Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'revelation'.
-
Psalm 138:7,8 - "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies and Your right hand will save me. The Lord will perfect that which concerns me." God has promised to revive you in the midst of trouble. He promised to perfect that which concerns you. That means your recovery from your adverse circumstances, from the schemes of the devil, your victory, and all that God has destined for you has been planned out in heaven. Pain is merely a passage to a miracle. Failure cannot happen in your life without your permission! Affirmations: SINCE I DO NOT ACCEPT WHAT I KNOW TO BE TRUE IN THE NATURAL AND ACCEPT WHAT I KNOW TO BE TRUE IN THE SPIRITUAL, THE NATURAL CHANGES. I DO NOT DEPEND ON WHAT I CAN DO, BUT ON WHAT THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD WILL DO THROUGH MY SITUATION. Zechariah 4:6 - "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts." Isaiah 43:18,19 - "Do not remember the former things; neither consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." Your enemy is anyone who would rather discuss your past than your future. When Jesus stood at the scene of the woman caught in adultery, revelation exploded. Men were present, obsessed with her mistake, ready to stone her. But, Jesus was looking at her future. With one single stroke of mercy, He removed her past: "Neither do I condemn thee"(John 8:11). Then in a masterful stroke of the Master Artist, He painted a portrait that would lead her to Her Kingdom future: "Go, and sin no more". John 5:19 - "The Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever He does, that the Son does likewise." Jesus told us the secret for His life -- "I only do what I see my Father doing." Our attention is on what God is doing or has done. If we dwell on what God hasn't done we create an occasion for offense. If we dwell on what God has done we create an occasion for thankfulness. A kingdom mind-set doesn't accuse God. A kingdom mindset doesn't gain information to support accusation against God. Because it burns with the conviction that He is good. With that as the cornerstone of our theology, we work from there towards the issues of life. Anything that you think you know about God that you can't find in the person of Jesus, you have reason to question. Jesus Christ is perfect theology -- He is the exact image of the Father. That is our message. He is not part of the message -- He is the message. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
-
Romans 12:2 - "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." That word transformed is translated from the Greek word from which we get the term "metamorphosis." It's used in Scripture in two other places - when Jesus was transfigured on the Mount as He spoke with Moses and Elijah - and in 2 Corinthians 3:18. It says, "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." Changed, transformed, transfigured! Those are powerful, exciting words, and they describe what will happen to you as you spend time beholding the Lord in the Word and in prayer. As you spend time renewing your mind, your outer being will be transformed in much the same way as a caterpillar is changed into a butterfly. Affirmations: INSTEAD OF CONFORMING TO THE IMAGE OF THE WORLD I BEGIN TO CONFORM TO THE IMAGE OF THE REBORN SPIRIT WITHIN ME WHICH IS CREATED IN RIGHTEOUSNESS AND TRUE HOLINESS. I PREFER TIME IN THE WORD OF GOD TO COMMUNION WITH THE WORLD BECAUSE GOD IS DOING A NEW THING IN ME. Proverbs 29:18 - "Where there is no vision, the people perish." Vision makes suffering and disappointment bearable. Vision generates hope in the midst of despair and provides endurance in tribulation. Vision inspires the depressed and motivates the discouraged. Without vision, life would be a study in cyclic frustration within a whirlwind of despair. Vision is the foundation of courage and the fuel of persistence. Affirmations: I MAKE A QUALITY DECISION TO RECONNECT WITH THE VISION GOD HAS PUT IN MY HEART. I SEE BEYOND MY EYES AND LIVE FOR THE UNSEEN. MY VISION DETERMINES MY DESTINY. MY FUTURE IS NOT AHEAD OF ME - IT LIES WITHIN ME. "But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; and it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh..."Acts 2:16-19 Joel the prophet, speaking forth the Word of God, promises that this outpouring of the Spirit would bring about a dramatic release of revelatory gifts: dreams, visions, and prophetic declarations. This anointing is for every Believer, female as well as male, and young as well as old. Christ Jesus declares without Him we can accomplish absolutely nothing (see John 15:5).However, with Christ and through Christ we can achieve all things (seePhilippians 4:13). This flow of God's power was promised and prophesied in the Scriptures (see Joel 2:28). If we are to do the works of Jesus, we must walk in the anointing of Jesus. "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father." - John 14:12 The promise of power and purpose is almost unbelievable yet these promises come from the lips of our Lord. Don't be timid! Share your faith in Christ Jesus and let your light shine bright as you demonstrate His love and power to the world. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
-
John 5:39 - "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me." THIS SAYS CLEARLY THAT REVELATION IS MEANT TO BRING US INTO AN ENCOUNTER WITH GOD, AND IF IT DOESN'T, IT ONLY MAKES US MORE RELIGIOUS. RENEWING THE MIND IS NOT MERELY READING WORDS ON A PAGE AND HAVING A MOMENT OF REVELATION ABOUT A PARTICULAR VERSE. RENEWAL COMES AS REVELATION THAT LEADS YOU INTO A NEW EXPERIENCE WITH GOD. MANY CHRISTIANS HAVE AT TIMES EMBRACED A ROUTINE OF READING SCRIPTURE WITHOUT LETTING THE READING LEAD TO EXPERIENCE. Affirmation: TO RENEW MY MIND I MUST NOT JUST THINK DIFFERENTLY BUT LIVE DIFFERENTLY, IN A NEW EXPERIENCE OF THE EMPOWERMENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. Luke 14:26 - "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters - yes, even his own life - he cannot be my disciple." SOME OF JESUS' STATEMENTS ABOUT HIS OWN EARTHLY FAMILY WERE CONSIDERED MORALLY WRONG AND THE ULTIMATE IN DISHONOR BY THE CULTURE AROUND HIM. JESUS' STATEMENT WAS REVOLUTIONARY. THIS, HOWEVER, WAS NOT THE STATEMENT OF AN EXTREMIST. IT CONVEYED JESUS' JEALOUS LOVE FOR HUMANITY. HE LOVED US ENOUGH TO LEAVE HIS FATHER IN HEAVEN, AND HE EXPECTS NO LESS FROM US - ASKING US TO ABANDON ALL OTHER LOVES FOR HIM. Affirmation: AS A FOLLOWER OF JESUS I TREAT EVERYTHING ELSE AS LESSER IN COMPARISON TO HIM, THE GREATER. Luke 5:4 - "When Jesus had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." Luke 5 is a great example of the Church in our day. We have been fishing all night and have not caught much. Many of us have not ventured out of the shallow water, out of the zones of safety and comfortableness, to find the fish where they are. The fish are in the deep water; they are outside the Church, and outside our opinions and prejudices. As we are obedient to God's call and venture into the deep water and into relationships with people "on the streets," we will be overwhelmed by the response and will need to network with other churches to accommodate the great numbers of people who will come to Jesus. Matthew 4:19 - And Jesus said unto them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
-
John 14:14,15 - "(Yes) I will grant (I Myself will do for you) whatever you shall ask in My Name. If you (really) love Me, you will keep (obey) My commands." DO LIKE THE RICH YOUNG RULER, WE KNOW SOMETHING IS MISSING IN US. WE ASK THE MASTER, "WHAT STILL HOW IS IT THAT THIS PROMISE IS NOT FULFILLED FOR US? WHY IS IT THAT SUCH GREAT ANTICIPATION RESULTS IN SUCH A SMALL RETURN?I LACK?" JESUS WILL NOT SPONTANEOUSLY ANSWER OUR REQUESTS UNTIL WE INSTINCTIVELY OBEY HIS. OBEDIENCE TO HIS REQUESTS PREPARES US TO EXPERIENCE HIS INDWELLING, WHERE HIS LOVE FINDS ITS FULFILLMENT. IT IS VITAL THAT WE OBEY HIM, BUT CHRIST'S ULTIMATE GOAL IS NOT JUST OUR OBEDIENCE, BUT OUR ONENESS WITH HIM. HE IS AFTER OUR LOVE. AND WHAT IS LOVE? IT IS A PASSION FOR ONENESS. Affirmation: I AROUSE MY SPIRIT TO THE DEEP, HOLY DESIRE IN CHRIST'S PROMISE - "I WILL LOVE HIM, AND WILL DISCLOSE MYSELF TO HIM" (JOHN 14:21). Malachi 3:6 - "I am the lord, I change not." THE WORLD'S ORDER OF THINGS IS UNSURE, INDEFINITE, AND UNRELIABLE. HOWEVER, GOD HAS NO DOUBLE STANDARD. HE DOESN'T SAY ONE THING TODAY AND SOMETHING ELSE TOMORROW. Affirmations: I DEPEND ON THE WORD TO GIVE ME STABILITY WHEN EVERYTHING ELSE AROUND ME GIVES WAY. I AM CONFIDENT WHEN OTHERS ARE CONFUSED AND PEACEFUL WHEN OTHERS ARE UNDER PRESSURE BECAUSE I LET WHAT GOD SAYS SETTLE THE ISSUES OF LIFE. I AM OVERCOMING WHEN OTHERS ARE BEING OVERCOME! "For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ" - 1 Corinthians 2:16 This is a cross–reference from Isaiah 40:13 which says: "Who can fathom the Spirit of the LORD, or instruct the LORD as his counselor?" What Paul was trying to say is that along with the domain of the King comes the reality of our mind being merged with His! Under the law (OLD COVENANT), no one could understand the mind of the Lord, but under grace (NEW COVENANT), we have been given His very mind. This is the reality of a Kingdom Dweller. Our mind is no longer a battleground for the enemy, but a concourse for the Holy Ghost. According to 1 Corinthians 4:1, we are stewards of His mysteries! A steward literally means a governor. A kingdom must be in place for us to govern—and that Kingdom is His, and you are a governor of His mysteries on the earth! That being said, we no longer press in for more of what we don't have but learn all of WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST and OUR RIGHT STANDING WITH GOD which we have been granted through Christ Jesus' Blood! ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
-
John 14:12 - "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father." JESUS' LIFE WAS A MODEL OF WHAT MANKIND COULD BECOME IF IT WERE IN RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FATHER. THIS MEANT THAT EVERY TRUE BELIEVER WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THE REALM OF LIFE THAT JESUS LIVED IN. JESUS CAME AS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. HE THEN PASSED THE BATON TO US ANNOUNCING THAT WE ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. John 1:51 - "Then He said to him, 'I assure you, most solemnly I tell you all, you shall see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man!'" Genesis 28:12 - "And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it!" WHAT WAS THE INITIAL REVELATION OF THE HOUSE OF GOD? IT HAS THE PRESENCE OF GOD, A GATE TO HEAVEN, AND A LADDER WITH ANGELS ASCENDING AND DESCENDING UPON IT. THIS REVELATION SHOWS THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AT OUR DISPOSAL TO CARRY OUT THE MASTER'S PLAN. Affirmations: I AM THE TEMPLE OF GOD. I AM A DWELLING PLACE OF GOD. MY ASSIGNMENT IS TO BE A STEWARD OF THE HEAVENLY REALM. MY SPEECH DEMONSTRATES THE POWER OF GOD'S SPIRIT IN MY LIFE. Revelation 22:1 - "And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb." God leads me to the river of His Spirit, the current of clear goodness that flows without ceasing. As I step into that unfailing new life, I will want nothing else. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
-
Ephesians 2:17-19 - "And He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near; for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household." IN 2 CORINTHIANS 13:5 WE ARE EXHORTED TO "TEST YOURSELVES TO SEE IF YOU ARE IN THE FAITH; EXAMINE YOURSELVES!" ONE OF THE PRIMARY TESTS OF WHETHER WE ARE CONTINUING ON THE PATH OF LIFE IS BY THE PEACE IN OUR LIFE. JESUS IS THE PRINCE OF PEACE, AND IF WE ARE WALKING CLOSE TO HIM THERE WILL BE A PEACE IN OUR LIFE THAT EXCEEDS ANYTHING THAT CAN BE KNOWN IN THIS WORLD WITHOUT HIM. Things for Me to Consider: IF THERE IS LACK OF PEACE IN MY LIFE, THEN I HAVE DRIFTED FROM HIM. WHAT HAS COME INTO MY LIFE THAT HAS BEGUN TO ECLIPSE MY RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM? 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 - "We realize that being "at home" in the body means that to some extent we are "away" from the Lord, for we have to live by trusting Him without seeing Him. We are so sure of this that we would really rather be "away" from the body and be "at home" with the Lord." Things for Me to Consider: AM I MORE COMFORTABLE WALKING BY FAITH THAN BY WHAT I SEE? AM I BECOMING MORE AT HOME IN THE HEAVENLY REALM THAN IN THE NATURAL? WHERE IS MY HOME? WHEN I THINK OF HOME, WHERE DO I THINK OF FIRST? 2 Corinthians 4:18 -- "While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." We have two sets of ears and two sets of eyes. We have the "NATURAL SET" that we are born with, and we have a "SPIRITUAL SET" that is activated when we are born again. As we grow spiritually, we begin to see with our spiritual eyes and hear with our spiritual ears. John 5:19 - "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
-
20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. At Ephesians 1:20, we read that God the Father seated Christ at his own right hand in the heavenly realms, which implies that in some sense Christ was made or appointed as King at the time of his ascension, in a spiritual (not literal sense), over his deceased saints (in heaven). Notice the use of the word “rule” at verse 21, Christ was ruling as King, in some sense according to Paul at the time of his writing this book of Ephesians. Now I am not denying that as Yahweh God himself, Christ is eternally King and has eternally been so due to his innate divinity. Also, at the time of the second coming, Christ’s kingdom will then be extended from heaven, unto to this earth, with the entire universe being under his Kingdom rule, which then becomes both a universal rule (i.e. without any challenge or opposition), and also an eternal rule. So please don’t misquote me, as I am not claiming that Christ’s rule is currently physical or upon this earth, I believe that his kingly rule is currently a spiritual rule over the “souls” of his deceased saints in the intermediate state and is from (or in) heaven. However, Revelation 11:15 states that one day (possibly in the very near future), we shall hear voices in heaven proclaiming that the kingdom of this present world has become the kingdom of Christ, and that He (Christ) will then reign forever and ever, in a greatly expanded kingdom rule which will now be physical, and earthly. I would believe that this expansion from spiritual to physical rule happens at the second coming of Christ, others will disagree, and claim that it will happen one thousand years later, at the conclusion of the ‘millennium.’ However, it will happen, at some time in the future. The title “King of Kings” is used of Christ twice at Revelation 17:14 and 19:16, to convey the fact that at some time in the future, his rule shall be both universal and completely unopposed, as his enemies will be this time be defeated.
-
Hebrews 12:3 - "Consider Jesus that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds." THE SPIRIT OF WEARINESS IS TRYING TO WORK ITS WAY INTO OUR LIVES THESE DAYS THROUGH ALL THE PRESSURE AND BAD NEWS THAT SURROUNDS US. IT'S WORKING TO GET OUR EYES OFF THE WORD OF GOD BY BOMBARDING US WITH NEGATIVE FORCES. IT'S TRYING TO GET US TO LOOK DOWN AT DEFEAT INSTEAD OF UP AT JESUS. JESUS SAID IN MARK 4 THAT WHEN THE CARES OF THIS WORLD ENTER INTO YOUR HEART AND MIND, THEY'LL CHOKE THE WORD AND CAUSE IT TO BECOME UNFRUITFUL. AND SINCE YOUR FAITH IS THE PRODUCT OF THE WORD, THAT MEANS YOUR FAITH WILL WITHER. Affirmations: I CONSIDER JESUS THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF MY FAITH. I CONSIDER HIM INSTEAD OF THE CARES OF THIS WORLD. I GET MY EYES OFF THE CIRCUMSTANCES AROUND ME AND ONTO MY HEAVENLY SOURCE. GOD IS MY SOURCE, NOT THE WORLD. Ephesians 2:18,21,22 - "It is through Christ that all of us, Jews and Gentiles, are able to come in the one Spirit into the presence of the Father. A holy temple in the Lord; in whom we also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit." FOR WHAT PURPOSE DO WE SEEK GOD? - WE ASPIRE TO WORSHIP HIM. JESUS SAID THE FATHER IS SEEKING WORSHIPPERS. THE WORSHIP THAT SATISFIES GOD MUST ORIGINATE FROM THE HOLY PLACE, WHERE THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF MAN IS AWAKENED TO THE SPIRIT OF GOD. WORSHIP DOES NOT COME FROM ANY SYSTEM OR FORM OF SERVICE. RATHER, IT IS THE RESULT OF HAVING TRULY DISCOVERED THE ALMIGHTY ONE IN "SPIRIT AND TRUTH" (JOHN 4:23). "My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working." - John 5:17 We work and partner with what he is already doing in Heaven. The father works in heaven and we work with the Holy Spirit on earth. "So Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he "sees" the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise." We are totally dependent on the Holy Spirit to discern the Father's will, so we can partner with heaven on earth. "For the Father loves the Son, and "shows Him" all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel." - John 5:19-20 The context of the above Scriptures is Jesus and the intimacy he had with the father. In these verses we see a great key to doing his will and manifesting his power. As we affirm and meditate on these verses our expectation to "see" will grow. Jesus knew the key was in prayer and waiting. We see it and proclaim it! Once we learn how to partner with God, by seeing whatever He directs us to see in the heavens, then we learn how to speak with authority in that realm, calling it forth in prayer. Then it manifests here on the earth. What you do in that kind of experience will change what happens to you in this realm. He longs to share the secrets of His heart with those who tune their spiritual ears to listen to what His Spirit is saying. "I will stand at my guard post and station myself on the tower; and I will keep watch to see what He will say to me," -- Habakkuk 2:1 We wait, pray, look and "see" what The Lord "says to me." We must see by revelation. It is key to manifesting his power. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
-
Acts 26:16 - "But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you." Paul knew that King Agrippa's dad (King Agrippa I) was responsible at that time for the execution of James, one of the 12 disciples. Yet Paul made sure the truth was on trial, rather that His personal safety or self-esteem. Like Paul we must resist people-pleasing. Once satan identifies this weakness in believers he uses it against them to keep them ineffective. Paul allowed "crazy love" to rise up within his heart, which freed him from insecurity and fear of man. Two of the greatest obstacles to being an effective witness are the spirit of rejection and the fear of man. "In witnessing we work against the Holy Spirit when we try to make everybody feel happy all the time." - CHARLES FINNEY "There's something strangely liberating about going crazy" - D. WASHINGTON Psalm 104:2 - "Who coverest Thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain." James 1:17 - "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." Affirmations: I AM THE "LIGHT" THAT GOD HAS FATHERED. I AM A CHILD OF GOD AND, AS SUCH, THE LIGHT OF HIS PRESENCE SHINES WITHIN ME. AS MY HEART IS PURIFIED BY TRUTH, THE SPLENDOR OF GOD'S GLORY EXPANDS AROUND ME; AND LIKE MY FATHER, I ALSO COVER MYSELF "WITH LIGHT AS WITH A GARMENT" (PSALMS 104:2) Ephesians 1:3,4 - "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. According as he has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love." Many people who are doing something significant for God in the world are doing it "without their own resources" because God doesn't want us to depend on our own abilities. Instead, He wants us to be obedient by putting the vision on paper and then looking to Him to generate the funds and other resources that are needed to support His own work. Your provision, however, is usually hidden until you act on your vision. Whatever you were born to do attracts what you need to do it. Therefore, you first have to establish what you want to do, and begin to do it, before the need can be met. Most people work in reverse. They want to see the provisions before they start, but faith doesn't work that way. When we take action, then God manifests the provision. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
-
The Three Parts of the Spirit - #3 Fellowship With God Fellowship is our worship to God. The mind, the emotions, and the will are the organs of the soul and cannot worship God. God does not come through the mind, emotions or desires. God is known directly through the spirit. Man worships God and communicates with God through the spirit or ‘inner man’ and not through the soul or outward man. Luke 1:47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. Romans 1:9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; Romans 8:15-16 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: Revelation 21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. Affirmations: GOD IS A SPIRIT; AND THEY THAT WORSHIP HIM MUST WORSHIP HIM IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH. (John 6:63) I DWELL IN HIM, AND HE IS IN ME, BECAUSE HE HAS GIVEN ME OF HIS SPIRIT. (1 John 4:13) THE HOLY SPIRIT SHOWS ME WHAT I SHOULD PRAY FOR AND MAKES INTERCESSION FOR ME. (Romans 8:26) ALBERT FINCH MINSITRY
-
1 John 4:17 - "As He is, so are we in this world." AT THE AZUSA STREET REVIVAL, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO EXTINGUISH A BLAZE, ONLY TO DISCOVER THAT THE PEOPLE INSIDE WERE WORSHIPING JESUS. WATER COULDN'T PUT IT OUT AS IT WAS NOT A NATURAL FIRE. IF THE FATHER FILLED THE OLD TESTAMENT HOUSES WITH HIS GLORY, THOUGH THEY WERE BUILT BY HUMAN HANDS, HOW MUCH MORE WILL HE FILL THE PLACE THAT HE BUILDS WITH HIS OWN HANDS! HE IS BUILDING US INTO HIS ETERNAL DWELLING PLACE. Hebrews 4:29 - "For our God is indeed a consuming fire." Matthew 16:24 - "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." THE CROSS IS NOT SELF-APPLIED - JESUS DID NOT NAIL HIMSELF TO THE CROSS. IF THE DEVIL FINDS US UNINTERESTED IN EVIL, THEN HE'LL TRY TO GET US TO FOCUS ON OUR UNWORTHINESS AND INABILITY. THIS IS ESPECIALLY NOTICEABLE IN PRAYER MEETINGS WHERE PEOPLE TRY TO PROJECT GREAT BROKENNESS BEFORE GOD, HOPING TO EARN REVIVAL. THEY WILL OFTEN RE-CONFESS OLD SINS SEARCHING FOR REAL HUMILITY. IF I'M THE MAIN SUBJECT, TALKING INCESSANTLY ABOUT MY WEAKNESSES, I HAVE ENTERED INTO THE MOST SUBTLE FORM OF PRIDE. REPEATED PHRASES SUCH AS "I'M SO UNWORTHY," BECOME A NAUSEATING REPLACEMENT FOR THE DECLARATIONS OF THE WORTHINESS OF GOD. BY BEING SOLD ON MY OWN UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, THE ENEMY HAS DISENGAGED ME FROM EFFECTIVE SERVICE. TRUE BROKENNESS CAUSES COMPLETE DEPENDENCY ON GOD, MOVING US TO RADICAL OBEDIENCE THAT RELEASES THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL TO THE WORLD AROUND US. 2 Corinthians 11:3 -- "But I fear...your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." The problem is that we mistakenly strive for information when in reality we need revelation. Ephesians 1:17,18 -- "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....." 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 1 Corinthians 1:20 -- "Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?" Affirmations: AS I STUDY, AFFIRM, AND MEDITATE ON THE WORD OF GOD, I SEEK WISDOM AND REVELATION FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT. AS I ENDEAVOR TO HEAR THE VOICE OF THE LORD, I PAY ATTENTION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT INSIDE OF ME -- HE HAS THE KEYS TO UNLOCK ANY SITUATION. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
-
Ephesians 3:16 - "That according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in your inner being." WHEN WE LEARN TO RECEIVE FROM OUR SPIRIT, OUR MIND BECOMES THE STUDENT AND IS THEREFORE SUBJECT TO THE HOLY SPIRIT. THROUGH THE PROCESS OF REVELATION AND EXPERIENCE OUR MIND EVENTUALLY OBTAINS UNDERSTANDING. THAT IS BIBLICAL LEARNING - THE SPIRIT GIVING INFLUENCE TO THE MIND. Galatians 5:25 - "If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit." Romans 8:4 - "And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to our sinful nature but according to the Spirit." 2 Corinthians 5:7 - "For we walk by faith, not by sight." JESUS EXPECTS PEOPLE TO SEE FROM THE HEART. HE ONCE CALLED A GROUP OF RELIGIOUS LEADERS HYPOCRITES BECAUSE THEY COULD DISCERN THE WEATHER CONDITIONS BUT COULDN'T DISCERN THE TIMES (SPIRITUAL CLIMATE AND SEASONS). THE VERY FACT THAT THEY, OF ALL PEOPLE, WERE REQUIRED TO SEE IS EVIDENCE THAT EVERYONE HAS BEEN GIVEN THIS ABILITY. THEY BECAME BLIND TO HIS DOMINION BECAUSE OF THEIR OWN CORRUPTED HEARTS AND WERE JUDGED FOR THEIR UNFULFILLED POTENTIAL. Affirmations: I EMBRACE THE LIFE OF FAITH WHICH HAS ITS ANCHOR IN THE UNSEEN REALM. I AM NOT LIMITED BY MY NATURAL SIGHT -- FAITH PROVIDES EYES FOR THE HEART. John 10:10 - "I am come that they might have life and have it more abundantly." The word "life" is from the Greek word "Zoe". It means Eternal Life. 1 John 6:7 - "He that believeth hath Eternal Life." The Holy Spirit would have us know this fact: that believing is possessing. The instant that you believe, you have. 1 John 5:13 - "These things have I written unto you that ye may know that ye have Eternal Life, even to you that believe on His Name." You may mentally assent and never have. You may hope and never have But the instant you "believe" it is yours. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
-
John 7:18 - "He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him." The pride that comes from mere bible knowledge is divisive. It creates an appetite for one's own opinion. Those trained without a revelation that takes us to Him are trained to speak from themselves, for their own glory. This drive for knowledge without an encounter with God wars against true righteousness. Hebrews 11:6 - "But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." All Fear is rooted in the notion that God's promises won't come to pass. Fear of poverty is really fear that Philippians 4:19 (concerning God providing all my needs) won't work. Fear of sickness is really the fear that 1 Peter 2:24 (concerning god's promise to heal me) won't work. OBSERVATION: I know that God is motivated by my faith and not my fears. As I hear God's word and receive it, faith will come. Likewise, if I listen to and receive satan's word's, fear will be amplified in my life. Since I have a choice --I choose faith! Ephesians 1:3,4 - "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. According as he has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love." Many people who are doing something significant for God in the world are doing it "without their own resources" because God doesn't want us to depend on our own abilities. Instead, He wants us to be obedient by putting the vision on paper and then looking to Him to generate the funds and other resources that are needed to support His own work. Your provision, however, is usually hidden until you act on your vision. Whatever you were born to do attracts what you need to do it. Therefore, you first have to establish what you want to do, and begin to do it, before the need can be met. Affirmations: I KNOW THAT GOD WILL NEVER GIVE ME A VISION WITHOUT PROVISION. I REALIZE THAT MY PROVISION IS USUALLY HIDDEN UNTIL I ACT ON MY VISION. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
-
1 John 2:17,18 - "The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come." Religion idolizes concepts and avoids personal experience. It is the antichrist spirit that has given rise to religious spirits. Being led by the Holy Spirit is an ongoing God encounter. A religious spirit is a demonic presence that works to get us to substitute being led by our intellect instead of the Spirit of God. Galatians 5:25 - "If the Spirit is the source of our life, let the Spirit also direct our course." John 4:24 - "God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." Exodus 34:14 - "You shall not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God." The Lord did not say He was, at times, jealous; He said His name, which reveals His nature, is "Jealous". Right next to His name "I Am" is His name "Jealous". His jealousy for us is perfect. It is not the same as human jealousy: petty, possessive and insecure. His jealousy is based upon His pure love for us and His desire to bless us and fulfill our lives in Him. His love is not some ethereal principle of "higher cosmic consciousness." His love is focused upon us, actually jealous for us as individuals. AFFIRMATION: Jesus knows my name. Jesus loves me personally. Jesus gave all for me. Jesus deserves all from me. James 4:5 - "Or do you suppose it is vain that the scripture says, "He yearns jealously over the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us." John 10:3 - "To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice; and He calleth His own sheep by name, and leadeth them out." "Seeing that it will not be impossible with God to fulfill His every declaration." - Luke 1:37 There is supernatural power released in the Word of God through declaration. Jesus said (Mark 11:23) in the letter to the Hebrews (Hebrews 10:23) that we are encouraged to hold fast our confession. Once we have released our faith in the command of faith or the prayer of faith, we must continue to believe God is working regardless of any visible change. When we affirm out loud and meditate on the Word concerning our authority, the Holy Spirit writes His laws on the tablets of our hearts. As we endure as good soldiers, we hold fast to the Word until it is manifested in the seen realm. The Words of Jesus, which were given to Him by His Father, upholds all things. "And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power." - Hebrews 1:3 ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
-
John 1:32 - "And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him." THE ANOINTING JESUS RECEIVED AT HIS BAPTISM WAS THE EQUIPMENT NECESSARY, GIVEN BY THE FATHER TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR HIM TO LIVE BEYOND HUMAN LIMITATIONS. HE WAS TO UNVEIL THE FATHER'S REALM CALLED HEAVEN. THAT WOULD INCLUDE DOING SUPERNATURAL THINGS. THE ANOINTING IS WHAT LINKED JESUS, THE MAN, TO THE DIVINE, ENABLING HIM TO DESTROY THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL. THESE MIRACULOUS WAYS HELPED TO SET SOMETHING IN MOTION THAT MANKIND COULD INHERIT ONCE WE WERE REDEEMED. HEAVEN -- THAT SUPERNATURAL REALM -- WAS TO BECOME MANKIND'S DAILY BREAD. Romans 10:8 - "The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach." Affirmations: THE WORD OF GOD IN MY MOUTH IS SPOKEN INTO MY HEART. I CAN HEAR ABOUT THE WORD. I CAN LEARN ABOUT THE WORD. I CAN REJOICE OVER THE WORD. BUT UNTIL I SPEAK THE WORD, IT HAS NOT REACHED ITS HIGHEST FORM. THE WORDS I SPEAK -- IF THEY ARE WORDS OF LIFE -- GIVE LIFE, QUICKEN, MAKE ALIVE. John 6:63 - "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." "For we are HIS workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." - Ephesians 2:10 This is not a time for any Believer or leader in the Body of Christ to be humdrum, expecting only what we have seen and experienced before. We have never been where we are going now (see Joshua 3:4). We all must prepare for what is ahead: The call to embrace the awe of Almighty God. A wonderful, reverential fear of the Lord is returning to the people of God, releasing the wisdom of God (see Psalm 111:10), as God's people return to a radical love for Christ and action regarding God's PURPOSE for their life supported by that love. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
-
(ATTITUDES OF THE SIN CONSCIOUSNESS) Which of the following "Attitudes Of The Sin Consciousness" are adversely affecting your spiritual growth and development: 1. When I stand before God sometimes I have a sense of inferiority, guilt, or condemnation. "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned." - John 5:24 "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." - Romans 8:1 2. The only destiny God has for me is the life I am living now. "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 "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." - Philippians 1:6 "Forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 3:13,14 3. God is operating outside of me. "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing." - John 15:5 "For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." - Philippians 2:13 "To whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." -Colossians 1:27 4. Jesus lived on earth at a level above what I could ever hope to be. "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." - Matthew 16:19 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. - John 14:12 5. My righteousness is to be obtained after I die and go to heaven. "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 "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." - 2 Corinthians 5:21 6. Sometimes I do not feel like God has forgiven all my sins. "If we confess your sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." - 1 John 1:9 "For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." - Colossians 1:13,14 7. Some days I feel like I am saved and some days I feel unsaved. "Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy." - Jude 24 "For we walk by faith and not by sight." - 2 Corinthians 5:7 "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved." - Romans 10:13 "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." - Acts 16:31 8. I can never be of real help to others because I keep sinning. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus." - Romans 3:23,24 "Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation." - 2 Corinthians 5:18 9. I will please God if I work on not sinning. "And may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith." - Philippians 3:9 "And you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? - Galatians 3:3 "But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace." - Romans 11:6 INTO ACTION: 1. Make a list of the sin consciousness attitudes that may be causing you a problem in your spiritual development. 2. Affirm and meditate on the indicated scriptures several times daily until the renewing of your mind is made real to your spirit. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
-
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
-
"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
-
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
-
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
-
Philippians 3:12 -- "But I keep going on, trying to grasp that purpose for which Christ Jesus grasped me." Psalm 63:1 -- "O God, You are my God, earnestly will I seek You: my inner self thirsts for you, in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water." OBSERVATIONS: I do not want to just give mental assent to Christian doctrine. I want to see, have contact with, and live in the experienced reality of Christ's actual presence. I want to press into God to lay hold of the purpose for which Christ Jesus has saved me and wants me to be. INTO ACTION: What are you doing to commune with, embrace, and press into the Lord Jesus? ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
-
1 John 2:20 - "But you have an unction from the Holy One, and you know all things." Observation: WHERE IS THAT UNCTION? - IT'S IN MY SPIRIT. I LEARN TO LIVE OUT OF MY SPIRIT IN EVERY AREA OF MY LIFE. I EVEN NEED TO LIVE OUT OF MY SPIRIT WHEN I'M LEARNING ABOUT SPIRITUAL THINGS. I LET MY SPIRIT MAN RISE UP AND LET MY TONGUE SPEAK IN LINE WITH MY HEART, WITH MY BELIEVING. THE WAY I LOOSE THE SPIRIT OF GOD INTO MY LIFE IS THROUGH MY WORDS - THROUGH MY RIGHT SPEAKING. John 4:24 - "God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 - "And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. So God will allow them to believe a deluding influence with all their hearts, and all of them will be justly judged for believing falsehood, refusing the Truth, and enjoying their sins." The freedom that comes from knowing the truth is freedom from sin and its consequences. For those who do not love the truth, God allows a "deluding influence" (Greek: An "Activity of error") to come upon them. Each area of our lives where truth is not ruling has for its substitute an "activity of error." Each area of our lives that is controlled by sin is an aspect of our soul that is under deception. John 8: 31,32 - "If you continue in my Word, then you are my disciples indeed; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." 2 Corinthians 10:5 - "We destroy arguments and every proud obstacle to the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience...." Nothing is to hinder the seed of DESTINY God has planted in us. We are to breakout of small mindedness (unforgiveness), old mind-sets, and human thinking and enter into the MIND AND PLANS OF GOD FOR OUR LIVES. It is only our lack of failure to obey that hinders the breakout. Affirmations: I CONFESS THAT I WALK IN FORGIVENESS! OFFENSE, BITTERNESS, STRIFE, AND UNFORGIVENESS HAVE NO PLACE IN MY LIFE. I AM FULL OF MERCY, LONGSUFFERING, AND SLOW TO ANGER. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
-
1 Corinthians 2:9 - "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him." Observation: CREATIVE ART IS PRODUCED BY THE SOUL (MIND, WILL, AND EMOTIONS) AND CAN ALSO BE CALLED IMAGINATIVE ART. CREATIVE ART CAN CHANGE A PERSON FOR THE SHORT-TERM, BUT IT HAS NO LONG-TERM EFFECT ON ITS VIEWERS. SPIRITUAL ART FLOWS FROM OUR SPIRIT'S COMMUNION WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. THE SPIRIT THEN USES THE SOUL AND BODY TO PRODUCE INCREDIBLE WORK. TOO OFTEN WE HAVE SETTLED FOR CREATING FROM OUR SOUL OR BODY WHEN A HIGHER CALL HAS BEEN TRYING TO REACH US. MAY WE LEARN TO CREATE FROM OUR SPIRIT, SEEING SPIRITUAL FRUIT THAT COMES FROM OUR ENDEAVORS. Ephesians 3:19 - "That you may really come to know through experience for yourselves the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge (without experience): that you may be filled (through your whole being) unto all the fullness of God (may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God himself)." THE ANCIENT GREEKS HAD NO WORD FOR "REALITY." TO THEM, "TRUTH" AND "REALITY," IN ESSENCE, WERE THE SAME. INDEED, THE HOLY SPIRIT'S PURPOSE IS TO LEAD US INTO ALL THE TRUTH, THAT IS, INTO THE FULNESS OF THE REALITY OF GOD. PETER DID NOT SUCCUMB UNDER THE CONVICTING POWER OF "RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE" - HE MET THE REALITY OF JESUS CHRIST! ON THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS, PAUL WAS NOT BLINDED AND DEVASTATED BY A "NEW DOCTRINE" - HE MET THE REALITY OF JESUS CHRIST! WHEN JOHN BEHELD OUR GLORIFIED LORD ON PATMOS, IT WAS NOT A "NEW SPIRITUAL INSIGHT" THAT LEFT HIM SLAIN AS A DEAD MAN -- HE BEHELD JESUS CHRIST! IT IS THIS EXPLOSIVE REVELATION OF CHRIST HIMSELF THAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE GRACE OF GOD. "Consider the ROCK from which you were cut, the quarry from which you were mined." - Isaiah 51:1-2 Our adversary has been busy in an effort to distract us and dull our memory of who we are and Whose we are, where we've come from and where we're going. Religious spirits are experts at getting us to fear things we do not understand, compare ourselves to others, and compete with one another. Even as a child, the enemy tried to subvert or supplant our view of who we are and replace it with a corrupt view of our own self, implanting painful or confusing incidents that changed our perception of ourselves. He brought people into our life who treated us as though we were something we are not. They've released the enemy's poison and venom and seeds of poisonous, corrupt theories of who we are in order to blind us to the reality of who God DESTINED us to be. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
-
Matthew 6:6 - "When you pray, go into your inner room, and when you have shut your door, pray." For us to enter our "closet" (set apart place) to pray requires that we actively and determinedly MAKE ROOM, where there is no room. For us to establish a "set apart time and place" for prayer, and then maintain this time for prayer, does not come easily. Therefore, we must place a high value on the time that we spend alone with the Lord, or it will be overtaken and replaced with activities. This "set apart time to be alone with the Lord" must constantly be contended for. Our Lord is very sensitive about "room being made" for Him, as, when He was born into this world, there was "no room" in the inn. Thus, when anyone of us actively determines to make room for Him, He quickly notices and responds. Observation: CHRIST DESIRES FOR ME TO LEAVE THE FAMILIAR, DISTRACTING WORLD OF MY SENSES AND ABIDE IN THE WORLD OF MY HEART, BEARING IN MIND THAT THE HIGHEST GOAL OF PRAYER IS TO FIND GOD. EVERY MINUTE I SEE GOD IS A MINUTE ENRICHED WITH NEW LIFE AND NEW POWER FROM GOD. Affirmation: I PERSIST DAY BY DAY, AND WEEK BY WEEK, UNTIL I HAVE DRAWN NEAR ENOUGH TO GOD THAT I CAN HEAR HIS VOICE. Matthew 7:8 - "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." John 17:3 - "And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou has sent." ULTIMATELY OUR WORK OF MINISTRY WILL ONLY LAST IF WE PROVOKE PEOPLE TO SEEK AND COME TO KNOW JESUS CHRIST. WHILE WE ARE CALLED TO DO GOOD WORKS, AND HELP PEOPLE PRACTICALLY, OUR PRIMARY CALLING IS TO INSPIRE PEOPLE TO SEEK GOD. AND THAT WILL ONLY COME AS WE MAKE MEETING WITH HIM OUR PRIMARY CALLING AND WORK. Song of Solomon 4:16 - "Arise, north wind, and come south wind; blow through my garden and let its spices flow out." INVITE THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE SPIRIT OF LIFE, TO COME AND BREATHE THROUGH YOU. DESIRE THAT YOUR GARDEN BE FILLED WITH FLOWERS AND FRUITS AND THAT ITS FRAGRANCE DRAW OTHERS TO HIM. THE BRIDEGROOM (JESUS) WANTS YOUR RESURRECTION TO BE QUICK SO THAT YOU MIGHT RECEIVE NEW LIFE BY THE BREATH OF THE SPIRIT. THE SPIRIT WILL BRING YOU TO LIFE. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
-
The very first miracle of Jesus turning water into wine in John 2 provides some clues as to how we might access the reality of what we have read and studied in His Word. There was a wedding in Cana of Galilee. Jesus was there and a need arose. Jesus was asked, and He responded by turning the water into wine. He thus openly revealed His glory for the first time in public. This miracle opened the flow for others, and Jesus went on to heal the official's son, then the invalid by the pool of Bethesda (see John 4 & 5). Jesus revealed the source of these first three miracles by saying: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by Himself; He can only do what He sees the Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all He does. Yes, to your amazement He will show Him even greater things than these"- John 5:19-20 NIV. The New Living Translation sheds further light on verse 20 of John chapter 5: "For the Father loves the Son and shows Him everything He is doing. In fact, the Father will show Him how to do even greater works than healing this man. Then you will truly be astonished." WE CAN ASK THE FATHER TO SHOW US HOW From these verses, we learn that Jesus could do only what He saw the Father doing, and that the Father would show Him how to do even greater works. As we abide in Him, hear His heartbeat, and get onto His page, we too can ask the Father: FIRSTLY to show us what He is doing, and then to show us how to do even greater works. SECONDLY, the miracle occurred to meet a need and because Jesus was asked. May we have the courage to ask Him to meet our needs and the needs of others. THIRDLY, we note that the miracle was done in public, revealing His glory for the first time and opening the flow for the ensuing miracles. Let us pray for the breakthrough of the revelation of His glory which will allow the flow of His miracles through our lives. When seeing the things of God, we still have our physical eyes on what we view in the natural realm, but we need to ask the Lord to give us the Spirit of revelation in order to open the eyes of our hearts so we can look beyond the physical into the Spirit realm, enabling us to realize the full depth of what God sees in the situation. Our seeing beyond the natural or outside the box may well require us to step out in faith. Peter modeled this for us when Jesus bade him to "come" and he stepped out of the boat onto the water. God promises when we step out in faith at His bidding, that the unknown beneath our feet will become solid ground. John 14:12 - "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father." Jeremiah 33:3 - "Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know." PRAYER FOR US TO SEE AND DO: Lord, please show me what You are doing. Please show me how to do even greater works. Bid me to come, to step out of the boat onto the water into theDESTINY You have prepared for me, and to add action to my faith. Take me outside the box of my current understanding and grant to me the spirit of wisdom and revelation so that I will not judge by what my eyes see in the natural, but that by the power of Your Holy Spirit I will begin to see and hear and feel and taste and touch the reality of what I have read and studied in Your Book! May I delight in what You show me, then step out and follow Your lead. In Jesus name, amen. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
