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Hebrews 11:1 - "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Worldly hope is just a kind of wish. Whenever we see hope in the bible, it means there is an expectation. According to Mark 11:24, when we pray, we should believe we receive. We should expect -- not just desire -- that those things come to pass. You can have a truckload of desire and no expectation. Whatever you expect, you have faith to receive. And just as you are the one who's going to believe you receive, you are the one who's going to set your expectation level. Affirmations: ONCE I HAVE IDENTIFIED THOSE THINGS I REALLY DESIRE - THEN I EXPECT BIG - I LET MY HOPE SOAR! I SHALL HAVE THEM BECAUSE I BELIEVE (BASED ON GOD'S WORD) THAT I RECEIVE THEM. John 20:14-16 - She glanced over her shoulder and saw someone standing behind her. It was Jesus, but she didn't recognize him! "Why are you crying?" he asked her. "Whom are you looking for?" She thought He was the gardener. "Sir," she said, "if you have taken Him away, tell me where you have put Him, and I will go and get Him." "Mary!" Jesus said. She turned toward Him. "Master!" she exclaimed. MARY LOOKED AT THE WORD. MARY HEARD THE WORD. BUT SHE DIDN'T KNOW THE WORD. MARY DIDN'T KNOW WHO IT WAS WHO STOOD BEFORE HER. BUT WHEN THE WORD BECAME PERSONAL TO HER, CALLING HER BY NAME, INSTANTLY, SHE RECOGNIZED HIM. Observation: AS I READ, STUDY, AND MEDITATE ON IT, THE WORD WILL SPEAK TO ME AND BECOME PERSONAL TO ME. Galatians 2:20, -- "I have been crucified with Christ nevertheless I live, the life I live, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me." Although the Scriptures said that no one has ever seen God, however, Jesus said, "Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9). Hebrews 1:3 talks about the Son being the brightness of God's glory and the express image of His person. Colossians 2:9 talks about the fullness of deity living in Jesus in bodily form. If Jesus is the express image of the Father, then we must become the express image of the Son as He lives in us. There is no higher calling or aspiration than to walk in manifest oneness with Jesus as we live lives surrendered to Him. The beauty of His person, His love, humility, glory, and power is what the world longs to see and experience. What an honor that Heaven has bestowed on us to become one with the Master...this is a holy invitation that we must all do and heed! ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com
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Sometimes He draws us to the wilderness where our understanding that our abilities, our skills, our gifts can no longer get the job done. You can choose to "rise above" things. When you do, you are going to catch a new wind from Heaven that is releasing new creative resources for you right now -- so fly and go deep into an even closer relationship with God. Look at those things over which you have lost your vision. Ask Him to bring resurrection life back into those dead places and renew your vision for your own DESTINY. "There were many bones in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. And the Lord said unto me, 'prophesy upon these bones and say unto them, Behold I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live.'" - Ezekiel 37: 2,4,5 How will your life change as you become more extreme with your faith? "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit." - John 15:2 Now is a great time to be activated in the spirit. This means that we see opportunities at every turn. There are opportunities to demonstrate God's love to people. Don't assume that everyone has heard the truth of the Gospel or has experienced "His life". Take time to share the life of God with others. God wants us to expand beyond the borders we have preconceived in our natural mind. Don't say, "I can't do this" or "That is not me", because God wants to put something new in you. God continually "adds to us" things that would not be our "natural inclination". Paul did not say that God separated him to show what a wonderful man He could make of him, but "to reveal His Son in me." "...not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed" (Joshua 23:14). We can rise up in the same confidence Joshua possessed and declare our TESTIMONY. Today, assemble the words of God's faithfulness from your past and begin to speak them into your future. We were not given these testimonies to remember them only as documents of history. These words have been given to us as supernatural weapons to send out into our approaching future. A loss of consecration means the loss of power. And a loss of TESTIMONY signifies the loss of the presence of God. Don't wait for things to go right before you start praising God. Start praising the Lord, and things will go right. Your greatest hour of Kingdom advancement is upon you. You are about to excel in ways you always dreamed but never dared imagine would take place. All this is by the favor and Spirit of God working through your life. So get ready for your upgrade. Get ready for your brand new day. God is with you and He will lead you into the new frontier that is waiting just for you. We should pray with expectation. We must be adamant in prayer and call forth results. Usually, people are surprised when a prayer is answered, but we should be surprised when it is not. Some Christians seem to have a perpetual tendency to have somebody else talk to God for them. Such an approach saves us from the need to change, for to be in the presence of God is to change. We have the strength to cast off the burdens of downcast souls and supernaturally believe the impossible to be possible. Strength and might comes when we usher in His presence. "We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us." - Philippians 4:13 When we are abiding in Christ, even as He and the Father are one, so we become one with Him. Paschal Lamb of God, pass me over from death to life by the redemption of Your blood. Amen ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com
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As we confidently pray according to the promises in the Bible we can expect all the promises of the Lord to be yes and amen in Christ! There are literally thousands of Scripture promises in the Bible that can be applied to our lives. We can take the Father at His Word, because His Word is true, and He does not change. He is who He is, and He does what He has said He will do. He has all the wisdom and power needed to execute His promises for His children. As the psalmist wrote: "For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast." - Psalm 33:9 The Lord is true (see Revelation 3:7), and His promises are sure. When we pray out of the knowledge of His promises, we can pray with expectation for the answer. This is exactly what the apostle John meant when he wrote: "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him" (1 John 5:14,15). WE MUST INTERNALIZE HIS PROMISES Of course, if we do not know His promises, we will not be able to confidently go before Him in expectant faith to receive the manifestation of His promises. But as we grow in knowledge of His promises in the Word, we will receive a deeper faith, which will result in a life of trust and obedience. Faith doesn't come from information but from deeply dwelling (meditating) and hearing, through affirming out loud the Word of God. This is what God wants for us. We bring Him honor and glory when we fully live in His redemptive promises and, as a result, fully live out our divine DESTINY. When we know what He has already supplied for us, we become partakers of these precious promises. About this, Peter wrote: "By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know Him, the one who called us to Himself by means of His marvelous glory and excellence. And because of His glory and excellence, He has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share His divine nature and escape the world's corruption caused by human desires." - 2 Peter 1:24 This is why we need the spirit of wisdom and revelation to show us all God gave to us through the victory of the cross (see Ephesians 1:17). "Now we have not received the spirit [that belongs to] the world, but the [Holy] Spirit Who is from God, [given to us] that we might realize and comprehend and appreciate the gifts [of divine favor and blessing so freely and lavishly] bestowed on us by God" (1 Corinthians 2:12 AMP). But as we behold Him, we are transformed from glory to glory (see2 Corinthians 3:1718). As our minds are renewed by the Spirit, our lives are transformed (see Romans 12:2). When our lives are transformed, we begin to think and act differently. We begin to change. And this begins a ripple effect. As we are changed the people around us are affected. PRAYER MEDITATIONS: The manifestation of the promises of God for your life. Revelation of His CALLING IN CHRIST AND PURPOSE for your life. That this be a season of joy that brings advancement in the plans of the Lord for you! ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com
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Hebrews 12:3 - "Consider Jesus that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds." THE SPIRIT OF WEARINESS IS TRYING TO WORK ITS WAY INTO OUR LIVES THESE DAYS THROUGH ALL THE PRESSURE AND BAD NEWS THAT SURROUNDS US. IT'S WORKING TO GET OUR EYES OFF THE WORD OF GOD BY BOMBARDING US WITH NEGATIVE FORCES. IT'S TRYING TO GET US TO LOOK DOWN AT DEFEAT INSTEAD OF UP AT JESUS. JESUS SAID IN MARK 4 THAT WHEN THE CARES OF THIS WORLD ENTER INTO YOUR HEART AND MIND, THEY'LL CHOKE THE WORD AND CAUSE IT TO BECOME UNFRUITFUL. AND SINCE YOUR FAITH IS THE PRODUCT OF THE WORD, THAT MEANS YOUR FAITH WILL WITHER. Affirmations: I CONSIDER JESUS THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF MY FAITH. I CONSIDER HIM INSTEAD OF THE CARES OF THIS WORLD. I GET MY EYES OFF THE CIRCUMSTANCES AROUND ME AND ONTO MY HEAVENLY SOURCE. GOD IS MY SOURCE, NOT THE WORLD. Ephesians 2:18,21,22 - "It is through Christ that all of us, Jews and Gentiles, are able to come in the one Spirit into the presence of the Father. A holy temple in the Lord; in whom we also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit." FOR WHAT PURPOSE DO WE SEEK GOD? -- WE ASPIRE TO WORSHIP HIM. JESUS SAID THE FATHER IS SEEKING WORSHIPPERS. THE WORSHIP THAT SATISFIES GOD MUST ORIGINATE FROM THE HOLY PLACE, WHERE THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF MAN IS AWAKENED TO THE SPIRIT OF GOD. WORSHIP DOES NOT COME FROM ANY SYSTEM OR FORM OF SERVICE. RATHER, IT IS THE RESULT OF HAVING TRULY DISCOVERED THE ALMIGHTY ONE IN "SPIRIT AND TRUTH" (JOHN 4:23). "My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working." (John 5:17) We work and partner with what he is already doing in Heaven. The father works in heaven and we work with the Holy Spirit on earth. "So Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he "sees" the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise." We are totally dependent on the Holy Spirit to discern the Father's will, so we can partner with heaven on earth. "For the Father loves the Son, and "shows Him" all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel." - John 5:19-20 The context of the above Scriptures is Jesus and the intimacy he had with the father. In these verses we see a great key to doing his will and manifesting his power. As we affirm and meditate on these verses our expectation to "see" will grow. Jesus knew the key was in prayer and waiting. We see it and proclaim it! Once we learn how to partner with God, by seeing whatever He directs us to see in the heavens, then we learn how to speak with authority in that realm, calling it forth in prayer. Then it manifests here on the earth. What you do in that kind of experience will change what happens to you in this realm. He longs to share the secrets of His heart with those who tune their spiritual ears to listen to what His Spirit is saying. "I will stand at my guard post and station myself on the tower; and I will keep watch to see what He will say to me," -- Habakkuk 2:1 We wait, pray, look and "see" what The Lord "says to me." We must see by revelation. It is key to manifesting his power. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com
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Today is the day to have a total change of heart and mind. It is time to renew and to reframe your mindset and language to speak the language of Heaven. Colossians 3:1 - "If you then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above...." We have moved into our land of promise. Let's use the language of our new location. Let's slay every opposing giant that comes to lie against our true identity. Ephesians 2:5,6 - "...He has quickened us together with Christ, and has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." Ask the Lord for direction during the day. Do not fill the day with busyness, but focus on loving people. Be attentive to the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to speak to your heart about specific assignments. Affirmations: LIKE KING DAVID I MAKE WORSHIP MY DAILY TOP PRIORITY. I DIE TO THE WORD EVERY DAY FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOSPEL. EVERY DAY AND IN EVERY WAY GOD IS OPENING THE EYES OF MY UNDERSTANDING TO SEE INTO THE HEAVENLY SPIRITUAL REALITY. It's time to get God's opinion of you; you're essential to His eternal plans and purposes -- so become the bold, brave, radiant warrior you are called to be. Arise, lift your head -- walk with confidence and assurance that God is with you. Therefore be radiant and shine bright in this sin-darkened world. We have a PURPOSE -- we have been chosen by God. "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you." - John 15:16 Performance is a very hard taskmaster. In fact, under performance we can never do enough. For us to believe that God only loves us or approves of us because of what we DO for Him rather than WHOSE we are, is to actually demonstrate that what Christ did on the Cross is of no effect! In other words, we are believing that His death and the shedding of His Blood was not enough to place us in right-standing with God. "You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? Have you suffered so much for nothing – if it really was for nothing? Does God give you His Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard? Consider Abraham: 'He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.'" Galatians 3:1-6 AFFIRMATIONS: The Spirit of the resurrected Christ living in me has disqualified me from the mundane and ordinary. Faith qualifies me for the impossible. Whatever my heart is set upon when I come to the Bible, will determine much of what I see in the Bible. Beware lest your sense of unworthiness becomes a smokescreen for unbelief! Even now, the Holy Spirit is descending, hovering, and brooding over you. Shake yourself from the depression in which circumstances have kept you! You are standing at the threshold of God's glory! "And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke." - Acts 6:10 Bid the brooding Spirit of God to apply your prayer to the specifics of your day. Wait quietly. Listen carefully, Obey immediately. Pursuit to achieve a continuous God-consciousness, to experience this oneness with God is the most normal condition one can have. Are we ready to get past ourselves and step beyond the "walls" of inconvenience and intimidation to be mighty witnesses of Jesus in the earth -- doing the works that Jesus did, expecting miracles, signs and wonders that bear witness of Him everywhere we go? John 15:8 - "By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples." Our victory never comes from our emotions or our intellect. Our victory comes by refusing to judge by what our eyes see or our ears hear and by trusting that what God has promised will come to pass. We will never know Christ's victory in its fullness until we stop reacting humanly to our circumstances. 1 Corinthians 3:3 - "You are still worldly...Are you not acting like mere men?" Ask the Lord for direction during the day. Do not fill the day with busyness, but focus on loving people. Be attentive to the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to speak to your heart about specific assignments. The ministry of the Christian is the ministry of the Spirit. Other men have intellectuality, but the Christian is supposed to be the possessor of the Spirit. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com
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"Surely the Lord God does nothing unless He reveals His secret counsel to His servants the prophets." - Amos 3:7 Along with timing, it is key to understand the role we play as workers in God's Kingdom to see prophecy come to pass. Without understanding that prophecy requires action on our part, we might become upset when a prophetic word seems unfulfilled. Disappointment can stir up questions like, "Did I hear God?" or, "Did I miss what God was trying to say?" We may even become jaded and confused, wondering if prophecy is real today. Prophecy is a road map that gives us strategic information, but it is not the same as the concept of fate. For those who believe in fate, they feel the future cannot be changed or altered; life is what it is, and nothing can be done about it. As Believers, we know God has given us a free will. We are responsible for making choices, and Scripture gives us the guidelines we need to follow in order to be blessed. While God does foreknow the end from the beginning, we still have to choose. Without the ability to partner with God to shift things, what would be the purpose of prayer? CONTENDING FOR THE PROMISE Often, we are given a prophetic word so we can contend to see the prophecy fulfilled. It is important to remember the enemy does not want you to reap the benefits of the promises of God, so spiritual warfare may be needed. Though our prayers are immediately answered by the Lord in the spiritual realm, it takes persistent prayer for those answers to manifest in the physical realm. The word gives us hope to stand and believe in the midst of adverse circumstances. Daniel, after praying and fasting for Israel to be freed from Babylon, the archangel Michael finally arrived. He told Daniel that God heard his prayers right away, but a principality – who was the ruling power of darkness over the region – held him back for 21 days. Though Daniel's prayers were heard and acted upon instantly, it was his prayers of perseverance that allowed the archangel to ultimately break through! (See Daniel 10:12,13) What if Daniel had become frustrated before his breakthrough and given up? He would have never seen God's plan fulfilled. We must play an active role in seeing God's prophetic word manifest in our lives. HOW TO STAY HOPEFUL While believing for the word of the Lord to come to pass in your life, allow the promises of God to give you hope and sustain you. Don't allow the enemy to sow seeds of discouragement while waiting for the fulfillment! As you begin to hear the word of the Lord for the year, let's take a look at how to strategically respond to it: 1. Read through the entire word and take notes. Are there any points that the Holy Spirit is amplifying to you? Is there a resonance in your heart given by God to pay attention in a special way to a particular portion? 2. Use the word to take stock of your life. Are there any points that are admonitions to make an adjustment? (For example, if the prophecy says this is the year to "see the door," are you actively praying for God to show you the doors He wants you to walk through? This might be related to a transition in jobs, churches, advancing of His CALLING on your life, or even a geographic move.) Seek God about any changes He might be asking you to make. 3. Write decrees for yourself and your family from the Word of the Lord (Psalm 75:11). As you hear God speak about what He wants to do or release, make the words personal and decree them over yourself, your family, and even your city. This helps your heart maintain a posture of faith, even when the spiritual battles intensify. BE ENCOURAGED! Though we must prayerfully battle for the future God has for us, He has given us the tools we need to grab hold of His promises and enjoy them in our lives. We already have victory in Jesus' name! It will be rewarding to look back over the year and see the way God has strategically used the current word of the Lord in your life. Believe His words for yourself and your loved ones, and you will see God do incredible things in your lives this year! ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com
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Exodus 33:18 - "I beseech thee, show me thy glory." Exodus 34:6,7 - "The Lord passed before him, and proclaimed, 'The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin."' WHAT IS THE SINGLE, MOST OUTSTANDING THING ABOUT GOD? WHAT'S HIS MOST IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTIC? SOME WOULD SAY IT'S HIS POWER - OTHERS, HIS HOLINESS. BUT GOD HIMSELF WOULD GIVE A DIFFERENT ANSWER. THE WORD "GLORY" IN EXODUS 33 COULD LITERALLY BE TRANSLATED "HEAVY WEIGHT." IT REFERS TO THE HEAVIEST, BIGGEST, GRANDEST, THING ABOUT SOMEONE. WHEN MOSES ASKED GOD TO SHOW HIM THE GRANDEST THING ABOUT HIMSELF, GOD SHOWED HIM HIS MERCY. THAT MEANS IF WE ARE TO IMITATE GOD WE MUST MAJOR IN MERCY TOO. MERCY, GOODNESS, FORGIVENESS, AND COMPASSION MUST MARK OUR BEHAVIOR ABOVE ALL ELSE. Affirmation: I MAJOR ON MERCY SO OTHERS WILL SEE THE GLORY OF GOD IN ME. Ephesians 5:1 - "Therefore be imitators of God (copy Him and follow His example), as well-beloved children (imitate their father). " Jeremiah 33:3 - "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable thing you do not know." PRAYER IS MEANT TO BE ANSWERED - OR GOD WOULD NOT ASK US TO PRAY. JESUS DIDN'T PRAY WITHOUT EXPECTING TO BE HEARD. 2 Corinthians 3:18 says, "And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." When we pass the place of the flesh and enter beyond the veil into life in the spirit, we are one with Christ. What we need is the Holy Spirit to draw us deeper and deeper into the place of God's thoughts for our lives. When His thoughts overwhelm us we become new because they help form a new identity inside of us. This identity is from God and not from satan or man. It is an identity that helps us to truly function in the earth. The enemy has strongholds in our lives that seem impenetrable but they are about to come down. These are areas of hurt that people have been living with for a long time that have been roadblocks to gaining revelation of our CALLING in Christ. When God's Word comes to you like a flood, you are going to be overwhelmed by His goodness and peace will enter into the places of brokenness in your life. The key for your life is to seek God with all your heart. The promise from God is that if you seek Him you will find Him, if you seek Him with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13); and that which you seek is going to be more valuable than money can buy. It is the pearl of great price (Matthew 13:45-46). It is worth leaving all behind because that which Jesus has prepared for you is greater than anything you can ever imagine. There are people with chains holding them down. Christ is standing beside you with a hammer that can destroy those chains. Just call out to Him and He is faithful and will change your every circumstance. Call Unto Him! Jeremiah 33:3 says, "Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know." This is not just a passage in the Bible it is a promise and it is for you. You are about to receive revelation that will set you free. Press into His heart and He will press toward you and great healing will come to you like a flood. Your mind will be overwhelmed by His Glory that is coming your way and you will begin to understand God's PURPOSE for your life -- walking and not growing weary and running and not fainting -- bearing fruit that lasts. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com
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Ephesians 1:5 - "Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will." CHRISTIANS ARE THE TRUE ROYALTY ON THE EARTH AND ARE HONORED BY THE HEAVENLY HOST FAR ABOVE ANY EARTHLY KINGS OR PRESIDENTS. THIS IS THE GOOD PLEASURE OF HIS WILL. NOTHING WILL EVER BE STRONG ENOUGH TO THWART HIS WILL, AND THEREFORE OUR INHERITANCE IN HIM IS MORE SECURE THAN ANY EARTHLY POSITION EVER COULD BE. EVEN WHEN WE WERE YET SINNERS, HE BOUGHT US FOR A PRICE - THE MOST VALUABLE COMMODITY IN THE UNIVERSE - THE BLOOD OF THE SON OF GOD. SINCE WE VALUE A THING BY WHAT SOMEONE IS WILLING TO PAY FOR IT, GOD HIMSELF SET A VALUE ON YOU THAT IS MORE PRECIOUS THAN ANYTHING ELSE IN CREATION - HIS OWN SON. IF THIS IS THE VALUE THAT GOD PLACED ON US, HOW MUCH MORE SHOULD WE TREASURE OUR OWN LIVES, AND THE LIVES OF ONE ANOTHER, AS THE INFINITE TREASURES THAT THEY ARE, AND NOT WASTE A SINGLE DAY FRIVOLOUSLY? Matthew 5:8 - "Blessed (happy, enviably fortunate, and spiritually prosperous - possessing the happiness produced by the experience of God's favor and especially conditioned by the revelation of His grace, regardless of their outward conditions) are the pure in heart, for they shall see God!" When we see ourselves for whom we truly are meant to be in God, we can begin to call others out of their limited ways into seeing the limitless reality that is available to them in Christ. Ephesians 1:3 - "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." 1Peter 2:5 - "Come and, like living stones, be yourselves built into a spiritual house, for a holy, dedicated, consecrated priesthood, to offer up those spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable and pleasing to God through Jesus Christ." Since we are "Kingdomized" we get up each day excited for what the Lord has for us that day. We begin to walk and flow in His "now" presence all day long. We begin to hear what the Father hears. We begin to see what the Father sees, regardless of what we hear and see in the natural. When we go into a meeting, we expect His presence to break down walls while bringing divine insight. When we walk into a potential business deal, we expect divine favor. When we encounter hostility, we realize that this person is hurting and needs a healing word spoken--but mostly needs love. When we drive through neighborhoods we pray for the residents and ask the Lord for His desire and love to reach them. God begins to touch them and open up opportunities for divine relationship. Colossians 1:27 - "To whom God was pleased to make known how great for the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." Affirmations: I EXPECT REVELATION, EXPECT IMPARTATION, AND EXPECT MIRACLES WHENEVER I SHOW UP. WHAT A GLORIOUS KINGDOM, WHAT A GLORIOUS GOD! ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com
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Acts 1:4,8 - "He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for what the Father had promised. But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you." This power came through an encounter with God. Some because of their fear of error, have said it's improper to seek for an experience with God. For decades the church has been guilty of creating doctrine to justify their lack of power, instead of crying out to God until He changed them. The lie they came to believe has given rise to an entire branch of theology that has infected the Body of Christ with a fear of the Holy Spirit. It deceives under the guise of staying undeceived. The word must go forth with power. Power is the realm of the Spirit. Will you bury your gifts and tell the master when He comes that you were afraid of being wrong? Matthew 25: 25,26,30 - "So I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is your own. But the master answered him, 'You wicked and lazy and idle servant! And throw the good-for-nothing servant into the outer darkness; there will be weeping and grinding of teeth."' Jude 24: "Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy." John 15:7 - "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." JESUS WALKED IN UNION WITH HIS FATHER. WE TOO MUST DO THE SAME WITH HIM. WE ONLY HAVE TRUE SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY TO THE DEGREE THAT WE ARE ABIDING IN HIM. THE ANGELS DO NOT RESPECT US AND THE DEMONS DO NOT OBEY US BECAUSE OF WHO WE ARE, BUT BECAUSE OF WHO IS IN US. Luke 18:5,6 - "The judge ignored her for a while, but eventually she got on his nerves. 'I fear neither God nor man,' he said to himself, 'but this widow is so great a nuisance that I will see her righted before she wears me out with her persistence.' Then the Lord said, 'if even an evil judge can be worn down like that, don't you think that God will surely give justice to his people who plead with Him day and night?" The parable concerns a widow who desperately implores a judge to give her legal protection from an adversary, but she receives NO IMMEDIATE HELP. She refuses to be DISCOURAGED from her quest: she persists until she gains her BREAKTHROUGH. The goal of Christ's teaching was to immunize His followers against DISCOURAGEMENT. Jesus assures us that God will hear us as we turn to him in PERSISTENT prayer. Affirmations: I BELIEVE THAT WHAT GOD HAS PROMISED HE IS ALSO ABLE TO PERFORM. GOD IS GREAT, GOD IS ABLE, GOD IS GOOD, AND GOD IS FAITHFUL TO HIS WORD. SINCE CHRIST IS IN ME I AM UPHELD BY THE "SPIRIT OF GOD" ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com
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All things belong to you, all things are yours, and you can do all things because hidden treasure of wisdom, knowledge, and revelation are in Jesus Christ, and fully accessible to you. JESUS SAID: "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.' But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified."' - John 7:37-39 Note that "river" is pluralized. This indicates multiple flows of the precious Holy Spirit so that by His divine power we will be partakers of His nature in us (see 2 Peter 1:3, 4). Each of these great flows of the precious Holy Spirit is available to every Believer to help us live in constant increase as we go about transforming the world for His glory. God desires us to see the Spirit of God flow in and through our lives for total victory and searing success in bringing in the Kingdom of God. We receive empowerment to do the extraordinary so that Jesus will receive glory and honor through His great power working in and through you. The more you believe and confess that God's favor is on you, the more you will see His favor work for you. "To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne." - Revelation 3:21 NKJV We are to be conformed to the image of God's Son. Since Jesus Christ is an overcomer, then – at least, potentially – so are we as well. The truth is that you may not feel like a victorious overcomer, and your present level of spiritual maturity may not reflect it just yet, but if you are a Believer you have the potential to walk as an overcomer in Christ. As your mind is renewed and your faith grows, you are able to respond and enter into this reality. If it weren't possible to experience throne room living this side of eternity, Jesus would not have offered it to us. We are truly, practically, eternally victorious in every arena of life – and are not victims(Romans 8:37). Cast off any "victim" mindset and take hold of the truth spoken by Christ as He gave His life for you: "It is finished!" He fought the war and won – on our behalf. We will stand strong, knowing that as we resist, we are more than victors in Christ Jesus(Colossians 1:13-14). What we see withstanding us will not erase from our souls the victory God has promised. Let your heart gain courage from this promise Deuteronomy 31:6: - "Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them for the Lord our God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you." Hebrews 11:1 "Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Expectation pulls virtue out of God because one of the foremost keys in hearing from God is living with expectation toward Him. Expectation places a demand on the Holy Spirit. He is willing to commune and speak to us every moment of our lives and He is as close as our own breath. Do you want to hear from God? Live with expectation. Pray with expectation. Listen with expectation. You WILL hear His voice. A spiritual stronghold is a mindset impregnated with hopelessness that causes us to accept as unchangeable situations that we know are contrary to the will of God. As we acknowledge as hopeless what God declares is changeable, we have come into alignment, at least in part, with the devil's thought processes and plans for us. We need to know that there are times we will have to wage war with the Name and Blood of Jesus to break out of our box of imposed limitations -- the gateway to freedom being a revelation in our spirit of the finished work of the Cross of our Lord Jesus! Deuteronomy 30:19 - " I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life." He was saying, "Stop procrastinating and hoping you will eventually get somewhere in life. Decide whether you're going to get a curse or a blessing. Decide whether you're going to die or live." Affirmations: I AM NOT DESIGNED TO DRIFT - I AM DESIGNED FOR DESTINY. I AM NOT GOING TO PROCRASTINATE ON MY DREAM AND DRIFT ALONG, ENDING UP WHEREVER THE LUKEWARM TIDE TAKES ME. I MAKE A PLAN AND FULFILL IT. One way we can define perseverance is simply “to STAY THE COURSE.” This is a powerful blessing from the Lord that enables us to believe the impossible is possible. It is a work of the Holy Spirit within that enables us to have strength to stay the course, regardless of present circumstances or situations. This is what the prophet Isaiah wrote about: "Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice." - Isaiah 41:10 AMP Why is it necessary to move from glory to glory? The reason is because in every SEASON of glory, we experience a new order that God brings to our lives as we mirror His image to a greater extent. Philippians 3:14 - "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Receive His love. Press, and keep pressing into His heart, until you have pressed the image of His invisible nature into the substance of your soul. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com
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"The Lord blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys." - Job 42:12 NIV From time to time we actually have to come out of one project completely before God can transition us to the next assignment. Something that closes in our lives can make us feel like we are out of control, going to shipwreck, or worse yet, never able to rebound. Sometimes our calendars, schedules, and plans just don't line up with where God wants to take us anymore, so He decides to change our course. "Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long." - Psalm 25:5 NIV God knows what you are about to walk through and He is already prepared for it. Don't be afraid to share how you really feel with Him. He wants to hear what you have to say about it. At first, it can feel breathtaking and even fearful, but God is there. He is in the heights, the depths, and the small steps of faith you are about to take. STEPPING OUT OF THE BOAT Some of the steps ahead will be like walking on water. Unfortunately, we don't get to pick the visibility of the water or the depth of the ocean that the Lord asks us to step out on. "Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence?" - Psalm 139:7 NIV Rest assured that God never closes a door unless He intends on opening something else for you. He will not leave you abandoned! "Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow down before you with their faces to the ground; they will lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord; those who hope in Me will not be disappointed" (Isaiah 49:23 NIV). ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com
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John 1:51 - "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man." Jesus is Jacob's ladder which we ascend and descend upon. It is our calling in Christ to both go higher and go lower. We are called to ascend into the heavenly places and be seated with Him there, and at the same time descend to the earth with the evidence of heaven's reality. As children of the King, we are members of the greatest aristocracy in the universe, yet we go to the lowest sinners as their servants to help them join the true nobility. Ezekiel 47:11 - "But its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be given over to salt." SWAMPS REPRESENT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN (1) CHURCH BODIES TURN INWARD AND CEASE TO HAVE A PURPOSE BEYOND THEMSELVES. (2) INDIVIDUALS STAY IN PERPETUAL RECOVERY. SWAMPS AND MARSHES ARE PLACES WHERE WATER GETS STUCK. WHEN WATER DOESN'T FLOW ANYWHERE, IT EVENTUALLY TURNS TO SALT. GOD SAYS TO US THAT BECAUSE YOU DON'T GO THERE, BECAUSE YOU WON'T FLOW THERE, YOU'RE GOING TO BE GIVEN OVER TO SALT. WE'RE EITHER GOING TO BE GIVEN AS SALT TO THE WORLD, AS IT SAYS IN MATTHEW 5:13, WHERE WE ARE A PRESERVATIVE AND SEASONING - A GOOD THING; OR WE'LL BE GIVEN OVER TO BECOME AS DEAD-END SALT BEFORE THE WORLD - A BAD THING. NOTHING CAN LIVE IN THAT KIND OF SALT. IT'S A CURSE, A JUDGMENT. EITHER WAY, WE WILL HAVE A SALT ENCOUNTER. Matthew 6:24,25 - "Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life." WE SERVE OUR THOUGHTS! ISAIAH 55 SAYS FOR US TO FORSAKE OUR THOUGHTS, AND BY THE WORD, TAKE GOD'S THOUGHTS. THATS WHY 2 CORINTHIANS 10:5 SAYS TO CAST OUT THOUGHTS THAT CHALLENGE THE WORD AND BRING INTO CAPTIVITY EVERY THOUGHT TO THE OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST. Affirmations: I CLAIM DELIVERANCE FROM MY PROBLEMS TODAY? MY CIRCUMSTANCES ARE CHANGING BECAUSE I AM SHIFTING FROM WRONG TO RIGHT THINKING. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com
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"And these signs shall follow them that believe;.....they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover." - Mark 16:17,18 One of the ways the enemy tries to ravage and destroy the Body of Christ is through sicknesses and infirmities. Behind these attacks is a strategic plan of the enemy to stop DESTINIES from being fulfilled. The unrelenting attacks have caused some to experience hope deferred. Many faithful Believers are crying out to the Lord as they pray for breakthroughs. The Lord is raising up an army of love and power. Because of the Lord's love for His Church and the desire to have an army who is healed and whole in every dimension of their lives, He is on course to restore His Body in every dimension. Individuals are rising from a place of brokenness, healed in body and mind, as they rise up to release His glory on the earth in these last days. SPONTANEOUS HEALING MOVES OF GOD WILL OCCUR IN UNEXPECTED PLACES Spontaneous healing moves of God are breaking out in churches, on the streets, and in homes. His glory is being released to restore healings and wholeness. As these moves of God increase, which will not be confined to places where there are already signs of revival taking place. There will be glory break-outs in unexpected places. What joy that people can be healed to serve the Lord without being held back by the limitations of their circumstances! RENEWAL OF FAITH AND STRENGTH IN THE HEART OF THE BELIEVER The Lord longs to crush strongholds of sicknesses by releasing faith and strength into our hearts. He will renew minds so that healings will come forth not only through spontaneous moves of healing but through the personal faith and authority of the Believer. Isaiah 55:11 says, "So is My word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." We understood that what happened on the Cross is the reality in Heaven. When Jesus declared, "It is finished!" before He gave up His Spirit, Heaven saw our redemption as accomplished. Jesus is extremely compassionate when Believers lose their lives to sickness, but our circumstance does not negate the reality of what was accomplished on the Cross. To understand the mystery of what took place on the Cross is to have a revelation of the arm of the Lord that is Jesus Himself. Isaiah, chapter 53, talks about the wounds of Jesus. Our transgressions, sins, and sicknesses were all dealt with by that ultimate sacrifice. We have delegated authority from Jesus to heal the sick, according to Mark 16:17-18. The Cross is not only a place where our sins, transgressions, and sicknesses were dealt with, but it is also a place of divine exchange. When we become sons and daughters of God through faith in Christ, we also receive full authority to destroy sin and sicknesses on this earth. The authority He gave through His death and resurrection was not to a few but to all. HOW DO WE PARTNER WITH THE LORD AS WE RECEIVE FAITH IN OUR HEARTS TO WALK IN OUR AUTHORITY OVER SICKNESSES? He renews your mind through this word to go deeper in the river of God. The river of God in the Book of Ezekiel, chapter 47, brings life wherever it touches. We can partner with God to bring healing to all by going deeper in this healing river. The anointing increases as we go deeper in His presence. Our authority increases as we walk in obedience to the Lord through affirming, meditating, and visualizing the end result of what is promised in His word. The healing or breakthrough we receive from the Lord will often act as a catalyst to the healing of others through our lives. We can all walk with the God for whom nothing is impossible. YOUR AFFLICTION WILL NOT RISE UP A SECOND TIME The Lord is raising up a Joshua generation who will not only enter into their inheritance, but who will learn to occupy their place of inheritance. As He heals us, He wants us to remain in the freedom of healing He has given to us. He wants to free us of fear and doubt of recurring illness. There are those who have been healed of an illness but are afraid of returning symptoms. Once the enemy has been driven out, it is important to be diligent not to give place to him as he seeks to return. Declare and meditate on Nahum 1:9 which says that affliction will not rise up a second time. It is His promise that when He heals it is permanent, and that the enemy is not allowed to reintroduce an affliction that we have been healed of. Occupy your place of healing and allow the faithfulness of God to be your defense against the tactic of the enemy to re-afflict you! We release His healing glory and salvations wherever we go to those who need it. We were set free for such a time as this: To release His Kingdom! ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com
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Matthew 24:12 - "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold." Satan wants you to become the temperature of the culture that surrounds you, a believer bound by a stone cold heart. By exposure to hardness and darkness in the times that we live in, our love and passion will begin to cool by degrees. When you see churches and individuals who do not have the energy to reach out, it's an indication that their love has grown cold. In Numbers 16:37, the Lord told Moses to "scatter the burning coals abroad." This is precisely what the great commission is all about -- spreading the Word with a fiery heart. AFFIRMATIONS: I refuse to stay in a normal mode; I'm not going to let the world's cultural wisdom squeeze me into its mold. The world's politically correct agenda can't dictate to me anymore. Luke 2:11 - "For there is born to you this day.....a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS THE PROPHETS SPOKE OF THE MESSIAH'S COMING. THEY GAVE OVER 300 SPECIFIC DETAILS DESCRIBING HIM, JESUS FULFILLED THEM ALL! YET WITH THE ONE STATEMENT, "UNLESS I DO THE WORKS OF THE FATHER, DO NOT BELIEVE ME," (JOHN 10:37) JESUS PUTS THE CREDIBILITY OF ALL THESE MESSENGERS ON THE LINE. THEIR MINISTRIES WOULD HAVE BEEN IN VAIN WITHOUT ONE MORE INGREDIENT TO CONFIRM WHO HE REALLY WAS. THAT INGREDIENT WAS MIRACLES. JESUS GAVE PEOPLE THE RIGHT TO DISBELIEVE IT ALL IF THERE WAS NO DEMONSTRATION OF POWER UPON HIS MINISTRY. IT HAS NOW BECOME OUR JOB, BY MEANS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, TO DISCOVER AND DISPLAY THE FATHER'S HEART: GIVING LIFE AND DESTROYING THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL. "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness...for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." - Matthew 5:10 Outwardly when we are persecuted or suffer abuse - inwardly we experience "heaven" as God deals mightily with our soul, breaking its addiction to man's approval and liberating us to truly live in Christ. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com
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"You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing...And, He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him." - Psalm 145:16, 19 NKJV. You can trust the Lord God. LAUNCH INTO THE DEEP In Luke 5, we read the story of Simon Peter fishing. He had been up all night fishing and had caught nothing. NOTHING! He, a professional fisherman, had worked all night for nothing. His friends were into fishing. He lived in a fishing village. If anyone could make a catch, surely it was Peter. But he fished all night in vain. We can easily relate to Peter. We have been up all night fishing unsuccessfully – the loneliness continues, the rebellious child has not returned home, the bills keep piling higher....and, you know how to fish! Your heart feels sick. Jesus arrives on the scene. He is not known for being a professional fisherman. He was a carpenter's son from landlocked Nazareth. Jesus did not own a boat. Had He ever cast a net? Yet He has the audacity to tell the fisherman two things to do – "launch into the deep and let the nets down for a catch" - (Luke 5:4). Might He be saying the same to you? Launch into the deep. Let your net down. What is this deep? What is the net you need to lay down? Can you trust Him with these most vulnerable heart longings? These questions demand an answer. THE MIGHTY LION OF JUDAH Jesus is here with us. He was, He is, and He will be trustworthy. You can trust Him with the deep things – the wounds and disappointments in your past, the fears and uncertainties in your present, the heart desires and hopes for your future. Dare you launch into the deep? DROP YOUR NETS - IT'S FISHING SEASON And the nets? The secure nets – the default actions and reactions, the personal traditions and habits, the independent way of thinking – these nets need to be dropped. Letting down our nets releases another wave of insecurity or fear. Sometimes layer after layer of nets must be released until we get to the secure place of TRUST. Peter reminded Jesus that they had been fishing unsuccessfully all night long. Then he makes the all-important statement, "...at Your word I will let down the net" (Luke 5:5). And as the story ends, they caught a great number of fish, so many that their nets were breaking from the tremendous catch. Simon Peter heard the clear directive given by Jesus. He immediately responded in spite of his own experience with fishing. He then pulled in a massive, astonishing load of fish. Peter's desire was abundantly fulfilled. It is fishing season. Trust God in the deep. Release your net to Jesus. Listen. Hear. Obey. And, you will be astonished as you realize the desires of your heart. We confess and meditate the following in Jesus' mighty name: • I will trust in the Lord, and He will give the desires of my heart (Psalm 37:3-4). • I will not lean on my own understanding. I trust God to direct my steps (Proverbs 3:5-6). • I will walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16). ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com
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Acts 26:16 - "But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you." Paul knew that King Agrippa's dad (King Agrippa I) was responsible at that time for the execution of James, one of the 12 disciples. Yet Paul made sure the truth was on trial, rather than His personal safety or self-esteem. Like Paul we must resist people-pleasing. Once satan identifies this weakness in believers he uses it against them to keep them ineffective. Paul allowed "crazy love" to rise up within his heart, which freed him from insecurity and fear of man. Two of the greatest obstacles to being an effective witness are the spirit of rejection and the fear of man. "In witnessing, we work against the Holy Spirit when we try to make everybody feel happy all the time." - CHARLES FINNEY Psalm 104:2 - "Who coverest Thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain." James 1:17 - "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." Affirmations: I AM THE "LIGHT" THAT GOD HAS FATHERED. I AM A CHILD OF GOD AND, AS SUCH, THE LIGHT OF HIS PRESENCE SHINES WITHIN ME. AS MY HEART IS PURIFIED BY TRUTH, THE SPLENDOR OF GOD'S GLORY EXPANDS AROUND ME; AND LIKE MY FATHER, I ALSO COVER MYSELF "WITH LIGHT AS WITH A GARMENT" (PSALMS 104:2) Ephesians 1:3,4 - "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. According as he has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love." Many people who are doing something significant for God in the world are doing it "without their own resources" because God doesn't want us to depend on our own abilities. Instead, He wants us to be obedient by putting the vision on paper and then looking to Him to generate the funds and other resources that are needed to support His own work. Your provision, however, is usually hidden until you act on your vision. Whatever you were born to do attracts what you need to do it. Therefore, you first have to establish what you want to do, and begin to do it, before the need can be met. Most people work in reverse. They want to see the provisions before they start, but faith doesn't work that way. When we take action, then God manifests the provision. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com
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John 1:16 - "And of his fulness have all we received and grace for grace." Most Christians believe God can do anything but experience very little. They believe that God can release His power in answer to prayer, but whether something comes to pass or not depends on their performance (ie. being holy, speaking right, studying the word. tithing, avoiding strife, etc). This view short-circuits God's power because their focus is on what they need to do instead of what Christ has already done. They think God's power is out there somewhere, and they must do things in order to obtain it! The truth is, when we were born again, God put His power, anointing, victory, joy, peace -- everything -- in us in abundance. The only reason they weren't manifest in our soul and body is our unrenewed mind. AFFIRMATION: I refuse to look to the physical realm.....instead, I look at, affirm, and meditate on the words of Christ until they dwell richly in my soul. Philemon 1:6 - "I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ." IN LUKE CHAPTER 6, JESUS TELLS THE MAN WITH THE WITHERED ARM TO STRETCH IT OUT. THIS MAN'S ARM WAS ATROPHIED AND JUST HANGING DOWN AT HIS SIDE. THE RIGHT ARM OF THE CHURCH - OUTREACH - IS WITHERED. THIS MAN HAD A WITHERED ARM BECAUSE OF LACK OF USE. BUT THE MOMENT HE MOVED IS ARM IN OBEDIENCE TO REACH OUT, IT BECAME FULLY FUNCTIONING! THE MIRACLE THAT HAPPENED TO THE MAN WITH THE WITHERED ARM DIDN'T HAPPEN UNTIL HE STRETCHED OUT HIS ARM! IT IS THE SAME WITH US. WE WON'T SEE OUR MIRACLE UNTIL WE STRETCH OUT OUR ARM - THE ARM OF OUTREACH. CHRISTIANS WHO ARE NOT ACTIVELY SHARING THE JOY OF THEIR SALVATION ARE LOSING THE JOY OF THEIR SALVATION. "To be a soul winner is the happiest thing in the world. With every soul you bring to Christ, you get a new Heaven upon earth." - C. H. Spurgeon There are those in the Body of Christ who are still in a very dry place spiritually, but beginning to move up mountains towards a fresh anointing. They have crossed the desert sands and are positioned for the spiritual ascent to the heights, far above worldliness and carnal living. Micah 4:1 - "Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it." God will continue to unfold and reveal His PURPOSE for us as we begin our ascent. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com
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"Prepare for battle! Soldiers at attention! Present arms! Advance! Turn your shovels into swords; turn your hoes into spears. Let the weak one throw out his chest and say, 'I'm tough, I'm a fighter.'" Joel 3:9-10 (The Message) The call to arms to pray has never changed since the prophet Joel wrote these words. Today, with all the turmoil in the world and in our lives, we should consider a powerful prayer strategy. It is in prayer that we probe spiritual realities, communicate with God, access the arsenal of Heaven, and expand God's Kingdom on the earth. Prayer gives Heaven permission to invade earth. Through this discipline, we are able to pray Heaven down to keep Hell from rising. You must fully embrace that God will never abandon you but is ever-present wanting to work His will in your life. As Theresa of Avila said: "All difficulties in prayer can be traced to one cause: praying as if God were absent." GOD IS READY TO RELEASE HIS KINGDOM THROUGH US God is right here with you, living inside of you, ready to release His Kingdom through you, because "the Kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:21). Every Believer is equipped with an arsenal of incredible life-altering and world-changing power. For those who rightly esteem the privilege of accessing God's armory of possibilities, each word spoken through or by that person holds enormous, innovative potential and creative power. The Father has entreated each one of us to be involved in a dialogue that marshals angels and sets forth the weaponry of war—weaponry that impacts the spiritual realm and affects how events unfold in the natural world. God is waiting for those who have the courage to step up and take their place in the highest ranks of His army. REFUSAL TO USE WORLDY TACTICS By going into prayer, rather than striving with those around you—using worldly tactics hampered and confused by human motives—you signal your dependence on God and your trust in Him as the source of all real hope. You acknowledge that the only things that will last are those born in the strategic command center of His throne room. Communicating with God declares your commitment to seek His strategies and care for the objects of His affection. God's communication with you marks the anticipated change of regime as "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ" (Revelation 11:15). It shows your intention as a Believer to annihilate barriers and hindrances—those things that divide the army of God into factions and divisions the devil can manipulate and keep ineffective—refusing to erect your own throne and kingdom where only His is intended to be. It doesn't matter what human beings formulate, plan, and strategize upon the earth, for all of it will ultimately come to nothing. Your heavenly Father is a big God who created a big world for you to do something big in. He is always trying to communicate with you. Prayer is the means by which you engage Him in the affairs of your life and of this world. There is a big conversation going on. God is sharing some big ideas. What you need is to get in on the big conversation going on in Heaven's war room right now. According to Jeremiah 7:13, God is always speaking. Are you listening? If you participate in prayer correctly, consistently, faithfully, and persistently, God will give you what you need to advance in your life, fulfill your PURPOSE IN CHRIST, and maximize your potential. We need to plumb the depths of the Spirit, to navigate new spiritual terrain, and to conquer old enemies of your soul. Prayer creates hedges of protection that keep you and your loved ones safe, provides the strategies of Heaven that will give you victory, knits you together with others of like precious faith to form the army of God, and builds within you the strength of character to see the battles through to their victorious end. PRAYER WARRIORS OF THE PAST There is a war being waged for the souls of the earth and the only way to turn that tide is to fight again like the evangelists and revivalists of old did. Are you willing to do what it takes to be among them? We are in a generation that will again see great generals of prayer—but it will not come easily. Like the five virgins who ran out of oil waiting for the bridegroom to come and thus missed the wedding celebration, this CALL will pass over those who are not filled with the Spirit to the point of having more than enough. THINGS FOR ME TO CONSIDER: Will I be one who grabs hold of the strategic concepts of spiritual war to change your city, your state, your nation, and your world? Or, when Christ calls, will I be caught ignorant, unprepared, and lacking? God is waiting for you to step up and become a disciplined leader in His army—a leader who knows how to employ His tactics with precision and unleash His cosmic weapons of mass salvation. Are you ready to enlist in the ranks of God's generals of prayer? Training begins now. "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; and being ready to punish every disobedience when your obedience is complete." -- 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com
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Isaiah 54:1 - "Sing, O barren, You who have not borne! Break forth into singing, and cry aloud, You who have not labored with child! For more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married woman," says the Lord. YOU MAY BE BARREN NOW. SOME SEASONS THAT WE GO THROUGH ARE SEEMINGLY FILLED WITH DESOLATION BUT TAKE COMFORT IN KNOWING THAT EVERY SEASON HAS A TIME FRAME AND A DIVINE SEED. GOD IS ALERTING US TO RAISE OUR EXPECTANCY. OUR EXPECTANCY WILL BECOME OUR SPIRITUAL CURRENCY TO ALLOW TRANSACTIONS WITH HEAVEN. Affirmations: GOD IS CHANGING MY CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES. WITH THE POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST, MY LIFE IS BREAKING WIDE OPEN! THERE'S MORE AVAILABLE TO ME IN THE HEAVENLIES THAN WHAT I'VE CURRENTLY APPREHENDED. Genesis 2:15 - "Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it. " SOME HAVE MISTAKENLY BELIEVED THAT LABOR WAS A PART OF THE CURSE, BUT MAN LABORED IN THE GARDEN BEFORE THE FALL. LABOR WAS NOT A PART OF THE CURSE; "TOIL" WAS THE CURSE. TOIL IS DIFFERENT FROM LABOR. TO TOIL IS TO ACCOMPLISH ONLY WITH HARD AND PAINFUL LABOR. TOIL IMPLIES THE OPPOSITION OF THE CREATION INSTEAD OF ITS COOPERATION. THE LORD INTENDED FOR US TO RECEIVE A DEEP SATISFACTION FROM OUR LABORS. IT IS ALSO FUNDAMENTAL THAT EVERY PERSON FIND MEANINGFUL LABOR. 1 Corinthians 6:20 - "For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." We must allow each day to truly become a new day. We deliberately position ourselves to make the most of the new day, leaving the failures and disappointments of yesterday behind. As each new day begins, you take a position spiritually to preserve and protect the sanctity of LIFE IN THE SPIRIT. Choose to make God your first priority in life. Sanctity means holiness or sacredness. We are not our own. Believers will finally find their CALLING in Christ who have not known what to do or where they fit. God will open their eyes to possibilities both spiritually and naturally. Many will no longer see themselves as misfits, but will begin to see how truly unique and special they are in the context of their divine DESTINY. Wherever your focus has been on external things, God wants to do an internal work of reordering your priorities to align with the importance of life in the Spirit. Each day presents opportunities to put God first—to GET CONNECTED AND STAY CONNECTED. Then, He will direct every, single step. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com
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Luke 1:28 - "And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women." Ephesians 1:6 - "To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." The word "freely given" or "accepted" in Ephesians 1:6 (The Greek word - charitoo) is the same word used for "Highly favored" in Luke 1:28. Mary was the one person on earth who was chosen to "bring forth the Son of God"; and she was called highly favored and beloved of the Lord. Ephesians 1:6 is talking about every born-again believer being accepted in the beloved. Just as Mary was used to bring forth the Son of God, so also, we will be used to bring forth the Son of God in all His Glory. Like David, we have an innate hunger for justice. We are a passionate and are lead primarily by our hearts. We are purpose-driven visionaries. We are uniquely wired for transformation—the status quo just won't do. In Scripture, David was driven by his passion and his sense of justice—so much so that He was able to partner with a supernatural strength or divine grace to see the impossible accomplished. When David faced Goliath, he didn't seem to stop for even a moment to weigh out the different possible outcomes. "For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?" - 1 Samuel 17:26 David was so incredibly driven by his desire for justice to be implemented that there wasn't room for doubt or fear to have a place in his heart. We are to be a David generation marked by our impetuous passion and our bent towards compassion. Just like David saw so much of the impossible happening in his lifetime, we are due to see an acceleration of the impossible happening in Church ministry. God is in our faces every day making old things beautiful again. Now is the time for us to run with hopefulness in our hearts and EXPECTATION of good things ahead. The grace He is pouring out for this new season is available to us as we access His favor in advancing His purpose for our life. Just as David came under the divine covering for every impossible circumstance he faced, we can also come under the same grace and see the impossible turned around in our favor. Expect victory and you will see giants fall at your feet. Psalm 50:11,14,23 - "Gather My godly ones to Me, those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice. I know every bird of the mountains, and everything that moves in the field is Mine. Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High; he who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me; and to him who orders his way aright I shall show the salvation of God." The terms of covenant are simple: we pledge to thank Him and adore Him in everything; He pledges to shine forth from our lives in the perfection of beauty. It is a sacrifice of thanksgiving, for it will cost us to praise Him when we hurt. But to do so is part of our healing and the beginning of our salvation. This covenant of thanksgiving is the key which shuts and bolts the door to demonic oppression in a person's life. Affirmations: MY LIFE HAS NO OTHER PURPOSE THAN TO FOLLOW HIM AND MAKE HIM KNOWN. I HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED BY GOD TO REPRESENT JESUS IN THE WORLD. I REPRESENT CHRIST IN ANY GIVEN SITUATION. NOTHING EVER GETS BIGGER IN MY CONSCIOUSNESS THAN MY AWARENESS OF GOD'S PRESENCE UPON ME. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com
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The Kingdom of God is not a matter of mere words but of an empowered life, and God is calling forth a company of overcomers. These overcomers will go into the world and testify to the goodness of God, attracting non-believers to Christ like moths to a flame. IT IS TIME TO ARISE AND SHINE We are the temple of the living God and the Holy Spirit dwells within us. God is calling us to rise from circumstances that have kept us, and be radiant with the glory of the Lord. "Arise, Jerusalem! Let your light shine for all to see. For the glory of the Lord rises to shine on you. Darkness as black as night covers all the nations of the earth, but the glory of the Lord rises and appears over you. All nations will come to your light; mighty kings will come to see your radiance." Isaiah 60:1-3 NLT Our need for the Lord to move is increasing, and this is creating an insatiable desire to press into Him and seek His face. As we give ourselves over to God through intimate praise, worship, and prayer, His face turns toward us. When God's face turns toward us and the glory of God hits our temple, restoration occurs layer by layer until we are fully restored. TRANSFORMATION OCCURS IN HIS HIDING PLACE No amount of sound doctrine or good teaching is able to radically transform and restore in a single moment like an encounter with the living God. We are entering a season of sudden transformation as hunger for the Lord is magnified. We will be enveloped in His glory and hidden in His power so that supernatural transformation can take place. "His radiance is like the sunlight; He has rays flashing from His hand, and there is the hiding of His power." Habakkuk 3:4 NASB It is in the face-to-face secret place that the Lord touches us with His hand and empowers us to go far above and beyond what we can do in our own strength. When God transforms us with His power, it is out of the overflow that we are able to go out and transform the world around us. God is restoring us so that we can carry this transformational power into our families, communities, and workplaces. GOD CANT RESIST US! As we look to the Lord and worship Him, His heart is ravished by us. "You have captured my heart, my treasure, my bride. You hold it hostage with one glance of your eyes, with a single jewel of your necklace." Song of Songs 4:9 NLT Our vulnerability is safe in the hands of our King, and like a passionate lover, He is captivated as we set our gaze above. It is the unfailing goodness of God that we experience even when we fall short that draws us into a more passionate love affair with Him. We pour our passions at His feet and allow His glory to flood every area of our lives. NOT JUST RESTORATION BUT MULTIPLICATION "This is what the Lord says: 'When I bring Israel home again from captivity and restore their fortunes, Jerusalem will be rebuilt on its ruins, and the palace reconstructed as before. There will be joy and songs of thanksgiving, and I will multiply My people, not diminish them; I will honor them, not despise them.'" Jeremiah 30:18,19 NLT When we know by faith that we are pursuing our CALLING in Christ and walking in the will of God, we can be at peace and rest assured that Heaven will deliver results. Pursuing our CALLING is true obedience to God. As soon as we see the harvest is coming in, our joy and thanksgiving to the Lord will intensify. THE TESTIMONY OF THE OVERCOMER We are the Lord's physical Body on this earth. By restoring the temple, God fills His Body with the fullness of what Jesus walked in, giving us power, prosperity, dignity, and pre-eminence, to bring reconciliation to earth. This is the plan of God. The beauty of a life restored is that the world can look at us and trust us. In the world's eyes we have credibility and a proven track record of being an overcomer. In this next season, God is calling forth a company of overcomers that can testify to the transformational power which comes not from following rules and regulations but from encountering the living God! ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com
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Luke 8:14 - "The seed among the thorns represents those who listen and believe God's words but whose faith afterwards is choked out by worry and riches and the responsibilities and pleasures of life. And so they are never able to help anyone else to believe the Good News." Your enemy wants to subdue your awareness and release a slumbering spirit. In this state, he can sell you on giving in to a comfortable life thereby causing a corpse-like complacency. You will always avoid the challenges of "breaking out of the box" into the maximum life that Jesus died to get you into. The phrase "out of the box" means that someone or something has broken out from its barriers. It also means that someone has outgrown their history and has gone beyond their limitations. Luke 2:48,49 - "Behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them. 'How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?'" THE PHARISEES HAD NO UNDERSTANDING OF THE FATHER'S HEART. MUCH OF CHRISTIAN ACTIVITY EXISTS THAT HAS NO RELATIONSHIP TO THAT SUPREME VALUE. THE GOSPEL IS THE STORY OF THE FATHER WOOING THE HEARTS OF MANKIND THROUGH HIS LOVE. WE CAN TRAVEL THE GLOBE AND PREACH THE GOSPEL, BUT WITHOUT A PERSONAL REVELATION OF THE FATHER'S HEART WE'RE CARRYING AROUND SECONDHAND NEWS - A STORY WITHOUT A RELATIONSHIP. THE FATHERS BUSINESS FLOWS FROM HIS HEART. THE CHURCH IS TO BE A MANIFESTATION OF THE FATHER'S HEART TO THE WORLD. WE ARE TO BE CARRIERS OF HIS PRESENCE - DOERS OF HIS WILL. GIVING WHAT WE HAVE RECEIVED RELEASES HIM INTO SITUATIONS PREVIOUSLY HELD IN THE GRIP OF DARKNESS. Galatians 6:7,8 - "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." Observation: He has revealed the endless crop of boredom I will harvest when I base my life on pleasure-seeking instead of sowing acts of goodness and love for a harvest of eternal life. Luke 21:31 - "But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you." Affirmations: I ASK THE LORD TO PROPEL ME INTO THE NEXT LEVEL OF MY GROWTH AND DESTINY. I AM DETERMINED THAT I WILL COOPERATE WITH HIM. Matthew 5:6 - "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com
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"...He has granted to us His precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature..." - 2 Peter1:4 Promises from God are met with contradiction in the natural realm. God is announcing a reality to you that will most likely appear very distant and disconnected from your present situation. God's promises are prophetic glimpses of the realities He wants to release into and through your life. Promises Call You to PULL TOMORROW INTO TODAY. Promises will always contradict your present circumstances because God wants you to collaborate with Him, through faith, to bring His promised reality into the present, so that His will can be done. The Word of the Lord places a demand on your life. Will you adjust everything—your habits, your thought processes, your relationships, your pursuits—according to the promise you received, or will you continue with "life as normal?" Normal will never be invaded by the supernatural as long as we are content to continue with status quo rather than accommodate the promises of God. 1 Thessalonians 1:5, "For our Gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake." The message of Good News, "the Gospel," is followed by the reality of God's goodness being demonstrated in people's lives. For then, the reality of God's glory is touching people physically; bringing healing, restoration, and health in dramatic ways that cause people to "stand in awe." -- those who don't know God are struck with a healthy fear of God, conviction of sin and the need to come to a place of salvation. Acts 26:24-25 - Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, "Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!" But he (Paul) said, "I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason." The words "beside yourself" mean to rave as a maniac, and it's the idea of incessant craving. Festus accused Paul of being crazy. Modern culture is not drawn to Christianity because the little they are exposed to is not extreme enough for them. What the world really wants to see is a Christian who is totally enthralled with who Jesus is. Our spiritual learning shouldn't be just systematic theology books but a distinguishable crazy love that goes public. AFFIRMATION: I won't give up, let up, or shut up until I get others to get up, rise up, and take up all who Christ wants them to be! 2 Corinthians 5:13 - "If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit." NLT One of the great men of God of the sixteenth century, Francis Xavier, charged the apathetic European students of his day to "give up your small ambitions and come and preach the Gospel of Christ." ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com
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These are days of DESTINY, filled with wonder and excitement. The awe of God is returning to the people of God, filling the heart of God's people with great expectation. Something new and revolutionary is at the door—but the question is not what is at the door, but Who. A cry for the manifest Presence of God is about to be answered (see Isaiah 64:1). Every eye shall behold His brilliance and magnificent Glory (see Isaiah 40:3-5) and, Every veil shall be removed in order to behold the Lamb in His Glory (see 2 Corinthians 3:18). Indeed, much will be discovered in these revelatory days concerning the Glory of God and the God of Glory. Now is the time for every child of God to behold the Lord Jesus in His revealed Glory (see John 1:14). The Word of God plainly declares that the entire earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Glory of God. "For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." - Habakkuk 2:14 As we prepare the way of the Lord, the entire earth will behold His grandeur—and God's plans for these end-time days will result in the entire world discovering that His Son, Christ Jesus, is King of kings and Lord of lords ( see 1 Timothy 6:15)! These are some of the most exciting days in human history. Prepare for the dawning of a new day! BEHOLD GOD'S WARNINGS Yes, we are living in unprecedented times. We are observing end-time events unfold before our eyes. Intense anticipation is building within the saints of God. However, we are also clearly beholding the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy concerning the condition and conduct of humanity at the end of the age (see 2 Timothy 3:1-5). BEHOLD THE HARVESTERS In the midst of the world's confusion and chaos, the Kingdom of God is advancing swiftly across the nations. The Spirit of God is anointing ordinary people to do extraordinary exploits for the Glory of God (see Philippians 2:13) and countless multitudes are turning to Christ. Soon, large numbers of people will be brought into the Kingdom. You were born for this day. Don't delay: move forward in victory, taking your place in God's PURPOSE for your life and as an overcomer, embracing fully the DESTINY God has planned for you (see Ephesians 2:10). Truly, as stated in Esther 4:14, we are in the Kingdom for such a time as this. You can know for certain that the Kingdom is in you for such a day as this. Take your stand be a bold and brave beacon of God's love and light. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com
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Proverbs 13:12 - "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when dreams come true, there is life and joy." WITHOUT GOD HOPE IS REDUCED TO THE POWERLESS LEVEL OF FATE. WHILE LIFE CAN TAKE PEOPLE FROM HOPE TO DISAPPOINTMENT THE GOD OF HOPE LEADS PEOPLE IN THE OTHER DIRECTION. NO MATTER WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES LOOK LIKE FOR YOU, THE HEART OF GOD IS THAT YOUR DREAMS WILL COME TRUE. Affirmations: WHEN DISCOURAGEMENT STARTS TO SET IN I FOCUS ON GOD AND THE INTEGRITY OF WHAT HIS WORD PROMISES BELIEVERS. I SPEAK WORDS THAT BRING HOPE AND LIFE TO OTHERS. I LIVE MY LIFE WITH FORWARD EXPECTATION AND SEE ALL MY DREAMS COME TRUE IN HIM. Hebrews 4:16 - "Let us, therefore, draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need." The Holy Spirit was sent to convict us of sin, and He will point out our sin. The remedy is to repent. Repentance is not just turning away from the sin, but it is turning to the Lord. If we only take a half step of turning from the sin, we will fall again. We must turn to the Lord, fleeing to the power of His cross, beholding His glory and nature. Then we will be changed. He increases in us as we behold His glory, not our own shortcomings. God wants to charge our faith today. He wants us to see it is not obtained by struggling and working and pining. "...the Father himself loveth you..." (John 16:27) "..Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses" (Matthew 8:17). "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:18). May we lay hold of this living faith today -- the Blood has never lost its power -- as we get nearer and nearer to Jesus wonderful things will take place. The baptism of Jesus must bring us to have a single eye to the glory of God; everything else is wasted time and wasted energy. The Holy Spirit wants us for the purpose of manifesting Jesus through us. The Holy Spirit moving upon us will make us to be like Him, and we will truly say, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com
