SETTLED

The word “settled” is another word we use for the word “establish.”  They are both very strong words of stability.

Here is what the word “settled” means:  station, establish, make to stand, make to stand still or upright, best state.

In God’s Word we see that the word “settled” is used mainly to relate to His Word and our faith.  In Psalm 119:89 we read that God’s Word is forever settled.  It is a forever truth.  It is an unalterable truth forever.  God’s Word is stable and not subject to changing winds.  We are to put no confidence in the world’s words which are unstable, unsettled, subject to change, and in alignment with man’s opinions.  God’s Word is eternal and aligned with God Who is the same yesterday, today and forever.

When you are in trouble and when circumstances seem to overtake you, go to the Word of God.  What does God have to say about it?  When you find out, settle it forever in your heart that is the way it is going to be in your life.  It starts with a decision that God’s Word is true for you.  1 Peter 1:25 and Matthew 24:35 tell us that the Word of God endures forever—-it will not pass away.  When you are holding to God’s Word, it isn’t going anywhere.  It is anchored in the Lord Himself, Who is the unchanging one.  He said it; that settles it forever.

Then we are told in Colossians 1:23 to continue in the faith, grounded and settled (steadfast) and be not moved away from (be not shifting from) the hope of the gospel.  What is the hope of the gospel?  It is the white-hot expectancy of the reality of the good news of the Kingdom of God.  Jesus has won the battle and satan is defeated and stripped of His power.  Jesus gave the power to us as the children of God.

Whatever our circumstances are at the present time, whether they are good or bad, Jesus has given us the power to overcome in this world.  It may not always be pleasant to encounter tough times, but it is glorious to know that we have been given God’s ability to overcome and be victorious.  We must not back down from our trust in God.  He is the One with the answers.

Settle it in your hearts today that Jesus is the One Who will carry you through to the other side.  That is not just fancy talk.  That is reality.  I know because I have been there many times.  It may not always seem like it will work this time, but it always does.  The Word will work for you every time.  You are a victorious child of God.

YOU ARE ESTABLISHED AND SETTLED IN GOD AND HIS WORD FOREVER!

ESTABLISHED, PART 3

Let’s make a good confession about our established hearts, based on 1 Thessalonians 3:12,13.

Lord, make me to increase, excel, and overflow in love for all people:

To the end You may strengthen, confirm and ESTABLISH my heart faultlessly pure and unblamable in holiness in the sight of You Who are God and my Father, at the coming of my Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, with all His saints.

What all of us must do as God’s children is to choose to believe that every word written in this Bible is not only about us, but it is a description of who we are.  We are established.  We have an established heart.  We are healthy.  We are wealthy.  We are successful.  We walk in victory.  Our children are disciples taught of the Lord.  Our marriages are as days of heaven on earth.

We know ourselves too well and look at our weaknesses and shortcomings.  We see the doubt in our minds and the uncertainty in our hearts as human beings.  But what God is asking us to do is this:  Believe, anyway, what His word says about you.  Take a chance and believe it.  It is truer than what you are seeing with your eyes about yourself or think you know inside about yourself.

Dare to believe what God says about you.  It is true.  You have an established heart.  Let God take care of the establishing of your heart for you.  He sees you right now through the eyes of the blood of His Son Jesus Christ as pure and spotless and righteous before Him.  Let’s see ourselves the same way and come into agreement with God.  How can two walk together except they be in agreement.  If we are not in harmony with God, no wonder we are not receiving our prayers answered or problems turned around.  Let’s choose to come into agreement with Him as we study this word “established” now and the word “settled” later.

Come into agreement with God.  You have an established heart.

The established heart is established in the Truth of God’s Word, and in the reality of righteousness.  This is a person who lets all his ways be established and ordered in God.

2 Peter 1:12 tells us that we are to be established in the truth we now hold.  Isaiah 54:14 tells us that we are established in righteousness (right with God, right standing with Him, looking just like Him, full of His nature and walking like Him).  Proverbs 4:26 tells us that we are to let all our ways be established and ordered aright.

Looking at God’s word, we see that we have an established heart; we are established in the truth; we are established in righteousness; our ways are to be established.

I AM ESTABLISHED, FIXED UNALTERABLY, GROUNDED FOREVER, SETTLED PERMANENTLY ON GOD WITHOUT DOUBT OR WAVERING IN MY LIFE!

ESTABLISHED, PART 2

We are still studying the word of God concerning being established.  Let’s look at one more scripture about the established heart.

Psalm 112: 7,8, Amplified Bible

…his heart is firmly fixed, trusting (leaning on and being confident) in the Lord.  His heart is established and steady….

What is an established heart?

According to our definition of the word “established,” the established heart (spirit) is one which is fixed on the truth of God and Who He is.  It is the heart that knows that God will take care of His children.  Nothing alters what we believe about God and His Word.  It is a permanent, settled subject as far as we are concerned.  What is wavering, doubtful or weak has been settled.

How do we get that way?  How do we stand unflinching in the face of contradictory circumstances and problems that linger, in spite of prayer, in spite of confessing the word, in spite of all that we do?  We stand in a stable place when we determine that God and His Word are true in our lives, regardless of what is happening or not happening to us or what appears to being taken care of or what does not appear to be taken care of.  It is our determined purpose to believe that His grace (His ability and His love) is taking care of us.  We can rest in Him and His finished work.  We must believe and know that He has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness.  They are ours!  No discussion about it.  It is a settled subject.  He alone is our rock and unchanging God.  That is our unchanging decision.  Our attitude is one of sticking to that decision when it is challenged time after time after time.

You and I are established in many things in the earthly realm.  Simple things are established, such as the belief that the sun is going to come up tomorrow and go down today.  The sky is up over us.  It will rain or snow at some point.  We get hungry and thirsty.  We breathe oxygen.  Our car will start when we turn the ignition.  The chair will hold us when we sit on it.  The door will open when we put the key in it.  These are established facts in our lives.  They are something we are sure of.

But what about the established facts that are conditional?  We still have certain earthly facts established in our minds, regardless of what happens.  We believe we will have food to eat when we are hungry.  We believe we will have water to drink when we are thirsty.  We believe we will get up in the morning and have a good day.  We believe we will go to work and come home.  We believe we will have a paycheck when we work.  These are all conditional facts, but we still expect these things to happen for us regardless of what someone may tell us or what we see.  We still believe.  How much more should we believe the unchanging God with His unchanging truth!

In God’s realm, we must establish ourselves on His grace and His goodness much more so than the earthly facts that we have already established in our minds.  They are practiced beliefs.  Let’s establish our belief system in the truth of God’s Word of assurance to us.  We must see God as the One Who takes care of all things for us.  That is the definition of an established heart.

MY HEART IS ESTABLISHED IN GOD AND HIS WORD.

ESTABLISHED, PART 1

In Christ Jesus we take hold of His Word.  We must be ones who are established in the Word of God (the Bible), established in His Truth forever, with our hearts established in Christ, the Anointed One and His anointing, which removes the burdens we carry and destroys the yokes of bondage around the neck of our lives (if we allow Him to do so).  He in turn establishes us in righteousness (being right, in right relationship with Him).  We must be so established that nothing fazes us, regardless of what we see or experience in this present earthly existence.

The word “establish” means:

To set or fix firmly or unalterably

To settle permanently

To enact or decree by authority and for permanence

To settle or fix what is wavering, doubtful or weak; to confirm

With that definition in mind, over the next several days we are going to look at the Word of God concerning being established.

Today let’s look at scriptures talking about being established in faith.

Colossians 2:6,7, Amplified Bible

As you have therefore received Christ, [even] Jesus the Lord, [so] walk regulate your lives and conduct yourselves) in union with and conformity to Him

Have the roots [of your being] firmly and deeply planted [in Him, fixed and founded in Him], being continually built up in Him, becoming increasingly more confirmed and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and abounding and overflowing in it with thanksgiving.

Take this scripture as reality in your life.  That is you if you are a child of God, if you are born again.  If you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, this is what you do:

You regulate your life in Him.  You conduct yourself in union with Him.  You conduct yourself in conformity to what He is.

You are rooted in Him.  You are built up in Him.  You have the roots of your being firmly and deeply planted in Him.  You are fixed and founded in Him.  You are being continually built up in Him.

You are becoming increasingly more confirmed and ESTABLISHED IN THE FAITH as you have been taught.

You are abounding and overflowing in the faith in thanksgiving.

You say that you don’t feel like that is who you are.  Believe me, there are days when I don’t feel like that is who I am.  BUT, and there is the big word—-if God’s Word says that is who I am, then guess what?  That is who I am!  Faith is simply believing that is who I am.  Circumstances and answered prayer or the lack thereof do not determine that is who I am.  God’s Word of Truth is who I am.

Say it with me:  I am a child of God.  I am established in faith.  I am rooted in Him.  I am overflowing with faith in thanksgiving.

I AM ESTABLISHED IN THE FAITH!

DELIVERED FROM DESTRUCTION

Psalm 107:20

He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

Here in Psalm 107:20 God very specifically tells us that we have been delivered (past tense) from destruction and made whole.  He tells us how He did it.  He sent His Word.  We can look at that in two ways.  He sent His Word, Jesus, Who is called the Word.  He is the living Word.  He sent His Word, the living, breathing Bible which is made alive by the Holy Spirit.  I believe in my heart that both meanings are applied here.

The word healed in this passage means cure, make whole.  The word destruction is pitfall.  God is saying to us that we have been delivered from every pitfall, every destruction that satan would send our way.  We have already been delivered before we even encounter it.  What a way to live!  Living in the deliverance mode!

If you look up the word destruction or destroy in the dictionary you find that it means to lay waste, to ruin, to bring to naught, to annihilate, to kill, to take away, to cause to cease, to put to an end.  In other words God has already delivered you and me from anything that would lay waste and put an end to our lives, our dreams, our finances, our health, our families, our marriages.  Whatever it is that is formed against you as a weapon has already been destroyed before it is even wielded against you.  Wow!  That is good news!

Then in the same chapter in Psalm 107:2, Amplified Bible  we read this:

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has delivered from the hand of the adversary.

You are I have been redeemed from everything that would destroy us.  That word redeemed means delivered, set free from whatever is holding us back, whatever prison we are in.

What are we supposed to do about that redemption?  Say so.  Say:  I have been redeemed, delivered from destruction.  I have been redeemed from any plan the devil would send against me.  I am redeemed from sickness and disease, poverty, lack, failure, depression, evil addictions and bondages.  I’m the redeemed of the Lord and I say so!  I have been delivered from destruction.  I have been delivered from the hand (the power, the strength) of the enemy (one opposed to me who has enmity against me, that is, the devil).

I’M THE REDEEMED OF THE LORD AND I SAY SO!  GOD SENT HIS WORD AND MADE ME WHOLE AND I HAVE BEEN DELIVERED FROM DESTRUCTION!

HOLY-SPIRIT DIRECTED

Based on Galatians 5:16,18, 22-25, Amplified Bible, let’s make a good confession for our day.

I am born again.

Therefore, I have the Holy Spirit living in me, with all His fruit or the forces of His Spirit residing in my spirit.

I walk and live habitually controlled by and guided by the Holy Spirit.

Then I will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of my flesh, my human nature without God.

I am guarded, led by the Holy Spirit.

I belong to Christ Jesus, the Messiah, and have crucified the flesh, my godless human nature, with its passions and appetites and desires.

I live by the Holy Spirit and walk by the Spirit.

By the power of the Holy Spirit I have my life in God; I go forward walking in line, my conduct controlled by the Spirit.

Now, take a moment, take a deep breath, and think about Jesus.  He will put all things into perspective for us.  Stop, consider Him, give your day to Him and He will help you to do all things well and in a peaceful state.

I AM HOLY SPIRIT DIRECTED TODAY!

IN MY FATHER’S HOUSE

I am sure that many of you are familiar with the scripture in John 14:2 where Jesus told us that in His Father’s house are many mansions.  If it were not so, He would have told us otherwise.  He has gone and prepared a place for us.  He said that He would come again and receive us to Himself, that where He is, there we may be also.

In Hebrews 3:6 we read that Christ is faithful over His own Father’s house as a Son and Master of it.  It is we who are now members of that house, if we hold our joyful and exultant confidence and sense of triumph in our hope in Christ.

As I looked at these two verses yesterday, which are very much connected, God showed me something about Father’s house and mansions.

House here is the Greek word oikia which means residence, abode and by implication, family.  It is from the Greek word oikos which means dwelling.

Mansion is mone which comes from meno which means a staying, that is, residence, abode, mansion; to stay in a given place, state, relation or expectancy.

What we see here is that Jesus was telling us:  Where My Father lives, there are many residences for us as His family.  We will dwell in them with Him in the place that He has prepared for us.  Jesus has promised us that He will come again and receive us to Himself.  Where He is, we may be also.

We are the Father’s house also.  God dwells in us and we dwell in Him.  Where He is, we are as His children.  Our little brain finds it hard to wrap around this truth.  We are with Him right now in heaven.  He is with us right now on earth.  We are together.  This is why we can hold our joy and confidence and triumph firm to the end.  Our hope is in Christ, the Anointed One and His anointing, His power, His ability.  He is our hope.  He is our dwelling place.

WE ARE IN OUR FATHER’S HOUSE RIGHT NOW BY VIRTUE OF BEING IN CHRIST JESUS!

PRAISE HIM

Revelation is the last book in the Bible and the book describing what is going to be happening in the end of time as we know it.  Something most people rarely realize is that it is also a book with some powerful praise unto God.  Today, let’s praise Him with His Word from Revelation exalting His power and His glory.

Revelation 4:11

You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for You have created all things and for Your pleasure they are and were created.

That’s me, Lord.  You created me for Your pleasure.  I bring you great pleasure.  I praise You.  You are worthy to receive all the glory, all the honor, all the power.  You are my great and awesome Creator.  Thank You!

Revelation 7:12

So be it!

Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be unto my God forever and ever!

So be it!

I am in You, God.  That means that Your blessing and Your glory and Your wisdom and Your thanksgiving (the way You give thanks) and Your honor and Your power and Your might are in me.  Thank You, God!  So be it!

Revelation 11:17

I give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, Omnipotent (all-powerful) One, Who is and Who was and Who is to come.  You have taken to Yourself Your great power; You have assumed the high sovereignty and the great power that are Yours.  And You have reigned.

O Lord God Almighty, you are reigning in my life.  You have assumed Your position of high sovereignty and great power in my life.  I give You thanks because You are the All-Powerful, Omnipotent God of my life.

Revelation 19:1

Hallelujah!  Praise to You Lord!

Salvation and glory (splendor and majesty) and power (dominion and authority) belong to You, my God!

FOR YOU LORD GOD ALMIGHTY ARE WORTHY OF ALL MY PRAISE AND ADORATION!

LOOK BEYOND

What do you see today?  What are you seeing with your physical eyes?  A better question would be this:  What are you seeing with your spiritual eyes?  Do you see misery or joy?  Do you see lack or abundance?  Do you see rejection or love?  Do you see death or life?  What do you see?

God told Abraham and Isaac and Joseph and many others in the Bible to look beyond where they were, to see the wonderful plan He had for them.  At the time He spoke to them He was basically saying this:  Look beyond where you are right now in your present circumstances to what I have for you.

Dare to dream big dreams.  Dare to have a impossible goal.  Dare to believe you can achieve the vision God has placed before your eyes.

How do you know it is a God dream?  The Bible tells us to delight ourselves in the Lord and He will give us the desires of our hearts.  DELIGHT YOURSELF IN THE LORD!  He will do the rest.  He will give you the dream.  He will place the desires in your heart.  He will give you the vision.  THEN, He will place you in the right place at the right time with the right people, time after time, to achieve that dream.  Step by step and precept upon precept, one by one, God will fulfill that dream.

What is our task?  To Delight, to dream, and to look beyond our earthly confinements to His heavenly reality.  What is God’s part?  To fulfill that big dream, that impossible goal, that huge desire He placed in your heart.  It is His pleasure to fulfill dreams!

What God has placed in your heart is there to be fulfilled.  DREAM AND LOOK BEYOND!

GIVE VOICE

You and I as human beings on this earth were given a voice to speak intelligible words that communicate understanding.  Animals can only meow or bark or moo or neigh or bray or crow or squeak.  They have a limited means of communicating, even though they do communicate with their movements and scent and various inflections of the sound of their voice.  BUT we humans have been given a gift by God to create by our actual words.  What an honor!  What a privilege!  What a blessing!

Every second of every minute of every hour of every day of every month of every year, we are giving voice to our thoughts, putting them into words.  We can either give voice to our circumstances and feelings or we can give voice to God’s Word.  We have been given that choice.  Wow!

God’s Word is so beautiful.  It is the essence of everything we will need, whether it is health and healing, financial wealth, Godly relationships, strong families or a vibrant life.  It is all there for us in God’s Word.  He has made provision for every area of our lives.  He has presented us with His Word so that we can give voice to His goodness and love not only for ourselves but also for others.  He has given us His Word to paint a picture of the Blessing all the time in this earth for us and for others.  Our mouth is our paintbrush.  Paint the right words to produce pictures of the Blessing everywhere you go.

What are you giving voice to today?  The world around us is speaking doom and gloom.  We must speak life and hope and faith.  And the place we start is with ourselves and those around us.  GIVE VOICE TO GOD’S WORD!