THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

AS A BELIEVER, YOU CAN NOT BE DEFEATED BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE FAVOR OF GOD

The king of Aram was so angry with the prophet Elisha that he sent an army to CAPTURE him. Elisha was only one MAN against an ARMY, but he knew how to pray BOLD prayers. He had seen God OPEN blind eyes, and now he prayed for the REVERSE. Not only were the soldiers struck BLIND, but Elisha led them into Samaria where the king of Israel captured THEM before their eyes were reopened.

When you know that God is WITH you, you’ll see God do AMAZING things. He can PROTECT you, GUIDE you, and make things happen that you could NEVER make happen. Don’t go around feeling weak, intimidated, and afraid of what you’re UP against. Just as with Elisha, you are so POWERFUL and full of FAVOR that even when the enemy does his best to defeat YOU, his best will NEVER be enough. You cannot be defeated because you have the FAVOR of God.

Today’s Scripture:

2 Kings 6:18, NIV

As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, “Strike this army with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

OVER TIME, YOU’LL SEE HOW GOD CONNECTS THE DOTS…..

God doesn’t always take us in a straight LINE. We make our plans going from A to B to C. But SOMETIMES He’ll take you from A to B, then to R, then back to D, then to S. Sometimes it’s going to LOOK like you’re going BACKWARD. You have to TRUST Him when you don’t understand. You have to know that GOD makes the final DETERMINATION about your steps. If He ALLOWS a sickness or a loss, it’s because it’s NECESSARY to move you into your PURPOSE. The TEST is for you to stay in FAITH, BELIEVING that God IS still in control, that He’s working behind the SCENES, that what He started He will FINISH.

Some of the challenges you’re facing NOW don’t even have anything to DO with today; THEY’RE positioning you for something in your FUTURE. If you stay in faith when things don’t make SENSE over time you’re going to see how God connects the DOTS, how it was ALL a part of His plan, strategically orchestrated.

Today’s Scripture:

Proverbs 16:9, NLT

We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD IS NOT LIMITED BY WHAT’S LIMITING US….

In John 20, Jesus had just risen from the dead. One evening the disciples were huddled together in a room behind locked doors for FEAR of being arrested. They did everything they COULD to keep people out, but Jesus suddenly walked THROUGH the door. He didn’t UNLOCK it, OPEN it, or try to beat it DOWN. He just came THROUGH it. God was showing us that closed DOORS can’t keep us from what HE has for us.

A loved one may have shut the door in your RELATIONSHIP. How you were RAISED may have closed the door, seemingly putting you at a DISADVANTAGE. Forces of darkness may have LOCKED the door, trying to keep you ADDICTED. It’s been that way a LONG time. The door is locked with a DEADBOLT. The GOOD news is that God comes THROUGH doors. He’s NOT limited by what’s limiting US. We’re NATURAL; He is SUPERNATURAL. Closed doors can’t STOP you. God is going to walk RIGHT through it. He’s not going to let you miss your DESTINY.

Today’s Scripture:

John 20:19, NIV

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

DON’T LET THE CIRCUMSTANCES FOOL YOU, WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY SITE

In the Scripture, the life of a BELIEVER is compared to an EAGLE. It’s interesting that day after day, PARENT eagles sit on their eggs to keep them warm, UNMOVED by what’s not CHANGING. They never feel the baby eaglets KICK, and the eggs never grow any BIGGER. There’s NO sign of life. But on day thirty-five, SUDDENLY the eaglet starts pecking on the shell and is HATCHED.

While you’re waiting for a promise from GOD to happen, SOME things have to develop in the DARK in SECRET. God is bringing it all together in SECRET. You have to BELIEVE when there’s no sign on the outside that what’s INSIDE is really ALIVE. That promise God gave you, that EGG so to speak, is NOT going to move or GROW. You may not SEE any sign of life until SUDDENLY the egg cracks OPEN. God is saying, “Go SIT ON IT. It’s still ALIVE. Don’t let the circumstances FOOL you. Walk by FAITH and NOT by sight. Day thirty-five is COMING!”

Today’s Scripture:

2 Corinthians 5:7, NKJV

For we walk by faith, not by sight.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

STOP BEING DISCOURAGED BY WHAT DIDN’T WORK OUT…..GOD HAS BIGGER THINGS IN STORE FOR YOUR FUTURE…

In Matthew 3, when Jesus came up out of the water after His baptism, God spoke from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved SON.” It was a GLORIOUS moment, signaling the beginning of His MINISTRY. You would think Jesus would immediately start TEACHING and HEALING, but instead He was led by the Spirit into the desert. If you had seen Jesus there, you could have THOUGHT it didn’t make sense. Why the SILENCE? Why ALONE in the desert?

There will be times when God takes you into a silent season, into things that you don’t understand–a door CLOSES, a person walks AWAY, a CONTRACT is lost. You could be down on yourself thinking, “What did I do WRONG, God? I was HONORING You.” How do you know that isn’t the Spirit LEADING you there? Quit being discouraged over what didn’t work out. Stay in FAITH. You’re in a time of TESTING. There’s something BIGGER that God has in your FUTURE. He’s LEADING you to the FULLNESS of what He has in store.

Today’s Scripture:

Matthew 4:1, NLT

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

DARE TO CALL IN WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT YOU

In Numbers 13, all twelve of the spies that Moses sent into the Promised Land came back declaring that it was MORE amazing than they ever IMAGINED. God had ALREADY miraculously DELIVERED them out of SLAVERY, parted the Red SEA, and PROMISED them He was going to DEFEAT the enemies and give them the LAND. But ten spies invited FEAR into the Israelite camp, also DECLARING that they felt like GRASSHOPPERS compared to giants in the land. Before long that defeatist mentality spread and that generation of Israelites NEVER went into the Promised Land.

You may be facing big obstacles. You COULD shrink back and be INTIMIDATED. NO, you’re a child of the Most High GOD. Dare to call in what HE says about you. “Father, thank You that I am a VISTOR and not a victim. Thank You that You ALWAYS cause me to TRIUMPH. These obstacles are BIG, but I know YOU are in control. YOU are fighting my battles. Thank You that I’m coming into MY Promised Land.”

Today’s Scripture:

2 Corinthians 2:14, NKJV

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

NOTHING YOU’RE FACING IS A SURPRISE TO GOD…..

It’s easy to NOT let go of the things that come against us–the worry about our FUTURE, the stress over our FINANCES, the frustration with the BOSS. We may carry GUILT because of past MISTAKES, anger over what didn’t work OUT, BITTERNESS toward someone who did us WRONG. We can’t get rid of negative things that are stealing our PEACE, taking our JOY, and DRAINING our ENEERGY. We wonder why we can’t SLEEP at night, why we wake up TIRED, why we’re not PASSIONATE about our DREAMS.

As long as you’re worried, trying to make things happen in your OWN strength, that will limit what GOD will do. God says to be STILL and KNOW that He is GOD. Clear OUT the worry, the offenses, the negativity. Live from a place of PEACE, REST, and FAITH. God has you in the palms of His HANDS. Nothing you’re facing is a SURPRISE to Him. Be STILL in your mind and your ATTITUDE. Turn it over to God and stay at PEACE, knowing HE’S in control.

Today’s Scripture:

Psalm 46:10, NLT

Be still, and know that I am God!

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

ALL THINGS, GOD WORKS FOR THE GOOD OF THOSE WHO LOVE HIM

The apostle Paul wrote nearly half the books of the New Testament and was one of the most BRILLIANT minds of his day. Yet, he said HE didn’t always know what to PRAY. He was COMFORTABLE with what he didn’t know. He didn’t see it as a lack of faith to ADMIT, “I don’t have all the ANSWERS. I don’t know what to PRAY. I have UNCERTAINTIES, things I don’t UNDERSTAND, things I’m not SURE how they’re going to work OUT.” The reason he could SAY this and not be worried about what he didn’t KNOW is found two verses later. “We KNOW that in ALL things God works for the GOOD of those who LOVE Him.”

Are YOU frustrated by what you don’t KNOW, by what you can’t figure OUT, by what doesn’t look like it’s GOING to work out? Have a new PERSPECTIVE. It’s OKAY to not have all the ANSWERS as long as you know the God who is on the THRONE and working ALL things for your GOOD.

Today’s Scripture:

Romans 8:26, NIV

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.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

WAIT WITH A GOOD ATTITUDE, YOU’RE RIGHT WHERE GOD WANTS YOU

We KNOW we need to have faith and believe RIGHT? But today’s Scripture says we have need of PATIENT endurance if we’re going to see God’s promises come to pass. Maybe you’ve been praying, believing, and being your BEST, but you don’t see anything CHANGING. Most of us think of waiting as a NEGATIVE, and we don’t LIKE it. We’re tempted to be impatient and live stressed OUT. Have a NEW perspective. You’re not missing OUT, and you’re not falling BEHIND, but you’re right where God WANTS you. The PROMISE is right on SCHEDULE. It’s all a part of God’s PROCESS. The KEY is to wait with a good ATTITUDE. Don’t be complaining, “Why is this taking so long?” No, turn it AROUND and say, “Father, THANK YOU that what You that what you STARTED You’re going to FINISH. Thank You that what You PROMISED is on the W.AY” If you wait with the right ATTITUDE, then after patience has done its WORK, you’re going to see the promise come to PASS.

Today’s Scripture:

Hebrews 10:36, NLT

Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

KEEP ASKING FOR A ‘YES’, EVEN IF ALL YOU’VE BEEN GETTING IS A NO

When King Hezekiah was sick to the point of death, the prophet Isaiah, who spoke for God, said to him, “Put your house in order, for you will SURELY die.” He didn’t say he MIGHT die or that it didn’t LOOK good. So what do YOU do when God says no? Rather than give UP, Hezekiah started weeping and PRAYING and asking God for MERCY. God told Isaiah to go BACK and tell Hezekiah, “I’ve HEARD your prayer and seen your TEARS, and I will ADD fifteen YEARS to your life.”

Even when you feel as though God has said NO, if you DARE do as Hezekiah and ask God for a YES, God can REVERSE a no. Every circumstance may say, “FORGET it. God said NO. Just LIVE with it.” Hezekiah’s attitude was, “God, I’m asking in Your great MERCY to CHANGE Your mind and give me a YES.” Are YOU BOLD enough to ask for a YES, even though all you keep getting is a NO?

Today’s Scripture:

Isaiah 38:5, NIV

Go and tell Hezekiah; This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life.