Daily Devotions

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Premium Fear

Melissa–Many seem to be speaking about an awakening. This makes me ask, what are we awakening to? The thing that hits me the loudest is that we are being awakened to the fear of the Lord. I’ve heard from several places that the church has to return to the fear of the Lord, and as He sheds insight on this subject it makes more and more sense why we cannot live outside of it. Well, we have been living outside of it for the most part and that just isn’t working. If we are awakening to the fear of the Lord, what have we been in? We’ve been operating in fear, but it’s a substandard fear. A substandard fear is fear of lack, death, pain, trauma, loss, etc. We, however, are waking up to what we were meant to operate in, which is the premium fear of the Lord. In this premium fear we operate out of awe, reverence, trust, insight and understanding. This is a totally different way of living! Substandard fear is unclean fear, but premium fear of the Lord is clean fear. This obviously leads to totally different outcomes.    

Seeing the Need

As the people of God assemble today may we each see past first impressions and first appearances and see the need in others. May we be sensitive to what Holy Spirit has to say and has to show us about others so that we may edify them and be to them what they are needing in this season of their life. May we be part of the Christ-sent solution with love and power to set the captive free. 1Thess.5:11–“Therefore encourage (admonish, exhort) one another and edify (strengthen and build up) one another, just as you are doing.”

Getting Through to People

May the Lord enable us to effectively get through to people. May our attempts to say and do helpful things get through the fog of what people are dealing with and may those attempts be enhanced by the Word and the Holy Spirit to aid in those persons breaking through into victory. “But when the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) comes, Whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth Who comes (proceeds) from the Father, He [Himself] will testify regarding Me.” (Jn.15:26, Amp)

Moving Inch by Inch Forward

Melissa—There is something big shifting that requires us to move forward inch-by-inch as God directs.  It’s about being restored to take possession.  There are things that each of us have been created to lay our hands to and we are about to be called up.  As we move forward with tenacity and God frustrates the devices of the wicked, we will each begin to see our place in the upcoming future.  

Restore my Soul Oh God

Psalm 23:3 says, “He restores my soul.” It could be, that after all we have gone through in recent months, we all just need to cry out to God, “Restore my soul, oh God. Put some life back in my soul, some want-to, some get-up-and-go-forward, some comfort in my soul, oh God.” Psalm 70:1 says, “Please Lord come quickly and rescue me. Show me your favor and restore me.” Let’s just lift that word to God, the covenant God. Remember He is the covenant God. He is not the covenant canceller. He is the covenant keeper. Restore!
Ex.22:23,Amp—”If…. they cry at all to Me [for help], I will most certainly hear their cry;”
Ps.102:1,Amp—”Hear my prayer, O Lord, And let my cry for help come to You!”
Heb.10:35,Amp—”Do not, therefore, fling away your [fearless] confidence, for it has a glorious and great reward.” 

Key to God-Results This Year

Kathy—Obedience is not about being super-spiritual. No one has to be perfect to walk in purpose.  Who can do what they were born to do solely out of their own abilities or strength or merit or worth anyway?  We need the Lord and He is in reach. Psalm 84 tells us that God is there to give us grace (enabling) for now and favor for the future. Our part is simple obedience in response to the Holy Spirit’s promptings.  That is the key to a harvest of God-results this year.  Invest in that harvest through obedience and prosper.

A Nasty Siege

Melissa—In researching the battle of Iwo Jima this statement stuck out, “The battle was won by the inch-by-inch tenacity of the foot soldier.” Another interesting piece of that battle is that the enemy was all underground and in caves. Our troops were out in the open while the enemy attacked from out of sight.  Man, if that don’t preach!  Unless you have completely gone off the grid you are aware of the bombardment we have been under and how it feels eerily similar to this type of warfare structure. It’s been a nasty siege but I am quickly reminded that, “He frustrates the devices and schemes of the crafty, so that their hands cannot attain success or achieve anything of [lasting] worth.” (Job 5:12 AMP)  The enemy thinks he has the upper hand, but I think he forgets that God knows where he is hiding.

Sun Not Strike You

As the people of God assemble today may they receive encouragement from the Word and from one another that the Lord is on their side, that He surrounds them and goes before them and that “The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is your shade on your right hand. 6 The sun will not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night. 7 The LORD will protect you from all evil; He will keep your life.” (Ps.121:5-7)