of 10% or 30 %. He doesn’t save or heal 50 % or even 90 %. He has come to give life and give it more abundantly to the fullest degree, which in His book, is 100%! 100% saved! 100% healed! (John 10:10)
Let us cry out unto our Most High God for completion of the good work that He has begun in us and that we will take hold of everything He has promised – 100% of it! “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” (Heb. 10:23; Philip. 1:6)
When He healed the 10 Lepers in Luke 17, He didn’t heal 8 out of 10, or heal only their hands and feet. All ten who entreated the Savior were entirely, wholly restored! Congruently, in Mark 8:22-25, we see a blind man being healed by Jesus. Mark well the fascinating way in which the Lord restores this man’s sight. He uses spittle! Have you spit in anyone’s eyes lately that they may be healed?
No partialities!
Our Lord could have simply said, “Be opened!” Or, “Be healed!” But He is always out of the box of the preconceived ideas of men. His ways are not are like ours. (Isa. 55:8-9). Neither should our ways resemble that of this world or of a limiting religious spirit.
So this dear blind man begins to see only in a clouded fashion. That’s not good enough! God is not into partialities, but complete wholeness! Jesus again touches this man’s eyes and his eyesight is restored 100%!
This is a lesson in persistence. If the Lord had to pray yet again in order for the blind man to be healed, we must do likewise. Demons don’t give up easily and we won’t either! It’s noted in the previous chapter of Mark 7:26-30, a Syrophoenician woman kept asking the Lord to heal her daughter. Her persistence was wonderfully rewarded!
So for the second half of this year, let us seek the Face of the Lord for every good and precious promise to unfold in full blossom. I am praying for you, my precious readers, that there will be a magnificent manifestation of God’s glory upon you and your family. This is the year of the release of divine destiny upon your life!
Linda Schreurs
SEIZE THE MOMENT
Since the first of the year, I’ve been trying to maintain a good, healthy proper weight. So far, so good! Part of the maintenance has been to walk on the treadmill every day. It’s not a very long regime at all, only about 15 or 20 minutes a day. But it’s more exercise than I was doing! Little is better than nothing I told myself, and to be honest, that ‘little’ has made a difference.
I’m reminded of Proverbs 6:9-11, “How long will you lie down, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest – and your poverty will come in like a vagabond, and your need like an armed man.” Of course, this speaks of the work ethic, but I’m discovering it could be used for physical activity as well.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not on a new platform preaching physical exercise, but I want to share with you how I utilize the time spent on the treadmill. Generally speaking, I’ve seen people who work out at a gym (I do mine at home), all the while watching TV or listening to music. Nothing wrong with that, it helps pass the time. But what I like to do is sing, worship, praise and pray. That’s not to say I’m any better, but I can tell you, the Lord and I have had some really good times with each other during those ‘walks’!
Alive and thriving!
You know, sometimes your life can get so busy, you have to be creative on where, when and how you pray, praise and worship your holy Creator. I remember a time when I entered into worshipping the Lord with sounds of clashing garbage cans being collected in the heart of Philadelphia! I wondered how in the world I could have any peace, quiet and joy in the midst of all that noise. Amazingly, it was easier than I thought. A desperate and hungry heart for God knows no barriers!
Lately it seems I can barely catch my breath because of all that’s going on in my life right now. But our wonderful God is one of mercy, not of die-hard rules. All He asks is that each and every day we enter into those divine things that keep our relationship alive and thriving.
Therefore, utilizing times spent in waiting rooms in dentist or doctors’ offices instead of staring off into space or reading a sports magazine can be a good time to pray. Personally, in times like that, I’ve had to make sure my countenance was pleasant. No one likes a grumpy Christian, especially if you’re in a ‘holding pattern’ waiting and waiting! I’ve often made intercession for those in a particular office that they may all come to know the Lord. Sometimes I’ve discretely used my anointing oil that I carry in my purse and anointed the entrance. I love being an intercessory missionary every place the sole of my foot sets. How about you? (Joshua 1:3)
Likewise those times spent driving in the car to and from work, or running errands, or even lunch breaks can become glorious times spent with the Lord. I know many of you have done this, but we need a fresh reminder that we have a divine call upon our lives to be “instant in and out of season” according to 2 Timothy 4:2. Sunday services are great. But walking out the door doesn’t mean our prayers and praise should stop. It’s an on-going life-style of 24/7 just like the angels of Revelation 4:8.
Immediate access
Let us remember one of the glorious things about being born again is that spirit gives birth to spirit, therefore we’ve been given immediate access into the supernatural realm! (John 3:6) Anywhere, anytime! Do not allow the enemy to downgrade you because you can’t spend hours in prayer. It’s wonderful if you can, but many simply can not because of their jobs, families with little ones or illnesses. Nonetheless, we must train ourselves to seize ‘stolen moments’ from the world where access into the Throne Room can bring great strength and victory into our every day life any time day or night.
I sincerely believe this is the Enoch anointing! (Gen. 5:22-24; Heb. 11:5; Also see: www.ibiblio.org/expo/deadsea.scrolls.exhibit/Library/enoch) Assuredly, this amazing man of the Bible walked with God being cognizant of His divine Presence in every aspect of his life. It wasn’t just during worship times at church! Talking to God was Enoch’s way of life whether he was working, playing, dining or taking a walk. He was a living testimony to Ephesians 6:18 before it was ever recorded. “With all prayer and petition, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this view, be on alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.”
Enoch reached a level of maturity in God that didn’t require perfect circumstances or a perfect environment in order to commune with His Divine Beloved. I sense the Lord’s call to His people to rise to this level of maturity more than ever in these Last Days. The reason is, His glory has been prophesied to outshine anything that’s gone before! (Haggai 2:9) Do you desire this?!
If your heart is pumping fast for passionate intimacy with God, then why not make your summer full of the wonder, awe, splendor, strength, healing, vitality and victory of a strong Christian life lived in the Spirit?! Your world can change dramatically. “Pray without ceasing”! (I Thess. 5:16)
It’s just like the old song… “What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear. What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer. O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry, everything to God in prayer.” Remember the Lord’s words in John 15:15, “No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.”
CONFIDENCE IN HOLINESS
One day while walking the treadmill, I was singing the passage from Revelation 4:8 where the angels sing, “Holy, holy, Holy…” Suddenly I felt the Holy Spirit bring an amazing revelation. He said, “There is great confidence and power in holiness.” I had to stop and think about that.
Later I began to pray, “It’s so good to be around holiness. Being with You Lord is so wonderful! I love the comfort of Your holiness!” The worshipper in Psalm 73:28 says it this way: “But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge.”
No competition!
I was then led to Psalm 96:9 where an
aspect of this holiness is revealed when it says: “Worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness; tremble before Him, all the earth.” (NIV) The Living Bible translates it: “Worship the Lord with the beauty of holy lives.”
What a wonderful weapon against the enemy when we walk in the splendor and beauty of holiness. The demons of hell cannot compete with that! The enemy shakes with violent fear in the presence of holiness! We see it documented in scripture in various places. Mark 1:24 is one of those. It describes one of the demons as an ‘unclean spirit’ who cries out to the Son of God, “…What do we have to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are – the Holy One of God!” Imagine that! The enemy is destroyed by holiness! Let us reflect our Lord in His dominion of holiness taking hold of its astounding power that shakes the earthly realm as well as the nether world!
Let’s do a heart check to see if perhaps this power source is missing in our lives. Could it be this is why we see so little breakthroughs and victories in our walk with God? Could it be we are camping out with the enemy with secret sins? Could it be we have compromised our faith by contamination in our hearts?
A clean slate
People of God, I believe we need to pay attention to this timely revelation given by the Holy Spirit. Our Lord has promised that His Second return is for a Bride without spot or wrinkle. (Eph. 5:27) Therefore, this is the hour we need to rise to the occasion of being pure and holy just as He is. “Thus you are to be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy; and I have set you apart from the peoples to be Mine.” (Lev. 20:26)
There is POWER in holiness! There is power in purity. There is a sense of well being in that. There is a confidence that emerges in our heart when we have nothing to hide.
Listen, we’ve all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Rom. 3:23) But when we’re saved and forgiven by the Blood of the Lamb of God, our sins are removed from us as far as the east is from the west. (Ps. 103:12) No need to wrestle with our past because it’s gone! That’s the Good News of the Gospel. Gone are past mistakes! Forever and ever - gone!
We’re given a clean slate to write a new, wholesome and happy destiny in Christ Jesus. Wow! That’s great news isn’t it?! Why not take advantage of holiness right now? Pray David’s prayer from Psalm 51:10, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within in.” That steadfastness creates in you peace, joy, holiness and power so you are an overcomer, not a victim. (Rom. 8:37) No longer are you held by any adverse circumstances of this world. You are a free man. You are a free woman. To whom the Son of God has set free, he/she is free indeed! (John 8:36)
Dress up with holiness!
In this hour in which we are now living, sometimes holiness is really hard to find because too many are compromising God’s truths and covenants. Many are lukewarm to the point of growing cold, so cold they may be freezing themselves out of a glorious eternity with our Lord and Savior. “And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.” (Matt. 24:12; Rev. 3:16) The call to purity is rarely heard in the churches, as many would rather be politically correct than to offend anyone. Is it any wonder we do not see the manifestation of God’s signs, wonders and miracles in our lives?
It’s time to dress up with holiness! Put it on as a garment each and every day. Walk in it, speak it, let your ears be attuned to it, let your eyes be drawn to it and your heart testify to its presence within. Do not compromise the purity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He is looking at you! He’s waiting to see if you’ll choose to be among those He gathers into His eternal glory, His holy Bride who is adorned with purity.
How can God’s testimony of His glory be woven through your life? By the power of an indestructible life through holiness that causes hell itself to fear, tremble and flee. (Heb. 7:16) Lambaste the kingdom of darkness with the power of purity! “Thy testimonies are fully confirmed; holiness befits Thy house, O Lord, forevermore.” We are that house. We’re the living tabernacles. We are that confirmation.
Holiness looks good on you! Wear it with all the dignity and honor befitting an heir of the King of kings. This summer, may your travels include the Highway of Holiness! (Isa.35:8)