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What is discernment, how to do I know God is leading me, Do all believers have discernment, How do I hear from God, Discernment Article is below. For downloadable PDF click link. PDF Discernment Discernment - How to Listen to the Holy Spirit 1Corinthians 2:14 - "But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God : for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. " Discernment : Noun - the act or process of exhibiting keen insight and good judgment ; to distinguish one thing from another; the power of viewing differences and their relations and tendencies; judgment; to distinguish between things; perceive differences that exist; the condition of understanding.i How to Listen to the Holy Spirit - is the Key to Discernment. The key to Godly Discernment is listening to the Holy Spirit. He is the One Who will judge the rightness or wrongness of situations from within us. How do we “hear” from Him? First we have to have a foundation of “how” we hear from God. Spending time in God’s Word is a “must have” to hear from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit works with the Word. No Word, No hearing clearly from the Holy Spirit. And if you don’t know “how’ God speaks by spending time in His Word, you won’t be able to judge if what you “heard” or what impression you got was from the Holy Spirit or not. The Word is how we are to judge. God’s Word is truth and God can’t lie. Everything God has spoken in His Word is actually a covenant - it is truth and it can’t change - John 17:17; Titus 1:2; Numbers 23:19. And God is always right. Once we have made that decision in our minds that God is always right, we won’t doubt what He has said. We may not understand it but He will reveal it to us when the time is right. Therefore we take John 10:1-5, 27 as a fact. More than that, as truth: “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for Him, and the sheep listen to His voice. He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When He has brought out all His own, He goes on ahead of them, and His sheep follow Him because they know His voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice. 27 My sheep hear My Voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” There are very important things in this passage for us to embrace: Jesus is our Shepherd, We listen to His Voice, He calls us by name; He leads us out and goes on ahead of us; We follow Him because we know His Voice; We will never follow a stranger and will run away from a stranger because we do not recognize the stranger’s voice; We hear Jesus’ Voice, He knows us, We follow Him. That’s a home-run right there!!! Notice how much the Lord is speaking to us in that passage and leading us. That’s amazing. So now trust that. Now that we know we hear His voice, there are other elements. John 14:26 - “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My Name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” Psalm 143:10 - “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.” The Holy Spirit is teaching us , deep inside of us, and He reminds us of things the Lord has told us . You know how there’s something the Lord gave you a while ago and you had forgotten about it, but then suddenly it “pops” up and you remember it? That is the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:14 - “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” Psalm 31:3 - “Since You are My rock and My fortress, for the sake of Your Name lead and guide me. As the Holy Spirit is bringing things to your remembrance He is leading you. Sometimes the “leading” comes as a “hunch.” How you judge it is: “is this thought/action in line with God’s Word?” If the answer is yes, then do it. If it is not, get rid of the thought by casting it down in the Name of Jesus, then replace that thought with the Word of God that is contrary to it (2 Corinthians 10:3-6). As the Holy Spirit leads you, you will have “peace” about it in your inner man and a “light” sense to it - no heaviness, and you’ll have “joy” because you now have insight to something that you hadn’t had before. John 14:16 - “And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter (Helper), that He may abide with you for ever;” As the Holy Spirit is leading you another scripture that shows more to this is Philippians 1:9-11 prayer - pray this over yourself! “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.” And then praise God for having done this! Expect to be led by the love of God throughout your day. Another way of recognizing the Holy Spirit is that He is our comforter. You will be comforted when you are being led by Him. He leads you in ways you weren’t thinking about before and it’s a help. He is also called the Helper. And He certainly helps. Ephesians 4:30 - “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” When we do something that is not God’s will for us we will have an “uneasy” sense within us. That is the grieving of the Holy Spirit. When you notice it, repent of it right away and receive your forgiveness. Then ask if there is something you should do about it. It all depends on the circumstance. Follow His leading. Follow the hunch. And when we don’t repent we will not be able to hear from God. In fact not hearing from God is for one of three reasons: sin; not spending time in the Word; or during a test. We know if we have been in the Word and most of the time we know when we’ve sinned. There can be times where it’s not on the forefront of our minds and we forget that we didn’t do what the Lord had asked, or didn’t respond to a dream/or vision He gave us in the correct manner like a warning dream or vision. Whatever the situation get into prayer. Ask the Lord for where you missed it. Ask for forgiveness. Receive it. And go into praise. Sometimes simply spending time is praise is the easiest way to “clean” ourselves up. Colossians 3:15-16 AMP - Let the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him] be the controlling factor in your hearts [deciding and settling questions that arise]. To this peace indeed you were called as members in one body [of believers]. And be thankful [to God always]. 16 Let the [spoken] word of Christ have its home within you [dwelling in your heart and mind--permeating every aspect of your being]…” When we are being led by the Holy Spirit don’t move on the leading until you have peace about it. If you have questions about it in your mind, this means you do not have peace. Luke 12:12 - ESV “for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” Trust the Holy Spirit in everything. He’s our Helper. Our Comforter. He gives us Peace. He will give you the right words to say, if you let Him. It’s in: Ephesians 6:20 and 1 Corinthians 1:5-7, with 1 Corinthians 12:7-8: "19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,” "5 For in Him (the Holy Spirit) you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge— 6 God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. 7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.” "7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,” So far from the scriptures we have seen, the Holy Spirit: Teaches us Brings to our remembrance the things the Lord has told us He leads us He guides us He comforts us He helps us He seals us until the Day Jesus comes He gives us words to speak to others. Many times we will find ourselves speaking and not knowing what we are saying. We are hearing the Words as they come out of our mouth. He gives us boldness He gives us knowledge that we couldn’t have gotten any other way. We have all the Spiritual Giftings that He has. Important to note: giftings are always for other people through you. He doesn’t give them to you for yourself. He gives you wisdom and revelation knowledge He gives you peace. Something else important to note, Ephesians 3:16-19 - “16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Let’s briefly unpack two parts to this passage: Holy Spirit strengthens you and grounds you in the love of God WHICH passes His knowledge. Romans 5:5 says the Love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Since we have the Holy Spirit, we have the Love of God inside of us. As we give heed to His promptings, leadings, thoughts - which all go in line with His Word - we will have His knowledge. Godly knowledge. Not the world’s knowledge. 1 Corinthians 1:6-16 - “6 However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God [c]ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written: “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.” 10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit Who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. 13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 16 For “who has known the Mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the Mind of Christ. The Holy Spirit knows the deep things of God and He is in you leading you! That’s amazing! And we weigh out what we are “getting” deep within us, we weigh it against the Word. And whatever He tells you to do, do. This is how you operate in “discernment.” Another way the Holy Spirit leads us is by revealing things. I call these “ah-ha” moments. It’s when something “pops” up within you or a thought from within you that answers the question your pondering. It’s like the “light-bulb” turning on. Usually we say, “ah-ha! I got it!” 1 Corinthians 2:10 - “these are the things God has revealed to us by His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.” He guides us through our own consciences Romans 9:1 - ESV “I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit—“ It’s very important to follow your “conscience.” If we violate it that can cause damage to our heart and inhibit our “hearing” from the Lord, hinder our growth, and our lives: 1 Timothy 1:19 - “holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith.” 1 Peter 3:16 says to keep a clear conscience. No matter what, keep a clear conscience. Conclusion: Discernment is about weighing out right from wrong by weighing these things against the Word of God and the Holy Spirit - John 4:24 And THE most important way to hear God’s Voice is through knowing His Word. God only speaks in line with His Word. Knowledge of God’s Word can help us to discern whether or not our desires come from the Holy Spirit. We must test our inclinations against Scripture—the Holy Spirit will never lead us to do anything contrary to God’s Word. If it conflicts with the Bible, then it is not from the Holy Spirit and should be cast down as a vain imagination in the Name of Jesus, and then replaced with the Word of God that opposes it. As 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says stay in prayer always. How I use this is I keep the Lord on my mind all day long. I speak with Him all day long and I let Him lead me all throughout the day. Not only does this keep our hearts and minds open to the Holy Spirit’s leading, but it also allows the Spirit to speak on our behalf: “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God” Romans 8:26–27 . We can tell if we are following the Spirit’s leading by looking for signs of His fruit in our lives Galatians 5:22–23 . If we walk in the Spirit, we will continue to see these qualities grow and mature in us, and they will become evident to others as well. You’ll begin to notice how people speak of you and say things like how you always are happy, and trustworthy, and they always feel good around you. This is all part of the fruit of the Spirit. It is important to note that we have the choice whether or not to accept the Holy Spirit’s guidance. When we know the will of God but do not follow it, we are resisting the Spirit’s work in our lives Acts 7:51 ; 1 Thessalonians 5:19 , and a desire to follow our own way grieves Him Ephesians 4:30 . The Spirit will never lead us into sin . Habitual sin will cause us to miss what the Holy Spirit wants to say to us through the Word. Being in tune with God’s will, turning from and confessing sin, and making a habit of prayer and the study of God’s Word will allow us to recognize—and follow—the Spirit’s leading. As you do these things and follow the Holy Spirit you will be able to discern right from wrong. And the challenges in the not-so-easy things to discern like, “Is this where my daughter should go to school? Should I take this job? Is this where I should be living?” Will go easy as you keep “leaning” in to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. He will always lead you right.

Sickness and healing, Can I get healed, is healing real, Does the Bible say I can be healed, God, Jesus, Bible Healing How to Stand for What's Yours Article below. Or downloadable PDF in link. PDF Healing How to Stand for What's Yours There are many reasons why health issues occur. The bottom line to any situation in our lives, no matter the situation - not just for healing - we have to keep our relationship right with the Lord. Spending time with Jesus in prayer and the Word are key; so is following the leading of the Holy Spirit; and keeping sin out of our lives. When we know there’s a sin, ask for forgiveness and receive it to get back on track. But there are issues that can be the root of illness, whether it’s chronic, life-threatening, minor like colds or flu, or headaches. Ask the Lord to find the root. Word of caution: DO NOT simply stop taking medication for the issue UNLESS you are ABSOLUTELY led to by the Spirit of God. I say this because I have known of people who have had serious problems because they stopped because of their emotions and how they "thought" they needed to without unction from the Holy Spirit. If you have to take a med, pray over it! Pray over it before you take it. Take it in faith that the Lord is working through that medication for your benefit and cancel all adverse of effects of it in Jesus Name and plead the Blood of Jesus on it. As always, don’t do this because you read this article, instead ask the Lord how He wants you to go about it. There may be something in particular that’s hooked up to your situation. Hereditary - illness that strikes a family and repeats in family members like genetic diseases like heart attacks, strokes, migraines, cancer, blood disorders and so on are family curses. Sometimes called “ancestral curses.” - How to Break ⛓️ Ancestral Curses 1. Recognize when something is repeating that doesn’t line up with Scripture. 2. Repent for any way you or your ancestors may have contributed to set it in motion and cancel it out in the Name of Jesus. 3. Renounce any curse verbally that the Lord is highlighting to you in the Name of Jesus. 4. Release forgiveness to people who may have hurt you. 5. Replace thoughts, attitudes, and actions to align with God’s Word. 6. Resist and stand against the patterns of ungodly behavior. 7. Cut all cords of sin and curses in Jesus Name. (Proverbs 5:21-23). Ancestral curses are always attached with cords of the previous sins of our forefathers/mothers, whether they were things done purposefully or ignorantly. It’s the cords to the sin that keep it attached. (Ecclesiastes 12:6.) 2. Words that you speak - Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks - tree and fruit, Matthew 12:34-37. And it brings forth exactly what has been spoken. This goes with James 1:6-8, 13-15 - “6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do…13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” You are the prophet of your own life. Whatever you continually speak, becomes a reality in your life. So give heed to the things you say. If you speak words of illness and death you will have that in your life. Statements that seem insignificant like: “I’m sick and tired of ……” or said ironically in jest, “Just kill me now”, “I always get colds this time of year” etc. These continual phrases repeated when we speak them in our lives produce “that” harvest. If you realize this may be an issue, talk with the Lord about it first. Then as He leads you cancel out all negative words you have spoken in your life, in Jesus Name, and cut all cords to that sin. Then ask the Holy Spirit for help, to let you know if you’re about to repeat the behavior. If you do it again, repent, and receive your forgiveness. The Lord will help you. When you repent of it, truly repent. Which means change the way you think. You change it by staying in the Word regarding healing - that it’s yours. You have life - God’s Life - within you, not death. Replace those previously toxic thoughts with the Word of God and when you catch yourself about to speak sickness and death, STOP yourself. And instead speak life to your body and your situation. 3. Recurring Issues - that aren’t linked to ancestral curses - like sinus trouble, allergies, back problems, colds/flu etc. When these types of things occur it is typically a demon of illness. It’s called: spirit of infirmity. These have their “claws” hooked into a person and a snare entangling that person. It gained entrance by an “open doorway” which sometimes occurs with a thought - which is why we need to control our thoughts in the Name of Jesus; or words spoken about “how I always have such-and such this time of year.” Repent of opening the doorway and canceling those words out in the Name of Jesus. Loose the spirit of infirmity in the Name of Jesus and cast it into outer darkness to await its judgment. (Matthew 18:18 & Jude 1:6.) Keep watch over the words of your mouth and keep declaring God’s healing scriptures over your body - there are over 100 healing scriptures! 4. Curses - There are two kinds of curses: Sometimes items purchased or gifted to you can have a curse on them in order to create some sort of illness. Just like ancestral curses, break it in the Name of Jesus and plead the Blood of Jesus on it to cancel out the curse. You may have to get rid of the item that had the curse. The Lord will lead you. The other is curses straight out of Deuteronomy 28:14-61; chapter 30 - these curses come by things a person has done that is contrary to the will of God. Ask the Lord for wisdom about this. He will show you if repentance is needed - ask forgiveness and then change the way you think with the Word of God. 5. Praise and Action - James 2:12 “So speak and so act as people should who are to be judged under the law of liberty.” And Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” We are to give praise to the Lord, it is in fact our strongest weapon as Psalm 149:6-9 TPT states. Read Psalm 147-150 as praises to God. Do this on purpose. No matter how bad you may be feeling. If your health has gotten to a severe state that you can’t do this, then play worship music. It helps! Then when you have the strength praise Him from your mouth. It changes things when you worship the Lord with your mouth. God is in the presence of His peoples praises - Psalm 22:3. Then you can use further action to back up your praise, like pray for people that need healing. You can even do that from your own home without anyone knowing. However the Lord leads. You can also help at a local site to give food to people. Or help at a local church. Whatever the Lord leads you to do. These are all actions that back your confession of the Word. Manifestation of healing always quickly shows up when you add praise and actions. 6. Hating God - Sometimes we pray for someone else for their healing. Sometimes even with fasting and praying in tongues, interceding, doing all we can on behalf of someone else. This may be done of our own volition because we care about the person we are praying for. Other times it may be that the Lord has led us to do this, to intercede for someone. But…the person dies. This is when so many questions come up about “how” we may have missed it; or question that maybe we didn’t hear correctly from God; or we think that God doesn’t heal anymore - which is against the Word of God but we are trying to make an excuse because our heart has been deeply wounded. Resentment sets in against God because you think He didn’t answer your prayer on purpose. BUT intercession for someone else has a limit. And that limit is based on the person you are praying for. Their free-will - what it is they want. God will never go against someone’s free- will. Especially in illnesses like cancer or another long battle, people get tired. Tired of fighting. They don’t want to do it anymore. And God understands this even though He may have led you to pray and intercede for someone. It’s not your fault. You always have to consider that you don’t know what is in another person’s heart. That is between them and God. It’s not your call to make. Don’t let your heart get crushed. Especially if the person told you all the “right” things about getting better and believing they were healed. You don’t know what they said in their own heart to God. They may have been saying those things to you to make you feel better. They didn’t want to hurt you and they thought this would help. Keep your heart from being hurt. Ask the Lord to help you understand, if that is needed; and release any resentment in Jesus Name. Conclusion God is the God Who heals you! (Exodus 15:26.) He never gives sickness to teach someone. Sickness is not the teacher of the Church. The Holy Spirit is the Teacher - John 14:26 & 1 John 2:27. The foundation for healing is to gather healing scriptures and write them down. There are over 100 of them. This is “who” you are. Do this when your are not fighting for your health. It’s easier. Then once you change your mindset to “I live in divine health through the Blood of Jesus, and Christ - the Anointing and Anointed One Who removes burdens and destroys yokes of illness, LIVES in me, therefore every cell in my body is pristine and crystal clean,” it will be less of a struggle when a battle with health comes your way. Take as many scriptures, however many you are led to use, maybe 20 or so, write them down. Read them every day. Ponder them. Speak them out. Allow the Holy Spirit to give you insight into them and how they work in you. You’ll never be the same! I will restate: It’s best to do this when you are NOT fighting for your health. Then when the battle arises you’re ready! Start by praising Him for your healing when you don’t feel good. You already have healing anyway. Jesus did it 2,000 years ago and if it was done then, it’s done now. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever! You and Jesus are the winning team! He’s already won, now just praise Him for your divine health and manifestation will come.

What is the fear of the Lord, Reverance for God, proper way to pray, proper fear of God, honor of God, faith, teaching, Jesus Understanding the Fear of the Lord Article below or click link to download PDF PDF Understanding the Fear of Lord a vital necessity in the life of a Christian Understanding the fear of the Lord is a vital necessity in our daily walk. When praying and fellowshipping with the Lord one day, He said in my spirit “The Fear of The Lord is the path to resurrection power.” That certainly got my attention, however I realized I didn’t really know what the Fear of The Lord truly means to me as a believer and child of God. Proverbs 9:10 says, “The Fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and Knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Basically, this verse teaches that the Fear of God is foundational to true wisdom ; all other types of learning are worthless unless built upon a knowledge of the Lord Himself. Many other passages talk about the Fear of the Lord. Psalm 111:10 (NKJV) The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. Proverbs 1:7 (KJV) The Fear of the LORD is the Beginning of Knowledge: But fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 14:27 The Fear of the LORD is a Fountain of Life, turning a person from the snares of death. Proverbs 15:33 Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the Lord, and humility comes before honor. Before we can understand how the fear of the Lord leads to wisdom, we need to define what the Bible means by “fear” in this context: In Hebrew the word translated “fear” can mean several things. It can refer to the “terror” one feels in a frightening situation. For example: Deuteronomy 2:25 This very day will I begin to put the terror and fear of you upon the nations that are under the whole heaven, who shall hear report of you, and shall tremble, and be in anguish because of you. It can mean “respect” in the way a servant fears his master and serves him faithfully: Joshua 24:14 Now fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and in truth (with all faithfulness): and throw away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the Euphrates river, and in Egypt; and serve the LORD. Fear can also denote the “reverence or awe” a person feels in the presence of greatness. Isaiah 6:5 “Woe is me!” I cried. “For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among people of unclean lips: for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Hosts. The Fear of the Lord is a combination of all of these: Terror Respect Awe Fear of the Lord can be defined as: “The continual awareness that our loving heavenly Father is watching and evaluating everything we think, say, and do” Matthew 12:36 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty (idle) word they have spoken. Personally this scripture always gives me a healthy dose of the Fear of The Lord! I make a habit of repenting of idle or empty words and thoughts. This is done in context with: Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” And I ask the Lord to do this over my mouth Psalm 141:3 Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips. Psalm 139:2-4 You know when I sit and when I rise; You perceive my thoughts from afar. (3.) You discern my going out and my lying down; You are familiar with all my ways. (4.) Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. Jeremiah 12:3 But You know me LORD; You see me and test my heart (thoughts) about You: Drag them off like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter. As Jesus told each of the seven churches in Revelation 2:2 and 3:1, “I know your works.” Nothing escapes His attention. Revelation 2:2 (NKJV) I know your works, and your labour, and your patience, and how thou cannot bear them which are evil: and You have tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and have found them liars: Revelation 3:1 (NKJV) And to the angel of the church in Sardis write; “These things says He that has the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; ‘I know your works, that you have a reputation that your are alive, but you are dead.’” In order to develop the Fear of the Lord, we must recognize God for Who He is. We must glimpse with our spirits the Power, Might, Beauty, and Brilliance of the Lord God Almighty. Revelation 11:17 (NKJV) saying: “We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One Who is and Who was and Who is to come, because You have taken Your great power and reigned. Hosea 12:5 Even the LORD God of hosts; the LORD is his memorial. Isaiah 6:1-5 (NKJV) (1)In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a Throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple. (2)Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he did fly. (3)And one cried unto another, and said, “Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of Hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory.” (4)And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. (5)Then said I, “Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.” Those who fear the Lord have a continual awareness of Him, a deep reverence for Him, and sincere commitment to obey Him. Proverbs 1:7 says, “The Fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” This verse gives us some added insight with its sharp contrast between the wise life and the foolish life. A wise person fears, reverences, and obeys the Lord; a fool despises God’s instruction and cannot be told what to do. The wise person is wise because he has started at the starting place of Fearing The Lord; the fool has no foundation on which to build wisdom. Romans 1:21–22 speaks of those who “neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools.” This is a description of people who try to obtain wisdom while ignoring God—it cannot be done for the simple reason that: God is the source of wisdom. The link between the Fear of God and wisdom means we cannot possess wisdom if we recreate God in our own image. Too many brothers and sisters want to “tame” God into a non-threatening nobody. If we redefine the Lord as “a god” that makes us feel comfortable, a permissive “buddy” who exists simply to bless us and give us what we want, we will not Fear Him in the way He deserves to be feared. The Lord God Almighty is far greater than that, and the Fear of the Lord begins when we see Him in His majesty and power: Revelation 4:11 - “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they were created and have their being.” Job 42:1–2 (NASB) - “Then Job replied to the Lord, ‘I know that You can do all things, and that no plan is impossible for You.’” The Lord shows Job (and us) a glimpse of His power in Job chapters 38—41 when The Lord God Almighty describes His absolute sovereignty over everything. If you haven’t read those chapters, definitely check them out! The Word is a Spiritual Book! It takes the Holy Spirit within you to open your eyes to it. Therefore, these instructions the Lord has carefully placed in His Word are for us!!! Not for unbelievers. His correction is for us. When the reality of God’s true nature has caused us to fall down in worship, we are then in the right position to gain wisdom from the Lord. Wisdom is merely seeing life from God’s perspective and responding accordingly. Wisdom is a priority, and we are told to seek it above all else (Proverbs 3:13; 16:16 ). Proverbs is known as the wisdom book, and the entire second chapter gives a detailed explanation of the value of gaining wisdom. Until our hearts are in a right relationship with God, we are unable to have the “wisdom that comes from heaven” (James 3:17 ). Without the Fear of the Lord, we may gain knowledge of earthly things and make some practical choices for this life, but we are missing the single key ingredient that defines a wise person, and that is the Fear of the Lord - (Psalm 14:1; Exodus 20:3; Exodus 34:14; Jeremiah 25:6; Matthew 22:37 ). In the parable of the rich farmer , the rich man had a “wise” and practical plan for his profits, but God said to him, “You fool!” because the farmer’s plans were made with no thought of God and eternity (Luke 12:16–21 ). Without the Fear of the Lord, we make final decisions based on our faulty human understanding (Proverbs 3:5–6 ). When we incorporate the Fear of the Lord into every moment of our lives, we make decisions based upon His approval. We live with the knowledge that the Creator of the universe is intimately involved in our every move. He sees, knows, and evaluates all our choices, and We Will Answer To Him: Psalm 139:1–4 - 1.You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. 2. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 3. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. 4. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 - 10.By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11.For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.12.If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw,13.their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.14.If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15.If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames. He and He alone will judge as to where we spend our eternity, in heaven with Him or the lake of fire. If this does not make you tremble you are indeed foolish. Our respect for God’s majesty causes us to honor Him: Psalm 29:2 - “Honor the LORD for the glory of His Name. Worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness.” Our gratitude for His mercy causes us to serve Him well: Psalm 2:11 - “Serve the LORD with fear and celebrate His rule with trembling.” Psalm 107:15 (NKJV) - “Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!” And the understanding that our God of Love is also a God of Wrath inspires enough fear to help us stay away from evil: Romans 1:18 (NKJV) - “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,” Proverbs 8:13 - “To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.” Sin is foolish; righteousness is wise. When we live righteously, we are on the path of wisdom, and everyone in our lives benefits: Proverbs 13:20 (ESV) - “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” Proverbs 19:8 (NKJV) - “He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; He who keeps understanding will find good.”

Parameters for being in leasership, Ministry, What God says about it, Rules, Being in Ministry Article below. For downloadable PDF click the button. PDF Being in Ministry or Other Leadership Roles Titus 1:1-3 “1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to Godliness— 2 in the hope of eternal life, which God, Who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, 3 and which now at His appointed season He has brought to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior,…” Titus is the most important book to read if you have been “getting” that you are called into the ministry. Read it all. Several times. The Lord gives clear direction on how to be a leader and what the Lord expects. Roles Whether the Lord has called you into ministry or other leadership roles the bottom line is your relationship with the Lord has to be solid in the Word and in prayer, continual, abiding in forgiveness, and love, and doing whatever the Lord leads you to do, even when it’s uncomfortable and may result in backlash from others. As long as you are truly following the Lord, that’s all you need. It’s that simple. 2 Peter 1:10 says, “Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.” Great verse that is generally used for calling but lets look at the whole thing the Lord states from verse 5: “5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities[ are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall .” These qualities Peter wrote of through the Holy Spirit are the fruit of the Spirit on Galatians 5:22-26 - “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” These qualities abound in you as you spend time with the Lord. They are the result, the fruit, of spending time with the Lord. Bottom line is you need to be willing to step out in the giftings that God has placed within you. It’s God’s calling on you, He has got it worked out. Now just trust Him and do what He tells you to do. Not based on ego - pride. If there’s pride that you’re noticing, GET IT OUT!! Cast out the spirit of pride in the Name of Jesus and cut all cords to it, and repent of any prideful actions. (Prov. 5:21-23.) And stay on top of your thought life. If you notice a prideful thing trying to come in to your thoughts, cast it out in the Name of Jesus and replace that with the Word of God. Many times Philippians 4:8-9 is a good one to replace it with, “8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Speak out loud and state: “No, in the Name of Jesus, I cast out that pride because I only think on those things that are true, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy, I thank You Father God for teaching me and I put it into practice in Jesus Name.” In a leadership role you have to be willing to state when you missed it . That is what a good leader does. And when you are living in a right relationship with the Lord this is easier to do. Like Paul when he spoke of how he attacked Christians before he got saved. He was very upfront about it. He acknowledged it. When a leader is honest, most people, Godly people, respect that and naturally forgive the person. If it is something in which major error has happened, you need to get away and spend time with God. You may have to resign your position. As I said earlier, Titus is key to reading and following for how you are to live a Godly life when you are in a leadership position - if there are problems in these areas then you need to withdraw from the position. This is why the role is so “heavy.” You are leading others. And leadership roles come with a heavier judgment. James 3:1 AMP - “Not many [of you] should become teachers [serving in an official teaching capacity], my brothers and sisters, for you know that we [who are teachers] will be judged by a higher standard [because we have assumed greater accountability and more condemnation if we teach incorrectly].” I’m stating this NOT to steer you away from your calling. Not at all. If this is the calling the Lord has put on your life, you need to obey the Lord. Although we have to be very aware of the responsibility. For it is mighty with the Lord. And we need to handle it soberly. Titus 1:16-2:1 - “16 They (teachers) claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good. 1 You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine.” Titus 2:7-8 - “…In your teaching show integrity, seriousness 8 and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.” Titus 2:15 - “These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.” Titus 3:10 - 10 Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. 11 You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned. Like stated earlier, Titus is important to study when going into leadership, especially in ministry. The last two scriptures state when correction is to be given. So many ministers are not willing to give correction when it’s needed . Instead they don’t want to offend anyone and want to keep people in their church, specifically to keep the tithers. That is the wrong motivation. This person is compromising and will suffer the results of it if they don’t make it right. Bottom Line Whatever the Lord is leading you to do - do. He is the One Who enables you . He gives you everything you need for the calling. And He gives you the wisdom and revelation knowledge to do it. In fact, if you don’t know of the Ephesians 1:17-23 and Ephesians 3:14-21 prayers, read them and pray them everyday for yourself. It makes a huge difference. The Lord will increase the wisdom and revelation knowledge He reveals to you, and will give you continuous strength in the calling He's given you and keep you in His love which teaches you. Love and knowledge work together . You can’t have one without the other. You have all of this because the Holy Spirit is in you but you need to pull it up and out of you by your faith, praying those prayers and expecting God to do them within, and with you. He certainly will.

Bible Marriage, How do I find a husband, How do I find a wife, Do I have to be married, Is living with my boyfriend a sin, Looking for a Spouse *Article below is predominantly written by Pastor Vlad Savchuck: www.vladschool.com PDF in link below. PDF Looking for a Spouse TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Looking for a Spouse 2. Qualities To Look For 3. Stages in Marriage 4. Four Myths About Marriage 5. Reasons You Shouldn’t Cohabitate 1. Looking for a Spouse Genesis 2:18, 20-25 - “18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”20 But for Adam f no suitable helper was found. 21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. 23 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” 24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. 25 Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame. 1 Corinthians 7:39 “A wife is bound by the law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.” Points of Reference 1. Notice Corinthians says “whom she wishes.” Not whom the Lord said. The only requirement to find out who the “one” is, is that they must be in the Lord. 2. In Genesis 29 Jacob wakes up to find he’s married to Leah, not Rachel, the woman he thought he was marrying. This mix-up is a like many marriages for people: what you expect isn’t always what you get. You have to have real expectations from the Word of God to find out “how” a marriage works, rather than “pie in the sky” ideals that fall flat. Many go into marriage without preparation. Additionally, read 1 Corinthians 6-7 and 13; Ephesians 5; Colossians 3; 1 Peter 3:7; Proverbs 21:9; 19:14; 31:10; Mark 10:6-9; Proverbs 12:4. 2. Qualities To Look For 1. The Opposite Gender Scripture is very clear that God wants us to marry someone who is the opposite gender. As Christians it’s very clear that this is this is how God intended relationships to be from the beginning, no matter what society says. 2. Faith Has to Match Not only should they believe in God, but they should believe in Jesus. It’s not enough to just believe in God. When there are differences in “how” you believe and doctrinal differences it will make things challenging. Things like the gifts of the Holy Spirit, baptizing in the Name of Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, tithing, the kind of church that you go to, speaking in tongues, deliverance, etc. can become huge obstacles when there is disagreement. Yes, you can still marry someone who is not in the same place doctrinally but it will make things tough and as a result cause friction, disagreements and arguments. It’s important to keep peace in your household. So when there are differences “be” the example, don’t argue about it. And STAY in forgiveness. 3. Your Values Should Match It’s possible to share the same faith but have different values. Handling things at work, for example, from the place of honor and faith are a value. If the person you are considering for marriage does not operate that way you will find much difficulty in the relationship. It is also how they will handle you. Whatever we see a person do to those around them is ultimately how they will treat you. These differing core values will create friction, and sooner or later you may find yourselves going in different directions. Peace is your indicator as Colossians 3:15 says. Always follow your “peace.” I like it in the Amplified translation: “Let the peace of God [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him] be the controlling factor in your hearts [deciding and settling questions that arise in your mind]. To this peace indeed you were called as members in one body [of believers]. And be thankful [to God always].” You need to have peace with this person. If your gut says “no,” don’t move ahead. Hold on and pay attention. Don’t rush into anything that you have no peace over, even if they are attractive and you think they’re perfect. Sometimes God withholds peace and that’s a sign that you shouldn’t be in that relationship or that you should pause or wait. Never go against your peace. Always follow the Lord with your heart, your conscious. No peace, no go! 4. You Must Be Attracted to Who They Are It’s important to have attraction. Not only physically but “who” they are - their soul - how they think, act, their interests, etc. If you don’t have this, then don’t rush into that relationship, because this is what really makes the relationship different from every other relationship. You cannot change them. Don’t even consider a marriage with someone you want to “change”. You have to have things that you genuinely like about the person, attractive qualities. Remember attraction alone will not sustain your relationship. Don’t base a marriage on this. It never works out in the long run. Without the previous numbers 2 and 3 it will never last long term. Bottom Line This is summed up in one word – compatibility. Are you compatible? Make sure that you are compatible in all the areas that matter. You may have different jobs and backgrounds, but at the core of who you both are, are they the same? Do you enjoy being around each other? These things are important. Yes, this is serious but don’t overcomplicate it. God wants you to be involved in choosing your spouse. Don’t over-spiritualize it by saying you need a “sign”. God probably won’t do that. Jesus got perturbed at people asking for signs. Especially the priests - they should have known better because they had the Word. We are kings and priests. Bottom line: follow the Word and follow your peace. You will have a “knowing” if it is right or not. AND be honest with yourself. 3. Stages in Marriage It’s important to understand that all marriages go through these stages at one point or another. I call them “seasons” in marriage. And when you first get married are when the seasons are the most extreme. Infatuation is always at the beginning. The others will have seasons of repeating: Infatuation – when everything is new and exciting. Irritation – when small things start to annoy you. Toleration – when you learn to live with those annoyances. Appreciation – when you start to value each other more. Celebration – when you’re really happy to be together. Being aware of these stages prior to marriage helps regulate your marriage expectations so nothing catches you off guard or creates unnecessary disappointment. One of the most important things in ANY STAGE is to pray for your spouse! If you’re not used to doing this sort of thing take a look at the article: Believing for Your Children. It’s the same principles. Take a scripture that will help your soon-to-be spouse and pray for them. As your relationship evolves within the marriage, so will your prayer for your spouse and how the Lord leads you to pray for them. A very important fact is to have a solid relationship with Jesus Christ first. A potential marriage partner will not take the place of Jesus. They are not supposed to, nor should they have that burden placed upon them. 4. Four Myths About Marriage 1. Marriage Fixes Everything Some people think getting married will solve all their problems. But, Scripture states in 1 Corinthians 7:28 , that marriage brings its own troubles. Marriage isn’t a cure-all for personal issues. In fact, after the Infatuation stage it will make things flare more than you could have anticipated. It is not a magic pill that causes all of your addictions, hurts, and loneliness to disappear. Only Jesus can do that. It’s vital to make sure your relationship is strong with Jesus first, before you get into a marriage. A husband or wife will not fix your problems. That is an unreasonable expectation to put upon anyone. Only Jesus can solve your problems. 2. Marriage Is For Everyone This is absolutely not true! Jesus said that marriage is not for everyone, Matthew 19:10 . In fact, Jesus was the greatest single-person alive. Paul was another example of someone that did great things for God but was single, 1 Corinthians 7:7 . Singleness is not a disorder that you need to get rid of. Actually, the word “single” means being whole and unique. Aim towards that even while married. 3. Marriage Makes You Whole Actually, marriage is more likely to show you your flaws than fix them. It’s like a mirror that shows you what you need to work on. If you allow God to deal with them, you will see changes in your character and in your marriage. Marriage only magnifies everything you have now, so allow the Lord time to work on those areas BEFORE you get married. 4. Marriage Is A Contract The Bible says in Malachi 2:14 -16 that marriage is a covenant , which is much deeper than a contract. A contract is an agreement between two people for the purpose of protecting their rights, limiting their responsibilities, and safeguarding their interests. A covenant is an unconditional surrendering and choosing to lay down one’s life and rights for the other. A contract requires a part of you; a covenant demands all of you. A contract has an expiration; a covenant is eternal . A contract is written with ink; a covenant is written with blood . The Blood of Jesus. Remember that God desires marriages to work, but they need to be based on truth, not myths. Marriage is a journey with good and bad times, but understanding and preparing for it can make all the difference. 5. Reasons You Shouldn’t Cohabitate In our culture, "friends with benefits" and cohabitation are normal things to hear, but in the scripture we see that it teaches us another way of doing life prior to marriage. In fact, that way proves to be more fulfilling, here’s why. In the 1970s, only 0.2% of couples cohabitated. Today, approximately 15% of couples ages 18 to 34 are living together. A growing acceptance of cohabitation is evident as 78% of those aged 18 through 29 consider it acceptable for unmarried couples to live together, even without plans for marriage. In fact, many cohabitating partners have no desire to marry. Forty-one percent of Christians approve of cohabitating couples who plan to get married. BUT it’s crucial to look at what the Bible says about cohabitation and why it advises waiting until marriage before living together. 1: Nakedness Reserved For Marriage Genesis 2:24-25 (on first page) states nakedness is between a husband and a wife. This biblical principle suggests that we should not expose our nakedness to anyone who is not our spouse. 2: Cohabitation Is A Sin Of Fornication The Bible defines cohabitation as a sin of fornication. 1 Corinthians 7 states clearly that our sexual expression should be limited to our spouse and not extend to a boyfriend or girlfriend. Cohabiting with someone as though they are your spouse, when they are not, is viewed as sinful. In Leviticus 18 is every kind of deviant sexual behavior is listed and stated as sin, most are some form of incest. Yes, in today’s crazy society there are cohabitating “partners” who are family. Additionally, fornication creates a curse on the people partaking of it and upon any children that are born to them. 3: Living Together Doesn’t Equal Marriage According to John 4:17-18 , living together does not constitute marriage. Jesus clarifies this point when interacting with a Samaritan woman, indicating that living together does not equate to the commitment and sanctity of marriage. 4: It Has Negative Consequences On Future Marriage The Journal of Marriage and Family found that couples who live together before marriage are 46% more likely to divorce after getting married. Other studies found that relationships tend to be unstable in cohabitation, with only a fraction surviving more than three years. There’s a higher risk of sexually transmitted diseases, financial instability, and negative impacts on children. If you’re being honest with yourself there is always the “thought” that “if this gets to hard or be too much you can leave.” That is not the mindset of marriage. 5: Generational Curses When people are cohabitating, according to scripture, they have left doors open for spiritual attacks. The wages of sin is death. Death can be one of them. There are also generational (family) curses that can come upon the cohabitators and especially any children born into the situation. This can result in diseases for the cohabitating parents or children; violence; and many such things as a result of the curses. 6: Cohabitation Devalues Women Cohabitating is often more burdensome for women. Women tend to contribute more in terms of goods, work, and effort to the relationship, yet receive less satisfaction from relational commitment and security. Marriage provides a safety net in both finances and physical appearance and therefore offers more security for women and stability for men. In Conclusion It’s crucial to genuinely understand that the Bible advises against this practice. Not as means to keep you from having fun but to protect you from spiritual attacks. If you choose to continue cohabitating, bear in mind that the Scripture and statistics are not in your favor. I encourage you to find separate living spaces and refrain from having sex until marriage or you may choose to get married quickly, formalize the relationship legally, and then have a formal wedding ceremony later. And in prayer, together, repent of cohabitating and cut all cords to the sin and burn them up with the Fire of the Holy Spirit. Additionally, break all generational curses in Jesus Name and loose all demons that attached from it, and cast them off eternally; and cut all cords to the generational curses. Contact I'm always looking for new and exciting opportunities. Let's connect. info@mysite.com 123-456-7890

How do I know I'm born again? Characteristics of believers, How to tell someone is born again, 5 Characteristics of the Born Again Human Spirit PDF Article is below. For downloadable PDF click link. 5 Characteristics of the Born Again Human Spirit 5 Characteristics of the Born Again Human Spirit - The bible gives us a way to identify the new birth: 1. The Born Again SPIRIT Can Not Sin - John 3:6 KJV “That which has birth from the flesh is flesh, and that which has birth from the Spirit is spirit.” What is born of God in a man is his spirit not his flesh nor his soul. His soul (mind, will, emotions) must be renewed by the Word of God. His flesh must be put into submission to his born again spirit and his renewed mind. We have been conditioned to let the flesh lead us which leads to sin, followed by the soul and lastly our spirit. This is not how it should be once we are born again. That way only leads to sin, darkness and defeat. When we are born again our spirit is hooked up to God and we must disciple ourselves to be led by God in His Word, by His Spirit, and our Prayers. 2 Corinthians 4:16 NKJV “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.” This born again spirit, also called the inner man, cannot sin. Our inner man has the nature of God just as Christ has the nature of His Father God, so it was impossible for Him to sin. As we pursue our relationship with Jesus, we start to die to our flesh and its’ worldly ways. As we feed on the Word of God, our inner man starts to gain strength leading us to putting on the Mind of Christ, putting our flesh into submission to the Mind of Christ. 1 John 3:9 NKJV “Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His Seed (that is God’s seed) remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.” Because your born again spirit cannot sin, it is therefore impossible for those who are born again, though in the flesh to make a practice of sin. Because we are still in the flesh, we will occasionally give in to the flesh, and in those instances we confess to God and ask and receive His forgiveness. 1 John 5:18 (NIV) We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; The One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them. 2. The Born Again Man Listens To The Doctrine Of The Apostles: 1 John 4:5-6 (NIV) “They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of falsehood.” Those who are born again will naturally connect with the Words of God through the apostles because they are of the same spirit. Those who speak worldly things have the spirit of the world. 3. The Born Again Spirit Will Love God And Jesus 1 John 4:7 (NKJV) “Beloved, let us Love one another, for Love is of God; and everyone who Loves is born of God and knows God.” We cannot love God and hate our neighbor, our coworker, our family member etc. Love is a Fruit of the Spirit. If you are born again, Love will come naturally as a Fruit from the Holy Spirit in you. Remember when you are mistreated and abused this is being done under the influence of the darkness of this world. Through Jesus you have the authority and dominion. 4. The Born Again Man Will Believe That Jesus Is The Christ: 1 John 5:1 (NIV) “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is Born of God, and everyone who Loves the Father Loves His Child (Jesus) as well.” 5. The Born Again Man Will Follow The Commandments Of Christ And OvercomeThe World: 1 John 5:2-4 (NKJV) “By this we know that we Love the Children of God, when we Love God and keep His Commandments. 3 For this is the Love of God, that we keep His Commandments. And His Commandments are not burdensome. 4 For whatever is Born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” Overcoming the world actually means we stop thinking the way the world thinks. We no longer seek the worlds’ approval. We not longer share their attitudes. We no longer try to lift ourselves up in the eyes of men but we lift up Jesus so He may draw all men to Him. We long to be with our King of Glory and seek to do His Will not ours. We spend time with Jesus in His Word, in prayer and worship of The Father. We know that earth is not our home. We know we are a colony of heaven on this earth. Luke 6:22, 27-31 (NIV) 22 “Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. 27-31 But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.” We live in an age of evil being called good and good being called evil. When terrible things are said about us or done to us we know we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness in this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. We combat all these things by the Word of God and our Shield of Faith. And having done all we stand. We are justified before God by our faith, our believing, in Jesus. Good works will not build our faith. If we exercise complete faith in God, good works will naturally flow. Faith only comes by hearing, and hearing by The Word of God.

How to keep steady, How to guard yourself, Protect, On track, How to use the Word, Is scripture for real, How do I know what's true Guard Rails Rules to Judge By Article below. Or downloadable PDF in link. PDF Guard Rails Rules to Judge By How to stay on track When driving down the highway it is always good to have guard rails. They can keep you from running off the road and doing serious injury to yourself and others. RULES TO JUDGE BY The basic rule to judge all things by is what God said in His Word . His Word is your guard rail. His Word will keep you on track if you follow it, follow the Holy Spirit’s leading, keeping your heart sensitive, pliable and correctable to the Lord. Here are some foundational scriptures, guard rails, to keep you on track: Proverbs 23:7 - As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. - This lets you know that you have what you have because of how you think in your heart. Your heart is referencing your soul (when you look it up in Strong’s). And your mind is a part of your heart - soul. So how you think of yourself will show up in your life. - Our "thoughts" are spoken of often in scripture: Romans 1:18-23 Futile in their thoughts and how they thought was a choice. How will you choose to think this day? - Romans 12:3 don’t think more highly of yourself that you ought to. - Matthew 9:4 you can entertain evil thoughts. - 1 Corinthians 14:20 we can think childishly - Pride is in thinking, 1 Corinthians 8:2; Matthew 6:7; - We are to control our thoughts, 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 - Proverbs 4:20-27 - the “gateways” to the heart : eyes, ear, mouth. If we are careful what enters them and what exits the mouth, we guard our heart. This will change our thoughts. 2. John 10:10 How to tell who is active in your life, satan or Jesus. 3. Always start - the beginning - all things with God and His Word - John 1:1-4. 4. Liberty: There is always Liberty with God, not heaviness or binding - Galatians 5:13 - We've been called to liberty, freedom. Isaiah 61:1 & Luke 4:18-19 - Jesus came to set the captive free James 1:25 - Liberty is a law of God, are you blessed in what you hear even if it’s heavy/intense word? 2 Corinthians 3:17 - Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. Psalm 119:45 - We walk in liberty BECAUSE we seek His Word. 5. Is there Joy , that is where God’s presence is - Psalm 16:11; Nehemiah 8:10. When your joy gets attacked, and it will, get out your scriptures that speak about your joy in the Lord and shout praises to Him for what He has done for you. He is in you! He is your Strength. The Holy Spirit is your strengthener. John 15:11; Ezra 6:22 (The Lord has filled you with joy); Isaiah 9:3; 1 John 4:4; 5:4; Romans 8:31; Psalm 98:4; Psalm 5:11; Philippians 3:1; Isaiah 49:13; Isaiah 55:12; Psalm 105:43; Psalm 95:1; Acts 13:52; Psalm 48:2; Isaiah 35:10; Nehemiah 12:43; Isaiah 61:7. 6. The Holy Spirit confirms what you’re getting with “peace” - Romans 8:26-27; Colossians 3:15. God is the God of Peace 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 13:20; Jesus said He has left His peace with us - John 14:27. 7. There is no condemnation with God - Romans 8:1-2. “Conviction” is not condemnation. Conviction is when the Holy Spirit is leading you to do something but you are either refusing to, or you did something you weren’t supposed to and the Holy Spirit is convicting/reproving you to stop - John 16:8 8. Don’t quarrel with each other regarding convictions - Romans 14:1-23. Sometimes convictions are personal. They are not always general for the entire Body of Christ. Like, if I am not supposed to eat dairy and I have a conviction about it I shouldn't argue with other believers because they do eat it. Some things the Holy Spirit gives you is personal, it's not necessarily for the Body of Christ. You know you're out of line if what you speak causes condemnation. (Romans 8:1.) 9. Does it bring fear , fear is not of God - Romans 8:15; 1 John 4:18; 2 Timothy 1:7 10. Is something “dominating” you - you can’t control it - 1 Corinthians 6:12. God never dominates. He always leaves it up to your free will. 11. Whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved - 2 Pet. 2:19 12. Does it come from Love , God is love - 1 Peter 4:8; 1 John 4:7-8 13. God is not the author of confusion - 1 Corinthians 14:33 14. God does not tempt anyone - James 1:13 (12-15) 15. God, the Holy Spirit, Jesus ARE wisdom and revelation knowledge , you can’t be around them and not have it - Ephesians 1:17-18, He is the light of the world, you will have “light” on the subject - 1 John 1:5. 16. Dealing with rejection - just because you may be damaged goods doesn’t mean you’re worthless!! Because God says you are a new creature!! - 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; 13:6-8. You ARE who God says you are! And God is in the business of healing broken hearts and spirits.

What is a confession, Do I have to speak the Word of God outloud, How to pray, to pray is to say, God, Jesus, Are they real, Isn't the Bible just stories How to Use Confessions Simple and Powerful Tool Article below. Or for downloadable PDF click link. PDF How to Use Confessions Simple and Powerful Tool Colossians 3:10 and Ephesians 4:24 - we are to “put on” the new man. What does this mean to “put on”? Actually, it’s literal. We behave like we have a “new self” because…we do. As we do this we will be renewed by the Holy Spirit bit by bit. And we are renewed in the knowledge of the image of the Creator, just like Colossians says: “And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” - Colossians 3:10. The more we learn about God the more we are renewed! It’s like when you were in the school play as a kid. You had to “put on the character” you were playing. When you put on the costume, you felt different. You felt like the character and it was easier to behave the way that character behaved. It’s the same with “putting on” the new man. There is a part to us that is changed once we are born again - our Spirit with the Holy Spirit within us. And yes, there are parts to us that drive us crazy because we can’t stand the old behavior because we “know” deep down inside that we are different. It is the struggle that Paul talks about in Romans 7 and 8. The flesh versus the Spirit. They struggle against each other. (I suggest that you read Romans 7 and 8 if you haven’t.) What we are left with is a choice. Do we behave how our flesh wants us to; or do we behave how the Holy Spirit is leading us in our Spirit. It’s a choice. This choice comes from “what” we are focused on: flesh or Spirit. If you want to change your behavior stay focused on the Holy Spirit in your Spirit by staying in the Word, acting on it, and following His gentle leadings, and making confessions from the Word. It’s that simple. As we do this we are putting on the new self, that is created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:24). How to make confessions: Always have a notebook when you are reading the Word in your prayer time. When a scripture “jumps off” the page at you; or a scripture you don’t understand; or a scripture that just “bugs” you - write them down! If/when you get any revelation about them you can go back to that page and write it down too. For the scripture that “jumps off” the page: write it down on a separate piece of paper and change a few of the words to make it personal. I’ll show a scripture in full, then the confession: John 3:36 - “He that believes on the Son has everlasting life: and he that believes not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him.” Confession : “I believe on the Son of God, My Lord Jesus Christ, therefore I have everlasting life.” Here’s a few more: Romans 8:11 - “And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.” Confession: “The Holy Spirit, of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in me, therefore He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to my mortal body through His Spirit, Who lives in me. “ Colossians 2:12-13 - “Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also you are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead and you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, has He quickened together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses;” Confession: “I am buried with Jesus in baptism, and I’m also risen with Him because I know God raised Jesus from the dead. Hallelujah! And I am now alive with Him because God forgave me all of my sins through Christ Jesus my Lord.” Colossians 3:1-3 “If you then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For you are dead, your life is hid with Christ in God.” Confession: “I am risen with Christ, I seek those things which are above, I keep my eyes where Christ sits on the right hand of God. I set my affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For I am dead to them and my life is hid with Christ in God.” However many confessions you have, whether it’s one or 10, or 20, whatever…put them on a sheet(s) of paper and speak them out over yourself in your prayer time. You can do this after you have said your morning prayers and read scripture; or before; or instead of “typical” morning prayers. However the Lord is leading you to do them. Things with the Lord tend to go in cycles. Or seasons, may be a better word. There will be a period of time you may focus on them. Especially if you are retraining your soul (*See Spirit, Soul, Body article). Until you get your mind renewed (Romans 12:2) with what God says about you, stay on this. You have to change your thinking to His thinking - the way He sees you through the Blood of Jesus. Not through your flesh and not through your personality. If you have never done this there’s nothing quite like this. You will sense joy, vitality, you’ll get excited. That is the Holy Spirit taking hold together with you on scripture!! (Romans 8:26-27.) It’s a good thing to do!

Do I have to forgive, What if I don't forgive, Is unforgiveness a sin, Does the Bible say to forgive, God, Jesus, Are they real, Isn't the Bible just stories How to Forgive How to Forgive - ARTICLE BELOW OR PDF LINK. PDF How to Forgive... It’s a choice. It's that simple. It’s a Choice There are over 100 scriptures about “forgiveness”. We all “know” in our heart, by the Holy Spirit, that we are to forgive. But it simply seems impossible to do. So, “why” can’t we do it? You can’t reflect what you haven’t received from the Lord . This is a sobering statement, I know. But if you haven’t received God’s forgiveness for yourself, then you can’t forgive others. Spend time with the Lord. Pray the Ephesians 1:15-23 prayer over yourself and ask the Lord to show you about this, to teach you. Then listen for where He directs you to in the Word. He may start revealing things within your head, your thinking, about the situation first. Whatever and however He does it, follow Him. When He shows you, repent, deeply. And receive your forgiveness. Receive it. You do this on purpose. Not because your feelings agree, or don’t. You receive it because of God’s Word which says, He is faithful and just to forgive you - 1 John 1:9. Say out loud: “Lord, I receive Your forgiveness and thank You for it.” 2. In John 20:23-24 in a different translation - “Then He took a deep breath and breathed on them. ‘Receive the Holy Spirit,’ He said. ‘If you forgive someone’s sins, they’re gone for good. If you don’t forgive sins, what are you going to do with them?’” Here’s a revelation from the Lord: If you hold on to unforgiveness of someone, you then receive the person’s penalty for the sin. You are keeping the sin active and alive, and the penalty follows - the penalty is attached to it and attached to you. Whatever they do about the sin is between them and God. You take care of your part and forgive it. Take every thought captive about the situation and cast it down, out loud, “I forgave so-and-so about that sin. Go talk to Jesus about it.” And keep doing this with the vain imaginations of unforgiveness until it’s gone. It takes a few days but you have the power through Jesus. 3. The other major component to forgiveness, and this may not be easy for some people to read…is pride. You have to get honest with yourself and the Lord and see if this is the issue. Pride will typically look like something else, like “justified” for feeling this way because what was done to you was really bad, "you didn't deserve it". That may be the case. You may be justified in a worldly sense, but it’s about how “right” you are. That’s pride. 4. Unforgiveness holds you captive. Captive by the situation. Captive by the person(s). You are not free. You are in bondage. And you are choosing bondage rather than the freedom Jesus Christ purchased for you - Galatians 5:1 - “Stand fast in the liberty where Christ has made me free and I am not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” 5. There are times when the toughest part to forgiveness is forgiving yourself . This goes in the line with #1 - you can not reflect what you haven’t received from the Lord. Spend time in scriptures on His forgiveness of mankind, it’s what the Cross was all about. Soak in those scriptures until you know that you know, that you know that you are forgiven. Forgiveness is about “choice.” You have to choose to do it. It’s emotionally tough because our emotions feel justified or like we deserve to feel this way. Choose to forgive. Spend time with the Lord to see what your case involves from the numbered areas above. He will lead you. He loves you. He gave His life for you. He will lead you if you let Him. Ephesians 4:32 - Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Who is God; Who is Jesus; Jesus Christ and what He's done, Savior, Son of God, How you see Jesus, Your life reflects what you believe, God, Jesus, Are they real, Isn't the Bible just stories, Authority, Bible, Teaching, Belief, Faith, Love, How Great Is Your Jesus? How Great Is Your Jesus? PDF Do you truly know how BIG and HOW GREAT God is? This is a serious question to ask ourselves. If we don't get how big He is and what He's done for us, we can never show it in our lives. And if we can't show it then we haven't truly received it. Isaiah is a great book to see how big God is! In your time read chapters 33-35, 40 ; and Job chapters 38-41 is God speaking of Who He is and some of the things He has done. But here we will look at: Isaiah 35:2-4 "...they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God. Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, 'Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, He will dome with vengeance; with divine retribution He will come to save you.'" Isaiah 40:12-14 "Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, or with the breadth of His hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance? Who can fathom the Spirit of the Lord, or instruct the Lord as His counselor? Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten Him, and who taught Him the right way? Who was it that taught Him knowledge, or showed Him the path of understanding?" Of course this is rhetorical. No one did this but Him. And HE IS IN YOU!!! As you know Him more, more of Him you will reflect! Because you Cannot Reflect From Within You Qualities Of The Lord If You Haven’t Truly Received Them. He Is In You - All Of Him but Do You Let Him Show Out From Within You? We know God is Love. He has mercy, grace and all that… but He is Love. Jesus and The Father are One. It is this immeasurable Love that Jesus has for the Father and for us that is equal to the immeasurable Power of Jesus. So, as we cannot measure His Love; we also have no ability to measure His Power. His vast Love and His vast Power are immeasurable. It is absolute and vast. And that is what is living inside of you, but His Power it is ruled by Love. That is the ultimate Love. It is written “Love conquers all things.” not just a couple things, everything. God is Love. We are talking about the God kind of Love, not man’s type of love that tends to be self centered. We are talking about the true Agape Love that caused Him to sacrificed everything to bring man back to Him. It was not an easy sacrifice. His sacrifice was more than equal to His Love. When we start dealing with the Love of God, the Love that He has for man is sometimes mind boggling to see how vast and deep it is. Start tuning into His Love. When you start to see who you are in Him, in Christ (the Anointed One and His Anointing) and in His Love, it changes your idea of yourself forever. Check out what that anointing is. When you start exhibiting that anointing in you and in your life, you are tapping into the immeasurable Love of God. Then you have no problem finding your identity in Him. It’s been an identity problem with the modern day christian in America. They have no idea who they are. It takes study in scripture and in prayer.Dedicating yourself to your pursuit of finding out who you are in Christ. It comes only with your determination and dedication so you can live up to who you are in Jesus, but when you do that, life is an adventure. This power can only be executed with your understanding of that power with in you. Ephesians 3: 20-21 Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. How much power is at work in you? This is major! In your alone time with Jesus ask Him how you can increase His Power in you. Then do what He says. This will take your spiritual walk to another level. 1 John 3:2-3 2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And every man that has this hope in him purifies Himself, even as He is pure. I know that it’s an easy thing to say but I would like to give you an insight as to how this can be accomplished. The thing that the Lord judges is our hearts. We know what is in our hearts by our thoughts, by our words and by our deeds. It is written, Out of the treasure of our heart the mouth speaks. But let’s go even further than that by noting the thoughts arising from our heart. So when you start looking at what your are thinking as well as saying and doing, and judging yourself in these three areas, you will see the weak areas you need to build yourself up in on the Word to become strong. Any thought that doesn’t line up with God’s Word, you cast that down as a vain imagination and replace it with the Word of God that applies. So when you start cleaning up your thought life, your words will start to be cleaned up. What I mean by “cleaned” is anything that is contrary to the Word of God. I am not speaking about foul language or sexual thoughts, I’m talking about thoughts and words contrary to God’s Word. Thoughts of despair and failure, self condemnation and anxiety. When you start to clean up your thoughts, words and deeds by lining them up with the Word of God then you will become pure as He is pure. A bride without spot or blemish. God will then turn up His Power in you. He cannot turn up His Power within you if your thoughts and words are contrary to His. We already have the Mind of Christ. We got that when we were born again. This is about us working out our salvation with fear and trembling. This is how it’s done. It is a job. It is a job of a disciple to become more and more like Him. When we dig deep, and become determined to be holy as He is holy we can look forward with gladness that when we are face to face with Him, we will be uniquely the same. We think His thoughts, we feel what He feels. We feel the grief and the hurt of those who are lost. We feel that! We feel the grief and the hurt of the backslidden. They are in areas that do not have to be. They are in such defeat they don’t even know that they are losing. When we see that, we drop down to our knees and pray, “Lord send Your Spirit to open their minds open their hearts so that they can see who they are and where they are.” If they would judge themselves and correct that, then revelation comes as a powerful flood upon them. God is revelation Himself. When you put yourself in that position by purifying your life that’s how you turn up the Power of God within you. That’s how you turn up the Love of God within you. That’s how you are able to pray revival in your community, in your state, in your country. That is how you have dominion and authority. 1 John 4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world. This is all predicated on you. How great is Jesus in you? How great is the anointing in you? They will not increase until you increase Jesus within you. When you increase the knowledge of His Word, when you increase your obedience to His leading by the Holy Spirit, when you increase all of these things, then Jesus can truly be greater than. You are the one that makes Him greater than. Those out there that are prayer warriors who get worried about coming up against “that” strongman or “this” strongman, shows how great Jesus is in you. The greater Jesus is within you, there is nothing in all creation that you come up against that should have you worried. Jesus is greater. But you are the one that makes Him greater. Nobody else, you. Ask yourself, “How great is Jesus in me?” How you view Jesus affects everything in your life. You need to come to the realization that you are the deciding factor. Your thoughts, your words, your deeds are the deciding factor on how great Jesus is in you. How great is His Power in you? How great is His Name in you. How great is His Blood in you? You and only you decide that. 1 John 4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world. Genesis 1:26 “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.” Luke 1: 30-33 And the angel said to her, Fear not, Mary: for you have found favor with God. And, behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call His Name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David: And He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end. John 15:4-7 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can you, except you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches: He that abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without Me you can do nothing. If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you. 1 John 4:15-16 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwells in Him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has to us. God is love; and he that dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him. 2 Corinthians 6:16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God; as God has said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. John 10:30 I and My Father are One. John 17:10-1, 20-23 And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Thine Own Name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one, as We are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your Name: those that You gave Me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. 20-23 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word; That they all may be one; as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be one in Us: that the world may believe that You have sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them; that they may be one, even as We are One: I in them, and You in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them, as You have loved Me.

Identity, Believer, Who am I in Jesus, who does Jesus say I am, God, Jesus, Bible, You are who God says you are, You Are A Believer! No Matter What Article below or click link for downloadable PDF PDF You Are a Believer! Everyone believes something. Whether it’s for our best interest or worst. You can’t help but be a believer. It is how we are made. Just as we have two eyes, two ears, a mouth, and walk upright, we also believe. It’s in our very make up. We are made in God’s image. God is a believer. That is what “faith” means in Greek: to believe. This is why faith pleases God (Hebrews 11:6 ). He wants His children to believe that He is and does what He says He will do. No different than any parent. The issue we have in thinking we “don’t have faith” comes from our “feelings.” Feelings lie most of the time. They cannot be trusted. (See study on: Spirit, Soul, & Body.) And when we “feel” that way it only means we need to build up our “believer” muscles. We already have them they just need some exercise. Believing=Faith The way to build up your “believing" or faith muscle is to spend time with the Lord in His Word. The process is simple. It only requires time. And you get to spend time with the Creator of the universe!!! He wants to share His heart with you. How amazing is that! You get to share in God’s sweetness. Share in His expounding love. And as you spend time with Him and go to where He leads you in the Word, and He can trust that your relationship with Him is the most important thing to you, He will share more of His heart with you. Including when He’s unhappy at what people are doing and He may have you pray about the issues. Your closeness will be more and more enriched. There is no limit. How To Start: There are many scriptures that can be used for this but I tend to use one of these three: Ephesians 1:17-19 - That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, and what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power Psalm 119:18 - Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your law. Psalm 119:103-104 - How sweet are Your Words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! I gain understanding from Your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. We have these scriptures within us whether we know it or not. God is in us. Jesus is in us. The Holy Spirit is in us. Therefore the Word is in us. And faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God - Romans 10:17 . So as we speak these Words it stirs up our faith and then the Holy Spirit can bring them to pass. Just like He did with God Almighty in Genesis 1:2 - God spoke and Holy Spirit was there to move on the Word that He spoke. God didn’t just “think” it. He had to speak it so the Holy Spirit could move. Same in the book of Acts with Paul ministering. The power of the Holy Spirit would fall on people and miracles, signs and wonders happened because of the Word spoken! So this is what we will do. Speak His Word so the Holy Spirit can bring it to pass in our prayer time. And this is true for every area of our lives - not only our prayer time. 2. When I’m in my quiet time with the Lord, I typically plan for at least 30 minutes. I do an hour or longer if I can. I begin by telling Him “good morning” and how much I love and appreciate Him, praise Him, and whatever else comes to mind. (This is building your relationship with Him, just like your spouse. You had to spend time together.) Then I take one of the afore mentioned scriptures and I pray it back to Him, out loud. This is how we use our faith. We believe what He has said in His word about us. We take the scripture personally expecting it to come to pass. Because it will. He upholds all things by the power of His Word (Hebrews 1:3 ). An example of praying these back to the Lord and taking them personally by faith: “Father God, in the Name of Jesus, I want to give You praise for Your Word is truth and You uphold all things by the Power of Your Word. And as You said in Ephesians 1:17-19 I am asking for the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation Knowledge to come up out of me, that my eyes would be enlightened to know more about You and what is Your inheritance that’s in me. And I receive it. I thank You for it. And I thank You that I know what is the exceeding greatness of Your Power to me because I believe You, just as You used that Power to raise Jesus from the dead. It’s the same Power in me! And I thank You for this! Now what wonderful things would You like to share with me today, Father?” I close my eyes and stay quiet. (Be still and know that I am God - Psalm 46:10 .) Expecting Him to speak. He will tell you where to go by one of the many ways He works: still, small, quiet voice from deep down within your belly; and comes up (sometimes) on the inside of you. Hard to explain. You’ll know it when it happens. He can also bring an image up to you from deep within you, perhaps of a story in the Bible that you know where it is, like maybe you “see” the tower of Babel; or Jesus on the Mount giving the sermon of the Beatitudes…whatever He shows you; or you may see the title of a book like John, or James, or Genesis in front of your eyes. Then He will show you an image of the chapter number. Or sometimes it’s a deep “knowing” from deep-down within your belly, you just “know”. Like a knowing to read Romans 8. Whatever “knowing” from deep within you. Not outside your body. Inside. Wherever He tells you to go, do it. 3. Always have a notebook and pen available. Dedicate them to the Lord for your study time, this is all you use them for. As you are reading the scripture He has led you to there are several things to keep in mind: Date each entry with the day, month, and year. Any questions over verses or chapters, write them down in your notebook with the scripture reference. And talk them over with the Lord. Tell Him your questions/thoughts on it. He may reveal something as you are talking. He may not and instead will reveal it later in the day or two, or few. He may have you study something from that verse, a word, or subject matter. He will lead you. Follow ideas out. Hunches. Typically in this time of study He will also lead that way. You know it’s a “God-idea” when you weren’t thinking anything like it. It just comes up from within you. Any “a-ha’s” you get over a verse. This is revelation knowledge! He is showing you insights to His Word. He is showing you His heart. And give Him praise and thank Him for showing you the wonderful things out of His Word. 4. As you continue doing this in your daily prayer time your faith/belief will be built up. You can “sense” it. You sense power there, not a void. You can tell because you feel light, joyful, excited, strong - all of it is in Him. Those are all “fruit” from hanging out with Him. You are believing His word and it is always good, as you do what He tells you to do.

Is God real, Who is God, His personality, His character, Is Jesus the Son of God, Is all this God stuff real Who is God, His Names, & His Character Article below or click link for downloadable PDF PDF Who is God, His Names, & His Character When we introduce ourselves we say, “I am (name).” We are making a simple statement of “who we are”. There is no one who can tell you that you are not that named person. Ever. It is your identity. You are who you say you are. AND names are personal. The Name and titles of God are no different. When we look at the names/titles of God we see the same thing. He is who He says He is. Can’t change it. It is Him. It’s His personality. And it is a great privilege that He shares His names with us. He has given us His Name (Ephesians 3:14-15). I don't fully understand this myself...yet. It's extraordinary! It’s personal. It reveals more than the name “God”. It is His substance and we learn His personality. And the more we spend time with Him in the Word and talk with Him about it, the more we see Him actively involved in our lives in the way that He “describes” Himself. It’s important for us to know these names when we address Him in prayer, rightfully, respectfully. And when we address Him in prayer using one of His names it enlarges our expectation...our faith...that shows Him to us as His name or title says He is. He is the everlasting God, the Creator of all. We want to address God with reverence and wisdom when we pray. It’s also important to remind ourselves of Hebrews 13:8 - God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. What He said about Himself in days gone by is the same today! Let Him show up in your life in these ways. These names are who He is and what He is like. Way better than a dating app!! He is our first love. Who loved us before the foundation of the world and had us planned in His heart from that point. Listed below are only a small part of the many scriptures in each area. I suggest doing a full study on the area of interest. YHVH - Exodus 3:12-15. I AM. The One bringing into being; Life-giver; Giver of existence; Creator; He who brings to pass; Performer of His promises; He who causes to fall, rain or lightning; Destroying foes; The One Who Is; The Absolute and Unchangeable One; The Existing; Everliving: I shall be with you; He who will be IT with you; He is who is essentially unnamable, inexplicable. Jesus - Luke 1:31. Is a translation of the Hebrew “Joshua” - “Yashua”, that means, “Jehovah is salvation, is the Savior”. It was a common name among Jews at the time which is most likely why they missed it when He was on the earth (Ex. 17:9; Luke 3:29; Col 4:11). Jehovah Jireh - The Lord will provide. He is our provider: Philippians 4:19, 3 John 2 and Genesis 22:13-14. Jehovah Rapha - The Lord will heal. Philippians 4:19, Exodus 15:26, and Isaiah 53:5. Jehovah Shalom - The Lord our peace. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, John 14:27, & Philippians 4:6-7. Good to use when anxious or afraid. Whenever God showed up to people and they were afraid He would always say, “Peace, be still.” Jehovah Nissi - The Lord our banner. Exodus 17:15 (all). Represents He is the one that stands with you in battles. You are not alone. The “banner” is God Himself as a “name tag” over you saying “you are His”. Jehovah Tsidkenu - The Lord Who is righteousness. He is our righteousness - 2 Corinthians 5:21, Romans 10:4, Philippians 3:9, Jeremiah 23:5-6. Good for using when you need Godly judgment and righteousness in situations, decisions that need to made. Jehovah Rohi - The Lord is our Shepherd. John 10 and Psalm 23 Jehovah Shammah - The Lord is always present - The Lord who is there. Ezekiel 48:35. Such an intimate prayer time with this title. As you go into prayer, call Him Jehovah Shaman. He is righter there in the same room with you, as close as your own breath. Jehovah M’Kaddesh - The Lord Who sanctifies. Leviticus 11:44, 20:7-8. God is Who sanctifies you and makes you holy, He sets you apart for Himself and perfects that which concerns us. Praying like: “Jehovah M’Kaddesh, I need more holiness my life. I needs greater victory over temptation. I need strength over son. I want to represent You more purely to a corrupt world. Please help me grow in Your sanctification. You are my Jehovah M’Kaddesh.” The Lord of Glory - 1 Corinthians 2:8; Exodus 33:7-23 I AM - John 8:58 Author of Salvation - Hebrews 2:10 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - Exodus 3:2, 6 The Almighty - Revelation 1:8 The Everlasting Father - Isaiah 9:6 The First and the Last - Revelation 1:17 The Faithful Witness - Psalm 89:36-37 The Image of the Invisible God - Colossians 1:15 WONDERFUL, COUNSELOR, MIGHTY GOD - Isaiah 9:6 A Sacrifice - Ephesians 5:2 A Ransom - Mark 10:45 Heir of All Things - Hebrew 1:1-4 He is Love - 1 John 4:8. The Temple - Revelation 21:22 A Sanctuary - Isaiah 8:14 Intercessor - Hebrews 7:25, Romans 8:27 Helper - Romans 8L26, John 16:7 (Amplified) Author and Finisher of our faith - Hebrews 12:2 Advocate - 1 John 2:1 Surety of a Better Covenant - Hebrews 7:22 Teacher - John 13:13, 1 John 2:27 The Resurrection and the Life - John 11:25 The Wisdom of God - 1 Corinthians 1:24 Lord (Yahweh) - Isaiah 26:4, Psalm 23, John 20:28 (a vast study can be done on “Lord” - it’s a proper name. Hebrew: Addonai. Strong’s #113.) God - (same study done can be done here. Hebrew Strong’s #430. Greek #2316 ) 1 Timothy 2:5. Son of God - John 1:34 Beloved Son - Matthew 17:5, 3:16-17 The Word - John 1:1 Messiah - Daniel 9:25 Alpha and Omega - Revelation 22:13 Savior - Luke 2:11 Redeemer - Job 19:25 Light of the World - John 8:12 Lamb of God - John 1:29 Creator of All Things - Colossians 1:16 Master - Luke 8:24 Mediator - 1 Tiimothy 2:5 Bread of Life - John 6:48 High Priest - Hebrews 3:1 The Lamb - Revelation 7:9 A Lamb without Blemish and without Spot - 1 Peter 1:19 Lamb Slain from the Foundation of the World - Revelation 13:8 The Shepherd of The Sheep - Hebrews 13:20 The Way - John 14:6 The Good Shepherd - John 10:11 The Chief Shepherd - 1 Peter 5:4 The Rock - Psalm 18:2 My Rock and My Fortress - Psalm 31:3 The Rock of My Refuge - Psalm 94:22 The Rock that is higher than I - Psalm 61:2 The Rock of My Salvation - 2 Samuel 22:47 My Rock and My Redeemer - Psalm 19:14 NIV The Builder - Hebrews 3:3 The Foundation - 1 Corinthians 3:11 A Sure Foundation - Isaiah 28:16 A Stone - Isaiah 28:16 A Living Stone - 1 Peter 2:4 A Chief Cornerstone - 1 Peter 2:6 A Precious Stone - 1 Peter 2:6 A Stone Cut Without Hands - Daniel 2:34-35 The Last Adam - 1 Corinthians 15:46 God’s Firstborn - Psalm 89:27 The Firstborn Among Many Brethren - Romans 8:29 The Firstfruits of Them that Slept - 1 Corinthians 15:20 74. A Witness to the People - Isaiah 55:4 The Amen - Revelation 3:14 The Light , The True Light- John 12:35, John 1:9 The Light of Men - John 1:4 He is the Lamb Who was Slain - Revelation 5:12 He is Faithful - Hebrews 3:2 He is Our Strong Tower - Proverbs 18:10 He is Our Foundation - 1 Corinthians 3:11 He is Preeminent - Colossians 1:18 He is the Tree of Life - Revelation 2:7 The Bright and Morning Star - Revelation 22:16 The Sun of Righteousness - Malachi 4:2 He is Our Gift - 2 Corinthians 9:15 The Head - Ephesians 4:15 The Head of the Body, the Church - Colossians 1:18 A Life-Giving Spirit - 1 Corinthians 15:45 The Head of All Principality and Power - Colossians 2:10