Numbers 13:27:28 – “Thus they recounted to him and said, “We went in to the land where you sent us; and it certainly does flow with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. ²⁸ Nevertheless, the people who live in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large; and moreover, we saw the descendants of Anak there.”

As I contemplated today’s devotional message, the overriding theme was implicit and explicit obedience. Unhesitating obedience!  Numbers 13 gives us the account of the 12 forward scouts who conducted a reconnaissance mission in Canaan, the Land of Promise.
They saw the land and its fruitfulness and beauty, but they also saw the fortifications, giants, Nephilim, and their own inability (in their minds). They let their view become dominant over God’s promise.

Their expression was Nevertheless or But…  Too often, we let our “buts” get in the way. Rather than “But we can’t, we need to be like Joshua & Caleb, BUT GOD…” There are good “buts” and bad “buts.”

Numbers 20 is the account of Moses losing the privilege of bringing them into the place of promise.  He acted out of human frustration rather than explicit obedience.  The rock Paul tells us was Christ and followed them in their journey. God said to speak to the rock (symbolic of prayer).

In his frustration, Moses resorted to what he had done and, in anger, struck the rock twice. The smitten rock only needed to be prayed to, not crucified again. His failure to explicitly obey disqualified him from the blessings of seeing the fulfillment of the promise.

We are people of the New Covenant and have the Promise alive in us.   We, too, face problems and need God’s provision. Our Rock has sent us another comforter to empower us to overcome.   We have the gifts of the Spirit to equip us. We have the love of God to enable and identify us. Our explicit and instant obedience defines and determines the measure of our success.

Obedience flows from one of two foundations: fear or Love. Our obedience as believers is either out of love or reveals our immaturity. 1 Corinthians 12:2 reminds us of our greatest need and mission—”Learn to Love.”  We are cells in the Body of Christ, and what affects others affects us. It also reveals whether we have learned to love and the level of our obedience.

1 Corinthians 12:26 is revelatory. “Whatever happens to one member happens to ALL. If one suffers, everyone suffers. If one is honored, everyone rejoices.” Is that descriptive of us? It is evidence of our level of grace and maturity.

• Obedience out of love takes no consideration of ourselves but the Body and Him.
• Obedience out of love expresses faith and complete trust.
• Obedience out of love releases the Spirit of God to bring the fullness of God to us and release His Promises through us.

Remember that you are Victorious! You have the Promises! You live in this world, but you are not unaffected by it; you affect it. May today be a day of rich blessings and God’s presence for you!

1 Chronicles 29:15 – “For we are sojourners before You, and foreign residents, like all our fathers were; our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no hope.”

As I read, prayed, considered the Word, and meditated upon God’s promises, I saw David’s heart. I saw another reason he is known as a man after God’s own heart. 1 Chronicles 29:15, a snippet of His prayer to God after giving charge to Solomon and Israel.  He acknowledged his finiteness and dependence upon God.

“For we are like the proverb of vapor and of the potter…”  Vapor appears briefly and then vanishes.   The potter breaks and remakes his vessels.   David understood that we are temporary and totally dependent upon God.  “…and we are sojourners before You…”

We are citizens of another world and here temporarily to fulfill the assignments for our lives by His Grace and Power.  He saw his smallness and insignificance compared to God: “…a small people in the world.”

Though not without missteps, David’s life was one of obedience, quick repentance, and trust.  He loved God with everything in him and served God with all that was entrusted to him. He looked forward to the resurrection, and even in his time of preeminence and power, God was his confidence and hope.

• He was bold but humble.  
• Daring but dependent. 
• Fearless in the face of impossible odds, he KNEW his need of God and God’s faithfulness.

Like Paul, he was ready to be offered up because of his hope of eternity!

Life is not about us, but we make it about us. We fret, struggle, and labor to attain possessions, positions, and prominence and fulfill our desires.

The command to “Seek God First” morphs into what is sought, which is our desires. We may claim and even believe God is first, but our actions, thoughts, words, pursuits, and reactions to obstacles testify that we do not have the heart of David.

If we seek GOD First, He adds ALL that is needed.  ALL, not some!  The pathway to success and peace is HIM and His presence.   I don’t know about tomorrow, but I know who holds my hand.

I encourage everyone to decide to make God Number One in all things and at all times and watch Him strut His stuff, show up, and show out on your behalf.

Today is Victory Day for you.  See it. Believe it.  Receive it. Have a fantastic day in Jesus!

2 Chronicles 5:13-14 – “In unison when the trumpeters and the singers were to make themselves heard with one voice to praise and to glorify the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice accompanied by trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and when they praised the Lord saying, “He indeed is good for His lovingkindness is everlasting,” then the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, ¹⁴ so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.”

As I read, prayed, pondered, and considered the Word, a reminder came to the forefront of my consciousness.

God’s Presence!  In 2 Chronicles 5:13-14, we have the details of what happened at the dedication of the temple.   (Keep this in your mind; our bodies are the temple of the Lord.) They began to worship and praise God with singing and thanksgiving. They sang and chanted, “For He is good; for His mercy endures forever…”  At that moment, the glory cloud filled the house.  The Shekinah Glory was so powerful and prevalent that the priest could not stand to minister. The house of the Lord (type of us) was filled with the brightness of His Glory!

2 Chronicles 7:1 informs us that after Solomon had finished praying, FIRE (type of the Holy Spirit) came down from heaven and consumed the sacrifice.   

God manifests Himself when we truly worship Him with hearts of praise and thanksgiving and engage in prayer.    If we want a continual consciousness of and visitation by God, we have a key to receive.

Ephesians 5:18-20 – Sing to yourselves.  Speak to your inner person with Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (songs of worship and in the Spirit).  Sing and make melody with your heart to the Lord.  Giving thanks ALWAYS for all men in the Name of Jesus.

The song “I’ve Got Confidence” comes to mind.   In good times and bad, remember God’s faithfulness and worship Him.   We need God 24/7/365, not just in crisis.  Having God’s presence All the Time is the only way to truly live.   He is not a “break in case of emergency” tool.  He is God, the LIVING GOD, and His eyes are on the righteous looking for opportunity to bless.

Do you want God’s Presence 24/7/365?  Then make praise, worship, thanksgiving, and prayer continual activities of your day.  Victory is ours; let’s receive it!

2 Corinthians 2:9 – “This is why the Scriptures say: Things never discovered or heard of before, things beyond our ability to imagine — these are the many things God has in store for all his lovers.” 

Today is a gift from God, and behind the veil, there are many untapped blessings to be gleaned from the events of the day!

Somebody said, “I’m a glass-half-full person.” Another said, “I’m a glass-half-empty person.” I said, “Whether the glass is half empty or half full, there is room for more, so why not open your hearts to the Lord and let Him fill your glass?”   I pray that we will become artesian wells from which His Spirit, love, mercy, peace, and power flow! Let us be demonstrations of Him to the world and each other!

In prayer, I was reminded of the Song “Too Much to Gain to Lose.” The Holy Spirit drove something into my heart in the second verse as I sang the old song in worship.

I’ve crossed the hot, burning desert.

And I’ve struggled the right road to choose.

But somewhere up ahead, I see cool clear water.

And defeat is one word I don’t use.

That last line is what gripped my heart, and I heard in my spirit God telling me – Do Not Use the Word Defeat!  You are more than a conqueror through Jesus. All things are possible with God, and you are in Him, and He is in you; therefore, all things are possible to you – Just Believe!

I feel ashamed of the times I have either thought or expressed defeat in something I was facing. I feel ashamed of the times I have envisioned failure rather than success. I repent and set my heart to eliminate that word from my spiritual vocabulary and focus on the Promises of God. I want to focus on His Person and Power and begin to see myself as Who He Made Me to Be, and I Declare that is who I am!

I pray that the Lord will inspire us to reject defeat and focus on His ability to Do All Things All of the Time! I pray that He will deposit in our hearts His Word so powerfully that defeat is not even considered, no matter what we face.

Remember that God is not a man that He should lie, nor the son of man that He should repent.  If He has declared it, and He has, It Will Be!  It will be “IF” we will believe, receive, and obey!

We do not earn things from God, but He does honor faith and obedience! He desires to give us the Kingdom and meet ALL our needs from His abundance! Jesus came to save, heal, and deliver!

Receive from Him what you need today.   Have a fantastic day!