The Warrior Walks Out his Faith

We have looked at developing and recognizing Faith action in the last 3 parts. Now it is time to look at applying what we have learned. When we are in school, this usually means a Pop Quiz, Mid-Term Paper, or some other demonstration of knowledge gained. When we are on an athletic field, it is the “now show me” moment that the coach blows his/her whistle to start the drills. In our faith walk and our anointed journey, it is the time where we no longer leave room in our hearts and minds concerning for ANY possibility that things could turn out in a way that does not align itself with God’s Will. We are surrounded by doubt – it is a foundation stone of the Natural World. When we can walk thru this world with 1000% confidence in Him, and in His anointing on each of us, we can manifest His Power in the world. Let’s look at our Faith’s Power in Action:

Acts 5:12-16 (Amplified Translation) Power of the Apostles

¹² Now by the hands of the apostles (special messengers) numerous and startling signs and wonders were being performed among the people. And by common consent they all met together [at the temple] in the covered porch (walk) called Solomon’s.

¹³ And none of those who were not of their number dared to join and associate with them, but the people held them in high regard and praised and made much of them.

¹⁴ More and more there were being added to the Lord those who believed [those who acknowledged Jesus as their Savior and devoted themselves to Him joined and gathered with them], crowds both of men and of women,

¹⁵ So that they [even] kept carrying out the sick into the streets and placing them on couches and sleeping pads, [in the hope] that as Peter passed by, at least his shadow might fall on some of them.

¹⁶ And the people gathered also from the towns and hamlets around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those troubled with foul spirits, and they were all cured.

This is the manifestation of the Promise that Jesus made to His Disciples – that they would perform greater miracles than he did. Beginning in the book of Acts, and going forward to our present day, it is the powers displayed by the anointed that causes the Natural World to marvel at the Power of Faith made manifest.

Look at verse 15 & 16. The Apostles were so anointed that the sick were healed by their shadow passing over them. Jesus healed by touch, then Faith began to grow as His reputation spread.  The Centurion’s servant was healed by the Servant’s Faith and the Centurion’s acceptance of Power.  This caused Faith to grow to a higher level in those who were ready to ascend.  After the Pentecost the Disciples were empowered by the Holy Spirit to heal as well. In Acts 3, they healed by open declaration – speaking to the circumstance. Now, in Acts 5, they exude His Power to such an extent that their shadow casts His Power onto others.

This is a demonstration of what the Holy Spirit is capable of when it is truly turned loose by the Anointed. This staggering demonstration, the first of many that we have seen in history, is within the reach of all of His anointed ones. The question for you is this - How much do YOU believe you can do while standing in agreement with Him?  We are anointed with the Holy Spirit, and when we walk in alignment with Him, we also have access to this Power.  

Can you heal others by declaration? Can you cause things to happen in alignment with His Purpose for you?  When your Faith is 1000% aligned with His Plan, the answer is YES!  Understand that when it does not “work” that He has a higher purpose for the event (affliction, death, hardship, etc.) and it is not in His Plan. His Plan may also require you to be a vessel of His Manifestation.  God will sometimes call on you to “show up and show out” for Him.  God will want to use you to show the World a demonstration of His Power that they can see. You may receive unmerited favor, you may call something into existence and have it happen just as you proclaimed. 

At these points of alignment, you will experience Manifestation. When you do, stay HUMBLE and stand in Faith. Give Him ALL of the Glory and move forward in your manifestation. You will hear the following words in some form – “I don’t believe it! – I don’t know how you did that!”. These are the grudging acknowledgements that the world has seen His Power at work. When this happens, be ready to say simply “All the Glory goes to God, I just happen to be the one He used”.     

Blessings,

Bryan

2014 - The Warrior Constantly Presses Forward - Part 3

So far, we have looked at people who reached out to Him (Part 1), and people who were bold enough to demand His presence to heal them (Part 2). Today, we look at a far rarer (then and now) and even stronger anointing. Today we look at those who require only their Faith and their Understanding to receive from Him. 

This Faith by Understanding is actually a cornerstone of our modern belief system. We believe that Jesus is alive within each of us. We believe that He is still in the miracle business. We believe Him, but we do not need to see Him in the flesh. And yet, we are surrounded and occasionally overrun by doubt. Let’s look at our Faith in Action:

Luke 7:1-10 (Living Translation) The Faith of a Roman Centurion

7 When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people, he returned to Capernaum. ² At that time the highly valued slave of a Roman officer was sick and near death. ³ When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent some respected Jewish elders to ask him to come and heal his slave. ⁴ So they earnestly begged Jesus to help the man. “If anyone deserves your help, he does,” they said, ⁵ “for he loves the Jewish people and even built a synagogue for us.”

⁶ So Jesus went with them. But just before they arrived at the house, the officer sent some friends to say, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not worthy of such an honor. ⁷ I am not even worthy to come and meet you. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. ⁸ I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.”
⁹ When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, “I tell you, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!” ¹⁰ And when the officer’s friends returned to his house, they found the slave completely healed.

In other examples, we see the recipients of healing power only by interacting with Jesus. This time, the recipient is standing on his own understanding of how power works, and is applying that knowledge to the Power of God that flows thru Jesus.   

Jesus is astonished (v10), because this Centurion (a non-believer) is actually further along in his faith walk than 99.9% of those who follow Him. The Centurion believes that Jesus has Power, and that he knows how to use it. No fluffy and flowery explanation required, (v8) you are He who has the Power, period. For this Centurion, it is really a fundamental truth that he is perfectly willing to accept. 

This actually put his Faith in a higher place than the respected Jewish Elders (v3) that he sent as his emissaries. His Faith was ready to be grounded in his understanding of how Power works at ANY level. He made it clear to everyone in verse 6 – “Lord, don’t trouble yourself by coming to my home” he said. He makes it clear that the real power does not require a presence.  Then in verse 7, he taught EVERYONE just what Faith looks and sounds like - “Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed”.  This is a declaration, not a question. Likewise, our own Faith expressions should be as clear, concise, and direct as this Roman Centurion.  He is secure and firm in his understanding that Power requires only the will and direction of the one who wields it, NOTHING MORE.  This is an early illustration of a principle that many of the Apostles did not fully receive until the after the Resurrection.  It is a level of Faith that we don’t see again in evidence until after Jesus sends the Disciples out with Power to heal and cast out Demons (Mark 6:7-13).

Jesus even promised us that we would perform greater miracles than He did. The simple question is – Do you have the Faith, Confidence, and Understanding that will allow you to USE that Power.  If you are ready to accept and believe in Jesus AND in the Power of His Spirit in you like the Centurion, you will be known as a Mighty Man or Woman of God. If not, His Gifts and His Power will sit beside you, like a jug of water with its cork tightly sealed in the top.

Your Faith REQUIRES you to understand that you do not question whether or not it can work. Your Faith REQUIRES that you believe that Jesus did what He did and that His Promises are true and real. Your ability to use your gifts and to be effective on your circumstances (and those of others) REQUIRES that you understand and accept how Power works – and then you must USE IT according to His Plan for You. Embrace your Gifts, Exercise your Faith, and be BOLD enough to believe without question! Then you can USE this is the power to wield your sword, to heal your circumstances, see miracles great and small, and to accept that He knows what He is doing (you cannot fix EVERYTHING that you don’t like – you are ALWAYS using your Power under His Authority and Permission) with your life and your journey 1000% of the time.    

Blessings,

Bryan

2014 - The Warrior Constantly Presses Forward - Part 2

As we go a bit deeper into the Warrior’s Press Forward, we need to see the difference between the Believer and the World. As His anointed, it is on each of us to stand firm on what He has promised to us, no matter what the current situation may look like. 

God based resolutions are different. There is always a higher purpose to the tasks that He calls us toward. There is always a journey to take, and we have what we need to achieve success, if we are willing to take up the challenge.

Blind Bartimaeus - Mark 10:46-52 (Amplified)

⁴⁶ Then they came to Jericho. And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, a son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside.

⁴⁷ And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, saying, Jesus, Son of David, have pity and mercy on me [now]!

⁴⁸ And many severely censured and reproved him, telling him to keep still, but he kept on shouting out all the more, You Son of David, have pity and mercy on me [now]!

⁴⁹ And Jesus stopped and said, Call him. And they called the blind man, telling him, Take courage! Get up! He is calling you.

⁵⁰ And throwing off his outer garment, he leaped up and came to Jesus.

⁵¹ And Jesus said to him, What do you want Me to do for you? And the blind man said to Him, Master, let me receive my sight.

⁵² And Jesus said to him, Go your way; your faith has healed you. And at once he received his sight and accompanied Jesus on the road.

Reading this, I ask you again (see Part 1) – when did this beggar receive his healing?  The World would say it is in verse 52, after he spoke with Jesus and touched Him.  I submit to you that he received his miracle in verse 47, when he began to boldly shout to his Savior for his healing. When the disciples (v48) tried to silence him, based on their view of “what is the proper thing to do”, he responded with the strength, defiance, and determination of an anointed Warrior. Their admonitions only made him cry out louder and with MORE conviction!

In verse 51, Jesus knows that He is about to turn Faith into Manifestation for the World to see. It is clear that the power of God produced yet another miracle for the disciples and the followers.  Warriors anointed by God and chosen for a task MUST display the determination to Seek Him no matter what it takes. If you are willing to swim against the tide, and defy decorum for the sake of His Glory – then step forward with Bold Conviction! 

Each of us has been given access to the determination and will of the woman in Mark 5.  Each of us also has access to the bold Faith of a blind beggar.  The question is always the same, when the situation and the World cry out for it; will you have the strength and confidence within yourself to access it and demonstrate it?  Do you believe that you have the Victory when the current situation screams that you are a defeated soldier?  When you are bleeding, will you quit the fight? The World will present you with multiple chances to conform and step aside – what will you, His Warrior, do then? As His Warrior, your answer must be that the Victory IS yours. You must believe that you will receive His Hand on you at the appropriate time, and that His Victory for you will be seen by Everyone.

Your Faith cannot be ashamed. Your Anointing cannot be hidden. Your battle and your blood are what He requires of you – pay the price for His Plan and your victory is assured! The battles that you fight every day in your walk with Him are just a part of the “iron sharpens iron” adage.  You have the tools – be BOLD enough to use them!   

Blessings,

Bryan

2014 - The Warrior Constantly Presses Forward - Part 1

As the year 2014 begins, many of us will make New Years Resolutions. Sadly, most of these resolutions will have the shelf life of a carton of milk. As His Warriors, we need to be made of a different kind of stuff. We don’t need to keep all of our resolutions, but we should be able to keep His resolutions that He assigns to each of us.  

God based resolutions are different. There is always a higher purpose to the tasks that He calls us toward. There is always a journey to take, and we have what we need to achieve success, if we are willing to take up the challenge.

The Woman with the Issue of Blood - Mark 5:25-33 (Amplified)

²⁵ And there was a woman, who had had a flow of blood for twelve years, ²⁶ And who had endured much suffering under [the hands of] many physicians and had spent all that she had, and was no better but instead grew worse. ²⁷ She had heard the reports concerning Jesus, and she came up behind Him in the throng and touched His garment, ²⁸ For she kept saying, If I only touch His garments, I shall be restored to health. ²⁹ And immediately her flow of blood was dried up at the source, and [suddenly] she felt in her body that she was healed of her [distressing] ailment. ³⁰ And Jesus, recognizing in Himself that the power proceeding from Him had gone forth, turned around immediately in the crowd and said, Who touched My clothes? ³¹ And the disciples kept saying to Him, You see the crowd pressing hard around You from all sides, and You ask, Who touched Me? ³² Still He kept looking around to see her who had done it. ³³ But the woman, knowing what had been done for her, though alarmed and frightened and trembling, fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.

In the passage, the task that God had was to show how Faith works. To achieve this, He chose a woman 12 years earlier (v25) to be beset with a condition. He chose to give her an affliction that would defy the medical knowledge (v26) of the time, and would exhaust all earthly resources and had “nothing left”.    

Reading this, I ask you – when did this woman receive her healing? Some would say in verse 29, after she touched His robe. I submit to you that she received her miracle in verse 26 & 27, when she heard went from Doctor to Doctor on a 12 year quest for her healing – a journey of preparation for hearing about Jesus’ coming.  Se would need the dogged determination of someone whose will has been sharpened by her quest to press through the crowd at the moment when she encountered her healing manifestation (v28). If she could not see that her healing would come, she would not have had the determination to reach out to Jesus.

Look at verses 30-32. Jesus knew that someone had received from Him. It is clear from the text here that it is NOT enough to bump into Him. It is clear that only those who Seek Him with a Purpose can receive from Him (v31).  Warriors anointed by God and chosen for a task MUST display the determination to Seek Him with a Purpose.  

Each of us has a journey and a task. Each of us has been given access to the determination and will of the woman in this passage. The only question is, will you reach down inside yourself and take hold of these tools. Will you take on the task, no matter how long the walk to manifestation may take? Will you take up your sword and jump into the fight, even if it means that you will be wounded as a price to be paid by you for His victory?  As His Warrior, your answer must be “YES”.

Your victory has a price. Your preparation has a need for a piece of your life’s timeline. Your participation in His Plan has a price that you may need to pay. Remember that you are, however, fully prepared and equipped to complete this task. You were chosen by Him because you COULD pay the price required. Do what must be done so that He can receive the glory of the victory and He will carry you through EVERY TIME.   

Blessings,

Bryan

Christmas Message

On this Christmas Eve, it is always important and appropriate to return to the beginning of the New Covenant that holds each of us. The birth of the “second Adam” is the statement of Agape Love and a demonstration of God’s absolute determination to give His creation a way to reconnect with Him.

God yearns to be in covenant relationship with each of us. This desire is also wired into all of us – it is called worship. We are destined to worship, and we are given a way to worship God thru His Son, Jesus. The bond that Adam and Eve broke was restored in a manger.

The Birth of Jesus - Luke 2:8-15 (Amplified)

⁸ And in that vicinity there were shepherds living [out under the open sky] in the field, watching [in shifts] over their flock by night.

⁹ And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord flashed and shone all about them, and they were terribly frightened.

¹⁰ But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people.

¹¹ For to you is born this day in the town of David a Savior, Who is Christ (the Messiah) the Lord!

¹² And this will be a sign for you [by which you will recognize Him]: you will find [after searching] a Baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.

¹³ Then suddenly there appeared with the angel an army of the troops of heaven (a heavenly knighthood), praising God and saying,

¹⁴ Glory to God in the highest [heaven], and on earth peace among men with whom He is well pleased [men of goodwill, of His favor].

¹⁵ When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing (saying) that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.

In the passage, the shepherds are the first to hear the news. God shows common men the very glory of Heaven as the Heavenly Hosts shout the praises for the arrival of the Messiah. This is a part of a consistent pattern in the Bible – God requires a humble heart to communicate with man.  

The angel first reassured the shepherds that this was a time of celebration and praise, not fear (v9-10). The glory of God can be frightening, so the humble servant must first be reassured and informed. We too, must be especially humble and reverent at this time of year. We are the new shepherds for the world.

The next thing was the revelation of the news (v11-12) that His creation would receive a chance for salvation.  This is the news that all of Israel had been waiting for.  It is also the news that only a handful of people were actually able to understand.  A repressed and occupied Israel was looking for a Messiah bearing his sword and rising up to lead the armies of Israel to defeat their oppressors. A Loving and Wise God saw that ALL of his creation needed a way forward. As usual, God sees the BIG picture while we see only our own concerns.

Then the message is seared into the hearts of all who are present. God allows the Heavenly Hosts (v13-14) to be seen here on earth. The Glory of Heaven declares His Good News for all to hear!  A glorious and overwhelming experience that is, to say the least, a life changing event!

Take advantage of this season to double down on your Humility and receive an extra portion of Grace for your journey.  The birth of Jesus is the great news that you and I have a choice and a way forward. The birth of the Messiah means more than any man with a sword could EVER achieve.

Take up your Bible and choose to read and to learn. Choose to understand, not just to remember. Choose to show Love, not to condemn those who do not know Him. Choose to say Merry Christmas, since it IS the holiday of Christ’s birth. Choose to show others the Love that He shows you.   

  

Blessings,

Bryan

Praying a Warrior's Prayer - The Nehemiah Prayer

As I press forward on my own appointed path, I face the same doubts and concerns that all Warriors face in times of battle. Doubt is the principal weapon used by the enemy against each of us. Doubt takes our current circumstances and spins it forward to paint a less than desirable picture for us. It is used against all of our team members to push us off the path and to miss the mark that He has aimed us toward.

The proper response to these attacks is NOT to start swinging your sword back and forth. There are only a few weapons that are effective against doubt, and the greatest among them is, in fact, prayer.

The Prayer of Nehemiah (New Living Translation)

⁴ When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven. ⁵ Then I said, “O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands, ⁶ listen to my prayer! Look down and see me praying night and day for your people Israel. I confess that we have sinned against you. Yes, even my own family and I have sinned! ⁷ We have sinned terribly by not obeying the commands, decrees, and regulations that you gave us through your servant Moses. ⁸ “Please remember what you told your servant Moses: ‘If you are unfaithful to me, I will scatter you among the nations. ⁹ But if you return to me and obey my commands and live by them, then even if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will bring you back to the place I have chosen for my name to be honored.’  ¹⁰ “The people you rescued by your great power and strong hand are your servants. ¹¹ O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring you. Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me.”

In the passage, Nehemiah has shown us the structure and power of an effective prayer. I have broken this down into its four component parts, so that we can be a bit more effective in our prayer lives. A Nehemiah prayer has these 5 components

1 – Prepare.  Nehemiah fasted and prayed in preparation for his specially structured prayer to God. Since we are in this with God, He we need to prepare our hearts and our selves to go before Him. Preparation allows us to cleanse and to focus. Getting yourself ready is the cheapest insurance of success that is available to you, so don’t skip this step.

2 – Confess.  In Verse 6 & 7, Nehemiah acknowledges not only the sins of his people, but also of himself. I believe that it is important that we do this in this order as well. If you come to God and lift up the sin of others but not your own, you run the risk of believing that you are faultless and are doing this only to help others – Each of us NEEDS all the help we can get!

3 – Remind.  Remind God, and yourself, of His promises to you (v 8-9). If you cannot remind Him of His promises, then you are not into the Word at the level needed to release your Blessings. This type of prayer is deliberate, so knowledge is required of you. Reminding Him also demonstrates to Him that you do know His Word as well.

4 – Realign.  You must repent and align yourself with God’s Will (v10) and with His Plan for you.  Take this opportunity to put yourself back on track and be sure that you are moving in the right direction.

5 – Request.  Only after insuring that all is set up and ready do you bring your request(s) forward (v11).  This also insures that your request will come from the right place and be from your heart, not your ego. Prayers from your heart are born from God’s Plan for you. These are, by nature, correct and effective. When your prayer requests come from His Plan, you feel unburdened after speaking the words – as though they HAD to get out of you.        

Try following these steps and not only see how He answers you. See how you feel when you pray a Nehemiah prayer. The relief and unburdening will clear your vision and renew your strength.

Blessings,

Bryan