The Confident Man 2014 – w/ Bishop Kenneth C. Ulmer
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Ask, Seek, Knock
And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Luke 11:9-10
This text gives three action words in respect to prayer. Ask, Seek, and Knock.
Ask implies want, not just for things but often for answers. Why am I in this situation? What do I need to learn? How do I move forward? Lord if this is your will I sure would love to have this.
Seek implies loss, or even the pursuit of something. Where do I go for the answer? What changes do I need to make to get to my next level? It is the personal challenge to stay close to the heart and presence of God. His will is more important than anything else.
Knock implies need. It is as simple as it sounds. It is the continual sound of your prayer knocking on God’s door until you get an answer. It is the posture of faith that expects that door to open.
It is the Father’s pleasure to answer prayer, but God cannot answer prayers that are not made. I think all of us have had seasons when our faith was on the mountaintop and we felt like we could boldly ask God for anything. Conversely, we probably have faltered in faith and failed to pray for things that we really needed help with.
Today is a new day, and another opportunity to grow in the area of prayer. I believe in this season of Divine Manifestation our expectations have to grow. This is the year to really begin to have some God Sized dreams that will require some God Sized prayers to be answered. It is my prayer for you that your faith will be ignited and your prayer life will intensify. What do you need God to do in your or through you this year? Ask, Seek, and Knock!
Freedom
Isaiah 49:24-25
24 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?
25 But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.
Isaiah 61:1-2
61 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
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The enemy works like a school yard bully. His tactics are fear, intimidation, and an irrational sense of hopelessness. Some of the greatest challenges we face are not how things are but how we perceive them to be. This is where the enemy comes in and tries to gain a foothold on our hope. Even born again, Spirit filled, blood bought believers can experience places of perceived pending doom. Judgment can be clouded by the seemingly loss of control.
Staying in faith is often the greatest challenge when we feel completely out of control. This is not the will of God. He will often allow the enemy, sometimes in multiple forms, to come in like that flood just so he can show us what lifting up a standard looks like. Just like you would board an air craft and trust the pilot, a trained professional to get you to your destination, you can trust God.
Having celebrated Independence Day this week, I would just like to encourage you with a simple message. “God is in Control.” Adversity in your life doesn’t have to equate hopelessness, or even spiritual bondage. You may be experiencing turbulence, maybe some unchartered territory in your life, even loss or hurt, but God is still in control. I came to decree your Spiritual Independence. You will not face your days, weeks, months, or your life in dread. God is in control. God is able and willing to contend with those things that contend with you. Release it to Him.
You are free!
Free to live in faith.
Free to be happy.
Free to dream.
Free to expect a great present and a great future.
Free to dwell in peace.
Free to trust that God is in Control.
The Finish Line
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2
These two verses sum up the roles and responsibilities of the work done on the cross.
Christ endured the pain and suffering of the cross for us. After the finished work He sat down at the right hand of God to govern the affairs of men. Our role is to lay aside the weights and sins of this life and to run with patience the race set before us. Our race is our individual cross. We carry our own cross by enduring the journey that we have been assigned. The race we individually run is as different as the weights and sins we individually face. That race has different courses depending on the ages and stages of life.
How do you get your momentum back when you feel like your head is no longer in the game?
- Identify the weights that are setting you behind– Put a name on them. Cancer, depression, suicide, unemployment, sin habits. You can’t dump what you won’t confront. As you take off some things, you have to put on the whole armor of God. Ephesians 6:10-18
- Prepare like an athlete- Spiritual endurance has a lot to do with the state of mind. Feelings follow thoughts. You can take yourself on unnecessary detours by the thoughts you entertain. You have to be willing to confront your own thoughts with the Word of God:
- Think like Christ:
- Remember He has a plan-Jeremiah 29:11
- He will take care of my enemies-Psalm 37:1-11
- He will provide- Psalm 37: 25-26
- When I am weary-Isaiah 40:30-31
See you at the FINISH LINE!
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