His Name Shall Be Called Wonderful

And A Child Is Born Unto Us

Have you found that special gift yet?  Whatever the gift may be, I'm going to tell you today of the greatest gift that ever was. What is your gift wrapped in? Perhaps a beautiful Christmas paper of the best quality and design! Or maybe just newspaper or brown paper bag!  Whatever your gift may be wrapped in it is not the paper that it comes in but the love behind the gift.

The greatest gift ever that I'm talking about came wrapped in rags and His name was Emmanuel, G-d with us.  You would think that He would have been wrapped in a robe and born in a King's Palace. But there was not even room for Him in the Inn.

Luke 2:7 says, "And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the Inn."

Love is the most important gift of all. Love is what the Father gave us. "For G-d so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, and He that believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16.

Mary laid Him in the manger.  Powerful influential men came and bowed before him and worshiped him with gifts of gold, myrth and Frankincense. I can't sing very well but I try always to make a joyful sound to Him. Sometimes, I just burst out singing that old hymnal, "He came to me when I couldn't go to Him but He came to ME!" Aren't you glad that He came to you and to all of us?"

The best and most wonderful of G-d. G-d walked through 42 generations before He sent His Son to us. That ought to make somebody shout a praise.  G-d found Mary and she conceived a Son, and His name was called Emmanuel, wonderful, counselor.

The birth of Jesus is powerful.  The prophet Isaiah tells us that we must make it personal. He came and lifted burdens, people bound in chains were freed. People that were slaves to sin and possessed no hope from within became full of joy with hope again. Jesus picked me up from a dark pit and gave me life and light. His sweet love came to me and He came to make it personal to me.

In my darkest hour He came to me! It's simply the greatest gift, that He came to us.  "A child is born." That speaks to us to His humanity. No one ever came to us that understood us like Jesus.  Jesus was betrayed and disappointed.  He was acquainted with grief and sorrow.

Unto us a Son is given. The Son that taketh away the sins of the world. Jesus was there all along. He spoke the creation into being. He created the moon and the stars. 1 John 3:2 says,"Beloved, now we are children of G-d; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like him, for we shall see Him as He is."

We shall see Him as He is! This is what happens when He comes into your spirit. It is through G-d's Son we have been redeemed.  There's no other name by which we can be saved.  G-d gave His Son to the whole world. The preaching of the word is powerful to those who are perishing.  Jesus ascended up to His Father, a redemption  that He set with His own blood.

He breaks shackles from the gutter to the most gutter. We are nothing without Him.  Isaiah 7:14 says, "I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High, without Him you will be brought low to the lowest depths of the Pit."

If we had chosen how our Savior would come, we probably would have chosen a silk and linen robe.  But G-d wrapped Him in swaddling clothes. (Most likely worn Jewish cloths) He's the greatest story ever told and yet was born in a stable.  You can sit in your church and hear this story over and over and if you ignore it, which some will, you will continue to sink deeper and deeper into the depth of the pit. Jesus is the only way to the light and to the Father.

In Luke 2:11 the prophet said His name shall be called wonderful counselor.  His name is Jesus. We couldn't go to where He was but He came to us. He is man's advocate and intercessor. 1 Timothy 2:5-6 says, "For there is one G-d and one Mediator between G-d and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time."

Jesus identified Himself with us and He loved us so much that he condescended from His throne and said, I'll come in your midst so I can see your condition.  When we get to heaven we will see a man and 100 % G-d as well.  Jesus is the negotiator that bridges the gap between us and G-d.  He is touched by our infirmities.  He is our lawyer. He has never lost a case and never will.

If you will kneel at the cross, go in the secret place of prayer, He will come to you!  He is our High Priest and He sprinkles our words with incense, and as they go up to the throne they become sweet incense to G-d's nostrils.  He is the mighty G-d that spoke, let there be light.  He hung the world on nothing but His spoken word. He flung the stars with His fingers.  He's the mighty G-d that is my anchor and speaks to the wind and they blow over the oceans with a roar.

Matthew 11:28 Jesus says, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."  If the problems have mounted up and you can't seem to find a way, come to Jesus in the secret place of prayer. He's the everlasting Father. Revelation 1:8 says,"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, says the Lord, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." The Palmist said He is from everlasting to everlasting.

Jesus will never vacate His throne.  He created all things.  In Him was life and that light shined into the darkness and the darkness could not comprehend it.  Your heart should leap for joy and bubble up with a message like this.  He will bring down your walls and snatch you out. He will break every shackle in your life and set you free.

Not only is He the wonderful counselor and Almighty G-d but He's the Prince of Peace.  In a world that is full of discord and pain, He stands alone as the Prince of Peace. John 4:27 says,"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of G-d; and everyone who loves is born of G-d and knows G-d."

Jesus can conquer your fear. He's our mighty conqueror.  Thanks be unto G-d that causes us to always conquer.  Our faith is awakened by G-d. Our High Priest sits on the throne in His Majesty. All these names we call Him are beautiful but what is the name that causes all men to bow? There is no other name above it, He shall save and His name is Jesus.  He can save you and give you joy unspeakable. The greatest gift and story of all.  Summed up, He is John 3:16 and He came to us!

I pray this season that Jesus will be very personal to you.  He died to save us all.  He came to me when I was bound and possessed with no hope from within, and He drew me to His side and now I sweetly abide in Him. Do you know Him?  Have you received Him as your PERSONAL Savior?  For as many as receives Him He gives the power to be Sons of G-d.

7 Steps To Kill Your Giants

Practice killing some Lions Before Facing A Giant

How do you kill your giants?  There are certain things you must do if you're going to be successful at killing giants. I'm talking about addictions, sexual obsessions, fear, a health crisis, the devil coming at your children, and your friends turning on you. All  these things that plague Christians at some time or another.

We're going to look more closely at King David in this teaching because there is a tremendous amount of knowledge and discernment from his life that teaches us the principles of slaying giants. If you ever are going to be a giant killer you'll have to put all your trust in the Lord.

The number seven is significant to perfection and we see groupings of 7 throughout the bible. The 7 churches, the  7 candle sticks, the 7 spirits of G-d, and we see Nahum being told to dip 7 seven times in the river. We see the 7th day rest, and G-d creating the earth in 7 days, and we see Joshua marching around Jericho 7 times. So taking 7 steps in accomplishing things is an order G-d set up for us. So I use a lot of  7 steps in teaching the how to's from G-d's word. There is going to be times in your life when a trial, test or oppression comes to you and you will search G-d's word for the answer. These are some powerful truths that is being handed to you by someone Else's experiences in working G-d's word in their life situation.

Let's look at 1 Samuel 17:41-51, "So the Philistine came, and began drawing near to David, and the man who bore the shield went before him.  And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him; for he was only a youth, ruddy and good looking.  So the Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?"  And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.  And the Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!"  Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin.  But I come to you in the name of the Lord of Hosts, the G-d of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.  "This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you.  And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a G-d of Israel. "Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear, for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give you into our hands."

"So it was, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.  Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth.  So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him.  But there was no sword in the hand of David. Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it.  And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled."

David was not anything to come up against this foe.  He was a small guy in stature but David didn't get his strength from his own physical power, yet he was a mighty warrior.  The biggest mistake the giant made was cursing David's G-d. Goliath called upon his god. His god was called Dagon. Well David knew that if you cursed G-d it meant death to you and because of this he knew G-d would deliver the giant into his hand.

There are giants in this land today as well.  David killed his giant and if you'll use these steps you can kill your giants too.  The devil will laugh in your face if you keep things in your life that the spirit has spoken to you about getting rid of.  That Philistine laughed at the wrong man when he laughed at David because David was an anointed man.

Let's take a look at the 7 principles that caused David to have victory over his giant.

1.  He was Faithful in all his Labor 


David was faithful in his work in the field with the sheep. I'm sure he went about his work while singing and praising the Lord.  David just didn't sing, he sang with his soul how great his G-d is. When you're tending to the sheep work as unto the Lord and be faithful. There are some preachers who won't even go visit people in the hospital.  You'll have to be faithful when he's placed a responsibility on you.

People want to get to the top in the Kingdom before they've been faithful in their labor. You won't kill any giants until you've been faithful in your labor. You'll have to faithful in holiness, purity, service and love as well.
Nobody was watching over David to see if he was faithful, he was faithful on his own.

2. He was Responsive to G-d and to Spiritual Growth


There are no shortcuts to spiritual growth, you'll have to grow before you can kill giants.  When G-d tells you to put something down, then do it.  When he says walk, then walk through the door. G-d does not reward abilities and intellect. You will have to show thyself approved.

Respond to G-d. You can shout and sing all you want but real power comes through prayer and facing the devil and casting him down in your life and in others lives. These are powerful dynamics and truths I'm telling you and that you will take a life time to dig for. Because Christians who have walked through trials and tests and faced giants by digging into G-d's word and applying it to there situations have a discernment that you need. I have sat up under one of the most gifted preachers of the mind gifts, and Pastor Nelson speaks of his own experiences and how he got victory by using biblical principles.

When you got a giant to face, don't fall apart, don't let the devil win, go to G-d's word and stay in it until you find the answer that applies to your situation, then pray with perseverance until the answer comes. If these truths came natural or easy then all the church would be walking in victory. But G-d says the only way you will grow spiritual is with me. Rightly divide the truth of the word. Refuse to be stagnant. Refuse to be in a dead church. I'm gonna keep on praying and fasting for growth in the Body of Christ.

Let's take a step back to 1 Samuel 16:12-13, "So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking.  And the Lord said, "Arise, anoint him; for this is the one." The Spirit of G-d can move in your church and anoint the least of all of you. For he is not looking at your skills, abilities or knowledge, he's looking at the heart and how faithful you are to Him. David was the least of his family and was an outcast. He had a distressed life and had trained 600 nobodies and turned them into a mighty army.

Champions produce champions. G-d's call on every Pastor is to raise up some mighty men of G-d. Pray for G-d to send you some who love Him and not lovers of themselves.  David knew what it meant to be down, and he knew what it meant to raise others up.

When David was anointed he didn't rise up and say, Oh G-d I'm too young for this pick one of my brothers. He was responsive to G-d. Don't sit stagnant in the church! Don't stay ignorant.  G-d expects us to study His word until we know the truth and walk in it.

If you're going to get real treasure then look at experience with a walk with Christ and fires they have walked through with victory.  You respond to the word by what it's saying to you in the midst of tests and trials. David didn't just go out there and kill his giant out of blue one day. He took steps that prepared him for that.

3.  He was a Comfort to Others


King Saul was being vexed by G-d and He allowed a spirit to come upon Saul because of his heart and spirit.  David was a man of courage and war.  People know that about you because of what they've seen you do. David was a prudent man and a spirit with life and light, and all could see that the Lord was with him.

1 Samuel 16:23 says, "And so it was, whenever the spirit of G-d was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him."

When you can lift a person up, encourage them, comfort them when they are hurting, touch them with anointing then you are a person that can bless others. You have become blessed to be a blessing to others. If you're selfish and this is where all your focus is, then you will never be a giant killer.  It will cost you to serve with your time, even might take your money or your job when G-d tells you to. Whatever demands G-d puts on you is so you can bless others so He can bless you.

David was a comforter but he was much younger than most others. David could find a man all the way down and go play his music and lift them up. If you're going to be great in the Kingdom then you'll have to be a blessing to others.  Get all the negative stuff out of you because your joy is what gives you victory.

4.  He was NOT AFRAID


Fear can destroy you.  Fear has to go from your heart. Fear destroys families, and your self esteem. You're always afraid of what MIGHT happen. The devil loves to get you in this state.  Don't worry about what another person is saying or what they have received.  So don't worry about your job and getting blessed. Don't let fear intimidate you.  G-d has not given us a spirit of fear but of joy and a sound mind.

You can get so busy in life that you don't even remember going past the Zip Mart or a certain red light on the way to work and fear grips you. You go, did I remember to turn the coffee pot off or feed the dog?  Man's heart will fail them in the end days because of fear. David was not afraid of anything.

Look at 1 Samuel 17: 34-35, "But David said to Saul, "Your servant used to keep his father's sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it."

Are you ready to chase lions? Well, don't try to for giants until you can chase lions. When the devil sends his hindering spirits to your door, kick the door in and tell them to come on in cause you got G-d's word for them. When you're mature enough in G-d's word and walk in some victory with the lions then you can kill some giants.  Don't try to believe G-d for a 3 tier cake if you've never had a 1 tier cake victory. You believe in G-d according to the level of your faith, and faith takes walking in it for it to grow.

Learn to rub the devil's nose in your battles because the battle is G-d's anyway. Remind him that he's not fighting you but your G-d. This is why he hates it when you speak G-d's word back to him like Jesus did on the mount during his fast and encounter with Satan.

You can't kill strongholds of lust, alcohol and drugs and spirits of infirmities until you kill some lions first.  You go try killing some devils like these and and they'll turn on you and tear you to pieces. David first took the lamb out of the lion's mouth before he went up against the giants. David's confidence was not in his human strength but in G-d's. The devil is no match for Jesus' blood.  I've had people say, oh I'm afraid to pray over them they've got spirits on them.

A demon is no match for Jehovah so know who you are in Him and what your power is through Him before you face a giant.  1 Samuel 17:37 says, "Moreover David said, "The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine, And Saul said to David, "Go and the Lord be with you."

You see King David had taken steps in the power of G-d.  It's better to be obedient than to sacrifice. If you could get that in your spirit you'll be a giant killer.

5.  He Challenged the Challenger


1 Samuel 17:42, for he disdained David for he was only a youth,ruddy and good looking and small. It angered that giant that such a small youth would be brave enough to challenge him. It angered the the giant to have to kill a baby face instead of some physically strong warrior. But don't let those baby faces fool you for some of them are anointed and empowered by G-d.

1 Samuel 17:43-44 says, So the Philistine said to David, "Am I  a dog, that you come to me with sticks?  And the Philistine cursed David by his gods." David challenged the challenger. David knew the giant had messed up by defiling G-d's name. So look at your enemy, are they defiling G-d and cursing Him in their life with words and worldly gods?  Know who your enemy is. If you're obedient to G-d then you are a formidable warrior.

6.  He Killed His Giant


People will tell you that you can't get up.  Tell the devil, whether you live you live unto the Lord, and whether you die you die unto the Lord. 1 Samuel 17:48, "When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet
David, that David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine."

You see David wasn't afraid of Goliath's army, they were a bunch of lions, and he had already killed a few of them, and when the giant fell, all the little lions ran cause you see when you kill the giant the smaller hindering spirits run because you are more powerful than them.

I love the spirit of David, he's a praiser, a warrior, a man after G-d's own heart.  Look at David, he's got that sling shot, and I can just see him now taking a running start toward that giant.  Can you face and run toward your devil today, or are you shrinking back and saying, I can't beat this mess?

1 Samuel 17:51, "Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his SWORD and drew it out of it's sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. " You can cut the devil's head off today with the Sword of the Spirit. Then watch all those little devil leave you.

G-d said to the Israelites after they saw the Egyptian army swallowed up in the sea, You will never see this enemy again.

7.  He kept a Humble Heart


You've got to stay humble. 1 Samuel 18:14, "And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the Lord was with him. After victory it's easy to walk tall, but you better stay humble. He didn't run out and say, Oh I'm a giant killer but he said, the battle was the Lord's.

Stay humble before the Lord. Where were you when Jesus found you?  Never forget where G-d has brought you from.  He gave you victory in your dark pit and he'll give you victory one step at a time.  1 Samuel 18:16, "All of Israel loved David because he went out and came in before them."  He never tried to be taller than the people.

Don't get arrogant when you've accomplished a few victories with the lions. David would have become an outcast to the people if he had become arrogant.

Connected But Not Committed

               The Sheep That Follow Jesus

If you are connected but not committed then you need revival.  We need a spiritual awakening that will affect the sinner and the people in the church. Every generation needs movements of God. You have to decide just how close you're going to be with Jesus.

I think commitment has always been a problem with God's people.  Even the Israelites had a problem with commitment.  Our culture permits a lack of commitment even in marriage.  That's why we see a lack of commitment and that's why people don't get involved with the local church.  Our society promotes this lack of commitment and it has spilled over into the church, but this is not biblical.

Look at Luke 9:57-61, Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, "Lord, I will follow You wherever you go." And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."  Then He said to another, "Follow Me."  But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father."  Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.  And another also said, "Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house." But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

Jesus wants us to follow Him!  When Simon Peter was in the garden with Jesus he was ready to cut a man's head off.  When you're close to Jesus you won't compromise.  Peter began to follow Jesus from a far off. It's possible to follow the Lord but not be committed to Him.  If you ever start following him from a far off, it's just a matter of time before you'll be fighting for victory in your life again.  If you're going to keep the victory there are certain things you'll have to get victory over.

1.  The Impulsive Disciple

They get excited about the fishes and loaves and the miracles.  They have seen miracles with people who have been bound and then freed.  But Jesus said, the fox have holes and the birds have a nest but the Son of Man has no where to lay His head. Jesus says, don't let your enthusiasm make you think there will be no cost to following me because of the enthusiasm and being high on miracles.

The impulsive disciples fall away, most of your walk will be facing your issues and calling upon God.  Jesus showed the way to salvation in John 10:9, "I am the door.  If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture."

Throughout our lives we will go through many doors, but finding the doors to life is key.  There will be open doors and there will be closed doors in the journey.  You can enter into the church door or the bar doors. Jesus wants us to not count the cost when following Him. There are some tough things to go through to win the prize of following Him, but there is ultimately victory in following Him. We'll have to be anchored to the bedrock of His Word.

The impulsive disciple forgot to count the cost of following Christ and you will face some tough issues following Christ.

2. The Reluctant Disciple

This disciple has some reservations. He delays following Christ. Luke 9:59.  He doesn't want to completely break from the past.  This type of disciple wants to hold on to their little habits and sins. They want to hold on to their secret sin and things that are damaging to them and damaging to the cause of Christ.

They want the blessing but they want Him on their terms. That's the devil still holding you because he don't want you to be completely committed.  This is what Jesus is dealing with with these people.  They want to stay connected to the church but they won't sell out and completely commit to the church.

Our society has a Jesus to fit everybody's individual needs. We have a white, red, and black Jesus.  We have a Jesus for homosexuals.  But Jesus is a Holy Jesus. He didn't come to save people in their sin but from their sin.  The devil does not bless anything that comes to steal, kill and destroy.  

Jesus wants you to take up His cross and follow Him.  He wants total commitment.  Jesus is telling the people, you don't want to take care of your past failures, your past sins and pick up your cross and follow Me.  We hear Jesus but the reluctant disciple won't listen because he won't fully surrender.  Jesus said, Give me first place and I'll add everything that you need.

3.  The Bargaining Disciple

The bargaining disciple says, if you'll just let me do this or you'll do that, I'll do this for you.  I bargained with Jesus and it took 20 more years to get right with the Lord too. Never compromise the Lord's word on what it takes to follow Him.  You don't just need to be committed to the church but committed to the Lord as well.  This type of disciple wants to delay and compromise.  He's not ready to obey the Lord.

The disciples left everything in their life and dropped everything they were doing and followed Jesus.  Did they understand what it would cost them?  Of course not.  But they knew they had a revelation about Jesus.  That He was the living Son of God.  The person that is committed is willing to leave it all. Some people won't leave their sin. How can God use you in sin?

What if He asked you to leave your job?  You see, there's going to be a cost when Jesus changes your life and you become fully committed to Him.  But whatever you give up, God's plan will be a much better plan.  He says, I know the plans I have for you and I know your thoughts, and I want to give you goodness to an expected end.

It's a dangerous thing to backslide.  You cannot serve two masters, or walk on two roads at the same time. You have to make a choice, and make a commitment in life.  There is a broad road to the world, and it's easy to find the bars and honky tonks and sin. The narrow road is a lot different, you'll not be popular on that road.

That's the dangerous part of not being committed.  The broad road leads on to other sin.  The narrow road is where you take up your cross.  The road you take will determine your destination.  Christ put in a huge bid for your soul.  Will you go to hell because you couldn't make up your mind?  The road less traveled is the one toward Jesus. Did you take the road less traveled or did you follow Christ?

4.  The Decisive Disciple

Jesus is coming for a passionate Bride.  There are some in the church who won't make it.  Jesus is saying He don't just want to be your savior but your all.  Certainly He wants to save the lost but He wants to be Your Lord. 

Look at Matthew 24:44, "Therefore you also be ready for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."  Is Christ the center of your world?  Is He your song?  The percentage of Christians backslide and have to come back for lack of commitment.  The outer perimeter with Christ is dangerous. When you find yourself on the outer perimeter, the devil will get all of you eventually.

The devil can't defeat you if you'll stay close to Jesus.  With Jesus you'll walk through your storms.  The devil is a strategist.  If he can cut you off from your closeness to Jesus he will get you. Stay committed to Christ and His church.  We're in a dangerous hour, where Jesus said many will leave and give time to strange doctrine in this last hour.

Jesus said draw nigh to me and I'll draw nigh to you.  Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. What would it take for you to deny or betray him?  Let us all examine ourselves.  Let us make our elections sure.

Have Faith When Against All Odds

How God Brings Death To The Promise Before Resurrecting It

One of the most exciting experiences any person can have is to pray and get an answer.  It's so wonderful as a Christian to look back and remember the times that you have prayed and against all odds see God answer your prayer.

Many people become discouraged when they don't get their prayers answered.  If you're going to grow in the Lord and get answered prayer you'll have to keep your faith.  If you want to win the battles of life against all odds you'll want to maintain a fresh faith.

Faith is always now. Abraham learned this lesson and against all odds he received his promise, and his miracle from God. Against all odds Abraham still believed in hope that his promise would come. He was the father of many nations because of his faith.

Romans 4:18 says "Who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, so shall your descendants be."

So even when you're against all odds, have faith in the promise.  I want you to listen very carefully because I'm going to show you a biblical principle that will help you win the battles of life. Many of you have reached the place of deferred hope.  The bible says in Proverbs 13:12,

There are some of you that God has given a specific promise but the answer has been delayed and delayed, and delayed.  You have become discouraged and have reached the place where you are almost ready to give up.  God wants to speak to those of you who see no sign or evidence of your breakthrough. If this sounds like you then I have been sent to encourage you today.

If you will hear what the spirit is saying it will change your life radically.  The principle is that when God begins to fulfill his promise and He is ready to bring it to past he first puts a sentence of death on that promise.  When God does that and there is no means or ways of getting it then He is getting you into a position where you can learn to totally trust in Him for it.

Until you understand this principle of God you will live in turmoil for the rest of your life. You cannot understand the ways of God until you understand this divine principle.  God will allow it to appear that your promise is absolutely dead. After He makes it look dead He will then resurrect the promise and fulfill it.

First, let us consider Abraham. God made Abraham a great promise. Let's go to Genesis 12:2, "I will make you a great nation; I will bless you, And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing."

Now that's a great promise right there.  God tells Abraham that he's going to have a son. God says, your name shall be great.  This sounds like a wonderful promise because we know his seed has not dried up for he fathered Ishmael.  Abraham's body still has life producing forces.

It's wonderful when God makes us a promise. We walk around saying, glory hallelujah, God has made me a promise. You know every day, every month, every year Abraham and Sarah looked for that exciting promise to come to fruition.

Abraham was waiting for his wife to come in and say, guess what sweet heart, I'm pregnant.  But it didn't happen.  A year goes by, then two, then ten years.  Finally, it comes to the place where Abraham is talking to God and says, well God you had better hurry up before it's too late, Lord, I'm an old man.  Lord, where is the promise?

What does God do? He rolls death in. He puts death on the promise.  When Abraham is a 100 years old and his wife Sarah is 90 God comes back and says, Abraham, you're going to have a son.  Abraham was probably thinking, Oh Lord it's too late.

It's just human nature to think that it's not possible. But Abraham recovers in his faith.  But God still rolled death in on the promise. Not only is the promise dead but all human possibility of making it happen has died. For the human mind, God has waited too long and it's all over.

But God is never late.  He might not come when you want Him to but He'll be there on time. He's an on time God.  So against all odds, have faith. Abraham had faith like no other. His faith was so strong that God imputed it unto him as righteousness. He was saved under the old covenant, not by keeping any laws but by faith.

God said because you have so much faith in me I'm going to consider you a righteous man.  God called him the father of faith. Abraham's faith pleased God and without faith you cannot please God.  He that cometh to God must believe that He is a rewarder, even against all odds, to those that diligently seek Him.

God fulfills His promise and He gave Abraham the son of promise.  Abraham named Him Isaac, which means laughter.  Maybe it would do some of you good to just get some joy and start counting your blessings and stop looking at everybody else.  Get your eyes on Jesus. Say, I don't understand what I'm going through but God has a purpose in it.  He has brought me thus far and He will not fail me.  I believe God and it shall be unto me just as God has told me. It's not over until God says it's over.

Secondly, let's consider Joseph and the great promise God gave to him. Genesis 37:5, "Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more."



In Joseph's dreams God showed him that his sheaves would be higher than all his brethren. The brothers would bow down to him, and that the sun and moon would bow to him. The brothers hated Joseph because of these dreams. Don't let anybody take your dreams.  God is the dream giver.  If you'll serve Him and love Him with all your heart, He'll bring you out and fulfill the promise to you.

Sometimes you got to be corrected, and God will send you a Jeremiah.  Preachers have to give the word of God and sometimes they're hated for it. All prophecies concerning you may not be what you want to hear. So they hated Joseph for his dreams. Joseph's promise was literally fulfilled before their eyes.  They came to him in Egypt and bowed before him.

Before the brothers got to Egypt and bowed before Joseph God killed the promise before Joseph.  Joseph was sold as a slave. Then he went to prison and was forgotten.  He was all alone in a foreign land.  It feels so terrible to be all alone.  Have you ever been there?  If you haven't just hold on because you'll reach that place some day.  You better makes some friends.  You better be prayed up and know the word of God.

Joseph had been forgotten. During this time he had given up all hope of seeing his family again.  Later, the Pharaoh gives him an Egyptian wife and he has children.  But the vision was dead, gone and there seemed to be no hope.  Finally, Joseph just lays the promise aside.  Until one day the Egyptians came to Joseph and they tell him, some Hebrew men are here and they've come to purchase some grain.

Joseph goes and sees them and realizes they are his brothers.  They are kneeling down before him. Suddenly, a light goes on and Joseph remembers the promise.  He realizes God had sent him to Egypt to save his people. This was the plan all along by God but first God sentenced the promise to death.

Then one day the unexpected happened, and God fulfilled the promise.  If you'll just keep God's commandments, be pleasing to Him, there is not enough devils in hell to stop your breakthrough.  There's not enough demons to stop you, so hold on and give Him some praise and prayer.  Give Him some thanks and some hallelujahs.

No matter what you see in the natural, remember the eyes of the Lord are running to and frow throughout the whole earth to see whose hearts are perfect for Him.  Grow up in God where you can realize that God is working everything to your good. All things work together for our good for those who are called according to His purpose.

Thirdly, let's look at the incredible promise God made to David.  King Saul had backslidden.  He had lost his anointing.  Oh God, don't ever let me go to that place.  You should pray that too.  Samuel was told to go to Jerusalem and anoint David as King of Israel.  Samuel took a horn of oil and poured it over David's head. Then he prophesied over him. The bible tells us that the spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward.  What an incredible promise to a young man at the age of 16, that he would become the King of all Israel.

What did God do to that promise?  He sentenced it to death.  Every way that could have made it possible died.  We find David hiding in caves.  We see Saul chasing him and hunting him like a wild animal. David has to flee for his life.  When we see David at Ziglag, the Amelikites has razed the entire area.  They burned everything down, took David's wife, gold and his family.

David's empire is gone in one day. All of his men are ready to stone him.  This was the man of God that God had chosen and anointed.  His 600 mighty men were ready to stone him.  These men don't know what's going on but David, he gets alone and he talks to God.  He asks God, shall I pursue?  God tells him to pursue and that he would overtake them all.

Pursue your dream.  Keep walking in it.  If you'll keep your faith in God the promise shall show up in your life.  If you had asked David at Ziglag, what about the promise David?  David would have said, Do I look like a King?  I can't even handle this bunch of rebels. How in the world could I handle a Kingdom?  My palace and home is burned down.  I worked for it all my life and its all gone.

But did God fail with the promise?  No he didn't but first God rolled in death to the promise.  He made it appear like it was dead.  God makes things appear dead so that He can be even more glorified when the promise happens.

This is a principle of God found throughout the word of God.  Until you come to understand this one principle of God you will live in turmoil an anxiety for the rest of your life.  God gives you a promise then He sentences it to death.  Out of death God always brings resurrection.

I can't tell you how many promises God has given me and right before it could materialize death rolled in.  But it was after this death that God resurrected the promise after much prayer.  This is what redemption means, to be brought out of death.  We were put into a slave market and the devil put in a high bid for our souls.  Jesus stepped into that slave market and He purchased each and everyone of us.  With His own precious blood.

When he did this we had to die to sin.  We had to die to self.  We had to die to the world.  So we could be raised in the newness of life in Christ.  He wants us to be a mirror reflection of our Lord and Savior.  Until you understand this principle of God you will never be what God has called you to be in His Kingdom.

God gives the promise, then he rolls death in on it and it looks absolutely impossible humanly speaking.  God resurrects the promise.  There's a miracle in the making for you against all odds. God works like this all the time.  He brings joy and sorrow.  He brings peace out of conflict.  He brings beauty out of ashes.  He brings health out of disease.  He brings liberty out of captivity.  He brings life out of death.

This is the way we get to know God. You don't get to know God by living on the mountain top.  You learn who God is when you have to go through some valleys.  There is where you see that God is in control.  No one will ever be exempt from suffering.  Paul wasn't, the early church wasn't.

Lets look at Philippians 3:10, "That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death."

That I may know Him! Is that the cry from your heart?  If it is then its going to cost you something.  You'll be misunderstood.  You'll go to help people and they'll turn on you just like they did Joseph.  You'll have to realize something, you're not going to be popular with man.  but I'd rather please God than man.  I'm on a mission for God.  Well glory.  We got a work to do for this church age.

Oh God, that I may know you and the power of your resurrection.  None of us want the fellowship of his suffering to be conformed unto His death. But it is only out of death that resurrection comes.  God does this on purpose.  The struggles of life are not always the works of the devil.  Get over it.  God takes us to places where He can grow us.  Sometimes God takes us all the way down so we can learn to trust Him.

Look at Galatians 2:20,"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me."

God sentences the old man to death so we can walk in the newness of Him.  God, in His mysterious ways gets us to the place where we will completely trust Him.  God doesn't want us to trust in human resources.  God doesn't want you to trust in the flesh.  He wants you to cast yourself completely upon Him.

Isaiah 46:9, "Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other, I am God, and there is no other like me declaring the end from the beginning."

God gives us storms to weather.  Then He gives us a promise.  And the reason He rolls death in on it
is to give us an anchor to hold us. He knows you're going to go through storms.  He knows you're going to be tested.  He knows that you're going to face rejection.  He knows that you're going to be misunderstood.  He knows your best friends and family will turn and walk away from you.  So God gives us a promise.  He knows your pain.  The promise acts as a faith anchor to hold us.

Now I want to ask you a question.  Have you ever received a special promise from the Lord? Something that the Lord has spoken to you specifically.  I'm talking about a desire of your heart. Something that the Lord has spoken to you specifically.  I'm talking about a desire of your heart.  I'm talking about something you didn't manufacture.  But something through God's compassion and desire dropped into your heart.

The bible says to delight thyself in the Lord and He shall give you the desires of your heart.  Through the storms you've found the secret place and been abiding in Him.  You've been communing with Him, crying out to him.  God has heard your cry.  He placed a desire in you, a promise.  Does it look like its dead and hopeless?  If that's the case then God is in the process of fulfilling your promise. God never suffers the righteous to be removed.

Death rolled in on the promise and cruel men took Jesus and nailed Him to the cross.  At Calvary, it looked like all hope was gone.  The disciples were scattered as sheep without a Shepherd.  Jesus Christ, the son of God died.  But He didn't stay that way.  God always brings life out of death.  Three days later on resurrection morning He rose up once again.  He raised His head and said, I am He that liveth. I was dead but now I am alive forever more.

Out of sorrow god brings joy. Out of death God brings life.  Against all odds God brings life. There's a miracle in the making for you.  Things may seem so dark that you can't see the way, but I'm here to tell you to hold on, because your answer is on the way.

You Can Conquer Your Fears

Fear Not For I have Made A Covenant With Thee With Many Promises

Everybody gets a dreaded phone call at some time or another. I'm talking about one of those phone calls from a doctor that grips you with the worst fear of bad news about the results of a medical test. It's common to everybody.  People are afraid of losing their job, or afraid of a terror attack. This is a spirit of fear. Fear can rise up and flex your muscles if you're not careful.

One of the most important promises G-d gives us to counter such fear is in Isaiah 41:10. It says, "Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your G-d. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will uphold you with My righteous hand."

There are more people bound by this spirit of fear than ever.  It stops you from reaching your potential. In the first chapter of Genesis fear is born.  G-d called to Adam after he sinned. Fear gripped Adam and he went and hid from G-d.

G-d doesn't want us to live in fear.  1 John 4:18 says, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love."
These are some powerful words right here!

G-d has given us the spirit of peace.  This is an inference in the English language. G-d has given us a spirit of love, power and sound mind.  We must have faith to trust G-d.  But Satan comes to paralyze your faith. Fear will destroy you. It is of the devil. Perfect love cast out fear and faith brings you the victory you need.

The more you know and learn about G-d the less you will tolerate the devil.  You will begin to counter attack and stand up and use your weapons.  Tell the devil, "I've come in the power of the blood and the great commission and I cast you down."

The devil is a spirit. Demons are spirits. You have to keep the devil in the spirit realm. Pastor Nelson told us of his first experience teaching a Sunday School class and how fear gripped him. "The devil said, you can't do this."  Then he remembered what G-d said in His word, I'll uphold you and I have given you power to tread upon serpents and scorpions.  After that, he said he knew G-d was with him.

When fear grips you call upon the Lord and you will hear from Him.  G-d says to get fear out of you. Don't be dismayed, He says, I'll uphold you with the righteousness of my right hand. Get to know G-d and what He says about you and what His promises to you are. There are more people who need this truth than you realize.

G-d knows all about us. He is able and willing to help us.  Problems are common to man, and all of us have them.  Life has its struggles but G-d has promised to deliver us from all of them.  He's with us and He takes care of His own.  Whatever you face He is there.

G-d wants us to learn this from our trials.  Don't lose your joy.  If you'll keep your joy then you'll have a mighty, secret weapon.  Battles are won through praise. Look at Nahum 1:7, "The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble, And He knows those who trust Him."

Man is born of woman full of trouble, but the Lord is our stronghold.  Isaiah 43:2 says,"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you."

Psalm 91 tells us that, "you shall not be afraid of the terror by night, because you have made the Lord your refuge no evil or plague shall come near your dwelling."

Don't be afraid of bad news or reports that come unexpected.  G-d is with you because you have set your love upon Him. My Pastor, Jerry Nelson went in for a routine visit to his doctor a couple of years ago. He thought it would all be routine but he wasn't expecting or prepared for what happened from that visit. He had a heart blockage.  A valve to his heart had stopped working. You have to understand something about Pastor Nelson, he ran several miles a day and he can out dance anybody when the Holy Spirit hits him. He was 60 years old at the time and could run up and down the isles of the church better than a 25 year old.

He said to the Lord that day, "G-d, I know you're a rewarder of those who seek you. And you said, with long life I will satisfy thee." He had already gotten through the water in life and suddenly he was in the fire." Pastor Nelson loves the Word because G-d speaks to him through it.  We all have to go through things we don't want to. But G-d promises that He won't let the flames kindle upon you. I saw Pastor Nelson jump up out of his seat with visiting pastor preaching on the seven Hebrew words of praise. He got to the 6th word and Pastor did a hike leg skip all the way across that altar! He was healed in the name of Jesus from that heart valve, as a matter of fact the valve reformed. Because Pastor stood on his promise to be satisfied with long life. We got to hold on to the promises G-d has made to us.

When things happen get alone somewhere and spend time with G-d.  You'll hear Him, and G-d said all you have to do is be a good steward. A good steward is taking care of the responsibility G-d has given you. Early on in Pastor Nelson's marriage his wife lost her job as a nurse and they had just had a little baby. His wife, Teresa told him, "Jerry we can't pay our bills."

He told her that day she was going to stay home with the baby. He said, "Don't you worry, cause G-d says, if I'll work and don't neglect paying Him He'll bless me"  Guess what, He did bless Pastor Nelson and he'll do the same thing for you. Pastor Nelson grew up poor but in his marriage after this incident he became a purchaser for Bridgestone, Firestone. He is a blessed man today because he was a good steward to the things G-d put him in charge of.

One time, Pastor Nelson booked a trip to Israel. Before they could go an airplane in Egypt was hijacked. Teresa said, "are we still going to Israel after this?"  Pastor Nelson said, "Yes, I am!  G-d brought me out of Viet Nam alive and I have no fear of hijacked planes."

You'll never conquer your problems if you don't stand up in the name of Jesus. Speak His promises and claim them. Here are the four principles of conquering fear:

1.  You Must Recognize Your Fear
Faith does not deny facts.  If you deny them you won't overcome them.  It must be identified and you must speak to it. We Pentecostals, we speak to things. My spirit is stronger than this problem. I'm more than a conqueror.

2.  You Must Know The Source Of Your Fear
Fear is an emotion. The soul of man is the physic. You got to know where it's coming from. It deals with your will power. You must learn how to deal with it. When fear comes into your spirit identify the source. We know that Jesus said, "Fear Not."  So, you know it's not of Him when it comes.  G-d is peace and so you know the source is from the devil.

We live in Christ, and whether you live or whether you die, you live unto the Lord.  Some fears come from parents.  The boogie bear or the devil's going to get you.  Some have told a child, you won't ever amount to anything. Some fears are born of lies cause the devil is a liar.

Some people jump out and scare a child. It causes them to have fear of things in life. Teach your children to not be afraid.  You face fear with a spirit of love. Tell your child they can achieve anything. Cast out fear and take authority over it, and refuse to have anything to do with it.. Put your arms around your child when they are feeling fear over something and tell them you have a covenant with G-d and they are blessed through that covenant.  G-d says when you're not with your child He is with them.

Analyze your fear and find its source.  You might say Oh, I have forgiven them for putting fear in me, but if you're still dealing with that fear then you haven't conquered anything.  You might look at Pastor Nelson and say, well of course he conquered it he was an officer in the military. No, actually, he was like that before he went in the military. The warrior in him was always there. My point is, recognize your fear and get rid of it.

3.  You Must Realize The Effects Of Fear
Fear is not helpful, it is destructive and it can ruin a family, a business or anything because it is the destroyer. It can keep you from getting a good job.  It will keep you from going somewhere you need to go. Oh, you say, I can't get to that place. Or, Oh, I could fly if I had someone like Pastor Nelson on the plane with me.

Fear can hold you back and keep you from a promotion in life.  Step back and say, wait a minute, I see your effects on me and you're trying to keep me from being all that I can be.  Look at 2 Timothy 1:7, it says, "For G-d has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."

You can see here, fear is a spirit.  The devil is not going to lay down because you're reading the bible. He's going to come at you, but when you have G-d in you you'll come back at him.

4.  We Must Check The Reality Of Our Fear
Many times, fear isn't real at all like when you get scared before you get a doctor's report.  Don't get scared. Start praising G-d and praying and speaking faith into your situation. Here's what fear means:

F -alse
E -vidence
A -ppearing
R -eal


False evidence appearing real!


Sometimes fear is based on nothing.  Another preacher once told the legendary evangelist Lester Sumrall when he came home from the mission field years ago that he was 50 and finished.  He looked at that preacher and said, "That's a lie."  After he blasted the gospel around the globe he got a ship for the Joseph plan and fed the hungry in the world.  G-d told him,"you've not even started, go home and raise up some preachers, America is in trouble. Bring me a million souls." Lester Sumerall was Pastor Nelson's mentor and I'm thankful today that Pastor Nelson is my mentor.

Don't let no one's negative words put fear in you.  The devil is not a roaring lion, he only sounds like one. So many people are afraid, saying, I can't try anything new. I'm stuck in my situation forever. Rise up on the inside and speak the words of an overcomer.

Look at Phillipians 4:13, it says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Pastor Nelson was a buyer for Bridgestone, but one day he got passed over for that promotion and it hurt him. He knew he was more qualified then the one who got it. He ended up doing that fella's job for him. But G-d wasn't ready to give him that promotion because he had to go through another test first. Perseverance is a hard test and you may have to do somebody else's job for a while and not get the pay, but if you'll be obedient to G-d's word, you will get promoted, cause G-d's got a season for you.

Don't get filled with fear and say, I'll never get the promotion. If you think like this you won't get it. You got to sing when you're in the fire and the sooner you sing, the quicker you will be promoted.

Sometimes, a boy is afraid to ask a girl out.  He's afraid, but she is just waiting for you to rise up. Don't fear to try something.  Fear can break your home up. I'm afraid he's doing something he shouldn't be.

5.  How We Overcome The Spirit Of Fear
If you can ever get these truths you'll be alright.  In these verses in Phillipians you're keeping the first 4 commandments which is your relationship with G-d.  The last 6 commandments are your relationship with others.

Look at 1 John 4:18 again,"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love."

If you love G-d with everything then how can He condemn you? He won't. But if your heart condemns you then you're not giving your all to Him.  In the area that you have fear you're missing G-d in that chamber of yourself.  It's the father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom, His righteousness, joy and peace in the Holy Ghost.