Passionately Pursuing God

Matthew 5: 3 - 10, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." NKJV

Deep in the heart of every person, there is a void that only God can fill. No one or nothing can satisfy this emptiness except the love and the presence of God. However, there's only one way of filling the void, we must pursue the Lord with all our hearts. If we hunger after God and His righteousness, we shall be filled. 

If we desire to be blessed and to live a full life, then it will require us to pursue Jesus with all that is within us. The psalmist wrote in psalms 42, "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, the living God." Therefore, in order receive the blessings that Jesus pronounced over us in today's scriptures, we will need to develop a passion for Him. When we become passionate for Jesus, He can fill our thirsty hearts with His love and goodness. Once our dry souls experience the refreshment that comes from being in the presence of God, we will become empowered to forsake all else in our quest for more of God.

Nevertheless, we can't have a full, healthy relationship with God if we don't first have a hunger to know and to live His Word. David wrote this about God's Word. He said, "Your Word have I hidden in my heart that I might not sin against it." David didn't try to confront sin in his own power, but rather he submitted himself to God's Word, and it gave him power over sin. In this same way, we must be willing to get in God's Word, and allow it to get in our hearts by applying it to our everyday lives. When we "do" the Word, it will liberate us from the flesh nature. Consequently, we can seek after the Lord with reckless abandon. 

In our pursuit to seek God, and to have the void in our heart filled to overflowing, we will have to guard our hearts against complacency and weariness. Therefore, we must be serious about our walk and our relationship with Jesus. James tells us in his epistle that we have to be doers of the Word, lest we deceive ourselves. In other words, it's not enough just to say I want a deeper walk with God; we have to be willing to discipline ourselves to obey God's Word, even when it costs us.  Sacrifices will be required, but remember; God is a debtor to no one. 

If you feel as though you've been living in a spiritually dry season, and you're ready for it to end, then you'll have to take a step of faith. Just as faith without works is dead, if you don't follow your desire to become closer to God with actions, then you won't experience a change; and you could grow weary in our pursuit and give up prematurely. 

God has told us in Hebrews 11: 6 that those who come to Him must believe that He is, and He rewards those who diligently seek Him. Therefore, since we have the promise of being rewarded for our pursuit of God, we must keep the prize in the forefront of our minds, so that we can endure until the blessings begin to flow and flood our being.

I cannot emphasize enough how vitally important it is for us to live by the Word of God in order to be successful in our pursuit of God. As we apply the Word of God to our hearts through obedience to it, it will surgically remove the flesh from around our spiritual hearts. In fact, in John 8, Jesus told the Jews, who had believed on Him because of the truth that He had spoken, that if they continued in His Word, they would know the truth; and it would make them free. Only by knowing and keeping the Word will we be liberated from the bondage of the flesh nature and walk in our inheritance as the children of God.

If you're ready to pursue God so that the void in your heart can be filled with His presence, then take a few minutes and read Ephesians 6. In this chapter, you will learn the importance of making yourself submitted and accountable to obeying God's Word. When we submit to the Word, it will cause us to become strong in the Lord and walk in the power of His might. Did you catch that?  Applying God's Word to our lives to the point that it changes our speech, behavior, and character will cause us to walk in God's power... not struggle in our weakness. Are you ready to take the passion challenge? For details about the "Passion Challenge," just click on the link. http://www.whcnorth.org/passion30.html

Passionately Pursuing God,

Pastor Asa Dockery

Faith in Jesus Makes You Victorious

1 Samuel 15: 17 - 23, So Samuel said,"When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel? And did not the LORD anoint you king over Israel? Now the LORD sent you on a mission, and said, 'Go, and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.' Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD? Why did you swoop down on the spoil, and do evil in the sight of the LORD?" And Saul said to Samuel, "But I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and gone on the mission on which the LORD sent me, and brought back Agag king of Amalek; I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the plunder, sheep and oxen, the best of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal." So Samuel said: "Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. NKJV

Did you know that Christians can struggle with sin in their lives even after salvation? It's true! We can wrestle with sin, bondages, and addictions when we don't obey the truth or continue in the truth after accepting Jesus as our Lord. However, there is another reason why believers struggle with these problems; it is because they are still spiritually immature. Paul refers to those who are spiritually under-developed as carnally minded or babes in Christ. They continue on the milk of the Word instead feasting on the strong meat of it. 

King Saul was given explicit instructions by the Lord to destroy the enemies of Israel. Nevertheless, in his pride, the king decided to only partially obey the Lord's commands; he decided to keep the "good" spoils to offer as a sacrifice to the Lord. This is the same as you and me disobeying the Holy Spirit and trying to appease God by offering Him our "good works." It doesn't work because it is not of faith; and anything that isn't of faith is sin. When King Saul self- justified doing what he felt "was right" in his heart instead of doing what God commanded him, he opened the door to sin. Consequently, Christians who disobey God by convincing themselves that they can do God's will their way, also open the door for sin to sneak in and take up residence. Nonetheless, had the King Saul completely obeyed God's command, he would have been walking by faith and would have overcome any tendency to sin against the Lord.

You may be wondering, "How can I live by faith every moment throughout my day so that I don't sin against the Lord?" The same way you came to faith in Christ, you heard the gospel of Christ; you believed it as truth, and became born again. Now that you're saved, you can only walk by faith when you honor God's Word and continually obey it. In other words, you apply the principles and the truth of God's Word to your everyday life. When we continue to walk in the truth of God's Word, we will know the truth, and it will make us free from bondage. 

Hence, if you're confessing that you are saved, yet you're beating yourself up because of a particular bondage that is still in your life, let me share a word of wisdom with you: Jesus tells us, in our patience, we possess our souls. Just because you have a weakness, it doesn't mean you're not saved; it simply means you have to trust God, and after that wait on Him to deliver you. If you do this, then you're not "putting up with" a sin or habit; instead, you're waiting by faith for God to set you free from it. 

Remember, the Word of God is filled with promises to those who believe in His name. If you continue obeying the truth, then in His time, God will set you free. Only when we apply the truth to our lives are we operating in faith, and as a result, inheriting the promises of God. Instead of making excuses for our sin, let us confess them to the Lord and allow His Word to empower us to overcome them. When we live by faith, we are empowered to defeat the Devil, sin, and our flesh nature; we will no longer fall prey to self-justification or condemnation. I may struggle, but I'm not defeated because I'm in Christ; and He is my victory over all my weaknesses. 

Walking in Victory by Faith, 

Pastor Asa Dockery

Take another Lap around the Wilderness

Joshua 14 : 7 - 11, I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back word to him as it was in my heart. Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the LORD my God. So Moses swore on that day, saying, 'Surely the land where your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children's forever, because you have wholly followed the LORD my God.' And now, behold, the LORD has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since the LORD spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in. NKJV

Joshua said, "But I wholly followed the Lord." Nevertheless, even though Joshua followed the Lord with his whole heart, and even though he entered into the Promised Land, he wasn't allowed to stay there because the children of Israel were not with him. He had to wander through the wilderness another forty years because the other spies brought an evil report to Moses and to the people about the inhabitants of the land. 

The writer of Hebrews exhorts us to lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and he tells us to run the race that is set before us with endurance. Nevertheless, unbelief caused the children of Israel to believe an evil report and to ignore the promise of God to give them the land. Consequently, they wandered through the wilderness for forty years. However, not only did the children of Israel remain in the wilderness, but so did Joshua and Caleb. 

It doesn't seem right that these two men had faith and took God at His Word, yet they still had to wander in the wilderness with the unbelieving. Even so, God honored the faith of Joshua and Caleb by allowing them to lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land shortly after the death of Moses. God didn't allow the unbelief of Israel to keep Him from honoring Joshua and Caleb's faith and faithfulness. 

Like Joshua and Caleb, you may be living your life for Christ and standing on God's promises; however, you may have loved-ones that are not. Because of someone else's unbelief, you're waiting on God to fulfill His Word in your life. Nevertheless, for their sake, He is delaying the fulfillment of His promise to you; this may be the reason why the Lord had the scripture written in Joshua 14, and it may be the reason He told me to share it with you today. He wants you to hold on "in faith" like Joshua did; after everything has been set back in order, you will see the salvation of the Lord. 

Have you been asking the Lord why He is requiring you to make another lap around the wilderness, but you're not getting an answer from Him? It may be that God wants you to remain faithful and obedient until the flesh or unbelief in others dies. When the time is right, He can work through you to lead them (family or friends) into their new life in Christ (The Promised Land). Therefore, don't grow weary in doing well, for in due season, you will reap if you don't faint. Continually encourage yourself in the Lord by remembering His faithfulness to Joshua and Caleb, who had to wait an additional forty years. Let me leave you today with a passage from Hebrews 10: 

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

The next time you have to take another lap around the wilderness, just tell yourself that you're one lap closer to seeing the fulfillment of the promise in your life.

Walking by Faith, 

Pastor Asa Dockery 

A Life Well Lived

John 12 : 24 - 26, Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor. NKJV

A life that is well lived is a life that lives to bring glory to the Lord. Salvation isn't just about being saved from sin; it is the beginning of a brand-new life in Christ. Through Jesus, we are empowered to live the life that God intended us to live before sin entered into creation. 

Paul tells us in Ephesians 2: 10, "We are the workmanship of God, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." As Christians, who are made alive in Christ, we must understand and accept the life that God has ordained for us to live; therefore, we must be willing to lay aside our own plans. It's not that God doesn't want us to enjoy our lives; He just doesn't want our "self" nature to distract us so that we have no time for God.

In today's scripture, Jesus tells us that if we love our lives, we will lose them. In other words, if we allow the cares and the pleasures of this world to consume our hearts and our time, then we will miss the life that God has ordained for us to live in Christ. The enemy of our soul (Satan) wants you and me to believe that pleasure equals life. However, there is NO LIFE apart from abiding in Christ and keeping His Word. To prove my previous statement further, let's look at how Paul addresses the issue.

Galatians 2: 19 - 21, For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain." NKJV

Paul held a different perspective about salvation than many believers and church leaders of our day. He viewed salvation as being raised from the dead... so that we can live for Christ. Consequently, when we see ourselves as one who has been raised from the dead for the sole purpose of serving Christ and living our new life through Him, it changes everything about us. It's no longer about us; it is about Christ being in us and working through us to fulfill God's will throughout the earth. 

Finally, Jesus knew the reason God sent Him to earth. He came to suffer and die so that the world through Him might be saved. We should have the same kind of clarity about our calling on the earth as Jesus did when He was here. If we keep an eternal perspective, we will be saved from becoming entangled in the trappings of this world. We are not here to please self, but to die to self; we are to sow our temporal lives on the earth in preparation for our eternal lives and rewards to come. Except a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it will abide alone. Consequently, we must die and be resurrected in Christ. When this happens, we can rest assured that we will carry out God's plans and purposes for our lives as believers. We live solely to bring glory and honor to the Lord through the new life that we've been given in Christ.  

Walking In Newness of Life, 

Pastor Asa Dockery

Having Peace with God through Christ

Ephesians 2 : 13 - 16, But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. NKJV 

If religion is the solution to the issues that we are plagued with in the world, then how does one explain that religion has been the catalyst for the majority of history's conflicts and wars. The first murder in the Bible was over an offering unto the Lord between two brothers. The core reason for the violent act wasn't just over the offering. It was a result of God rejecting Cain's offering and accepting Abel's.    

When man rejects God by refusing to honor His Word, it opens a huge door for Satan to attack. It's not that God rejected Cain or us; however, God tells us that it is us who reject Him when we choose to sin in His sight. The world and its systems or kingdoms have rejected God because they refuse to abide by His kingdom principles. As a result, those who are caught up in the world's system look only to themselves and not God when they find themselves in a conflict or feeling threatened.   

When Jesus came to the earth as the embodiment of the Word, the world and the spirit of religion rejected Him. He was God incarnate or God in flesh. As God in the flesh, Jesus proved to us that it wasn't God the Father, who first rejected man, rather it was man, who had hardened their hearts toward Him. You see; Jesus wasn't born of the seed of a man. He was God's Seed in the earth. Therefore, He was truth incarnate and there was no sin in His heart or deceit in His mouth. Still, religion hated Him and sought many times to begin a conflict with Him in order to bring His life to an abrupt end. When God chose to wrap Himself in flesh, it took away the excuse man used to cover our sin.    

Because Jesus had no sin in Him, religious zealots could find no fault in which to base a case against Him. This is the reason they became infuriated at Him- He was exposing them for the sinners and deceivers whom they truly were in their hearts, and this threatened them.    

John 15 : 22 - 25, If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both, Me and My Father. But this happened that the word might be fulfilled, which is written in their law, 'They hated Me without a cause.' NKJV 

Had Jesus been just a "good Man" or another "great prophet of God," they (and us) would have continued to blame one another for our faults. However,  Jesus, the Son of the living God, through the Word that He spoke on the earth has taken away man's excuse for their sin. It is at this point that I want to remind you of how Jesus never used His deity and purity of heart to condemn those who sought to condemn Him in order to destroy Him Instead, He showed sinners His greatest act of love on the cross, where he was hung without a cause. He said, "Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing." Jesus didn't condemn the world; instead, He used what Satan meant for evil and turned their violent act of war into the greatest act of love known to mankind and forgave us all.    

When people reject God, who is our peace, they are choosing to live a life of war. Because they can't kill God, people will place blame and see other people as the source of their problems. Once this occurs, conflict usually follows. Jesus is the Prince of peace. Even so, He came to die for the sins of mankind so that we might have peace with God.  Therefore, you can clearly see that Christianity isn't a religion; it is based on a relationship. Once we're in Christ, we have been reconciled with God and have peace with Him.        

Do you have peace with God today? Please take some time and allow the Lord to reveal whether or not you really have peace with Him. If you discover that there is no peace in your heart, and you have lost most of your closest relationships while fighting for what you felt that you deserved, then ask the Prince of peace to forgive your sins and fill your heart with His presence and love. Now you can have love for your brothers and sisters and peace in your life. 

He Is Our Peace,

Pastor Asa Dockery

Are You Focused on Your Need Or the Seed?

Luke 4: 1 - 4, Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry. And the devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread." But Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.'" NKJV

Jesus came to earth so that the hearts of all mankind could be changed from being carnally minded into ones that are being led by the Spirit. He became our example so that we could learn how to live by faith and not by sight. The scripture today gives us an excellent example; it shows us how to put God's will before our personal desires so that we're not bound by unbelief. You will notice that Jesus didn't place His confidence in His own ability to turn the stones into bread. His faith was in God's Word. 

Jesus knew His heavenly Father would provide for all of His needs; however, He also knew how to access the provision for these essentials... through the Word of God. It is important that you and I understand what it means to stand on God's Word when we take our needs before the Lord. We must approach the thrown the right way in order to receive our petitions. Jesus didn't focus His attention on His need, but rather on the Word of God. Consequently, when He focused on the Word of God, the Word gave Him power over the temptations of the Devil. In other words, Jesus didn't fall prey to the "voice of unbelief." He guarded His heart through God's Word and the assurance of God's faithfulness while seeking His provision. The Word of God is the only power on earth that we can utilize that will silence the voice of unbelief.

Unbelief will cause us to focus only on our needs when we come before the Lord. For example, "God, please take care of my needs today. Amen." However, faith will cause us to place our confidence in God's Word to supply all our needs. This trust will produce the correct results to our request. "God, your Word says that you will supply all of my need according to your riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Thank you for hearing my prayer. Amen." 

In the first example, there is no faith offered to God that will release His power to work in our lives or on our behalf. However, in the second example, we see that faith in activated through the Word that will release the Father to supply all of our needs according to the Word that we are standing on. In chapter 11 of Hebrews, the writer tells us that without faith, it is impossible to please God. Therefore, the focus of our hearts must not be on our need; it must be centered on the Seed of God's Word. God's Word is alive, and it can produce anything that we might need, as long as we activate it through our faith. 

When we focus only on our needs and speak them out of our mouths, we are proclaiming our desires; and they don't have power over the spirit realm. However, God's Word does have power over it.  Jesus (the Word) tells us in Luke 10 that He has given us authority over all the powers of the enemy. Consequently, when the Word is in our heart and in our mouth, and we declare His Word to the heavens, the spirits of darkness have to flee from us. Our blessings will then be released from the Father and produced in the natural realm. Hence, the next time doubt, worry, and fear try to cause you to focus on "getting your needs" met, remember; it's only the Word of God that gives us the access and the power to receive the provision for our needs. Therefore, speak the Seed of God and receive the supply for your need in Christ.

Standing on God's Word, 

Pastor Asa Dockery

The Weapons of Our Warfare

John 10: 9 - 10, I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. NKJV

Paul teaches us about spiritual warfare in the book of Ephesians. He tells us that we do not war against flesh and blood; instead, we war against principalities, powers, the rulers of the darkness of this age, and against spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places. Consequently, since we know who it is that we are warring against, we can become effective in our battles in the spirit-realm. 

We know that God anoints and appoints humans to carry out His will in the earth. Likewise, Satan also uses people to fulfill his agenda in the earth. Therefore, we need to be mindful that anytime a person attacks us, Satan is at work. The Devil loves it when we become so blinded by an individual's attack against us that we seek revenge against them. Jesus tells us not to return evil for evil. We should not stoop to the level of our enemies, using the same methods they do, lest we fall into the trap of Satan. 

Instead, we are to return good for evil and pray for those who despitefully use us and persecute us. However, in order for us to "rise to the occasion" in spiritual warfare and not fall prey to Satan's devices, we must view ourselves as spiritual beings, instead of just human beings. We have been made to sit in heavenly places in Christ. This position in Christ will cause us to see the warfare we're in as spiritual, not physical. It will also require us to be willing to exercise forgiveness toward those who wound us. The more we know who we are in Christ, and that He has given us an authority over demonic spirits, the easier it will be for us to release those who allow evil spirits to use them to hurt us. 

Now that we've established what it is that we're fighting and who it is that is behind the attacks, let's look at what Jesus told us in John 10. Jesus has saved all who have believed in Him; we have entered eternal life through Jesus Christ, the Door. He has made us His ambassadors and given us the ability to overcome the powers of this world so that God's kingdom might be established in our generation. Believers in Christ are the only "agents" in this warfare in the heavens who have legally entered through the Door. However, Satan doesn't come through the Door; he is here as a thief. He comes against us to steal, kill, and destroy; his aim is to cause us to use the power of our flesh to engage in a fight because we have taken the battle personally instead of spiritually. 

Satan's main objective is to get us to become so hurt that we strike out against the person that has caused us pain, loss, or disappointment, thereby allowing sin to enter our hearts. If we should sin in an attempt to "get even" with someone, then we aren't operating from our heavenly position, but from our earthly or human position; and we will forfeit the victory every time. 

We should also remember that even though our battles are in the earthly realm, God has only equipped us with spiritual weapons. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 10 that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but they're mighty through God for the pulling down of strongholds and casting down imaginations. You see; spiritual warfare becomes personal warfare when we give Satan's lies a place within our minds when we're attacked. 

You and I have a decision to make every single time the enemy of our soul assaults us. We can remain in our spiritual position in heavenly places and overcome Satan's destructive plans, or we can take things personally, seek revenge, and lose even more than what has already been stolen from us. The choice is ours; however, we will have to live with the consequences of choosing to fight in our flesh. Therefore, when the enemy comes in like a flood against you, allow the Spirit of the Lord to lift up a standard against him. Let God arise and HIS enemies be scattered. Just be still and let God fight for you and through you in faith.

You Have the Power to Overcome, 

Pastor Asa Dockery