2 Corinthians 2:10-11 –” Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, ¹¹ in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.”

Paul spoke of the power of group or corporate prayer.  In Chapter 1, he detailed some of the afflictions he had endured and testified that God had delivered him through the prayers of many.  He spoke of not only the necessity but also the power of forgiveness.   In contrast, he reminded them of the peril and prison of unforgiveness.

In our text verse, he says that forgiveness prevented the devil from gaining an advantage over them.   There are two clear contrasts: Pure hearts are God’s field, but corrupt hearts are the devil’s.  Imagine being a sweet aroma to God.  That is what we are when we walk in purity and obedience to Him.

I do not want to become helter-skelter, but 2 Corinthians 3:15-17 shows an incredibly powerful and needed revelation.  Revelation or illumination comes after conversion, not before.  When we come to Christ, the veil is removed.  Conviction brings us to Christ.   As new creations, the veil is removed.   The lost do not need revelatory teaching.  They need the Cross.  The saved need tutoring, not the lost. 

In 2 Corinthians 3:18, the process is detailed.  When we are saved, the veil is taken away, and we are able to see the Lord (as we see ourselves in a mirror).  As we “See” Him, enlightenment comes, and we move from glory to glory.   Our transformation begins, and we grow daily in Christ.

As we are enlightened, we manifest Him to the world.  We have new minds because our minds are unveiled, and we learn to think and talk differently.  We believe, and then we speak what we believe.  Our hearts overflow with Him and His Word.  We learn that what we see is not true reality; it is temporary.   What is unseen is true reality; it is eternal.  We walk by faith, not sight.

2 Corinthians 3:17 reveals that we are now New Creations!   We also realize we have newly unveiled hearts and minds as new creations.  Jesus in us enables us to see with spiritual eyes, hear with spiritual ears, and talk with spiritual mouths.  That means that we are praying for others, and others are praying for us in corporate or group prayer.  That brings deliverance and victory that we cannot achieve alone.

Here is the Revelation that liberates – Forgiveness prevents the devil from gaining an advantage.   It liberates us!   As we behold Him and are transformed from glory to glory, we become powerful vessels in God’s hands, and the love of God becomes our helmsman in life.

We need to become earnest in our commitment to and confident in the power of prayer.   We must immediately take steps to cleanse our hearts of unforgiveness, All Unforgiveness!  God is speaking to us, and as the veil is removed, we begin to understand how He is speaking.  It is more than verbal.

The bottom line is we have an often unused, powerful weapon called Prayer!  It is vital that we use it.  We have the promised tool to prevent the devil from gaining an advantage over us or our house: Forgiveness.   We have the Spirit’s presence to enlighten us; therefore, we should diligently seek enlightenment.   It will not be some supernatural deposit that requires no effort from us.  We open our hearts and consume the Word. 

You are Victorious!  Jesus won that Victory for us!  We are Overcomers because we are In Jesus, and He is the Ultimate Overcomer! Today, I see victory, revelation, and enlightenment for you.  Do not miss it by making it mysterious.

May the God of Revelation and Power guide your footsteps and lead you into new levels of revelation and victory today!

Isaiah 1:18 – “Come now, and lest us reason together, says Yahewh, though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool.”

Some days are so intriguing you can hardly wait to see the day unfold.  You anticipate the many treasures and revelatory nuggets hidden beneath the surface will be incredible.  You await the illumination of the Holy Spirit and rejoice in the reality that Life in Jesus is never dull.

Have you ever thought about your past and wished you could change it or alter it?  Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live some parts of your life over again, but with the knowledge you now possess?  We cannot go back in time, but we do have a God who is timeless, and He can Alter our Past.

Our text speaks to a powerful revelation and promise- what a powerful promise and revelation from the LORD.  Think about making sins that are scarlet and white as snow.  In the natural world, if you changed the fabric’s color, you would have to “re-dye” or “un-dye” it. 

Some suggested that changing the past is the only way to alter sin.   But we cannot change the past, so we cannot alter sin, but God can!  In a measure, when God forgives us, He gives us a new past.  The chalkboard of our life is erased, and we have a new beginning (past).  That is incredible!

Yet, most testify that God has forgiven and whipped away their sin, but they still are tormented by them and allow the enemy to bring them to remembrance and intimidate them.  If it is erased, it no longer exists!  If it no longer exists, we need to forget the past and live in the present with our eyes on the future.

When God forgives, He is not pretending that the scarlet of our hearts is not really scarlet – He Changes It!  If God, who is timeless, can create time, He can reverse time.  God does not go into the past; He is there already.  He does not go into the future; He is there already.  He is past, present, and future.  He created time, and He will be what He is, He was, and what He was.  He is Eternal. 

It is time for the children of God, the Church, to begin living with the concept that we have a new past, allowing us to have a victorious present and hope for the future!  We are Redeemed!  2 Corinthians 3:18 tells us that the veil is removed at salvation, and our understanding is now illuminable. As we focus on Jesus, we are transformed into the same image incrementally from glory to glory.

You are victorious in Jesus!  You are more than a conqueror! If the devil reminds you of your past, remind him of his future and remind him that Jesus washed away All Sin!  We are clean through Jesus!  Declare that Today is a Day of Victory!   Rejoice and become Who God Says You Are!

May the Victorious Lord lead you into new victories and levels of spiritual freedom today!

Jeremiah 29:11 – “ For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” NASB

Today, my heart is overflowing with Hope!    

When we read about Israel’s bandage in Babylon in the writings of Jeremiah, the promise of God in the power of verse eleven skyrockets.  In exile and in a state of hopelessness, God reminded them to remember His promise and purpose.   In difficulty, they could Hope.

Jeremiah 31:21 told them to set up road marks and guideposts and set their hearts on the highway to victory. “Set up for yourself road marks, place for yourself guideposts; direct your mind to the highway, the way by which you went. Return, O virgin of Israel, return to these your cities.”

Jeremiah 31:31-34 brings us the Promise of the New Covenant. In Romans 5, Paul reminds us that this life is a life of faith.   Justification by faith brings peace.  Then, in 5:2, he says something amazing, yet not.

Through faith in Jesus, we obtain our Introduction by faith into God’s Grace.  This is the Introduction, not the completion.  Casual acquaintance that can lead to covenantal intimacy.  Introduction is the door to the fullness.   But we have to walk through the door.  It is not saved to sit, soak, and sour but to Grow into the full measure in Christ.

Then, he introduces the dastardly subject of afflictions, troubles, trials, and difficulties.  Afflictions bring about (not produce) but bring perseverance into the mix.   Perseverance is a walked-out experience.

• Perseverance results in proven character.  Tried holiness, tested sanctification, and trustworthiness. 
• Proven characters result in the birth of hope in the heart.
• Hope will not put us to shame. 

That is an interesting statement.  Here, we find full assurance, no discredit, and vindication.  There is more, but all this is produced because of God’s Love poured out within our hearts.

Alan Jackson has a country song – “Ain’t Got Trouble Now.”  One line says – “Ain’t got troubles now.  Had ’em before, and I’ll have some more, but I Ain’t got troubles now.”  In Jesus, our trials become doorways to growth and victory.   We tend to fight, resist, grumble, complain, and woe is me.  But, if we understood that in Christ, there are times of trial and that through Him, they make us strong and whole, we would not just cede to them but use them to grow and glow.

We are people of Hope for whom God has plans for good.  We are people of perseverance, hope, and proven character who are never put to shame because we are people of The Name!

Our Covenant is one of eternal Hope.  So, rejoice that you are counted worthy to endure hardship for His Name.  Embrace the work of maturity through the trials and become a person of faith.  You are loved by God and entered the door to His immeasurable grace through faith.  You can overcome this because you are an overcomer.

May the Overcomer of Overcomers enable you to walk in victory today! 

Mark 16:19-20 – “So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. ²⁰ And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed. NASB

As I prayed, I heard the question, “Do you wonder or do wonders?”  

I quickly realized that Mark 16 was to be my focus and target.  I realized that I have sometimes wondered when I see signs and wonders.  I wondered why all believers (me included) do not consistently walk in that reality.  Why do we not consistently see the manifestation of these wonders in our lives?  

It simply says, “AND wonders WILL FOLLOW those who believe…” [Emphasis mine] The question in my heart was, “Do you truly believe?”  Before I could respond, the follow-up came, “Where is the manifestation in your life?”

I have learned that sometimes, no response or a delayed response is the best response.   Sometimes, just wait, and instruction and revelation will follow.  Just wait.

Let Us Consider Some Key Elements or Requirements:

• Believe. 

Believe what?  Believe that Jesus is the Christ and Savior.  Believe that God never lies.  Believe that these wonders are designed to accompany my words and deeds.  That is where we often fall short. 

• In Jesus’ Name. 

It is not a magic formula but the key to unlock the door.  It is our pass key.

• The Action.

Cast out demons.  Speak with or in tongues. Have authority over snakes (Aramaic idiom for enemies).  No harm from poison (that covers every danger).  Lay hands on the sick and heal them.  (Not just pray but bring the healer into the equation and heal). Those who heard Jesus say this expected it to become a reality in their lives all the time!

We talk about God showing up and great things happening.   They took God with them everywhere, all the time, and acted on the Word.   This was not a word to preachers but to everyone who believed.

Mark 16:20 – “And they went out and preached…”   A Basic Requirement is to go out where those things are present and then preach (testify). “Preached In EVERY PLACE…AND our Lord HELPED then and STRENGTHENED their words BY the miracles which they performed. “[Emphasis mine]

• Who helped?  The Lord.
• Who performed the miracles?  They did.

It was Christ in them!  It was the Word of God in them!  The Spirit in them compelled them!   The Believed.  The question for us is, “Do we truly believe?”

I find nowhere in Scripture where preaching and working miracles is relegated to a special group of ministers or super saints.   It is everyone who believes!   Therefore, this is your day to exercise your spiritual authority, flex your spiritual muscles, and Be and Do what He said.  Either God is a liar, or this is our heritage.   God is not a liar!

I encourage you to take baby steps if need be, but decide. Today, no more wondering about wonders, but have wonders follow you everywhere.

May the Lord be with you and transform you from Wondering to doing Wonders in the Name of Jesus!

Ezekiel 47:1 – “Then he brought me back to the door of the house; and behold, water was flowing from under the threshold of the house toward the east, for the house faced east. And the water was flowing down from under, from the right side of the house, from south of the altar.” 

Ezekiel 47 is revelatory.   In a vision, the prophet saw the Temple.  From under the side of the temple, water was flowing Eastward.  That signifies the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.   It came from the altar.   The altar is both the place of petition and submission or sacrifice.   It represents the heart of God.

The progress of involvement was gradual.   First, ankle-deep water.  There was awareness but no significant change in anointing or power.  Then, knee-deep water.  There was more awareness, but still no significant change.  It involves obedience and pressing on and in. Then, up to the loins in water.  Now, understanding and change comes.  The current is strong enough that a conscious effort has to be made not to get swept away.  Then, full involvement and the full impact came when he moved into the unswimmable deep waters.  He is totally consumed!

That is where the power lies.  The angel took him back to the bank.  He had been immersed in the river (Holy Spirit).  Now, on the bank, he can take this anointing and impact his surroundings.   He saw what he had not seen. 

On the banks are trees.   Think of the river in Revelation, where the trees line the banks, and healing is in them.   The trees grow with tap roots in the river, and their fruit brings life and healing.  Then, he was told what the river was doing.  It flows to the sea and makes the stagnant, fresh, and pure, life-giving.

What God has for us cannot be experienced by life as usual.  It demands a change of focus and surrender of All Dreams and Plans to God.  Our Isaacs must be placed on the altar.   Casual or occasional wading in the stream will not produce what we need.  We must press in until we are Totally Immersed in the water (Holy Spirit).  Will that make us religious fanatics?  Probably, in the eyes of others.

• Will that cost us relationally?  Probably because some consider that investment in God is unnecessary and too much.  
• Will it cost us financially?  Possibly because our purpose & pursuit will shift from us to the Kingdom.

The question is, “Do we want to have what the Book of Acts Church had?”  Do we want to heal the sick, raise the dead, set free those in bondage, and win multitudes for God?   Yes?  Then, we have to get in the river.   Will that solve the issues we now face?  NO!  It will possibly increase the attacks we encounter.

This Last Days move and harvest will enable us to see families saved, churches rescued, cities impacted, and the powers of darkness defeated.   How much do we want it?  We can have All we want.

We must decide, like Daniel, that we will not defile ourselves with the world.   Like Daniel, God will honor that with His presence, power, and provision.  I want it more than life!  I am tired of the devil’s destruction and want the Kingdom of God to be manifested Now, here, in me and you!

May the Lord help you to get into the Water of the Spirit and become immersed in His fullness.

Daniel 10:1 – “Then he said to me, “Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words.”  NASB

The Idea of “Persistence” deeply impacted my consciousness as I read, prayed, and pondered the Word today.  The familiar account of Gabriel coming to Daniel is revelatory.

Daniel had been fasting and praying with no seeming breakthrough.   I have been there!  The heavens seemed lined with brass, and my prayers ascended no higher than my lips—no response from God. 

I have had times when I grew weary and concluded that it was not God’s will and changed focus.  Most of those times, I knew that was not the right approach.  I have also had times when I persisted and refused to quit.  God did what God does.  He dealt with me and my needs.

Gabriel made a powerful statement.   He said, “…from day one, WHEN you set your heart to know God’s purpose and understand, YOU WERE HEARD!” [Emphasis mine] The immediate thought would be, if I were heard on Day One, why has it taken three weeks for the answer to come? 

Gabriel explained the reality that sometimes prayers do not get an immediate answer, which is satanic opposition.  Had Daniel not persisted, Gabriel, the messenger, would not have come.

In Luke 11, Jesus reemphasized the Power of Persistence.  The parable of the need to feed a guest after normal hours provides revelation and encouragement for Persistence!  He said that even if the friend would not respond on the strength of friendship, he would due to persistence.

We cannot twist God’s arm of reluctance by Persistence.   But persistence solidifies the depth of need in our hearts and demonstrates an unwillingness to fail.

Luke 11:9-10 gives us the progression and value of Persistence.

• ASK – Have not because we ask not.
• SEEK—It is difficult to find what you are not looking for, and if you find it, how would you know it if you were not seeking it?
• KNOCK – The implementation is beating on the door, not just timidly or passively tapping on it. 
• URGENCY with PERSISTENCE overcomes doubt and fear and lays hold of the Promise.

Galatians 6:9 encourages us, “Be not weary in well-doing…  in due season harvest comes IF we persist.”

• How important is the matter to you?
• How important is being ONE with God to you?
• How important is knowing you are walking in God’s purposes to you?

The first factor should be God’s will.  Before we begin the prayer of persistence, we should pray the prayer of submission.  Knowing we are on solid ground biblically, then refuse to give up.

• If you fail, get up; next time, determine you will not give up. 
• If you are uncertain about your biblical footing in the request, Persist.
• If you are sure, Persist.
• If you discover you are asking outside His purposes, Repent.
• Then, seek His will and Persist.

The bottom line is always to be a person of unrelenting Persistence.

I encouraged you to make this declaration – “I Will Not Quit!”  You will be surprised at what happens in your heart and mind.  What is in your heart will soon be in your hand.

May the Lord watch over you and inspire you to persist as you pursue His purposes for your life and the Kingdom!

Hosea 4:12 – “My people ask counsel of their own imagination… “

Often in my daily reading, musing, praying, and pondering the Word I am reading, I hear intriguing whispers and challenges by the Holy Spirit. They are often just for me, but sometimes for others as well. Today, I heard and saw something that will captivate my thoughts for days as I attempt to unravel the incredible revelation I believe is contained within.

In Hosea 4:12 – “My people ask counsel of their own imagination…” He said that would lead to a spirit of whoredom (not sexual but spiritual) and would lead away from God.  Is the imagination bad?  Not at all, but if we focus on what we want to be the truth rather than what is truth, we will allow our imaginations to concoct scenarios and realities foreign to reality and God’s purposes for our lives. That is dangerous and can be deadly.

Hosea 10:7 reinforces that idea: “AND My people are inclined to backslide from Me; THOUGH they shall call to God, they will take counsel together, (the flesh again), AND none at all would exalt Him.”  If we make what we want to be truth and reality our guide, we will move farther and farther away from God.

The Bible speaks of calling those things that “be not” as though they were. Some seem to be attempting to call those things that are as though they are not. They have a desire, a preference, a wish, a hope (in the natural), and they allow their imaginations to create a world where what they want to be reality is reality.

In that condition, they become deceived and believe everything that supports what they want to be true. What we need to do is allow the Holy Spirit to enable us to use our imaginations to see what God says and what He is doing rather than creating a world we want that is not what He has purposed.

Imagination is good and an ability God gave us. Allowing the Holy Spirit to enable us to see God’s Purposes and Promises is valuable and rewarding. If we allow the self to create a world to satisfy our own fleshly desires or a world where what we want to be reality, then it is counterproductive and dangerous.

As believers, we have two choices—trust ourselves or trust God! We are God’s heirs and joint heirs with Jesus. He owns it all and has made us co-owners. Therefore, we can either live as if the bequeathal has transpired or as spiritual paupers. We can live in the false vision of deserving or not deserving and miss God’s incredible graciousness. Why not live as He declares, more than Conquerors?

Today, I am challenged to cease living as a beggar and try to earn God’s favor, live as an heir, and know that it is not what I deserve but His Grace and Goodness that provides for me. I Choose to Live victoriously and desire to Live with No Sense of Lack because He lacks nothing, and I am His.

May the God of Peace guard your hearts today and lead you to new places of victory!

Malachi 1:6-8 – “‘A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My respect?’ says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests who despise My name. But you say, ‘How have we despised Your name?’ ⁷ You are presenting defiled ^[i]food upon My altar. But you say, ‘How have we defiled You?’ In that you say, ‘The table of the Lord is to be despised.’ ⁸ But when you present the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you present the lame and sick, is it not evil? Why not offer it to your governor? Would he be pleased with you? Or would he receive you kindly?” says the Lord of hosts.

In Malachi, God began by asking a chastening and challenging question: “A son honors his father, and a slave his master.”  Then, he came to the point. He took their own words and challenged them—and he still does today.

God said, “If, as you declare, I am your Father, where is the honor you should be giving me?”  He was not looking for words but the commitment of heart and obedience.   Words have power but can be empty if the heart is not in the words.  They continually said the words but kept back their hearts.

Next, He said, “You call me Lord (master); IF I am, then why don’t you have fear and respect for Me?”  They were dumbfounded.   After all, they attended church and said all the right things, wasn’t that what was required?

Defiled food on the altar.  What is that?   It is giving God second best and leftovers.  Spare Change (money and heart).  Tipping living.  They were allowing the profane to thrive and not shutting it out.  Feasting at tables, they should be overturned.   God accepts no offering that is not pure (whole-heart commitment).

In Malachi 2:17, God said, “You have wearied Me with your words.”  His statement is penetrating, “You say evil is good, and everybody and everything is okay.”  Calling evil good and good evil incurs God’s disfavor, not blessing.   

Chapter 3 reveals that the tithe is more than just the tithe. It is about obedience, commitment, love, faith, and revelation.  God invites us to put Him to the test and prove to ourselves and the world His faithfulness. Obedience in faith produces an open heaven.  The blessings promised are “until it is Beyond Enough.”  Beyond enough indicates abundance and even lavishness. 

Then, He promises that the devourer will be rebuked and restrained.   What you have and do is protected from corruption.   That means you have pure offerings that invoke more blessings and greater protection.   It becomes a perpetual cycle.  For His Glory.   Money is not the object; God is.  Fulfilling the purposes of God is.  The harvest is.  Functioning in power is.

Paul told Timothy to fight the good fight of faith through the personal prophecies he had received.  He later spoke of imparted gifts through the laying on of hands and prophecy.  We have a commission, and Malachi reveals a pathway to God’s person, provision, and power.  Timothy shows how to function in that.

I heard in my spirit: “Give Me Your Whole Self, all you are and have, and I will give you Myself, all that I am and have.  I will open heaven, and NOTHING will be impossible or withheld from you.”  What is our part?  Obedience and faith.   We must train ourselves to expect God’s promises to become realities Now!

GOD will not receive superficial offerings but will bless and multiply pure-hearted offerings.  Therefore, we need to speak to our problems.  We are to speak the Word of God to them.  Give God your best, and He will do the rest.

May the Lord of Hosts guard and guide you today in your new journey of Faith and Victory!

Jonah 4:1 – “But it greatly displeased Jonah, and he became angry.”

We may deny it, but many have been angry with or at God.   It may be latent and seething beneath the surface if it is there.  The account of Jonah is an example.   After he finally fulfilled God’s directive, Jonah got mad because God didn’t smash the Ninivites like a bug.  (Jonah 4:1) 

Jonah didn’t like what happened, so he went to sulk in seclusion.  Sometimes, isolating ourselves is a revelation that there is disappointment and even anger toward the Lord beneath the surface.  Why?   Often, we deem that He failed us or, in Jonah’s case, embarrassed him.  Jonah was upset that his prophecy had not happened.   It may result from desiring something and God not doing what we wanted, at least not like we wanted it done.

Jonah went to sulk, and God supernaturally grew a plant to shade him.   Then, to add insult to injury, God sent a worm and killed the plant.  Jonah became furious.  God asked, “Jonah, do you have good reason to be angry about the plant?” Jonah said, “You bet I do.  I have reason to be angry, even if it kills me.”

God used that as an object lesson to expose the root of his anger. 

Jonah 9:10-11 He laid it all out.  Jonah had compassion on a plant he had no investment in but not a city filled with people over 120,000 who were innocent.   God asked, “If the plant deserved compassion, shouldn’t people as well?”  In that, he was bringing Jonah to face the reality that his anger was because he didn’t get what he wanted when he wanted it and how he wanted it. 

We cling to our disappointments and let seething anger bubble beneath the surface.   If we realize that anger, hurt, pain, disappointment, and perpetual sorrow of the heart can be signs of latent anger toward God, we discover the doorway to freedom. 

God Never fails! His ways are higher than ours; sometimes, He acts or doesn’t act.  He knows what we don’t know.  He sees what we can’t see.  If we truly trust Him, rather than becoming angry, we would rejoice, knowing that even when we don’t know and can’t see, He is doing it for the overall good.

I frequently ask myself if there is any hidden anger in my heart toward God.  Are the disappointments roots of hidden bitterness?  Does the past bind me, or am I free to be who He has designed?  Do I truly trust Him, even when I disagree with Him?

My prayer for myself is, “Lord, purge all hidden or open anger from my heart.   Purge what I call disappointment but is anger from me.  Make me free to be who You called me to be.”  As Job said, “Even if You were to slay me, I will trust You.”

When all anger is gone, true freedom comes, new doors open, and new paths are revealed.   We get stuck because we hold on to hurts (anger).  Today is the day to become totally free.  This is for me, but embrace it if it resonates with you.

May the Lord be with you, enabling you to release any hidden anger and walk into His total freedom today!