Category Archives: 2019

2019, Apostolic, Book of Acts Series 2019, Christianity, Gifts of the Spirit, Salvation, Testimony, Wisdom

Being Used By God

How do you know that someone is truly called by God? In this post, we are going to look at two people in the Book of Acts, who were truly called by God. Additionally, we will look at a few signs to look for in someone that is being used by God. At the end of this teaching, I am also going to dig deep into the term Apostle in hopes to bring some clarity.

The Need for Boldness Today

Starting with Acts 14:1 we see that the Apostles Paul and Barnabas were in Iconium speaking in a Jewish synagogue. If you look in the Amplified Bible, it tells us they both spoke with boldness and power. How did they have this boldness and power? It was because they were Baptized in the Holy Spirit. They spoke with boldness and power because they had the Holy Spirit working through them. Therefore, their ministry was powerful and bold, even though it faced much opposition. This is the way the church today needs to be! Additionally, in Acts 14:1 it tells us that many Jews and Greeks accepted the message of the Gospel. In the Amplified Bible, it tells us that they confidently accepted Jesus as our savior.  I am not sure how we can possibly get true conversion today if the average church in America is weak and dehydrated from the Holy Spirit. In America’s church today I see many people who say they have been born again for so many years, but no evidence of it, you cannot tell them apart from the unbelieving world. Therefore, we need bold and powerful preaching in our churches today! Many people are going to go to hell when they die, and it is truly sad!

Facing Opposition

Acts 14:2 goes on to tell us the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against Paul and Barnabas. This is what will often happen to people who are truly being used by God, they will have people oppose them, they will often face opposition regularly. One way to know for certain that someone is being used by God is that they are facing opposition regularly. God never promised that this walk would be easy, and He never promised that the work of ministry would be easy. In fact, Jesus even warned us that we would face rejection and even persecution.

Signs and True Salvation

In Acts 14:3 we see that God allowed signs to follow Paul and Barnabas as they continued ministering to the people in Iconium. Verse three specifically tells us that God granted signs and wonders to be done. I think it is safe to assume that these signs were healings, miracles, and deliverances. Jesus told us in Mark 16:20 (NKJV), “And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.”. God will allow signs to follow those who are truly seeking Him. God will use a minister who regularly spends time with God in the prayer closet, rather than a minister who only reads the Bible when they are preparing their Sunday sermon. Someone who is truly being used by God will have bold teaching that cuts the heart of the sinner, and even corrects the believer. This type of preaching is what should bring true salvation and conversion. We should not be concerned about the number of people we get to say the sinner’s prayer, we should be concerned about the number of people who are truly saved and converted. This is something that is lacking in the church today, which has resulted in much carnality in the church today.

Division and the Enemy

Continuing Acts 14:4 tells us that the city of Iconium was divide, some sided with the apostles, and some with the unbelieving Jews. The enemy’s work was at hand right here, because there was division. The enemy loves to divide churches and families. I would like to encourage you that when you start seeing division happening in your church or family, make sure your first action is to start praying rather than letting your flesh get the best of you!

Grace and Opposition

In Acts 14:5-7 we see that there was a violent attempt to harm and stone the two Apostles. However, both Paul and Barnabas became aware of this and went to Lystra and Derbe to continue their ministry. As I have said before they did not let the opposition get the best of them. Whether you are in ministry or not, you will face opposition. It might be from people, circumstances, or even your own health. We cannot let circumstances stop us from doing what God has called us to do, along with praising Him and staying in the Word. In fact, this past week, I was dealing with some tooth pain, which in my opinion is one of the worst pains you can get. I do not like dental pain at all, however, I knew that I could not let that dental pain stop me from getting into the Word, and spending time with the Lord. So, whatever it is you are going through, do not let it get the best of you. Each time you deal with opposition and push through it by leaning on the love and grace of God, you will be more prepared next time.

Apostles of Christ

Lastly, I would like to get into something a little deeper. I would like to bring some clarity to the term Apostle. We see the term Apostle used in the New Testament several times. You may have even noticed that some people today might refer to themselves as Apostles. When using the term Apostle today, we need to be careful of our meaning behind it, because there are two types of Apostles. The first type of Apostle were the ones who were an eyewitness of the resurrection of Jesus, these are called Apostles of Christ. These ones are limited because these only refer to the 12 and Paul. 1 Thessalonians 2:6 (NKJV) tells us, “Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ.”.

Apostles of the Church (TODAY)

The second type of Apostle we find in the Bible are the ones who are considered Apostles of the Church. They obviously were not eyewitnesses of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 8:23 (NKJV) tells us, “If anyone inquires about Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker concerning you. Or if our brethren are inquired about, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.”. These types of Apostles are also noted as sent ones of the church. Today we do have people who operate in the office of an Apostle, even though they are not eyewitnesses of the resurrected Jesus Christ. These people bring a big impact on our church today, and I feel that God will be calling more people to fulfill this rule to be Apostles of the Church today!

Final Thoughts

So, I want to challenge you to ask yourself, is God calling you to do something that you have been holding off on? Maybe this is doing more evangelism in your community, or volunteering at your church. Maybe God might be calling you to the five-fold ministry? Lastly, are you prepared to put time aside and truly seek His Face? By doing so are you ready to face some opposition? I encourage you to take some time this week and ask God to show you what He is calling you to do at this point in your life.

2019, Announcements

Important Announcement

What Changed?

Some of you may notice as of today that my social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube), are now listed as just my name without my title as Evangelist. This does not mean that my content will change, this is simply being done to improve the number of people I reach.

Why?

There are many algorithms involved with how pages appear on the web and how they rank. I am continually working to always improve my platforms to reach more people. This is all done for the Glory of God.

Thank You!

I would like to take the time to personally thank all of you who regularly follow my content, and I encourage you to be sure to share it with others!

God Bless!

2019, Book of Acts Series 2019, Christianity, Inspiration

An Example of Missionary Work

As I continue my series on the Book of Acts, I would like us to look at one of Paul’s first public speeches in the Book of Acts. This is also his first recorded missionary speech in the Book of Acts. His speech goes on from Acts 13:14-41, this is one of his longest recorded speeches he did in a Jewish synagogue.

Paul’s First Missionary Teaching

When we look in Acts 13:14-41 he discusses several concepts with the people in the synagogue. He first discusses the Jew’s time in the wilderness, as mentioned in Exodus 16:35 (NKJV) “And the children of Israel ate manna forty years until they came to an inhabited land; they ate manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan.”. Secondly, he talks about some key people from the Old Testament which are the prophet Samuel, and King David. He then goes on to talk about John the Baptist. He reminds the people that John the Baptist was to fulfilled Old Testament scripture. As we know John the Baptist was the forerunner to Jesus Christ, he was the voice crying int the wilderness. Isaiah 40:3 (NKJV) says, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God.”. Paul also talks about how John the Baptist taught about the remission of sins and water baptism. Not only does John the Baptists fulfill Old Testament scripture, but Jesus fulfills the Old Testament prophecies of the coming of the Messiah.

Death is Defeated Through Jesus

Paul then talks about how Jesus was raised from the dead and defeated the devil.  Praise the Lord! Death no longer has a hold of us if we abide in Jesus Christ. Hebrews 2:14 (NKJV) taught, “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,”. Lastly, Paul reminds us that those who truly abide in Christ are counted righteous.

Paul Faces Rejection

In Acts 13:42-43 and 49-50, we will see that when Paul was done speaking many wanted him to come to speak on the next Sabbath. Additionally, many Jews followed Paul and Barnabas. Then in Acts 13:44-45, Paul and Barnabas come again to the synagogue to speak but because of the number of people who came to the Jewish leaders become jealous and expelled them from their region. In Acts 13:46-47, Paul and Barnabas knew they were to bring the Gospel to the Jews first, but since it got rejected, they went to the Gentiles to preach.

Dealing with Rejection in Ministry

In Acts 13:49-50, when the Jews expelled Paul and Barnabas from their synagogue, they both shook off the dust from their feet. This was something Jesus instructed us to do when someone does not accept their message while ministering. Jesus told us in Matthew 10:14 (NKJV), “And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet.”. Sometimes when we minister or witness to people we might be rejected. We cannot let it bother us or hinder us from spreading the Gospel. We ought to do as Paul and Barnabas did and continue with what God has called us to do.

Pressing On

Lastly in Acts 13:51-52, we see they travel to Iconium and the people there do accept the Gospel Message and become filled with the Holy Spirit. You know that Paul and Barnabas could have gotten upset when the Jews did not accept their message and could have stopped ministering. But despite the rejection and difficulty, they continued. This is an example for us!

Start Journaling

This week I would like to encourage you to start keeping track of the victories you have through God. Keep them in a journal. Then when you face difficult times go back to that journal and look at how faithful God has been to you. Also, journal scriptures of Gods promises as you go through trials, you should confess these over your life! In my next teaching, we will look at what goes on in Iconium.

2019, Baptism of Holy Spirit, Book of Acts Series 2019, Christianity, Discernment, Gifts of the Spirit, Inspiration

Being Led By the Spirit

In this post, I am going to talk about the importance of being led by the Holy Spirit. You should let Him lead you and not your flesh. Romans 8:14 (NKJV) tells us, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”. If we want to truly be children of God, we not only need to be born again, we need to let the Holy Spirit lead us in everything we do!

What Are You Called To Do?

Starting with Acts 13:4-5 we see the start of Paul’s missions’ trips. Most importantly we see that he was sent out by the Holy Spirit. I am sure there are many believers out there today who have a divine call on their life but fail to answer that call. Paul was sent out by the Holy Spirit to go and minister to different regions. He could have resisted and stayed in his comfort zone, but he led by example and yielded to what the Holy Spirit called him to do. Just because you are not called to the five-fold ministry does not mean you are off the hook from serving God! Some people are called to help at their church, whether that as administrative, cleaning, or any other tasks. 1 Corinthians 12:28 distinguishes the office of helps.

Walk the Walk

We even see that Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit throughout His earthly ministry. Luke 4:1 (NKJV) tells us, “Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness”. When we live according to the Spirit we walk in it, Galatians 5:25 (AMP) tells us, “If we [claim to] live by the [Holy] Spirit, we must also walk by the Spirit [with personal integrity, godly character, and moral courage—our conduct empowered by the Holy Spirit].”. When we walk in the Spirit, we must have a godly character and be a light that shines in the name of Jesus! We also need to have the nine fruits of the Spirit evident in our lives. I wrote a book on the nine fruits of the Spirit, click here to check it out.

The Holy Spirit Empowers Us

Continuing Acts 13:6-13 We see that Paul has a confrontation with a sorcerer. In verse nine it specifically tells us that Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit when he confronted this sorcerer. Paul rebuked this sorcerer and a dark blinding mist fell upon him. When the proconsul saw this, they believed and was astonished at the teaching of the Lord. This sorcerer that Peter dealt with was trying to turn the proconsul away from the faith. This is often what false prophets do, they will turn people away from the truth of the Gospel. However, Paul was able to address this issue only because he was filled with the Holy Spirit. We all should seek God for the discerning of spirits! The gift of discernment is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit as mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10.

A Personal Challenge

I want to challenge you to something different this week when you read your Bible ask the Holy Spirit to open your spiritual eyes. Also, when you read your Bible, act like you never read it before each time. This is how you will get a fresh revelation. If you get fresh revelation please feel free to share it with me, I would love to hear your testimony.

2019, Discernment, Gifts of the Spirit, Wisdom, Word's of Wisdom

Under Attack

As I was praying in the spirit and reading my Bible this week, the Lord revealed certain things to me about spiritual warfare. He put some words on my heart as a word of knowledge for all believers as I was spending time with Him. Here is what was put on my heart:

There has been a war brewing in America and in the world for years!
This is the greatest and most lethal war in the history of all creation.
It is not a war of flesh and blood; it is a war between the principalities and powers of good and evil.

There is so much going on today in cultures and current events.
But we want to blame our leaders for the problems.
Don’t you know Gods Word says this war is not flesh and blood?
It is against the principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Sadly, many believers want to spend their time watching the news and voicing their opinions.
While as believers we need to voice our opinion for righteousness in this nation, but this war also needs to be fought.
But not many believers are willing to fully commit and put on the whole armor of God.

Sadly, many believers want to attempt to serve God, while still serving the devil full-time.
Jesus even told us that we cannot serve two masters. Make up your mind!
More believers follow witchcraft, mediums, and much more.
There are more witches out there today than ever before.

But why won’t His people put on the full armor of God, and do spiritual warfare?
Why aren’t we taking a stand in this war?
He called each believer to do more than just say the sinner’s prayer!

Believers are too scared to take a stance for the true Word of God.
We are too worried about offending someone or being politically correct.
God doesn’t care if His Word offends someone. His Word is a sharp two-edged sword!
He wants people who care about being Biblically correct.

He is sick of the carnality in the church today. Did you forget what Paul wrote in Corinthians?
Why aren’t more churches speaking the truth on marriage?
Why aren’t more churches condemning the war on gender?
Why are less and less ‘Christians’ not advocating for what He perfectly forms in the womb?
Why are you so scared? He doesn’t give believers a spirit of fear, but He gives us one of love, power, and a sound mind.

Why do many churches forget the power of the Helper He left us?
The Power of the Holy Spirit is what will equip us to do true spiritual warfare.
Put away your denominational eyes and read your Bible.
The only way we can do spiritual warfare is by praying the Holy Ghost.
The church today is dehydrated from the Holy Ghost!

If we want to fight this spiritual war, then we need to know and live Biblical truth.
If we want to fight this spiritual war, then we need to always be praying in the Holy Ghost!
Where is your personal time invested? In Him or the world?

2019, Christianity, Gifts of the Spirit, Healing, Inspiration

Putting Away Fear

Today I want to talk about how to deal with fear as a believer in Jesus Christ. I looked in The Barbour’s Bible Dictionary and it has two definitions for fear. The first one is an emotion aroused by danger or risk. The second definition of fear is used as respect or reverence to God. We should strive to be God-fearing people, but we should not be emotionally fearful of the circumstances of life and this world!

God-Fearing People

So, what does the Bible say about fear? Let’s look at what the Bible says about being God-fearing first. Deuteronomy 6:13 (NKJV) tells us, “You shall fear the Lord your God and serve Him and shall take oaths in His name.”. Additionally, Psalm 33:8 (NKJV) tells us, “Let all the earth fear the Lord; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.”. So, everyone is to be God-fearing, but what does that mean? Well, Proverbs 9:10 (NKJV) tells us, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”. So, when one is God-fearing it is the start of wisdom. Wise men and women of God fear the Lord and are humble.
To be God-fearing you must be humble and hate all sin and evil. Proverbs 8:13 (NKJV) says, “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate.”. To be God-fearing you must put away the lust of the flesh because the lust of the flesh leads to death! 1 John 2:16 (NKJV) says, “For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.”.

Are You God-Fearing or Flesh Fearing?

So, my next question to you is do you want to be a God-fearing Christian, or do you want to be so consumed with your circumstances and the things of this world? You cannot be both, otherwise, you are double-minded! Of course, fear will come naturally to all of us from time to time. If we want to walk in the fullness of what God has called for each of us, then we must put away our fears! We are only to fear God and nothing else! It is time that Christians stop worrying so much about earthly things and start learning how to fear God!

What Our Identity in Christ Says About Fear?

2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) tells us, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”. I think many people need to speak that over their lives every day, especially when the enemy comes to attack. If you are truly a born-again believer, then why are you worrying so much about your health, finances, family, and job? We should not be walking in a spirit of fear! We need to be walking in a spirit of power, love and sound mind. Time spent worrying about this and that is lost time with the Lord. You could spend an hour worrying and thinking about how you will pay that bill. But why not spend that hour in prayer, worship, or simply reading the Word?

What About Circumstances?

Lets look at the next verse, 2 Timothy 1:8 (AMP) says, “So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord or about me His prisoner, but with me take your share of suffering for the gospel [continue to preach regardless of the circumstances], in accordance with the power of God [for His power is invincible]”. We should not be afraid to tell others about God. We should continue preaching the Gospel regardless of our circumstances. The power of God is so powerful that He has given us a spirit of power, love and sound mind!

How to Deal with Fear?

It is time that believers learn how to tap into their spirit man and walk in the power, love, and sound mind that God has given us. How do you do this? How do you put away your fearful spirit, and walk in the God-given spirit of power, love, and sound mind? The first thing is to get the Word of God into you and speak it over your life. Also, spend time praying in the Spirit. I want to encourage you when you go to pray in the Spirit, ask God to let the Holy Spirit do intercession for you to help you put away your fear, and anything else in your life hindering you from walking in the fullness of what God has called you to do. I’d encourage you to make time for this, leave an hour and let the Holy Spirit make the intercession for you. Often, we don’t always know what is stuck deep down inside of us causing our problems, but the Holy Spirit does. So, we need to let Him pray for us. Romans 8:26-27 (NKJV) tells us, “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”.

Final Thoughts

So, I’d like to challenge you to the question of if you are a God-fearing believer, or are you still fearful of your own circumstances? I want to encourage you to give time for the Holy Spirit to make intercession for you, and breakthrough will come! If we can learn to yield to the Holy Spirit in our lives, then we will begin to see drastic changes take place!

2019, Book of Acts Series 2019, Gifts of the Spirit

Keys on Truly Seeking God

In this post I am going to discuss Acts 13:1-3, I am only covering three verses out of the Book of Acts, but God revealed several key points during this study on the importance of seeking God. There are some very important keys that every Christian should be applying daily to their life along with reading the Word.

A Divine Calling

Acts 13:1 starts off by telling us that there was a group of teachers and prophets at the church of Antioch. Verse two tells us that as they were worshiping God, and fasting the Holy Spirit spoke to them and told them to separate Barnabas and Saul for a divine work God has called them to do. In the next verse, as they were praying and fasting, they laid hands on Saul and Barnabas and prayed over them before sending them away to what God had called for them to do. Acts 13:3 (AMP) translates it as, “Then after fasting and praying, they laid their hands on them [in approval and dedication] and sent them away [on their first journey].”. It tells us that the teachers and prophets laid hands on Saul and Barnabas in approval for the work of ministry they will begin, and dedication to that calling. Many times, when a new minister is ordained, a pastor certifying the new minister will often lay hands on them and pray over them. This is something you might see at an ordination service. This is something very important because it is one thing to just hand someone a piece of paper certifying them to be a pastor, but it is another thing to lay hands on them and pray for them. This should also be a reminder that we need to be praying for our pastors, and other people in the ministry field daily for God to give them wisdom, knowledge, and strength.

Fasting

If you look at Acts 13:1-3 you will see that they were not only praying and worshiping God but that they were fasting. My pastor calls fasting the ‘F’ word in Christianity. This is very important for every Christian to do if you want to truly seek God. Now keep in mind, if you have any medical condition, please consult with your doctor first before trying to fast. But it is always encouraged to start off small, such as skipping a mid-day snack or meal. Jesus fasted for forty days in the wilderness when He was tempted by the devil. Luke 4:2 (NKJV) tells us, “being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days, He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.”. Jesus was very vulnerable during this time being without any food for forty days, but He still did not fall into the temptation of the devil. He continued responding to the devil what scripture said. This is one important way to deal with the attacks from the enemy, which is to declare what the Word of God says.

Worship

Another key that is shown in Acts 13:1-3 is that they were worshiping God. Many Christians just worship God when they are in church on Sundays. We are to spend time worshiping God as much as we can, not just once a week. John 4:23-24 (NKJV) tells us, “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”. We are to worship God in spirit and truth, we need to worship Him with our full heart. Worship is to be personal with you and God, not just what the words of the song are. We not only need to sing along to other worship songs, but we need to sing our own personal song to Him. Psalm 150:6 (NKJV) tells us, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!”.

Praying in Tongues for Personal Edification

Another key that I want to talk about is prayer. The teachers and prophets were praying, fasting, and worshiping God in Acts 13:1-3. The church in the Book of Acts was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Now it is important to note that there are four different types of tongues mentioned in the Bible. These are:

  • Tongues for a sign to unbelievers (public ministry)
  • Tongues for interpretation (public ministry)
  • Tongues for personal edification (private time with the Lord)
  • Tongues for intercession (private time with the Lord, and when praying over someone)

I have covered these in detail in a previous post, in this post I want to cover tongues for education. 1 Corinthians 14:2 (NKJV) tells us, “For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit, he speaks mysteries.”. When we speak in tongues, we speak mysteries to God, these include promises in His Word and His plans for our lives. 1 Corinthians 14:39 (NKJV) tells us, “Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues.”. No Bible-believing church should forbid speaking in tongues, we should all be seeking the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. If the church you are in does not encourage you to speak in tongues for personal edification and/or not encourage you to seek all the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, then you are in a dead church. Churches without the Holy Spirit are powerless! Some of them just have salvation, which is important, but how can believers truly build up their faith as the Bible says? The answer is reading the Word, personal worship, fasting, and praying in the Spirit. Jude 1:20 (NKJV) tells us, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,”. Keep in mind that Jude is the next to last book in the Bible, this right here cancels out any false doctrine that condemns speaking in tongues.

How Important is God to You?

So how much of God are you seeking? Are you seeking Him by just going to church, or are you making time every day to seek Him? Proverbs 8:17 (NKJV) tells us, “I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me.”. Lamentations 3:23 (NKJV) also tells us, “The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him.”. We need to diligently seek God daily; we need to have a desire to spend more and more time with Him. There are 24 hours in each day, and 168 hours each week. If you are only seeking God by going to church once a week for a two-hour service, then you are only giving Him one percent of your time. You can’t expect much growth from just one percent of your time. I challenge you this week to record your time with God. Keep track of how much time you spend in the Word, prayer, worship, and even fasting. Try to improve each week until you can get on a consistent schedule.

2019, Book of Acts Series 2019, Discernment, Wisdom

A Word On Hinderances

In this blog post, I am going to wrap up Acts chapter 12. In my previous blog post, we saw an example of how powerful prayer can be. We saw that Peter was pulled out of prison by an angel because of a group of people who came together to pray for him. In this blog post, I am going to address the importance of removing hindrances from our lives.

Herod’s Anger

When Herod and the soldiers noticed Peter was missing from the prison, they searched for him and could not find him. Herod became angry and put to death the soldiers who were responsible for watching Peter. (Acts 12:18-19). In Acts 12:20-22 we see that Herod becomes angry with the people in Tyre and Sidon. The people came to him asking for peace. But Herod denied their request and wanted glory given to himself, rather than to God for the good things that have taken place.

The Death of Herod

In verses 23-24, we see that Herod was struck by an angel of the Lord, and then was eaten by worms. Herod was a hindrance to the spreading of the Gospel during the early years of the church. God sent an angel down to remove the hindrance. Before the angel even came down the people said in verse 22 “The voice of a god and not of a man!”. They were talking about Herod wanting praise from his people when the praise belonged to God. The people here recognized the hinderance. It is so important that we recognize hindrances in our own lives too and ask God to remove them.

Types of Hinderances

I want to talk a little bit more about hindrances because we will all deal with them. These hindrances can be distractions, sickness, financial constraints, and even other people in our lives. Now don’t get me wrong some of these hindrances can be self-inflicted, while at other times they can be the enemy trying to attack you. For example, distractions can be a result of one’s poor time management skills. We all are limited on our time, and we need to be sure we are using our time wisely and making time for the Lord. Maybe you have a financial constraint, it might be caused by poor circumstances that are out of your control, or it could be caused by one’s inability to make wise financial choices.

The Source of Hinderances

We must keep in mind that some of the hindrances in our lives might be the work of the enemy, but we must also be mindful of the fact that we can be our own worst enemy. Not only in our thoughts but in our actions. Dave Roberson once said that the Holy Spirit has one handicap and that is us. We can hinder the work of God in our own lives. Sometimes believers will want to blame everything that goes wrong in their life on the enemy when often it is us who is at fault.

Your Mindset

If you feel that you have a hindrance in your life, ask God to show you the source of the problem. Whether the source of your problem is your mindset, other people, or the work of the enemy. If the issue is your mindset, then you need to get in the Word more each day. Colossians 3:2 (NKJV) tells us, “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.”.

People Who Are Hinderances

If you have people in your life that are a hindrance to you, ask God to deal with them. God might remove all the contact you have with the person, or God might cause a change of heart on the person. I once was in a relationship with someone who was a hindrance to me in my walk with the Lord. After I got baptized in the Holy Spirit and started praying in tongues God quickly ended the relationship two weeks after I got baptized in the Holy Spirit!

The Enemy Can Hinder Us

Also, we must know that the enemy can hinder us. Paul even wrote about this in 1 Thessalonians 2:18 (NKJV), “Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us.”. When God has a calling on one’s life, the enemy will be scared as you step into that calling. The enemy will do everything he possibly can to stop you and distract you. We must know that the battle is already won with the enemy in the name of Jesus Christ.

Final Thoughts

I encourage you this week to ask God to reveal any hindrances in your life. If He reveals anything to you, ask Him to reveal the source and deal with it accordingly. This might include getting in the Word more, making changes in your schedule, or rebuking the works of the enemy. The more time we spend with God, the more we will be aware of His plans for us individually. Once we get to this place, we will see things in our life that are hindering Gods plans for us. So, I encourage you to spend more time with God, ask Him if you are on His path for your life or your self-made path. James 4:8 (NKJV) tells us, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”.

2019, Christianity, Gifts of the Spirit, Inspiration, Word's of Wisdom

What Is Your Lifestyle?

As I was spending time with the Lord today, I got hit with a word of wisdom. I felt led to share this as it is important for many people to hear regardless of where you are in your walk with the Lord.

The Word I Got

So, you have accepted Jesus as your savior, and maybe you have the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with evidence of Tongues.
But what is your lifestyle? Besides making ends meat, what is your lifestyle?

Is it a sport or a hobby that defines your lifestyle?
Is it drawing popularity to yourself?
Is it money, luxury, expensive cars, or other material things?
Is it building up your ego or pride?
Is it an addiction you cannot seem to let go of?
Is it pushing yourself so hard because you think you are not good enough?

What is your lifestyle? Is it one of the things I just listed? If so then there is a problem.
Or is your lifestyle living your life as Jesus did?
If not, then why isn’t it??

Are you seeking Him daily?
Are you listening for His voice?
Are you studying His Word with spiritual eyes or just by someone else’s side notes in your Bible?
Are you worshiping Him out of spirit and truth?

If your lifestyle does not revolve around Him first then how can you expect to grow, and for Him to move in your life?
When is the last time you got down on your knees and cried out to Him for a need, a revelation, forgiveness, or a fresh infilling?

His plan from the beginning of time was to have daily fellowship with you. Not just when you are sick or broke.
If your lifestyle isn’t seeking Him daily, then what are you waiting for?

Maybe you can’t let go of your pride or ego.
Maybe you can’t let go of that pain or addiction.
But if you truly looked to Him daily, you’d understand and see His power at work.

So, what is your lifestyle?
Is it like the people of the world’s lifestyle, or is it set apart?

Final Thoughts

When I got this word of wisdom two scriptures came to my mind, the first one is James 4:8 (NKJV) which says, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”. The second scripture that I’d like to point out is 1 Chronicles 22:19 (NKJV), “Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God. Therefore arise and build the sanctuary of the Lord God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the holy articles of God into the house that is to be built for the name of the Lord.”.

It is time that all believers truly seek God on a daily basis. Going to church every week and inconsistently reading the Word will not result in much growth. It is time that all believers seek intimacy with Him. By seeking Him, I mean consistently spending time in the Word daily, praying in the Holy Spirit, and worshiping Him. Do you only know God by warming a church pew once or twice a week, or do you know God by seeking Him on a daily basis? You can make as many excuses as you want, but if you really want to know Him, you will do your part and put aside the time for Him.

2019, Baptism of Holy Spirit, Bible Study, Book of Acts Series 2019, Christianity, Gifts of the Spirit, Inspiration, Testimony

Acts 12:1-17 — The Power of Prayer

person praying with bible opened on table

Another Reminder of the Persecuted Church

In this blog post, we’re going to look at two incidents that take place with Herod and two of the Apostles. It has been a few weeks since I addressed the issue of the persecuted church. This blog post is another reminder to continually pray for those in persecution. I did some research and found that in the last year over 245 million Christians are living in places of high levels of persecution. Also, 4,305 Christians are estimated to have been killed because of their faith. Additionally, 1,847 churches have been attacked. I feel that one Christian persecuted is one too many. These numbers are saddening. I encourage you to take some time regularly to pray for the many Christians around the world who are being persecuted.

Herod Kills James

When we look at Acts 12:1-2, we find that Herod had a goal to attack the Apostles of Jerusalem. He starts by killing James the brother of John. In Mark 3:17, James and John are called the Sons of Thunder. It is widely assumed that they were called this because of their temperament. I feel this is a good fact to keep in mind about James and John, it just shows us that God can use anyone.

Peter is Captured

In Acts 12:3-4 we find that Herod then captures Peter to be killed, however, he does not kill him right away because it is the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Herod has soldiers’ guard him during the four watches of the night. The four watches of the night were from sunset to 9 pm, from 9 pm to midnight, midnight to 3 am, and 3 am to 6 am. The soldiers would rotate based on these four watches of the night.

The Power of Prayer Shown

In Acts 12:5 (NKJV), the church leads by example as Peter was in prison, “Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.”. This verse should be an inspiration to us to pray for those being persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ. After these prayers are given by the church, something amazing takes place! In Acts 12:7-11 we find out that an angel came down and pulled Peter out of his chains and takes him out of the prison. At first, when this happens Peter thinks he is having a vision, but afterward he realizes that this angelic encounter is real. This just goes to show you that the power of prayer has no limit when we fully trust God. I feel that the early church in the Book of Acts had much more faith than what the average American church has today. I feel this because they had some spirit-filled leaders who truly sought God, and this, in turn, resulted in strong spirit-filled believers. This is something we desperately lack in the American church today because many churches want to look at the Bible with denominational eyes rather than spiritual eyes. This results in many denominations that don’t believe in the power of Jesus to set the captives free, heal the sick, deliver people from demonic oppression, and much more! How can we fix America in the eyes of God, when many churches don’t want to acknowledge that the same power the church in the Book of Acts had is available to us today?

The Power of Jesus Sets Us Free!

As I was reading this passage, I was reminded of two other scriptures. The first one is in John 8:36 (NKJV), when Jesus said, “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”. Another scripture I was reminded of was Psalm 142:7 (NKJV) which says, “Bring my soul out of prison, That I may praise Your name; The righteous shall surround me, For You shall deal bountifully with me.”. With putting these two scriptures together, we not only need to think of the persecuted church being set free, but also ourselves being set free. The power of the name of Jesus Christ is so powerful, it will set people free from sickness, depression, addiction, and many other types of bondages.

Peter Gives Testimony

In Acts 12:12-17 we find that Peter goes to Mary’s house, and as he knocks on the door a woman by the name of Rhoda answered and was shocked. She was so shocked that she forgot to let him in, she thought that Peter had already been killed, but he was right there at the door. She went and told the others, and they didn’t believe her, they thought it was an angel at the door. When the others came to the door, they were amazed, and Peter told them what happened. He then left and went away to another place so Herod could not find his trail. Peter did what many of us would do if we had that type of encounter, he told others of his testimony. Our testimonies are so powerful and are often a sign to unbelievers. We may not be able to win people over to Christ by only teaching them scripture alone, but when you tell others about what Jesus has done for you, they will want what you have!

Final Thoughts

In my next post, I will wrap up chapter twelve and discuss what happens to the soldiers who were keeping an eye on Peter overnight, along with what happens to Herod. So please be sure to subscribe to this blog! I encourage you to take some time this week and think about what Jesus has done for you in your life and then share it with someone this week. Even if you share it with someone who is a believer, our testimonies also build each other up, along with being a sign to unbelievers. I would also like to remind you to continually pray for the persecuted church and encourage others to do the same.