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Exodus 23:30 - "Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land." God is unleashing something fresh from Heaven for you. Break out of your Great Depression of the past. It is a new season of provision and vision! God is blasting you into your future. His dream for you is greater than yours. Not one person in the Scriptures was mentally ready to step into what God told them, outside of Jesus. Each had to be blasted into their future, by His words and presence. There Will Be Resistance, But Angelic Assistance Will Prevail! Get ready to leave with the wealth of Egypt for your future! They received what had been robbed from their generations! There is a generational payback coming to those who will rise up and break the bondage. The giants are larger, and so are the victories! GOD HAS PREPARED A DESTINY FOR US Exodus 23:20 - "See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared." There is a DESTINY God has prepared for you. God is sending angels to guard your journey. There will be resistance, but angelic assistance will prevail! It will take an angel to get you there. The word given to the Israelites to increase was to prepare them to receive their Promised Land. They did not increase and they missed what God had prepared for them. We must increase to participate in what God has for us. The anointing for increase is on you. You must increase to possess what is yours! What is waiting for you is awesome! The INCREASE of men and women in the Bible ignited in encounters with God: They saw Him larger. They saw themselves larger in God. They believed what God said and acted on it. They went past their past. Increase! KEY STRATEGIES TO ENTER THE PROMISED LAND 1. Get rid of everything that causes spiritual decrease: a. Fear. b. Unbelief. c. Doubt. d. Break through the limitations that you have accepted. 2. Obedience/Discipline: a. Every champion knows the work/discipline involved in victory. 3. Find the scriptures that show you who you are in Him -- Declare those scriptures out loud putting your name in them. 4. Ask God to show you what is your Promised Land. 5. Identify the giants. Identify yourself as a Joshua. 6. Get past the greatness of the past season and those who are no longer there to make it happen for you. Like Joshua, it is your turn. 7. Get past every dead issue and grief. 8. Believe what God has said about you and start acting on it NOW! 9. Keep His presence strong in your life. 10. Let the next breakthrough be a stepping stone, not a stopping place. 11. Plan as if you could not fail. Press the plan. 12. Pray with the expectation that you will receive. 13. Realize it is the Father's pleasure to give you the Kingdom, and you're part of it. 14. Be thankful for every step of the way and watch Him make a way where there is none. 15. Believe in the gifts and anointing God has placed in your life which will cause you to reach your DESTINY. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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God which has begun a good work in me, will carry it on completion until the day of Jesus Christ. - Philippians 1:6 I am filled with the fruits of righteousness, which comes through Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God. -Philippians 1:11 I have the mind of Christ Jesus. - Philippians 2:5 God is always at work in me to make me willing and able to obey His own purpose. -Philippians 2:13 I worship God in the Spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in anything external. - Philippians 3:3 I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord and be found in Him. - Philippians 3:8,9 I am completely united with Christ, no longer counting on being saved by being good enough or by obeying God’s laws, but by trusting Christ to save me: for Gods way of making me right with Himself depends on faith - counting on Christ alone. - Philippians 3:9 I know Christ and the power of His resurection and the fellowship of His sufferings. - Philippians 3:10 I forget what lies behind and reach forward to what lies ahead. - Philippians 3:13 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.- Philippians 3:14 The peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep my thoughts and my heart quiet and at rest as I trust in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:7 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. - Philippians 4:13 God will supply all my needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:19 ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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James 4:6 - "But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble." Humility is not unworthiness. Humility is being aware of who others are in God's sight and being aware of who I am in Christ and acting on it. Matthew 12:37 - "For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." Affirmation: I LET MY WORDS CREATE THE CURRENT THAT SWEEPS ME INTO THE HEART OF GOD. Luke 9:23 - "And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” When Jesus called His disciples, it was for total commitment. They had to be willing to leave everything to follow Him, and so do we. If He is not the Lord of all, then He is not our Lord at all. All Christians are called to be "soldiers of the Cross". All soldiers know that they can be called upon to pay the ultimate price for their cause. For this reason, the soldiers of the Cross are called to take up their crosses and commit to die daily to their own interests in order to serve the interests of Christ. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Romans 10:10 - "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." When you believed in your heart and confessed with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord -- when you received Him as your savior -- that is call the "Great Confession." But if you do not know how to fight the good fight of faith -- how to stay in the faith fight until you win -- your confession becomes null, void, powerless, and of no use to you in this life. The Lord does not want us worrying about the future; He wants us to create it through the knowledge of His will for our lives (our DESTINY in Christ), through the proclamation of His Word – which is the "sword of the Spirit" (Ephesians 6:17) – and through our yieldedness to the power of the Holy Spirit. And then He promises, "Whoever believes in [Me] will not be disappointed" (Romans 10:11). He assures us, "All things are possible to him who believes" (Mark 9:23). Let's break the bondage of a passive spirit. Let's take up the sword of the Spirit and embrace the fight of faith! QUESTIONS TO ASK MYSELF: 1. What am I doing to fight the good fight of faith? 2. How does my confession become powerful? 3. What am I doing to build up my confession? ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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1 Corinthians 9:24 - "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but only one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain." Our lives cannot be like "teeter-totters" that shift one way, then go the other way. We have a DESTINY! Divine focus is an essential element that steers us like the rudder does a ship into the place of consistent lives before His Presence. Imagine a ship that is constantly going off course. It may get back on course over and over again but so much time is wasted. That is why Paul tells us to run the race "to win". There is a way that we run that causes us to have victory. It is not enough to be on the course, we must be ON course the entire way. To the level that we maintain our FOCUS, we will also maintain consistency establishing the Throne of God in the earth through that CALLING of God on our life. Affirmations: I MUST OBTAIN THE PRIZE. I MUST FULFILL THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH I WAS BORN. I MUST ACHIEVE THE PLAN OF GOD FOR MY LIFE. Romans 8:37 - "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." Affirmations: I EXPECT TO CONQUER AND MASTER ANY OBSTACLE I FACE TODAY. JESUS MAKES THE DIFFERENCE. I NEVER SAY ANYTHING I DON’T WANT SATAN TO BELIEVE. Romans 5:3,4 - "And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope." Jesus did not come to deliver us from our problems, but from ourselves. He did not come to change our circumstances - He came to change us. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Philippians 1:28 - "Don't be afraid of your enemies; always be corageous, and this will prove to them that they will lose, and that you will win because it is God who gives you the victory." Peace is Spirit power. Your peace, your immovable stand upon the Word of God is a sign that you are positioned correctly in perfect submission to the will of God. The very fact that you are not frightened by your adversary is a sign that you have authority over him. Isaiah 26:3 - "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee." PEACE IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF CONFLICT, IT IS THE ABSENCE OF INNER CONFLICT. Romans 8:6 - "For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." Galatians 5:22 - "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith" UNDERSTANDING OUR SPECIFIC CALLING Ephesians 1:4 - "He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love." MAN IS CALLED TO REST IN GOD, BUT WE MUST ALSO LABOR WITH GOD. IN THIS LABOR, WE MUST FIND WHAT HE CREATED US TO DO. Man is called to rest in God, but we must also labor with God. In this labor, we must find what He created us to do. God who is so particular and specific knew what He was creating us for before the world was even created. We each have a very specific job to do -- a very specific CALLING. We will never know a true peace and fulfillment in our hearts until we are doing our CALLING in Christ. THE PEACE OF CHRIST IN OUR SPIRIT IS OUR GUIDE Colossians 3:15 - "And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from the Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts to which as members of Christs one body you were also called to live. And be thankful, giving praise to God always." If we are irritated and upset about things in our life it is very hard to receive quiet guidance from the Holy Spirit. Sometimes a certain action is in question; so we let the peace of Christ be our guide. Through the subtle inward witness of the Holy Spirit He guides us to the action we need to take. Revelation 4:6 - "And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal." The source of God's Peace is God Himself. The glass sea is a symbol: there are no ripples, no waves, no anxieties troubling God. The Lord is never worried never in a hurry nor without an answer. The sea around Him is perfectly still and totally calm. All our victories flow out from being seated here with Him. 2 Peter 3:14 - "With this to look forward to, do your utmost to be found at peace with Him, unblemished and above reproach in his sight." CHALLENGED AND CHANGED We want a peace that temporarily comforts and coddles because we do not like to be challenged or changed. The peace that flows into us from the Lord satisfies the soul with full assurance that He is still for us, even as we are being taken through fire -- in which we can be changed into His likeness. 2 Corinthians 3:18 - "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord." Galatians 5:16 - "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh." Affirmations: I AM DEVELOPING MY OWN HUMAN SPIRIT, AND I AM BECOMING MORE SENSITIVE TO THE SPIRIT OF GOD. I HAVE ACCEPTED THE CALL OF GOD TO LEAVE THE LOW LIFE BEHIND, AND I AM FOLLOWING THE SPIRIT OF GOD TO A HIGHER REALM, WHERE I WILL LIVE IN CONTINUAL PEACE, JOY, AND VICTORY. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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John 3:21 - "He that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God." Affirmation: I stay alive to His Word and keep His Word bright by keeping it first in my life, regardless of what happens. When people fail, it doesn't mean the word failed, it means someone failed the Word. John 17:17 - "Sanctify them through thy truth; thy Word is truth." 1 Timothy 4:7,8 - "Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." You are divinely prepared to accomplish the task God has assigned you. You can do something no other human being can do. You have been chosen by Christ, for Christ; the choice was made before the foundation of the world (see Ephesians 1:4). Knowing this promise will release you from rejection and depression. Power is released through discipline. The goal is to finish the course and to be able to say with all confidence, "I've kept the faith and stayed on course, accomplishing the task set before me." It is to that individual Christ will say, "Well done, good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21). Affirmation: I DISCIPLINE MYSELF IN CHRIST SO THAT I WILL ACCOMPLISH THINGS THAT WILL BEAR ETERNAL FRUIT. Romans 4:17 - "Even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were." Affirmation: I CANNOT BE WHAT I AM NOT BUT I CAN BECOME WHAT I AM NOT. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Sitting At The Feet Of The King As Royalty
Albert Finch posted a blog entry in Albert Finch Ministry
1 Peter 2:9 -- "For you have been chosen by God Himself -- you are priests of the King, you are holy and pure, you are God's very own -- all this so that you may show to others how God called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light." We know we are a priesthood, chosen by God, possessed by God, holy like God and royal to God. We have immediate access to Him and we don't need a human priest as a mediator because our Heavenly Father provided one Mediator between God and man, Jesus Christ. We have direct access to God, through God. CALLED TO MINISTER Now we're certainly not chosen, possessed, and holy to do nothing and to live mediocre lives. Of course not! We're called to minister in the presence of God, to live an active role in His presence. Our lives are a priestly service through: 1. Holy intercession, and 2. DISCIPLING new believers into their inheritance in Christ. WE ARE LIFE GIVING PRIESTS Romans 12:1 -- "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." As priests we are to serve God no matter what our vocation. Not because we have to, but because we want to! And, there is not one vocation that is more "sacred" than another because Christ is Lord over all. His Word applies to all. The Word does not say that ministry is "sacred" and other vocations are "secular." Life itself is sacred. God is life and all Believers are life giving priests. Because we are royal priests we are called into royal service, to be a wonderful message to the world! We have been commissioned to display His nature, His kindness, His goodness, and HIS MINISTRY to a world that needs to know Him. We can bear the burdens of others and we are the go-between for them before God. We identify with the weak, helpless, fear-filled, unborn, sick, poverty stricken, homeless, hungry, depressed, and spiritually destitute. We ask on their behalf, in faith, believing. Then, as the Father gives direction, we GO and minister to them and His power becomes available to set them free. EQUIPPED FOR DISCIPLESHIP As soon as we're saved we are to be discipled so we can be disciples doing what Jesus did. Then, we GO and equip more disciples (Matthew 28). We move out of the church building into the works of the Kingdom! AFFIRMATIONS; I am not designed to drift -- I am designed for destiny. I seek God for my destiny, and don't lose sight of the heavenly vision. I carry within me the resurrection power of Christ -- I have the power to BECOME. I am ready to expand my reality and become the destiny for which I have been predestined. "Do not change yourselves to be like the people of this world, but be changed within by a new way of thinking. Then you will be able to decide what God wants for you; you will know what is good and pleasing to Him and what is perfect." - Romans 12:2 NCV Sometimes the events of life seem to distance us from the awareness of His presence an we feel cast into a wilderness. In the wilderness, we tend to tune into the bitter past of life rather than the sweetness. However, it is in the wilderness that God speaks most clearly and opens the portals of heavenly revelation. "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened that you may know what is the hope of His CALLING...." - Ephesians 1: 17,18 We can position our hearts to become an open portal to Heaven -- where God infuses us with His presence and revelation abounds -- flowing to us and through us. Like Moses' encounter with the burning bush, new direction often becomes clearer in the wilderness and DESTINY unfolds through the oddest signs along the trail. As we move into the sweetness of His presence, we exit the wilderness of circumstance. REACHING THE CENTRAL PLACE OF OUR INWARD WALK By not speaking, desiring, nor reasoning, we reach the central place of the inward walk -- that place where God speaks to our inward man. It is there that God communicates Himself to our spirit. "For God alone my soul waits in silence." - Psalm 62:1 We recall that Jacob wrestled with the Lord all night, until daybreak? THEN it was when the Lord blessed him. We persevere against any and all difficulties which confront us in our seeking the Lord's presence in our spirit. We are steadfast until the Lord gives our spirit His blessing. Job 26:14 - "And these are but the out fringe of His works; how faint the whisper we hear of Him! Who then can understand the thunder of His power?" A revelation of the thunder of His power catapults us out of our wildernesses, shatters the realms of darkness and releases the awe of God through signs and wonders -- through us as we walk in His authority. As our heart becomes an open portal of His love -- the awe of His power thunders around us and we find ourselves walking IN THE FULLNESS of Him, not just alongside of Him; carrying this authority to release the realm of Heaven on earth. AFFIRMATION: My heart is a portal for His love. PRAYER: Father, I abandon myself to You. You love in me Your only begotten Son. You see Him in me. You embrace Him in me, because He has willed to identify Himself completely with me by that love which brought Him to death, for me, on the Cross. Amen ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY -
Revelation 4:1 -- "After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven..." If we will live in the awareness of the heavenly, we must be freed from the boundaries of the earthly. To awaken faith, the Holy Spirit will take us through times when the presence of God cannot be clearly discerned. Psalm 13:1 -- "How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? forever? how long with thou hide thy face from me?" We should not accept that God has permanently hidden Himself from us, though during trials it may seem so. He is teaching us to see in the dark and to hear in the silence. He is making Himself known to our inner man so that, regardless of outer circumstances, we can continually be led by led by His Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18 -- "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit" OUR VISION MUST BECOME SPIRITUAL To see God, it is imperative that our vision become spiritual and not just sensory. To hear God, we must learn to tune out the clamor of our fears and earthly desires. The time of darkness, though it comes as an enemy, actually compels us to seek God more earnestly; we learn to even more revere God's light. Ultimately, we will discover the truth of what Isaiah wrote, that "the whole earth is full of God's glory" (Isaiah 6:3). The Bible was written by individuals who actually beheld the glory of God. To see the glory of God is our call as well. Our spiritual vision is not an imaginary device of the mind, but that which comes from the living union of the Holy Spirit with our hearts. Matthew 5:8 -- "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." PERSISTENCE IS THE ANSWER It is reasonable to expect that, if Christ truly dwells within us, we ought to perceive life with unveiled minds? We remove the veils of sin, shame and self-absorption, by persisting in seeking God. If we stay focused upon His Spirit and Word, we should expect to see the glory of the Lord. AFFIRMATION: I expect that, NOW, -- as I enter my prayer room or go for a walk, or in a dream -- the Spirit of God is going to appear to me in some marvelous and life-changing way. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Ephesians 6:12 -- "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." The reality is that we're in battle. We're being prevailed against. Some of us are "losing" in the fight against sin and sickness, disease and death. Some of us are losing the battle for our kids to know Jesus. Some of us are battling for our marriages. Some of us are battling against poverty, and the very things that hinder the fulfillment of the prophetic word in our lives. War wages for the fulfillment of our very divine DESTINIES. LACK OF KNOWLEDGE Hosea 4:6 -- "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou has rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou has forgotton the law of God, I will also forget thy children." This infers that if God's people had knowledge of who they really are in Christ, of who God is, and of the rights and priveleges of their DOMINION -- they wouldn't be destroyed. As soon as we become blood-bought believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we're thrust behind enemy lines, though assured of God's protection. However, we're also reminded that we operate in an environment of spiritual terrorism. ".....We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one" (1 John 5:19). SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY 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. The Bible says that the birds of the air come to snatch away the Word of God (Luke 8:5-15). The birds of the air are the demons that snatch away the Word from a man's heart, but only because a man leaves it out there unprotected. The devil cannot take away the word from our hearts if we hold it close and protect it through: Affirming It Out Loud Meditating on It, And visualizing it coming to pass in our lives. THE WORD OF OUR TESTIMONY Psalm 78:9-11 -- "The sons of Ephraim were archers equipped with bows, yet they turned back in the day of battle. They did not keep the covenant of God and refused to walk in His law; they forgot His deeds and His miracles that He had shown them." The apostle John wrote, "They overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death." (Rev. 12:11). The elements of victory are recounted to us in this passage. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb: This means we no longer are fighting FOR victory but we fight FROM victory. Triumph is assured when we enter the battle. ACTING VIOLENTLY ON THE WORD Matthew 11:12 -- "Violent men take the Kingdom by force." It is to be understood that our battles are to be the manifestations of His victory. The ultimate challenge is not the battle itself but the decision to participate. Notice that the "armor of God"in Ephesians Chapter 6 has no protection for your back. We are ill-equipped for retreat. The shield of faith is our truth and our buckler. It's the truth of the Word of God, and it's given to every believer to quench the fiery darts of the wicked one (Eph. 6:6). But it has to be used. We are to be doers of God's Word. When we act, the shield moves when we do, even if we don't feel it. 1. We don't have the Sword of the Spirit until the Word has been made real to our spirit. 2. We don't have the Shield of Faith until we walk in that faith of who God says we are in Christ. 3. We don't have the Shoes of Peace until we get into the presence of God. 4. We don't have the Helmet of Salvation until we have a revelation of Christ's finished work on the cross. 5. We don't have the Breastplate of Righteousness until we start thinking like God thinks. 6. We don't have the Belt of Truth until the Holy Spirit leads us into the truth of the fullness of the reality of God. WE ARE HIS AUTHORITY Matthew 6:10 -- "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. God's world collides with the world of darkness, and His world always wins. Our battle is always a battle for DOMINION -- a conflict of kingdoms. God has chosen to work through us. WE ARE HIS DELEGATED AUTHORITY on planet earth, and prayer is the vehicle that gives occasion for His invasion. Those who don't pray allow darkness to continue ruling. The enemy's greatest efforts at deceiving the Church are centered on diluting the purpose and effect of prayer. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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1 Corinthians 2:9 - "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love Him." God gave Jesus a heaping helping of joy, peace, health and prosperity for each believer on the earth. Jesus deposited too much in each one of our accounts. Now, if we want it we've got to make a withdrawal. Faith is the withdrawal slip. Psalm 91:1 - "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." When I fail to enter the Secret Place, my pride and self-sufficiency have been documented. Mark 11:24 - "Therefore I say unto you, what things soever you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them." Affirmations: I KEEP THE SWITCH OF FAITH TURNED ON. WHEN I BELIEVE I RECEIVE -- FAITH IS RELEASED. I DON’T HAVE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. I DON’T HAVE TO FEEL IT HAPPEN. IT JUST HAPPENS. THE REBORN SPIRIT IS MADE THAT WAY. Mark 5:36 - "Be not afraid, only believe." ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Manifesting His Presence Through Our Lives
Albert Finch posted a blog entry in Albert Finch Ministry
Psalm 91:1 -- "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the almighty." Jesus lived a life of of prayer, and when He needed dedicated prayer time He would send crowds and, most likely, potential resources away so that He could be with the Father. As a result He would not move, speak, or do anything that the Father did not ask Him to do. Our talking and listening to the Father should be a continuum or seamless activity. When we are in conversation with anyone we should ask the Lord, "Father, what do you want me to hear?" and "Father, how would you desire me to respond?" When we are consciously doing this the Lord will do astounding things and we are giving God glory in many more conversations and releasing His love more abundantly to others. Prayer is really for us to connect with Him, His nature, and for a conduit of His peace, love and joy to flow through us, but we must participate and engage relationally with Him in order for His presence to manifest through our lives in power. Psalm 62:1,5 -- "Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from Him cometh my salvation. My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him." Prayer is tuning everything else out so we can hear from Him. When prayer is foundational and we allow His will to supersede our will we begin to develop vision -- as vision expands we commence to see our DESTINY (the purpose of God for our life). PRAYER PRINCIPLES TO CONNECT WITH OUR DESTINY: 1. To be successful in our vision, we must have a daily, dynamic prayer life with God. 2. We will never achieve our destiny without prayer because prayer is what keeps us connected to the Vision-Giver. 3. Prayer encourages us to get back in the fight of faith. 4. As prayer is the essential resource of vision, we remain connected to our Source for the renewal of our purpose, faith, strength, and PERSEVERANCE. 5. God is the One who planted our life's PURPOSE within us in the beginning. He has invested Himself in our dream and as we are obedient and stay committed He will bring our DESTINY to pass. Matthew 7:7,8 -- "Keep on asking and it will be given to you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who keeps on asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking, the door will be opened."(NAS) Hebrews 12:1 -- "(We must) run with patience the particular race that God has set before us." Philippians 3:14 -- "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY -
Ephesians 5:14 - "Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." OBSERVATION: If I truly want Christ to "shine upon me," I must arise from the distractions that emtomb me in lethargy and spiritual darkness. By praying the scriptures in the epistles of Paul that pertain to our inheritance in Christ we come to know who we are in Christ; the power that is flowing through us and our authority over sickness, distractions, or other issues of life. Matthew 22:14 - "Many are called, but few are chosen." There is another way to say this. "Many are called, but few will pay the price in order to be chosen." But if we are to come into that which He has reserved for us, we must submit to His dealings, and come His way. Genesis 1:2 - "And the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters." THOSE WHO ARE BORN OF THE SPIRIT WILL ALSO BE MOVING, FLOWING, AND GOING SOMEWHERE. THIS IS THE NATURE OF THOSE WHO ARE BORN OF THE SPIRIT. John 3:8 - "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit." ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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John 2:3-5 - When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine." "Why do you involve me?" Jesus replied, "My time has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." Jesus attended a wedding where they ran out of wine, as yet He hadn't performed any of the wonders for which He would later become known. Mary knew who her Son was and what was possible....her faith so touched the heart of the Father that He apparently changed the chosen time to unveil Jesus as the miracle worker. Her faith just made room for the extravagance of God! Faith moves heaven, so that heaven will move earth. QUESTIONS TO ASK MYSELF: 1. Name an instance today where my faith is making room for the extravagance of God. 2. What specifically am I believing God for today that I can't do myself? ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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1 Samuel 3:1 -- "In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions." If Eli could not hear from God, the people would not receive messages from Him. The only words that we receive that are of help to people are words from God. If we don't spend time LISTENING to Him, then we will not receive words by which we will bless and encourage His people. 1 Samuel 3:7 -- "Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him." He'd never heard God speak, but he still enjoyed His presence. We need to hear from God; we need to hear the word of the Lord. We can only hear from God if we spend time with Him. We can only hear from Him if we have a relationship with Him. Our relationship to God is the most important thing in our lives, therefore we need to give it the utmost care. Psalm 91:1 -- "He that dwells in the secret place of the Most High God, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." EXPERIENCING EVIDENCE OF HIS PRESENCE There is a secret place inside us where God dwells, where we abide with Him in the Spirit. In that secret place, we will experience the evidence of His presence with us. We have the greatest calling to fulfill in the universe: to live out our DESTINY in Christ with God's power living and working through us. The secret place is not a physical place like it was in Samuel's day. Our secret place is in our own hearts. We can go anywhere and still focus on Him in our spirit and be in the secret place of the Most High. We might be at work, yet we can enter into the presence of the Lord by simply going to the quiet place in our spirit and find Him there waiting for us. It is in this place where the Lord speaks and we listen. In the secret place is where we will find God's earthly purpose (DESTINY) for our life. Samuel had never heard God until he spent time in His presence. They developed a relationship with each other. Samuel became one with God; they became friends. As we develop friendship with God, then He can show us how to love others. As we are first filled with the power to truly love others by loving Him and by receiving His love for us we will come to realize our need to DISCIPLE other believers. This only comes through our communion with Christ. We need to hear the voice of the Lord! We need to hear His voice now more distinctly than ever before, because we need a personal revelation of our CALLING in Christ. SEEKING "OUT OF THE BOX" Eli had gotten used to residing in his "usual place" in the house of God. We, too, can get too used to our relationship with God the way it is. But God wants us to come out away from our "usual place" and seek Him afresh and anew -- to turn from all else and seek only Him. He wants to infuse us with His love in a new way. AFFIRMATIONS: I resolve to get to know Him in a fresh way and experience new aspects of His character -- to experience new facets of His love. As I abide in the secret place in silence I lift up my heart to Him in love and experience the communion of His presence. As I receive His love in my heart my capacity to love others is enlarged. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Jeremiah 29:11-14 - "For i know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord. thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." John 10:27 - "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." It is important to know where we are called to be, who we are called to be with, and what we are called to do (our DESTINY) and how we are to implement the things that God is calling us to. We can fast, pray, strive and do all kinds of spiritual works, but if we are out of alignment, all these things may not have the full impact on our lives that we desire. Sometimes we just need to find out what that one thing is that God is requiring of us. It is usually one thing, not many. God will bring us into a place of utter contentment in His Presence as we come close to the Comforter, Holy Spirit. This implies a life-style of "Walking In The Spirit"; THREE REQUIREMENTS TO WALKING IN THE SPIRIT: Romans 6:11 - "Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus." (1. Consider myself dead to sin.) Ephesians 4:23-24 - "And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." (2. I have to "PUT ON" walking in the Spirit.) ie. I make the decision each day to be led by my spirit rather than my soul (mind, will, and emotions). I walk with my spirit being led by the Holy Spirit. Romans 12:2 - "And do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." (3. I have to renew my mind to the word of God.) BREAKING THROUGH TO THE NEXT LEVEL 2 Peter 1:4 "By which we have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." We are called to be sons and daughters of God. As we grow we learn the truth of our inheritance and walk in His promises as mature sons of God. There are SPIRITUAL IMPEDIMENTS that arise in our lives that come to lie, steal and betray us. God is going to eliminate these impediments out of our thinking as we lay hold of the inheritance (affirming, meditating on, and visualizing the precious promises that are ours in Christ) that He paid the price for us to walk in. It is as if we are stuck at a certain level and cannot break through into the next until these impediments are removed. If we tolerate these impediments we become partakers of the nature of the enemy. It is part of the process that our soul goes through in that we must be cleansed of the nature of evil and embrace the nature and life of the Holy Spirit. UNHEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS Example: There are relationships that steal and have only selfish intent -- these will leech the life and anointing off of you. The Lord is going to help us remove these impediments out of our lives as we yield to His heart's desires and ways; He will give us wisdom to know the difference. When we are in proper alignment there is much more ease and grace to accomplish what God calls us to. Sometimes God is speaking and showing us what we need to do, but we just keep doing our spiritual routines rather than the one thing He desires from us. We will find much more grace when we simply yield to that one thing and silence the noise of all the activities. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Proverbs 20:27 - "The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord." Luke 17:20,21 - "The kingdom of God comes not with observation. For behold, the kingdom of God is within you." If we wait quietly before God and learn to turn the eyes of our soul to the inward parts of our being -- our spirits -- we will encounter Him in the deep levels, as that is where His Spirit dwells. Matthew 25:30 - "And cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Affirmation: THE HOLY SPIRIT IS GIVING ME WISDOM AND COURAGE TO STEP OUT AND BEGIN TO FULFILL THE DREAM HE AS BIRTHED SO DEEPLY INSIDE ME. Jude 22 - "And of some have compassion, making a difference." Affirmation: MY HEART RELEASES THE COMPASSION OF JESUS CHRIST TO HELP DELIVER PEOPLE CAUGHT IN THE DECEPTION OF SIN AND DARKNESS AND SET THEM FREE. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Four Kinds of Power – Exousia: Anointing of Authority (Read Mark 16 & Matthew 10:5-15) Matthew 28:18 18And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. (Jesus has been given all authority by the Father, in heaven and on earth.) Matthew 10:1 1Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. (During His ministry and before Pentecost Jesus gave the disciples, “power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and to heal all diseases.” Here He gave them “Exosia” power, which means He gave them “the authority and the right.” The Greek word speaks of the commissioning and the influence to do the works of the kingdom.) Mark 16:15 15And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. (We are commissioned to do the works of Jesus. Many Christians today do not move in miracles, signs and wonders because they are waiting for“Dunamis”miracle power. Dunamis won’t come, however, until we are faithful with the Exosia authority and until we invest the time that we have and expecting the signs God wants to give us.) Luke 10:19 - “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you. Mark 16:17-18 17“These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; 18they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (He promised that we would see signs follow our lives, that we would cast out demons, trample on scorpions and serpents, heal the sick, cleanse the lepers and raise the dead.) Luke 10:1-3 1Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come. 2And He was saying to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. 3“Go; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves." (Jesus first gave the disciples power (Exosia authority) in His name.) Luke 10:17 17The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” (When the disciples went out with the anointing of Exosia they were amazed that even the demons were subject to them. When the disciples first received the Exosia power or authority to take the gospel to the world with signs and wonders, all they had was faith that they could do what Jesus promised they could do. There was not Dunamis with that authority. At Pentecost, however, they received the mighty outpouring of Dunamis power.) Summary: Most believers have not seen a release of greater authority in their lives because they have not done anything with the authority and power God has already given to them. God always rewards our exercise of authority. He always blesses, as we are faithful to invest. Our authority and anointing will increase as we contend and pray for people. We must keep praying for them until we see great things. QUESTIONS TO ASK MYSELF: Do I want healings? Do I want miracles, signs and wonders? Do I want to see the supernatural manifested? Then I need to make room for the Holy Spirit to come, in power, by exercising the authority Jesus has given me. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Deeds, Claims, and Promises of Jesus - 1 (of 11)
Albert Finch posted a blog entry in Albert Finch Ministry
Read Matthew Chap. 3 and Luke Chap. 4 Have the class (or individual) read aloud each of the ascribed scriptures. Then dictate the indicated summary. The student is to recite the summary of each of the scriptures 5 times per day until the next class. John 5:18-22; Jesus has the authority to raise the dead. All judgment is committed to Jesus. John 8:12; Jesus is the light of the world. Jesus will free the believer of any system of false beliefs. Matthew 28:18; All power is given to Jesus in heaven and earth! Matthew 8:13; It Is God’s will to heal. Matt 9:18-19, 23-25; Jesus has the power to raise from the dead. John 6:8-13; Jesus can overcome lack. John 4:9-10, 14; Living water is available to the believer. John 6:39-40; The believer has the promise of resurrection. Matt 5:20; Being a good person and doing good works will not get you into the kingdom of heaven. HOMEWORK: Matthew - Chapter 3 - Quiz: 1. What did Isaiah prophecy about John the Baptist in Isaiah 40:3 ? Answer: The voice of him that __________________ in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the________a highway for our God. 2. What did John the Baptist say was present? Answer:________________is at hand. 3. What did John the Baptist instruct the religious leaders as well as the people to do? Answer: ___________for the________is at hand. 4. What is going to be cut down and cast into the fire? Answer: ___________which bringeth not forth good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire. 5. Who will baptise with the holy ghost and with fire? Answer:_______________. 6. What power did Jesus receive at Baptism? Answer: The power of The_________________. 7. What realm was penetrated at the Baptism of Jesus? Answer: The_______________. Luke - Chapter 4 - Quiz: 1. How did Jesus answer satan? Answer: With the_______________of God. 2. What power was Jesus operating under? Answer: And Jesus returned in the power of the _________________. 3. What was Jesus anointed to do? Answer: ______________the gospel to the poor, ______________the brokenhearted, ______________deliverance to the captives ______________to the blind, ______________them that are bruised. 4. Of the ones that came to Him, how many people did Jesus Heal? Answer: And he laid his hands on_______________ of them and healed them. 5. What did God send Jesus to preach? Answer: I must preach____________to other cities also: for therefore I am sent. Quiz Answers: Matthew - Chapter 3 1. Crieth, desert 2. The Kingdom of God 3. Repent, Kingdom of God 4. Every tree 5. Jesus 6. Holy Spirit 7. The heavens Luke - Chapter 4 1. Word 2. Spirit 3. Preach, heal, preach deliverance, recovering of sight, set at liberty 4. All 5. The Kingdom of God ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY -
James 1:4 - "But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." The Greek word patience can be translated endurance, constancy, or being constant regardless of circumstances. Faith is dependent on patience. Patience won't let faith quit. Patience is dependent on the decision to stay on the word regardless of what gets thrown against our lives. Affirmation: VICTORY IS ALREADY MINE 1 John 4:16,17 - "And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgement; because as he is, so are we in this world." God is love, and because we are one with Him, we too are love. 2 Chronicles 12:14 - And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord. When satan throws temptation your way, if you are not already prepared, it's too late. You'll probable lose the fight. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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John 13:13-15 -- "Jesus said, 'You call me 'Teacher and Lord' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I , your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet. You also should wash one another's feet. I have set you and example that you should do as I have done for you.'" John 20:21 -- "Just as the Father has sent me forth so I am sending you." This is certainly a command of Jesus for the Body of Christ to meet the needs (both temporal and spiritual) of new believers so they may indeed advance in the faith. The humbling service of DISCIPLING a new believer into: who he is in Christ, his right standing with God, and walking in the Spirit is the most valuable Christian service someone can receive who has just had the "born again" experience. OLD THOUGHT PROCESSES In order for the church to advance into her destiny there are old thought processes that need to be dismantled: 1. The idea that higher spiritual advancement and development is reserved for the clergy. 2. The idea that spiritual training and discipling is the responsibility of the pastor and/or elders. 3. The idea that it takes years in the faith to be able to DISCIPLE other believers. 4. The idea that the only thing the laity is to be involved in is Church programs and listening to sermons. Submitting to DISCIPLESHIP training develops a "personal ministry to others consciousness" in the believer as well as promotes unity and brotherly love in the fellowship of the Body of Christ. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Fresh Empowerment and Activation - Meditations
Albert Finch posted a blog entry in Albert Finch Ministry
Now is the time to to press into the Lord for Fresh Empowerment and Activation for harvest in the coming season. We need to see a tremendous outpouring of the Power of the Holy Spirit for our current Time. "Then, knowing what lies ahead for you, you won't become bored with being a Christian, nor become spiritually dull and indifferent, but you will be anxious to follow the example of those who receive all that God has promised them because of their strong faith and patience." - Hebrews 6:12 (Living Bible) As we go into this season we pray to see a notable increase in the Power of the Lord from the Fire of His Presence that will cause many to turn to Him. We need to pray for these nine blessings: 1. Greater Power 2. Greater Anointing 3. Greater Favor 4. Greater Flow of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit 5. Greater Evidence of the Fruit of the Spirit 6. Greater Doors and Influence through the favor of the Lord. 7. Greater Restoration of Intended Promises and Words 8. Greater City, Regional, and National Outpourings 9. Greater Harvest. Many blessings to you, ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY -
Ephesians 5:14-18 - "Wake up from your sleep, and arise from the dead, And Christ shall shine upon you. Live life with a due sense of responsibility, not as men who do not know the meaning of life but as those who do. Make the best use of your time, despite all the evils of these days. Don't be vague but grasp firmly what you know to be the will of the Lord." As believers, we are instructed to live our daily lives with a sense of our unique divine DESTINY supported by goals and aims. YIELDING OUR WILL 2 Corinthians 12:9 - "And he said unto me, "my grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness." Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." As we yield our wills and ways to the control of God's Holy Spirit, we begin to experience the walk of grace, as Jesus lives His life through us. The fire of passion burns brightly with this deposit of grace. Luke 3:2 - "The word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness." The word of God came to John the Baptist while he was alone in the wilderness, thus giving him clear direction for the days ahead. As a result of his being alone with the Lord, John came into a ONENESS with the Lord that could not have been accomplished in any other way. "I AM THE VOICE OF ONE" John 1:23 - "John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, 'I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way for the Lord'." Each one of us should come to the place where we also could make this statement, "I am the voice of One." There is an immediate need for this voice to cry out in the midst of the frustrations and perils of our present day. We need to stand in the manifest presence of the Lord to be prepared as the "voice of one crying in the wilderness" of our day. May it be stated of us, as it was of the disciples of old, that it is apparent we have been with Jesus. This, and only this, will make the changes that must occur if we are to reach this hurting world with the message of God's redemptive, transforming grace. Affirmations: AS I RECOGNIZE HIS PRESENCE AND TURN ASIDE TO STAND BEFORE HIM, I BECOME THE EXPRESSION OF HIS VOICE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS OF TODAY. AS I EXPERIENCE SPIRITUAL HUNGER AND SEEK FOR SOMETHING MORE, I AM CALLED APART TO BE ALONE WITH THE LORD FOR A TIME OF PREPARATION. AS I RECEIVE ANOINTING AND IMPARTATION OF GOD'S GRACE, I WALK A GRACE-FILLED LIFE IN ORDER TO SEE THE GLORY OF GOD FILL THE EARTH. FINCH MINISTRY
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1 John 5:3,4 - “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” AFFIRMATION: The Word is born of God. The Word of God will overcome the world. World-overcoming faith is in my spirit right now. John 15:10 - “If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.” Jesus’ loving me has nothing to do with me. It has to do with Him obeying the Father’s command. Mat 22:37,39 - “Jesus said unto him, ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.’” Romans 14:17 - “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.” AFFIRMATION: Christianity is not about what I put into my life. But what God has already put in my life. The new covenant is: 1. I am cleansed by the blood of Jesus. 2. I am filled with the love and Spirit of God. 3. And All God has for me is already inside of me the moment I was born again. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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1 Corinthians 6:17 "But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him." (His union with the believer is His union with the believer’s spirit.) 1 Corinthians 15:45 "So also it is written, 'The first Man, Adam, became a living soul.' The last Adam became a life-giving spirit." (The first man Adam was made a living soul, The last Adam was made a quickening Spirit.) Romans 6:5 - "For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection," (Where does this union come from? It is from our death and resurrection with the Lord. We receive His death as our death and the joining with Him in death as the beginning of our being joined to Him. Having died with Him, we also receive His resurrection as our own resurrection.) Romans 1:4 "And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:" 1 Peter 3:18 "For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;" (The Lord Jesus was resurrected according to the Spirit of Holiness and made alive in the Spirit. Therefore we are joined to Him in resurrection. We die to all that belongs to ourselves and live to His Spirit.) Romans 7:4,6 "Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter." (The result of this union is the capacity to serve the Lord in ‘newness of spirit’. There is nothing of the natural self mixed in the living and work. From this time on the soul and the body are used only to express the Lord’s life and work. After the believer is joined to the resurrected Lord, the believer must daily keep ‘reckoning’ and ‘yielding’. The Lord then can pour out His life giving power into the believer's spirit.) Affirmations: I AM ONE SPIRIT WITH THE LORD. (1 Corinthians 6:17) THE HOLY SPIRIT BEARS WITNESS WITH MY SPIRIT, THAT I AM A CHILD OF GOD. (Romans 8:16) ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY