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Friday, November 29, 2013

Faith To See The Invisible

John 6: 26 – 27, Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him." NKJV
What an intriguing story. In it, we learn there’s a difference between someone who follows Jesus in order to get their desires met and someone who follows Him because they believe in Him as the Son of God. Isn’t it amazing how Jesus could discern so quickly the wrong motives of the people who had come out to see Him? Because Jesus was the Word of God incarnate, He knew what was in the hearts of men. Consequently, He was never moved by whether their actions toward Him were favorable or adversarial. The only power contained in a man’s heart that could move Jesus was faith.
It is crucial that believers in Christ understand what it means to be driven by desires versus being led by our faith in Jesus. One of the best indicators of true faith is having consistency in our walk with Christ, especially in times of lack. When a person is driven by desire, they can only see as far as the desire is being met. However, faith gives us the ability to see God as more than the provider of our needs and desires. He is our very life. Faith will cause a believer to hold on to God even when the bills aren’t getting paid, and there’s no food in the pantry. If the desire of a person is not provided for, then the strength of desire will fail and cause them to doubt the goodness of God. Ultimately, they will turn away from God and look for another way to meet their needs.
We’re told in Jeremiah that the man (or woman) who trusts in the Lord and places their hope in Him is BLESSED! Now wait just a minute. On the surface, that scripture sounds really inviting. However, if you dig deeper into it, you will find that trust is harder than you might have originally imagined. To trust in God means that you don’t see or have what you’re believing God for… yet. To place your hope in God doesn’t mean you see nor have what you are hoping in God to give you… yet. Nevertheless, if you don’t have or can’t see what you believe for, and you still trust in God, then you are blessed.  
The writer of Hebrews tells us that God rewards those who DILIGENTLY seek Him. There are times during trials and seasons of disappointment when we must seek God diligently. In other words, in order to exercise true faith, we have to place self and its desires in submission to God’s will. Faith gives us the power to die to ourselves and the desires that could lead us away from Christ. Faith also gives us the victory to overcome this world and its pleasures so that we can live a life that pleases our heavenly Father. In the end, God will reward those who by faith die to self and endure steadfast to the end, knowing that He is faithful. Faith believes, and faith hopes in Christ.
Following Christ by faith,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Happy Thanksgiving 2013

1 Chronicles 16: 8 – 12, Oh, give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; talk of all His wondrous works! Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD! Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His face evermore! Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth… NKJV
Let me be one of the first to say, “Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!”
I chose this particular scripture to commemorate this special day because it is very upbeat and joyful. The writer encourages us to lavish our thanksgiving, adoration, and love upon the Lord while making melody in our hearts for the great things that He has done for us.
It was the Lord, who designed the plan of redemption and offered His Son in our place so that we could know God and have eternal life. Imagine that! God has given us all of eternity to express to Him how grateful we are that He has saved us from our sins. He has bestowed to us every good and perfect gift so that we might live the abundant life in Christ. We DON’T have to go to the world for an unmet need. Everything we will ever need is ours through Jesus.
Therefore, we have every right to rejoice and to be exceedingly glad because we have the BEST of this life and the one to come. It blesses our heavenly Father when we get excited and declare His praises to those around us for all that He has done in us and for us. God wants us blessed, but He also wants us to be thankful.
Today, as you take the time to be with those you love and those who love you, remember all the answered prayers, unexpected blessings, and the favor that you have received from your heavenly Father this year. Now you can go throughout this day with a heart filled with gratitude. After all, isn’t that what Thanksgiving is all about?
Happy Thanksgiving from the Dockery’s to you!     

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Boldness

Hebrews 10: 19 – 22, Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. NKJV
Are you a bold Christian, who is fearless when it comes to entering the presence of God and enjoying His goodness? You might be surprised to learn that many believers struggle with being near Him. However, there’s a very good explanation as to why even believers are “bashful” when it comes to entering the presence of God.
Today, my main focus is the way people react differently to His holy presence in a church service. Many believers sit as far back in church as they possibly can, thereby, getting lost in the crowd. They’re very timid and shy in God’s presence. Nevertheless, they possess a hunger to be there. As a pastor of many years, I have discovered that if you bring attention to someone who struggles with being in God’s presence, it can cause them to back away altogether.  I you are bold, this tendency may seem a little immature or backwards to you; therefore, allow me to share some insights with you today.
The subject the Lord has me addressing today isn’t about a personality trait. It is a spiritual issue among many in the church. The writer of Hebrews does a masterful job at describing why believers aren’t bold in God’s presence and why many will run if they’re called on in a service. He writes that we must draw near to God with a true heart in FULL assurance of faith. This tells us that we must learn how to be developed through our faith in Jesus so that we can gain the boldness to be in God’s presence, unafraid and unashamed. He goes on to address the importance of having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. These are the primary roots that cause believers to be apprehensive about being in God’s holy presence. Therefore, it is a spiritual issue.  
Where did this backwards attitude originate, and how can children of God overcome it and have boldness to enter? It originated in the garden with the fall of man. When Adam heard God’s voice, he hid himself from the presence of God. Part of the answer for this dilemma can be found in Psalms 103; here, we’re told that Israel knew the ACTS of God, but Moses knew the WAYS of God. Why was there a distinction between Moses and Israel? Moses obeyed God from the beginning of his relationship with God. Through an obedient heart to God’s commands, he had his heart purged of the evil conscience of his past.  
Although Moses initially struggled with his inadequacies while in God’s presence, God quickly taught him to look to the Lord for assurance. As a result of Moses’ obedience to the voice of God, he could learn the ways of God. However, Israel didn’t have a deep desire to obey God. This lack of want-to caused them to fall prey to their guilty conscience, and it kept them from entering into God’s presence. When God invited His people to know Him at Mount Sinai, after bringing them out of Egypt, they rejected His invitation because of fear. The reason was very simple. Because of their unbelief, they had no desire to obey His voice and overcome timidity.
If you are fearful about being in God’s presence, or you feel “unworthy” or “dirty” in His presence, then this is a word from the Lord for you today? Instead of looking at your weaknesses and failures, which are unbelief, begin to focus on hearing and obeying God’s voice in your life. As you develop a hunger to know God’s will and then obey it, His Word will begin to purge your conscience from the residue of sin, which causes guilt and shame. Before you know it, you will develop the boldness to come into the presence of God, bask in the warmth of His Light, and not feel ashamed. Faith has to have a beginning; therefore, why not start right now? Submit to His will, and the Lord will do the rest. It all begins with a decision to trust and obey the Lord.  
Nothing like His Presence,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

A Little While

Hebrews 10: 35 – 39, Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: "For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him." But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul. NKJV
Are you waiting on God to move on your behalf? Are you in a season of trouble and looking for the Lord to deliver you from evil? Are you standing on God’s promises and believing in Him for a miracle or a need to be supplied? If so, then let me ask you another question. How long are you going to wait on the Lord?
It sure would be nice if while we’re waiting on Him to move, the Lord would let us know just exactly when He’s going to manifest His promise so that we don’t have to WAIT. Nevertheless, why does the Lord require us to wait on Him before He gives us the need or fulfilled promise? Our willingness to wait on God shows that our complete trust is in Him. Even so, living by faith prepares us for His emanate return. God requires that the JUST live in a state of preparedness. We are commanded to be instant in season and out. In other words, God requires us to wait on Him so that we might learn how to be consistent… no matter the test.
If I wait on the Lord, then I am disciplining myself to operate by faith instead of being moved by my flesh nature. However, the question that needs to be addressed today is this: How long should we be willing to wait on the Lord when we are looking to Him for an answer or a need to be met? We must determine in our hearts that we will wait on the Lord until He moves on our behalf. After all, it isn’t going to be on our terms, but on God’s. Once we make the decision to wait on the Lord “until,” the length of time won’t be an issue.
If we focus on a specific time frame, it can cause us to grow weary while we wait. We may also be tempted to act or jump prematurely. However, if we leave the timing in God’s hands and simply trust His will over our need, then we will be able to rest in full assurance that He is faithful; and He won’t leave us hanging. God cannot lie. If He said it, He will perform it. Nonetheless, we must be willing to wait until He comes through for us. Are you waiting on the Lord?
I Know in Whom I Have Believed,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Monday, November 25, 2013

The Word In Action

1 Corinthians 4: 20, For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. KJV
Acts 1: 6 – 8, Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." NKJV
When Jesus came to earth, He preached the gospel of the kingdom; and as the people heard His teachings and believed on Him, He began to demonstrate the power of the kingdom of God. Likewise, the Word of God gives us the authority to exercise spiritual dominion on the earth. However, why did Jesus give us both the Word and authority? Well, if someone makes a promise to you when you’re in need, but they have no power to help you out, what will it profit you?
The Father has given us, his children the Holy Spirit to help us in serving His purpose on the earth. Remember, Jesus said, “Father, your kingdom come, and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Once we receive power from the Holy Spirit, we are able to live the Word of God first; and then we are empowered to demonstrate the power of God. It is through the demonstration of God’s Word that His love is displayed to a lost world. Consequently, we become a witness of Christ to the lost.
The Bible is a book of love in action. God sent His Word to build faith in the hearts of people to be able to receive the power and blessings of His great love. Love isn’t a feeling; it is a fruit of God’s Spirit at work in our hearts. Love is a word of action. For God so loved the world that He GAVE His only-begotten Son. If we are only hearers of the Word, but not doers of it, then according to the book of James, we deceive ourselves. Therefore, Jesus has given us the authority through His Word to fulfill God’s will on the earth and to put the Word of God into action; this is why we have the book of ACTS. It’s a book about the Acts of the Apostles under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.  
Are you a student of the Word? Do you operate under the authority of the Holy Spirit to show God’s love to the lost and hurting? Let us not love in word only, but in deed. When men see our good works, it will bring glory to our heavenly Father. Apart from Him, we can do nothing of eternal value. Ask the Holy Spirit to use you to touch the lives of others through the Word in action. LOVE!
The Word Became Flesh,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Friday, November 22, 2013

Identity Crisis

John 8: 39 – 45,They answered and said to Him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. You do the deeds of your father." Then they said to Him, "We were not born of fornication; we have one Father -- God." Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. NKJV
Can we actually become a product of the things that we believe? According to the truths that Jesus shared with the Jews in today’s scripture, we certainly can. In the first part of this story, the Jews believed in Jesus; nevertheless, when He began to address their beliefs, they quickly turned on Him. The Jews wouldn’t receive Jesus’ words that they were bound by sin because they believed they were already free.
It’s impossible to believe two different beliefs/doctrines when they diametrically oppose each other. Jesus tells us in Matthew 6 that we can’t serve two masters. By the leading of the Holy Spirit, Moses tells us in Deuteronomy that we must choose whom we will serve. This is also true in the story about the Jews who wanted to believe in Jesus, but refused to agree with His view concerning their identity.
You see; they were blinded by Satan because they had believed his lies. It’s not apparent at first; however, as you read the remainder of the story in John 8, you will discover that they didn’t have God’s Word abiding in their hearts. They were already filled with unbelief and therefore, rejected the truth when Jesus spoke it to them.
Finally, Jesus plainly told them that they were of their father the Devil. They had become a spiritual product (child of Satan) because Satan had spoken lies to them, and they had received his lies as truth. Paul told the believers in Corinth that he had begotten (or born) them through the gospel of Christ that he had preached to them. Peter teaches us in his epistle that we have been born again of an incorruptible seed which is the Word of God. We take on the “spirit of the seed” that we believe.
We have sufficient evidence that confirms that we become a “product or child” of the teachings we believe. In conclusion, we see through today’s teaching that we must guard our hearts very carefully, so that we don’t agree with or accept any teaching from anyone that doesn’t align with God’s Word. If you would like to hear more insights about today’s subject, then click on this link: “Identity Crisis” is a sermon that I recently preached at World Harvest Church North. Check it out!
Begotten By the Gospel of Christ,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Thursday, November 21, 2013

First Things First

James 4: 6 – 8, But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. NKJV
God told Jeremiah that He had only good plans, not evil ones, for those who are called by His name…to give us a future and a hope. Unfortunately, there are the tendencies in humans to both be afraid of God and not to trust in Him. However, if we allow fear to keep us from trusting in the Lord, it will open up our hearts and lives to the tricks of Satan.
To the human mind, it sometimes seems easier to run ahead of God, and then just pray that He protects us from the consequences of our own ways. Nonetheless, when we trust in our personal wisdom, and we follow our desires over God’s will, our lives become chaotic. Chaos and confusion aren't from God, but are the result of our flesh being in control of our decisions in life. When God is given preeminence in our hearts, He will bring order into our lives.  
Even though God has given us freewill, willpower is no match to the spiritual power that Satan can exert over us when we run from the plan that God has for us. We may be able to say “no” to Satan for a while in our own strength, but eventually we will wear down and give into his devices. Therefore, we have to realize and acknowledge that we’re in desperate need of God’s grace so that we can overcome the spiritual struggles we face.  
Does your life have order and structure? Do you put God first in your life? There is a direct correlation between running from God’s authority and experiencing chaos in our lives. In order for life to exist and produce, be fruitful and multiply, there has to be a healthy environment. God’s Word sets the structure into place, which allows life to exist and flourish. If you read Genesis 1, you will notice when God looked at earth, there was neither light nor life on it. The first thing God spoke into reality was light, and then He spoke structure over creation. There was an order to everything God did because it was required so that life could come into existence on the earth.  
In Matthew 6, Jesus tells us that we’re not to worry about food, shelter, or clothing. He instructs us to seek first the kingdom of God (spiritual structure) and His righteousness (our covering for sin), and all these other things will begin to fall into place. We’re not created to chase money, people, or possessions. We were created to pursue God and His goodness. Placing God first is simply an act of your will that involves your heart. However, before we can place God as number one in our lives, we will have to love Him more than this world or its pleasures. Therefore, if you’ve been running from God, and now you’re running from Satan, then stop, submit to God, and you will have the power to resist the Devil and watch him run from you.
Thriving in Christ,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Truth That Liberates

John 8: 30 – 36, As He spoke these words, many believed in Him. Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." They answered Him, "We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, 'You will be made free'?" Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. NKJV
In today’s scripture, we can see very plainly that it’s easier for us to believe in Jesus than it is to receive the truth from Him about our spiritual condition. There were many Jews who believed in Jesus that day; nevertheless, when He told them the truth about the sin in their lives, they disagreed with Him. Let’s look more closely at this scripture and see what we can find out. It’s possible to believe in Jesus and still be bound. It’s only when we’re willing to receive and obey His instructions that we can become truly liberated.
The Lord opened my spiritual eyes to receive deeper understanding from these verses so that we can see where we may be erring in our faith walk. What does it show others when we say that we believe in Jesus (follow Him), but we disagree with Him when He puts His finger on our sin issues? As followers of Christ, we haven’t been given the option to “pick and choose” which commandments and instructions we will obey.
Jesus told His disciples (and us) that in order to follow Him, we must first deny self and take up our cross. It’s not enough to say I believe, and then not follow up your belief with action. James tells us that faith without works (obedient actions) is dead.
If you read the remainder of the story in John 8, you will see that the Jews turned on Jesus. They were unwilling to deny self or receive Jesus’ Word as the truth in their lives. Consequently, they rejected Him and tried to stone Him. Self is a Christian’s biggest enemy. When we’re faced with a truth from God’s Word that challenges our wrong way of thinking, we must be willing to lay our lives down, accept that truth into our hearts, and then allow it to liberate us from sin and from bondages. Christ came to set us free; and you can be liberated today through His truth. This teaching is an excerpt from a sermon entitled, “Identity Crisis.” If you would like to learn more about today’s teaching and how to become all that the Lord has ordained for you to be, then click on the link written in blue (Audio only).
The Truth Sets Us Free,
Pastor Asa Dockery  

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

You Can

Philippians 4: 13, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. NKJV
As a pastor for more than eleven years, I have seen many Christians fall into the traps that were set by Satan, the adversary of their soul. To fall into a trap of Satan simply means we believe a lie about ourselves, and we, therefore, remain in bondage to a demonic stronghold. A lie of Satan becomes a stronghold the moment we believe what he is telling us about a situation or a condition we are facing instead of standing on the Word of God.
In the natural, a trap brought on by a lie may be an addiction, an emotional wound, a crutch, or anything that forces you to believe or think that you can’t get past a certain issue or vice. If you think that you can’t overcome a problem or an addiction in your life, then you are bound in your walk. Christ didn’t come to save us from sin so that we could die in bondage to its power. According to Luke 4: 18, He was sent and anointed to set us FREE!!
Like many others, you may be in a trap of Satan today. Are you fighting a battle against something in your life that won’t seem to let go? Then you need “MORE GRACE." This is not a cliche’. Instead, it is a truth that can set you free so that you can begin to walk out of the trap. You must not accept defeat. If you are a Christian, then Christ will cause you to triumph ALWAYS. The key is to turn to the Lord and submit yourself (including any doubts, fears, or unbelief) you may be holding onto in your heart. God is for you. However, you must be willing to believe and accept this truth before He can give you the power to come out completely.
Just because you have a stronghold in your life, it doesn’t mean that God has abandoned you. The Lord has promised that He would never leave or forsake us. Even so, we must give Jesus our full attention and cooperation in this matter. When the Holy Spirit instructs you to make the first step or to take action, you have to obey His voice and let Him take care of the details. This will require you to submit to Him and trust His instructions at all times. As you take the initial steps, doubt, fear, and unbelief will begin to scream out, “You can’t do this." Nevertheless, don’t worry; once you obey God’s voice, it’s not you doing the work. It is God’s strength and grace flowing through you.
With each act of obedience and faith, you will find that it will become easier to obey because of the new grace that has been given to you.  "You" have gotten out of the way, and grace has taken over. Remember, before grace, you couldn’t even attempt to walk out. However, now that you have submitted, God’s grace is moving you forward to freedom. You can walk out of the trap and never look back.
Before I leave you today, let me share the verses that God gave me for you:
James 4 : 5 – 7, What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that the Holy Spirit, whom God has placed within us, jealously longs for us to be faithful? He gives us more and more strength to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say, "God sets himself against the proud, but he shows favor to the humble." So humble yourselves before God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. NLT
The more we submit by faith to God’s will and His Word, the more grace He will extend to us so that we can come out of the traps of Satan.
Walking in Freedom through More Grace,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Monday, November 18, 2013

Peculiar

1 Peter 2 : 9 – 10, But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: KJV
What comes to your mind when you think about something being peculiar? I think of peculiar as strange, odd, or different than the norm. The word peculiar in this portion of scripture means: one’s own property, possession, and preservation- as preserving the soul for salvation. Peter tells us by the Holy Spirit that we are a chosen generation, (God’s own property) that He has purchased so that we might declare His praises to this world.
If you’re truly born again, then I can tell you on the authority of God’s word that you’re not going to fit into this world’s system or its ways. Why? It is because you don’t have the same nature dwelling in your heart as those who are in the world. Therefore, you aren’t typical in the way that the world would define “being normal.”
Jesus tells us in John that we are not of this world because He has chosen us and has separated us from it so that we might become one with Him. Not being normal doesn’t mean that we have to be “weird or spooky." As Christians, who are not of this world, God has called us to be extraordinary. We are to become like our Savior and Lord. Jesus was anything but normal. Nevertheless, He was very level-headed and humble… He was extraordinary in every way.
The Bible teaches us that the JUST shall live by faith. Once we learn how to live by faith as God’s children, we will no longer be normal. People who live by faith also do extraordinary things for their God. Through faith, Christians go against the system and defy the odds. We don’t accept whatever life throws at us as being the final word. Faith in God gives us “an out” or an option that the world isn’t privy to because they’re unbelievers.
So what are you facing today that appears to be a dead end or is hopeless to you in the natural realm? As a “faith-walker,” you have a powerful God who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above what you are able to ask or imagine. Therefore, turn this problem over to Him. After you give God your cares, thus allowing Him to move on your behalf, He will give you direction and a way out so that you can obtain victory over the enemy who is opposing you. Let me leave you with an example from the Word that will help you to grab hold of this principle of faith.
Romans 4: 17 – 22, (as it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations") in the presence of Him whom he believed -- God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, "So shall your descendants be." And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. And therefore "it was accounted to him for righteousness." NKJV
As you read about Abraham’s faith-filled reaction to God’s plan to bless them with a son in their old age, you will notice that Abraham didn’t respond in a weird or strange way. Nevertheless, he did respond in an extraordinary way. After God made the promise to Abraham that he and Sarah would have a son, Abraham no longer considered the enormous negative odds they were facing in their own bodies.
ALL of Abraham’s confidence and hope was in God’s ability and not his own. Because Abraham took God at His Word and believed it fully, from that moment on, God empowered him to see with eyes of faith. Eyes of faith refuse to consider the opposition or any mountains that may stand in the way of receiving the promise. The key to Abraham’s victory was solidified when he believed God’s promise; consequently, faith strengthened him.
What mountain or impossible situation are you up against today? Stand in prayer and on God’s promises and allow God to strengthen any weaknesses you may have so that you can inherit the promise by faith. With God, all things are possible.
Give Me Strength Lord,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Friday, November 15, 2013

A Rightful Heir

Roman 8: 14 – 17, For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs -- heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. NKJV
 Do you have a need in your life? Have you been petitioning the Lord for a while in order to have that particular need supplied? I believe it is safe to say that all of us have needs. However, the Holy Spirit has given me a specific word to share with you today so that you might have the faith in your heart to receive your long-awaited miracle or breakthrough. The Word of God declares that the promises of God in Christ are yes and amen.
As human beings, who are recovering from the fall of man and learning how to live and operate in our new identity, we sometimes struggle with faith when it pertains to us personally. I’ve heard people make this statement my entire life: “I can believe for someone else’s need much easier than for my own need.”
Nevertheless, since God is no respecter of persons, it isn’t God that makes us feel inferior, it is our own hearts that do so. Therefore, we must take our focus off us and who we are in the natural, and we must begin to fasten our attention on who we are in Christ. It is only in Christ that we are made the righteousness of God. It is also through Christ that we have become the children of God; and as His children, we are heirs of God’s promises.
Christ gives us the “right or the power” to become sons and daughters of God. Jesus has made us legitimate children of God. We have a legal and binding covenant with God through Christ that gives us access to receive His promises. We have the right to be healed and to walk in divine health. It is our right to prosper and be in health even as our soul prospers. You and I have the right to be delivered from bondages and to walk in spiritual liberty.
As Christians, we need to know what our rights are so that we don’t allow Satan to rob them from us through spiritual ignorance. Please note that we’re not being arrogant to God when making such audacious proclamations. Instead, we’re being bold to Satan. If Jesus needed to declare the Word of God about His identity and about God being the source of His needs, then we must be able to quote the Word to Satan as well. When we tell our adversary what Christ has done for us, and we recite the promises of God over our lives to the Devil, it lets him know that we’re not standing in our strength; we are standing in faith. Without faith, we can’t please God. However, when we stand on God’s Word, this allows God to rebuke the devourer from our lives and to release His promises upon us.
Therefore, if the manifestation of your healing, your deliverance, or your breakthrough has been prolonged, then allow this word to get deep into your heart and begin to declare: “In Christ, I am a child of the Most High God, and I am a rightful heir of God’s promises. Christ has paid the price for my redemption and has given me an inheritance.” It is my prayer that you will take a stand of faith today against the demonic forces that have invaded your life and have robbed you of God’s blessings. Take back what rightfully belongs to you as an heir of God.
Standing in Faith with You,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Thursday, November 14, 2013

When the Impossible Becomes Possible

Jeremiah 32: 26 – 27, Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, "Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me? NKJV
Is there ANYTHING too difficult for the God of the Bible? Everything that exists was created by the Lord; therefore, nothing is impossible for Him. Consequently, what may be too difficult or seem hopeless for us is still possible for God.
 Perhaps you’re facing a “seemingly” impossible situation, and whenever you think about what you have to face in the natural realm, you feel hopeless. The Lord doesn’t want you to fear; neither does He want you to think that you’re in your situation alone.
Just because things are out of our control, and we have no power to change an adverse situation in our own strength doesn’t mean that we have to accept things exactly the way life brings them to us. The Word of God tells us that He is a very present HELP in times of trouble. God wants to HELP you so that you can overcome the obstacles you face and give you His peace during the process.
Now let’s look at what we must do in order to invite God’s power into our lives. James 4 tells us that God gives His grace to the humble, but He opposes the proud. Therefore, if we want the Lord to move on our behalf and deliver us from trouble, we must be willing to trust in Him for the answer. What is grace and how does it help us?
Paul teaches in 2 Corinthians 12 that grace is the strength of God. When you and I seek the Lord and rely upon Him, He has promised to give us His grace (strength). You will know the very moment that God pours out His grace upon your life to help you because things will begin to seem easier and look doable. Nothing in the natural realm has changed. The only thing that has changed is your perspective about the situation, since you now have God’s strength working for you.
What is impossible with men is possible with God. The key is to get with God; we do this through our faith. Place your faith in God’s ability to transform you and to work His plan in the situations you face, and then watch as God releases His grace and empowers you. I love it when God releases His strength/grace in my life to give me victory over trials and problems that are too difficult for me. I am able to rest and watch as God moves the mountains and destroys the opposition that has grieved me.
After you pray and give God your impossible problems, wait on Him to move. As you wait, you are practicing your faith to rest in Him. Waiting on God is also an act of faith. It welcomes the presence of God to invade your world and give you much-needed relief. Are you tired and weary from the battles you’ve incurred? If so, then give all your burdens and cares over to God today and afterwards rest/wait on Him. The ONE who called you by name is also faithful to you and will perform His good Word in your life.
If God Be for Us,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Where Do I Go From Here?

Psalms 119: 103 – 105, How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. NKJV
Ephesians 2 : 10, For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. NKJV
Many times in scripture the Lord told one of His servants that He had already gone before them to prepare the way they were to travel . He then gave them specific instructions to follow so that His divine will could be fulfilled, not only in that situation, but in His servant’s life.
In the New Testament, Jesus told His disciples that He would meet them in Galilee after His passion. He foretold His plans to them so that when the time came, they would know what to do and where to be in order to be reunited with Him. It was also a way of building the disciples’ faith… because they would see that all He had said had actually come to pass.
Did you know that God has a map/plan for our lives? He’s not trying to control us; nevertheless, He does want to be there for us to keep us from taking “wrong paths” as we navigate which path or consider choices in life. When we come to an intersection in life, it will demand that we decide which way to travel. Quite often we have to make decisions that will impact our life long term, such issues as relationships, business, finances, health, children, etc. Our decisions are generally based on a limited amount of information. Some decisions come with the promise of a brighter future, but there is no guarantee.
At this point, God, the Word, and His Spirit come into the picture. God already knows the end from the beginning; He knows what paths we should choose and the right decisions you and I should make in order to maximize our fullest potential in this life and assure that we will complete His purpose.
So the next time you come to a “crossroad,” and you need to make a decision, ask the Lord to lead the way. It will show the Lord that your faith and confidence are in Him and will allow Him to keep you safe on this journey called life. Just think of this as GPS (God's Positioning Satellite), guiding you along the right path for your life and family.
Use Caution Up Ahead,
Pastor Asa Dockery
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Tuesday, November 12, 2013

The Power Of Faith

Matthew 17: 19 – 20, Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. NKJV
When Christians activate their faith through the Word of God, it gives them the power to see the miraculous take place in the physical realm. Paul tells us in Romans 12: 3 that God has given the measure of faith to everyone. All we have to do is learn how to release or activate our faith so that it works in our lives, especially when we face a difficult or seemingly impossible situation.
In the scripture for today’s word, Jesus teaches us how to release our faith so that it can work on our behalf to bring about the things that we need. Jesus told the disciples that if they had faith, they could say what they wanted to see come to pass, and then they would have it. This means that we are to speak those things that we have the faith for; and then we should expect to receive what we have spoken. Our mouths have the ability to create… this is especially true when we confess with our mouth based on what we believe in our heart.
Another example of this same principle is given by Paul in Roman 10: 9. Paul says, “…if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” We see that he agrees with what Jesus told His disciples in Mark 11. We must declare from our mouth those things that we believe are in accordance with God’s Word so that we can receive the promises of God.
It’s amazing to me how faith can be so tiny, and yet be so powerful that if it is used effectively can move something as massive as a mountain. Nevertheless, that is exactly what Jesus said, and He didn’t exaggerate. This tells us that faith is powerful. Therefore, when we declare those things that we need to happen in our lives, we must stand in faith.
Furthermore, when we choose to respond to a negative report or a bad situation in faith, we are empowered to move forward to victory over the enemy that has attacked us. In other words, faith will help us walk “out of” problems that might otherwise try to hold us captive. Instead of accepting an evil report as the final word for this season of our lives, we must choose to stand on God’s Word in faith and trust in God’s plan to bring us through victoriously.
If you’ve hit a seemingly impossible situation, and everything in your soul is telling you that it won’t pass, then make a conscious decision to stand by faith. Many Christians are living in bondage to past situations simply because they don’t know how to “choose to respond” by faith and walk out of the pit of hopelessness. Personally, I have experienced many setbacks and hardships, and the enemy has tried to use them to hold me back in ministry; however, the Holy Spirit has repeatedly shown me how to keep moving forward by faith until the victory has been won.
Do you need to walk out of a pit today? If so, get in God’s Word and find a promise that “fits” your particular battle. Then stand on that promise as the only option and the final word for your life until your faith becomes sight. Use your faith to help you keep a good attitude and a right-perspective on the battle that you’re facing. If you believe you’re a grasshopper, then you’ll see yourself as a grasshopper. However, if you see yourself as more than a conqueror through Christ, you will be more than a conqueror. Faith works, but you have to work it!
Releasing the Power of Faith,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Monday, November 11, 2013

Our Only Hope

1 Timothy 1: 1, Paul, a missionary of Jesus Christ, sent out by the direct command of God our Savior and by Jesus Christ our Lord-our only hope. TLB
I can remember when our sons were babies and learning to stand up on their own. They would crawl over to the coffee table or a piece of furniture and raise themselves up. The furniture gave them the confidence that they needed to take a step without being fearful of falling. Likewise, all of us from our earliest stages of life have learned how to depend on and place our hope in “things” to keep us safe.
We use the life lessons that we have learned, and we place our confidence and hope in natural elements for security. After a while, we begin to rely on those objects and people to support us to the point that we become totally comfortable and at rest. Unfortunately, there are times when we discover that not everything we rely on is trustworthy. Objects break, and people will fail us, causing our faith to be violated and our hope to be lost.
Let me share a scenario with you that will demonstrate a principle about hope. Life is a lot like taking a cruise on a ship. Because of its strong structure and enormous size, it gives us a sense of safety while it’s heading out into the deep. Consequently, the longer we are on the ship the more comfortable we become with its ability to keep us safe. We begin to relax and enjoy the comforts that the cruise liner offers its passengers.
However, suddenly we realize that the ship is headed directly into a horrific storm. As the ship becomes tossed by the large waves and strong winds, the furniture that we took rest in has now become a flying object. We begin to grab onto anything that is firmly attached to the ship for stability. As the ship is tossed to and fro, we begin to lose our grip, and we are thrown around like a rag doll.
Now the confidence and the hope that we once rested in has all but disappeared, and we begin to fear for our very lives. The more the storm intensifies, the greater our desperation becomes about our survival. In a panic-stricken moment, we realize that everything we have placed our trust and hope in has turned against us.
Out of hopelessness, we look up to heaven and turn our focus on the Lord. Why... because He is the anchor for our soul. When this life begins to unravel and fall apart, God is our Rock in whom we can rely and know of a surety that He won’t fail us. The writer of Hebrews tells us that He is a very present help in a time of trouble. Nothing in this life is eternal. Everything and everyone at one point or another will fail us. Only Jesus will be there for us when this world and the people in it fail us and break our trust.
When we think of storms, we tend to think about them only in a negative connotation because we’ve seen what they can do to human life and property. Nevertheless, there are some good things that the storms of life can produce. Whether they’re natural, emotional, relational, or spiritual storms can break us of placing our eternal trust in temporal things and relationships. Storms can teach us that only God is the TRUE ANCHOR for our souls.
If you have been broken because a job, a spouse, or a possession failed you don’t despair; there is still hope after the storm. Jesus is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. When the world walks out on you, you can turn to Him, and He will walk in and pick you up. He is the blessed assurance that can never fail you. He will be faithful and go with you, even to the end.
What could you be trusting in today that might be gone tomorrow and leave you devastated? Everything on this earth has been built by man has a breaking point. Even so, the Lord upholds the universe; and He will hold you when your world crumbles. Jesus is our only hope for eternal life. Are your faith and your hope in Him today?
My Hope Is in the Lord,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Hope For America And Canada

Acts 4 : 8 – 12, Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. This is the 'stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.'  Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." NKJV
 A man who has been mightily anointed and who has been used by the Lord for many decades to preach the gospel around the world was born on this day 95 years ago. Therefore, today is a very special day in the history of America because in celebration of Dr. Billy Graham’s birthday, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) will be conducting what could be the largest crusade that Dr. Graham has ever held. The purpose of this crusade is to reach America and Canada with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
It is called MyHope with Billy Graham and will be aired on television (check your local listings) as well as on the Internet. Dr. Graham will preach a brief message entitled “The Cross.” The BGEA is working closely with thousands of churches in America and Canada to reach millions of souls with the life-changing message of hope in Christ.
America is in desperate need of a move of God that will sweep our land. This is your opportunity to be a part of what could be Dr. Graham’s final crusade. If you know someone in your family, work, gym, or at school that doesn’t know Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord won’t you prayerfully consider inviting them to watch this powerful message? Don’t worry that you may not have enough time because the message is available online to view at your convenience.
Another way that you can participate in this massive soul winning outreach is through prayer. Please take the time throughout the day and tonight to lift up Dr. Graham and the souls that his message will touch for the glory of God. Let’s agree together that this is God’s answer to the many prayers Christians have lifted to God for our great country and for Canada to be saved. If you would like to learn more about the crusade or about Dr. Graham’s ministry, you can click on the link MyHope with Billy Graham. Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. It’s time for America and Canada to call on the Lord.
Praying for the Lost to Be Saved,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Born Again

2 Corinthians 5 : 14 - 17, For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if one died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. NKJV
I’m grateful that God gave Paul these revelations about the difference between our old nature and our new nature. Paul is a wonderful example of how powerful the grace of God is toward sinners who humble themselves before the Lord. Paul was once called Saul of Tarsus. As Saul, he killed and imprisoned many followers of Christ because of their faith. Therefore, if anyone could write about the spiritual transformation that occurs in the hearts of believers when they come to Christ, Paul could. He was able to write from his own experience of Christ’s power to change the coldest, hardest heart and make it new again; Paul was changed so much that he was no longer known by his old ways.
You may not remember when you were born, but one thing is certain. From the moment you were born and took your first breath, you had a sin nature. Even though you were innocent in your conscience concerning sin, no one had to teach you how to sin. “It comes natural to all of us.”
Just as you must be conceived/born in order to exist in this physical world, you must be born again, if you desire to see and enter into the kingdom of God. Whenever you received Christ by faith, God sent His Holy Spirit to make His abode in your spirit. From the very moment that the Holy Spirit made your dead spirit alive, you became a brand-new person before God. Therefore, God tells us through Paul that we are a new creature in Christ, and the old things are passed away.
The old things are passed away because our old nature is dead. Now that we’re alive unto God, we must live the kind of life that is pleasing to Him. The old man and our old identity are also done away with through the blood of Jesus and the Holy Spirit who lives in our spirit (inner man). Once we become born again, we don’t have to live in guilt and fear about our past; neither do we have to live any longer in bondage to sin because the old nature is dead. If the Son has made you free, then you are free, indeed.
The more we know and understand that our past, as well as the old nature, is dead and buried through the work of Christ, the more liberty we will walk in as new converts. Nevertheless, if we continue to see ourselves as just “an old sinner,” who is saved by grace, then we won’t experience the liberty of Christ to its fullest. If the Word of God says that the old man is dead, how can we continue to live in bondage to sin, unless we refuse to believe the Word, or unless we’ve been taught something other than the truth?
If you believe in Jesus as the Son of God and have confessed that He is your personal Savior and Lord, then you are free from sin and your sin-stained past. You have been made a “NEW CREATION” in Christ. You now have “the power and the right” to live for God and to bring glory to His name by living holy; nevertheless, you must still choose to live a righteous life.
It DOES matter what we believe when it comes to our salvation in Christ. If we don’t take the Word of God for what it says, then we won’t be able to experience the freedom that comes with Christ. However, if we simply believe it as it is written, we will experience total liberty from the guilt and bondage associated with the old man.
If you have lived your “saved life” in bondage to a belief that won’t allow you to be totally separated from the guilt and sin of your old nature, then I invite you to taste and see that the Lord is good. Take God at His Word; walk in His love and experience the liberating power of God’s grace.
Free to Live in Christ,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Time

Psalms 69: 13 – 18, But as for me, my prayer is to You, O LORD, in the acceptable time; O God, in the multitude of Your mercy, hear me in the truth of Your salvation. Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink; let me be delivered from those who hate me, and out of the deep waters. Let not the floodwater overflow me, nor let the deep swallow me up; and let not the pit shut its mouth on me. Hear me, O LORD, for Your lovingkindness is good; turn to me according to the multitude of Your tender mercies. And do not hide Your face from Your servant, for I am in trouble; hear me speedily. Draw near to my soul, and redeem it; deliver me because of my enemies. NKJV
Are you waiting on the Lord to bring you out of a difficult season in your life? Throughout scripture, we can see that God works within predetermined time frames; and today, the Holy Spirit has instructed me to write about “time.”
For instance, God told Abraham that his descendants would be in bondage to Egypt for four-hundred years; however, when their time of captivity was over, He would bring them victoriously out of that land. Another example was when Paul and Silas were thrown into prison for ministering the gospel. Even so, that evening, they began to sing and praise God; and at midnight, God caused the prison to be shaken and the doors to be opened.
Another illustration is when Jesus sent His disciples out on the lake, and He departed to the mountains to pray during the night. As His disciples were crossing over, a storm arose and threatened their lives. Nevertheless, at the fourth watch of the night, Jesus came to them walking on the water and saved them.
In the scripture for today, David is praying unto the Lord that He would deliver him from his troubles. Even though David asked God to deliver him speedily, David also acknowledged that it was in God’s timing and not his own. It’s interesting to me how David knew God had an acceptable time in which to hear his plea, yet he still prayed for God to hasten His reply. Are you asking the Lord to bring you out of a pit or a hard situation, but in your spirit, you sense that God’s time of deliverance has not yet come?
Know this; God won’t allow you to stay in any adverse situation one moment longer than necessary. Therefore, the key is to trust in the Lord’s timing and wisdom, and to wait on Him to bring you out in victory. Consequently, you must choose to have peace and exercise patience and longsuffering as you wait on God’s acceptable time. Remember, those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. You don’t have to submit to the adversity; however, if you submit to God’s will and time of deliverance, then He will give you the grace (strength) to endure until the breakthrough comes.
Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 13 that we see through a glass dimly, but when that which is perfect has come, we will see clearly. We don’t always know why God allows us to go through hard seasons and trials. Nonetheless, if we simply trust His heart and Word, then we have been promised that He would work it for our good. Ecclesiastes tells us that God makes all things beautiful in IT’S TIME.
Timing Is Everything,
Pastor Asa Dockery  

Monday, November 4, 2013

Off Limits

Genesis 2 : 9, And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. NKJV
There are some things in the Word of God that on the surface seem contradictory. However, we’re commanded in scripture to study the Word and learn how to divide the truth rightly so that we won’t be put to shame. Have you ever had someone take something you have said out of context and twist it to make you look bad? If you have, then you’re in very good company. People often take scriptures out of context in order to make them fit either their beliefs or their lifestyles. Some have even attempted to defame God by using certain scriptures that seem to contradict other scriptures. Nevertheless, they, too, are taking the Holy Scriptures out of context.
I would like to pose a couple of questions to you. When God created the tree of knowledge, did He create evil? If we read Genesis 1: 12, we find that God has finished creating the trees which bear fruit…, and He calls them good. Later, in verse 31 of that same chapter, God looks at EVERYTHING that He had created, and He said it was very good. Therefore, if God created the tree of knowledge and included it with all the other trees that were created was He calling evil good? Let’s take this discussion even deeper. Jesus said in Matthew 15: 11, “It’s not what enters a person’s mouth that defiles them, but that which comes out of the mouth which defiles a person. Even though Jesus made this statement, God is recorded in Genesis 2 telling Adam not to eat of the tree of knowledge. Therefore, is this a contradiction?
We are now at a place where the Spirit of Truth must come into the scenario. God didn’t just give us His Word and leave the interpretation up to us. In his epistle, Peter warns us against forming personal interpretations from the Word. Now let’s answer those questions. Did God create evil? No, He didn’t. James tells us that every good and perfect gift comes from God. He also teaches us that God doesn’t tempt man with evil. However, we are tempted by our own evil lusts. The tree of knowledge of good and evil wasn’t evil. Nevertheless, it was off-limits to mankind because God forbade them to eat of it. A physical tree took on spiritual connotations because God had set boundaries in man’s heart concerning the tree.
Consequently, when Adam and Eve ate of the tree, it was a sin to them because they chose to break God’s commandment… not because the tree was evil. What seemed confusing about Jesus’ statement is now clarified because He, too, said that it is that which proceeds from the heart of man that defiles them. In Genesis 3, we learn that Eve said to herself (from her heart) that the tree was desirable and could make them wise. She acted in disobedience to God’s command in her heart before she ate of the fruit with her mouth.
We see another illustration in Acts 10 when God lowers some food down on a cloth for Peter to eat. When Peter saw what types of food were on the cloth, he told God that he had never eaten anything that was common or unclean. God told Peter that He had made it clean. Consequently, he should no longer call it unclean.
You can’t live life to yourself, and you won’t die unto yourself. We will all answer to God for the life that we have chosen to live on earth. Therefore, we should consider God and His Word when making decisions that will affect our lives, but more importantly, our souls. If you’re saved, then you have the Holy Spirit living within you. Allow Him to guide you through this life so that your soul will live. He will show you what is right for your life, and He will also reveal to your heart what is off limits.
Looking Unto Jesus,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Friday, November 1, 2013

Receive The Holy Spirit

John 20 : 19 – 22, Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace be with you." When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. NKJV
Sharing this scripture is like watching the final scene from a movie first. We know how it ends, but what has transpired up to this point? Go with me back in time to about forty-two months before Jesus began His earthly ministry, and before He called each of these men, who gathered in this room because they were afraid of the Jews, to be His disciples.
As we’re reading through the gospels, we can watch the spiritual growth of the disciples and even see glimpses of strong faith. If you have ever lost a job or stepped out in faith to begin a new career, you can relate to the faith and courage it must have taken for these men to leave their occupations and their families to follow Christ when He called them into the ministry.
It was as if they had no doubts about Jesus’ call; they all decided to leave their old lives behind. Nevertheless, there are far more occasions that we can read in the gospels where the disciples became fearful, worried, or hardened their hearts because they found themselves in adverse circumstances. At one moment, Peter was walking on water; however, in the next moment this professional fisherman, who could swim, was about to drown and was consumed with fear.
There was a man who brought his son to the disciples and asked them to heal the boy because he had a tormenting spirit. The disciples tried to set the boy free, but failed. I’m sure they struggled at times with thoughts and feelings of frustration and failure when they tried doing all that Jesus did; nonetheless, their efforts fell short of the set goal.
Over the years, I’ve wondered why the disciples seemed to be on an emotional roller coaster. Some days they were strong men of faith, and other days Jesus had to rebuke them for their unbelief and teach them about the error of their ways. Recently, the Lord showed me why the disciples seemed to be double- minded at times.
The disciples did not have the Holy Spirit dwelling in their spirit. All they had was their faith in Jesus, and their faith wavered from time to time. I share this with you today to let you know how vitally important it is for believers in Christ to rely completely upon the power of the Holy Spirit, so that we don’t vacillate from one day to the next in our faith walk.
The Holy Spirit gives us power to become children of God and to live the “life of Christ” daily. He gives us power to do what Jesus did while He walked on the earth. Jesus said that we (the body of Christ) would do greater works than He. After Jesus breathed on the disciples and commanded them to receive the Holy Spirit, we never read of any of them denying Jesus again. We don’t see them fail Jesus or bring shame to His name any more after they received the Spirit of God in their lives.
If you believe in Jesus as the Son of God, then you have the Holy Spirit living within your spirit as well. Now, you have the power to become all that God has called you to be and to do in Christ. It’s time for the church to come out of hiding because of the fear of man and to receive a fresh breath from the Holy Spirit of God. We need to be about our Father’s business, instead of worrying about upsetting the religious world. There is a world that is dying without Christ, and they need to see us (Jesus’ disciples) walking in the power and demonstration of the Holy Spirit.
Let’s Reach this World for Christ,
Pastor Asa Dockery