Take it up!

READ: 2 Kings 2:13-2:14 and Judges 15:15

It doesn’t matter how much glory, how much power, how much peace or joy or how much prosperity surrounds you or is within reach, it doesn’t help you unless you take it up. That jawbone became a weapon of mass destruction against Samson’s enemies, but he had to take it up.

A young prophet lost a borrowed axe head, it flew off into the water (Elisha threw a stick into the water where it fell and the axe head swam to the surface of the water) within reach, but the young prophet had to put out his hand and take it up.

It doesn’t matter what happens to gas prices or health care, or social security, or retirement plans or anything else, God is still in charge. The earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof.

I believe this is the finest hour for the church: We were chosen by God to live right now in this present season, and if God in all of his wisdom saw fit to allow us to live in this season, it is because he believes in us.

But what you need to do is quit pouting and start speaking the Word of God. If you are the only believer on your job it’s because God believes in you. For too long Gods people have shuffled around with their heads down, and their backs stooped over, stepping on their bottom lip crying about how bad it is.

I didn’t say things weren’t bad, I didn’t say I like what’s happening in our world, or that I am not aware of the tragedies that have shaken our world.

What I am saying is: Greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world.

What I am saying is: I know in whom I have believed and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

What I am saying is: God is for me, and if God be for me then who can be against me. The world is shaking; Earthquakes, Tsunami’s, Tornado’s and financial storms.

But we are in the world but not of the world.

We are a part of an unshakable Kingdom, built upon an unshakable foundation, ruled by an unshakable King. Jesus Said: Upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Mat 16:18

This is no time to tone it down, this is no time to dampen our praise, no time to worry about being politically correct or socially acceptable.

This is no time to hide in a cave or back peddle on our faith. This is the time to Arise and Shine! This is the time to stand up and stand out! This is the time to speak the word of God with boldness, authority and power.

This is the time we declare ourselves:

Moses demanded in the book of Exodus: Who is on the Lords side, declare yourself, make your choice clear.

Elijah demanded the same thing: Choose one side or the other, either serve God or serve Baal but quit limping back and forth between the two.

Jesus also demanded the same thing: He said, He that is not for me is against me, and if you are not gathering with me, then you are scattering abroad.

Why don’t you pick up the opportunity that is before you and declare today! I am on the Lord’s side!

It's not over!

It does not matter what the enemy is working against you, or what you’re struggling with, the bible says:

Isa 54:17 No weapon that is formed against you shall be able to prosper.

The bible did not say that Satan would not form weapons against you, or that he would not launch them at you, or that they would not touch you.

But what the bible does say is: It shall not prosper, it shall not accomplish its intended purpose.

As a matter of fact: The bible teaches us that all things, work together for good to them who love the Lord and are the called according to his purpose. Ro 8:28

It doesn’t matter who you are or how spiritual you are, at some point life is going to deal you a blow.  Unexpected, undesired situations and problems that catch you off guard, and send your life reeling.

The good news is, that even though we all will at some point encounter these unexpected unplanned for attacks, problems, and circumstances.

We have the promise:

2Co 2:14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savor of his knowledge by us in every place.

And Rev 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony.

I want to talk to somebody today who has been knocked down, life has thrown you an unexpected curve, divorce, sickness, A financial disaster, your child is on drugs, your company down sized and they let you go.  Your dreams have been crushed.

It can be a thousand different things, but the bottom line is: you didn’t expect it and it hurt, it threw your life into a tail spin.

It knocked you off your feet, but this is the biggest mistake the devil made, because when a Christian is knocked off their feet they fall to their knees, and when they fall to their knees they touch heaven, and when they touch heaven hell trembles.

You may have lost a round but you’re still in the fight!

I cannot say that I will never be knocked down

I cannot say that I will never be caught off guard
I cannot say that I will never be troubled or perplexed or even forsaken,

But I can say: I’m going to make it.

I can say: Nothing shall separate me from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I can say: 2im 1:12 I know whom I have believed and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I’ve committed unto him against that day.

I can say: Ro 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

I can say: Ro 8:37-38 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

You may have lost a round, you may have had the breath knocked out of you, you may have a black eye, and a busted lip and a bloody nose.

But the best is yet to come:

Your set back, is just a setup, for a comeback.

And ye are of God little children and have overcome them for greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. 1Jn 4:4