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1. When will I be operating at the maximum of my potential as the righteousness of God in Christ? Answer: When I realize that God has made me a king and a priest unto Him. When I realize He has given me the kingdom, the power, and the authority to operate as His under-ruler in the earth. "He loves us and has washed away our sins with his blood and made us a line of kings, priests to serve his God and father." - Revelation 1:5,6 "For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. - Romans 5:17 "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession..." - 1 Peter 2:9 2. What is the spiritual sacrifice that we can offer unto God? Answer: Praise, doing good works and discipling others. "Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name." - Hebrews 13:15 "O Lord surely I am Your servant, to You I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving." - Psalm 116:16,17 "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." - Ephesians 2:10 "Go therefore and make disciples....." - Matthew 28:19 3. How do we acknowledge Satan's defeat? Answer: By praising God "And said to Him, 'Do You hear what these are saying?' And Jesus said to them, 'Yes, have you never read,: Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise?'" - Matthew 21:16 "Having disarmed principalities and powers He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it." - Colossians2:15 4. When a believer is praising and worshipping God it stops satan. Why? Answer: The love of God and our praise produce an unseen force. this force is the power of God. God's very presence inhabits the praises of His people. "Yet thou art holy, who dwell in the praises of Israel." - Psalm 22:3 "Let the high praises of God be in their throats and a two-edged sword in their hands." - Psalm 149:6 5. What is the spiritual mortar that binds the spiritual living stones which build the body of Christ? Answer: Love "For this reason keep alert and never give up; pray always for all God's people." - Ephesians 6:18 "Come as living stones and let yourselves be used in building the spiritual temple, where you will serve as holy priests to offer spiritual and acceptable sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ." - 1 Peter 2:5 "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God." - 1 John 4:7 INTO ACTION: Affirm and meditate on the indicated scriptures several times daily until the renewing of your mind is made real to your spirit. AFFIRMATIONS: God inhabits my praises. (Psalm 22:3) I am part of a royal priesthood and have been given the ministry of reconciliation. (1 Peter 2:9 & 2 corinthians 5:19) As a lively stone that makes up the House of God I desire the sincere milk of the Word. (1 Peter 2:2,5) I am bold as a lion since I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. (Proverbs 28:1 & 2 Corinthians 5:21) ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Ephesians 2:5,6,10 - "Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace we are saved;) And hath raised us together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them." As a believer I shouldn't have to "try" faith. I exercise my rights as a member of the body of Christ. He has raised me up with Jesus and seated me in heavenly places. He has given me His name, His blood, His authority, His power, His spirit. These rights are blood bought. Jesus suffered and died to give me the rights of our new covenant. 2 Corinthians 6:1,2 - "We then, as workers together with Him, beseech you also that you receive not the grace of God in vain. Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. " Acts 16:25,26 - "And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a greatearthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bands were loosed." OBSERVATION: MY LIVING BY FAITH MOVES HIM TO HONOR MY FAITH; HOWEVER, WHEN I PLEASE HIM THROUGH MY PRAISE, HE VISITS ME IN PERSON. GOD'S FAITHFULNESS IS TRIGGERED BY MY FAITH, WHILE PRAISE BRINGS ME INTO HIS PRESENCE. WHEN I PRAISE GOD, HE RAISES ME OUT OF MY SITUATION. WHEN I FIND MYSELF IN TROUBLE, I USE PRAISE AS A KEY TO UNLOCK THE "PRISON DOORS" OF MY CIRCUMSTANCES. NO MATTER WHAT IS GOING ON IN MY LIFE, I WILL FILL MY MOUTH WITH THE HIGH PRAISES OF GOD! "Now you belong to Him who was raised from the dead in order that we might be useful in the service of God." - Romans 7:4 Shall we stop short of what He says we ought to be (our CALLING in Christ)-- shall we cease to come into line with the Mind which is always thinking of our best - shall we cease to humble ourselves before Him who took the way of the cross for us -- shall we cease to give him our all? "We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." - Ephesians 2:10 NIV To what profit will it be if we hold back anything from Him who gives us a thousand times more than He ever asks from us? In Hebrews 2 He says He is going to bring many sons to glory. It means that He is going to clothe them with His glory -- may that be our vision. AFFIRMATIONS: I have a Jesus indwelling me and vitalizing me with a faith that believes His word will come to pass when I speak it. I have Jesus within me who will never let me get faint-hearted or weary in advancing His PURPOSE for my life. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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In Joshua's day, before crossing the Jordan River and moving into their inheritance, God said to the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you" (Joshua 3:5). This is an exhortation for us today! DRAW NEAR TO GOD The word consecrate, in Hebrew, is actually a relational term. "Qadash" means to separate or set yourself apart unto God. God's heart isn't, "Clean up your act so I can restore and bless you." He says instead, "Come to Me so I can bless you." BIG DIFFERENCE! His love is free, not earned. "Qadash"(set apart to Him), is actually the root word for holy (qodesh). Being "holy" isn't the result of or defined as "being good enough?" Rather it is the nature (qodesh) we receive from our union with Him (qadash), which motivates us to good works and a refusal to sin. We must be careful, then, that when we set out to prepare ourselves for a move of God's Spirit, we do not move into a legalistic works mentality, trying to accomplish separation and holiness in our own abilities; rather, we draw near to God inrelationship. There is another word in Scripture that also means separation, which we often confuse with consecration and holiness. "Nazir", from which we get the word Nazarite, means to be separate from. Nazir implies that we are separating ourselves away from something, as in sin, or the Nazarite vow of separation from certain activities. Qadash implies that we are separating ourselves unto, or drawing near to God. And this is where we must always start in our walk with Him. Samson was a Nazarite and lived a life separated from certain things. There is never any indication in Scripture, however, that he was separated unto, or walking closely with God. When Delilah entered the picture, since Samson was attempting holiness in his own strength, not by drawing near to the Lord, He did not have the strength to resist temptation. The Lord desires to raise up men and women of prayer and radical devotion through which He can release a greater "Great Awakening" and shift the course of nations today. To be a part of this, however, we must be willing to comply with what God requires of us: Prepare ourselves through drawing near. A SEASON OF SEPARATION The Lord is inviting you to enter into a season where you separate yourself unto Him in an extra special way: 1. Take time to inquire of the Lord as to what this means for you. 2. Things will shift if you increase your devotion time from 15 to 30 minutes each day. 3. Doors will open if you fast one lunch per week to spend that time with the Lord. 4. You will experience breakthrough if you put on some worship music and commune with the Lord as you go about your daily chores. 5. For 15 minutes a day, invite Him to walk with you around your backyard or sit beside you on your porch. If you rearrange your busy schedule over the next few weeks to pray and fast and spend more time in worship and the Word, your life will radically change. No matter what level of relationship you currently enjoy with the Lord, He wants to transform you into a more passionate and zealous Believer. As you draw into His depths, His cleansing stream will prepare you to advance in His PURPOSE for your life. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Matthew 1:21 - "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save His people from their sins." Of all the names that the heavenly Father could have given His Son, it is most significant that He chose the name "Jesus," for Jesus is the Greek form of "Joshua," who was the Hebrew general who led the people into warfare. To be prepared for greater victories, we need a greater revelation of Jesus Christ; we need to see him as a Holy warrior, dressed for battle. Isaiah 42:13 - "The Lord will go forth like a warrior, He will arouse His zeal like a man of war. He will utter a shout, yes, He will raise a war cry. He will prevail against His enemies." Matthew 12:35 - "A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things." Affirmations: BEFORE I FRAME MY WORLD THE WAY I WANT TO HAVE IT FRAMED I KNOW THAT I AM GOING TO HAVE TO SCRAPE OFF SOME OF THE OLD WAYS OF THINKING, BELIEVING, AND SPEAKING WHICH HAVE BEEN LIMITING MY PROGRESS. I CONFESS TODAY THAT I YIELD MY HEART TO GOD'S WORD SO THAT RIGHT THINKING, RIGHT BELIEVING, AND RIGHT SPEAKING BECOMES A WAY OF LIFE FOR ME. Hebrews 3:1 - "Therefore, holy brethren, who share in a heavenly call, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession." "If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God." - 1 Peter 4:11 NIV One of the greatest revelations of the New Testament is that Christ dwells within His people who live on the earth. That is why they are called the Body of Christ. We actually become the hands and feet of Jesus Christ in the earth, but we also become His mouth. God speaks prophetically through His people. "...the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you..." (Romans 8:11 AMP). We speak as God's earthly representatives. By releasing the voice of the Lord through the power of the spoken word, we can decree a thing and it will come to pass. It will happen. And it's all done by speaking words of faith. "You shall also decide and decree a thing, and it shall be established for you; and the light [of God's favor] shall shine upon your ways." - Job 22:28AMP ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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1 Corinthians 15:10 - " But by the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." THIS IS THE ORDER OF TRANSFORMATION WHICH EXPRESSES THE MYSTERY OF DIVINE GRACE: BY GRACE WE WERE SAVED; BY GRACE WE WERE CHOSEN; IT IS GRACE THAT GRANTS US ACCESS TO THE LIVING GOD; IT IS GRACE THAT MAKES US HIS SERVANTS; IT IS GRACE AT WORK WHEN HIS HAND FORMS US AND WE ARE CHANGED UNDER DISCIPLINE AND CARE INTO HIS LIKENESS. 2 Peter 3:18 - "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our lord and savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever." 2 Corinthians 5:17 - "If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." When we were born again we received the very Spirit of God, and through His Spirit we were birthed into another realm -- the Kingdom of Heaven. Through the vehicle of the Holy Spirit we are united to the actual person of Jesus Christ who is seated at the throne of God. Our heart is attached to the power of God. We are never alone. Christ is always with us. What we were as a person prior to salvation, we will never be again! "Son of man, can these bones live? and I answered, O Lord God, Thou knowest" (Ezekiel 37:3) God wants men and women who are willing to submit and submit, and yield and yield to the Holy Spirit until their bodies are saturated and soaked with God -- you then realize that God your Father has you in such a condition that at any moment He can reveal His will to you. The Lord desires us to enter into a deeper level of pressing into Him, or what is called "pursuit after Him." It is a stirring of the Holy Spirit deep within that literally awakens your inner man, so that YOU KNOW THAT YOU KNOW there is something more that He wants to share with you. This is called HOLY HUNGER. "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee; my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is." -Psalm 63:1 AFFIRMATIONS: God is bringing my life to a new beginning. I press into and lay hold of the kingdom of heaven in an aggressive way. I have a burning heart of fiery witness and passion when it comes to exhorting others in their walk with God. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Philippians 3:7-9 -- "But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him." OBSERVATION: At some point I have to cease being a spiritual encyclopedia (That is, collecting more facts, opinions, illustrations and interpretations, and then presenting them as my faith). I make a quality decision today to turn myself over to God, submit to His training and breaking so that He can discard all that hinders me from seeing Christ as He is.....In God's eyes. My only hope for salvation from lesser things is Christ.....a greater Christ than the one I have been content with until now. Hebrews 1:2,3 -- "Hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed Heir of all things, by whom He made the worlds. Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." 1 Corinthians 4:20 - "For the kingdom of God does not consist in words, but in power." We are called to be forerunners and messengers of the coming kingdom. The power of our message will be directly related to the power of the life that is in us. Our goal is to live and reveal the power of the life that is in Christ Jesus. Our life and character should be so different and powerful in Christlikeness, that we stand out because of them. Not only are we a priesthood, we are a "royal" priesthood. Christians are the true royalty on earth. Affirmations: THE POWER THAT I HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO TESTIFY OF THE COMING KINGDOM IS THE POWER OF LIFE. THIS LIFE IS INFINITELY MORE PRECIOUS THAN ANYTHING I COULD EVER POSSESS ON THIS EARTH. MY IDENTITY IS TRULY IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND MY PRIESTLY CALLING TO MINISTER AND INTERCEDE FOR OTHERS ON A DAILY BASIS. Psalm 115:8 - "Those who make them (idols) will become like them, everyone who trusts in them." THE ONLY REASON WE TOLERATE DEAD IDOLS IS BECAUSE, WHILE THEY CANNOT HELP US, NEITHER CAN THEY HARM US NOR CONVICT US OF SIN. THE CONSEQUENCES OF HARBORING IDOLS IS THAT WE BECOME LIKE THEM. SIN CAN BECOME AN IDOL -- A FALSE GOD THAT DEMANDS OUR OBEDIENCE. SIDE BY SIDE WITH SIN IS THE IDOL OF FALSE KNOWLEDGE. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Today we set our hearts and focus on the presence of the Lord and His NOW word that brings divine impartation that will enable us to flourish into a season of great fruitfulness for the glory of the Lord. John 15:8 - "My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples." Basking in His presence and power, love takes hold more deeply, joy springs forth like a river, peace is established by the Prince of Peace, and we are empowered to live above our natural ability. Galatians 5:25 - "Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of our lives." NLT We are enabled to live in the Spirit and by the Spirit—cultivating, nurturing, and developing His nature and attributes from glory to glory. In His presence, His gifts and the fruit of His Spirit are continually increasing and flowing with rivers of His goodness that provide all we need for life and godliness. His presence is also a place of genuine hunger for the Word of God, hunger for fresh bread from the Word every day. There the Word comes alive and mysteries are revealed as the Word becomes like fire in the bones. Within us arises a holy boldness to decree the Word of God to shift the unseen realm and break down every barrier of the enemy with the power of the Word. 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 with full conviction;" QUESTION TO ASK OURSELVES: Are we are about to see increase—increase of His ability that releases us to be all we are to be and to accomplish all He purposes for us to accomplish? Ephesians 3:16 - "That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;" Your future comes from God’s possibilities and from His potential, not the world’s, not your own. His potential and all of His promises of possibility flow through the Holy Spirit into you, and He will strengthen you with His might to accomplish those things, to be who you are called to be, to do what you are called to do (God'sPURPOSE for your life), and to have what you are promised to have. The Holy Spirit desires us to live every day in the fullness of the Lord, by seeing above and beyond what we can do, and He desires for Jesus to receive glory and honor through His great power that works in us and through us. This is the essence of what Paul writes about inEphesians 3:20–21: “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Exodus 8:9,10 - "And Moses said unto Pharaoh, Glory over me: when shall I entreat for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses, that they may remain in the river only? And he (Pharaoh) said, tomorrow. And he (Moses) said, Be it according to thy word: that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the Lord our God." Observation: RATHER THAN REQUESTING DELIVERANCE FROM THE PLAGUE TODAY, PHAROAH DECIDED HE'D SPEND ONE MORE NIGHT AMONG THE FROGS. HOW LONG AM I WILLING TO SIT AROUND AND LET THE FROGS IN MY LIFE HARASS ME? I MAKE A QUALITY DECISION "TODAY" TO GO WITH THE WORD OF GOD AND GET THEM OUT. Psalm 31:1,2 - "In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness. Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defense to save me. " Acts 18:25 - "He (Apollos) had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and burning with spiritual zeal, he spoke and taught diligently and accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he was acquainted only with the baptism of John." OBSERVATION: In Acts, the new Christian faith is described as a "way" to follow. Jesus referred to Himself as "The Way" and as The Door". These expressions indicate that I can only recognize spiritual things when I am moving along a path. As long as I have only dogma and proper teaching, I am like the person who owns all the maps in the world, yet never has set foot outside his house to see what the world outside really is like. The scribes who knew perfectly well that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem but did not consider it necessary to go there and receive Him. The only possibility I have of meeting the one who lay in the manger is to go with reverence and commitment -- as the wise men from the east -- I have to travel a long way. James 1:6,7 - "Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord. " To come boldly and confidently to God for healing is the opposite of saying, "If it be Thy will." If we question God's will for us when we ask Him for something, we are double minded, cannot ask in faith, and He cannot heal us. My Confession: I BOLDLY CONFESS THAT I AM HEALED BY THE STRIPES OF JESUS CHRIST. THE AGONY HE ENDURED WAS FOR ME AND MY HEALTH. I DON'T HAVE TO BE SICK; I DON'T HAVE TO BE WEAK; AND I DON'T HAVE TO LIVE AT THE MERCY OF AFFLICTION ANYMORE. THE STRIPES ON JESUS' BODY WERE FOR ME, SO TODAY I RELEASE MY FAITH AND COMMIT THAT I WILL NOT BE SATISFIED WITH ANYTHING LESS THAN GOD'S BEST -- DIVINE HEALING AND HEALTH EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE! ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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"The Lord said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.......for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you...to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me." - Acts:26:15,16,18 Paul had first to come to this time of crying, weeping, contrition, and yieldedness. He had done all he could in the natural but the natural had only brought him to a broken place, to blindness, to helplessness, and this must come out of Paul's life before he could have the life of God. HIS LIFE FLOWING AS A RIVER When we have altogether parted with our own plans, as it were, then there is a possibility of God's likeness, being made manifest in us, of the water of life filling us, and not only enriching our own life but FLOWING FROM US AS A RIVER that will touch others; and no one can tell what a river can do when it is set aflow by God, because when God is in the plan, everything works mightily and harmoniously. The living touch of the river of the life of God is that which brings a celestial glory into the human heart, and speech that meets the kindled desire therein. RECEIVING OUR CALLING IN CHRIST When we are filled with the Holy Spirit we go forth to see things accomplished that we could never see otherwise: First of all, Paul had a CALLING. But CALLINGS are no good to us unless we make them real. Except We claim them as they come, Except we make them our own, And your whole desire is to carry out what the Spirit has revealed to you in regards to your CALLING -- it will surely come to pass. A CONTINUOUS BURNING ON THE ALTAR Many believers lack the power because they do not keep their CALLING in the forefront of their life -- they do not allow the fire which has come to infuse into them to continue to burn. There must be a continuous burning on the altar. Holy Spirit power in a man is meant to be an increasing force, an enlargement. God has never anything of a diminishing type. He is always moving forward. QUESTIONS TO ASK MYSELF: Am I moving forward? Am I stopping in the plains when there are greater things waiting for me on the hilltops? ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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2 Corinthians 13:5 - "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are holding to your faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you? - unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" OBSERVATION: If our Christianity does not work in this life where we can test it, it is foolhardy to hope it will successfully transport us into eternity where, if we fail the test, we suffer eternal separation from God. The test of truth is not an intellectual pursuit but whether you are drawing closer, week by week, to knowing and loving Jesus Christ. Luke 10:40-42 - "But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to Him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, 'Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."' MARY HAD SET EVERYTHING ELSE SET ASIDE, SO SHE COULD HEAR THE WORD. BUT MARTHA HAD LET THE SEEMINGLY IMPORTANT BUSINESS OF LIVING TAKE PRIORITY OVER THE WORD. Romans 8:6 - "For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." Romans 8:25 - "But if we must keep trusting God for something that hasn't happened yet, it teaches us to wait patiently and confidently." There is a fresh stirring of the Lord's desire for us to become all that He would have us to be (our DESTINY). We are hearing a new message beyond anything that we have heard in the past. Our part is to be spiritually open and receptive. We become increasingly aware of the "Open Heaven" that has always been available to us, through which the "Son" can shine brightly to release the potential that is buried within us. For this to happen, we must respond with anticipation, expectancy, and patience. AFFIRMATIONS: God grants me the spirit of wisdom and understanding to fulfill the hope to which He has called me and realize the richness of His glorious inheritance in me. (Ephesians 1:17,18) I curse those things that don’t bear fruit for God in my life. (Mark 11:12) I make plans and goals to reach and fulfill the desire God has put into my heart. The Holy Spirit will correct those plans and goals to match God’s purpose for me. An uncommon dream requires uncommon patience. (Proverbs 19:21) ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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There is only one thing that is going to accomplish the purposes of God, and that is being in the Spirit. God wants men and women who are willing to submit and submit, and yield and yield to the Holy Spirit until their bodies are saturated and soaked with God -- you then realize that God your Father has you in such a condition that at any moment He can reveal His will to you. "Son of man, can these bones live? and I answered, O Lord God, Thou knowest" (Ezekiel 37:3) EMBRACING HUNGER AND THIRST FOR GOD The Lord desires us to enter into a deeper level of pressing into Him, or what is called "pursuit after Him." It is a stirring of the Holy Spirit deep within that literally awakens your inner man so that YOU KNOW THAT YOU KNOW there is something more that He wants to share with you. This is called HOLY HUNGER. Hunger for God is one of the greatest signs of life a person can have. We must press past intellectual awareness to hunger for heartfelt encounters that change and transform. "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee; my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is." -Psalm 63:1 May the Holy Spirit show us our leanness and farness from the desired place of union. What we desire is a great hunger and thirst for God. HEARING HIS VOICE "O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord" (Ezekiel 37:4). He speaks so loud and clear and so distinct that a believer who is filled with the Spirit hears every word. The world has to be brought to a knowledge of the truth, but that will only be brought about through human instrumentality, and that will be when the human instrument is at a place where he will say all theHoly Spirit directs him to say. "Be still, and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10) -- the place of tranquility, where we know that He is leading and moving us by the mighty power of His Spirit. It is only the Spirit that can make the crooked straight. Only yield, so that He may have full control of all you are. We must get to that place where we shall see God and know His voice -- then He sends us with a message that brings life, power, and victory. 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. GETTING INTO THE SPIRIT TO RECEIVE HIS WILL "..and they stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army" (Ezekiel 37:10). It is man's utmost degree of SUBMISSION that God finds to be His opportunity, and it is for His word to awaken. "..all things are possible to him that believes"(Mark 9:23). But if we are to do the will of God at the right time and place, we get into the Spirit and so give God a fair chance. AFFIRMATIONS: God is bringing my life to a new beginning. I press into and lay hold of the kingdom of heaven in an aggressive way. I have a burning heart of fiery witness and passion when it comes to exhorting others in their walk with God. I repent from trying to do God's will without abiding in His presence. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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2 Corinthians 4:13 - "We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak." OBSERVATION: Sometimes I have to speak the Word to myself until I believe it -- then I can use that word to speak to my situation. The abiding word produces the spirit of faith within me; so I spend time with God and permit that word to abide in me. I confess that word and meditate in that word and abide in Jesus. Then the spirit of faith is produced in me. Romans 10:17 - "So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing, by the word of God." Romans 6:4,5 - "Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so, we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection." The cross of Golgotha utterly crucified us. Our natural being no longer has a place in God's thoughts. The death of Jesus on the cross put an irrevocable end to what we are by nature and what we could ever be. What we are in Christ has nothing more to do with what we were before we were crucified. InChrist we find ourselves in the province of resurrection, and resurrection is only possible if there is first a death. In the resurrection there is only one reality -- Christ all and in all! l Corinthians 3:18,19 - "Make no mistake about it: if any one of you thinks of himself as wise, in the ordinary sense of the word, then he must learn to be a fool before he really can be wise. Why? Because the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God....God is not convinced by the arguments of the wise." On our own we cannot comprehend how to grow and live in oneness with God. Live every day in the knowledge that every bit of spiritual insight is a pure gift from God. The only way to receive wisdom from God is to come before Him (SUBMITTING YOUR SPIRIT TO HIM), pushing away every bit of understanding you think you have gained, and each day, offer yourself as a servant who is willing to do the lowest job. As long as you allow the spirit of "superior knowledge" to secretly overtake you -- that is, to be master of you of your own soul -- you will be as powerless in spirit as a slave -- always subject to your lower nature. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Zechariah 12:1 -- "Thus says the Lord, Who stretches out the heavens and lays the foundation of the earth and forms the spirit of man within him." God is spirit, and Zechariah 12:1 tells us that God formed the spirit of man within him. This human spirit is what makes relationship and fellowship with God possible at all. Through his spirit, man can walk in step with God. In the spirit he is one with God. Through his spirit he knows of God and receives everything God wants to communicate to him. It is in Man's spirit that Christ takes up residence. He who puts on Christ is one spirit with him. 1 Corinthians 6:17 -- But he who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. INTO ACTION: How do I stay in touch with God's Spirit during the day? What am I presently not doing? ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Hebrews 11:3 - "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." Faith is the bridge between the eternal (the unseen) and the temporal (the seen). In prayer, we can cross that bridge and see as God sees. Real prayer is not just words, but intently waiting on God until we (by the Spirit) see what He is seeing. Jesus ignored what His natural eyes told Him, and He declared what His spiritual eyes saw. He saw the heart of God and the mind of God which was far more of a reality than what His physical senses told Him. OBSERVATION: I need to think, believe and speak, not according to things which are seen -- my circumstances -- but according to things which are not seen -- the word of God. As I am faithful to think, believe and speak according to that which is not seen, God will make those things tangible in my life. He will make them "seen"! Psalm 25:14 - "The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him, and He will make them know His covenant." FEARING GOD MEANS TO HAVE RESPECT FOR HIM, TO ACKNOWLEDGE HIS MAJESTY AND GREATNESS, TO HONOR HIM AS GOD - TO RESPECT HIM AS THE MYSTERIOUS, INDESCRIBABLE LORD, TO BE FAITHFUL TO HIM AND TO FULLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY TRUST HIM. AS I CHERISH HIS CLOSENESS HE DISCLOSES HIS SON, WHO IS THE HIGHEST SECRET OF ALL - CHRIST, THE MYSTERY OF ALL MYSTERIES. Psalm 16:7 - "I will bless the Lord, Who has given me counsel: yes, my heart instructs me in the night seasons." Matthew 10:8,9 - "And into whatsoever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you." THE REALITY OF BEING BORN OF THE SPIRIT MEANS THAT A WHOLE NEW REALM OF POSSIBILITIES, CHALLENGES AND OBSTACLES NOW UNFOLDS BEFORE US. THE IDEA THAT THE ONLY RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE WITH HEAVEN IS THE ONE WE EXPERIENCE AT DEATH IS SIMPLY CONTRARY TO THE WORD OF GOD. AFFIRMATION: I have received a spiritual gift to serve others faithfully, administering God’s grace. When I speak I speak words that seem to come from God; I help as though every order was done at God’s orders so that in everything God may receive the glory through Jesus Christ since to Him belongs all glory and power for ever and ever. (1 Peter 4:10,11) ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Psalm 42:11 - "Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God: For I shall yet praise Him." DAVID BEGAN TO SELF-TALK WHEN HE FELT DISCOURAGEMENT COME UPON HIM. Observation: I CAN SPEAK TO MY EMOTIONS AND TAKE CONTROL OF THEM BY TELLING MY INNER MAN TO HOPE IN GOD. HOPE WORKS AGAINST DISCOURAGEMENT AND DESPAIR, SO WHEN I SPEAK THE "WORD" TO MY SPIRIT, I AM STRENGTHENED AND ENCOURAGED BY GOD. John 19:30 - "When Jesus therefore, had received the vinegar, he said, 'It is finished': and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost." AT THAT, JESUS' DISCIPLES, LOOKING TO THEIR OWN LIMITATIONS AND THE SEEMING HOPELESSNESS OF THEIR SITUATION, SCATTERED. THEY HID THEMSELVES. THEY WEREN'T THINKING ABOUT JESUS' PROMISE: THEY WERE THINKING ONLY ABOUT HOW POWERLESS, HELPLESS, AND AFRAID THEY FELT WITHOUT HIM. Observation: IF THE DEVIL CAN GET ME TO CONSIDER WHAT I PERCEIVE AS A LIMITATION OF MY BODY, MY MIND, OR MY FINANCES - HE WILL DEFEAT ME. BUT IF GOD CAN GET ME TO TAKE ONE STEP BEYOND MY OWN LIMITS, HE WILL GIVE ME THE VICTORY. I WILL TAP INTO HIS POWER THAT HAS NO LIMITS, AND I WILL SOAR TO HEIGHTS OF VICTORY AND SUCCESS THAT I NEVER THOUGHT POSSIBLE. John 3:3 - Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth: no one can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again." We must know by revelation that we are not struggling to get up into heaven; rather that we were born there in spiritual rebirth. Psalm 110:1,2 - The Lord (God) says to my Lord (the Messiah), "Sit at My right hand until I make Your adversaries Your footstool. The Lord will send forth from Zion the scepter of Your strength; rule, then, in the midst of Your foes." Ephesians 2:6 - "and raised us up with Him, and made us sit with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus" We have been raised up and seated with Christ in heavenly places. This is why the Holy Spirit continues to speak to us that the worship of God is our first response in battle. Affirmations: I POSITION MYSELF IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD AND SIT AT REST IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT CHRIST HAS ALREADY MADE MY ENEMIES THE FOOTSTOOL FOR MY FEET. AS I REST IN HIS VICTORY I RULE IN THE MIDST OF MY ENEMIES. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Ecclesiastes 3:11 - "He has made everything beautiful in its time. He also has planted eternity in men's hearts and minds (a divinely implanted sense of a purpose working through the ages which nothing under the sun but God alone can satisfy), yet so that men cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end." WE LIVE IN TIME AND SPACE, BUT TIME AND SPACE ARE CONNECTED TO ETERNITY, AND GOD HAS PUT SOMETHING INTO YOUR HEART THAT CALLS THE UNSEEN INTO THE SEEN --THE VISION GOD HAS PUT IN YOUR HEART TO DELIVER IN TIME AND SPACE --THAT IS, ON THE EARTH DURING YOUR LIFETIME SO THAT OTHERS ON EARTH WILL BE ABLE TO SEE A PIECE OF ETERNITY THAT IS IN HIM. John 11:44 - "And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus said unto them, 'Loose him, and let him go."' IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD WHO WITNESS SPIRITUAL RESURRECTION TO LOOSE THOSE WHO GET SAVED BY THE POWER OF GOD SO THAT THEY CAN GO. GOD WANTS US TO FLY LIKE EAGLES BUT WE CAN'T DO IT IF WE'RE STILL BOUND BY THE GRAVE CLOTHES OF OUR OLD LIFE. Proverbs 4:23 - "Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life." OBSERVATION: If God truly rules in my heart, if Jesus is Lord of my life and I do what He says, then the Kingdom of God (His dominion, presence, power, glory, love, and anointing) will continually flow out of me and take authority over the things coming against me. What, then, is our responsibility during times of difficulty? Our job is not to muster up the victory ourselves but to believe and declare God's goodness (through affirming and meditating on His word that applies to your problem) and then wait with expectancy to see how He intervenes. AFFIRMATIONS: I live with expectation, I pray with expectation, I listen with expectation -- I hear HIS VOICE. I take time to listen to the Lord to hear strategies for myself, my family, and the needs of the Kingdom. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Ephesians 3:19 - "And to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fulness of God." THERE IS A PLACE GREATER THAN KNOWLEDGE WHERE WE ABIDE IN CHRIST'S LOVE. THIS IS, INDEED, THE STRONGHOLD OF GOD. IT IS A PLACE WHERE OUR KNOWLEDGE OF GOD IS FULFILLED WITH THE SUBSTANCE OF GOD. WE CANNOT TRULY KNOW GOD WITHOUT, IN SOME WAY, ALSO EXPERIENCING HIS PERSON. WE MUST SEEK HIM UNTIL WE PASS THROUGH OUR KNOWLEDGE INTO AN ENCOUNTER WITH THE ALMIGHTY. WE MUST LEARN HOW TO LISTEN TO HIM; AS WE HEAR, OUR CALL IS TO THEN ASCEND HIGHER TO THE DWELLING PLACE OF LOVE THAT FLOODS OUR BEING WITH HIMSELF. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 - "May the God of peace Himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." Observation: WHEN THE WORD OF GOD IS ABIDING IN ME AND FUNCTIONING PROPERLY, IT WORKS ON ME FIRST BEFORE IT WORKS ON MY CIRCUMSTANCES, "SEPARATING" MY SPIRIT, MY SOUL (MIND, WILL, AND EMOTIONS), AND MY BODY AND GETTING MY SPIRIT INTO A POSITION WHERE I CAN HEAR GOD WITHOUT THE INFLUENCE OF MY SOUL OR BODY. Ephesians 1:17,19,20 - "That He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the deep and intimate knowledge of Him. And so that you can know and understand what is the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His power in and for us who believe, as demonstrated in the working of His mighty strength. Which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places." The Holy Spirit within the believer ministers truth by revelation. In other words, it is revealed, not figured out. God does not talk to our brains! He speaks to the spirit of man. Jesus never said that water would flow out of your head, but that, "Out of your innermost being would flow rivers of living water." John 7:36 This is the ultimate Christianity -- communication and communion with the Holy Spirit, knowing more and more about Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. Affirmation: I KNOW THE MIRACLE OF RESURRECTION FOR ME IS -- JESUS IS THE POWER AND THE POWER IS ALWAYS PRESENT -- THAT SAME POWER THAT RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD, ENABLES ME TO RISE OUT OF MY ADVERSE CIRCUMSTANCES AND STEP INTO THE PURPOSES OF GOD FOR MY LIFE. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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The real success of any life will be because of this knowledge, "Thou art the Christ." This knowledge is the rock foundation, "and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 16:18,19). This knowledge of our right standing with God -- this life of faith that we have come into -- it is because of this rock foundation that we have this living faith, and that foundation cannot be overthrown. He has given us power to bind and loose. "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the FAITH OF THE SON OF GOD, who loved me, and gave himself for me." - Galatians 2:20 KJV Knowing that you are on this rock foundation (living through His faith) and able to bind and to loose; and to have that living faith that you can pray and know you have the answer because of God's promises, and the fact that Jesus said, "If Ye believe." It is on this rock that our faith must be based, and this will never fail; God has established it forever. THE MIND AND WILL OF GOD There is only one place where we can get the mind and will of God; it is alone with God; if you look to anybody else you cannot get it. If we seek to save ourselves we shall never reach the place where we will be able to bind and loose. There is a close companionship between you and Jesus that nobody knows about, where every day you have to choose or refuse. It is in the narrow way that you get the power to bind and the power to loose. We are not going to have faith if we do not give ourselves wholly up to Him. THE ROCK FOUNDATION IN YOU Some believers are weak today because Christ the rock is not abiding in them in the manifestations of the power of God. This is not because it is a special gift -- this power to loose and to bind -- but it is whether you have the rock foundation in you. In the name of Jesus you will loose, and in the name of Jesus you will bind, and if He is in you it ought to bring forth evidences of that power. There is a Spirit that dwells within us, and this is nothing less than the life of Him who gave Himself for us, for He is the Rock life in us. The rock is within you, you have power to bind and power to loose because you consist of that Rock. What you have to do is to stand on that fact and use that power. Wherever you are you can set people free. That power is yours. God is delighted when we use the power He has given us. QUESTION TO ASK MYSELF: Will I use the power of the Rock within me, for His glory? ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Matthew 6:13 - "For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever." THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS HIS POSSESSION, WHICH IS WHY HE ALONE CAN GIVE IT TO US. WHEN WE DECLARE THAT REALITY WE MOVE INTO DECLARATIONS OF PRAISE! THE LORD'S PRAYER HAS TWO MAIN OBJECTIVES: (1) MINISTER TO GOD OUT OF AN INTIMATE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP; AND, (2) BRING THE REALITY OF HIS RULERSHIP (THE KINGDOM) TO EARTH. Ephesians 2:6 - "And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." When Jesus decided to multiply the bread, He did not do it for just a few friends, He waited until He had a crowd of 5000! When He turned the water into wine He did not just make a few bottles - He made about 120 gallons! He was trying to show His disciples how to think big. There was no way that they could exhaust heaven's supply of bread or wine. All of the things that overwhelm our thinking each day would not even be able to register as a thought if we were truly seated with Christ in the heavenly places. Affirmations: MY FUTURE IS BIGGER THAN MY GREATEST THOUGHTS CAN YET COMPREHEND. JESUS CAME TO SHOW ME HOW TO START THINKING FROM HIS PERSPECTIVE IN HEAVEN. Psalm 115:8 - "They who make idols are like them; so are all who trust in and lean on them." IF OUR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT GOD IS NOT CHARGED WITH THE LIFE AND POWER OF GOD, MERE KNOWLEDGE BECOMES AN IDOL IN OUR MINDS. IT IS EASY FOR US TO HAVE IDEAS AND IMAGES OF GOD THAT ARE UNTRUE, WHICH THE HOLY SPIRIT WOULD REMOVE IF WE WOULD LET HIM. THE POWER OF CHRIST'S LIFE IS FILTERED AND PROPORTIONALLY DIMINISHED BY THE NUMBER OF THESE WRONG IMAGES EXISTING WITHIN US. Matthew 24:4 - "Jesus answered them, 'Be careful that no one misleads you (deceiving you and leading you into error).'" ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Matthew 6:13 - "And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." There is no temptation or sin in heaven. This prayer does not imply that God wants to tempt us. We know from James 1:13 that it is impossible for God to entice us to sin. This kind of praying is important because it requires us to face our need for grace. It helps us to align our heart with heaven -- one of absolute dependency on God. The phrase "deliver us from evil", as it is traditionally rendered, actually means, "deliver us from the evil one." A heart modeled after heaven has great success in spiritual warfare. Jesus was able to say, "satan has nothing in me." The believer is to be completely free from all satanic influence and attachments. That is the cry voiced in this prayer. James 4:7 - "So be subject to God. Resist the devil (stand firm against him), and he will flee from you." Colossians 1:12,13 - "Giving thanks unto the Father ...Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son." Many believers limit God without even realizing it by training their eyes on the limited resources of this world rather than the unlimited riches of God's Kingdom. Their faith fails when they think of the troubled economy on the earth or of the scarcity that surrounds them. The Bible says God has "delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son." To be translated means to be taken out of one place and put into another. In other words, your citizenship is not primarily of this earth...you are first and foremost a citizen of the Kingdom of God. That means this planet doesn't have any right to dictate to you whether your needs are met or not. The Bible says God will meet your needs according to His riches in glory! (Philippians 4:19) AFFIRMATIONS: I wake up to the fact that I've been translated out of a world of poverty into a kingdom of abundance. Heaven's unlimited resources are available to me! John 8:32 - "If you abide in My word, you are truly My disciples. And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free." Some have thought being nice was of the same essence as knowing the truth. It is not. We can thank our parents that we are nice but, if we would know the truth, we must seek God and be willing to obey Him. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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2 Corinthians 10:4 says, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds." How is gratitude a weapon? ASPECTS OF GRATITUDE: Gratitude means being grateful not only for what God has already done but for what He is about to do. Combining faith with gratitude multiplies the power of this spiritual weapon. The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy. He uses fear to capture hearts. He uses lies to capture land. Gratitude prevents him. Gratitude actually takes territory from the enemy. Thus, gratitude is a weapon in spiritual warfare. Gratitude creates an atmosphere for increase. Look at all of the traps gratitude helps you avoid: self-pity, entitlement, resentment, greed, lust, and anger are a few. See what a great strategy gratitude is? Gratitude helps you avoid disappointment and indignation. As an active strategy for wellness, it promotes healing. It leaves little room for fear. Gratitude and contentment enhance godliness as you set your affection on things above and not things below. That is great gain. ALLOWING HIS LOVE TO INFUSE YOUR HEART AND WORDS The weapons we use are either from God or from the enemy. When we use the enemy's weapons of fear, hatred, criticism, complaining, judging and taking offense, we let him steal our identity, kill our hope and destroy our future. We can't let temporal facts cloud our understanding of eternal truth. Jesus said, "Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near" (Luke 21:28). By imagining worst case scenarios, you make things worse than they are. You will not win the world with your logic, you will win the world with love. There is no logic that can explain His love. So let His love flow through your heart, peace dictate your thoughts, and compassion craft your words. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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If we are to experience RESTORATION, we must believe in one true God and in His living Word. God promised us this very thing through Joel: "I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust, my great army which I sent among you" (Joel 2:25). What a magnificent promise. Do you believe it? They may not always line up with our time frame, but always with His. To restore means that God makes restitution for what has been taken. It means to complete, finish, and to make safe. Interestingly enough, the Hebrew word for restoration is the root word of shalom, which means that God makes us whole, He strengthens us, and restores our peace. When God says that He will restore to us what the locusts have eaten, He is promising to make us WHOLE AND COMPLETE, which will in turn lead us into our DESTINIES. John 14:6,7 - "Jesus saith unto him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known My Father also: and from henceforth ye know Him, and have seen Him.'" Unless we can be corrected, unless we are seeking God for an unfolding revelation of His Son, our so-called "faith" may be, in reality, just a lazy indifference, a deception concerning the things of God. Subconsciously, we may actually want a dead religion so we do not have to change. True faith is freighted with the power of God. Timothy 3:5 - "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. " "The enemy comes to kill, steal, and destroy, but I am come that they may have life and have it more abundantly" - (John 10:10). We know that the enemy's strategy is to create destruction in our lives. Yet, Jesus said He came to give us abundant life! The word life is translated "Zoe" in the Greek, which means THE GOD KIND OF LIFE. You are called to live the God kind of life! This life is not a life of lack but a life of abundance; a life of overflow! Do not settle for anything that is not God's best! God wants the very best for His children! AFFIRMATIONS: God is calling for me to arise and take a strong stand against the works of darkness (Jude 1-4). I am to take the land. I lay hold of the promises of God, take Him at His word, and stand firm in faith. Rather than just being content to sit and hear, I become an activator of the Word. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Matthew 6:11 - "Give us this day our daily bread". IS ANYONE STARVING IN HEAVEN? HEAVEN SETS THE STANDARD FOR A CHRISTIAN'S MATERIAL WORLD - ENOUGH TO SATISFY THE DESIRES BORN OF GOD AND ENOUGH "FOR EVERY GOOD WORK." OUR LEGAL BASIS FOR PROVISION COMES FROM THE HEAVENLY MODEL GIVEN TO US IN CHRIST JESUS: "AND MY GOD SHALL SUPPLY ALL YOUR NEED ACCORDING TO HIS RICHES IN GLORY BY CHRIST JESUS." ACCORDING TO WHAT? HIS RICHES. WHERE? IN GLORY. HEAVEN'S RESOURCES ARE TO AFFECT US HERE AND NOW. 2 Corinthians 9:8 - "And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need, be self-sufficient - possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation." Ephesians 2:8 - "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." Paul says that grace saves us "through faith." Faith unlocks the power of grace and releases it to function in our world--and faith itself is another gift of God. The difference between both gifts is, the grace-gift must be activated by the faith-gift. WE MUST: 1. Believe that God is "rich in mercy". 2. We must accept as true that God loves us with "great love." 3. We must not doubt that He atoned for "our transgressions." 4. We must be confident we are "alive together with Christ." John 1:16 - "For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace." AFFIRMATIONS: I don't postpone my breakthrough -- I believe that God's grace is here to release me! I don't run from the mountains in my life -- I face them with faith -- and shout "Grace, grace" to them and let God make my mountains into "a plain." I speak to the mountain of discouragement, sickness or financial need -- GRACE, GRACE! John 17:17 - "Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth." Jesus was saying, "Father, purify them of the lies and illusions of this age through your penetrating word." Paul tells us that Christ sanctifies the church by cleansing her "by washing of water through the word....that she should be holy and blameless." (Ephesians 5:26,27) This then, embracing that truth and allowing the word of truth to do its work of sanctification (THROUGH AFFIRMATION, MEDITATION, AND SEEING YOURSELFIN THE TRUTH), cleansing and purification in our lives, is the process through which we become holy. Loving the truth is the beginning of our freedom from sin. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Matthew 6:10 - "Your Kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." This is the primary focus for all prayer -- if it exists in heaven, it is to be "loosed" on earth. It's the praying Christian who "looses" heaven's expression here. When the believer prays according the revealed will of God, faith is specific and focused. Faith grabs hold of that reality. Enduring faith doesn't let go. Such an invasion causes the circumstances here to line up with heaven. Matthew 16:19 - "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. (NAS)" Romans 1:24,25 - "Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator - who is forever praised." EVERY SIN IS THE EXCHANGE OF THE TRUTH OF GOD FOR A LIE. CHRISTIANS, WHO TEND TO AUTOMATICALLY ASSUME THEY ARE THE "CHOSEN OF GOD," HAVE REASSURED THEMSELVES THAT THEY COULD NOT POSSIBLY BE DECEIVED. THE VERY THOUGHT, "I CANNOT BE DECEIVED" IS ITSELF A DECEPTION. MANY TESTS AWAIT THE "CALLED" BEFORE THEY ARE EQUIPPED BY GOD AND BECOME HIS CHOSEN; NOT THE LEAST OF THESE TESTS IS BECOMING FREE FROM DECEPTION. Matthew 22:14 - "Many are called but few are chosen." John 14:30 - ".......for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me." Pauperhood is relegated to the children of a lesser god. He is the one who assigns them to a life of poverty, pain, and depression through a diabolical play of illusion. He hopes to conceal their true identity forever. This evil prince feeds his captives the poisonous rations of religion, convincing them they will fill their soul's hunger for righteousness. These slaves, blindfolded by their sin, think that they are laboring for their own freedom and work to pave their way out of prison with bricks built from the miry clay of self-righteousness. Yet, unknowingly, brick by brick, they are erecting their own chambers of death. Worse yet, they birth children into the same darkness, ultimately creating legacies of bondage with mind-sets of hopelessness. Affirmations: I AM NOT JUST A SOLDIER OF THE CROSS; I AM AN HEIR TO THE THRONE. THE DIVINE NATURE PERMEATES MY SOUL, TRANSFORMS MY MIND, TRANSPLANTS MY HEART, AND TRANSFIGURES MY SPIRIT. I WAS MADE TO BE A VESSEL OF HIS GLORY AND VEHICLE OF HIS LIGHT. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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Hebrews 4:12 - "For the word of God is quick (or living), and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." THE REASON THE WORD OF GOD IS NOT POWERFUL IN MANY PEOPLE IS THAT IT HAS NOT BECOME "QUICK" TO THEM YET. THE WORD IS NOT ALIVE TO THEM; IT IS NOT LIVING AND ABIDING IN THEM, SO NO POWER IS PRODUCED. HOW DOES THE WORD BECOME 'QUICK," OR ALIVE, IN A PERSON'S LIFE? BY HIS OR HER ABIDING IN IT. THEN, ACCORDING TO HEBREWS 4:12, AFTER IT BECOMES ALIVE, IT BECOMES POWERFUL IN HIS OR HER LIFE! YOUR MIND AND YOUR BODY AREN'T GOING TO PAY ANY ATTENTION TO THE WORD UNTIL YOU GET THE WORD INTO YOUR SPIRIT. John 6:63 - "The words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit, and they are life." OBSERVATION: My faith in God's word is not just an abiding faith; it is active -- it is aggressive by nature. It has focus and purpose, Faith grabs hold of the reality of the kingdom and forcefully and violently brings it into a collision with this natural one. An inferior kingdom cannot stand. Affirmations: JESUS IS ALIVE. HIS WORD IS ALIVE. I AM ALIVE. HIS FAITH, WHICH HAS BECOME MY FAITH, IS ALIVE. HIS FAITH IS A LIVING FORCE. HIS FAITH. HIS HOPE. HIS LOVE. ALL THREE ARE ALIVE IN ME, READY TO DO THE SAME WORKS THAT THEY DID WHEN HE WAS HERE ON EARTH IN HIS BODY. Matthew 6:9 - "Pray, therefore, like this: Our Father Who is in heaven, hallowed (kept holy) be Your name." HALLOWED MEANS RESPECTED OR REVERED. THIS IS AN EXPRESSION OF PRAISE. PRAISE AND WORSHIP ARE THE PRIMARY ACTIVITIES OF HEAVEN. AND SO IT IS TO BE FOR THE BELIEVER HERE ON EARTH. THE MORE WE LIVE AS CITIZENS OF HEAVEN, THE MORE HEAVEN'S ACTIVITIES INFECT OUR LIFESTYLES. WORSHIP IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. EVERYTHING ELSE WE DO IS TO BE AFFECTED BY OUR DEVOTION TO THIS CALL. Psalm 22:3 - "But you are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel." GOD RESPONDS WITH A LITERAL INVASION OF HEAVEN TO EARTH THROUGH THE WORSHIP OF THE BELIEVER. GOD RESPONDS TO THE PRAISES OF HIS PEOPLE AS MENTIONED IN ISAIAH 42:13 "HE SHALL GO FORTH LIKE A MIGHTY MAN; HE SHALL STIR UP HIS ZEAL LIKE A MAN OF WAR. HE SHALL CRY OUT, YES, SHOUT ALOUD; HE SHALL PREVAIL AGAINST HIS ENEMIES." ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
