Posted by: pastorapbell | October 12, 2011

as we focus on the Fantastic Fortitude of Faith!

For me one of the most important pieces of our armour is the shield of faith. Although the armour is a metaphor of how we should think, believe and behave, it is imperative that we exercise our faith in the things we read and digest. The reason we need to read and re-read the word over and over again is the simple fact that we forget things very easily. And so we are encouraged to place the most potent weapon we have in the deepest recesses of our minds.  But we can only do this if we believe the word or better still believe that the author of the word truly has our best interest at heart. The apostle Paul uses the analogy of the armour to get us to think strategically. Our enemy uses his strategies to get us to doubt the word. He questions the authenticity of word and thereby questions the author, God. He says things like: did God really say that? (Genesis 3:1), throw yourself down from the rooftop, you know the angels will save you (Luke 4:9), and finally, why are you pressing through this crowd to touch Jesus, don’t you know that you are unclean? (Luke 8:43ff).

By picking up the shield of faith, we are able to see miraculous happenings in our lives. Paul reminds that the shield is used to deflect the fiery darts of the enemy. These darts are designed to cause maximum pain to your belief system. Once punctured your whole belief system will quickly deflate and like a car with punctured tyres you will become totally stranded and completely immobile.

Finally by taking up the shield of faith, you are able to use the sword correctly. How do these work together you may ask? The shield is the defensive weapon whilst the sword or the word is the offensive weapon. The shield deflects while the sword punctures through the falseness that the enemy presents. And so, by standing behind the shield we protect our belief system and by speaking the word we are re-iterating what the author of creation already declared. By lifting up this barrier we can now declare that we are MORE THAN CONQUORERS! What a fantastic piece of weaponry we have at our disposal! Well go ahead and use it!! have a read of 2Kings 6:15-20 and pray the prayer of Elisha!

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Posted by: pastorapbell | October 11, 2011

as we fight against the harbinger of fear

The lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear. The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid. When the wicked, even my enemies try to eat up my flesh [kill me] even then I will have confidence in my God. You see there is only one thing that is my greatest desire, and that is to be in his presence every day. When I am there I can see his glory and worship at his throne. Since he is the one who covers me, even when trouble comes, and it will, I will still fear no evil. For as long as I stay in the word, which is in Christ Jesus, I am always protected. Today allow your light to shine, say something nice to someone! Fear is false evidence appearing real.  Read Psalm 27.

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Posted by: pastorapbell | October 10, 2011

as we contemplate why faith is not the absence of fear!

Faith is not the absence of fear but the presence of a quiet confidence in the written living and active word of God and from God. The writer of Hebrews puts it this way: “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the harpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires” (Heb 4:12 NLT). Putting on the whole armour of God dictates that we do not build in fear into our spiritual psyche or timidity into our battle plan. As soldiers we must fear the Lord [have the right mindset, behave in appropriate ways and act with integrity] and respect the enemy. We should not fear the enemy in the same way that we fear
the Lord, but must be aware that his remit is to steal, kill and destroy. And so we fight him with the sword of the spirit, the word of God used contextually, in the bond of peace. It is our confidence in the word, the living word, Jesus of Nazareth that will enable us to overcome the enemy. We must at all times balance this confidence with our own humanity and propensity to fall. Today as we remember that faith is not a fad or a fantasy nor is it a feeling nor is it classified by the amount of money we have, let us understand that faith is confidence in the living active word that came from the living active God. So go into the battle boldly, knowing that you are on the winning side. Read Hebrews 4.

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Posted by: pastorapbell | October 7, 2011

as we focus on the subject rather than the object!

Faith is not all about finances. Although finance are a major pointer to perceived blessings, our faith must not be predicated on the fact the God will provide just money for us. When Solomon was about to ascend to the throne in Israel his major focus was on the God who was able to deliver his father from the hands of a gigantic Philistine called Goliath, deliver him from the hands of a despotically insane king of Israel, Saul and make him a king even though his credentials were not those associated with royalty. So Solomon’s first request to God by faith was not to ask for fame or fortune, but was an admission of his inability to govern people who were more astute that he was and who were able to administer the affairs of the nation (1Kings 3:7ff). And so, he asked for an understanding mind and a discerning spirit to be able to govern the people with equity and righteousness. His faith was in God and not in things. He was able to resist the temptation to hanker after things and because of this the Lord God Almighty gave him his request of understanding and made him the richest man in his then known world. Today if you want to be rich materially ask God for wisdom and understanding and he will send the right people into your life with the finances you need.  Read 1Kings 3.

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Posted by: pastorapbell | October 4, 2011

as we select the location to deposit our faith

Faith is not fantasy. Everyone has faith, but the extent to which it develops is determined by where it is put. I can put my faith in my abilities or in my inherited or acquired wealth or in the love of my life. But by putting my faith and my trust in these things, I am leaving myself wide open for disappointment. This is why the psalmist entreats us to put out trust and our faith in the Lord. This is what he says, “some folks will trust in chariots [motor cars] and others in horses [expensive animals], but we who are believers will put our trust in the name of the Lord” (Psalm 20:7). And again he says this, “it is better to trust in the Lord than to trust in human beings” (Psalm 118:8). Incidentally this is the exact centre of the bible and it tells us not to trust in mortals but to trust in the Lord. The reality of faith is evidenced by us seeing the beauty of the Lord all around us. We can do one of two things; either ascribe it to the Lord or take the glory for ourselves and ascribe it to the schemes of men such as evolution or natural selection. Those who put their faith in themselves and ridicule the very presence of God will learn the hard way like the biblical character Nebuchadnezzar who ended up living like and animal for seven years. Indeed it was Nebuchadnezzar that Saddam Hussein modelled himself on, and look what happened to him!

Today put your faith in the word of God, Jesus Christ and enjoy a fantastic journey, God will always surprise you, trust me!! Read Psalm 21.

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Posted by: pastorapbell | October 3, 2011

as we allow the strength of our faith to rise

Faith is not a fad. Although we believe in the Lord and are prepared to serve him willing, we must always have in the back of our minds that God places requirements on us. David believed that God would deliver him from the hands of his various enemies, and he did. Daniel believed that God would reveal secrets and dreams to him and deliver him from impossible situations, and he did. The disciples of Jesus believed that they could speak to chronic diseases and command them to leave the bodies of those affected, and they did. However their belief system was underpinned by faith that involved action. This faith was not something that was conjured up or a ‘hocus pocus’ concoction that was summoned at will. This is a faith that comes from waiting on the Lord. A belief system that is so strong that whatever the outcome is, the believer believes that it is God who is determining that outcome. So like the three Hebrew boys who were thrown into a fiery furnace for failing to bow down to worship idols (Daniel 3:19ff), those who put their trust in the Lord must be aware that sometimes we will not get out of the fire or escape from the ailments in their bodies. However, God is still God and his way is still the perfect way. A fad is something that goes and comes again in a different format. However, faith in Yahweh dictates that he will determine the best outcome for us at a particular moment in time.  Our faith in God should not go and come. It should not be determined by what is in or out, or who the latest sensation is. Our faith in God was must build on a correct understanding and interpretation of his word in the context that his was written. Remember that heaven and earth will pass away, but the word of the Lord will last forever (Matt 24:35 paraphrased). Please read 2Corinthians 12:1-10.

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Posted by: pastorapbell | September 30, 2011

as we use our tools of warfare: prayer, praise and prophesy!

Faith is not a feeling! When we walk by faith we must be prepared to wait to see God come through. I am convinced that God arranges circumstances so that his will for an individual will come to pass at the appropriate time. In the story of David as recorded in 1Samuel 17 we see a young boy who appears on the scene at a time when the whole country was in turmoil. They were being threatened by the challenge of a 9’9” giant whose proposal for a one to one showdown weighed the odds heavily in his favour.  This is how the enemy fights, he shows you an impossible situation and then challenges you to get out of it or let him get you out of it at a cost. Fortunately David was not involved in the standoff leading up to the challenge.  He was busy spending time with his sheep and putting on his own armour.

His armour was not a physical one but one that starts with praising the maker of the universe, Yahweh. He was true to himself, he had the right mindset and he was prepared to use the sword of the spirit, the word of God at every opportunity [see the book of psalms for evidence of this]. And so when he was faced with the enormity of the challenge, his approach was not to be intimidated by the size of the enemy but to rely on the greatness of his God. The enemy berated David and ridiculed him. “I am going to give your flesh to the fouls of the air and the wild beast of the fields” said Goliath; “because you being a boy dare to come against me a seasoned professional fighter.” It is at these times that we need to stand our ground and speak to the situation, i.e. we must prophesy to the enemy and hear the words ourselves. The shield of faith is not about how you feel; it is about the prophetic word from God. Using the fighting implements given by God ensures that we will never fail. So David uses the sword of the spirit and took refuge behind the shield of faith. This is how he did it. He Prophesied – “you come to me with a sword and a spear and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of host, the God of Israel, who you have defiled. This very day, I will strike you down and cut off your head, so that the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel” (1Sam 17:45-46).

Today speak those things that are not as though they are as you carry the shield and use the sword!

Read 1Samuel 17.

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Posted by: pastorapbell | September 28, 2011

as we raise up a canopy of faith over us

Peter and John looked intently at a man crippled from birth who was asking them for money. They must have seen him sitting there for years when they went up to the temple for afternoon prayers. What was different about this visit that made Luke write about him? Why were Peter and John so interested in this crippled man who was a regular attendee at the temple gate? Not long before this Peter and John and about 70 other followers of Jesus were in a prayer meeting at John Mark’s mother’s home. Whilst they were sitting there in unity of heart, meditating on the word and singing hymns and psalms, something happened. The heavens opened and the Spirit of the Lord overshadowed them so much so that their very language changed.

Their level of possibilities exceeded anything they had ever thought or imagine. After experiencing the open heaven and the fire of God, they would never be the same again. And so as Peter and John goes to the temple the surge of power was still flowing through them. Their faith level was high enough for them to speak those things that were not as though they were. And seeing the crippled man, they reached out extended their hands to him and spoke the word of faith to his spirit [silver and gold we don’t have, but in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk]. This triggered the latent faith in him and caused his body to come into alignment with the spoken word from the men of God.

Being in a place where the presence of God is, is a must for those who want to work his works of faith. Living under a canopy of God enable you see and do things that others cannot see or do. This is why the psalmist encourages us to remain under the shadows of the almighty (Psalm 91:1), keep short accounts with those who upset you (Psalm 19:14) and remove fear and anxiety from your being (Psalm 37:1). So today allow the shield of faith to become a canopy and extend it over your area of influence.  Read Acts 3.

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Posted by: pastorapbell | September 27, 2011

as we take the shield of faith and go wherever we are sent

For us to see the hand of God on our lives we cannot sit there and rely on faith alone. We must do something. Once we have believed we must act. Abraham believed God and so was called righteous, but he was prepared to leave his comfort zone to follow God who he could not see to receive the promises and the blessings. Today we are called to hear God’s voice, believe his words and to follow him to wherever he is leading us. For some it may be to live in another country, for others it could be to become the next mayor of London or to become the commissioner of police in a major city. Wherever you end up, follow God’s leading and your faith will be justified by the works that follow it. Believe God, listen to this voice then do something about it this is the word for Today. Read Genesis 12.

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Posted by: pastorapbell | September 26, 2011

As we put up the shield of faith around us!

Without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). This is what the writer of Hebrews tells us, so how do we develop and use our faith? The shield of faith is there to protect us and to allow us to know the powerful rewards of trusting the words of the Lord. Faith is trusting without being able to see physically what you are hoping from. Without hope we will certainly die prematurely, for without hope we become miserable, cantankerous and difficult to live with. And I believe that these are some of the reasons why the risen Jesus prefaced his encounter with his disciples by speaking peace to them [see the Gospels for evidence of this]. Once you are clam you are able to think clearly, reflect logically, and then do things that were a long way of your radar when you were living in anxiety.  Faith in Jesus will allow you to move mountains, kill giants and take territories which were previously un-scalable. Today your faith will rise as you put your trust in the Lord. The psalmist reminds us that some of us trust in horses and some in chariots but we [who are followers of Jesus] put our trust in the name of the Lord our God (Psalm 20:7). That is faith, putting your trust in someone that is invisible knowing full well that you will see the tangible effect of his hand. Read Psalm 20 and meditate on verse 7.

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