Exodus 17:8-16 – “Then came Amalek to fight with Israel at Rephidim.⁹ And Moses said to Joshua, Choose for yourself men, and go out, fight with Amalek tomorrow; and I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.¹⁰ So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and he went to fight with Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.¹¹ And it came to pass, when Moses lifted up his hand, Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hands, Amalek prevailed.¹² But Moses hands became tired; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat upon it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, the one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.¹³ And Joshua defeated Amalek with the edge of the sword.¹⁴ Then the LORD said to Moses. Write this for a memorial in a book and place it before Joshua; for I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.¹⁵ And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nasi: ¹⁶ For he said, Behold, as the LORD has sworn, the LORD will fight with Amalek from generation to generation.”

As I read, prayed, and pondered this morning, I was reminded of a key to victory in Exodus 17.

The Bible has many types and symbols that are revelatory for our Christian walk and spiritual development. 

• Amalek is a type of flesh, and one of the first wars Israel fought in the wilderness was Amalek. 
• The wilderness is preparation for obtaining the promise and fully functioning in the kingdom.   There, Amalek opposed them. 
• The flesh (carnal nature) continually seeks to impede spiritual progress.   We yield too often.

As Joshua led the army into battle, the battle went back and forth.  It appeared that Israel would win, then that Amalek would win.  It was constantly drifting back and forth.   Doesn’t that sound like life for most of us?

The key to victory is revealed in the actions of Moses, Aaron, and Hur. 

• Aaron represents the priesthood.
• Hur the congregation. (Corporate – prophet, priest, people) working together.

The lifting up of the hands is a dual symbol.  It is Prayer and Praise!  There is a third element that should be included (that is surrender with expectation).  As long as Moses’ hands were up, supported by corporate prayer and praise, Joshua defeated Amalek.

The flesh (carnal nature) is defeated and overcome by personal and corporate prayer and praise.  If those elements are diminished, Amalek (the flesh) prevails.  The flesh is defeated or held in check if those elements are strengthened.

In 2 Peter 1:4, Peter reminds us that through God’s promises, which include God inhabiting us via praise, we become partakers of God’s divine nature.  That means the carnal nature is defeated if we partake of the divine nature. In that condition, we operate in authority and confidence.  We know who and whose we are.  We expect God to do and be Who He says He is and will do.

If something is holding you back, examine the activeness of prayer, praise, persistence, and surrender in your daily life.  You can overcome the flesh.  You are in the kingdom, and in the kingdom, there is no defeat.  Victory belongs to you – Shout it!

May you experience the overflowing victory of God through Prayer and Praise today! 

Exodus 23:20 – “Behold, I will send an angel before you to GUARD you on the way AND to bring you into the land which I have prepared.” [Emphasis mine.]

As I read, prayed, and meditated today, a promise of God to Israel resonated with me.   Since God is without partiality, if He would do that for them, He surely will do it for us.

Reflecting on Exodus 23, I said, “I receive it for myself.”  Then Psalm 23 and Psalm 91 arose in my consciousness.  As I relished the deep comfort and truth of those Psalms, the Holy Spirit brought to my mind the Truth of “Lifestyle Persistence,” as is revealed in 1 John.

What do I mean by “Lifestyle Persistence?”  John gave some incredible revelations and guidance regarding our daily lives, worship, righteousness demonstration, and interpersonal relationships!  He spoke of a lifestyle of sin and a lifestyle of righteousness.

I do not mean having both, but one or the other.  If we practice sin, not just stumbling occasionally but developing a lifestyle of disobedience, we experience God’s disfavor, which separates us from God. On the other hand, if we practice righteousness, we find God’s favor.   I do not mean to imply that we can earn it.  It is an outworking of our heart’s true condition.

1 John 3:9-10 – “Whoever is born of God Does Not commit sin Because God’s seed is in him, and he cannot sin because he is born of God.  10. In this, the children of God can be distinguished from the children of evil; Whoever Does Not Practice righteousness and does not love his brother does not belong to God.”

• Lifestyle and not a singular moment or act.  Practice is the key.

What almost seems like an aside but isn’t is 1 John 5:14-15: “And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask Anything according to His will, He Hears us; for If we beseech Him to hear us concerning the things that we ask of Him, we are assured that we have Already Received from Him those things that we desire.”

1 John 5:18 – “We Know that Everyone who is born of God does not sin; for he who is born of God Guards himself, and the evil one does not come near him.”

• If We Practice a lifestyle of righteousness, obedience, and love, the angel guides and guards us.

We are enabled and emboldened to resist the devil, and he has to flee!  It is time to exercise our authority in Christ over every facet of our lives.  You and your house are part of the promise.  If Jesus is the same past, present, and future and no respecter of person – Why Not Now?  It is time to Claim Your Promises!

May the Incredible Creator of All Things Empower You to Be Who He says you are!

Ecclesiastes 4:6 – “Better is a handful with quietness than both hands full with toil and vexation of spirit.”

Ecclesiastes 5:10 – “He who loves money shall not be satisfied with money; and he who loves wealth shall not retain it…”

The more I study, pray, and pursue God, the more I am reminded that we need each other and that our only true source is God.

That reminder helps me focus on God, who is and must be my All-In-All.  My focus is not just on money, position, or power but on God.   Ecclesiastes 6:9 says, “Better is the sight of the eyes than the wanderings of desire…”   Spiritual sight is ten million times better than fantasy and unrealistic expectations or dreams.  Seeing God guides our steps, and He guards, guides, and provides.

Back to how much we need each other.  Something captivating leaps out in Psalm 141:5, and I am musing on that and will be chewing on it all day: “When one of Your godly ones corrects me, or one of Your faithful ones rebukes me, I will accept it like an honor I cannot refuse.   It will be as a healing medicine that I swallow without an offended heart.  Even if they are mistaken, I will continue to pray.”  

If we allow correction and encouragement to come through the strength of unity, we discover the enormous power of tandem.  Two are far better than one, for two working in harmony gain the strength of a third.

Others encourage us.  They help us to make the right choices, and their love and fellowship keep our hearts warm and our commitment strong.  As fellow believers strengthen us, we are propelled into an attitude of praise.

Let me offer something I received today.

Psalm 147:1 – “Hallelujah!  Praise the Lord!  How beautiful it is when we sing our praises to the beautiful God, for praise makes you lovely before Him AND beings Him great delight!”  

Wow!  Praise, genuine praise makes us lovely in God’s eyes.  It also gives Him pleasure!  The Psalmist said in Psalm 144:9 that the harp inside his heart would continually make music to God.  In 145:9, we are reminded that God’s tender love is blended into Everything He does.

In Psalm 145:18-21, we are reminded of what it means to have God as our source.  Those who call on Him, He draws near.  The result of a Near God is v.19 – “Every godly one receives even more than what they ask for.  For You hear what their hearts really long for, and You bring them your saving strength.”

God is our source, and other believers’ input keeps us strong and on the right path. Even if their observations or corrections are mistaken, their love and caution give us insight and encouragement to seek God continually. Praise transforms us in God’s eyes. He never just meets our needs but fulfills the heart’s desire when the heart is His.

Know this: God’s words will never fail.   Psalm 147:15 – “He sends out His orders throughout the world; His words run as swift messengers, bringing them to pass.”  

Today’s victory depends on our recognition of our true source and our membership in the body of Christ.  

May you walk in total victory today and every day in Jesus!

Isaiah 5:13-14 – ”Therefore My people are gone into captivity, BECAUSE they have no knowledge: AND their dead are multiplied BECAUSE of the famine, and have been overcome with thirst.  14 THEREFORE, Sheol has enlarged itself without measure: AND the glorious men, the honorable men, and the mighty men shall descend into it.”

As I read, prayed, and meditated upon the Word, the value, power, illusiveness, and availability of wisdom kept reverberating in my mind.  Isaiah 5 leaped off the page into my heart, mind, and spirit.

Amos 8:11-12 speaks of this a famine of hearing the Word of God.

Proverbs 1:1, Solomon urged his sons and everyone to embrace Kingdom revelations and words of wisdom, which equip and empower them to reign in life.

Proverbs 1:7 – “We cross the threshold of True Knowledge when we live in obedient devotion to God.” 

Kingdom wisdom that empowers comes through total surrender to God.  Faux wisdom comes through human efforts.  True wisdom comes from God as a gift.

Proverbs 1:21 – “Yet wisdom’s song is not always heard in the halls of higher learning.”  

Proverbs 1:22 indicates that earthly acquired knowledge can result in becoming cynical coffers who fight facts. 

Proverbs 2:1-2 – “My child, will you treasure wisdom?  Then, and only then, will you acquire it. AND ONLY IF you accept my advice and hide it within your will, you succeed.   2 So train your heart to listen when I speak and open your spirit wide to expand your discernment – then pass it on to your sons and daughters.”

Proverbs 3:11 counsels against taking God’s directives lightly and against getting frustrated by His chastisement.  Proverbs 3:21-22 are potent words of guidance.   Do not drift off course from life’s two goals – live under the tutelage of wisdom and discover your life assignment.   They empower us with strength, inspiring us to do what is right.  They energize, refresh, and heal.

God desires His children to see, hear, and know Him, that their words are His words or rooted in His Kingdom revelation and wisdom. 

• Facts, truth, and true knowledge empower our words. 

Proverbs 18:20 – “From the fruit of a man’s mouth his stomach will be satisfied; With the produce of his lips, he will be satisfied.”

• God desires us to be wise with His gift of wisdom and Kingdom revelation. 

Proverbs 3:16 – “Wisdom extends to you long life in one hand and wealth and promotion in the other.  Out of her mouth flows righteousness, and her words release both law and mercy.”

Proverbs 2:22 is a staggering revelation.  Living outside the righteousness and wisdom of God following the way of the flesh causes one to “lose not only what they could have had, but even their own souls.”  

God’s expressed desire is to give us the kingdom.  Therefore, if we reject wisdom, correction, and righteousness, we cost ourselves The Blessings (what we could have had) and our eternal souls.   Both are horrific thoughts.

But the door stands open, the invitation awaiting our RSVP to enter in.  So, enter in!  The Kingdom is yours, not because you deserve it, are good enough, or have done enough, but because He decreed it.  Today would be a great day to embrace God’s promises and pursue wisdom like a treasure.   God’s wisdom will liberate and empower beyond anything imagined.   It is ours for the taking, so take it!

May God best be yours each day, and may you know His fullness free from captivity!

Proverbs 8:34-35 – “If you wait at wisdom’s doorway, longing to hear a word for every day, joy will break forth within you as you listen for what I’ll say. 35 For the fountain of life pours into you every time that you find Me, and this is the secret of growing in delight and the favor of the Lord.”  

God has a plan for you—a plan that is peaceful, powerful, and productive. His words reveal truth that enables us to reign in life and walk in the Finished Work of Jesus (Proverbs 8:6, TPT).

I love the wisdom and promise of Proverbs 8:34-35 – “If you wait at wisdom’s doorway, longing to hear a word for every day, joy will break forth within you as you listen for what I’ll say. 35 For the fountain of life pours into you every time that you find Me, and this is the secret of growing in delight and the favor of the Lord.”   That is amazing!

Proverbs 10:5 resonated powerfully with me today. “Know the importance of the season you’re in and a wise son you will be.  But what a waste when an incompetent son sleeps through his day of opportunity.”

The seasons of life are constantly flowing.  We move from one season to the next.   Each season is a time to grow and develop in God.  Each season allows us to expand our understanding, ability, and faith.  

Jesus spoke of knowing the time of our visitation, and James said of being strengthened in trials and tests.  Our season may be filled with adversity, but revelation knowledge is entwined in that season, producing wisdom that releases power to BE!

Proverbs 9:11 – “Wisdom will extend your life, making every year more fruitful than the one before.”  9:12 – “So it is to your advantage to be wise.  But to ignore the counsel of wisdom is to invite trouble into your life.”

What is your season now? 

• There are seasons of warfare and seasons of rest and recuperation.  
• Seasons of learning and seasons of teaching (dispensing the knowledge).
• Seasons of life all have a definitive purpose. 
• Knowing your season enables you to progress and possess the fruit or reward contained therein.

Therefore, if you do not know your season today, pray for revelation to know, then pursue your purpose with all your heart, mind, and soul.  Victory is for the taking. Proverbs 8:18, speaking of Wisdom, says, “Unending wealth and glory come to those who discover where I dwell.   The Riches of righteousness and a long, satisfying life will be given them. “

Knowing our season and following God’s wisdom produces peace and power beyond our comprehension. What is your season?  Not what you want it to be, but what is it?  Know it, recognize it, embrace it, and become transformed through it.

May the Grace of God guard you and the Power of God protect you!

Isaiah 40:7-8 – “The grass withers, the flower fades, because the breath of the LORD blows upon it; surely this people is like the grass.⁸ The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God shall stand forever.”

Sometimes, as I consider my personal battles, I look at the battles of others around me and become grateful for God’s goodness.   Isaiah 40:7-8 reminds me of God’s Incredibleness.

I believe that Isaiah 40:28-31 should be mandatory reading every day for every believer.

• V.28 reminds us of who God is and what He can do.
• V.29-30 reminds us of His promise and provision.
• V.31 – “BUT they who wait for the LORD shall (not might) renew their strength; they shall (not might) grow wings as a dove (eagles in other translations); they shall (not might) run and not be weary; and they shall (not might) walk and not faint.”

This is not to say God will supernaturally do everything for us. Still, in our nearness and yieldness, we will renew strength and grow or develop the ability to soar above the issues of life, able to run (take the message) and walk (live) in Him in His fullness.

Proverbs 19:23 is an overlooked revelation that is vital for victory.  “When you live a life of abandoned love, surrendered before the awe of God, here’s what you will experience:  Abundant Life, continuous protection, and complete satisfaction!”

Do you have that manifested in your life consistently?  Do you desire that to be manifested in your life consistently?  Here, “abandoned” does not mean left off or turned from, but total surrender.  It is a life lived in such love for God that everything else is meaningless or inconsequential.  It is living in awe of God. Not fearful, but with a longing to belong fully to Him.

The three provisions are all-encompassing.

• Abundant Life – covers all the needs and wants.
• Continual Protection makes Psalm 91 a constant and consistent reality.
• Complete Satisfaction is a place almost no human has achieved.

God’s open invitation requires our surrender and commitment.  

Proverbs 19:2-3 – “The best way to live is with revelation-knowledge, for without it, you’ll grow impatient and run right into error.  3 There are some people who ruin their own lives and then blame it all on God.”

We can choose total surrender and the promised provision or self-centeredness and destruction.   God places before us life and death, blessings and curses.  He stands ready to help us enter in.  Choose to live in His best and grow wings to fly, run, walk, and work in His strength.   Victory is your covenant heritage.   Speak the Word!  

May the Living God’s Grace, Peace, and Power fill your hearts and minds today!

Isaiah 41:10-11 – “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I have strengthened you, and have also helped you, yea, I will also uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.¹¹ All those that reproach you shall be ashamed and confounded; they shall be as nothing; and those who strive with you shall perish.¹² You shall seek them that strive with you, but you shall not find them; they that war against you shall be as if they were nothing.”

Today, I find that both the words of Isaiah and those in Proverbs leave an indelible impression upon my mind and heart.  The overwhelming impression of need is “No Fear,” but rather to have Trust explode in my spirit.

You may say, “That is no revelation.”  I suggest that it is when you need an extra dose of courage or encouragement.   Being reminded of God’s Person, Power, Provision, and Promises strengthens the longing heart and lifts us into a new realm.

In Isaiah 41:10-11, God said, “Fear not…”  As a word from God, that is enough to inspire courage and confidence, but He said more.  “FOR (because) I am with you…”

I urge you to capture that in your heart – God is with us!  God, the Creator of all things, the Omniscient, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Living God, is with us.   Fear cannot live in that atmosphere.

However, the problem, too often, is that we believe theoretically and religiously but not at the foundation of our hearts.  We hope that He is.  We try to convince ourselves that He is.  We recite rote, meaningless declarations, trying to convince ourselves that He is and others that we believe He is.  But deep inside our inner being, fear is lurking.  Uncertainty is lurking.  Doubt is lurking. 

The entire passage is: “FEAR NOT, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I HAVE (not can but have) strengthened you, and have also helped you, yea, I will also uphold you with the right hand of My righteousness.   11 All those that reproach you (not just people but demonic powers and problems) SHALL BE ashamed and confounded; they shall be AS NOTHING; and those who strive with you shall perish.”

If that does not light a fire in your oven, your wood is wet.

Psalm 42:2 promises that No Matter What we face, God is there and delivers us.  No Fear is Allowed!

Isaiah 45:18 – “…I Am the LORD, and there is none else.”

Isaiah 49:16 – “Behold, I have inscribed you upon the palms of My hands…”

Isaiah 51:22 – “…Behold, I have taken out of your hand the cup of trembling (fear)…”

Today, we have the choice to Fear what we hear and fear or to Trust God completely.

Proverbs 28:9 speaks powerfully, “IF you close your heart and refuse to listen to God’s instruction, EVEN your prayer will be despised.”

God is speaking and giving us Hope.  If we reject that plea and promise, closing our hearts to His Revelation, He will not regard our prayer.   Prayer demands faith or trust, and fear negates both.

I have been in a new battle physically, emotionally, and spiritually.   I need and desire Him!  I have a choice.  I can allow fear to rule and dominate, or I can trust.  No matter what I say, the truth of my condition and confidence is revealed in my heart through my actions!  Lord, help me trust You and reject all fear.

Job said, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.”  God is not slaying us, but we need to have that attitude that we will Trust Him no matter what.  Today is a day of victory because it is the day God made, and we have God’s promises.

May the Fearlessness of God fill your hearts today and make you bold as lions in the face of the enemy!

Isaiah 54:17 – “No weapon that is fashioned against you shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment, you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, says the LORD.”

As I read, prayed, and contemplated the Word, life, and purpose, some things in Isaiah and Proverbs unfolded before my eyes and created a longing in my heart for more of God and to be empty of me.

Isaiah 53 is the famous revelation of the work of the Full Redemption that Jesus brought us.  Body, soul, and spirit have full healing and full restoration!  If we do not have it, it is not because it is now available to “Whosoever Will.“

Isaiah 54:17 is a promise that we quote often but have no idea how to possess or manifest.  We allow weapons of the devil’s destruction to have measured success in direct conflict with that promise.  We sometimes fail to condemn and break the curses of tongues that accuse and abuse us. 

If our heritage is that “No Weapon” rising against us can prosper, and we are to condemn every tongue that curses us, then Why Do We Not Actively Enforce God’s Promises?

One reason stands above all others.  We do not feel we measure up and deserve that authority.   We relegate God’s promises and provisions to our ability, goodness, and view of whether we have earned or not earned His favor.   The devil laughs at that mindset.   It is not about us but about God’s promises and provisions.

Isaiah 55:1 tells us that if we thirst for God to buy and eat even though we have no money (credits of earned favor), that ties to what I suggested.  It is not about us!

When I consider today, Proverbs speaks to current conditions.

Proverbs 29:4 –“A godly leader who values justice is a great strength and example to the people.  But the one who sells his influence for money tears down what is right.”

Proverbs 30:11-14 is incredibly applicable to our day.  “There is a generation rising that curses their fathers and speaks evil of their mothers.   12 There is a generation rising that considers themselves to be pure in their own eyes, yet they are morally filthy, unwashed, and unclean.  13 There is a generation rising that is so filled with pride that they think they are superior and look down on others.  14 There is a generation rising that uses their words like swords to cut and slash those who are different…”

We live in a time where godlessness is prevalent.   God has been systematically pushed aside and self-elevated to the throne.   That leaves us helpless and hopeless.

I long for a revival of revelation-knowledge and a resurgence of remembrance of God.

Proverbs 30:5 – “Every promise from the faithful God is pure and proves to be true.  He is a wraparound shield of protection for all His lovers who run to hide in Him.”

I am praying this as part of my daily prayer… 30:7-8 – “God, there are two things I am asking You for before I die, only two: Empty out of my heart EVERYTHING that is false – every lie, and every crooked thing.  AND give me neither undue poverty nor undue wealth – But rather, feed my soul with the measure of prosperity that pleases You.”

I crave total oneness with Jesus!  I crave the anointing of Isaiah 61 to be in me, on me, and through me so that I can and do manifest Jesus in this world, exercise the authority He has given, and live my heritage of Isaiah 54:17. I pray that for you, too.  More Lord!  More of You and less of me!  God help us BE the overcomers you said we are!

May the rich blessings of the LORD be yours today and every day!

Jeremiah 10:10 – “But the Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King.  At His wrath, the earth quakes, And the nations cannot endure His indignation.” NASB

This morning, the Holy Spirit posed a question: “If God made a promise to natural Israel, could that promise be relevant to believers today?”  I suggest that we consider this: If Jesus is unchanging across time, and God shows no favoritism, why not now? If God acted for others, is it not reasonable to believe He can and will act for us? 

Some believe that the Gifts of the Spirit and many other things in the Bible have ceased and passed away; I do not!  I believe God is the same eternally, and His gifts and callings are not revocable.  I believe that what Jesus did on the Cross includes every aspect of what Isaiah prophesied.  He is The Living God!

• I believe in Salvation. 
• I believe in Divine Healing. 
• I believe in Divine Guidance. 
• I believe in Miracles. 
• I believe that GOD is, was, and will be eternally the same, and He does not lie and cannot fail. 

Like David, I proclaim, ‘I was young, and now I am old, and I have not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging for bread.’   I hold firm to the belief that when God declares something in His Word, He is a Covenant Keeper, and His Promises are unwavering and certain. 

I believe God gives His angels orders to watch out for and protect us.  I believe we are more than conquerors through Jesus finished work on the Cross.  I believe that Heaven is real and that Jesus is coming back!  I believe I am victorious, and My God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in Glory!  I believe the Bible and the God of the Bible!  I believe what He says more than what I can see!  I have set my heart to walk by Faith and not by Sight.

Today, I pray that the LORD, The Living God, will manifest Himself to you, lead you into His purposes and presence, and demonstrate His Love and Power to you and through you!  If we are IN Christ, we are New Creations, and the Old is Gone!  The Newness of Life, real Life, Eternal Life abides in us NOW!  Hallelujah!  

This is a day of rejoicing, so let us rejoice and make merry in our hearts, knowing that God is on the Throne and we are Loved by Him!

May The Living God fill your every moment and lead you into His fullness!