God says you are accepted, you are righteous in his eye, you are redeemed, worthy to be alive and of great value to him. Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you (Isaiah 49:15). This is God’s promise to his children and to those whom he loves. God knows the number of hairs on your head and we are considered to be worth more than the birds (Luke 12:7).

God has carved your name in the palm of his hand and he will never forget you (Isaiah 49:15). Life can deal us some hard knocks and situations can cause us to feel forsaken. There are many broken and insecure people in the world. Many of whom we have to interface with daily. People can be cruel and sometimes walk all over our confidence and be harshly critical of us. We need to keep our identity fixed in Christ and remember what he says about us. That we are wonderfully complex and uniquely designed for a specific time and purpose (Psalm 139:14).

How do you handle false accusations and misrepresentations of who you are. Paul said, “Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us” (Romans 8:33-34).

When we are accused, our character maligned and misrepresented, there is a temptation to react in defence of ourselves. Maintain a positive attitude despite the chastisement and in time the truth will come to light. Remember that what is done in the dark will come to light. For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was anything kept secret, but that it should be revealed (Mark 4:22).

God is all knowing and he keeps an eye on the affairs of life. Your chastisement may have lasted a while but do not worry, God will bring it to light. Rejection and ridicule can be hard but stand still and wait for God to restore.

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After Jesus had fasted for 40 days and was led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted, he faced a fight against his faith. Just like us Satan bombarded him with half truths and false doctrines. He tempted him to throw himself off a cliff and reminded him that God promised to give his angels charge to bear him up. What a suicide mission. He then tempted Jesus with idolatry and promised him the world, if he bowed down and worshipped him. This joker does not even own the world and look at what he gives to people who gain the world anyway; they loose their souls. Food was the final temptation because he knew that Jesus was hungry from his fast (Matthew 4:1-11).

Although Jesus was hungry and tired from his fast, he stood firm on the word of a God and resisted the Devil. It was his knowledge of the word of God and his confidence in God’s ability to help him, that kept Jesus standing in faith. His faith kept him strong as he spent this time in prayer and fasting, to strengthen his faith and to prepare for his mission.

Faith also acts as a shield against the weapons that the enemy throws at us daily. In addition to the other weapons that we arm ourselves with, we have the weapon of faith to help in our fight. “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one” (Ephesians‬ ‭6:16‬).

Faith requires us to fight doubt, fear and anxiety. We have to fight to see the light in the midst of the darkness. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). Life is not easy and facing challenges is not for the faint of heart. But if we do not fight we cannot win. Our fight is set and when we fight not in our own strength, but through the spirit of God, then we are destined to win. Stand on the word of God and fight the good fight of faith.

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We must never loose hope in what God has promised and never be afraid to hold unto his word. Even when it seems impossible in the natural, God is able to make things happen beyond all human possibilities. Abraham had a promise from God to become the father of many nations. How would this be possible when he didn’t have a child at 30, 40 or even 50. Abraham was almost a hundred years old so how would this promise even be remotely possible? “He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead ( since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb” (Romans 4:19).

I imagine that doctors would have said to Abraham. ‘You are not likely to be able to have children at your age. In fact it’s completely outside of the question and something like this would require an act of God. In fact Abraham why don’t you adopt a child or get another woman to have a baby for you?’ Abraham’s faith did not budge despite the reality of his situation. “fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness”” (Romans 4:21-22).

Sarah actually convinced Abraham to try to help God and to conceive a child by his maid. God told Abraham to send that son away because he wasn’t the son of promise. God didn’t need Abraham or Sarah’s help. What God needed was their faith in order to please him and hope beyond hope in the impossible.“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20).

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How do we handle the discomfort during seasons of transition? We often assume that change and progress is smooth sailing and won’t come with any hassle. Often progress brings with it some discomfort. While we relish the idea of change, it also brings uncertainty and some raised anxiety. Our expectations of a new situation is not always the reality, but we step out in faith, placing one foot in front of the other as we walk towards our new assignment.

Imagine the Israelites being freed from slavery and then plunged into a wilderness situation, that was unfamiliar to them. Then came the complaining and murmuring from the uncertainty. “Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians?’ For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness” (Exodus 24:12). No wonder Moses lost his temper so many times and missed out on reaching the promised land. He had been prepared all of his life for this mission. He risked his life going back to Egypt to tell Pharaoh, “God says to let my people go.”

Just before the complaining the people were rejoicing, because Pharaoh had set them free. They marched out of Egypt praising God and hailed Moses as a hero, for helping them to gain freedom. Fast forward and they are faced with a Red Sea on one side, that seemed uncrossable and Pharaoh and his army are in pursuit on the other side. I can imagine that they must have felt bombarded. They blamed God and Moses, because they feared that he had brought them in the wilderness to die.

God is not the author of confusion and there is no way that he would have opened the way and released them out of Egypt, to bring them into the wilderness to perish. God opened the Red Sea, allowed them to cross over and then closed the sea when Pharoah and his army pursued (Exodus 14). Similarly, God did not deliver you from that test or trial, to abandon you in this new situation that appears impossible. It maybe unfamiliar and uncomfortable and you don’t know which way to turn, but God will make a way through that sea of doubt and confusion. “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you”
‭‭(Deuteronomy‬ ‭31‬:‭6‬).

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As we pray, we ask God for guidance and revelation knowledge to help us to make wise decisions. God wants to talk to us more than we want to hear. We have to regularly and daily get in the presence of God and just be still, quiet and listen. No relationship can last with one person doing all of the talking. Yes God does speak and he wants to talk to you and he wants you to listen.

And when you listen and hear, write it down and when he gives you instructions act on it. This listening and moving in alignment with his will takes practice and it may feel silly the first time, but the more you do it, the better you become at it. When God knows that he can trust you to listen and obey, then he will gradually trust you with more.

There are many places in the bible where God speaks about leading and guiding us and giving us instructions. “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you” (Psalms 32:8). “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way” (Psalm 37:23). “And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left” (Isaiah 30:21).

Over and over again in scripture God is asking us to listen, he is telling us that he will instruct us, he is letting us know that he will lead and guide us. If you want to be successful at what you do then follow God. If you want wisdom then ask God. If you feel fear and confusion then surrender your situation to God and listen because his voice drowns out fear and confusion. Listen and learn from the Holy Spirit and be guided by him. When we take everything to God in prayer then we can have peace. Stop relying on human knowledge and learn to be led by the spirit.

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I have read this bible story a few times and as I read it again today, the above verse caught my attention. Imagine Moses at the Red Sea panicking, the people are crying and bitterly complaining, and God’s response to Moses was, “why are you crying to me?” This sounds a little bit harsh of a response, at a time when everything seemed impossible. “Tell the people to go forward,” is the next instruction from God. Almost as if to say, “Moses I have trained and appointed you to lead, so act like a leader.”

“Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground” (Exodus 14:16). I don’t think that God was tired of Moses crying out to him for help. On the contrary, I think what God was saying to Moses was, I promised that I would be with you to help you and to fight with and for you, so why are you now afraid? In fact, I have showed you my power, strength and might and I have also delegated that power to you, so use what you have.

Moses had used the staff before when God transformed it into a serpent in Exodus 4. He used it again in chapter 7, when Aaron’s staff swallowed up the staff of the Egyptians, when they all transformed into serpents. The power was not in the staff but in God, who used whatever Moses or Aaron carried to demonstrate who he is.

I believe that there are seasons when we pray and cry out earnestly to God. There are other times, when God wants us to use what we have to move forward in faith. This requires us to use our God given, authority to either allow or disallow anything contrary to the will and purpose of God. “So shall they fear The name of the Lord from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him” (Isaiah‬ ‭59‬:‭19).

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In Paul’s letter to the saints in Hebrews, he spoke of the heroes of faith, who made a significant impact on the church. He started the chapter by clarifying what faith is and identifying that it is through our faith that we believe that God created the universe. So what is visible to us was made from what was invisible as God spoke the world into existence (Hebrews 11:3).

Paul outlined the heroes of faith from Abel who gave a well pleasing sacrifice unto God, to David who subdued kingdoms. Although Abel died due to his brother’s jealousy, we still make reference to his example today. Paul recounted Enoch who walked with God and did not see death; Noah who obeyed God and built the ark, which saved his family and Abraham who came out from among his people to walk with God, not knowing where he was going. Abraham lived in the land of promise and he and Sarah in their old age, gave birth to a son. They believed God and attained a promise of having descendants, as innumerable as the stars of the sky or the sand and of the sea.

Paul made final reference to other prophets such as Moses, David, Samson, Barak and Samuel. These men subdued kingdoms and “quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight” (Hebrews 11:34).

These prophets and heroes of faith lived with such a boldness, that sets an example for us. We learn from them about the power and authority that we have in God to take over territories and to win battles for God. Knowing that the one who lives in us is far greater than the power that lives in the world. We work to establish the kingdom of God and to establish our dominion mandate.

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Let us take a look at God’s first words to mankind in Eden after he created us in his own image. Within this first scripture are a set of instructions which God gave to us to carry out on the earth.

1. Be fruitful and multiply; to be fruitful is producing good results which are beneficial and profitable and multiply means to increase a number in multiples. Most people limit this term to having children and while this is included within the concept, it does not explain it entirely. Jesus used the parable of the talents to teach the principle of multiplication and increase. Within this teaching he demonstrates how God has entrusted to each of us gifts and talents which he expects us to use to yield an increase (Matthew 25:14-30).

2. Replenish and subdue; Replenish relates to restoration and maintenance while to subdue means to bring under control. God expects us to be as concerned about the environment as the scientists and environmental activists. This describes our role in replenishing the earth by caring about recycling for example. And in this way, we are able to subdue and bring things like natural disasters under control. God created the animal kingdom and wildlife and if we think that God is not concerned about all of his creation then we are mistaken. “And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:25).

3. Have dominion; this is our right to govern and control. Although we are not the largest or the strongest mammals that God created, our mind gives us the ability to outthink every other species. And it is this ability to think, reason and plan which allows us to be able to bring even the fiercest animals under our control.

Having an understanding of the core principles which God created us to walk in, helps us with understanding our purpose and destiny. It is important for us to balance each principle as a greater emphasis on being fruitful for example, without the need to replenish can create imbalance. It is also important for us to understand the times and seasons to know what we are to do.

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

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Sometimes we may feel like we have been taken for granted, when we have shown kindness to others which is not returned with much gratitude. Continue to show love as God says that what we do in secret, he sees it and will reward us openly. Don’t even talk about it, God says. There is no need to tell everyone what you did for someone and gripe about how they seem to not have remembered your kindness. “But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing” (Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭3‬).

Isaiah stated that God’s desire is that we, “divide our bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into our house–when we see the naked, that we cover him, and that we hide not ourselves from [the needs of] our own flesh and blood” (Isaiah 58:7)? When we meet the needs of others, we are doing the will of God and fulfilling his will on the earth.

When we see to the needs of others, this is God’s promise. “Then shall your light break forth like the morning, and your healing (your restoration and the power of a new life) shall spring forth speedily; your righteousness (your rightness, your justice, and your right relationship with God) shall go before you [conducting you to peace and prosperity], and the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. (Isaiah 58:8 )

During this and every season, as much as is possible, let us also pray for others and seek opportunity to do good and to be a blessing. For in so doing we shall reap crowns of righteousness.

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Jesus is recorded as speaking to the disciples before his ascension into heaven. He reinforced the promise of the Holy Spirit and spoke of a new baptism not with water but with the fire of the Holy Spirit. This was manifested later with the Acts church when they waited for the promise. “And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them” (Acts 2:3).

God is a consuming fire and there are different manifestations of God in the trinity as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus was referred to as the word which was in the beginning with God and was God (John 1:1). The word of God is quick, powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).

God is also manifested in the person of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. This same power of God who raised Jesus Christ from the dead lives inside of you (Romans 8:11). Jesus has given us power to tread upon serpents and scorpions (demons), and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing can hurt us (Luke 10:19).

We have to maintain a consciousness of who we are and the power that lives in us. Our words are powerful and our prayers are strong enough to shake foundations. Our voices as people of God can change the world and we have the power and authority to move mountains. We can command the weather patterns and even the sea to be calm. Do you know how powerful you are? You have unlimited power from on high. “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world”
‭‭(1 John‬ ‭4‬:‭4‬).

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