A Strategy for Victory

As we come to the close of the Passover Celebration, we want to make sure that we are in position to receive the Victory that God has ordained for all of His children during this Season. A prophet of God recently shared a Word with me that really hit my spirit. The prophetic word from the Lord was: the measures are in place for a Turnaround, but until My people "turn" and "seek" Me, I WILL NOT provide the strategies to release the measures. Saints, this was a very inspiring word but also a challenging word. Do you know that God has your Turnaround and your Victory already in Place? Guess what, you're the one holding it up. If you want God to turn things around in your life, if you're ready to see manifest the breakthrough that you've been praying about for years, then it's time to make sure that you're positioned to receive A Strategy for Victory.

There are two things in this Word that the Lord says that His people must do in order to receive the Turnaround: Turn (which means Repent) and Seek Him. For many of us, there are some things in our lives, behaviorally as well as attitudinally, that we need to Turn from in order to receive our Blessing and Breakthrough. The Father is very Gracious, Patient and Very Merciful. But saints, It's Time. God is Ready to Move. And for where He's going, you can't follow Him in any type of condition, whether it's your actions or your thinking. The Holy Spirit is Faithful, so I know He has convicted you of what's in place in your life that is not pleasing to God (John 16). The question is, are you willing to make the turn? Are you willing to make the Shift? Are you ready to "think again" (the literal translation of Repent) and allow the Holy Spirit to "renew your mind" (Romans 12). If not, then be prepared to remain in defeat and frustration.

Then we have to Seek Him. Saints I believe that I've said this before, there are a lot of Christians that simply don't love God. We're "grateful" for His love for us, demonstrated in Him sending His Only Begotten Son to die for our sins (John 3). We thank Him for that, but we don't Love Him. And let me take it a step further. If we do love Him, then we're not "in love with Him". We're not on Fire for the Lord. There's no Passion, no Zeal, no Excitement; I like to use the word "juice". We just don't have any Juice for the Lord. The Lord is not into that. That's why the first commandment is to love the Lord thy God with ALL thine heart, ALL thine soul, ALL of your mind and ALL of your strength (Luke 10). We've got to Seek the Lord with everything we've got.

Finally saints, once we've obeyed the instructions of this prophetic word, we are in position to receive the strategies for the measures to be released. Notice He didn't say "the measures would be released"; He said He would provide the "strategies" to release the measures. This is what happened to the children of Israel when they Crossed Over into the Promised Land. God gave them the Strategy to capture the city of Jericho. Walk around the city once for six days, then on the 7th Day, walk around the city seven times and have the priests blow the trumpets (Joshua 6). Strategy. God has a Strategy and strategies just like that waiting for you. Your Turnaround is right around the corner. Are you positioned? If not do so, and receive A Strategy for Victory.

Male and Female

As the perversion in America seems to get deeper and deeper, we are faced with another issue that, at some point, the church is going to have to take a stand and make a Declaration of Faith. American culture first established the norm or at least "social sanction and approval" of being gay and living a homosexual lifestyle. It was all about "coming out of the closet". Then society said, now that being homosexual is culturally condoned and affirmed, we want to establish "gay rights" in the area of same-sex marriage. Now that the legislation for that defilement of marriage was passed by the Supreme Court in 2015, the next area of "progressive perversion" is in the area of Gender Identity. What's being pushed now is that if you were born a man, you can declare yourself to be a woman, and if you were born a woman, you can declare yourself to be a man.

This type of thinking 60 years ago would've been looked at as simply ridiculous. But it's a new day, and the proponents of this distorted and defiled thinking are very serious about insuring that this "way of life" is infringed and imposed upon the fabric of American society. The church has to take a stand! The country's in an uproar now over North Carolina's new law, that says that if you were "born" male, then you have to go to the "men's bathroom", regardless of what gender you personally "identify" with. The argument by the LGBT community is that this is discrimination against the "transgender community". My argument is that the position of the LGBT community is against the Divine Order of God!

The Scripture makes it clear that God, the Creator of all humanity, made us Male and Female (Genesis 1). This means that God made an acute distinction between what it means to be a Man and what it means to be a Woman. Once again, just like in the situation with same-sex marriage, to deny and dismiss the Divine Order of Gender that God established for all of His human creation is to say that God is Wrong. The God of the Universe doesn't take lightly His creation claiming that "He" made a mistake. Jesus says very clearly in the 19th chapter of the Gospel of Saint Matthew, when the Pharisees were asking Him about divorce, "have ye not read, that He which made them at the beginning made them Male and Female". The church must take a stand and make it clear that this discussion about "gender rights" is once again a slap in the face of God.

The issue with Bruce Jenner was major in sparking this whole "gender identity" discussion. But what we have to establish as believers in Christ is that human beings don't have the right to "change" their gender. How God made you is how God made you, regardless of "how you feel". Not that we don't want to be sensitive to what's sponsoring the perceived need for this type of gender transition, but regardless of what it is, one's feelings don't negate our responsibility to uphold the Divine Order of God. And then let's take this a step further. Bruce Jenner has changed his genitalia to that of a woman, along with other "female accessories". But does he have a uterus? Does he have fallopian tubes? Does he have a cycle every month? What's my point? He doesn't have the biological equipment that God endowed every woman to have. Therefore, at the end of the day, you're still not really a woman. This is what the church has to promote. A change in sex-organs does not make you a particular gender. You can't reverse the Divine Order of God.

Saints we've got to Wake Up and we've got to Speak Up. This country is headed on a Collision Course with the Almighty God. I applaud North Carolina and also the state of Mississippi for their Religious Freedom Bill, that allows people (particularly Christians) to stand up against the homosexual agenda in the name of their faith and convictions without "breaking the law". But saints we've got to Fight. We cannot afford to be neutral on these issues. The Judgment of God is weighing on whether we Repent of this outright defiance of His Word, His Will and His Way. And in this particular instance, we need to affirm: NO, we do not approve or condone the Transgender Movement. We stand by the Word of God: He made us Male and Female.

The Death of Prince

Many people throughout the world are still mourning the death of one of the greatest music legends of our time, Prince Rogers Nelson. There are not many people alive who have not been impacted in some shape, form or fashion by the musical genius of this great musical artist. Even though he was not a "gospel artist", his brilliance in music is unquestionable, producing some very thought-provoking songs like "The Cross", "Free" and "Annie Christian" (which refers to the Anti-Christ). Whether you were a "Prince fan" or not, the world will truly miss the creative genius of this legendary entertainer.

Like most people, when I initially heard the news of Prince's death, I was shocked. It just didn't seem real. But as I began to ponder further his passing away, I began to feel that his death was Prophetic. I heard a prophet say a few years ago that we are living in days now where as believers in Christ, we need to look at current events and the things that are happening around the world with a "prophetic eye". As I continued to reflect on the prophetic aspect of Prince's death, the Lord led me to the 16th chapter of the Gospel of Saint John. The scripture reads, "And when He (the Holy Spirit) is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. Of sin, because they believe not on me. Of righteousness, because I go to my Father and ye see me no more. Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged." I said, that's it, that's the prophetic confirmation. God always gives confirmation for Divine Revelation through His Word. The Death of Prince was prophetic of the coming Judgment that God is going to send to the earth.

As we break this down a little further, understand that when God gives a Prophetic Sign in reference to a person, the prophetic word is not always about that specific individual. Therefore, I don't believe that the prophetic word has to deal with Prince specifically as an individual person. I believe the Lord used him prophetically because he is a world-renown figure. Let's examine also the "timing" of Prince's death. It is not a coincidence that Prince died during the Season of Passover. The Passover Season starts on the 10th day of Nissan on the Hebrew calendar. This is the day that the Israelites were instructed to choose the lamb that would be slain for the Passover supper (Exodus 12). The Passover Celebration commences the 14th day of Nissan. Prince died on April 21. The Passover Season commenced on April 18. Why would the Lord allow Prince, a world-wide entertainer, to die during the Passover Season? Once again, because it's prophetic of Judgment. The Passover Season talks about God's Judgment of the Egyptians and their gods. Judgment.

Lastly, many people witnessed the Rainbow that was seen over Prince's home after his death. Once again, this is not about Prince "personally", this is about interpreting his death prophetically. The Rainbow was the Covenant Sign of God "after" the 40 day Flood for which Noah built the Ark (Genesis 9). What's the Message? After the prince of this world has been judged (Satan) and his world-system, God will restore and re-establish Covenant Relationship with His people and prayerfully with this nation (America). But notice, the Rainbow wasn't seen until "after" the judgment of the Prince (prophetically in this case, Prince Rogers Nelson).

I hope that we can see saints that the time is short. I truly believe that God used and is still using The Death of Prince as a prophetic sign to show what He's getting ready to do in regards to the Judgment of the prince of this world, reflective of the Judgment associated with Passover. May our hearts be in tune to what the Spirit has to say.

Preparation for Possession

As we continue to celebrate the Passover Season, we want to remember that not only were the children of Israel delivered from Egyptian bondage during this season, but the Lord also brought them into the Promised Land during the Passover Season as well (Joshua 5). This is significant because it lets us know that God's Plans for Passover did not just involve Deliverance, but they also entailed Receiving of Promises. For many during this Season, you are expecting God for a Supernatural Miracle. You're waiting for God to release your Blessing. And now is the time. But as we prepare to receive our Promised Land, we want to keep in mind that the goal is not simply to "enter" the Promised Land, it's to possess it. 

My concern for many of the saints is that when God releases the Miracle Blessings and we receive our Promised Reward, we will be elated and content therein. This is not the Will of God. God told Moses to instruct the people to enter and Possess the Land (Deuteronomy 1). This is what we must do. It's not enough for us to simply enter into what God has ordained for us, we must also be proactive and Possess It. For this reason God is taking us through Preparation for Possession.

One of the areas of Preparation is Sanctification. Before the children of Israel "passed over" the Jordan River, Joshua had instructed the people to "sanctify yourselves" (Joshua 3). Saints I can assure you, you will not receive your Inheritance until you have dutifully Sanctified yourself (Acts 26). The word Sanctified means to be Set Apart. If you're going through a season of isolation, alienation and particularly separation, it is not a coincidence. It's part of the Sanctification Process that God is utilizing for your Preparation for Possession. Sanctification is difficult, and it does take time; but it is the necessary prerequisite for receiving our Reward.

Another part of the process for Preparation for Possession was Circumcision. God instructed Joshua to circumcise the people a "second time" (Joshua 5). If you're going to Possess what God has ordained for you, you're going to have to cut some things off and have some things cut out of you. Some of us are too "clingy". We want to cling to the past, cling to certain relationships, cling to our jobs, cling to our homes, cling to our churches; and God is saying Circumcise. As with Sanctification, Circumcision is a painful process. Joshua was divinely instructed to make "sharp knives" for the Circumcision (Joshua 5). Why? The sharper the knife, the cleaner the break. Let the Holy Spirit make the necessary cuts required in your life in order to facilitate your Preparation for Possession.

Lastly saints, the scripture says that "about 40,000 prepared for war passed over before the Lord unto battle" (Joshua 4). If we're going to Possess the Promised Land and not just enter, we're going to have to be Prepared for War. Are you ready to go to Battle? Are you ready to fight to the death to receive and obtain and to exercise Dominion over what is your Divine Right to receive? Trust me when I tell you, you're not going to receive what God has for you without a Fight. That's why the scripture says to fight the good fight of Faith ( 1Timothy 6). You're going have to fight to get there, and we're going to have to fight to stay there. It's time saints. No matter how rough it is right now, don't be weary in well-doing (Galatians 6). Just understand that all that you're going through is simply Preparation for Possession.

It's Not About Your Age

Many of us have heard the saying, "age is just a number". As nice as that sounds, unfortunately, it's not true. Age is more than just a number; it's a chronological marker of how long you've humanly existed on this planet. There are a lot of things in our society that are regulated by one's age. You can't receive Social Security until you reach a certain age. People don't generally retire until they get to a certain age. You're not allowed to legally drive until you reach a certain age. You can't exercise the right to vote until you reach a certain age. And certain relationships between the opposite sex cannot legally take place unless both parties are of a certain age. So from a social and cultural standpoint, age is definitely more than just a number.

But when it comes to the Kingdom of God and the fulfillment of God's Divine Will and Calling for our lives, we can no longer afford to be regulated nor restricted by our Age. For the record, It's Not About Your Age. Is Age just a number? No it is not. But are the Plans and Purposes that God has ordained for you contingent upon your Age? No they are not. We need to understand this, because there are some of us that are restricting and restraining our faith based upon our own perception of how our Age plays into the fulfillment of God's Destiny for our lives. Some of us think that we are too young to be used by God significantly at this time. Then there are others of us that think we're too old, that "time" has passed us by. Both of these assessments are totally incorrect. God is not worried about your Age, He's concerned about your Faith. If your Faith is up to date, God can work it out to where your chronological status really doesn't matter.

Let's take a look at a few Biblical Witnesses. Let's start with Abraham. Abraham was 75 years of age when he answered God's Call for his life (Genesis 12). Remember that Moses was 40 when he initially embarked upon what God had ordained him to do, and then 80 when he was finally equipped and prepared to fulfill it (Acts 7). Then let's look at some of the younger saints. Jesus was twelve years of age when He stood in the Temple and astounded the doctors with His Wisdom and Insight (Luke 2). Joseph was 17 when God first revealed to him is Divine Destiny (Genesis 37). And don't forget the prophet Samuel, who as a boy ministered a prophetic word to the priest Eli (1Samuel 3). Now you may be saying, "well, that was in the Bible days, it's different now". Really? Is the God we serve different? Is it not the same God who used them that is calling us today? My Bible says that the God we serve "changeth not" (Malachi 3). And the scriptures explicitly state that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forevermore (Hebrews 13). What's different is not God, what's different is our Faith. My point saints is, don't let your belief and faith in God be unduly influenced by your Age. You are not too old and you are not too young. The God we serve is a renewer of strength (Isaiah 40). The God we serve is a conveyor of Wisdom (James 1). At the end of the day, It's Not About Your Age.

Are You Worthy?

As we celebrate this Passover Season and continue to press into the Kingdom of God, we want to make sure that we're undergoing a thorough self-examination to insure that we are Worthy of the Calling for which God has placed upon us (1Corinthians 11). Many people want to believe that when it comes to Christianity and our relationship with God, that "worthiness" is not a factor or a pertinent issue. After all, aren't we all sinners saved by Grace? Yes we are. But at some point in our walk with Christ and the Witness of the Church, there needs to be a firm demarcation between Salvation and Sanctification. Yes, Salvation is Free (even though it cost Jesus His Life). The Bible clearly says "whosoever will, let him come" (Revelation 22). But there is a price to Sanctification, there is a Cost. Not everyone is willing to pay the Cost of Sanctification. Therefore I ask the question, Are You Worthy?


The Apostle Paul beseeches the believer to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we have been called (Ephesians 4). The exhortation to Walk Worthy automatically suggests that we can also have an "unworthy" walk with the Lord. Once again, don't get the two confused; you are saved by grace through faith, but that doesn't mean that your walk and relationship with the Lord can't be raggedy. It's like a person's who's married but doesn't choose to honor the marriage relationship that they're in. Yes, their marital status is confirmed based upon the vows made during the ceremony and the signing of the marriage license. But if the spouse is not committed to the marriage, irresponsible, unfaithful, then what kind of marriage do the two people really have? So it is with Christ. You can be saved by the Blood but where is you faithfulness and obedience to Christ? Are You Worthy?


Paul goes on to give some of the characteristics of a Worthy Walk in Christ, particularly in regards to our Calling. He says we need to be lowly and meek.  I would suspect that most of us are inclined to think that we are already on the humble and meek side of things. However, take this word as a Warning. We are about to enter a Season of Promotion. It's much easier to be humble and meek when "you ain't got nothing" (forgive my vernacular). Many of the saints that I've talked to have been struggling in regards to their finances and other material aspects of their lives. That's about to change, Praise God. However, when it does, we've got to make sure that we don't change.  This shift in attitude and posture happens to so many unassuming Christians when God chooses to elevate their lot in life. Don't let it happen to you.  Work to stay humble. Work to stay meek. Work to stay lowly. Are You Worthy? (Hosea 13)


Lastly, Paul admonishes us to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4). This is easier said than done. If we be honest, there are some people we just don't like, for whatever reason. And don't be fooled, there are some people that just don't like you, for whatever reason. But this doesn't mean that we can't all get along. Satan loves nothing more than to create division amongst the people of God. Why? Because there's Strength in Unity (Psalm 133). For this reason saints we've got to work to get along. Let's rise above the pettiness. Let's move beyond the disagreements and personality clashes. Let's focus on the Purpose. Let's focus on the Calling. Let's identify what God has ordained for all of us to bring to the table in the advancement of His Kingdom. Are You Worthy?

Alone, but Not Alone

One of the greatest social challenges that many people face today is Loneliness. I personally believe that a lot of the ills, dysfunction and delinquency that we witness in our world today has a lot to do with people's inability to deal with the chronic Loneliness that many are faced with each and every day. God did not design human beings to live in isolation and alienation. We are creatures of community. Therefore, when we are cut off from community, whether by choice or circumstance, something in the core of our being becomes out of sync. A lot of this Loneliness starts with our families. Children don't get along with their parents, spouses don't like each other, siblings are jealous of one another. None of this is of God. And then when you try to find friends who will love you and accept you as you are, more times than not you're often rejected and disappointed. As a result, people stop trusting people and begin to cultivate a life of Loneliness and Emotional Survival.

The sad part about this commentary is that this social plight is not restricted to the non-believer. There are many a Christian that has been affected and infected with the social disease of Loneliness. You go to church with a sanctuary packed with hundreds and thousands of people, and folks barely know your name. You listen to the pastor preach the word of God every week, and yet you can't get close enough to shake their hand. Then when it comes to sharing your true problems that can actually make you look "un-Christian", you're too embarrassed to share them with your "church family" because you're too afraid that they're going to "judge" you. For many Christians and believers in Christ, we too are challenged to navigate this emotional obstacle called Loneliness.

But my friends, what the believer in Christ needs to understand is that, even though we may be challenged to deal with being lonely, we are never Alone. There are times where yes, you will have to be alone and take a stand all by yourself. Sometimes your faith in juxtaposition with the world and even fellow professors of the faith, will make you become ostracized, feeling Alone even in the midst of the crowd. But saints once again, you may be Alone, you may be by yourself, but you are never Alone. You can be Alone, but not Alone. For the Christian, in the natural, yes, you may be faced with the lack of social relationships, the lack of companionship, the lack of emotional support. But in the Spirit Realm, no saints, you are never Alone. Jesus said He would be with us always even unto the end of the world (Matthew 28). The Father has declared that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13). And don't forget the innumerable amount of angels that the Father has placed at His disposal to minister to us at His will (Hebrews 1). We Are Not Alone. But what we have to learn to do now is tap into the Spirit Realm and find solace and comfort in Cosmic Companionship with the Father and with the Son in and through the Holy Spirit. How do you do this? By Faith. Once we learn to find our Companionship in Christ and support from the Spirit Realm of Heaven and the Kingdom of God, in the natural we may be alone, but in the Spirit, Not Alone.

The Feast of Passover

We are in a very exciting time of the year, as today marks the beginning of The Feast of Passover. According to the Word of God, on the Hebrew calendar, this month marks the beginning of months and The Passover Celebration starts the 14th day of the month (the month of Nissan) and culminates on the 21st day of the month (Exodus 12). Many Christians view the Passover Celebration as simply a "Jewish Holiday". Wrong saints. The Feasts of the Lord God Jehovah are to be celebrated throughout all generations by His Covenant People. As the Body of Christ, we are in Covenant Relationship with Jehovah through the shed Blood of His Only Begotten Son, Jesus the Christ (Matthew 26). Therefore, as Christians under the New Covenant in Jesus Christ, we too should celebrate the Feast of Passover.

The Passover was instituted by God to celebrate and memorialize His Deliverance of the Jews from Egyptian bondage (Exodus 12). God instructed Moses to tell the people of Israel to get a lamb on the tenth day of the month, and prepare it up to the 14th day of the month. Then at sunset, every family was to kill the lamb that they had chosen. Once the lamb was slain, they were to then take the blood of the lamb, and place it on the two side posts and the upper door post of their house. The reason God instructed them to do this was because He was going to come through Egypt that night and pronounce Judgment on the gods of the nation. The Judgment was going to be exacted by the death of the firstborn son in each household. If your house was not covered by the Blood, then the Destroyer would come in your house and execute Judgment upon the first born son in the household. However, if your house was covered by the Blood, then God would Pass Over that house, and they would be spared the Judgment of God (Exodus 12)

The Bible says that Christ is our Passover (1Corinthians 5). This is why Christians still need to celebrate and acknowledge this Passover Celebration. It is no coincidence that Jesus was Crucified during the Passover Feast (Luke 22). Why? Because Jesus is the Lamb of God that was slain for the sins of the world (John 1). It is because we are covered by the Blood of Jesus that God will Pass Over us in terms of spiritual judgment. Let us not ignore this very special time in the Calendar of God. The God we serve is a God of Timing (Exodus 12). Be very Prayerful, Watchful and Consecrated from now through the end of this month (April). There are Miracle Blessings that the Father is ready to release during this Appointed Time. May we gird up the loins of our mind, be sober and wait with great expectation what the Father has in store during this Feast of Passover.

Ambassadors for Christ

There is a scripture in the 5th chapter of 2Corinthians that describes the Christian as an Ambassador for Christ. Many of you may be familiar with this passage, but the witness of the mainstream church does not portray this spiritual reality. There are some dynamics to serving as Ambassadors for Christ that, if we can truly plug into and wrap our faith around, we will be positioned by the Holy Spirit to be proponents and vessels of a Kingdom Revolution here in the earth.

One of the first things to understand about an Ambassador in the natural is that they are not responsible for covering their own expenses. The cost of housing, medical and dental insurance, transportation costs, food and other living expenses are not self-incurred. In other words, they don't have to pay for it. So if the Ambassador doesn't have to absorb the cost, who does? The Government. It's like serving in the Military. No soldier pays for their own lodging and uniforms and meals. The Government pays for it. Such is the way it works in the Kingdom (Government) of God. When you function as an Ambassador for Christ, The Government of God, The Kingdom, will take care of you. That's why Jesus said in the 6th chapter of the Gospel of Saint Matthew, "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you". When you become an Ambassador of The Kingdom, not just a church worker, not just a minister of the Gospel, your every need will be Supernaturally provided for you.

The next thing that we want to recognize in regards to the role of an ambassador is that their place of residence does not represent the territory or the property for which they are located. In other words, if you have an ambassador from the country of China, and they come to America, even though the Chinese Embassy is located in the United States, it does not represent American property. The Embassy of a foreign ambassador is the sovereign property of their own nation. Such is the case in the Kingdom of God. When you serve as an Ambassador for Christ, the territory for which you serve is now Kingdom Property. This is significant to understand. For the believer in Christ, the earth is not our home (Hebrews 13). Too many Christians are too comfortable in the earth realm. We are strictly here On Assignment. We're not here to "place roots". This is the mind-set of an Ambassador. And what we're supposed to be doing is Representing the Interests of the Country for which we represent. How well are we Representing the Kingdom of God? Are we all walking in Miracles, Signs and Wonders? (Hebrews 6) Are we all walking in and being regulated by the Love of God? (John 13) If not then we need to work on being better Ambassadors. But saints, this is the Calling for all of us; to serve and to function as Ambassadors for Christ.                                                                                                                              

Chosen

As we continue to press into the Season of the Kingdom, we want to make sure we make the distinction between being Called and being Chosen. Jesus said that "many are Called, but few are Chosen" (Matthew 22). We are entering a Season where being Called will not be enough. Every born-again believer has a Calling. Every Christian has a Divine Assignment for which they've been anointed and appointed to fulfill. However, just because you're Called, and you may have even "answered" this call (like answering a Call to preach), doesn't mean that you are Chosen. In this Season of Kingdom Manifestation, those who will be used by God and those who will be on the front lines of this Movement will not be simply the Called, it will be the Chosen.

When we compare this concept to the Natural, we find that there are various areas where people have to be Chosen. Next week is the NFL (National Football League) Draft, where various college players will be selected by different professional teams. These players have to be Chosen. You cannot just randomly get to the NFL. You have to be Chosen to play by a particular organization. And in order for them to choose you, you have to be Qualified. This is one of the challenges for many Christians who are operating in a Calling but fail to make the distinction of being Chosen; they don't Qualify. I've said this before and I'll say it again; in many instances when it comes to being used by God in the Advancement of His Kingdom, the anointing is not enough. Your spiritual gifts represent the anointing of God. But in order to be Chosen, you have to have spiritual character and substance. You have to be Obedient (1Peter 1). You have to learn to Deny Your Self. You have to learn to Bear your Cross (Matthew 16). These are some of the qualifications of the Chosen of God. In order to make a team in the NFL, you have to pass a Physical. This determines whether or not you are physically fit to play the game at the level required. Are you fit to be a worker in the Kingdom of God? Spiritually, Mentally, Emotionally, Relationally and Physically? (1Thessalonians 5). Once again, in order to be Chosen, you have to Qualify.

Lastly saints, you have to Love Him. I know this sounds basic, and you would think that every believer in Christ, if nothing else, loves the Lord. But the longer I hang around the saints, the less I'm convinced of this general assessment. The scripture says, "this people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth...but their heart is far from me". (Matthew 15). People have learned what to say regarding their love for the Lord, but that doesn't necessarily mean that that's where their heart is. When you really love Jesus, your world revolves around Him. You want to spend time with Him. You want to Worship and Adore Him. You hang, literally, on His every Word. His wish is truly your Command. No sacrifice is too much, no mountain to steep, when it comes to pleasing the Master. A lot of us are busy in ministry and devoted to "working" for the Lord. But remember what Jesus told the church at Ephesus, "nevertheless I have somewhat against thee...thou hast left thy first love" (Revelation 2). Let's make sure, above anything else, that we are truly in love with Jesus. This will ensure that we are Chosen.

Why?

I suspect that there are more than a few believers that are going through various situations that are making them ask God the question, Why? It could be family related, financial matters, career decisions, even issues related to ministry. But the way things are falling out and going down are challenging you to ask the Lord, Why? Why Lord, did you let it happen this way? Why Lord, haven't you delivered me? Why Lord, am I still sick? Why Lord, am I still broke? Why Lord, didn't I get that promotion? Why? Asking the Lord Why about personal situations is not a problem. Some adhere to the school of thought that you shouldn't ask the Lord, Why; that you shouldn't "question" the Lord. With this I totally disagree. You should exercise the right and the prerogative to ask the Lord Why about what He's Sovereignly allowing to transpire in your life. Just make sure that when you ask Why, that you position yourself to receive God's Answer.

One of the reasons Why things could be going down the way they are is our own Spiritual Negligence. I'm learning more and more that a lot of Christians don't know how to "steward" the Prophetic Word. One thing we know about God is that He is Faithful (1Corinthians 1). He's never going to allow something to "creep up" on His children. It's just not going down like that. Therefore, we have to examine if there might have been a situation where God actually gave us the "heads up" and we just chose to ignore it. I recently received a prophetic word, and at the time I received it, I didn't think the word actually applied to where I was spiritually. I received the Word, but I didn't "steward" it properly from the standpoint of properly preparing for what the Lord was saying to me prophetically. However, in the days to come, I found my self right in the situation for which I had been prophetically warned. The Lord was gracious, but I believe some things could have been avoided if I had not been spiritually negligent regarding the Prophetic Word I had received.

Then there are some things that God is doing on our behalf that we simply don't know about and don't understand. When Job was going through his drama, he often asked the question, Why? Who would've thought that the hell that Job was going through was actually Divinely Sponsored (Job 1). It was Satanically administered, but it was Divinely Sponsored. Never forget that even the devil works for God. Satan can do nothing that God doesn't permit or allow (Job 1). So whatever's going on in your life, even though the devil may be doing it, God is allowing it. And guess what, God loves you! So no matter how painful it is, no matter how hard it is, no matter how rough it is, no matter how unfair it is, God is working it out for your Good (Romans 8). Do you believe that? No, it may not make the situation easier to deal with, but what it ought to give you is Hope. Hope that if God is in control, and He is, and if God only has my best interests at heart, and we know He does, then when you get through this thing, the Blessing you're going to receive is going to be Awesome! Job received a double portion when his testing period was over (Job 42). Endure saints. Your trial is only for a season. And when this season of testing has expired, God will Manifest for you the reason Why.

The Subtlety of Satan

We are entering a Season saints where it will be imperative that you pay attention to spiritual detail. For many of us, we are too generalized and open in regards to the application of our faith. As it relates to our relationship with God and our walk with Christ, we can no longer just "go with the flow". We cannot afford to respond and be regulated by "how we feel"; not in this upcoming season. No saints, it's time to raise our spiritual game and make sure that every "I" is dotted and that the spiritual "T's" are crossed. The reason why is because, if we're not careful, we will become victims of The Subtlety of Satan.

The scripture states very clearly that Satan walketh about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1Peter 5). The Devil's roaming around seeking who he can destroy (John 10). The challenge with the Devil is that his attacks aren't out in the open. No sir. He's Subtle, he's Crafty, he's Sneaky. Things will be going along just fine and before you know it, Bam, Satan's gotcha. That's how it works. That's why the scripture also instructs us to be Sober and Vigilant (1Peter 5). We have to stay on guard for the Subtlety of Satan.

One of the ways to guard against the Subtlety of Satan is to monitor our spiritual status and position. The scripture says in Colossians 3 that we are dead, and that our life is hid with Christ in God. Some of us are too alive in Self instead of being dead in Christ (Romans 6). When you're wrapped up in Self you are a prime target for the Subtlety of Satan. Notice I didn't say wrapped up in Sin, I said wrapped up in Self. That's where many of us are deceived. We think because we're not "sinning" that we're ok. Wrong. The issue is not your transgressions, the issue is your Focus. You may not be in a position to fully engage in Self-Indulgence, but your focus isn't on Christ. It's during these times that Satan "conveniently" slips up on us. And we're not thinking anything of it because, for the moment "we're being good". Be not deceived. This is why you want to be Hidden In Christ. Get into the Word of God (1Peter 2). Spend time in Worship and Prayer (Psalm 100). Exercise the spiritual discipline of Fasting (Psalm 35). These are some of the things that will allow us to be Hidden In Christ and help protect us from The Subtlety of Satan.

As we prepare for the Passover Season, God has Great and Precious Promises in store for His people and those who have been faithful to Him. Don't let the Devil rob you of your Blessing. Don't let him sneak in and steal your Inheritance (Hebrews 12). Be Watchful, Stay Prayerful and let the Holy Spirit give you the necessary Discernment to guard against The Subtlety of Satan.

Friend of God

One of the things that we must always keep in mind is that Christianity is not a religion, it is a Relationship. With this in mind, one of the things that we understand, that I don't believe enough Christians are conscious of, is that God is looking for Friends. Yes, He's looking for worshippers (John 4). Yes, He's looking for servants. But He's also looking for Friends. A friend is someone that you have a close, intimate relationship with. In these times, there are people that we call our friends that really are not. They might be good associates and people that we genuinely like and care for; but that doesn't automatically constitute them as a friend. God is looking for Friends. And in order to be anyone's friend, particularly a Friend of God, there are certain standards you must meet and qualifications you must fulfill.


In order to be a Friend of God, the first thing we must be is Faithful. The only person that the scripture specifically identifies as the Friend of God was Abraham (James 2). One of the defining characteristics regarding Abraham was his Faithfulness. He is often recognized as the Father of Faith. Abraham believed God and did exactly what He said (Genesis 12, Hebrews 11). If we're going to be a Friend of God, we must walk by faith and be faithful unto God. The scripture says in Hebrews 11 that without faith it is impossible to please God. You can't be a Friend of God and walk in Unbelief. Reason being, unbelief and lack of faith does not facilitate closeness and intimacy with God.


The next area of qualification in order to be a Friend of God is Obedience. Jesus said in the 15th chapter of the Gospel of Saint John, "ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you". You can't be a Friend of God walking in a spirit of disobedience. This doesn't mean that you're going to do everything right. It doesn't mean that you're not going to make mistakes. But you can't have a stubborn spirit and a hard heart and refuse to do what God is telling and calling you to do. God has Grace for our sins, that's why Jesus died (1John 1). So He knows we're going to fall short of His Glory (Romans 3). But even in our shortcomings and trespasses, we are in agreement with God that His Will and His Word are correct (Romans 7). However, there are too many Christians that aren't even "struggling" with the performance and execution of God's Divine Will for their lives. They have grown content and complacent in their Disobedience. This is not the Will of God. Some people struggle with sin because of a lack of maturity and spiritual growth and development. But there are other Christians who have simply made up their mind that they're going to persist in a path that doesn't reflect the Divine Will of God for their lives. You can't be a Friend of God and operate in a spirit of disobedience.


Lastly, if we are to be a Friend of God, we must be willing to Sacrifice. This is where, I believe, many Christians fall short in terms of qualifying to be a Friend of God. The culture of our society has conditioned us to build our world around personal comfort and convenience. There's nothing inherently wrong with this, but this mind-set is not always conducive to being a Friend of God. Jesus calls us to Deny Ourselves and to Carry our Cross (Matthew 16). This means we have to be willing to Sacrifice, even when we don't want to, and even when it hurts. Going back to the Biblical Friend of God, when God called Abraham to sacrifice his only begotten son Isaac (Hebrews 11), he was Obedient. There's nothing recorded that he murmured or complained; he simply executed God's Divine Will for his life. This is what it means to be a Friend of God. It doesn't matter what it is, from the heart we are Obedient to whatever God tells us to do. There aren't many people that are willing to qualify for this spiritual status. Are you willing to make the Sacrifice? God was willing to make it for us (John 3). If we are, then we can become a Friend of God.

Spiritual Desperation

We are entering a Season where if your intent is to get to where God has Divinely Ordained you to be, then it is imperative that you develop what I'd like to describe as "Spiritual Desperation". One of the signs of the mainstream church that is extremely affecting our Christian witness is the amount of complacency with which we approach our faith. Jesus described it as being "lukewarm" (Revelation 3). The church can no longer afford to operate in a state of "lukewarm spirituality". We have to wake up, we must become sober; we must develop a sense of Spiritual Desperation.

Jesus said in the eleventh chapter of the Gospel of Saint Matthew, "the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force". Even though the meaning of this appears to be somewhat abstract, in essence what Jesus is saying is that you're not going to enter the Kingdom of God being "laid back". There has to be a level of aggressiveness and assertiveness towards receiving all that God has ordained for His children. What I'm beginning to see is that this spirit of "indifference" is something that is affecting not only the church but our entire nation. Excellence and achievement no longer seem to be the standard at which we as a society choose to operate. People just want to "go with the flow". People just want to "settle". This spirit is not of God, and it definitely has no place in regards to our pursuit in relationship with Him.

What are you reaching for in Christ? What are you reaching for in the Lord? What are your spiritual aspirations and goals? What is it that God is calling you to do and fulfill in the Kingdom of God? Who is it that God is calling you to be in His Son? What elements of your character and being is the Holy Spirit actively working out and working on in you? These are questions that you ask when you are experiencing Spiritual Desperation. When you're Spiritually Desperate there's an urgency to your relationship with God. There's something you're reaching for in Christ and reaching for "from" Christ that places a pressing on your soul and in your spirit. I can assure you saints, we will not be available, let alone equipped and prepared, to be vessels and witnesses of the Kingdom of God if at some point we don't mature into operating with Spiritual Desperation.

The Family of God

As we continue to address The Focus on the Family, we want to remember that the Family is instituted and ordained by God. Family is not a secular or human idea, it's a Divinely Ordained Institution from God. Therefore, Family is Sacred. What we fail to realize on many occasions is that, if the Family is going to be functional and productive, it cannot do so apart from God. Any Family that is going to be what God has Ordained the Family to be, needs God in order to sustain the family unit. Too often, we try to run our houses and relate to certain family members without God and outside of God's Divine Will for our lives. This is the main reason why so many of our family relationships are frustrated and faltering. We must keep in mind, The Family is of God.

We've had various representations of The Family shown to us by the media. You have the famous Cosby family, you have the Cleavers on Leave it to Beaver, you even have the Adams Family (not the best representation of course). But as much as we applauded the depiction of the Cosbys and the Cleavers and other seemingly wholesome and well-adjusted families on tv, the question I always raised was, Where was God? Maybe I missed some episodes, but I never saw the Cosbys praying together as a Family. I don't recall Mr. Cleaver telling Wally and Theodore (the Beaver) that in order to work out a particular problem they're going to need to call on Jesus. What the television did was give us positive family models without the Presence of God. Therefore, what we witnessed, and in many instances applauded, was a lie. You're not going to have Family Unity and peace in the home outside of the Presence of God. That's fictitious and wishful thinking at best. So if you think your family is going to be functional and whole outside of the Presence of Jesus and His Spirit ruling your house, you are Deceived.

God ordained the Family; and He did not create the Family to function apart from Him, He established the Family to operate in Communion with Him. For this reason, we must establish the Principle that our Families need to revolve around God and His Will for our families. Let me say it again: we need to establish the Principle that our families need to Revolve around God and His Will and Purpose for our families. Did you know that God has a Divine Purpose for your Family? We think God just has a Calling for the church or for certain ministers and preachers. No. God has a Calling for your Family. And it's up to the Father and the Mother to identify what that Calling is (which is supposed to be done before you get married) and then to communicate that Vision and Calling to the children. Is this not what God did with Abraham? The whole Calling for Abraham's life was about The Family (Genesis 12, Genesis 17). The reason why as Christians we are called "the children of God" is because we are a part of God's Family. The reason God is our "Heavenly Father" is because He's the Head of the Universal Family (Matthew 6). This thing is about Family folks. And no human family is going to be successful and healthy apart from the Divine Family of God. Let's make sure that as we nurture our human families that we are intricately connected and a part of The Family of God.

Fighting for your Family

As God continues to place emphasis upon The Family, we must recognize that the Family in general and our own Families in particular, are not something that we can afford to ignore and neglect. We live in a day where many members of our society are so steeped in individualism that they feel Family is no longer a prerequisite for their own personal survival and subsistence. To this I would beg to differ. God has given all of us, a Family; and whether we believe it or not, we all have the responsibility to attend to our Families. Some of us have situations where we've had "falling outs" in our Family. Disagreements and arguments have placed a wedge between us and some of those who represent our next of kin. Some of us have grown complacent and seemingly content with allowing these Family Relationships to simply fall by the way side as we call ourselves "going on with our lives". But let me say for the record that this is not the Will of God. We are at a point in time where we now have to Fight for our Family.

Satan is busy basically "busting up" the Family. The Devil is a master at creating divisiveness and discord, particularly amongst family members. However, we have to take a stand against this Satanic assault and Fight for our Families. We have to make a decree and declare, "Satan, you are not going to break up my family, you are not going to create division, you are not going to create discord; I decree there will be love in my Family, I decree that there will be Peace in my Family, I decree that there will be Unity in my Family. And I decree it, in the Name of Jesus". This is a Stand for the Family that God is calling all of us to make. We're not going to be able to be casual and laid back and see our families come back together and ultimately stay together. We're going to have to be aggressive, we're going to have to be assertive and we're going to have to be willing to Fight for our Family.

The first weapon we're going to have to use in Fighting for our Families is the weapon of Understanding. As loving family members, we've got to stop expecting people to see things from "our perspective". You and your father are not the same. You and your mother are not the same. You and your spouse are not the same. So if your family is "different" from you, why are you expecting them to think like you and act like you and respond like you? This is not of God. We must exercise Understanding. We have to Understand where our family members are coming from. It doesn't mean you have to "agree" with where they're coming from. But in Understanding their particular vantage point, it will allow you to reach and relate to them where they are, not from where you "think" they should be, and allow peace and mutuality to function in the relationship.

Then we have to Fight for our Family with the weapon of Forgiveness. Saints, too many Families are broken apart and relationships estranged because of a lack of Forgiveness. The pain incurred from a loved one who's a member of your Family, has a way of hurting more than from someone who is not your blood. I don't understand it, but Family members have a way of "getting under your skin" and "ticking you off" more so than anybody else. The mistake we make when we are hurt or injured by Family is to let it linger and fester. We must, and I repeat must learn to Forgive. Let it go. Forgive. At the end of the day they're still your Parents, they're still your children, they're still your siblings, they're still your spouse. Forgive. And even if they represent another part of the Family, Forgive. Remember, we are to forgive others as God for Christ's sake hath Forgiven us (Ephesians 4). Let's not continue to let these grudges and disagreements keep us away from our loved ones and kindred. It's time for us to Fight for our Family.

Parental Post

Whether we realize it or not, the Family is in Crisis. The Father is making a clarion call in regards to the condition of the Family. The reason this is extremely significant is because if the Family doesn't get back in Order, the foundation and fabric of our society is lost. We can talk about the economy, we can talk about the government, we can talk about the schools, we can even talk about the church; but at the end of the day, everything starts and stems from the Family.

If the Family is going to be reconstructed and reestablished, there has to be a reinforcement of Parental Responsibility. Parents, mothers and fathers, have to get back on their Parental Post. If Parents don't do their job, the Family is lost. Mothers and Fathers have to step up to the plate and fulfill the Divinely Designed Office for which God has providentially allowed them to occupy. If people don't recommit to their Parental Post, we could possibly lose an entire generation.

Let's first start with the Parental Responsibility of simply having children. There must be a renewal of the understanding that if you become or get someone pregnant, you just assumed parental responsibility. In other words, you don't have the right to abort your child. Whether a person is "ready" or not to be a responsible parent when they conceive or impregnate an individual, does not alleviate them from the responsibility of bringing that child into the world. We must remember, God is the Author of Life. Regardless of all of the "trimester" arguments out there, we need to establish that God is the Creator of Life, not man. Therefore, since humans are not the givers of life, we neither have the right to be the takers thereof. Once you become pregnant or get someone pregnant, whether you like it or not, you have the Divine Responsibility to bring that child into the world; not to "kill it" out of social convenience or public image.

Next, once we have children, we must assume the responsibility of Motherhood and Fatherhood. Being a Mother and a Father is actually a spiritual office and a spiritual ministry from God. One of the reasons why society doesn't take these familial roles as seriously anymore is because they've become so secularized that people process them strictly through personal subjectivity. But this is not the Will of God. Motherhood and Fatherhood are Spiritual Offices that are supposed to be carried out in obedience to God (Ephesians 6). With this in mind, one of the primary responsibilities of mothers and fathers is simply to be there. Of course parenting is much deeper than that, but what we're talking about is Availability, physically and emotionally. This phenomenon of the "missing dad" is a travesty. You've got children growing up now that don't even know who their daddy "is". That's a shame. This is not the Will of God. If you've been chosen by God to bring a child into this world (and what we don't talk about enough is that there are more than a few people who cannot) then you need to cherish this privilege and be there for your children. Be present, show up, let them know that Daddy and Mommy are there. Not just physically but emotionally as well.

Saints, our children need a Covering. Satan is after this next Generation, because it's widely believed that it will be this next Generation that will actually usher in the Return of Christ. Someone has to raise these children in the admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6). Someone has to direct these children in the way that they should go. But this will only happen if Mothers and Fathers assume their Parental Post.

Divorce

As we continue our discussion on The Focus of the Family, we want to address the issue of Divorce. The random statistics suggest that roughly 50% of all marriages in America end up in Divorce. What is more alarming to me is that it has been stated that nearly 60% of all Christian marriages end up in Divorce. What a tragedy! This means that marriages in the church are failing at a higher rate than those in the world. This is a terrible witness. But it stands to reason, because many Christians follow the same principles for marriage that the world does. Therefore we cannot be surprised if we are getting similar, and obviously in some cases, worse results. This is an issue that has to be addressed in and by the church. We must address the issue of Divorce.

The first thing that we want to establish is that God Hates Divorce (Malachi 2). From this we must conclude that it is not "alright" to get married and then just get a Divorce; particularly on multiple occasions! This is not pleasing to God. When a person gets married, we need to establish the commitment to stay married until "death do us part".

The next thing we want to establish is that Marriage is not designed to "make you happy". This is the illusion that a lot of people make, including Christians, going into marriage. People tend to think that once they get married, at best, it will lead to or enhance their Happiness. This is incorrect. The fallacy is, when people discover that their spouse is not "making them happy", then they decide to "get a Divorce". However, if the false premise had not been embraced that married life was going to make you happy, you may not have been so inclined to part from your vows to God. Therefore, we have to erase this very secular notion that marriage is designed to make you happy. It is not.

So if marriage is not for happiness, then why get married? Marriage is not for happiness, it's for the fulfillment of Divine Purpose. Let me say it again: you don't get married for happiness, you get married for Purpose. This is where most of Americans, including Christians, miss it. We've been conditioned to find a "life partner" for whom we are compatible with, have chemistry, common interests, common goals and mutual attraction. What does any of that have to do with God? All of those things are secular and superficial. The question that needs to be raised before getting married is, Is this the individual that God has ordained to help me fulfill His Divine Calling and Purpose for my life? If they are not (and you can discern that) then you have no business marrying them; no matter how much you are romantically "in love" with them.

Saints, if you are married and you are a child of God, I strongly encourage you to hold on to your marriage. Even if you got married for the "wrong reasons". Even if your spouse is not the one that "God" actually chose for you (you chose them yourself); because you made vows to God in your marriage ceremony, and even if you didn't, marriage is of God not of man: I strongly encourage you-hold on to your marriage. Granted there are some conditions that require divorce (Matthew 19); but let that be the exception, not the rule. Let us be prayerful and allow God to heal and restore our marriages. For at the end of the day, God Hates Divorce.

Focus on the Family, Part 3

When discussing the Focus of the Family, we must address the "roles" of the various family members. Most of us have heard of the term "dysfunctional family". The only reason we have dysfunctional families is because people in the Family don't know how to properly function. The operative word in this statement is "know". If people would be honest, most of us don't "know" how to be a husband. Most of us don't "know" how to be a wife. Most of us don't "know" how to be a father. Most of us don't "know" how to be a mother. And most of us don't know how to be a son or daughter to our parents, particularly when we become adults. So if we're operating in one of God's most Sacred Gifts to humanity, and we in essence don't know what we're doing, the result is going to be Dysfunction. Therefore, we must become more knowledgeable of what it is that God expects from us in these particular Family Roles.

Let's start with the Husband and the Father. The Husband is the Head of the Household (Ephesians 5). This is not debatable, this is not up for discussion, this is the Word of God. God has an Established Order for the Family, and when we as a society go against it, our families are not going to work. Therefore, regardless of the personality, intellect or even spirituality of he who is in the office of the husband or the father, according to the Word and Order of God, that man is in charge. This must be stressed because too many households are being run by the women and this is not the Will of God. Let me stress again, too many households are being run by the women and this is not the Will of God. Regardless of whether the husband is "allowing" this or permitting this, it's still outside of Divine Order. So the man needs to get back in his rightful divine place of headship over the Family that God has Providentially given to him. I can assure you, according to the Divine Order of God, if the husband is not the head, the Family is not going to work.

Then the Wife and Mother is to be Submissive to the Leadership of her Husband. This has been a sensitive issue for years, with the feminist movement and women's rights. But those are social and philosophical movements, not the Word of God. We can't be regulated by theological and social fads, we must be regulated by what thus saith the Lord. And the Lord indeed has a Word regarding "His" Institution of Family. So if you are a God-Fearing Woman, regardless of the initiative, the assertiveness, the intelligence, the spirituality, or the lack thereof, of the man you "chose" to marry, your responsibility to God is to yield to his leadership. I can assure you, if you do not subscribe to the Order that God has established for the office of the wife, your marriage and your family will not be Blessed.

These are fundamental points saints, that many Christians still grapple and argue about. It's no wonder therefore that our witness to the world regarding the state of the Family is lacking and waning. Regardless of how we feel or how we've been conditioned, in Focusing on the Family, we must get back to the Divine Order of God as established in His Word.

Focus on the Family, Part 2

Recently a prophetic word was shared with me, where God said that there needs to be A Focus on the Family. God the Father is concerned with the state and status of the Family, and it's time that the church do something proactively to re-establish the Foundation and Value of the Family in our churches and in our country.

When discussing the Family serving as the Foundation of our society, we must also establish that The Foundation of the Family is Marriage. The Order that God originally established for the Family is that of Husband and Wife. Not just man and woman, male and female, Husband and Wife. This is significant, because there are too many couples that think they can start a Family without being married. This is not the Will of God. You can reproduce, you can have children, but in order to start a Family according to the Divine Order that God has established, you must be Husband and Wife. Otherwise, you're not starting a Family, you're developing a Secular Association with genetic blood ties.

This is one of the reasons why there's a major attack on the Institution of Marriage. If you can undermine and redefine Marriage, you can thereby redefine the Family and consequently, redefine Society. This is Satan's whole scheme. But God is ready to Re-Establish the Sanctity and Sacredness of the Institution of Marriage and Family, as the Foundation for The Kingdom of God. Therefore, we must address these attacks.

As I've stated on numerous occasions, one of the greatest ills in our society right now is the legalization of same-sex marriage. I am so grateful that there are states like Mississippi that are passing Religious Freedom Bills to protect the rights of Christians who stand against same-sex marriage according to the Word of God. What the promotion of homosexual unions does is it redefines what marriage is and redefines the Family. My biggest issue with it is that in essence they're saying that God is wrong. The Order that God established in the Beginning for the Family was male and female (Genesis 2). To go against that is a slap in God's Face. And saints I'm trying to tell you, America will have to face serious Judgment if we don't repent of this legal perversion. But the church must take a stand against this; because in taking a stand against same-sex marriage we're taking a stand For the Family, in terms of how God has Ordained the Family to be.

Focus on the Family

Recently a prophetic word was shared with me, where the Lord stressed the Focus of the Family. God is very concerned with the state and status of the Family right now, particularly in America. There's been an attack on the Family for decades now, and it's time that the church fights back and restores the Foundation and the Value of the Family. The Institution of the Family is the Foundation of any society. Therefore, if a society loses the Foundation of Family, it in essence loses the basis of its social foundation. For this reason, it's time for us to Focus on the Family.

The God we serve is a God of Order. The Family Institution is now operating out of Divine Order. Let's first start with Pregnancies. Children are not supposed to be born out of wedlock. Let me say it again: children are not supposed to be born out of wedlock. Which means, if you're not married, you're not supposed to be getting pregnant or getting someone pregnant. People having babies and getting pregnant is now the norm in our society. This is an attack against the Family. But what is it that leads to this particular social phenomenon? People having sex outside of marriage. So let's establish this basic principle that many people, including many Christians, have failed to adhere to: it is not the will of God for people to have sex outside the boundaries of marriage. Which means, if you're not married, you shouldn't be having sex. I don't know too many people (there are a few) who have waited to engage in sexual intercourse until they were legally married. Pre-marital sex and promiscuous behavior is almost to be expected in our society today. But, once again, sex before marriage is an attack against The Family. You can't appropriately address the problem if you don't get to the root. We must promote the Sanctity of Sex in order to restore the Sacredness of Marriage.

With the dynamic of pre-marital sex and babies born out of wedlock, you then have fathers and mothers who are not joined in Holy Matrimony. Therefore, right off the bat, you're dealing with a Fractured Family. There are too many children being born in relational situations where the mother and father are not committed to each other as husband and wife. We're not talking about some "significant other" stuff, we're talking about "Marriage". So this dynamic automatically puts the Family in a fractured, fragmented state that does overwhelming harm to the children emotionally and psychologically. We must make a shift saints. We must advocate and promote these Fundamentals of Family or the Foundation required for the Restoration of the Family will not take place.

Living In the Real World

I'm sure that many of us, when we were growing up in high school or in our late-teens and maybe even early twenties, heard our parents or some other adult figure say to us, "just wait till you get to the Real World". A lot of times college graduates hear this phrase. No longer in school (presumably), now they have to go get a job and start living in "the Real World". This statement suggests that there is a Transition that teenagers and young adults must make in regards to adapting to what could be described as economic and financial self-sufficiency. However, I think this phrase can also apply to the Transition spiritually that many of us need to make as Christians and believers in Christ.

I am convinced that there are too many Christians that, as it relates to their relationship with Christ, still have not Transitioned to Living In the Real World. The question that must first be raised is, what is the Real World? In a Christian context, the Real World is the Spirit Realm, The World of the Invisible. A lot of times, we as Christians still think that what is Real is that for which one can touch and see and taste and feel; this is the "real world". However saints, this is incorrect. The Real World is not that for which you can see, the Real World is that for which you cannot see. We know this is true because God is Real. God is More Real than anything that exists in the universe; and yet we can't and don't see Him. So the basis of Reality is rooted in the Invisible. But let's go a little bit further. Science will tell you that everything that makes up physical matter is comprised and made up of atoms. Have you ever "seen" an atom, outside of a microscope, with your naked eye? No you have not. Why? Because atoms are invisible in the Natural realm. But they are the building blocks of everything you witness in the Natural. Therefore, Reality is not rooted in the visible, it's based upon the Invisible.

With all of this being said, we as believers need to grow up and start learning to operate primarily in the Invisible World of the Spirit Realm. We need to start believing in the Supernatural. We need to be convinced that with God, Miracles are the norm. We need to start accepting the reality of the demonic and the Reality of Angelic Beings. We need to believe in Supernatural Healings and Supernatural Provision. All of these are things that we can't "see". But believe me saints, the Spirit World is "more real" than the Natural Realm. But in order to make that Transition, just like teenagers and young adults, you have to Grow Up. You can't continue to operate on spiritual milk and biblical baby food (Hebrews 5). It's time we learn to start truly walking by faith (2Corinthians 5, Hebrews 11). It's time that as the children of God, we start Living In the Real World.

The Price of Possession

Many of us are familiar with the term "The Promised Land". Not only does it have spiritual and religious application, but many secular venues also use it as a metaphor for success and achievement. When sports teams want to win a particular championship, they'll say things like "we're going to the Promised Land". The phrase really became famous as a quote when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr gave his last speech the night before he was assassinated. He made the statement, "I may not get there with you...but we as a people will get to the Promised Land". Scripturally, the Promised Land refers to the land of Canaan that Jehovah had promised to the children of Israel through covenant with Abraham (Genesis 17). However, there is a Spiritual Promised Land (not just Heaven) that awaits the Christian and believer in Christ as well (Hebrews 4). But what a lot of Christians don't understand is that there is a Price of Possession when it comes to entering God's ordained destiny for our lives.

Many people want to "enter" the Promised Land, but we need to establish that entering the Promised Land is not the goal; that's simply where the Journey begins. Many of us have been pressing and struggling to get into that spiritual zone that can be described as God's Promised Land for our lives. And let me say very quickly that we should continue to press and strive to get to where God has ordained us to be in Him and in the context of His Calling and Purpose for our lives. But I want to emphasize again that "getting to" the Promised Land is not the ultimate goal; possessing the Promised Land is.

With this understanding, we must therefore realize and acknowledge that there is a Price of Possession when it comes to entering the Promised Land. I can assure you that if you're not willing to pay The Price of Possession, you may "get" to the Promised Land, but you won't stay. There must be an internalized understanding of what is required to "stay" in the Promised Land once you get there; and that is The Price of Possession.

Once you enter the Promised Land, The Price of Possession is the willingness and availability to Fight. This is what a lot of Christians don't seem to understand nor accept in regards to entering the spiritual Promised Land that God has ordained for His people. Yes it is a land of Rest, but it is also a Land of War. It is a land of Peace, but it is also a Land of Battle; and if you're not ready for the warfare and if you're not ready for the battle, then subsequently you're not ready for The Promised Land. This is what the children of Israel found out when Moses had the 12 spies do the 40 day survey of the land of Canaan (the Promised Land) before the children of Israel were assigned to enter in (Numbers 13). When they came back, all they could talk about were the giants that they would have to face if they chose to go there. Are you ready for the giants of your Promised Land? Are you ready for the constant battles, the seemingly endless attacks; attacks against your character, attacks against your ministry, attacks against your family. Are you ready to be challenged to confront obstacles and enemies that are bigger and stronger and smarter than you are? If you're not, then you're not ready for your Promised Land. But be Encouraged, the Lord said to Joshua, "Be strong and of a good courage" (Joshua 1). Remember what the Word says, the Battle is not yours, it is the Lord's (2Chronicles 20). When you get to the Promised Land, the Good News is that God is the one who does the fighting. Praise the Lord! But you still have to go through the battle and you still have to stand for God in the War. It is The Price of Possession.

The Perseverance of Passion

Have you ever been "in love"? I know that is somewhat of a generic term, particularly in regards to the spirituality of Christian believers. Yet, however generic it may be, there are more than a few Christians that have had that experience. So I ask the question again, have you ever been "in love"? If you have, then you know that when you are going through this emotional experience, you'll put up with a lot of "stuff". People can dog you out, mistreat you, do you wrong, hurt your feelings; but when you're "in love" you just seem to find a way to "take it". Ever been there? It's not always the best place to be, but it speaks to what I want to address today as The Perseverance of Passion.

When you have Passion for someone (we'll use this word to substitute for "in love"), your endurance and aptitude for the things that you don't generally like seems to expand and increase. You have a desire to go that "extra mile" for that person, even when your effort is not requested (and in some cases not even desired). But this is what Passion will make you do. When you have Passion directed towards a person, particularly in a relational-romantic context, your ability to Persevere almost seems unimaginable. Why is this important? Because there's nothing wrong with having Relational Passion, but we need to make sure that the Passion we develop first goes to Christ, then is meted out to those whom He has called us to serve.

A few years ago I received an Apostolic Declaration from a young apostle; and they shared with me (and I paraphrase) that Jesus was upset by the lack of fire and devotion that His people have towards Him. If we be honest, many (if not most) of the Christians that we know and meet are dry when it comes to having Passion for Christ. We "say" we love the Lord, but where are the signs? I ask you, would you want a Passion where the person won't talk to you? Would you want a Passion where the person won't openly and verbally express their appreciation and adoration for you? Would you want a Passion where the person is not faithful to you? The answer is a resounding, No! But that's how many of us do Jesus. We won't pray, we won't read the Word, we won't worship and we're not obedient and faithful to the things He's called us to do. So I ask the question, where is the love, where is the Passion? We need to revive and restore The Perseverance of Passion. We need to get on fire for loving the Lord. And whatever we have to go through, whether it's the loss of relationships, the loss of jobs, the loss of finances, we'll do it. This my brothers and sisters is The Perseverance of Passion, and it needs to be restored to our relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.

Gone

Some of us are familiar with the colloquial phrase "they're gone". This is not a reference to someone leaving a particular geographical location, but rather a description of one's mental or psychological state. When a person is referred to as "Gone", it generally means that the person has made a transition mentally and psychologically that has them operating behaviorially in a way that's either outside of the norm or maybe even looked at as extreme or unconventional. The connotation of "they're gone" doesn't have to be negative; it can be positive such as is in sports if someone is excelling beyond their athletic peers, someone could say "they're gone" as like operating in another performance zone. But generally, when this phrase is used, the person could be gone relationally, physically, attitudinally, emotionally. Basically, they've moved beyond the realm of conventional expectation.

I say all of this because, generally speaking, people don't like to be referred to as "Gone". People want to be looked at as relatively normal and operating within given expectations. But as for the believer in Christ and us as children of God, it's high time people start looking at our Christian witness and say, "they're gone". Too many Christians are playing it "too close to the vest" as it relates to the demonstration of our Christian witness. A lot of believers are so scared of being viewed as a "Christian fanatic" that they won't sell out for Christ. This fear and apprehension is not of God. Too many of us are still being regulated by tradition, denominationalism, ritualism and congregational expectations. Bottom line, these are all man-made phenomena. None of these things are germain to bringing Glory to God. The only way we're going to bring Glory to God is that our witness for the Lord is described as "Gone".

There's a line that's being drawn in the church, and at some point every believer in Christ is going to have to make a conscious decision of where they personally fall in regards to that line. The line that's being drawn in the church is the line between the Natural and the Supernatural. Too many churches want to worship God within the confines and restrictions of the Natural Order. Let me say for the record, this is not the Will of God. I would suspect that many Christians grew up in churches where the Manifestation of the Supernatural (miracles, signs and wonders) was not the norm. However, that doesn't mean it was right, let alone the Divine Will of God. The scripture says in Acts 17 that there was a time when God "winked" at some things. In other words, He tolerated the lack of faith of His people and let some things go. But He's not winking anymore; and one of the demands that the Lord is pressing upon His church and His people is a return to the Supernatural. We serve a Supernatural God. Therefore we ought to expect Supernatural Demonstration and Supernatural Manifestation.

However, if the church is going to witness Supernatural Manifestation, we must develop a "supernautral" type faith. And in order to do that, we're going to have to "go out there". We're going to have to get out of the boat (referring to Peter, Matthew 14) of our complacency, self-interest, self-centeredness and comfort zone and really reach for Christ in submission and obedience like we never have before. But the only way you can do this is, you have to be Gone.

The Connection Between Lust and Envy

Everyone, whether they're willing to admit it or not, has a struggle with the spirit of lust. This particular wrestle isn't restricted to those who are unsaved, but it's also an issue for the believer in Christ (Galatians 5). People have different lusts for different things, but at the end of the day it's still Lust. The most popular object of lust in our society is sex. But people, once again, lust for different things. Some people lust for attention, some people lust for power, some people lust for control, some people lust for money, some people lust for fame, some people lust for companionship, some people lust for food...and the list goes on. But if you are a child of God and a believer in Christ, then we are commanded to crucify the flesh with the affections and lusts (Galatians 5). Settling for our lusts and growing complacent with them is a dangerous game spiritually. Reason being is that the spirit of lust can then translate into a Spirit of Envy.


We are entering a season of Promotion. God is ready to Promote His saints who have been faithful to Him and to that which He has called and appointed them to do. However, there are a group of saints and non-believers that, when this Divine Promotion transpires, are not going to be happy. As a matter of fact, they're going to be upset. Why? Because they will not be able to share in the fruits of promotion that those whom God is ready to reward and honor will receive. You can't fake Faithfulness; either you've been obedient to God or you haven't (Luke 6). For this reason, we are going to see a greater manifestation of the Spirit of Envy directed towards the saints (the faithful ones in particular). The key is not to fall victim to this Spirit of Envy. One of the ways we can avoid this is to understand The Connection Between Lust and Envy.


Lust is about having a desire for that which is going to please you and satisfy you, that ultimately takes you out of the Divine Will of God. God doesn't mind us having desires, but there's a problem when those desires represent self-indulgence and the violation of His Divine Will for our lives. However, a lot of times we don't always get our lusts fulfilled, and we never get personally fulfilled through the indulgence of our lusts. So at the end of the day, we're not satisfied. The scripture says in the 4th chapter of the Book of James that, "the spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy". A lot of times we think, when we're in pursuit of the indulgence and satisfaction of our lust, that we're not "hurting anybody". This is incorrect. It's all a satanic set-up. If you don't check your lusts at the door and allow the Holy Spirit to teach you how to crucify them, you will become a victim and proponent of the Spirit of Envy.


The reason why this is so significant is because the spirit that led the Pharisees and Sadducees to crucify Christ was the Spirit of Envy (Matthew 27). In other words, it's an Anti-Christ spirit. When the New Season that God is birthing in the earth is manifested, if you haven't learned to deal appropriately with your lusts, you'll find yourself perpetrating a spirit of envy and nurturing in your being an Anti-Christ Spirit. We don't have to go this route if we can be aggressive now in resolving The Connection Between Lust and Envy.