Daily Devotions

Archive for May, 2024

From the Midst of the Onslaught

MELISSA—I’m not writing this from that place on the other side of a battle looking back over it. I’m writing from the midst of the onslaught. Also, I am not writing this from a place of despair!  The Lord does not give us insight like this to warn us to get ready to be beaten up and hope we can hold on to make it out alive. He gives us this kind of insight because He is doing something in the middle of it. There is something major shifting. An onslaught such as this proves something major is shifting! An enemy does not attack when it has you subdued and controlled. An enemy attacks when it’s control is being overturned. That is exactly where we are.


The Holy Spirit is Unlimited

KATHY—The Holy Spirit has unlimited ways to communicate with us when He is transferring God-glimpses or God-insights. For example, a couple of years ago, I kept seeing the number 1111.  It got my attention so frequently that I could not help but wonder why.  For months I noticed it everywhere, on TV, billboards, addresses, digital clocks, in a dream, on a license plate, etc.  So I pursued an understanding of its significance.  At first, I considered that it might be a time or date, but that never jelled.  I asked the Lord for wisdom.  His wisdom is defined in Strong’s Concordance as sage advice, the act of interpreting dreams and the ability to discover the meaning of a mysterious number or vision. In answer to my request, a thought I’d not had came to me and sent me on a search of the eleventh chapter of every book of the Bible, and I found the answer in Luke 11:11, “Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he?” Suddenly I understood the Lord was letting me know that particular scripture was a telegram for me.  He was reminding me that He is my Father and He knows my heart’s desire and petitions.  Beyond that He was letting me know that He will answer my long-term petitions and His answers will not be a disappointment!  So that 11:11 was an awesome communication from my Father that lifted my head and heart.


Fruitful All Year

As the people of God assemble today, may they be infused with Holy Spirit power to be fruitful all the year ahead.  May vision and empowerment come to each one.  I pray that the fruit our Lord gives you and your church this year will be like the net the disciples had to call for help to draw in.  May there be such a bounty that the net would be near bursting with the catch. May your net be strong and hold.  “So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net to land, full of large fish, 153 of them; and[though] there were so many of them, the net was not torn.” (Jn.21:11, Amp)


That Certain Sound

If the trumpet not sound certain….  How will the coming generation know that it is possible to expect the victories of the Lord in their generation if the present generation sound woes and bemoan times gone past? “If the war bugle gives an uncertain (indistinct) call, who will prepare for battle?” (1Co.14:8)  But we will shout unto the Lord for the victories He is bringing upon us. In Josh.6 the victorious shout of the people causes insurmountable walls to tumble down. God turned the halting, struggling steps of four lepers into the sound of chariots, horses and a great army (2K. 7:6).  So the Syrians arose and fled (v.7) and left their tents, horses, donkeys and the whole camp of provisions.


HOLD

MELISSA—Recently on a Sunday morning I was getting ready for church and asked the Lord what I needed to pray over the service that day and I clearly heard, “Prepare us for the onslaught.” I instantly had a sense that there are challenges coming to those of us that have been in the church for a while, challenges that will try to knock us off of our foundation in Christ. I literally heard the question being asked, “Is what I have believed my whole life even true?” I shared this with those in my Pastor’s office before service. During worship Pastor asked me to share this and then he followed up with having the congregation take hands all across the room. He proceeded to say, “Hold. Hold. Hold,” and then he said,  “This is the stance we have to take in the days ahead.” This could not have been more accurate instruction. Within the following weeks lives began to erupt like a volcano. There was a moment in the midst of it all I was reminded of what I’d heard and realized I’d thought it was going to come from outside, but it started from the inside first. My Pastor’s words started ringing in my head, “HOLD.” This instruction brought peace and stability.


Holy Spirit and Communication

KATHY—The meaning of communication istransferring information or passing along meaning”.  Communication is complete when that information or meaning is received and understood.  One dictionary put it like this, “A line of communication connects people and places to purpose and function.”  The Holy Spirit has unlimited ways to communicate with us.  When He is transferring God-glimpses or God-insights or God-moments or God-downloads or God-deposits or God-discoveries, He may use dreams or visions or prophecies or events or experiences or people, etc.  It might be just a nuance, a momentary feeling or a passing thought that signals us to be God-aware because there’s communication incoming.  Or, we can be prompted from a memory or a conversation or the words of a song or an ad in a magazine or a number on a door!  I’m talking about when unique details ping our radar and they are meant to get our attention so we’ll look for incoming insight.


Wilderness Experience

MARTIN–It’s OK to take a wilderness experience into the promised land but it’s not OK to take a wilderness heart into promise. (Just ask Achan; Judges Chapter 7.) What we don’t leave in the wilderness, trips us up in the promise. What we don’t get over today, overcomes us tomorrow!