Crosslines

Have you ever wrestled with God? Have you wrestled with God and prevailed? Few wrestle with God, fewer wrestle with God and win. Jacob wrestled with God for one night, and his life was changed forever. He was given a new name, a new identity, and the name God gave him was given to a whole nation. The Israelis are forever a passionate people, full of fight. When will we, as Gentiles, direct our fight and passion toward our relationship with God? 

The Authority of the believer is thought of as a recent idea in Christian circles, but have you heard of John A McMillan? He was born in 1873 and was a Canadian Presbyterian businessman who walked in the Authority of the Believer. What if you had been given authority from God but never walked in it? Instead of complaining about our problems, if we want results like Jesus, we might want to do it the way Jesus did. Speak to your mountain. Not everything we experience in this life is God's will. Ask yourself, are you asking God to do things for you when He has already given the authority to pull those things down from heaven?

Is there another experience with the Holy Spirit after we are born again? What does the Bible have to say? God gives gifts that seem foolish, only to confound those who think themselves wise. The Holy Spirit is the change we all need. Every character in the Bible who encountered the Holy Spirit was forever changed. Their boldness increased as their fear decreased. Are you asking for more of the Holy Ghost? 

Most Christians live and die in the wilderness, but it was only meant to be temporary. The Promise Land is God's true desire for every believer. People stay in the wilderness for three reasons. 1. They are still attached to Egypt(slavery) in their heart.  2. They are afraid of more of God and losing control. 3. They are afraid of the giants. God truly wants you free of carnal Christianity, free of control, and walking in the fullness of the Holy Spirit. 

Is your plan for losing weight watching workout videos while eating food? This is how many of us approach faith. We watch sermons, listen to podcasts, attend church, pray, and even read the Word...but there is little to no action. There are two categories of people: those who hear the Word and do nothing, and those who hear and do the Word. Be a doer of the Word. 

How can God use people who are so arrogant? The religious in the church often judge Samson but fail to see how God used him. The church works to disciple the lower levels of society, but we fail with the influential and strong. Be careful who you judge and stand against, many times God uses the "arrogant" more than the religious who refuse to take up any fight for the kingdom of God. 

What does the Bible say about drinking? Interestingly, the Bible tells us when not to drink and when to drink. But it's not a rule to follow, but a decision God is looking for us to make with our heart. 

The more you serve the Lord, the more surprises God has in store. God doesn't reveal everything the moment we start trusting Him, otherwise, it wouldn't be trust. He always seems to do something better than what we could think up. He likes to surprise us. Like a dear friend setting up a surprise birthday party or a man planning a date, God is setting you up for something good. When you figure out God loves you, the mystery becomes fun. And you truly see the mystery of God lead you into His goodness. 

God established the family structure to keep us from being rejected. He wants us to have the strength of love, yet people or circumstances can leave us wounded and feeling rejected. Understanding that God never intended that for us helps eliminate the spirit of rejection. Rejection is both a healing of the heart and a deliverance issue. The truth is we are beloved of the Lord, and no spirit of rejection should convince us otherwise.  

Some people believe in a historical Jesus, others believe in an educational Jesus, but a very few believe in a Jesus who still raises the dead. Jesus said, "I am the resurrection." Are you letting God raise the dead areas of your life? For our lives to truly be used by God, they must go through the death, burial, and resurrection process. Don't hold onto your small ways, give them to God so He can resurrect them.