When the angel of God appeared to Mary to inform her of the good news, that she will be the vessel through whom Jesus will be born, she was initially afraid and apprehensive - Luk 1:28-29. This was a natural reaction to being told that as a virgin betrothed to a man she was going to conceive supernaturally. How will she explain this to Joseph and the rest of her family she must have been thinking.
The angel of God sought to reassure her. He told her not to be afraid because she had found favor with God - Luk 1:30. Why did God select Mary out of all the women He could have selected? Friend, Mary was positioned for the favor of God. She had the right attitude for what God was set to do through her. This is evident in her eventual response to the angel. In Luk 1:38 she said to the angel "let it be according to your word." Other people would have gone on to add doubt and unbelief to their initial apprehension.
By her response Mary demonstrated her attitude towards God and His Word. This was likely not the first time. God must have observed her obedience prior to the encounter with the angel in Luk 1, and found her to be the right candidate for favor. You see even though God has made His favor available for you, you must do your part by positioning yourself for the manifestation of divine favor through your attitude. Then you will walk in the fullness of God's favor.
Showing posts with label attitude. Show all posts
Showing posts with label attitude. Show all posts
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Sunday, June 2, 2013
You must have the right attitude for divine favor
The Psalmist declares in Psa 5:12 that God will surround the righteous with favor like a shield. You see it is God's desire that you live by favor and not just by your labor. Favor is a supernatural advantage. Favor is defined as preferential treatment, something done out of goodwill, excessive kindness, and something that is freely granted.
Friend favor does not exclude you from labor. Rather God has granted favor to every believer as a supernatural advantage. He expects you to function wherever He has placed you with a consciousness of His favor. It is the favor of God that causes the efforts of a believer to be magnified. It is the favor of God that causes you to be noticed from a crowd.
However in order for you to maximize the favor of God over your life you must have the right attitude. When Jesus was on the cross, there were 2 thieves - 1 on either side of Him. One thief had the right attitude and the other did not. Jesus favored the thief to his right and granted this thief access to Paradise because of his attitude.
Your attitude qualifies you for favor. You have to have the right attitude in every situation so that you can walk in the fullness of the favor of God.
Friend favor does not exclude you from labor. Rather God has granted favor to every believer as a supernatural advantage. He expects you to function wherever He has placed you with a consciousness of His favor. It is the favor of God that causes the efforts of a believer to be magnified. It is the favor of God that causes you to be noticed from a crowd.
However in order for you to maximize the favor of God over your life you must have the right attitude. When Jesus was on the cross, there were 2 thieves - 1 on either side of Him. One thief had the right attitude and the other did not. Jesus favored the thief to his right and granted this thief access to Paradise because of his attitude.
Your attitude qualifies you for favor. You have to have the right attitude in every situation so that you can walk in the fullness of the favor of God.
Friday, November 30, 2012
A Life Full of Power
Luk 4:14.
God intends that all of His children will live by His power. The Bible says in Luk 4:14 that Jesus returned in the power of the spirit, and news of Him spread far and wide.
Jesus had just spent time consecrated in the presence of God. He was recharged and refired so much so that others around Him noticed the difference.
The power of God must be so evident in us that others can see it based on our manifestations. This is what it means to live supernaturally. However it takes consecration, prayer, fasting and spending time in God's Word to generate such power.
God intends that all of His children will live by His power. The Bible says in Luk 4:14 that Jesus returned in the power of the spirit, and news of Him spread far and wide.
Jesus had just spent time consecrated in the presence of God. He was recharged and refired so much so that others around Him noticed the difference.
The power of God must be so evident in us that others can see it based on our manifestations. This is what it means to live supernaturally. However it takes consecration, prayer, fasting and spending time in God's Word to generate such power.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Revelation, the Path to Promotion
Eph 1:17.
It is time to stop being grounded by the wrong attitude to the Word, tradition, and mental assent (religion), and to be elevated by revelation.
Revelation of God's Word sets you free Jn 8:32. When you have revelation of God's Word in a particular area eg health, finances, victory, etc. you own it. You can no longer be held back in that area of your life.
In order to live a supernatural life with signs and wonders in evidence (outstanding results) you must walk in revelation.
It is time to stop being grounded by the wrong attitude to the Word, tradition, and mental assent (religion), and to be elevated by revelation.
Revelation of God's Word sets you free Jn 8:32. When you have revelation of God's Word in a particular area eg health, finances, victory, etc. you own it. You can no longer be held back in that area of your life.
In order to live a supernatural life with signs and wonders in evidence (outstanding results) you must walk in revelation.
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Life of God
Jn 10:10.
Jesus said that He came to impart the life of God in us; not just in small measure but in an a unlimited measure. He wants us to be full of the life of God to the point of overflow.
We get a measure of this life at new birth. We must continue to cultivate this life by exposing ourselves to right materials, staying in the presence of God, etc. This life must overflow to the point that it is affecting everything around you.
Jesus said that He came to impart the life of God in us; not just in small measure but in an a unlimited measure. He wants us to be full of the life of God to the point of overflow.
We get a measure of this life at new birth. We must continue to cultivate this life by exposing ourselves to right materials, staying in the presence of God, etc. This life must overflow to the point that it is affecting everything around you.
Friday, January 20, 2012
A Lifestyle of Worship
Worship is a frequently practiced activity. The Bible lets me know that
you and I were created for the purpose of worshiping God. You see it was
always God's intention that man should live through worshiping Him.
Worship is more than just songs; worship is a lifestyle; a lifestyle continually submitted to God. The dictionary defines worship as 'adoring and reverent honor, and homage paid to God'. God's desire is that you adore Him, honor Him and pay homage to Him continually.
Worship is laying aside your life and bowing your desires down to God so that His will can be done in your life. Your seed, service, dressing, speech, actions, etc. can be acts of worship to God.
Worship does not change God. Rather worship benefits the worshiper. God promises in His word that if you dedicate your life to worshiping Him, He will promote you.
1 Peter 5:6 (NKJV)
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.
Exodus 8:1 (NKJV)
1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Let My people go, that they may serve Me.
God does not just desire any type of worship, He desires sincere worship. There are numerous conditions that are necessary for true worship. In this article I will address 3 of these things.
3 Things that must be Present for true Worship
1. State of your heart.
The state of your heart is important for true worship. Your heart must be set on the love of God. You must have a revelation of God's love in order to truly worship Him. This revelation will cause you to love Him in return. And when you love God, you will desire to worship Him sincerely.
Matthew 22:37 (NKJV)
37 Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
2. Reverence.
Hebrews 12:28 (NKJV)
28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
Serve as it is used in the scripture above is from the Greek word 'latreuĊ' which means worship. In this scripture the Bible specifically qualifies your worship with the words reverence and godly fear. This is not a reference to fear as we commonly define it but rather it is a reference to deep respect. There can be no sincere worship of God without a deep respect of Him.
Your reverence for God is borne out of a revelation of who God is to you.
Who is He to you? Who has He been to you? Has He healed you? Has He delivered you? Has His presence is your life resulted in peace? God has been all these to us. The least we can do is to acknowledge Him through our worship.
3. Consecration.
You must be consecrated to God in order to truly worship Him.
John 4:24 (NKJV)
24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
God wants your whole life: spirit, soul & body, to be consecrated to Him in worship. You cannot do this unless you are consecrated to God.
Matthew 4:8-10 (NKJV)
8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.
9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”
10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”
Jesus illustrated consecration to us. He was consecrated to God and laid down his flesh in order to accomplish His God-given assignment. This was an act of worship.
In order to really worship God you must be committed to a life of worship. There cannot be true worship until the state of your heart is right, you have a deep respect for God, and you are consecrated to Him.
This is not meant to be an exhaustive article on worship. Rather it is meant to start you on the path to discovery on the topic of worship. I trust that you have been stirred up in the area of worshiping God. I believe that as you commit yourselves to a life of worship, God will show up on your behalf like never before.
Worship is more than just songs; worship is a lifestyle; a lifestyle continually submitted to God. The dictionary defines worship as 'adoring and reverent honor, and homage paid to God'. God's desire is that you adore Him, honor Him and pay homage to Him continually.
Worship is laying aside your life and bowing your desires down to God so that His will can be done in your life. Your seed, service, dressing, speech, actions, etc. can be acts of worship to God.
Worship does not change God. Rather worship benefits the worshiper. God promises in His word that if you dedicate your life to worshiping Him, He will promote you.
1 Peter 5:6 (NKJV)
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.
Exodus 8:1 (NKJV)
1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Let My people go, that they may serve Me.
God does not just desire any type of worship, He desires sincere worship. There are numerous conditions that are necessary for true worship. In this article I will address 3 of these things.
3 Things that must be Present for true Worship
1. State of your heart.
The state of your heart is important for true worship. Your heart must be set on the love of God. You must have a revelation of God's love in order to truly worship Him. This revelation will cause you to love Him in return. And when you love God, you will desire to worship Him sincerely.
Matthew 22:37 (NKJV)
37 Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
2. Reverence.
Hebrews 12:28 (NKJV)
28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
Serve as it is used in the scripture above is from the Greek word 'latreuĊ' which means worship. In this scripture the Bible specifically qualifies your worship with the words reverence and godly fear. This is not a reference to fear as we commonly define it but rather it is a reference to deep respect. There can be no sincere worship of God without a deep respect of Him.
Your reverence for God is borne out of a revelation of who God is to you.
Who is He to you? Who has He been to you? Has He healed you? Has He delivered you? Has His presence is your life resulted in peace? God has been all these to us. The least we can do is to acknowledge Him through our worship.
3. Consecration.
You must be consecrated to God in order to truly worship Him.
John 4:24 (NKJV)
24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
God wants your whole life: spirit, soul & body, to be consecrated to Him in worship. You cannot do this unless you are consecrated to God.
Matthew 4:8-10 (NKJV)
8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.
9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”
10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”
Jesus illustrated consecration to us. He was consecrated to God and laid down his flesh in order to accomplish His God-given assignment. This was an act of worship.
In order to really worship God you must be committed to a life of worship. There cannot be true worship until the state of your heart is right, you have a deep respect for God, and you are consecrated to Him.
This is not meant to be an exhaustive article on worship. Rather it is meant to start you on the path to discovery on the topic of worship. I trust that you have been stirred up in the area of worshiping God. I believe that as you commit yourselves to a life of worship, God will show up on your behalf like never before.
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