The Helper

And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever — the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you (John 14:16-18).

Jesus told the disciples that he would send a helper in His place when He left them and went back to heaven. He told them that it would be to their advantage for Him to leave. At the time, I’m sure they could not grasp how it would be better for Him to leave.

When Jesus said He would give them another helper, the Greek text actually reads another helper of the same kind. When He left, Jesus was not sending someone different to their aid. He said that someone exactly like Him would benefit their lives. What Jesus was to the disciples, this helper would be to them and to us!

The disciples walked with Jesus for three and a half years. During that time, He met their every need. If they needed food to feed the multitudes, He simply multiplied the small amount given by the boy’s lunch and fed thousands! If they needed finances, He told them where to go to get the needed money. The disciples would sit for hours as Jesus sat and taught the Word and opened their understanding to the scriptures. They watched in wonder as He raised the dead boy in a funeral procession to the astonishment and joy of the boy’s mother. They looked on as He healed blinded eyes, opened deaf ears, caused the lame to walk, and cleansed the leper.

Now He was telling them His leaving would be better! How? He could only be at one place at one time while with them. If they needed help, they had to go find Him, or wait until He arrived and then He would minister healing, or answer a question from scripture, or solve a problem.

When He left, this other helper of the same kind would be everything to them that Jesus was while He was with them! The difference is that now we don’t have to wait for Him to arrive. He is in every one of us at all times! He never takes a break! Everything Jesus did for the disciples, the Holy Spirit does for us! He is the Spirit of Christ. If we need wisdom, He imparts it to our inner man. If we need provision, He supplies as we exercise our faith. His healing power is available to flow through each one of us every day at any time! He is ready with His Jesus ability to supply whatever we need. All we need to do is to walk by faith, be doers of the Word, and trust this Helper to come though for us in every challenge that life brings!

Don’t do it own your own anymore. Allow the Helper to quicken you today just as Jesus did the disciples while He as with them. Having the Holy Spirit in you is just like having Jesus as you personal life partner today. You can’t fail if you let Him be the Helper!

Don't let Love Grow Cold

Notice these translations of Matthew 24:12: And the love of the great body of people will grow cold, because of multiplied lawlessness and iniquity ( Amplified) For many others, the overwhelming spread of evil will do them in, nothing left of their love but a mound of ashes (Message Paraphrase). And because of the prevailing disregard of God’s law the love of the great majority will grow cold (Williams). There will be more and more evil in the world. So most believers will stop showing their love for each other (New Century).

For the Spirit of God to use us the way He desires in this day, it’s imperative that we walk in love. Love is the foundation of the kingdom of God, and is the force that moves us into being used in spiritual gifts by the Holy Spirit.

The harshness of the hour, the continual erosion of moral values, and the self-centered interests that pull us in every direction, tempt us to put a barrier of protection up around our lives. Instead of reaching out, the tendency is to close ourselves in and isolate. That must not happen!

This is the time for the church to shine! This is the moment that the Holy Spirit wants to manifest in an unhindered way to set people free. As we put love first, we open an avenue for the Sprit of God to speak to us and bring ministry to others.

Satan’s kingdom operates on fear, strife, envy, and selfishness. If Satan can keep believer from operating in love, he can quench spiritual manifestations. This must not be! Refuse to give place to the devil! Put love first in all your relationships. Ask yourself in every situation, what would love do?

Spiritual growth and love go hand in hand. Love is the first manifestation of the reborn human spirit. We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren (1 John 3:14). The Father desires that we develop in love until it consumes us!

Love neutralizes Satan’s kingdom! Strife dies when love responds. Hatred, anger, and bitterness cannot do their work when love shows up. The Father is holding you personally responsible for the love atmosphere manifesting where you go today! In your home, at work, in the mall shopping, wherever you are, let love loose today!

Don’t allow the ugliness of our times to harden you. You’re created to love!

!Keep Your Armor On!

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints (Ephesians 6:10-18).

The opposition you face today does not have its’ origin in people or circumstances. It began with demonic forces seeking to trip you up. They want you to wallow in unbelief, fear, anger, self pity, selfishness, impurity, poverty, and the list goes on and on. They want to separate you from the Word and from the tenderness of the Spirit of God. Their goal is the downfall of the kingdom of God, and your failure.

The good news is they are already defeated! And it is our job as believers to demonstrate their defeat in our daily life and lifestyle. Every time you conquer fear, unbelief, anger, self pity, selfishness, etc, you show God’s power through the Word and through Jesus’ sacrifice for you!

We don’t take our armor off when we go to sleep at night! We wear it to bed! We are always on alert, ever watching lest the enemy to trip us up. We have the girdle of truth on our waist. Just as a belt holds your pants snug, the Word keeps the armor of God in place in your life.

The breastplate of righteousness guards your heart from condemnation and inferiority so that you are free to constant go into the presence of God with your needs and with your faith.

On your feet are the shoes of the gospel of peace. In every situation in life today, the Word is your guide. You don’t go anywhere that the Word doesn’t go.

The shield of faith is held in front of you and stops every attack of Satan dead in its tracks! You walk by faith, not feelings. You believe you receive from the Father in every area of life, and you never let down your shield in unbelief!

The helmet of salvation keeps your mind protected with the Word. Mind renewal is a lifelong process with you. Every thought that comes is processed through the filter of true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, positive, and praiseworthy (Phil. 4:8). Every thought is submitted to the Lordship of the Word!

The sword of the Spirit is the Word spoken out of your mouth. You recognize the spiritual force behind the words that you speak, and you speak the Word over and in every circumstance.

This armor creates a powerful prayer life in you as a believer, and demonic forces turn and run when they see you coming. Keep your armor on at all time. You don’t fight against flesh and blood!

Delegated Authority

Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you (Luke 10:19).

Jesus has delegated to us His own authority over Satan and his cohorts! The word authority in the above verse means delegated authority. It’s an authority given to us by another.

A police officer controlling traffic on the street is operating under delegated authority. He doesn’t have personal power to stop those heavy vehicles. But when he holds up his hand, the drivers of the vehicles recognize his delegated authority! The drivers recognize that behind the police officer is the power of the city or state that he represents.

When we use the name of Jesus, Satan recognizes the power behind that name! The believer that knows his rights and privileges in Christ has a real authority over satanic forces!

Satan thought he had defeated Jesus when he had him killed. But Jesus death brought us His resurrection power! But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory (1 Corinthians 2:7-8).

Notice the victory that Jesus gained over Satan: God disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him and in it the cross (Colossians 2:15 – Amplified).The Message paraphrase of this verse says it well: He stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the Cross and marched them naked through the streets.

We are now seated in heavenly places in Christ! That simply means that we share His authority! According to Ephesians 1, Jesus is seated at a place that is far above all principality, power, might, and dominion. And we are seated with Him in that place of authority!

Philippians 2 reveals that God has given Jesus the name that is above every name. And at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven, on earth, and under the earth! Men, angels, and demons must bow to that name.

Don’t allow Satan to harass you with sickness and disease, poverty, oppression, depression, and fear. Use your delegated authority and command him to leave you in Jesus’ name! He has to obey. For backing you is the authority of the throne of God. Satan is a defeated foe!

Faith for Answered Prayer

One of the greatest stress relievers I know of is answered prayer. One of the most spiritually productive things you can do is to develop your faith in God to answer prayer!

I was raised in church and frequently heard that when God answers prayer, He sometimes says yes, sometimes says maybe or wait a while, and sometimes says no. And I heard that if prayer was not answered, then what was prayed must not have been the will of God.

All of this is carnal thinking! As I began to read the Bible, I saw clearly that the Father wants to answer prayer! And not with a no or a maybe, but with a resounding yes! So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened (Luke 11:9-10).

First, find scripture that covers what you are praying about. That is, make sure according to the Word that what you’re praying about is the will of God. Once you do that, pray, stand your ground in faith, and expectantly wait for the answer!

Prayer is a sure cure for worry, which is really faith in reverse! Prayer is an excellent way to release your faith in the Father to work in the circumstances of your life. Don’t worry and brood over problems that arise. Pray and ask the Father to work them out!

Make these scripture a part of your daily meditation. They will build up in your faith in the Father to answer your prayers!

And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive (Matthew 21:22)Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them (Mark 11:24). If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you (John 15:7). And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full (John 16:23-24). And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight (1 John 3:22). Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him (1 John 5:14-15).

No Sickness Allowed!

So you shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you (Exodus 23:25).

God originally planned for us to live in these bodies for eternity. Sin marred God’s plan and introduced its offspring of sickness, disease, and death. Our redemption in Christ guarantees us freedom from sickness. And eventually our last enemy death will be destroyed by the Son of God!

When God delivered the Israelites out of Egypt, He made a covenant of healing with them that was perpetual and was more sure than the rising of the sun. And said, If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you (Exodus 15:26).

This healing covenant is still in force, and is now a part of our inheritance in Christ. We have a better covenant established on better promises! We are redeemed from the curse of the broken law (Galatians 3:13). This involved poverty, sickness, and spiritual death.

It’s important that we keep our faith built up for the healing and health of our bodies. Faith comes by hearing the word! Take time to meditate on the promises of God for your health. Don’t allow sickness to trespass in your body. You have a legal right to health under the terms of your covenant! You must insist that Satan keep his hands off your body!

The moment symptom appear in your body, command in the name of Jesus that they leave! Believe right then that you receive healing based on your covenant with God. Remind Him of His promises, and act like He heard you! Don’t sign for the “package” of sickness that Satan brings by confessing the symptoms. Refuse it and tell him that it's not yours.

Expect the Holy Spirit to quicken your body. Expect health and healing to be yours life long! How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him (Acts 10:38). That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses (Matthew 8:17). Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness — by whose stripes you were healed (1 Peter 2:24).

Keep the healing Word of God built up inside of you. Meditate on these healing promises daily. Speak health and healing, not sickness and disease. Expect the Father to bless your food when you eat, and expect Him to keep sickness away from you.

George Washington’s Proclamation

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen for His inheritance. The LORD looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men. From the place of His dwelling He looks on all the inhabitants of the earth; He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works. No king is saved by the multitude of an army; a mighty man is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a vain hope for safety; neither shall it deliver any by its great strength. Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy, To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name. Let Your mercy, O LORD, be upon us, just as we hope in You (Psalm 33.12-22).

We enjoyed Thanksgiving Day with our children. Today, we’ll be in SC visiting my parents.

The following is George Washington’s Thanksgiving proclamation from 1789. We need leaders today that will humble themselves before God in this way:

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to "recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.