You Are All Together Beautiful, my darling: there is no flaw in you.

Song of Solomon 4:7 NIV

Long before Beyoncé proclaimed to woman they were flawless your heavenly Father accepted, approved, and declared you flawless in His eyes. You may be wondering how that can be true with all of the mistakes I've made. One of the awesome beauties of our Lord and Savior is He sees you through the finished work of Jesus on the cross that declares you righteousness. Jesus died on the cross so your burdens would be light, he took the punishment of our sins so we would not have to live with the weight of guilt, condemnation, sickness, or disease (2 Cor 5:21 ESV). Christ finished work declares you whole. "As HE (Jesus) is so are we in the world" (I John 4:17). You can rest in the truth of God's love for every area of your life. He didn't design you to worry and fear but to rest in Him.(Hebrews 4:11)

Surely

Surely He has borne our grief's (sicknesses, weaknesses, and distresses) and carried our sorrows and pains [of punishment]… Isaiah 53:4 AMPC

 

Jesus provided a certainty for us when he died on the cross not only for our sins but for "our grief's (sickness, weaknesses, and distresses) and carried our sorrows and pains." We can bear witness to this truth with confidence because God's word says he has "surely" completed it. There are 13 Hebrew words and 7 Greek words that derive from the word "sure" which holds the following meanings: to be firm, faithful, true, Covenant, certainty, truth, trustworthiness, to trust, be confident, sure to bind, to know, settle, consult, establish, security, assurance, to rise, permanent, embolden, capture, to watch, secure, to render, stable, certain, binding, to know, trustworthy, reliable, solid, make sure, strengthen, firm of force, be resolved. So no matter what we experience in life (even our own inability to get things right) Jesus covered it all on the cross he carried it so we wouldn't have to…Oh what a mighty God we serve!!!! We have the assurance of knowing that whatever we face God has already provided the remedy for us to come through victorious, it is a done deal. Our job is to rest in the Grace and Mercy of Jesus Christ. Every time we confess Jesus over our situation we defeat this evil world (1 John 5:4 NIV). Stand on the Word of God it will not fail you.

Promise

Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life…Psalms 23:6 NIV

Believing Truth

The thief comes only that he might steal and might kill and might destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly. John 10:10 Berean Study Bible

Have you ever had one of those moments where you felt discouraged and could not put your finger on why you felt that way? You try to shake it but the discouragement just continues to linger affecting you in a negative way through your attitude and outlook on circumstances. Many times I believe we feel discouraged due to disappointments, but the enemy also uses subtle situations to suggest discouragement. He uses people, circumstances, and negative thoughts, his tactics are generally the same. But we have insight into the devils themes through the Word of God. Jesus told his disciples, "The thief comes ONLY in order to steal, kill and destroy." (John 10:10 AMP). The enemy's ultimate purpose is to steal our joy and hope through Jesus Christ, but "we are not ignorant of his schemes." (2 Cor 2:10 AMP). A spiritual battle requires spiritual weapons which is prayer and dousing ourselves in the Word of God. I find it enlightening that after Jesus provided the enemy's motives he immediately encourages us with the purpose of His coming. "I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)." We can either listen to the lies of the enemy that will eventually destroy us or we can believe and hope in the Word of God and live an "abundant life." I've decided to dismiss the lies of discouragement and focus on the truth of God's wonderful Grace that brings blessings in every area of our lives. Which will you believe a deceiver or the King of Kings and Lord of Lord's?

Encouragement

The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing."  Zephaniah 3:17

 

…as He is, so are we in this world. 1 John 4:17 AMP

...our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s. 1 John 4:17 MSG

When Christ died on the cross for our sins he also provided us with the ability to possess His qualities and unmerited blessings not just in heaven but here on earth.  The Bible tells us, "For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus" (Eph 2:6 NLT). How marvelous is that, we are unified with Christ the bridegroom of the Church lavished with His love, kindness, and provisions, "as He is, so are we in this world." Think about that for a moment, allow it to really saturate your spirit… So do we need to worry about sickness, lack, or other negative circumstances in our life? No, because Jesus is rich in all things and there is no illness or disease in His body. I learned these truths from a message by Pastor Joseph Prince "Receive God's Supply For all of Life's Demand." Many individuals that heard this word began declaring 1 John 4:17  over negative circumstances in their life and experienced major breakthroughs. This is the result of standing and believing in the word of God. I would like to encourage you to do the same in life's challenging moments. Declare, "as Christ is so am I in this world." The Word of God is true it cannot and will not return to Him void, every provision and purpose will be fulfilled in your life because of the righteousness bestowed upon you through Christ Jesus. 

Scripture

And this righteousness of God is through faith from Jesus Christ toward all those believing. For there is no distinction. Romans 3:22 Berean Literal Bible

Right Standing with God

This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him. John 3:16-17 MSG

Many times religion depicts God as this enraged Father sitting in heaven waiting for us to make a mistake so He can condemn and punish us. What a miss representation of God. He is just the opposite. God is love so much so that He sent His Son to the earth to take our sins upon Him once and for all so that even when we do mess up (and we will) all the Father see's is our righteousness through Jesus. In God's infinite wisdom he devised a plan to have an intimate relationship with sinful mankind. Yes, God hates sin but He absolutely loves and adores fellowship and intimacy with us. Accepting the gift Jesus provided for us over 2,000 years ago allows us to have holy fellowship with God. Jesus took on sin so that we did not have to die because of our sins. His one act of love sealed the deal once for all mankind. God doesn't condemn us His desire is to romance us and lavish His wonderful blessings on our life. We only have to accept, and believe the free gift that has been given to us.

Scripture

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Cor 5:21 NIV

Declaration

God isn't angry with me, but madly, intentionally in love with me.

After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. Then they carried the ark into Dagon's temple and set it beside Dagon. When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! They took Dagon and put him back in his place. But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! His head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained. 1 Samuel 5: 1-4 NIV

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.

          1 Peter 5:6 Jubilee Bible 2000

 

In my opinion, this Scripture illustrates God's humor as well as His power. The Ark of the Covenant symbolized God's presence. The Philistines obviously had no respect for the ark and placed it in a room with one of the false gods they worshipped. God had to show the people of Ashdod who He was and that He was not on the same level as their stone made god but He was the God who created the stone. So when the people of Ashdod entered the temple of Dagon the statue had fallen flat on his face: "every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus is Lord." I believe that was a very kind and gentle message that God was giving to the people of Ashod. But they still did not heed the message. So God made sure there was absolutely no doubt in his second delivery. "After they stood the statue back up the following morning they found the head and hands of the statue broken off and laying at the door of the temple with the body lying face down. God is a jealous God; He will not share His glory with anyone. We must always stay in a posture of being humble, understanding every good gift is from God, our mere existence is due to his Grace and love for us.

 

…I will not let my reputation be tarnished, and I will not share my glory with idols! Isaiah 48:11b NLT

 

Prayer

Thank you Lord for your Sovereignty that rules and reigns throughout the earth and in our lives.

 

 

 

 

 

Complete Control

 

There are many promises in the Word of God that help us stay grounded. But believing and trusting that God is in complete control gives us the confidence and assurance that no matter what circumstances we find ourselves everything will work out. I just wanted to remind you today that God has all power and authority and because you belong to Him He has gifted you with authority over the enemy as the righteousness of God through Christ Jesus.  Satan never has the upper hand and here's why:

 

Matthew 28:18

NIV: All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

AMP: All authority (all power of absolute rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

MSG: God authorized and commanded me to commission you.

GNB: I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.

 

Luke 10:19

CSB: I watched Satan fall from heaven like lightning. Look, I have given you the authority to trample on snakes and scorpion and over all the power of the enemy; nothing at all will harm you.

MSG: Master even the demons danced to your tune! Jesus said I know. I saw Satan fall, a bolt of lightning out of the sky. See what I've given you? Safe passage as you walk on snakes and scorpions and protection from every assault of the Enemy. No one can put a hand on you. All the same, the great triumph is not in your authority over evil, but in God's authority over you and presence with you. Not what you do for God but what God does for you-that's the agenda for rejoicing.

AMP: I have given you authority that you now possess to tread on serpents and scorpions, and the ability to exercise authority over all the power of the enemy (Satan) and nothing will in any way harm you.

I purposely provided scripture from different translation so you could really understand that you are completely covered and protected by God. Romans 10:9-13 tells us "For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. In the Greek salvation means deeds of deliverance, help, and prosperity. Use your words of confession over every area of your life. When you trust in the Word I believe our Father stands with his chest out and shoulders back saying, "That's my Child right there whom I am well pleased".

Prayer

Thank you Lord for entrusting us with your power and authority. We give you Glory, Honor, & Praise that you only deserve. Amen