Facing Giants

We've been talking about boldness this week and have read about the believers in Acts, learning that boldness is available to all believers because we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus and the righteous are as bold as a lion (2 Cor 5:21 and Prov 28:1). Yesterday I wrote about David and the boldness and courage he showed in trusting God to bring him victory over Goliath. 

I don’t think we face physical giants today (unless maybe you are talking about my family –at 6’4’’ I’m the shortest of my siblings! lol).  But we do ‘face giants’ each day. When we listen to the voice of truth we will have victory over any giant we may face. 

Depending on the giants you may be facing, boldness may mean different things at different times.  It may take boldness to:

• Listen to God's truth and believe...boldly overcoming the lies of the enemy
• Give thanks....boldly trusting God in every situation
• Encourage someone when it's out of your comfort zone....boldly being a doer of the word
• Care for a special needs child or family member....boldly advocating for their needs
• Love the unlovely....boldly sharing the love of Christ
• Be nice! (new post coming on this soon:)...boldly doing the right thing
• Stand your ground (this one will have a post too!)...boldly resisting the enemy (1Peter5:9)
• Speak. To anyone.  About anything. ...boldly overcoming the fear of rejection-can you tell this is me:)
• Ask for help....boldly accepting that God put us here together and life is easier with friends! 
• OBEY...ENDURE...PRESS ON

Remember this boldness does not come from your power....but from the power of the Holy Spirit living in you. But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.  1John 4:4 NLT (If you have time, read different version of familiar verses...I love the way it comes alive when you read it in a translation you are not used to!! Youversion and Biblegateway are great places to do that for free.)

Oh Lord,  make us like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Make whatever we do prosper (Psalm 1:3)  In any area where we need to grow in courage, we trust you Lord to teach us, realizing that this is not something we can do on our own.  I give you total control in my life, I want your Spirit to fill me to the fullest...making me bold in the hope I have in you Jesus! Guide us today, fill us with your love and let it spill out on those around us!  We will give you glory as one trembling heart and soul becomes a servant bold and courageous.  In Jesus' name-AMEN

So, I didn't even get to Esther or Daniel yet...I have been learning so much:) Come back tomorrow and I'll share! Thanks for reading and subscribing...have an excellent day!

Unstoppable and Unshakeable

After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. Acts 4:31

Yesterday I left you thinking on boldness.  I have been thinking more on Acts 4:31 and read this portion of a commentary and had to share:
"In answer to their prayer and in fulfillment of his promise (Lk 11:13), the place is shaken, and all--not just the apostles--are filled with the Holy Spirit (2:4; 4:8). They speak (literally, were speaking--continuous action at intervals) the word of God (God's great good news of salvation; 11:19; 13:46; 14:25) with boldness. The messengers are unstoppable. The mission continues with divine momentum. As Chrysostom observed about the place being shaken: "and that made them the more unshaken" (Homily on the Acts of the Apostles 11).

So according to this verse and commentary, it wasn't just Paul or the apostles who spoke the word of God boldly!  That means there is no qualification to being bold other than believing what the word says (Prov 28:1...the righteous are as bold as a lion) and experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit.  I want to be unshakeable and unstopable in this life...whether it is in proclaiming God's word or being a godly wife, or raising my children, or encouraging a friend, etc...  I beleive this promise for boldness with the filling of the Spirit! There are corageous people described in the Bible.  Let's see what we can discover by reading their stories. 

What about David?  He said to Goliath "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty...All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” (You can read the whole story in 1 Samuel 17.)  That's pretty bold!!! In 1 Samuel 16:13 we read that the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power.  So David wasn't bold and corageous on his own.  We can't be effectively bold on our own either- it is the Spirit of God working in us to make us bold!!

Dear Lord, renew our minds to the truth of your word.  Fill us with your Spirit so that we can live life to bring glory to you.  Make us bold where we need to be bold...make us sensitive where we need to be sensitive.  Guide us in your love this day.  In Jesus' name....amen!

Come back tomorrow and we'll check out some other courageous people :)

Alive and active

Love it when something jumps off the page at me!! I've been feeling a bit down lately and it's easy to get into a negative spiral with my thoughts and emotions. I took much needed time at lunch today to get into the word. I felt led to put on the armor so I turned to Ephesians 6 and started reading (for the umpteenth time) verse 10: be strong in the lord and in HIS mighty power. HIS power, not mine. I don't have to do life myself. In my own power I am weak, in his power, I am mighty!
Lord thank you that your word is alive and active in me!!! Thank you for your mighty power, I want to live in you and stop trying to do it myself. Thank you for the reminder that I need your power.
Stand your ground
Strength Will Rise

never give up

These are notes from Joyce Meyer's series
Praise is a spiritual weapon! Remember other victories and praise Him!
We don't have to see answers, just know that God has one! Do you like to surprise your kids with fun things? So does God!
Helping Others is a weapon: Be a blessing...don't withdrawl and nurse your wounds.
Word of God is a weapon

We may need to pass some tests before we get promoted.