Gates Of Hell Shall Not Prevail

This morning as I came out of a restful sleep, this statement was running through  my mind.
                "The gates of hell shall not prevail against My redeemed ones." 
This is good news, Jesus.  Thanks for reminding me.  The following are the gates of hell that I had been burdened with lately and I think threaten us all.

1.Deception and twisting of all God has said.  Satan is always questioning, "Has God said . . .?"  Does God really love you?  Is God really that good?  God says to me, "Who told you . . .?  Who are you listening to?"

2.Fear drives this world system in one way or another.  We even employ it's power in the church.  But God has not given us a spirit of fear.  He uses love to draw us to Himself and motivate us. Love is liberating us to be our true self, flourishing with His delight.

3.Anger is often used by us to create a sense of protection of ever getting hurt again, thus bringing about separation from others, isolation and loneliness.  Think about it.

4.Distortion of the original design of all God created.  God is about restoration of that design and I am one under His construction.  I will relax  and trust His abilities.  "I make all things new.  You are a new creation in Christ." 

The gates of hell shall not prevail against My sons/daughters. 
The power is Mine, not yours.
Redemption was My idea, not yours.
I have interceeded for you according to My heart and  purposes.
My words do not return to Me empty.
Don't strive to do or to be.        Enjoy Me.        Relaxe in My love and care.

I have called you to reign in this life but you do so by resting in Me,  not by stirving.
Acknowledge My presence.    I AM here.
Enjoy the love relationship I have established with You.  Come enjoy Me now.


Thank You Lord!  The gates of hell will not prevail in holding old flesh patterns in their destructive power. 
I am free to follow Jesus. 
I am free to enjoy Jesus. 
I am free to grow up and mature as a son/daughter.
I am an image- bearer. I can do the works of Christ; all that He wants to do through me.
I can throw off limitations from an incorrect perception of my identity as a  son/daughter.

Abundant Life Provided

 

                     
      

Jesus promised abundant life.  John 10

If I, a flawed parent, know how to give good gifts to my children, how much more will You, Father, give my children good gifts, open doors, remove what opposes the good way, walk through life with them, and provide everything they need for living life here on planet earth and for godliness.

In my heart Lord, be glorified.  In my family You have given to me, be glorified.  We are trophies of Your amazing grace.

I decree that You are mighty to deliver, to guide, to position us where you can use us.
I decree that my children ____,  ____,  ____, their mates and children, to the 3rd & 4th generations,
. . .are being directed in paths of covenant righteousness.
. . .they do walk in covenant promises and enablings.
. . .they influence others to follow Jesus.  Their joy and peace are infectious.
. . .they are effective partners with Jesus to redeem, heal, rebuild the broken wall, restore what was 
     stolen.
. . .they are salt to preserve hope, dignity, honor in their fellow man.
. . .they are lights that shine like stars in the darkness.
. . .they are trophies of grace and do honor the King who redeemed them.
. . .they find contentment and enthusiasm in their kingdom assignment and  communion  with Christ.
. . .they are recognized as having godly character, honesty, integrity, wisdom, humility and honoring
     others.
. . .they get their identity from relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ; 
     not from what they do or what others say.

It is not honoring to the Great Son of God
                             to the Father of the living way
                             to the Eternal Covenant God
for His redeemed sons/daughters to experience a lesser quality of life than those who follow other gods, other paths, other systems and ideologies.

The Strengthening Presence

When I read Psalm 23 I am amazed at the gracious and loving care of my Shepherd.  I can relax in His presence even in my sheep-likness.  My soul is nourished and I grow into all His purposes for me.  I lack nothing, for my Shepherd provides, protects and delightes in me.

Because I am in Your presence always,
Your rod protects me.
Your staff guides me.
The storms of fear and confusion are stilled.
I am able to let go of things that "eat on me".
I am able to relax in Your care, even when I can not imagine the outcome.
I can see the table is prepared, and the cup is brimming over, not half full.
I feel the anointing oil and know Your resurrection power is available.

I am filled with gratitude. . .it explodes from me,
for only goodness and extravagant mercy,  unfailing kindness and love follow me.
Yes, Your goodness and mercy follow me ALL the days of my life, into eternity.

You can keep me in peace if I keep my mind stayed on You, Shepherd of life.

God's Good Plans For Me

God says to Israel, "I know the plans I have for you.  They are plans to give you a hope and a future.  I have no plans to harm you.  Just to prosper you."  Jeremiah 29:11

Do I really believe God is so good?  This was spoken under the Old Covenant, how much more is this the expression of His heart to us under the New Covenant in the blood of Jesus!

Father, I acknowledge my need for a father like You.  You have planned for us to live as family and in community with others.  Yet, in our brokenness and self-focus, we so often find ourselves in conflict in these crucial relationships.  We had expected more from them, we keep trying to change them.  Then we look at ourselves and see the fear, the resentment, the self-pity, the striving to make things work for us.  We feel helpless and hopeless at times.

Now, I hear your voice once again say to me, "I know the plans I have for you.  I have no plans to harm you, just to prosper you.  Relax in my care.  Let all striving go.  Let all expectation from others go.  I will make a way for you.  I am your Father who cares for you and I will prosper you."

                                                    *       *        *        *        *       *

My heart is lifted up and I declare my confidence in Your fathering skills.  Your plans for me are good.   You have already brought to me abundant life, more than enough.  It is Your very own resurrection life and companionship with Your fathering heart.

Our suffering and challenges serve only to bring us to You.  You give us Your perspective so we can adjust our perspective to Yours.  As it is in Heaven, . . .that is Your perspective and You have made it available to me here in the earth in my life time.  And there is more to come through out eternity.  That overwhelms my ability to perceive. 

The Broken Image

I bear the image of God.  Yet I am a broken image-bearer as I look at the life of Christ. He is God come in human flesh and showing us the image He had in mind.

I see distorted - self centered.  "My perspective must be right.  I must survive at any cost."
I agreed with Satan's lie, "I must know good and evil to be right and valued by God."
I feel compelled to pursue knowledge first before relationship inorder to gain respect from God and have a place of value.
Pride and the pain of brokenness blind me, drive me, and guilt me.

Here is salvation for the broken image.  I choose to repent, and believe every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God in the relationship.   I choose to receive His grace and peace.

REPENT . . . .BELIEVE. . .RECEIVE

I repent every time I am made aware of self-serving attitudes and motives.
I repent for trusting the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. I choose to trust His perspective.
I repent being too busy to give Him my undivided attention and highest affection.
I repent from the pride and pain of disgust and irritation of my own brokenness and that of others that constantly effect my comfort and my plans.

I choose to see the broken image through the covering of grace  until it is completely restored to the image of Christ.  If my value and worth . . .if my place in God's heart depends on how right I am on any given issue, especially scripture truth, then pride will rule all of my human relationships.  They will be greatly stressed and limited, beginning with my mate, my children, then my community.  I will demand they all be formed in my image, the way I see things and do things.  I will have failed to teach them to gaze on the glories of the Father who alone satisfies.  I will rob them of the desperation and deliberate pursuit of hearing God for themselves and developing intimacy of companionship.  He alone can restore the broken image.

One other application to consider.  In evangelism we must make a distinction between knowing and experiencing Christ VS. presenting our particular doctrines, religious system,  moral code of law, even the ways of a worshipping people.  All of these things issue out of our broken image or seeing through a "glass darkly", as stated in I Cor. 13.   We know in part, not the whole.  We function with the gifts of the Spirit through a mixture. . .vessels of clay.  It is my firm belief that God is well able to instruct His own children and make them disciples unto righteousness if their heart is knit to His.  I can share  where I am in my journey, my doctrinal interpretation, what I believe the Spirit of God has revealed to me.  I can extent grace and forgiveness to them the same way God extends grace and forgiveness to me on a daily basis. I can join the Spirit of intercession who prays for each of His children according to "as it is in heaven".

The Amazing Power of Agreement With God

One who knows the written Word of God ought to be able to confidently declare what is on the heart of God.  And let's be clear on this:  Satan came to kill, steal, and destroy.  Our Sovereign God came in the form of man, Christ Jesus, to give abuntant life, restore what was stolen, and heal and forgive.  He has comissioned us to share what Christ has accomplished for us, cast out devils, and heal the sick.  The following will stretch over several blog posts and if you are tracking with me on the "decree and declare" series, this should be empowering.

We are so trained to speak our negative feelings and perceptions, to repeat bad news and to think and declare the worst case senerio, that we need to re-train our communication with each other as well as our praying.  Scripture informs me that we will get what we think and feel and speak over a period of time.  Fear sustained produces the very thing of which we are afraid. 

I decree and I declare. . . .
that this generation of youth will rise up and demonstrate the Kingdom as not other generation.
that my children will rise up in a mighty demonstration of the resurrection life of Christ in them.
that through them, Your light will dispel darkness in hearts and in situation s where destruction has held sway.

I decree and I declare the finished work of Christ over all situations that threaten to stop the Kingdom of God.  The gates of hell can not prevail in their passion to steal, kill and destroy what God has ordained to live, to prosper and to bring glory to His name.

Greater is He who redeems, than he who deceives.
It is God's goodness that leads to repentance.
It is God's work to restore and transform, to call the dead to live.
It is God's love and mercy that draws me out of my false self and into Himself.

I decree in agreement with King Jesus,  as it is in heaven, so let it be done on earth. . . .
. . in my situation, that Jesus be glorified and seen as awesome.
. . in my part of the world,  that Jesus reap the harvest of His obedience in the souls of men.

I trust You Holy Spirit, to correct my understanding and application to situations in agreement with Your heart and purposes. 

I want to see a full manifestation of the sons of God in this generation.
 

My Times Are In Your Hands - No Shame

In You, of Lord, do I put my trust and seek refuge:  let me never be put to shame or have my hope in You be destroyed.

Based on my reading of Psalm 31,  I decree and declare that You Lord are a safer refuge than any other.  .   . that my feet have been set in a spacious place. . . that my times are in Your hands. . .
 that You are more than enough for all that concerns me.

You are more than enough for all that concerns me.
. . .my emotional stability and flexibility - peaceful, joy,  not anxious or fearful or doubting.
. . .my mental strength and function.
. . .the heart issues that need to own Your perspective, not mine.
. . .our family dynamics. . .relationships that are changing in this season of life.
. . .proper attitudes toward Kingdom dimensions and increased  hearing the Voice.

I have taken refuge in You Father.  I will not be put to shame.
I choose to be glad and rejoice in Your love and care.  Because You know the concerns of my soul and yet You do not shame me.  I continue to trust You to help me work through things that would trap me or sidetrack me.

How great is Your goodness!  You liberally give to me, in the sight of men, Your favor and sheltering presence.  You hide me from the intrigues of men and strife of tongues.

Be strong and let your heart take courage.  You can expect the Lord to be more than enough for you.   He will always act according to His character.