Exercising your Authority

Hallelujah

Exercising your Authority

God expects you to exercise your Authority

*Be strong in the power of God

*Resist the devil, and he will flee from you

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  (James 4:7, ESV)

*Your job is to enforce Christ's victory at all times

* Stand your ground

God expects you to exercise your Authority

*Be strong in the power of God

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.  (Ephesians 6:10, ESV)

*Resist the devil, and he will flee from you

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  (James 4:7, ESV)

*Your job is to enforce Christ's victory at all times

8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.  9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.  (1 Peter 5:8-9, ESV)

* Stand your ground

and give no opportunity to the devil.  (Ephesians 4:27, ESV)

Pre conditions for exercising Authority

*First, be submitted to God

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  (James 4:7, ESV)

*Be submitted in every other area

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.  4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.  5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,  6 being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.  (2 Corinthians 10:3-6, ESV)

*The example of Jesus himself

For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."  (Luke 7:8, ESV)

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,  6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,  7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,  10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,  11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  (Philippians 2:5-11, ESV)

How to exercise your Authority

Take personal action by:

*Confessing and asserting your god God-given authority

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,  6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,  7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,  10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,  11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  (Philippians 2:5-11, ESV)

*Use the spoken word to enforce the will of God

and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,  (Ephesians 6:17, ESV)

But he answered, "It is written, "'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"   (Matthew 4:4, ESV)

*Cast out devils, heal the sick, preach the kingdom,  bind the forces of darkness,break their power

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.  4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.  5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,  (2 Corinthians 10:3-5, ESV)

Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.  (Matthew 18:18, ESV)

17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues;  18 they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover."  (Mark 16:17-18, ESV)

Do it in faith

*Walk in the knowledge that Satan is already defeated, know that and below you

He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.  (Colossians 2:15, ESV)

and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,  (Ephesians 2:6, ESV)

*The power backing our authority is God himself

Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.  (1 John 4:4, ESV)

*The words we speak are backed by God's performance

Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.  (Matthew 18:18, ESV)

If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.  (John 14:14, ESV)

You will decide on a matter, and it will be established for you, and light will shine on your ways.   (Job 22:28, ESV)

The extent of our authority

*We have authority over all powers of darkness

*Authority in your own house, family and all that's yours. Authority over demon spirits, but not over human wills

*Jesus never imposed his will on men

51 And Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" And the blind man said to him, "Rabbi, let me recover my sight."  52 And Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.  (Mark 10:51-52, ESV)

*You cannot exercise power beyond your limits, unless permitted by your neighbors

God bless us all

Thanks Rev Samuel S Konjah from Ghana

Knowing your Authority

Knowing Your Authority

What is Authority
Authority is delegated power. It is a mandate to run affairs, to take charge. It can be exercise on behave of a higher power. Eg. Policeman, Ambassadors, Lawyers, Agents etc

To Authorize means:
To empower
To sanction
To endorse

Christ's Authority (How he got it)
*Bestowed on him by God Himself
*All power in Heaven and Earth is given to him
*He has already defeated Satan and his forces
*He who has the keys is the one in authority
*God has committed all judgement to Him, All things are under His feet.

18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,  19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might  20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,  21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.  22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,  23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.  (Ephesians 1:18-23, ESV)

And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  (Matthew 28:18, ESV)

For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son,  (John 5:22, ESV)
and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.  (Revelation 1:18, ESV)

He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.  (Colossians 2:15, ESV)
Our Position in Christ
We are the body of Christ

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.  (1 Corinthians 12:27, ESV)

We are citizens of heaven

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,  (Philippians 3:20, ESV)

We are the people of God

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.  (1 Peter 2:9, ESV)

We are a royal priesthood

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him
who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.  (1 Peter 2:9, ESV)

We are risen together with him

having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.  (Colossians 2:12, ESV)

We are seated together with him in heavenly places

and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,  (Ephesians 2:6, ESV)

We are joint heirs with him

16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,  17 and if children, then heirs-heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.  (Romans 8:16-17, ESV)

He has given Christians His Authority
*Every single believer has his authority

17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues;  18 they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover."  (Mark 16:17-18, ESV)

*Authority over all, not some the power of the enemy.

Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.  (Luke 10:19, ESV)

*All believers have the keys of authority

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."  (Matthew 16:19, ESV)

*Authority to rule in this life

For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.  (Romans 5:17, ESV)

We have the power to bind or loose

Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.  (Matthew 18:18, ESV)

5 Let the godly exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their beds.   6 Let the high praises of God be in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands,   7 to execute vengeance on the nations and punishments on the peoples,   8 to bind their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron,   9 to execute on them the judgment written! This is honor for all his godly ones. Praise the LORD!   (Psalm 149:5-9, ESV)

God bless us all

Six skills to resolve conflicts with teachers and parents while protecting relationships

Six skills to resolve conflicts with teachers and parents while protecting relationships
   
It’s only human who try to avoid conflicts, but unfortunately, few problems just quietly slink away.

Conflicts have a way of turning into crises.  A researchers adapted the skills specifically for principals and other educational leaders who often must manage conflict with both teachers and parents over classroom performance issues.

“The challenge for leaders is how to address the conflict in ways that minimize the relational harm in doing so,”

Skill 1–Express yourself and describe your position. An optimal solution integrates the legitimate interests of both parties.  For this to happen, you must fully express your point of view and you must listen carefully to what the teacher or parent is saying. Take the time to describe and explain your perspective.   Give relevant reasons, examples, or evidence to help the parent or teacher understand why you have the point of view you do.

“One of the differences between the problem-solving of expert and typical principals is that experts are more likely to clearly disclose their own interpretation of a problem and provide supporting reasons,”

Skill 2– Listen for deep understanding.  Careful listening in response to complaints restores trust. Your curiosity in the discussion signals a deep respect for the other person’s ideas and concerns and helps build a working affiliation. You should listen both to fact-find and to understand how the facts have been interpreted. You must understand the emotional content of situation as well as the factual details.  There is a long-term payoff, as well. Listening gives you the information you need to prevent or resolve similar situations in the future.

Skill 3–Check your understanding.  Make sure that you have correctly understood what the parent or teacher has communicated and that your reactions are not based on faulty inferences and attributions. “Interactions that are emotionally laden and conflict-prone provide considerable opportunity for mutual misunderstanding,” the authors write. Checking your understanding disrupts your assumptions so that you can more effectively resolve the situation.

Skills 4 and 5–Re-examine your point of view and  help the other person re-examine theirs. Research shows that people selectively hear information that confirms their existing beliefs.  Keep an open mind to improve the outcome. When people are not so certain about their initial positions, they are more tentative and flexible in searching for a solution.
“The doubt triggers more inquiry into alternatives, and this, in turn, encourages the other person to take a more flexible stances

If one person begins to doubt his or her position, this modeling sets up a reciprocal dynamic.

The ability to engage the other party in a reconsideration of their perspective is a high-level skill requiring that you both challenge and respect the other’s point of view. This is where good listening pays off. The teacher or parent is more likely to follow your lead in re-examining your perspective if they feel you have really listened to them.

Skill 6–Agree with the principal and parent/teacher on what to do next. Expert principals genuinely try to find solutions that satisfy the legitimate interests of all parties. Even after taking all of the steps above, the best solution may not be obvious to you. You must also work with stakeholders to craft the optimal solution.

“Typically, principals were more skilled in advocating their own position than in deeply inquiring into and checking their understanding of the views of the parent or teacher,”

There are some more findings of the study:

Principals displayed limited (low-to-modest) effectiveness in handling the two interactions with parents and teachers

They behaved consistently across the two scenarios.
They were more skillfull when seeking to understand the teacher’s point of view than the parent’s.
Their weakest skill, as a group, was in checking understanding of the parent or teacher’s view.
Principals were more likely to try to help the teacher than the parent consider an alternate point of view.
Possible explanations for why principals did not do better at checking for understanding are that they feared it. would confirm the existence of disagreement or that they were preoccupied about what to say next,

One of the Response that we received to “6 skills to resolve conflicts with teachers and parents while protecting relationships”

Understandably, principals would be better at explaining their own point of view than hearing the teacher’s views. Principals are easily outnumbered when pressure comes from parents, or from students whose parents serve on school boards supported by a higher level authority

Principals may be more effective advocates if they taught new teachers the politics of their school environments. While the higher paid administrators and assistant administrators act the warm, inviting hosts, they also can be conveniently too busy to respond to or assist educators.

In this era, it’s common knowledge that the students have the rights, not the teachers. Instead, educators carry the mother load of responsibilities–to teach, inspire, guide, counsel, develop character and future citizens, provide a nurturing and stimulating environment, understand teaching pedagogy and school law, apply conflict resolution, crisis intervention, and establish connections with students, parents, and administrators while responding to daily changing priorities set by students and administrators.

I understand that students were once victims of the zero tolerance policy, a repressive, impersonal bureaucratic system of discipline. But now, I believe the teachers will end up the victims, where there can be little or no support from the school bureaucracy or a union.

Faith is Action and Faith in Action

Faith is Action and Faith in Action

Our actions correspond with what we really believe.

Faith is only made complete by a corresponding action

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?  15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food,  16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?  17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.  18 But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.  19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe-and shudder!  20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?  21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?  22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works;  (James 2:14-22, ESV)

Noah pleased God by active faith

6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.  7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.  (Hebrews 11:6-7, ESV)
[10/02 1:45 am] Divine Push: Doing, not just hearing the word, is what guarantees success

"Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  (Matthew 7:24, ESV)

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.  (Joshua 1:8, ESV)

God expects us to pit into practice, whatever the words says

14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.  15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.  16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.  17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.  18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.  19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;  20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.  21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.  22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.  (James 1:14-22, ESV)

Don't expect to see the promises of God, expect you back your confession with action

Faith in action

In spite if God promises, his answer will not manifest until we take action

Our Faith can be seen by things we do

18 And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus,  19 but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus.  20 And when he saw their faith, he said, "Man, your sins are forgiven you."  (Luke 5:18-20, ESV)

24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"-he said to the man who was paralyzed-"I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home."  25 And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God.  (Luke 5:24-25, ESV)

If you believe, you will act

By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.  (Hebrews 11:7, ESV)

When we act, then we receive

The actions of a doer coincides with his confession

How to write your own ticket with God

Say it

Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.  (Mark 11:23, ESV)

Do it

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,  (James 1:2, ESV)

24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.  25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.  (James 1:24-25, ESV)
Receive it by faith

Tell it

45 Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.  46 This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel,  47 and that all this assembly may know that the LORD saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the LORD's, and he will give you into our hand."  48 When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine.  49 And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.  50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in the hand of David.  (1 Samuel 17:45-50, ESV)

God bless us all

The Power of Confession

The Power of Confession

Agree verbally with, before we believe

Confess: acknowledge verbally, assert, declare and proclaim

Confession: The key to unlocking faith

* Confession is faiths way of expressing itself.

For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.  (Romans 10:10, ESV)

* After believing, confession is vital, if we are to obtain the promise

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  (Romans 10:9, ESV)

Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.  (Mark 11:23, ESV)

* If you really believe something you will speak out

Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, "I believed, and so I spoke," we also believe, and so we also speak,  (2 Corinthians 4:13, ESV)

*Jesus himself is the high priest (performer) of our confession

Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession,  (Hebrews 3:1, ESV)

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  (Hebrews 4:14, ESV)

* Your mouth will utter whatever is store in your Heart

You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  (Matthew 12:34, ESV)

Confession of God's word brings Faith

* Renew your mind with God's word

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.  (Romans 12:2, ESV)

* Know that God will by all means perform his word

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.  (1 John 5:14, ESV)

Then the LORD said to me, "You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it."  (Jeremiah 1:12, ESV)

"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,   (Isaiah 55:10, ESV)

* Confess God's word, not men's ideas

Put me in remembrance; let us argue together; set forth your case, that you may be proved right.   (Isaiah 43:26, ESV)

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.  14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.  (1 John 5:13-14, ESV)

* Faith increases as you hear yourself speaking the word

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.  (Romans 10:17, ESV)

Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.  (Mark 11:23, ESV)

*Confession of God's word dispels fear

My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word!   (Psalm 119:28, ESV)

The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.   (Psalm 119:130, ESV)

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.  (Romans 10:17, ESV)

Confess your rights and privileges in Christ

* Discover and learn more about your privileges in Christ searching the scriptures

And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.  (Acts 20:32, ESV)

Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.  (Acts 17:11, ESV)

* What God, through Christ, has wrought for us in his plan of redemption

* What God has, through the word and the Holy Spirit wrought for us in the New Birth

* What we are to God the father in Christ Jesus

* What Jesus I'd doing for us right now at the right hand of the father

* What God can accomplish through us, and what his word can do through our lips

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.  (Philippians 4:8, ESV)

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.  (Philippians 4:13, ESV)

Right and wrong confession

Out minds may not comprehend everything the word says about us

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.   9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.   (Isaiah 55:8-9, ESV)

To confess the right things, we have to thing on the right things

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.  (Philippians 4:8, ESV)

To confess the right things, we have to think on the right things

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.  (Philippians 4:8, ESV)

Confess whatever the word says about you, even when in contrary circumstances

37 For nothing will be impossible with God."  38 And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.  (Luke 1:37-38, ESV)

Believe that  it is impossible to please God without faith

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.  (Hebrews 11:6, ESV)

Whenever you speak doubt, you have believed something

You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  (Matthew 12:34, ESV)

Doubt is the think of God greater blessings

23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,  24 but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them.  25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea.  26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, "It is a ghost!" and they cried out in fear.  27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid."  28 And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water."  29 He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.  30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me."  31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"  (Matthew 14:23-31, ESV)

Never confess the problem. Confess the solution

"For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,  (Joel 3:1, ESV)

You can have what you say

You can speak your way to life, or to death

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.   (Proverbs 18:21, ESV)

if you are snared in the words of your mouth, caught in the words of your mouth,   (Proverbs 6:2, ESV)

What you say is what you get, whether positive or negative

17 Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan and said to them, "Go up into the Negeb and go up into the hill country,  18 and see what the land is, and whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many,  19 and whether the land that they dwell in is good or bad, and whether the cities that they dwell in are camps or strongholds,  20 and whether the land is rich or poor, and whether there are trees in it or not. Be of good courage and bring some of the fruit of the land." Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes.  21 So they went up and spied out the land from the wilderness of Zin to Rehob, near Lebo-hamath.  22 They went up into the Negeb and came to Hebron. Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, were there. (Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)  23 And they came to the Valley of Eshcol and cut down from there a branch with a single cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a pole between two of them; they also brought some pomegranates and figs.  24 That place was called the Valley of Eshcol, because of the cluster that the people of Israel cut down from there.  25 At the end of forty days they returned from spying out the land.  26 And they came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the people of Israel in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh. They brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land.  27 And they told him, "We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.  28 However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there.  29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb. The Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country. And the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan."  30 But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, "Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it."  31 Then the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are."  32 So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, "The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height.  (Numbers 13:17-32, ESV)

You can have whatever you say you have

And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses."  (Mark 11:25, ESV)

God will judge you by what you say

for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."  (Matthew 12:37, ESV)

Say to them, 'As I live, declares the LORD, what you have said in my hearing I will do to you:  (Numbers 14:28, ESV)

Remember,  confession be beats a path to the answer

No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.  (John 1:18, ESV)

For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.  (Romans 10:10, ESV)

Faith

Faith

By Rev Samuel S Konjah from Ghana

Faith: confidence, firm conviction, complete trust, absolute dependence, reliance

Faith is a strong belief, trust and absolute reliance on one whose trustworthiness in a particular situation has not yet been proven

Faith says I am convinced about the existence of something, though I do not see it

What is faith?

*Everyone has natural human faith

If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son.  (1 John 5:9, ESV)

*Faith is the substance of things hope for, the evidence of things not seen

*Faith says we're confident of what we hope for, convinced of what we do see

*Faith is now

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.  (Hebrews 11:1, ESV)

*Faith believes with the heart, and confesses with the mouth

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.  (Hebrews 11:1, ESV)

*Faith is action

So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.  (James 2:17, ESV)

For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.  (James 2:26, ESV)

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son,  (Hebrews 11:17, ESV)

Two kinds of Faith

*Man's kind of Faith (Thomas) seeing is believing

24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.  25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe."  26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you."  27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe."  28 Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!"  29 Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."  (John 20:24-29, ESV)

*God's kind of Faith (Abraham) believing before seeing

17 as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations"-in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.  18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, "So shall your offspring be."  19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb.  20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God,  21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.  22 That is why his faith was "counted to him as righteousness."  (Romans 4:17-22, ESV)

*We walk by faith and not by sight

for we walk by faith, not by sight.  (2 Corinthians 5:7, ESV)

*Without Faith it is impossible to please God

But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.  (Hebrews 11:16, ESV)

*Choose God kind of Faith

20 As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots.  21 And Peter remembered and said to him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered."  22 And Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God.  (Mark 11:20-22, ESV)

How do we get Faith

* God has dealt to every man the measure of faith

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.  (Romans 12:3, ESV)

*Faith comes by hearing the word of God

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.  (Romans 10:17, ESV)

*Hearing the word produces Faith for salvation

13 For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."  14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?  15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!"  16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?"  17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.  (Romans 10:13-17, ESV)

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.  (Romans 1:16, ESV)

*We are saved through faith

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,  (Ephesians 2:8, ESV)

Example of Faith for salvation

13 And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, 'Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter;  14 he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.'  15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning.  16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'  17 If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?"  18 When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, "Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life."  (Acts 11:13-18, ESV)

*Example of Faith for healing

And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease."  (Mark 5:34, ESV)

Faith versus Hope

*Faith and hope are not to be confused one with another

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.  (Romans 12:3, ESV)

*Faith comes by hearing the word of God

4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due.  5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,  6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:  (Romans 4:4-6, ESV)

* Faith says, it is done,I have now

as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations"-in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.  (Romans 4:17, ESV)

*Hope waits for some future manifestation

*Faith receives in the present the thing we hope for

Faith sees answers

*The eyes of faith see the answer as having already happened

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.  (Mark 11:24, ESV)

*Looking at the word, makes us see the answer, not the problem

20 My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.   21 Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart.   22 For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.   (Proverbs 4:20-22, ESV)

*Faith contradicts circumstances

19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb.  20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God,  21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.  22 That is why his faith was "counted to him as righteousness."  23 But the words "it was counted to him" were not written for his sake alone,  24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord,  (Romans 4:19-24, ESV)

* Faith says the answer

Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.  (Mark 11:23, ESV)

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  (Hebrews 4:14, ESV)

God bless you all.

Understanding Righteousness

Rev. Samuel S Konjah, from Ghana

Understanding Righteousness

Righteousness means right standing with God through Christ

Righteousness is a gift

The gift of righteousness
For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.  (Romans 5:17, ESV)

We are made righteous

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.  (2 Corinthians 5:21, ESV)
Righteousness is conferred on us

How are Righteousness comes

It does not come by works.
It does not come by growth.
Our believing makes us righteous.
For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.  (Romans 10:10, ESV)

By faith in Jesus Christ.

21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it-  22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:  (Romans 3:21-22, ESV)

Abraham believed unto righteousness
What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,  (Romans 3:9, ESV)

just as Abraham "believed God, and it was counted to him as
righteousness"?  (Galatians 3:6, ESV)

Noah believed unto righteousness
By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.  (Hebrews 11:7, ESV)

God's idea of righteous man
One whose transgression is forgiven.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  (1 John 1:9, ESV)
Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.   (Psalm 32:1, ESV)

Whose sin is covered.

Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.   (Psalm 32:1, ESV)

Whose iniquity is not counted.

Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.   (Psalm 32:2, ESV)

Righteous men have faults too
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.  (James 5:16, ESV)

Elijah was just like you

1 Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.  2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow."  3 Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.  4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, "It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers."  (1 Kings 19:1-4, ESV)

You have a right standing with God
You have believed in His son.
For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.  (Romans 10:10, ESV)

He has made you righteous

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.  (2 Corinthians 5:21, ESV)

You have received the gift
For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.  (Romans 5:17, ESV)

It's God's righteousness, not yours
the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:  (Romans 3:22, ESV)
no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD and their vindication from me, declares the LORD."   (Isaiah 54:17, ESV)

Be confident in your Righteousness
God sees Jesus, not you.
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.  (2 Corinthians 5:21, ESV)

Come boldly into His presence

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.  (Hebrews 4:16, ESV)

The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.   (Proverbs 28:1, ESV)

He longs to hear from you

For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."   (1 Peter 3:12, ESV)

Your prayers avail much

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.  (James 5:16, ESV)

Always walk in this knowledge

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.  (2 Corinthians 5:21, ESV)
God bless us all.
I pray the Lord will help us to walk in righteousness.