Have you ever felt overwhelmed by your to-do list? Do you find yourself constantly busy, yet wondering if you're really accomplishing what matters most? In our fast-paced world, it's easy to get caught up in a whirlwind of activity, even in our spiritual lives. But what if I told you that the key to true fulfillment and effectiveness isn't doing more, but choosing what's better?
In the midst of life’s battles, it’s easy to feel isolated, overwhelmed, and defeated. Whether it’s a personal struggle, a spiritual challenge, or a community crisis, many of us try to fight these battles on our own, only to find ourselves exhausted and burned out. The truth is, spiritual warfare was never meant to be fought alone. God’s design for victory involves obedience, accountability, and unity within the body of Christ. Let’s explore how these three elements—obedience, accountability, and unity—are essential for walking in victory.
The Battlefield of the Mind: Winning the War Within
Have you ever felt like your own thoughts were working against you? Like no matter how hard you try, you can't seem to shake off negative patterns, bitterness, or unforgiveness? You're not alone. As Christians, we often face an intense spiritual battle - not out there in the world, but right inside our own minds.
The Apostle Paul understood this struggle well. He wrote in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5:
"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."
Have you ever felt like you're in a battle you can't see? Like there are forces working against you, trying to derail your purpose and steal your joy? You're not alone. As believers, we're called to engage in spiritual warfare, but many of us don't fully understand what that means or how to do it effectively. Today, let's dive into this crucial topic and discover how we can armor up for the battles ahead.
Breaking Free: Weapons for Spiritual Warfare
Have you ever felt stuck, like there's an invisible force holding you back from experiencing God's best for your life? You're not alone. As believers, we're engaged in a spiritual battle against strongholds that can keep us captive. But take heart - God has given us powerful weapons to break free and claim victory!
In a recent message, I shared some key insights about spiritual warfare and how we can overcome opposition through the power of Christ. Let me break it down for you....
Have you ever felt like your faith was too small to make a difference? Or wondered what it would take to see real miracles happen in your life and community? As I stood before the congregation at New Life Church this Sunday, I was reminded of the incredible power of faith - not just any faith, but the kind that amazes even God Himself.
The Centurion's Faith: A Model for Us All
In Luke chapter 7, we encounter a Roman centurion whose faith astonished Jesus. This man, an outsider to the Jewish faith, understood something profound about authority that many of us still struggle with today.
"For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." (Luke 7:8)
The centurion recognized that Jesus had an authority greater than any earthly power. He believed that just as he could command his soldiers, Jesus could command sickness to leave with a mere word. This faith amazed Jesus, prompting Him to say, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel." (Luke 7:9)
Recognizing God's Supreme Authority
Do we truly recognize the authority of Jesus in our lives? As I preached, I felt compelled to remind the congregation:
"Do you realize that he has more authority than the Supreme Court? He has more authority than the Oroville Police Department. He has more authority than the governor of California. He has more authority than a world globalist billionaire."
When we grasp the full extent of Christ's authority, it changes how we approach every challenge in our lives. Sickness, financial struggles, relational issues - all of these must bow to the name of Jesus when we exercise our faith.
Faith That Moves Mountains
Throughout the Gospels, we see examples of faith that moved Jesus to action. The woman with the issue of blood, blind Bartimaeus, the four friends who lowered the paralytic through the roof - all of these demonstrate the power of persistent, audacious faith.
I shared a personal story about my wife's healing from cancer:
"My wife had cancer last year. Guess what? She doesn't have cancer no more. You know why? Because we pray. Because if I pray for people, that's showing that I highly value them, which means I don't take on the theology that said, 'Well, if it's God's will, he'll heal her.' No, it is God's will to heal."
Building Your Faith
So how do we develop this kind of mountain-moving faith? Here are a few key principles:
1. Immerse yourself in God's Word
2. Surround yourself with people of faith
3. Step out in obedience, even when it's uncomfortable
4. Celebrate and remember past victories
5. Persist in prayer, even when you don't see immediate results
A Call to Action: Become a House of Miracles
As I concluded the sermon, I felt a stirring in my spirit for what God wants to do in Oroville and beyond. I challenged the congregation:
"I believe this house is a house of miracles. I believe this is a house of healing. I don't think that God caused Pastor Ken Malone to put all the resources and energy and many of you in this room as well, to build this church so that we would not see signs, wonders and miracles."
What if we dared to believe for more? What if our cities became known not for their problems, but for the miraculous power of God at work through His people?
I encourage you, wherever you are, to step out in faith this week. Bring someone who needs a miracle to church. Pray boldly for the impossible. Let's become a people whose faith amazes even God Himself.
Next Steps:
1. Identify an area in your life where you need to exercise greater faith
2. Commit to praying specifically and persistently for a breakthrough
3. Find a prayer partner to stand with you in faith
4. Attend our miracle service this Tuesday and bring someone who needs a touch from God
Remember, your faith has the power to change not just your life, but your entire community. Let's believe God for great things!
In Ruth 3 we read the story between Ruth and Boaz when he tells her that there is someone ahead of him to redeem her. What I love about this is that when Boaz said, "If he doesn't want to take you, I'll take you." (Ruth 3:13) What we see here is that, even though there's an obstacle, Boaz is completely occupied with Ruth's future. We have to realize that in applying it to our lives, Jesus is completely occupied with our future.
He's the Redeemer.
He wouldn't have come down to the earth and redeemed humanity if He wasn't occupied with all of humanity's future. It’s predominant in His heart and because of that, prophecy connects us to our future when we don't fully comprehend the Lord's ways. I could imagine that Ruth did not comprehend everything. "What do you mean someone's ahead of him? He's been so kind, he's in love with me..." I'm sure in that moment of not really understanding what's going on, one hasn't had a moment of questioning, "Well, wait, God, I don't understand what you're doing."
But what prophecy does, is
It seems we can easily forget what Christ has purchased for us. So we begin to live a much lower standard than what Jesus has called us to live. To reign as kings and queens means much more than monetary success, public recognition and thousands of likes on Facebook. To reign as kings means…
What we have discovered as the months have continued onward is that we are in a prolonged season that does not have a clear and definite end in sight. When God chooses to hide the end of a thing even from His prophets, it is because…
I wanted to share some keys on how to discern God's voice more clearly in this season. Below you will…
Jesus invites them to bring some of their catch to join him by the fire. I love how extra Peter is in this moment. The operating word that Jesus uses is “some fish” and yet Peter decides that he must with his own bare hands, drag an entire net of fish to the shore that took an entire boat and crew to reel in, to where Jesus is. You have to love Peter…
In this week’s writing about John 21 and the prophetic revelation and strategy that it holds for this season, we pick up the story of Peter, John and some of the other disciples as they return from a long, cold and ultimately unfruitful fishing trip.
Many will be deceived into selling their birthright in the marketplace of the familiar and the comfortable. We must be willing to step into a new level of discernment free of our own personal biases and opinions about ourselves and the situations brewing around us.
Over the next few weeks, I'm excited to share with you some key prophetic insights from John 21. It is a rich chapter especially in the context of where we are. The story in this chapter is after the death and resurrection of Jesus, however it is a scene where the disciples are still in a state of mourning and scattering. What happens in these verses serves as a prophetic strategy for us to be able to come out of 2020 as warriors and overcomers.
God’s rejection of Cain’s gift had nothing to do with the gift, but the attitude of the giver. One example is when Cain rejects divine counsel because of being so self absorbed by his emotions. Swayed by the anger that burns within his soul, Cain can no longer reason. He incorrectly believes that he is alone and is given the right to sabotage his brother. He fails to understand his responsibility to care for his brother’s life. What he chooses and what he pursues is in opposition to the Lord’s gracious leadership.
In 2 Kings 5, we read the compelling story of Naaman, a wealthy Syrian general suffering from leprosy. Despite his influence and wealth, he was plagued with a condition he couldn’t heal himself, and his only hope came through an unexpected source—a young servant girl who shared her faith and directed him to the prophet Elisha. This young girl’s faith in God’s power illustrates the theme of "open heaven," a moment when God’s presence and power manifest so tangibly that even the impossible can happen. Her simple faith invited Naaman, a polytheist and idol-worshiper, to experience the healing power of the true God.