God-in-the-Box, where you wind Him up when you want to and out He jumps. God expects you to live for him with your whole life. He expects you to come before Him in prayer - all the time - daily, so that you can know that you know that you have His direction.

What you need is the Word and to follow the Holy Ghost. Paul said, I didn't confer with flesh and blood. If I had listened to people I wouldn't have a church, because people told me not to start it. You have to spend time in prayer, and let God show you what He wants you to do. Then when you know what God wants you to do, do it.

You mean God deals with me in the earth? Yes. He made you. He cares about you. Jesus died for you. Do you think He would then just leave you alone in this earth to fend for yourself until you die? No, He's involved in your life to the extent you will hear His word and obey His voice through prayer and fellowship with Him. He will show you what He wants you to do in life. And there is no need to confer with people when you have heard from God.

Scripture References: Isaiah 49:1, 5; Jeremiah 1:5; Romans 1:1

Why Do You Do What You Do?

Cindy Beall

I love the Holy Spirit.
He guides, counsels, comforts, and protects.

I appreciate the guidance that comes as a gentle nudge to write a much-needed note to a friend who is hurting. I am amazed at the counsel that falls from my lips when I have no earthly idea what to say to a woman in need. I adore the comfort I get when I am hurting and no one on this earth can do the trick. I love knowing that my children are protected within a hedge erected by the One True God.

But He also convicts.
And dang if I don't like that,convict.

Please don't misunderstand me. I love the outcome of conviction but am just not a fan of the discomfort that goes along with it. But, it's necessary. It's necessary for growth and a changed life. And I want a changed life.
I raise this issue of conviction with you because I have been slammed with it on every side in regard to a particular issue in my life.

My motives.
The why behind what I do.

Questions haunting me recently have had to do with the purity, or lack of it, behind why I do things or why I say things or why I write things or why I go to the places I go.

I think you get my point.

Do I do things I do to get my name out or to see what people think about me or to make sure I'm seen shaking the right hand or hugging the right neck? Do I want recognition so that my self-esteem and fleshly desires can be unhealthily fed? Do I comment or speak just to hear myself?

Sometimes.
Sometimes I do.

I want to have pure motives. I want to have an agenda that is solely about building the Kingdom of God. I want to get my desires out of the way long enough so that I can be fully yielded to what I absolutely know God has called me to do.

Still starving the flesh.
Is anybody hearin' what I'm sayin'?

Official Lucky Rooster Merchandise Available

Official Lucky Rooster Merchandise Available

Posted using ShareThis

Are You On Fire For God?

Pastor Andre Butler


"Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;" --Romans 12:10-11

What does it mean to be fervent in spirit? Well the word "fervent," if you want a clear definition, means to be hot, to boil, to glow, and to be earnest. And God says here that it is His will that as a believer you be hot in spirit, you boil in spirit, you glow in spirit, you be earnest in spirit. The will of God is that you not just have moments, but a lifestyle, where you are on fire for God. Living this lifestyle is a key to pleasing God as well as living the victorious life God wants you to live.

Show Your Love For The Word with this beautiful shirt,

It is vitally important that you not only become fervent in spirit, but that once you get there you stay fervent in spirit. One thing that can happen to believers is that sometimes they start off on fire, but then they allow Satan and their circumstances to cool them off. Yet, if you're not on fire for God you're not really pleasing God and you're not positioning yourself to receive what God wants you to receive.

God didn't say "be fervent in body." He didn't say "be fervent in mind." He said "be fervent in spirit." That's how God wants your spirit to be -on fire for him.

See, the devil doesn't want you on fire for God. Why? Because when he touches you he gets burned. Satan doesn't want you to really start causing him damage, so he tries to take you out ahead of time. You've got to make sure that you stay on guard. You need to be sober, vigilant, and make sure that staying fervent in spirit is your lifestyle. Then, Satan can't deceive you into stepping out of the will of God for your life.

You should be known for being fervent and not allowing the enemy in any way to quench that fire. This is important to God. There's no room in the Body of Christ for lukewarm Christians. Lukewarm Christians get picked off by Satan. Lukewarm Christians don't produce for God, and lukewarm Christians do not prosper in every area of life.

God wants the fire of the Holy Spirit to spread all across this world. He wants people on fire for Him everywhere preaching His Word, living His Word, and winning the lost. And if you want to be successful in helping Him save the world, then you need to be on fire for him. I want to encourage you to begin by making a decision.

If you've been on fire for Him already, then make a decision to stay on fire. If you've gotten a little lukewarm then make a choice today not to be lukewarm and to be on fire for Him again. That's how God wants you to live, and it really starts with a choice.

So choose to be hot for God!

Empowered By His Spirit

Brenda Gittens


"At that moment the Spirit of the LORD powerfully took control of him, and he ripped the lion's jaws apart with his bare hands. He did it as easily as if it were a young goat." (Judges 14:6).

In the Old Testament, we see many examples of where the Spirit of God would often come upon people, so that they could perform or accomplish specific duties or tasks. All of these moments and experiences were special, but the Spirit of the Lord almost never remained upon someone indefinitely.

There was one young man in the bible named Samson, who was blessed by the Lord as he grew up and the Spirit of the Lord began to take hold of him. One day on his way to a city named Timnah, he was attacked by a lion. The Spirit of the Lord came upon him and he tore the lion's mouth in two with his bare hands!

Sponsor AdAside from that incident of shutting the lion's mouth, he also triumphed over the Philistines because God's Spirit empowered him (Judges 15:14-20), and he became the judge of Israel for twenty years, and the Spirit gave Samson the strength and ability to subdue great numbers of his enemies and to accomplish great victories.

However, in the New Testament, after Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to help His followers, things did indeed change. Peter replied, "Each of you must turn from your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you and to your children, and even to the Gentiles - all who have been called by the Lord our God." (Acts 2:38-39).

We no longer need to wait for His Spirit to come upon us, for the Holy Spirit lives and dwells in all believers and worshipers. Today, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to resist the devil, accomplish, and perform great things for God. What a privilege we have - to be the temple of the Holy Spirit!

Today let's praise the Lord for the Spirit, who "helps us" and "pleads for us." And the Holy Spirit helps us in our distress. For we don't even know what we should pray. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will. (Romans 8:26-27).

The Spirit helps us to overcome temptations, triumph over evil and other things that will try to destroy us. Praise the Lord for the Holy Spirit that lives within us each and every day, and helps us to crucify and take off the old nature and put on and wear our new nature in Christ!

We are empowered by His Spirit!

Walk in Your Authority!

Dr. Creflo A. Dollar


You don't have to put up with the devil's oppression any longer. God has empowered you with the anointing to remove burdens, destroy yokes and to be an overcomer. The devil is a burden that can easily be driven away by exercising your God-given authority.

God has given you His Word and His Spirit as a defense against the devil's schemes. You've been clothed in the armor of God so "...that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil" (Ephesians 6:11). You have everything needed to defeat the devil whenever he shows up at your door. He will keep showing up because you possess something that he desperately wants-your God-given authority to rule and reign in the earth.

When God created Adam, he gave him dominion and authority over the earth (Genesis 1:26, AMP). However, when Adam rebelled against God, he turned his authority to rule over to the devil. Satan then had control over everything except the throne of God (2 Corinthians 4:4). Since Satan contaminated the ground with sin, God couldn't destroy Adam and make another man from the dust of the earth. Aren't you thankful that He had plan? He came to the earth as a man. Through Jesus' death and resurrection, he defeated Satan and took back our authority to rule (Hebrews 2:9, 14), and we have been restored to our rightful place of authority.

Jesus has all power and authority in heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18). Since we were raised with Him, we have all power and authority as well (Ephesians 2:4-7). Therefore, do not neglect your right to rule and reign in the earth. Every time the enemy tries to attack you, consider it an opportunity to exercise your power over him. You have the authority to declare what is lawful and unlawful in this earth, and to permit or to forbid things on the earth-even death (Matthew 16:18-19, AMP).

I challenge you to begin making demands in Jesus' name. John 14:13-14 says, "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it." The word ask means "demand." What you demand in Jesus' name (from the Word), He promises He will do. Understand that when you make a demand, you aren't demanding that God do things. Instead, you are demanding that the devil submit to the Word, to loose his hold and to stop his operations against you.

Faith is involved in exercising your spiritual authority. You must base your faith on what the Word says, not on circumstances. When circumstances do not change immediately, some people become discouraged and begin to speak doubt and unbelief. This only gives the devil dominion over their words, which ultimately defeat them. Don't hand over your authority to Satan through your words. Instead, break the power of the devil by walking in your authority!

From Wimps To Warriors

Bishop Vashti McKenzie


It may seem to some that we have been set up to fail. God has asked us to live a life that is humanly impossible. Our sinful nature still sends us emails, text messages and tweets. The good, that we want to do, goes undone and the sin, that should be avoided, starts to look real good.

We are fighting a life and death battle with the sin that wants to control our lives. That which seeks to kill, destroy, distract and disrupt does not fight fair or adhere to appropriate rules of engagement.

God has asked us to serve in a world that is a combat zone. The kingdom of God clashes violently with the kingdoms of this world. There is the pagan environment of 21st century idols, statues, consumerism, sorcerers, temples and secular humanism. The deck is stacked against us, because we have been asked to do what is humanly impossible: to go, teach and make disciples of all nations.

Sponsor AdJesus knew we'd need help. He promised another comforter and that promised help arrived when the day of Pentecost had fully come (Acts 2). This was not a result of a class or course, mind-bending chants, candle lighting, ointment application, potions, drink or pill. It was the Holy Spirit of the living God who transformed wimps into warriors with life giving attitude altering power.

The Holy Spirit transformed their fears into bold confidence. The disciples were hiding behind closed doors. Now, those who had run from the public were now running in public empowered to tell the gospel. Everyone heard the gospel in his or her own language. They testified before the Sanhedrin court with such confidence, that the report read that the religious leaders realized they had been with Jesus. (Acts 4: 13-31)

The Holy Spirit transformed their weaknesses and abilities into gifts. Peter had denied Jesus three times. Now, he was preaching his trial sermon. The church grew that day from 120 to 3,120. Talk about church growth! His activities and capabilities were clothed with a power not his own. Just his shadow crossing the path of the sick brought healing.

The Holy Spirit transformed their feelings of abandonment into an ardent advocacy for Christ. The disciples would travel from city to city teaching and preaching. They were stoned, thrown to the lions, beaten, jailed, hunted and mistreated. They were told to stop preaching in the name of Jesus. They didn't stop, but started a movement beyond their human capabilities because of the gifting of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit gave them power to be the Lord's witnesses from Jerusalem to the utter most parts of the world, and the gifts of the Spirit empowered them to do ministry. You shall receive power after the Holy Ghost has come upon you.

As it was for them, so it is for believers. The Holy Spirit transforms our wimpy tendencies into warrior proclivities. We are not defenseless. There are weapons of warfare for every warrior, weapons that are not carnal but spiritual to the pulling down of the strongholds of the enemy.

The hymn writer sings the warriors national anthem "Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me... make me, mold me....use me". With a fresh filling, the Holy Spirit will confront, convict and comfort. He will motivate you in spite of obstacles. He will bring calm in the midst of storms, warn you of impending danger and lead you to truth.

Life by GPS

Milan Ford


About a year ago, my wife and I decided to purchase a GPS (global positioning system) device for our new m-i-n-i-v-a-n. Sorry for the long pause there. It's just that as a 33-year old urbanite, it's still rather hard for me to believe I actually own a mini-van. Very humbling to say the least.

I was pretty excited about finally owning our own GPS; we had been talking about doing a few road trips with the kids for some time now, and the whole MapQuest thing wasn't getting a bit old.

I mean who in the world still finds enjoyment reading and carrying around a folder full of printed directions everywhere they go?

(there's a message hidden in that statement, but i'll have to tackle that some other day)

We decided to try it out the other day while coming back from church one day. The following are just a few life lessons we both learned along the way. All courtesy of GPS.

1. When turning on the device, a screen immediately popped up and told us that the driver of the vehicle should NEVER try entering any new coordinates into the device while driving.

I assume driving and trying to control the device at the same time is FAR TOO DANGEROUS.

2. When entering in a specific destination, the device gave us the option on whether or not we wanted to travel by AVOIDING any highways, intersections, or U-Turns.

3. We decided to enter the address of a restaurant we had been to several times before. To our surprise, the device took us a totally different route. A SCENIC ROUTE.

But one that was much faster.

4. While traveling, we just couldn't believe this device (controlled by a satellite 12,000 thousands miles in the air), could possibly know MORE THAN US about a community we have lived in for years.

We decided to test it out and turn the opposite way it had told us. Immediately after we turned, the device began RECALCULATING an alternative route that would take us to the destination we entered.

5. Once we arrived, we pulled aside to enter in a new destination, when suddenly, the device shouted out, "LOST SIGNAL." We discovered that our GPS will lose its signal whenever it has not been PROPERLY CHARGED. Considering we took it right out the box, we had to return home on our own.

Once we arrived back home, we realized something. Our GPS and The Holy Spirit have a lot in common. The lessons we learned unveiled the very way God desires to direct our lives every day.

The Holy Spirit is an incredible guide. One that is ready and willing to show us the path we are to follow in order to reach every predetermined destination God has established for us.

In fact, the only difference we discovered between our GPS and The Holy Spirit (besides the obvious difference in manufacturing companies), is that we decided to call our GPS...Anne.

The device talked to us so much along the way...we figured we might as well give it a name!

Related articles by Zemanta

• New GPS platform aims to save batteries (news.cnet.com)
• SAKAI's Intelligent Compaction System Proving Success (prweb.com)
• Where to Get Decent Car Global Positioning System Reviews (raunchyjohnson.com)