Joshua 1:8 “This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to recite it day and night, so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.”
Prosperity was and is and always will be God’s plan for His people. Why do I say this? I have studied the scriptures for almost 20 years now concerning this issue and can only say that God needs His children to understand the purpose of prosperity and then take their rightful ownership. The purpose is not for us to just “roll in the dough” as the Americans will say, but to use those resources that we have to extend the Kingdom of God.
Many people get agitated when we speak about this topic and they say things like “the preachers just wants money”, but this erroneous view is destructive. True, there are preachers who abuse it, but there are also people who abuse cars and we don’t stop driving them. Just because some preachers abuse the topic for their benefit does not mean that the topic is wrong. We are so caught up in our selfish mindsets and forget that there is a world going to hell around us and to reach them with the gospel is going to take billions of dollars and rands.
The way we get this prosperity is to allow the Word of God to sink deep into our hearts, as God said to Joshua. We must meditate on His instructions day and night. If we read the bible as it is and meditate on it day and night we will be transformed from the inside out. We will see the effect of walking with God manifest in our lives. God will always provide for us if we believe it, He will heal if we believe it and He will do miracles if we believe it.
We get bullied by the devil to believe that we should settle for less than God’s best and then we become so caught up in survival activities that we have no time for the things of God. I have learnt to stand on the Word and it has become our way of life. We literally live from the Word as if it is bread. Even now we are facing challenges of all kinds and still we use our faith to bring God’s plan into reality. It is awesome to live by the principles of God and to see them produce fruits.
I want to challenge you today to let the Word of God change your life. To do this you need to take in the Word, read it, and meditate upon it. To meditate means to think deep on certain scriptures until you get revelation from them. The Word must be so deep that you will always respond according to the Word when faced with a challenge or situation. Take hold of the good plans that God has for you as recorded in Proverbs 29:11 and don’t be pushed around by the enemy. Stand your ground.
Schalk Steyn
devotions@koinoniaoutreach.co.za
www.koinoniaoutreach.co.za
Monday, January 25, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Fight the good fight
Psalms 18:33-40
(33) He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights.
(34) He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
(35) You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your gentleness made me great.
(36) You gave a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip.
(37) I pursued my enemies and overtook them, and did not turn back till they were consumed.
(38) I thrust them through, so that they were not able to rise; they fell under my feet.
(39) For you equipped me with strength for the battle; you made those who rise against me sink under me.
(40) You made my enemies turn their backs to me, and those who hated me I destroyed.
Friends we are in a battle. God has been emphasising lately the urgency of this battle and that we need to be ready to fight and make war. It is firstly a battle for the souls of people. There is a lost and dying world out there that needs the Good News of Jesus Christ and the devil is not willing to let them turn to Jesus, so he blinds their minds with deception. The good news is that the devil has been placed under our feet and that we have authority to trample on his works. This means if someone is bound by the devil we can unbind him or her.
The second major war we are in is for our destinies, or our purpose. Satan wants us to miss the mark for which Jesus created each one of us. He does this by standing in our way when we try to pursue what God laid on our hearts. He also deceives us by making us think that there are other things we need give our energy to, such as the making of money or some sport. We then go hard after those things and loose sight of what God called us for.
Ephesians 6:10 onwards clearly tells us that our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the evil forces in the spiritual realm around us. You need to be aware that there is a spiritual realm and that there is a war, but more than that you need to know that the Name of Jesus is above every other name. In His Name you silence the enemy and command demons to flee. Don’t be afraid anymore of evil spirits or of the devil. Get into the Word of God and see who you are and what your authority is and lay hold of your victory.
Annihilate your enemies; those things inside and outside that are holding you back from a fruitful life. Don’t let any of them remain in your life to pester you. I am not speaking of people here but rather of personal hurts, bitterness, failure and also demonic forces. In order to conquer your human enemies you must love them and pray for them to be blessed. You don’t pray against them or accuse them.
So let us enter into battle with the sure knowledge that God is personally involved, we stand in His name and He will always cause us to triumph in Jesus Christ. Don’t be intimidated or fearful of life – you are more than a conqueror.
Schalk Steyn
www.koinoniaoutreach.co.za
(33) He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights.
(34) He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
(35) You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your gentleness made me great.
(36) You gave a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip.
(37) I pursued my enemies and overtook them, and did not turn back till they were consumed.
(38) I thrust them through, so that they were not able to rise; they fell under my feet.
(39) For you equipped me with strength for the battle; you made those who rise against me sink under me.
(40) You made my enemies turn their backs to me, and those who hated me I destroyed.
Friends we are in a battle. God has been emphasising lately the urgency of this battle and that we need to be ready to fight and make war. It is firstly a battle for the souls of people. There is a lost and dying world out there that needs the Good News of Jesus Christ and the devil is not willing to let them turn to Jesus, so he blinds their minds with deception. The good news is that the devil has been placed under our feet and that we have authority to trample on his works. This means if someone is bound by the devil we can unbind him or her.
The second major war we are in is for our destinies, or our purpose. Satan wants us to miss the mark for which Jesus created each one of us. He does this by standing in our way when we try to pursue what God laid on our hearts. He also deceives us by making us think that there are other things we need give our energy to, such as the making of money or some sport. We then go hard after those things and loose sight of what God called us for.
Ephesians 6:10 onwards clearly tells us that our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the evil forces in the spiritual realm around us. You need to be aware that there is a spiritual realm and that there is a war, but more than that you need to know that the Name of Jesus is above every other name. In His Name you silence the enemy and command demons to flee. Don’t be afraid anymore of evil spirits or of the devil. Get into the Word of God and see who you are and what your authority is and lay hold of your victory.
Annihilate your enemies; those things inside and outside that are holding you back from a fruitful life. Don’t let any of them remain in your life to pester you. I am not speaking of people here but rather of personal hurts, bitterness, failure and also demonic forces. In order to conquer your human enemies you must love them and pray for them to be blessed. You don’t pray against them or accuse them.
So let us enter into battle with the sure knowledge that God is personally involved, we stand in His name and He will always cause us to triumph in Jesus Christ. Don’t be intimidated or fearful of life – you are more than a conqueror.
Schalk Steyn
www.koinoniaoutreach.co.za
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
The righteous shall flourish
Psalms 92:12-15 ESV The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. (13) They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God. (14) They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, (15) to declare that the LORD is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
This scripture is awesome and full of promise and hope. Isn’t it awesome to think of the fact that God intends for us to flourish and to thrive until we have attained a good old age. This flies in the face of popular opinion that we will all suffer in this bad world and we will get weaker as we get older. I am telling you it is God’s desire that it goes well with us, always. I have experienced this in my life for many years as we live by faith daily. Even in times of need we experience the presence and peace of God. This sense of God’s presence and love motivates us and keeps our spirits alive.
This scripture says that the righteous, those who are in Christ Jesus, thrive in the courts of the Lord. By spending time in the presence of God through reading the Word and prayer we saturate our lives with the anointing and love of the Father and this affects every part of our lives. When we do this we start thinking and acting like God and that is what we call the fruits of the Spirit.
As God transforms our thinking we loose our sickness and weakness mentality that ensnares so many of us. The devil has cheated mankind into believing that we cannot have a good life and that we are subject to the diseases and tragedies of this world and because we readily receive this nonsense we do not oppose such thinking. The Word of God says we were made whole by the stripes of Jesus and we were included in the covenant of blessing. This means that we have to declare that over our lives and stop saying things like “Oh I am getting older now so my bones and joints will get weaker”. Change your thinking! God wants you healthy and happy till you step over into heaven because He needs you to be effective on earth in expanding His kingdom.
Friends, don’t accept the lies of the devil into your heart. Study the Word, spend time in prayer, seek the Lord as a lifestyle and speak the Word of the Lord and you will experience the thriving and fruitfulness mentioned in the scripture we read. Live life to the fullest and enjoy the benefits Jesus purchased for you on the cross.
Schalk Steyn
www.koinoniaoutreach.co.za
This scripture is awesome and full of promise and hope. Isn’t it awesome to think of the fact that God intends for us to flourish and to thrive until we have attained a good old age. This flies in the face of popular opinion that we will all suffer in this bad world and we will get weaker as we get older. I am telling you it is God’s desire that it goes well with us, always. I have experienced this in my life for many years as we live by faith daily. Even in times of need we experience the presence and peace of God. This sense of God’s presence and love motivates us and keeps our spirits alive.
This scripture says that the righteous, those who are in Christ Jesus, thrive in the courts of the Lord. By spending time in the presence of God through reading the Word and prayer we saturate our lives with the anointing and love of the Father and this affects every part of our lives. When we do this we start thinking and acting like God and that is what we call the fruits of the Spirit.
As God transforms our thinking we loose our sickness and weakness mentality that ensnares so many of us. The devil has cheated mankind into believing that we cannot have a good life and that we are subject to the diseases and tragedies of this world and because we readily receive this nonsense we do not oppose such thinking. The Word of God says we were made whole by the stripes of Jesus and we were included in the covenant of blessing. This means that we have to declare that over our lives and stop saying things like “Oh I am getting older now so my bones and joints will get weaker”. Change your thinking! God wants you healthy and happy till you step over into heaven because He needs you to be effective on earth in expanding His kingdom.
Friends, don’t accept the lies of the devil into your heart. Study the Word, spend time in prayer, seek the Lord as a lifestyle and speak the Word of the Lord and you will experience the thriving and fruitfulness mentioned in the scripture we read. Live life to the fullest and enjoy the benefits Jesus purchased for you on the cross.
Schalk Steyn
www.koinoniaoutreach.co.za
Friday, January 8, 2010
Do not be afraid
Psa 3:5 I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the LORD sustained me. Psa 3:6 I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.
I want to exhort you today not to worry any further. All around we hear all the bad news of South Africa and the way it is being destroyed by corruption and crime and we all have this tendency to get sucked into that hole of fear and negativity. Stop that now!! We are the light and the salt and we should be changing all of that. The devil wants us to get bogged down in survival strategies and keep us occupied with things of self preservation while God wants us to focus on His Kingdom work and He will take care of our basic needs. Safety is one of the basic needs of the human being and God has taken up the responsibility to make sure we are safe. He has given His angels orders to protect those who are in faith. So, take up that promise God made and meditate upon those scriptures dealing with protection. If you do not know any such scriptures, email me and I will send you many. Pray them out loud and place your complete confidence in God’s faithfulness and Power. There is no security system that is foolproof and thieves can get in anywhere. The Word of God on the other hand is completely reliable and trustworthy because the Author is trustworthy. So today, focus on Jesus and study His Word. Get involved with His Kingdom strategy and leave the cares of the world behind. Become effective in your calling and see what will happen to you. You can lie down and sleep in peace and not worry about a thing ever again.
I want to exhort you today not to worry any further. All around we hear all the bad news of South Africa and the way it is being destroyed by corruption and crime and we all have this tendency to get sucked into that hole of fear and negativity. Stop that now!! We are the light and the salt and we should be changing all of that. The devil wants us to get bogged down in survival strategies and keep us occupied with things of self preservation while God wants us to focus on His Kingdom work and He will take care of our basic needs. Safety is one of the basic needs of the human being and God has taken up the responsibility to make sure we are safe. He has given His angels orders to protect those who are in faith. So, take up that promise God made and meditate upon those scriptures dealing with protection. If you do not know any such scriptures, email me and I will send you many. Pray them out loud and place your complete confidence in God’s faithfulness and Power. There is no security system that is foolproof and thieves can get in anywhere. The Word of God on the other hand is completely reliable and trustworthy because the Author is trustworthy. So today, focus on Jesus and study His Word. Get involved with His Kingdom strategy and leave the cares of the world behind. Become effective in your calling and see what will happen to you. You can lie down and sleep in peace and not worry about a thing ever again.
God is with us
Can you believe it is that time of the year again, gone is 2009. Enjoy this week's devotion and have a wonderful Christmas season.
Matthew 1:21-23(21) She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."(23) "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us).
Jesus is Immanuel, God with us. Hallelujah!!! God did not wait for us to try and reach Him by our own works, but He put on flesh and became man to reconcile us to Himself. He did it all and all we can do is give Him our all. He is among us and not distant. We can and should know Him personally, like a friend. We can just receive this salvation and then enter into a relationship with the Lord Jesus and the Father and the Holy Spirit. We do not deserve it, but Jesus earned it on our behalf. There is a big difference between religion and relationship and Jesus made the way that we did not have to be in a trap of trying to find truth, or to find the gods. He connected us in a living relationship with the Father who created all that exists. Oh the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus. That is what you and I will celebrate this Christmas time. Forget about the extras that was added by man and focus on the reality of man united with Yahwe, the Living God. May the God of Peace, who is peace, enlighten your minds that you may know the richness of Christ that is in you. May you experience the closeness of the Holy Spirit this holiday season and may you get to know God more intimately than ever before. Remember Jesus Christ is the center of Christmas.
Matthew 1:21-23(21) She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."(23) "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us).
Jesus is Immanuel, God with us. Hallelujah!!! God did not wait for us to try and reach Him by our own works, but He put on flesh and became man to reconcile us to Himself. He did it all and all we can do is give Him our all. He is among us and not distant. We can and should know Him personally, like a friend. We can just receive this salvation and then enter into a relationship with the Lord Jesus and the Father and the Holy Spirit. We do not deserve it, but Jesus earned it on our behalf. There is a big difference between religion and relationship and Jesus made the way that we did not have to be in a trap of trying to find truth, or to find the gods. He connected us in a living relationship with the Father who created all that exists. Oh the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus. That is what you and I will celebrate this Christmas time. Forget about the extras that was added by man and focus on the reality of man united with Yahwe, the Living God. May the God of Peace, who is peace, enlighten your minds that you may know the richness of Christ that is in you. May you experience the closeness of the Holy Spirit this holiday season and may you get to know God more intimately than ever before. Remember Jesus Christ is the center of Christmas.
The Great Advisor
We pray that those of you taking leave will experience the nearness of Jesus and that you will be refreshed by His Spirit. Remember not to sacrifice your principles for the sake of fun or to please friends. Enjoy this week's devotion.
Isaiah 28:29 “…..He gives wonderful advice; He gives great wisdom.” (Holman Christian Standard Bible”Proverbs 2:5-7(5) then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.(6) For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;(7) he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,Proverbs 2:5-7(5) then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.(6) For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;(7) he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
As I read the Word this morning these verses just hit me again. I am constantly studying the topic of human development and have come to the understanding that God’s wisdom and knowledge is the key to our well-being. He knows best what is best for us and He knows exactly how we should do it. Solomon also said that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and therefore we should get an understanding of the fear of the Lord. If the key to our success lies in knowledge and knowledge is found in the fear of the Lord then we should try to understand the concept of the fear of the Lord. I realize that God designed it this way so that we should come to Him as the source of knowledge and wisdom and we should dwell with Him. Colossians 2:3 says that all the treasures of wisdom and revelation are hidden in Christ. He is eager to reveal the secrets of His design plan to us and He is not stingy when it comes to giving wisdom for everyday life. The secret is that we need to know God. We need to walk in His ways and enjoy His company daily. The presence of Jesus in my life has become so real to me and therefore I can understand His ways more clearly and have wisdom and knowledge that is not from human reasoning. I can hear the voice of God in every situation and my heart is steadfast as I trust in Him. You can have the same experience. It is not only for some elect priests or Pastors to understand the word of God or to know God’s ways. You can and should come daily and receive the bread of life, the living Word of God, from the hand of the Father. As you do this you will grow in wisdom and understanding and have the fear of the Lord. You will be able to overcome all the works of the evil one and nothing will rock your world. You will be steadfast and not fear any bad news. Come now; make a decision to draw near to God and to seek Him daily. Make a decision in your heart to long for the courts of the Lord daily and to feast in His presence. Believe me; we need Him more than we need food and water or oxygen. Come on this exciting journey with me!
Isaiah 28:29 “…..He gives wonderful advice; He gives great wisdom.” (Holman Christian Standard Bible”Proverbs 2:5-7(5) then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.(6) For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;(7) he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,Proverbs 2:5-7(5) then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.(6) For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;(7) he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
As I read the Word this morning these verses just hit me again. I am constantly studying the topic of human development and have come to the understanding that God’s wisdom and knowledge is the key to our well-being. He knows best what is best for us and He knows exactly how we should do it. Solomon also said that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and therefore we should get an understanding of the fear of the Lord. If the key to our success lies in knowledge and knowledge is found in the fear of the Lord then we should try to understand the concept of the fear of the Lord. I realize that God designed it this way so that we should come to Him as the source of knowledge and wisdom and we should dwell with Him. Colossians 2:3 says that all the treasures of wisdom and revelation are hidden in Christ. He is eager to reveal the secrets of His design plan to us and He is not stingy when it comes to giving wisdom for everyday life. The secret is that we need to know God. We need to walk in His ways and enjoy His company daily. The presence of Jesus in my life has become so real to me and therefore I can understand His ways more clearly and have wisdom and knowledge that is not from human reasoning. I can hear the voice of God in every situation and my heart is steadfast as I trust in Him. You can have the same experience. It is not only for some elect priests or Pastors to understand the word of God or to know God’s ways. You can and should come daily and receive the bread of life, the living Word of God, from the hand of the Father. As you do this you will grow in wisdom and understanding and have the fear of the Lord. You will be able to overcome all the works of the evil one and nothing will rock your world. You will be steadfast and not fear any bad news. Come now; make a decision to draw near to God and to seek Him daily. Make a decision in your heart to long for the courts of the Lord daily and to feast in His presence. Believe me; we need Him more than we need food and water or oxygen. Come on this exciting journey with me!
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