Warfare: The Call to Arms in 2011 by Peter Grasso

Warfare: The Call to Arms in 2011 by Peter Grasso
on Thursday, 30 December 2010 at 20:56 - Facebook Notes

Often we forget that Spiritual Warfare is violent

During the past three months, I began reflecting and studying God’s word concerning the increasing evil within this world and on Spiritual Warfare. Throughout this time, I also began approaching the throne of grace; asking deep questions regarding Satan's kingdom and the seemingly helplessness of the saints to evoke the power of the Holy Spirit in faith to break down the strongholds of the enemy. I found myself crying out as I echoed the prophet Habakkuk, while tears rolled from my face concerning the fate of the lost, along with the walking dead that fill our neighborhoods and our churches. How long O’LORD? How Long? 400,000 churches in America and we are dried up as a branch that is fit only to be consumed by fire!




Habakkuk 1:2-4




How long, LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? I cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.



As I travailed throughout this time of prayer, fasting, and seeking God’s wisdom, I found myself very much in a dry valley experience. I was oppressed on all sides of my life from the physical, to the mental, to the spiritual, and even in my workplace. The valley that the Lord brought me through was a path of quiet dryness.



My prayers were hollow and strained. I also found myself in periods of great loneliness without the still, small, voice of the Holy Spirit giving me direction.I was confused, tired, and worn down. Often, I would seek my brothers and sisters in Christ to hold me up in prayer for this path were very difficult to traverse.



To make matters worse, those who were praying for me were also being attacked on levels I have never seen before. I found myself also praying for others who were going through life threatening illnesses, major family problems, financial ruin, depression, and oppression. What I did not know at the time was that the Lord was instructing me in the art of Spiritual Warfare that I have only understood from a cursory standpoint.




The one word that resonates to this day as we approach 2011 is WARRIOR.



The Lord is preparing and calling the Faithful to be WARRIORS and to engage in SPIRITUAL WARFARE! This truth was further confirmed with my prayer partner last night.



Warfare is Violent and BLOODY:





As graphically illustrated within the caption picture of David standing over the decapitated Goliath, the Christian often forgets that warfare is very violent and bloody. Goliath represented the kingdom of Satan and the rulers, powers, principalities, and dominions of this world. Likewise, David appropriately represents the duty of the soldier of Christ in our response. After much reflection, prayer, and biblical exposition, I realize now that our response to spiritual powers is not by casting them out or by building shields and towers of protection, but by attacking them within their strongholds and by decapitating the rulers so that they cannot fight again.



Consider the following scriptures carefully and prayerfully. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NKJV)



For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ



Furthermore…



Proverbs 21:22

A wise man scales [attacks] the city of the mighty, And brings down [destroys] the trusted stronghold.



Beloved, I feel from within the deep recesses of my soul that in 2011 it will be our time for His Glory and to break down strongholds. We also need to STOP casting out the demons, powers, rulers, and principalities. INSTEAD we are to bind them by the authority of the Almighty and to cast them into everlasting torment ahead of the schedule time. We are to attack the strongholds of the enemy, to bind the enemy by the authority within us, and by that authority, which Jesus has given us; then command them into the eternal pit before the appointed time.



Luke 8:30-31 (Amplified Bible)



Jesus then asked him, What is your name? And he answered, Legion; for many demons had entered him. And they begged [Jesus] not to command them to depart into the Abyss (bottomless pit).



...why did the legion beg Jesus? Because he had the authority TO COMMAND THEM to depart INTO THE ABYSS



Revelation 9:1




THEN THE fifth angel blew [his] trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth; and to the angel was given the key of the shaft of the Abyss (the bottomless pit).



This tells us that although there will be release of the demons after the Saints are united with Jesus during the end times. The pit exists, it contains evil spirits as mentioned in Genesis, and is more than sufficient to hold a number of others as we bind them and command them to depart by the authority that the Lord has given us.



To Win a War, the Enemy must be Rendered Incapable to Engage in Battle:



As I mentioned earlier, I have never been so attacked in all my life as I began to ponder the aspects of successful warfare. To win a war, you must eliminate the enemy’s ability to fight.This is NOT accomplished by scattering them around and by building defensive hedges. Neither is this done by huddling within the safety of the sanctuary. By doing so, we are only enabling the enemy to fight again as we get worn down!



The strategy needs to change to include our method of prayer, fasting, and petitioning. John 15:5 states that apart from Jesus we can do nothing. This scripture is of significant importance for we are incapable as sheep to take on wolves. However, we were grafted into the vine [Jesus], as branches to bear fruit for the Kingdom. We serve a KING that commissions us as a military force to advance His Kingdom. The Lord has equipped us by his Grace to engage in fruitful progression and to open the eyes of those blinded by Satan’s Kingdom.



We do this by arresting and capturing the Powers, Principalities, Dominions, and Rulers that are the source of blindness by the authority given us through the power of the HOLY SPIRIT; commanding them into the pit and removed from the battlefield.




v17 [For I always pray to] the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation [of insight into mysteries and secrets] in the [deep and intimate] knowledge of Him, v18 By having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints (His set-apart ones), v19 And [so that you can know and understand what is the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His power in and for us who believe, as demonstrated in the working of His mighty strength, Which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His [own] right hand in the heavenly [places],



Far ABOVE all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named [above every title that can be conferred], not only in this age and in this world, but also in the age and the world which are to come.



[Stop and consider these verses carefully. Jesus was raised ABOVE all rulers, authorities, powers, dominions and every name within this world and the spiritual forces within.]



Continuing...



Ephesians 2: 1-3 (Amplified Version)



AND YOU [He made alive], when you were dead (slain) by [your] trespasses and sins. In which at one time you walked [habitually]. You were following the course and fashion of this world [were under the sway of the tendency of this present age], following the prince of the power of the air. [You were obedient to and under the control of] the [demon] spirit that still constantly works in the sons of disobedience [the careless, the rebellious, and the unbelieving, who go against the purposes of God].



[Stop and consider again these verses. We were lost and without Christ, and we actually followed the prince of darkness and were servants to evil, producing bad fruit and wickedness. That is one of the reasons that Satan continuously reminds us of our past Allegiances in order to keep us from following our new King – the Lord of Mercy and Grace.For the saved in Christ, we now serve our KING of kings. We are his chosen, enlisted, and commissioned to serve the light as warriors (Note: "Commissioned" is the term used for officers who are appointed by the King to lead in military matters).



Among these we as well as you once lived and conducted ourselves in the passions of our flesh [our behavior governed by our corrupt and sensual nature], obeying the impulses of the flesh and the thoughts of the mind [our cravings dictated by our senses and our dark imaginings]. We were then by nature children of [God's] wrath and heirs of [His] indignation, like the rest of mankind



[This section is critical for the believer to understand fully]



But God--so rich is He in His mercy! Because of and in order to satisfy the great and wonderful and intense love with which He loved us, Even when we were dead (slain) by [our own] shortcomings and trespasses, He made us alive together in fellowship and in union with Christ; [He gave us the very life of Christ Himself, the same new life with which He quickened Him, for] it is by grace (His favor and mercy which you did not deserve) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ's salvation).



And He raised us up together with Him (ABOVE ALL powers, principalities, dominions, and ruler) and made us sit down together [giving us joint seating with Him] in the heavenly sphere [by virtue of our being] in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One).



[Furthermore, it was by this act of grace that we were brought into the light of truth by his adoptive mercy as we have been commissioned into HIS Kingdom. We are therefore heirs and joint heirs with Christ. And as adoptive sons and daughters of the Living God, we have obtained the authority and privileges associated with our adoptive state that is ABOVE all demonic forces.]



So what does this mean?



We have the authority as sons and daughters of the King to evoke our authority against the powers, principalities, and rulers according to His purpose and for His Glory.



The Challenges of 2011 is to give Rise to Warriors for Christ who are Determined to:







1) Pray specifically and unceasingly for their families, relatives, neighbors, community, leaders, and the nation in a manner that targets demonic rulers as a sniper would target an enemy high-value target. Remembering that the person in darkness is NOT THE ENEMY but the principality and ruler that blinds them IS. Therefore, our strategy is to identify and target them for capture and elimination to the pit.



2) To form prayer teams to actively engaged in breaking down strongholds for our neighborhoods and cities in the areas of Pornography, Divorce, Drug Addition, etc.Calling each out by name and commanding their departure to the pit as the Holy Spirit leads us.



3) To pray for the Holy Spirit to direct our thoughts and actions to seize upon divine opportunities to speak truth and light to those lost and to command authority of all demonic influences that hinders our progress.To raise the banner of Jesus in ALL we do; preaching the WORD in GRACE and in TRUTH; regardless if politically correct or not. With humility and grace, we are to be bold in truth, rich in forgiveness, with a spirit of gentleness. We are to represent Christ in ALL we do for His Glory.



4) In humility, we are to cut the head off of the Goliaths that command dominion as we pray to the Lord to reveal the enemy so we can direct our prayers and actions accordingly.



Let each demonic ruler, principality, and power SCREAM in fear whenever a Man or Woman of GOD awakes for they know that their strongholds will be breached as multitudes of Satan’s commanders are ushered into the abyss in complete horror and torment and as JESUS is raised high without obstruction by His faithful WARRIORS!



Finally, we must ALWAYS be mindful to pray that the Lord will continue to reduce our OWN EGO (a stepping stone for Satan), while increasing the Love of JESUS in our lives. In doing so, Jesus is lifted up, whereby ALL will flock to Him. Failure to do this will make us cynical and angry, verses compassionate and merciful -- "because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires" (James 1:20).



Blessings in 2011 for His Glory,

Minister Peter

God Looks for Clays...will you be one?

God Looks for Clays...will you be one?
by John Zequin Araneta on Wednesday, 05 January 2011 at 20:17

"O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?" says the LORD. "Look, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel! (Jeremiah 18:6)

God knows how to bring salvation to your family, your friends, your community, and your world. Accordingly, He looks for those who will allow Him to shape them into the instruments He requires to do His divine work. Clay has no plans of its own, no aspirations for service, nor reluctance to perform its given task. It is just clay. Moldable, pliable, totally submissive to the will of its master.



At times we excitedly announce to God: “I’ve discovered my strengths and gifts, and now I know how I can best serve You!” At other times we inform Him, “I am aware of what my weaknesses are, so I know which tasks I’m not capable of doing for You.” Yet this is not characteristic of clay. God is not limited to working with our strengths (2 Cor. 12:9–10). He can mold us into whatever kind of instrument He requires. When God’s assignment demands humility, he finds a servant willing to be humbled. When His work requires zeal, He looks for someone He can fill with His Spirit. God uses holy vessels, so He finds those who will allow Him to remove their impurities. It is not a noble task, being clay. There is no to it, nothing boastworthy, except that it is exactly what almighty God is looking for. Compliant, moldable, yielded clay.



If your tendency is to tell the Father what you can and cannot do for Him, submit to His agenda and allow Him to shape you into the person He wants you to be. Like clay.

the COMMITMENT of fasting

After sharing with you the FAITH GOALS of this coming week's prayer and fasting. The following shall be committed for the LORD:

1. OVER SLEEP - I always wake up 8 or 9 am. Yes. I am a bit lazy and thinking my husband goes to work at 5 am, I am still lying in bed at that time. So I would like to dedicate this week for a 5:30AM DAWN WATCH PRAYER (England Time). Starting Sunday I will wake up as soon as my husband start to prepare for work then have a coffee while praying and reading the BIBLE for hours.

2. 7:00 am - 7:00 pm - 12 HOUR no any solid food intake. Water as in just water. This is a real fast which I have never tried. I used to diet but not in a way that there is no biscuit to intake in 12 hour.

3. 7:00 pm til next day fasting - then i can eat slowly in a small cup so I will get ready for another day fasting.

4. NO TELEVISION, NO FACEBOOK, NO TWITTER AND NO MOBILE PHONE except Rob, Isis and Zig, my boss, would call me. This will be done from the time I wake up until 7pm.

5. BIBLE, BOOK READING of WHISPER of BILL HYBELS, and BILL HYBEL's DVD. Personal notes and blogs will be used to share the teachings and thoughts.

6. CHARACTER DEVOTIONS. I would like to have a full list of things I have done in 2010 and yet I still want to improve on 2011. I learned from PAUL that the FRUIT OF SPIRIT is love, gentleness, forgiveness and all so I would like to go deeper into that area where I want to experience the commitment of Christlikeness. The idea of fasting about this is that for example a certain issue arises while fasting, I need to compose myself into a situation in which I will address it in full focus on the Fruit of SPIRIT and not on the issue.

From January 9 to January 16, this will be my commitment to the LORD and fasting from the things I love in exchange of PRAYERS and DEVOTIONS to JESUS.

LORD, this is going to be very difficult also because me and rob are set to celebrate our 1st year wedding anniversary in PARIS so from January 14 to 16, I will follow everything except the timings of reading the BIBLE n all will be a little bit extended. But FOOD n other devotions will be done as promised.

I am really excited. Or maybe I feel I can do it, but at the back of my mind, this is going to be really HARRRRDDD... but I know GOD is on my side. He truly knows the desire of my heart.. He knows I am trying to have a FAITH GOAL that I am seriously working into. I also know that JESUS MEANS SERIOUS BUSINESS.. so HE KNOWS I AM SERIOUSLY WORKING ON THIS TO ATTAIN A CERTAIN GOAL NOT ONLY FOR MYSELF BUT FOR HIS GLORY AND OUR CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WILL NEVER BE THE SAME..

ALL PRAISES TO JESUS who never fails to encourage and invite us.. Thank you Lord.. I AM 100% IN LOVE WITH YOU AND MY COMMITMENT WILL PREVAIL.. BECAUSE NOT ONLY I BELIEVE N YOU BUT ALSO I WANT TO BE WITH YOU ALL THE TIME.. :-)

FAITH GOAL of Prayer and Fasting

This month, I will dedicate a particular week, January 9 to January 16, 2010, in connivance with CCF (my church in the PHilippines), for a Prayer and Fasting Devotion. This is going to be my first time to a full DAY of prayer and fasting from food. I have done fasting from facebook, television cravings, but never devoted a fasting from food.

Today, January 5, I am already trying to lower down my food intake so my body will be prepared for a food fasting on Sunday.

I would like to share with you the personal reasons for this special event in my life:

Firstly, it's all about my desire of being more of more of Christ. As Ive shared with you, 2010 has been an amazing journey for me. Not only I got married to a loving man, But also God has been constantly doing fellowship with me through the Bible and I have been truly a devoted Born-Again Christian (whch will turn one year on April 8, 2011). And so, I want to start the year by devoting a specific goal to be nurtured and filled-up by the Holy Spirit so it shall guide my spiritual journey for the year 2011. It is a very crucial point for me that I am always equipt and ready for any hindrance that may get in the way of my devotions and commitment with the Lord. Not only because I love him but also I am totally focus on the mission He has shown me.

Hebrews 12:1, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

To entagle and build up my perseverance of the race I am going to go through 2011, I would like to be ready by doing a week-fasting and make a devoted promise to the Lord. Be reminded that God loves us truly when we have the initiative to invite him more becasue he always do the invitation for us.. not that he is tired from us, but I want to pleased him more and more because as a Child of God, I just want to please my Father and give him that is truly what He deserves.

Secondly, this is for a personal goal of asking GOD for a gift of a Child. I have given my full confidence in the Lord Jesus on this desire and always tell him, 'YOUR WILL BE DONE'. Even I will include this quest for my fasting, I know GOD has a perfect plan for me on this. I just would like to specifically ask GOD to comfort me on this issue as I know I can be impatient and think that this is going to depend on my own strength. But I would like to request GOD to keep on reminding me that this is HIS CREATION that I would like to request into. HIS GIFT OF LOVE to my marriage that He will bless us with one of His CREATION.. it is going to be a deep privilege of faith, if this is granted because as I now stand as a faith discipler of God, I will become more responsible and mission to share the gospel not only to just anybody but to a CHILD that is given to me. Imagine the thought of having to fully share GOD's love and grace to your own child, until you see him/her growing in faith.. that must have been the most awesome thing to see.. a true miracle which I cannot even ignore.. but Let GOD be my control that I might be weaken if I will not be granted so I would like to ask GOD for wisdom, courage and patient heart and that it is HIS WIll not mine..

Proverbs 3: My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck.Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble;when you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared.


thirdly, it is for the salvation testimony of my immediate family. My mother, father, stepfather and sisters and brothers (if I see them next year). Though ROB, my husband seems to have been putting a lot of effort in knowing the LORD, may he truly see God's grace and love this year. I am going to fast for this because I want to be ready just in case the LORD will lead me or use me to be the one to speak to them about the word of GOD. I have been praying for GOD to use my own life and this is the reason why I have been perservering with the help of the Holy Spirit to transform my life so I can be a good testimony of GOD's grace and love. Therefore, as I continue to surrender my life and submit to HIS WILL with regards to the continuing struggle of my family to learn the TRUTH and follow the TRUTH about the LOrd, may it be granted for the benefit of my family's own sake.. it is not for my sake but the love I have for my family is also immeasurable as well so I will fast so they will be soon touched by Holy Spirit. May not be me but definitely the Holy Spirit touch their heart and mind for the LORD is alive and real.. Our eyes must not be focus on what the world can give but what the LORD can provide beyond the realities of worldliness.

Fourth, OTHER FAMILY'S AND FRIEND'S prayers. I would like to share the love of GOD to my other family members, friends who became a family of mine, Family of Rob, colleagues, acquaintances and the people around the world who are in need of GOD's love. I pray for this constantly every night as I know in my heart that I have already put my confidence in the Lord on whatever things may come -- be it a blessing or a difficulty. But what about the people who does not knw the Truth -- it must have been really difficult when they experience struggles and burdens without thinking the LORD CAN REALLY PROVIDE AND HELP THEM.. The problem with other people who doesnt rely or depend on the Lord, when they are blessed, they do not think that the Lord has given it to them, but when they are in difficulty, they blamed the Lord for punshing them.. Oh.. havent they know even the universal law says, you sow what you reap.. so I will fast for people who are in the verge of having difficulty in their lives yet they think GOD is too busy to help them..

Fifth, Financials and HEALTH provisions. I have been experiencing back pains immensely as time goes by. Financials are not really that too important for me but I would like this for GOD to provide so that we can help other people, the church and keep our tithes monthly. God has provided has so much that it does not bother me anymore if I actually need more than I have but really GOD HAS opened my eyes to more than i can see. Even at work, I rely and depend on His love for me.. I used to be lazy thinking I need to work, but nowadays, I learned that WORK is a GIFT OF GOD.. It is a provision that you must also take responsibility and if problems arise at work, it is not because it is not what GOD wants you to have, but it is an issue that you must put GOD on. Ask GOD to help us on whatever problems may arise at work so he will always bless us with the FRUIT of the SPIRIT.. love and gentleness in our work attitude and helping us to work not to benefit the owner of the company but to WORK FOR THE GLORY OF GOD.. I want to fast on Financials (relations to job provisions) and Health so that we may continue to work on the GLORY OF THE LORD.


Lastly, for our CHURCH. I have 2 church now which I truly love and committed to. CCF in Manila and Cambray Baptist Church in England. The two churches has been providing me the word of the LORD and continue to bless me and ROB. I will fast for the 2 churches so it may continue to touch our lives and nourish our faith through constant activities and events to serve the LORD. May GOD also speak to me on what ministries, aside from the ministries I do now, HE still wants me to focus into. My schedule of the days, weeks, months are always open for the LORD.. so I will fast too to whatever leadings he wants me to serve HIm.

Lord, I pray for the right motive to pray and fast and this is all because I want to be closer to you than ever. This is for your glory who continue to use my life so that You will be made known to people. This is my mission that I know you want me to accomplish until the day we will meet again. As I learn to know more about you, May you speak to me on this week through the Bible passages and other leadings and this shall be kept and written on my heart. I want to serve you and I submit my life in view of this.. Loving you with all my heart and my mind is the most important responsibility of my life and because of this, I KEEP YOUR WORD in my heart and wrapped it around my neck as a promise to obey and respect. Thank you Jesus for the invitations and encouragement to be always with you.. Until then, I will see you and down on my knees I will praise and worship you, my Saviour and Redeemer..

I pray in the Most Precious Name, Jesus, AMEN..

2011 praises

My heart is bursting in tears to feel how 2010 has been an amazing journey for me..
You have blessed me with a simple wedding, reunion w my husband in england, a new family, a great job, and a beautiful dog.. But there is no other blessing as great as it was the year I surrendered and committed my life to you, my loving saviour, Jesus..

I've seen your good work in my faith as I try to learn your grace and love for me.. It was indeed the best moment of my life.. You have raised me to more than I can see, as the song goes.. But really I am so thankful of the loving thoughts you have shown in my heart.. The loving faith I have right now seems to grow deeper and deeper every minute of the day.. I just want to be where you are..

As I embraced your given blessings for 2011, I will devote more of my time and learnings for your glory! The learnings of 2010 are not only written in my heart but also it is binded around my neck..I have given my full trust in your name that My eyes are focus on the promise of my true destination.. And in your name, Jesus, it will definitely be a victorious year.

All for your glory of my one and only Saviour and Redeemer! Now looking forward for another great year with you, Jesus.

GOD UNBOXED Part 2: Hezekiah

Sermon notes from Bill Hybels - Willowcreek.org

Open the eyes of our Heart, Lord, so we will see God for who He really are..

He started with
Deuteronomy 29:29: The Secret Things belong to the Lord our God, But the things revealed belong to us and our children forever..

Mysteries of God are going to remain as a secret. Psalm 145:3 - Great is the Lord and greatly to be praise -- His greatness is unsearchable.

He spoke abou tthe sotry of a great and faithful king Hezekiah, 25 yr old son of Ahaz, who has reigned Judah for 29 years. His father, Ahaz, claim to fame was to forbid anyone to worship the true God and set up every critical position outside Jerusalem to worship false gods.. When Ahaz died, Hezekiah rebuild the temple of the God of Israel, Moses and David...

1 Chronicles 29: 2-3 He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father David had done. 3 In the first month of the first year of his reign, he opened the doors of the temple of the LORD and repaired them


Hezekiah would like all the people to know that he's parting way from his father. Upgrading and reopening the Temple of the Lord and started a huge worship gathering for all his people to worship the true GOD. 2 Chronicles 29: 28-30 The whole assembly bowed in worship, while the singers sang and the trumpeters played. All this continued until the sacrifice of the burnt offering was completed. When the offerings were finished, the

king and everyone present with him knelt down and worshiped.

30 King Hezekiah and his officials ordered the Levites to praise the LORD with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. So they sang praises with gladness and bowed their heads and worshiped.

King Hezekiah knelt down and praise with his people in that TEmple... Your examples matters more than anything than words.. Is powerul and everytime you make a GREAT STAND it (not just appropriate stand) registers profoundly in the people lives.. you're gonna sow seeds in their minds...

1 Chronicles 30: 20-21 This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the LORD his God. 21 In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands,

he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly.

And so he prospered. ---- 2 successful secret to great things on this world.

1 Kings 18: 7 And the Lord was with him; and he was succesful in whatever he undertook..

Question: Does God always prosper those who seek to honor him fully all the time? in any situation?

in the scripture it says:

Job 36: 11. If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment

Proverbs 10:22 the blessings of the Lord brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it..

So many names and people are witnessed to the Love and grace of our God. However you see the people in faith like Daniel, Apostle Paul, John the Baptist.. why did God allow them to get hurt and pass through the pain if God says he would make you prosper if you follow him? Why did God allow certain things to happen if you are faithful to God? Is there any predictability at all to who God is going to let prosper and who doesnt? Who he blesses and who doesnt?

God at this point could not be pinned down because of this issue. God comes out of the box.

Look at the life of King Hezekiah who came into a conclusion: that honoring GOD was the way he wanted in honoring God; it right thing to do; it was the best way to live his life. He didnt orient his life that way in order to OBLIGATE GOD to only prosper him or bless him the way he wanted it, He let the prospering decision totally in God's hands..

Bill suggest: We get up in the morning to make a FRESH COMMITMENT EVERY MORNING IN honor Him in everything.. every thought every word every deed.. and just let GOD be GOD.. and let Him sort your life out..

Don Cousin: Honor God everyday in your life and God will honor you in lifetime.. and let the rest up to GOD..

Then Hezekiah had a challenged in his life when a certain Assyrian ruler has mocked his reign, challenged Hezekiah to destroy their own godsand tried to sent out a massive military assylum to Hezekiah's kingdom to kill him and his people.. Hezekiah, as a true young leader, who looks after the well-being of his people was pressured and scared for his people upon receiving the Letter of the Ruler that threatened his kingdom.. Finally realized to forward and surrender his feelings to GOD and SPREAD OUT THE LETTER RECEIVED fr his enemy TO GOD..

1King 19: 14-19 Hezekiah’s Prayer
Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it.

Then he went up to the temple of the LORD and spread it out before the LORD.

And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD: “LORD, the God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. 16 Give ear, LORD, and hear; open your eyes, LORD, and see; listen to the words Sennacherib has sent to ridicule the living God. “It is true, LORD, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste these nations and their lands. 18 They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by human hands.

Now, LORD our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone, LORD, are God.”

REFLECTION: What do you usually SPREAD OUT TO GOD on your prayers? What are you spreading out before GOD? GOD iS OMNIPOTENT.. and he can fly out whatever box you have him.. and Hezekiah prayed for this not to become a greater King or to lead His troops to victory on his name.. Hezekiah prayed so that GOD will be made known for his greatness in all the Kingdoms of the Earth.. WHAT SO-THAT DO YOU PRAY TO GOD? HAVE YOU BEEN ANALYZING YOUR PRAYERS TO GOD?

God answers Hezekiah's prayer that is ridicule and absurd.. Through Isaiah, God appeared to him to send out the message to Hezekiah.. to just relax, sow some seed and relax as God will fight the battle of Hezekiah.. Then

1 KIngs 19: 35 That night the angel of the LORD went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning—there were all the dead bodies! 36 So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there.

God answers our prayers in a mysterious way.. God expects us to fight our own battle with his help.. but why is it that at some times, that God fights our battle for us? In our lives, where GOD left me with no other choices than to sacrifice, again with His help, to achieve something important. God needed me to fight that battle for me to grow a love in me and perservance and courage.. But there are times too that God is going to send you to battle and say, fight.. fight some more.. fight harder and God is with you.. its not gonna come easy for you but im with you.. until at times you'll be exhausted..

but GOD has important reasons to let us go into the battle for HIM.. GOD provides soemthing that we dont deserve.. straight from the victory circle.. then we will be surprised to see that we dont deserve that victory..

WHY GOD let us fight our own battle with his help? and at times, GOD will fight directly to our battle?

Bill hybels jokes -- I dont have a clue..
Psalm 145: His greatness is unsearchable..
Deuteronomy 29:29: The secret things belongs to God..

Let GOD be GOD.. Unboxed Him.. Either way to battle, ask and spread out your battle to GOD.. with God's help on your battle, GOD will reveal himself to you as you trust him in whatever battle you are into..

2 Kings 20:1 Hezekiah’s Illness
1 In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.”

2 Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD,

3 “Remember, LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

4 Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him: 5 “Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ruler of my people, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the LORD. 6

I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.’”

God has found favor in Hezekiah's prayer and he extended 15 more years of his life and said that God will defend his city for GOD'S SAKE AND THE SAKE OF MY SERVANT, DAVID.. God has found favor in Hezekiah but also it also favored God because He would like Hezekiah to continue to work for God's glory..

However Hezekiah did not let God's favour imprisoned him from pride and did not rest on his laurels from God.. He has secured God's favour for Him so he has made God's glory greater by creating a POOL OR TUNNEL in his city so that waters from city will distributed properly. He ordered the people to chisel 1750 foot and nowadays, it has been a tourist destination in Israel where the tunnel is and brings legacy to the works of Hezekiah. But during this works and achievement, Hezekiah has offered this achievement for God's glory..

2 Kings 20: 20 As for the other events of Hezekiah’s reign, all his achievements and how he made the pool and the tunnel by which he brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? 21 Hezekiah rested with his ancestors. And Manasseh his son succeeded him as king.

Almost all the reign of Hezekiah's work has been forgotten but only Hezekiah's tunnel has been secured SO THAT God's hand will be shown on it...

Reflection: What is our legacy? What is our Tunnel? what are the people will talk about after 25 years in your life that outlives you but only for the glory of God..?

Pour yourself in God's word.. Envision life with spirituality.. Instill Christianity to each and everyone in front of You.. and SPREAD IT OUT TO GOD WHO WILL HELP YOU AND GUIDE YOU TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.. It takes humility to understand and believe that God can do this through you.. We usually put it on our own strength and carry it on our own power and mind, so we thought it is ours who made it happen.. but laugh.. God enables you through His Spirit within you to make it happen..

What are you gonna leave as a legacy of your own life to glorify the Lord? God will advice you and lead you into this.. so THAT it blesses a greater part of the world..

LORD, if you pursue me, i will be among those people that will make sure that your works and glory shall be made known..

to GOD be all the glory..

hell -- not a sudden slope

The safest road to hell is the gradual one - the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts. C. S. Lewis