Examine Yourselves

 

It was just a few months ago that we celebrated the remembrance of the birth of Jesus, and here we are again in the Holy Week. I want you to know that it is no mistake that God has kept you to see this season, this year, and this week.

This is a time when we are meant to examine ourselves and see if truly we are in the faith. When you read about the betrayal, the embarrassment, and the crucifixion, you begin to realize that this is not something any man can do for you. But God came in the form of a man—Jesus—to do this for you and me, for our salvation, freedom, and deliverance.

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8)

However, you will not be able to fully enjoy these benefits if you do not truly understand them. To do this, you must first believe in His death and resurrection. Jesus is no longer in the grave—He has risen! And because He has risen, you must arise.

You must arise from the dunghill where the enemy has kept you. You must arise from the bonds with which he has bound you and claim your victory in the name of Jesus. It is time for you to arise from the miry waters, for He has come to set the prisoner free from the pit where there is no water, and to place you upon the rock.

Beloved, in this period, I want you to examine yourself. Look into your heart and see if you truly belong to the Lord. Come into right standing with Him and truly know and understand the power of the resurrection. 

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection” (Philippians 3:10)

He has risen from the grave—so now, you must arise.

Stay revived! 

God Already Sees the Details

John 6:5 (GNB)

Jesus looked around and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, so he asked Philip, “Where can we buy enough food to feed all these people?”

Jesus, why exactly did You ask this question? Was it a question of whether we are able to feed them, or was it so we would acknowledge that You are fully aware of the crowd surrounding us?

Life rarely presents us with "small crowd" situations. More often, we are faced with overwhelming circumstances. Seeing You ask this question reminds us that You are already aware of the numbers, the statistics, and the timing. Your will for us is not to be consumed by these factors, but to fix our eyes on You.

Once we acknowledge the "large crowd" and our own inability to provide in that moment, we can look to the One who desires to be our source, our strength, our peace, and our everything.

Just as He did with Philip, Jesus asks us the same questions today:

How will you get the wisdom to raise your children?

Where will you find the ideas to build this business?

How will your business thrive, even in this recession?

As I ponder these questions, my answer is simple: “Lord, I don’t know how.”

The very next verse reveals the heart of the matter:

John 6:6 (GNB)

He said this to test Philip; actually, he already knew what he would do.

It wasn't a question of information; it was a test of perspective. Jesus knew Philip had seen the problem, but He wanted to see if Philip had the faith to carry the weight of the miracle about to be performed.

It is as if He is saying:

 "Philip, relax. Let me show you that in this Kingdom, we don't build by human might, but by My Spirit."

This revelation stirs such emotion in my heart. Jesus is never short of resources to respond to the "large crowds" that surge our way. Before we even notice them, He has already seen the details—and He is simply waiting for us to say, "Jesus, help me."

Stay Revived!

It is no longer I who live, but the Holy Spirit who lives in me Galatian @:20

Some time ago, the Lord asked me a question. He said, “Why do people, during war, rub blood on their faces and bodies?”

I thought about it and responded, “They do it to appear dead—to escape being attacked.”

Then my mind went to the Israelites in the Book of Exodus, when they were instructed to put blood on their doorposts. The blood was a sign—so that when the Lord passed through, He would see it and pass over them. It marked them as His own.

This brought a deeper understanding: if by the blood of the covenant I am saved, set free, and delivered—if it is no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives in me and I in him—then why should I become troubled when situations of life try to weigh me down?

God never promised that challenges would not come. If that were the case, He wouldn’t have said in Book of Psalms 23 that He prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies.

Being dead and alive in Christ means that daily, you yield yourself to His authority and His government over your life. It means dying daily in surrender and living fully in obedience to Him.

So the next time trouble or disease tries to steal your joy, speak to it boldly:
“It is no longer I who live, but the Holy Spirit who lives in me.”

Stay Revived! 

Graced for This Moment

 What if God’s plan isn't to take us out of a situation in a flash, but rather to walk with us through the journey of it?

I recently read the biography of a famous actress who overcame a dehumanizing childhood filled with poverty. There was a specific moment when, after witnessing her mother being abused, she ran into the kitchen and cried out to God to rescue her if He truly loved her.

So often, this is our prayer. When we feel stuck, we want to wish the situation away instantly. We want the pain to end "in the blink of an eye." But how can we truly understand that "all things work together for the good of those who love God" if we only ever seek to escape the process?

God doesn't want us to suffer just so He can say, "I told you that you couldn't make it without Me." Instead, He wants us to learn to trust Him in every circumstance. Whether it is a project He has whispered for us to start, a relationship He has asked us to surrender, or a new season He is calling us into—He asks us to keep our eyes fixed on Him.

The Promise of Fullness

Look at the promise in John 3:34:

"The one whom God has sent speaks God's words, because God gives him the fullness of his Spirit." (GNB)

There is sufficient grace for every situation we face. As long as we choose to align with God’s way and listen to His voice, He reassures us: "I know, my daughter, that you want this to end. I know, my son, that you feel you shouldn't be at this point. But because this is a journey, I will walk you through it so you do not grow weary."

You Are Graced

You are graced for this specific moment.

You are graced to carry your seed to full term.

The doctor may have delivered a diagnosis, but you are graced to win this battle.

Rejections may have thrown you off balance, but there is a grace within you capable of carrying you safely into your next season.

We can choose alignment. We can choose to say: "God, in the moments where I am weary, let praise be my answer. Even if life tries to break my heart into pieces, life will not drain out of me—because I do this not by my own strength, but because I am graced for this moment."

As you go through your day, do not let life dictate its report to you. Instead, choose to say: "I see through the struggle, and I see that God has graced me for this moment."

Stay Revived!